The stressors on the construction last year seemed to be never-ending: the cost of energy continued to rise, causing a materials crisis, and the price of timber, concrete, and metals rose consistently throughout the year.
The pandemic had an impact on the workforce and has caused the government to increase taxes, as well as in the construction supply chain. Moving on to a fresh new year, we all hope that some of these problems will no longer persist in the current year and that things will, hopefully, return to the way they were pre-pandemic.
CHAS, which provides clients and contractors with risk mitigation, compliance, and supply chain management services, has identified possible reasons that it believes would slow productivity in 2022.
1.) The Building Safety Bill
Construction equipment is no joke, to say the least, which is why it’s important to lessen risks.
The Building Safety Bill, which is now being debated in Parliament, is expected to alter how certain structures are built, maintained, and made safe. The Bill includes regulatory revisions in the areas of fire safety and construction product quality and the introduction of a developer levy.
The Bill is likely to gain Royal Assent between April and June 2022, with the provisions taking effect gradually. The HSE will be in charge of the new building safety system, and it is already advising those who may be affected, such as designers, to get ready.
2.) The Increase in Digitalisation
Digitalization has been slowly making its way into the scene, even more so during the pandemic, with more and more companies are increasing their investments in digital transformation to meet the demands of the new normal.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is at the heart of the construction industry’s digital transformation, providing digital modeling for all aspects of the construction process, from construction supply chain and equipment, people, and materials to mapping work zones, eliminating mistakes, and identifying health and safety hotspots.
The ability to bring construction project planning online enables a more collaborative working environment, with stakeholders being given the ability to access data and documents from any location and at any time.
3.) COVID-19
Even until now, the Covid-19 virus is still circulating, causing outbreaks and making it impossible to anticipate the impact of new variants, particularly in construction supply chain. Businesses should continue to manage the risk of the virus in 2022.
4.) Construction Supply Chain Materials Shortages
The Department for Business and Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Monthly Statistic of Building and Components continued to show the rise of costs monthly throughout 2021. The Construction Leadership Council noted that product supply has improved in some places and that the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) is receiving record-breaking timber imports; nonetheless, supplies are still expected to remain tight in 2022.
5.) Net Zero Targets
The construction industry is a major contributor to environmental pollution because of the substantial use of construction equipment, which is responsible for greenhouse gas emissions and toxic compounds such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide.
In-scope organizations must prepare a carbon reduction plan describing where their emissions come from and what environmental management measures they have in place, according to the new requirements outlined in Public Policy Note 06/21.