Construction is big business in Wales, turning over more than £2.3 billion per year, which accounts for around 5% of GDP. With more than 13,000 companies the sector, Welsh construction plays a vital role in delivering economic growth.
Weathering the downturn
Neither the recession nor increasing demands for high environmental standards has sapped the natural strength of the Welsh construction industry. Understanding the growing need for a modern and sustainable approach to construction, the private sector and Welsh Government have jointly responded with an exciting set of initiatives.
Welsh Government support
Establishing a priority sector panel, the Government recently announced an injection of £105 million capital spend to provide a boost to the industry for 2011-12. And to ensure that the construction industry is fully equipped to serve a sustainable world, Constructing Excellence in Wales (CEW) has been put in place to ensure that principles for carbon reduction, minimised waste and delivering sustainable building design become mainstream industry practice.
Cutting greenhouse gas emissions
With the Welsh Government’s commitment to a 3% annual target to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and the fact construction generates 40% of total carbon emissions, the Welsh Government locates the construction industry at the heart of the drive for sustainable growth.
Zero Carbon Hub
In this spirit, the Wales Low/Zero Carbon Hub objective will take forward the work of reducing carbon emissions from built environment. CEW is also coordinating the Government’s waste programme, which aims to ensure 85% of waste generated by construction and demolition is recycled.
Construction companies in Wales are increasingly at the forefront of sustainable development innovation, with the relationship between the Welsh Government and the construction sector flourishing. The future being forged is as strong in construction as the last few years have been hard.