In the wake of the Government’s announcement that more funding is to be allocated to research and development for UK businesses,  civils contractors have said there is a clear case for long-term commitment to innovation in the infrastructure sector.

The call comes in the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA)’s innovation report and accompanying toolkit, published today, highlights what must be done collectively to ensure that the infrastructure industry benefits from innovation. The Association represents over 300 contractors of all sizes, covering approximately 80% of the civil engineering market in Great Britain.

CECA’s report makes the following recommendations:

• Civil engineering contractors engage with I3P Industry Innovation Platform (I3P), an innovation community that shares valuable ideas and opportunities across the industry through a culture of collaboration;

• I3P should be supported by major clients in order to incentivise and drive real change across the industry;

• Government should maintain funding in research and development, and pilot a collaborative innovation rebate programme via the Tax Credit system to encourage companies to innovate together;

• Regulations and processes impacting the construction sector must work together to prioritise innovation in the supply chain.

CECA Head of External Affairs Marie-Claude Hemming said the infrastructure sector has historically been slower than others in maximising the opportunities arising from innovation, and that resources devoted to R&D in the construction industry remain at a lower level than in other sectors.

She said:

“Currently where there is substantial activity within the field of innovation in the infrastructure sector, it is often operating in silos, making it extremely challenging to understand its benefit for the industry as a whole.”

“We believe that there is a clear case for commitment to innovation. Part of this must involve buy-in to the Infrastructure Industry Innovation Platform (I3P),a community that promotes a culture of collaboration, to the ultimate benefit of contractors, clients, and the UK taxpayer.”

“There is a substantial pipeline of projects that our members will deliver over the coming years that businesses and communities will rely upon.”

“As an industry we must work together to ensure that the delivery of infrastructure in the UK is to a world-class standard, and to do so we must establish a culture of innovation that is fit for the 21st century.”

CECA has published its innovation toolkit to support contractors seeking to embed innovation in their businesses. The toolkit is primarily aimed at those who might work as lower tier suppliers on projects and is intended to provide an overview of innovation, identifying some key players and opportunities. It is a live document which will be regularly updated based on feedback from its users.