Rob Norton (pictured), UK director, PlanRadar
The Labour government’s ambitious new goal of building 370,000 homes each year has reignited the effort to “get Britain building” again. But the question remains: can they rise to the challenge where others have faltered?
Over the past decade, the housing market and housebuilding industry have faced relentless pressures. Despite almost three million homes being granted planning permission since 2015, a million remain unbuilt, stalled by everything from skilled labour shortages, sky-high material costs and a topsy-turvy economy. Yet to meet Labour’s ambitious targets, the rate of housebuilding must more than double – a daunting task compounded by increasing building safety regulations and Net-Zero goals.
Achieving these targets will require not just speed, but precision, however, in an industry notoriously underdigitised, construction professionals still continue to grapple with project oversight and quality assurance challenges.
To expedite the construction of future homes it’s therefore essential that we optimise processes such as record-keeping, reporting, and adherence to stringent building regulations, including those mandated by the Building Safety Act (BSA). So, how do we make it a reality?
A leg up with tech
The housing sector is poised to benefit immensely from today’s technology and innovative approaches to development and construction. By leveraging digital tools and fostering collaboration among project teams, it is possible to deliver high-quality homes efficiently, meeting both deadlines and budget constraints
Simple, easy-to-use digital platforms offer unprecedented operational efficiency and a holistic view of projects, helping teams to comply with new regulations and manage the ‘who, what, where, how and when’ of projects. For instance, the Golden Thread requirement demands meticulous digital record-keeping throughout the entire construction journey. Cloud-based platforms make this possible. Teams can document progress through instant messages, images and video in a secure, centralised and accessible location, ensuring no detail is overlooked and that all stakeholders can collaborate in real time.
More speed less haste
This level of transparency also increases the pace of construction timelines, ensuring that potential issues are flagged and resolved ahead of time – before they escalate into costly delays and potential rework.
Time-stamped, geo-tagged photos and videos from live sites provide solid evidence that work has been completed to a high standard, satisfying both internal teams and external parties like the BSA’s Building Safety Regulator. Fire safety checklists, EWS1 forms, compartmentation surveys and more can also be digitised, slashing the time spent on post-site reporting.
Yet beyond this, these platforms help reduce communication errors and cut down on administrative burdens. Automated workflows improve efficiency and customisable report templates enable users to create tailored reports, ensuring consistency across documentation formats. This frees up teams to focus on what truly matters: building homes that meet the highest standards.
Shifting mindsets
We’re witnessing a shift in momentum in this traditionally ‘low-tech’ sector but there’s still much that can be done. The most effective quality assurance programs integrate seamlessly into everyday workflows and require minimal training, making them accessible even to those with limited technical expertise. This not only saves time but also ensures that everyone on the project can contribute to maintaining high standards. Additionally, these programs’ interoperability with existing technologies, like Building Information Modeling (BIM), promotes data integrity and alignment among all stakeholders
Delivering on promises
Bold political statement won’t be enough to safeguard the UK’s housebuilding future. Yet in the rush to deliver – we must ensure that safety, consistency and quality are consistently maintained. This means adopting software that allows them to work smarter, not harder. The UK has been given a fresh opportunity to fix its housing crisis and its success hinges on the ability of its leaders to embrace new ways of thinking. Only then will we see the progress the country so desperately needs.
