The Construction Productivity Taskforce, founded in 2020 by the business campaign group Be the Business, brings together leaders from the UK construction industry to develop new ways of making the sector more productive.
Members include British Land, GPE, Landsec, Lendlease, Mace, Morrisroe, Sir Robert McAlpine and Skanska.
James Rowbotham, a director at property developer Landsec, takes over from Nigel Webb, former head of development at British Land, as the Construction Productivity Taskforce’s chair.
The construction industry’s average productivity levels have remained consistently below the UK average. In real terms, productivity measured as gross value added (GVA) increased by just 12% in the 22 years to 2019, less than 0.5% per year on average, the taskforce says. This is in comparison with the whole UK economy, which saw a 53% increase, or more than 2.0% per year on average.
The taskforce has several initiatives that it hopes will improve construction productivity, including publication of Trust & Productivity: the private sector construction playbook.
last year. Data from the taskforce has already shown that productivity can be enhanced via automation, digital technologies, improved management, upskilling and reduced waste.
James Rowbotham said: “The current economic environment is particularly tough on the construction sector so the need for the work undertaken by the taskforce has never been greater. It’s only through our collective effort that the industry can produce the increase productivity that it needs.”
Katy Dowding, president & chief executive of Skanska UK and one of the taskforce’s founding members, said: “James’ appointment as the new chair of the taskforce gives us a tremendous opportunity to build on the work that the group has already done and have a significant impact on the industry over the next three years. With a growing number of organisations from every part of the industry involved, the taskforce can make a real difference to the country’s productivity.”
