“Transformational change” needed: Scots Minister on construction industry

A “TRANSFORMATIONAL change” is needed across the construction industry, according to a Scots Minister at a major trade association’s meeting.

Scottish Government Minister Ivan McKee told guests at an event hosted by the campaigning body, SELECT, of the changes needed across the construction industry to prepare for the challenges of net zero.

Mr McKee also highlighted the importance of a shared vision between Holyrood and the industry of a sustainable, profitable and diverse sector.

The Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise made his comments when he addressed the inaugural SELECT President’s Lunch, sponsored by Electrium, at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow.

Mr McKee said: “Transformational change is needed across the industry to prepare for the new decarbonisation workload, constructing and refurbishing assets to meet Net Zero targets in a resource-efficient way.

“The next 10 years have been labelled the ‘Decisive Decade’. 

“Every country is facing fundamental choices about how to recover from the pandemic; build a net zero economy; embrace new technology; and strengthen their position in emerging industries such as environmental technology, cyber security and robotics.

“By 2032 we want Scotland to be a wellbeing economy, thriving across economic, social and environmental dimensions.

“Deep retrofit of existing buildings, embracing low-carbon and low-energy materials and modern methods of construction are foundational to delivering our goals.

“And, I hope the industry will continue to collaborate with the Scottish Government and each other to meet the challenges of the coming decade.”

The Minister – an engineer who had his own international manufacturing consultancy before entering politics – also praised the ongoing work of the Construction Industry Collective Voice for facilitating the sector’s safe return to work after the pandemic.

He also highlighted the contribution of the Scottish Construction Leadership Forum (CLF) and revealed that the Scottish Construction Accord between the public sector and the industry would be published at the end of this month.

He said: “Our shared ambition is to transform the industry into the sustainable, profitable, diverse and innovative sector Scotland needs, and we need to work together at pace to deliver on our ambitions.

“Collaboration can help to reduce both risk and costs for businesses on their Net Zero journey, and there will also be significant opportunities for growth.

“The successes delivered so far demonstrate the power of us working together. And when we get it right, everyone wins – businesses, people and the planet.”

Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT, said: “We were pleased that the Minister was able to join us as we reflected on the challenges the sector has faced and the constructive and innovative ways in which they have been overcome.

“We very much appreciate the clear understanding he has of the main issues that businesses are facing at the moment, and the ways in which we can cooperate and work collectively to address them.

“The Construction Accord will be another very important step forward in what the Minister has rightly called the Decisive Decade and, as he says, if we get it right, we will all win.”