New World Economic Forum report: Insights to redesign the industry
In the context of the Forum’s Future of Construction initiative, over the past year six Working Groups comprised of industry leaders, academics and experts met regularly to develop and analyse innovative ideas, their impact, the barriers to implementing solutions and the way forward to overcoming obstacles and implementing modern approaches in the construction and engineering industry.
This white paper presents the outcome of this work in the form of insight articles proposing innovative solutions on how to address the construction sector’s key challenges in the following fundamental challenge areas:
1. Project delivery – Creating certainty of timely delivery and to budget, and generally improving the productivity of the construction sector
2. Life cycle performance – Reducing the life cycle costs of assets and designing for re-use
3. Sustainability – Achieving carbon-neutral assets and reducing waste in the course of construction
4. Affordability – Creating high-quality, affordable infrastructure and housing
5. Disaster resilience – Making infrastructure and buildings resilient to climate change and natural disasters
6. Flexibility, liveability and well-being – Creating infrastructure and buildings that improve the well-being of end-users
Together with these publications, the lighthouse innovation cases and the insight articles will be posted to the Future of Construction website to enhance awareness and collaboration among the extended stakeholders of our industry.
Read the 2016 report 'Shaping the Future of Construction: A Breakthrough in Mindset and Technology'
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Are we doing the right thing? Shaping well-being into the future of our urban communities.
- Life cycle assessment.
- Sustainability.
- Wellbeing and buildings.
- What we know about wellbeing.
--Future of Construction 09:23, 19 Jun 2017 (BST)
Featured articles and news
We're expanding our collaborative mission by launching DB Intelligence, an exclusive market research advisory panel. Built environment professionals can now get paid to share their expertise on industry trends, products and services.
Panel members receive direct financial incentives for participating in research projects like short surveys, 1-2-1 interviews and focus groups. Register today to shape the future of the construction sector.
Planning condition discharge in England and Wales
A brief exoplanation from a building compliance expert, with further links.
Overheating guidance and tools for building designers
Guidance for dealing with element of building fabric control that have increasing importance.
Shading for housing, a design guide
From the Good Homes Alliance and British Blind and Shutter Association.
UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC)
A shared framework for describing skills needs.
Social media ban consultation comes to close
CIOB urges UK Government to consider social media’s role in careers guidance in ban debate.
The latest of eight Skills England apprenticeship units
The addition of battery manufacturing welcomed by ECA with a warning about the risks of fast-tracked apprenticeship units.
Building Control Independent Panel final report
A precis of a key report led by Dame Hackitt with full recommendations and link to the government response.
Building Safety recap April, 2026
A short and longer run-through of the month, with links to further information and sources.
CIAT May 2026 briefing.
From medieval scribes to modern word art.
ECA welcomes crackdown on late payment and push for clean energy, whilst CIOB seek fixed cladding removal timeframes.
Cyber Security in the Built Environment
Protecting projects, data, and digital assets: A CIOB Academy TIS.
Managing competence in the built environment
ITFG publishes new industry guide on how to meet the ICC principles.
The UK's campaign to reduce noise pollution: Mythbusting, articles and topic guides.