Transforming Construction Delegation to Japan

Transforming Construction delegation goes to Japan to explore potential for collaboration in improving productivity in construction

In April KTN took a delegation from Transforming Construction to Japan to explore potential for collaboration in improving productivity in construction. The delegation included representatives from The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, The Construction Leadership Council, Innovate UK, Imperial College London (ISCF TC Network Plus), Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, Construction Innovation Hub, Active Building Centre and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (HVM Catapult).

The week long Global Expert Mission, funded by Innovate UK, centred on Tokyo and Osaka with a meeting at the British Embassy in Tokyo where the delegation networked with 13 Japanese companies and organisations representing the cutting edge of Japanese construction.

The Mission coincided with the pinnacle of the cherry blossom season, providing a picturesque backdrop for visiting some of the significant construction activity centred on the preparations for the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and summer Olympics in 2020.  The findings report is expected to be made available in the next few months as priorities for follow up activity are agreed.

The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) is designed to ensure that research and innovation takes centre stage in the Government’s Industrial Strategy.  The Strategy sets out the plan to help businesses create better, higher-paying jobs with investment in the skills, industries and infrastructure of the future bringing together the UK’s world-leading research with business to meet the major industrial and societal challenges of our time.

As part of ISCF, the Government is investing up to £170m in Transforming Construction. This challenge aims to transform the construction sector, enabling it to produce safe, healthy, efficient building using the latest digital manufacturing techniques. This will enable us to meet the UK’s national infrastructure programme target of £650 billion worth of projects by 2025.

The challenge will support industry in adopting technologies and help buildings to be constructed 50% faster, 33% cheaper and with half the lifetime carbon emissions.

For more information about KTN’s involvement in the Transforming Construction challenge, contact Mark Wray, Knowledge Transfer Manager, Buildings and Infrastructure.