Construction 2035: A Manifesto for the Future

Traditionally, our industry has focused on incremental change with key economic drivers in short to medium terms rather than longer term transformative and deeply systemic change. Construction 2035 aims to invite the compelling reimagination of our narrative through providing fresh perspective on our current as-is industry state to one fit for the future.

To enable change that sticks, our work focuses on the importance of embedding the right cultural grounds for us all to win. Culture shapes how we behave, build, and innovate - it’s the foundation of a more equitable, regenerative construction industry. By shifting mindsets from “take, make, break” to reuse and regeneration, we can drive change even in the face of financial and political uncertainty and constraints. A culture of shared purpose and innovation will unlock smarter solutions, creating a built environment that reflects diverse perspectives and benefits the communities it serves.

We envision Construction in 2035 having undergone a profound systemic culture revolution, embracing inclusivity, community, diversity, sustainability and place-based solutions at its heart. Our future holds a renaissance of innovation and collaboration that transcends boundaries, reshaping our built environment for generations to come, where every community empowered, person trained, design drawn, brick laid, and structure maintained is a testament to our progress to a just future using Plan A when there is no Planet B.

Construction 2034 Manifesto

1. Good at scale: Whether we are retrofitting or building new, we see the use of co-benefit approaches that actively seek to improve health and wellbeing, social, environmental and economic outcomes
2. Community wealth development: Collaboratively developing sustainable pipelines of fair, local employment, building community wealth and social mobility; a way of working that anchors place and local area supply and demand
3. Local people, local skills: Community development through place-based solutions, local resource and skills hubs to empower and re-engage groups to their places and spaces
4. Future-first approach: A built environment that is delivering on climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience, through passive, regenerative, nature- and low carbon-based solutions
5. Regenerative and circular: Embrace and celebrate regenerative, sustainable and quality solutions across the life cycle of built and non-built assets
6. Powerful partnerships: Strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with private, community and public spheres to support progress of knowledge, innovation, procurement and delivery of infrastructure
7. Fair and equitable workplaces: Systemic change to embrace all dimensions of fair work through long term prospects and structures ensuring that industry is both equitable and inclusive to reflect the diversity of the communities it serves
8. Everything is always connected: We have an embedded system of systems approach; we understand key linkages of cause and effect to drive positive improvement
9. Nobody left behind: A just transition for the existing and new entrants to the workforce
10. Beyond the bottom line: We are collaborative by default, are progressively value and quality-led to create successful spaces; that work for the common good of many, not the bottom line of the few

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