December 2023

Viewpoints & Predictions
“2023 HAS BEEN PIVOTAL IN TERMS OF INDUSTRY REGULATIONS, WITH THE
TRAJECTORY CONTINUING INTO 2024”
Michael Anaxagorou, Sales Director, Axter Ltd
This year has revealed the pivotal role of
technology in shaping the future of
construction.
Its increased utilisation has significantly
enhanced survey efficiency and opened new
avenues in specification. Notably, the impact is
substantial in the realm of sustainability, with a
heightened focus on net-zero goals and escalating
energy costs prompting a drive toward enhancing
the energy and thermal efficiency of buildings. This
surge in interest has also led to increased
exploration of energy generation possibilities.
In the domain of Climate Map Technology, fieldbased
and desktop tools are revolutionising the
assessment of the impact of well-designed roofs,
enabling digital modelling of existing structures
against proposed alterations. Moreover, these tools
facilitate showcasing the assets’ value beyond
compliance, highlighting the potential for carbon
reduction, long-term savings, and a more
sustainable future.
The year 2023 has been pivotal in terms of
industry regulations, with the trajectory
continuing into 2024. Notably, the Building
Safety Act introduced the concept of 'duty
holders', including clients, designers, and
contractors, emphasizing the necessity for
assessing competence and declining work that
exceeds one's skills, knowledge, or experience.
These regulations serve as a starting point for
substantial change, with further developments
expected, including updated rules on product
standards.
As a manufacturer and roofing design company, we
advocate for voluntary schemes like the Code for
Construction Product Information (CCPI) and
Building a Safer Future. CCPI, emphasising building
safety and higher standards in presenting
construction product information, has validated our
Wilotekt-Plus system as one of the first CCPIverified
hot melt systems in the industry.
Looking ahead to the next year, Biodiversity Net
Gain (BNG) requirements and Sustainable Urban
Drainage (SuDs) will transition to mandatory status
for most new constructions. This shift highlights the
crucial role of design, construction methods, and
materials in project sustainability. There’s an
emerging expectation not only to meet regulatory
standards but also to exceed them.
In 2024, upskilling the labour force emerges as a
primary trend. Addressing the ongoing shortages,
particularly in roofing, entails enhancing digital
proficiency and driving modernisation through
workforce development for both existing and
incoming personnel.
Amidst the influx of information, investing in CPD for
teams becomes paramount. This investment
ensures familiarity with new methodologies and
approaches, thereby maintaining high standards
and quality of work. Moreover, advancing digital
skills across the industry is imperative to fully
harness the potential of technologies like Building
Information Modeling (BIM) and collaborative online
platforms for building specification and design.
www.axter.co.uk
“WE’RE ANTICIPATING A PIVOTAL YEAR FOR COMPLIANCE”
Joan Ferrer – UK & Ireland Commercial Director, Ravago Building Solutions UK
The most recent CPA forecast has highlighted
a global slowdown of construction output,
driven predominantly by a sharp decline in
residential housebuilding. We’re fortunate not
to be directly impacted by this as a business,
but it will be sure to cause knock-on effects if
not urgently addressed.
I’d like to see the Government continue to develop
a range of funding schemes for first-time buyers
across the next year, as this would revitalise the
private construction sector to counteract
stagnation in this respect.
At Ravago Building Solutions UK, we’re expecting
2024 to bring fierce competition when securing
projects, largely from the perspective of product
pricing. Cheap, uncertified materials
from abroad significantly influence
price expectations, catalysed by the highly
competitive construction markets. Although
infrastructure activity is currently stable, a
slowdown in the number of active projects could
further impact competition throughout the next
year, especially considering looming delays to
road works.
Finally, we’re anticipating a pivotal year for
compliance, especially with the roll-out of CCPI –
of which we are enthusiastic proponents. It’s a
positive step for rebuilding trust in the
construction industry, and we are embracing the
new measures to demonstrate that our technical
materials and processes are robust. Netzero
targets and a greater emphasis on
sustainability measures are inevitable – not
just for 2024, but for the foreseeable future. At
Ravago Building Solutions UK, we’ve been taking
excellent steps towards our own sustainability
goals – including making use of new Cube20
compactors to recycle fine excess XPS dust into
pellets for producing new product, reducing waste
to landfill. We subscribe to the three pillars of
construction; quality, sustainability and
compliance – it’s crucial that we continue to
preserve those pillars to avoid undermining the
progress and resilience we’ve displayed as a
collective over the past few years.
www.ravagobuildingsolutions.com
16 TC DECEMBER 2023