Modernise or Die… Or Have We Been Having the Same Conversation for 30 Years?

The UK construction industry has been trying to improve itself for decades.

In 1994, Sir Michael Latham's government commissioned the report 'Constructing the Team ', called for collaboration and urged the industry to stop working as fragmented organisations.

In 1998, Sir John Egan's government commissioned the report 'Rethinking Construction' , challenged the construction industry to learn from manufacturing, embrace continuous improvement, and focus on creating value for customers.

In 2016, Mark Farmer's government commissioned the report 'Modernise or die ', warned that unless the industry modernised, it risked becoming incapable of delivering the homes and infrastructure the country needed.

Three landmark reports.

Written over more than twenty years.

Yet all arrived at remarkably similar conclusions.

The industry needs to work differently.

The Message Has Been Consistent

Although each report approached the challenge from a different perspective, they all identified the same underlying issues.

Latham argued that the industry had become too adversarial, with fragmented teams, poor procurement practices and a lack of trust preventing projects from performing at their best.

Egan built on this by encouraging construction to adopt the principles of manufacturing—standardisation, integrated teams, lean thinking and continuous improvement.

Farmer then warned that without industrialisation, digitalisation and a new approach to productivity, the industry would struggle to meet future housing demand.

We've Modernised the Building…

Since those reports were published, housing has changed significantly.

We've embraced:

• Modern Methods of Construction.

• Offsite manufacturing.

• Low-carbon technologies.

• Better energy performance.

  
  

Today's homes are undoubtedly better than those we were building twenty years ago.

…But Have We Modernised the Delivery?

Despite these advances, many housing projects still begin in remarkably familiar ways.

A new consultant team.

A new procurement strategy.

A new set of technical details.

A new supply chain.

A new programme.

A new set of lessons to learn.

Too often, every project still feels like we're starting from scratch.

Perhaps we've modernised the buildings.

But have we truly modernised the way we deliver them?

The Next Evolution

Manufacturing industries don't become more productive by redesigning every product from the beginning.

They improve through repeatable processes.

Reliable information.

Integrated supply chains.

Continuous feedback.

Every project improves the next.

Housing has the opportunity to do exactly the same.

Imagine a delivery process where feasibility, planning, design, technical coordination, procurement, manufacturing, construction and post-completion learning all connect through one repeatable system.

Where information becomes better with every project.

Where knowledge isn't lost when a project finishes.

That's a different kind of modernisation.

Around the World, the Industry Is Moving

We're now beginning to see this thinking emerge internationally.

Canada is investing in standardised housing delivery. ( More on this in a future blog )

Australia is developing pattern books and repeatable housing models. Refer to our recent blog 'Can we learn from whats happening in New South Wales, Australia?' for more details on this.

The UK is investing in industrialised and digital construction programmes, including the Liverpool City Region pilot exploring standardised digital delivery. ( More on this in a future blog )

Tai ar y Cyd is a collaborative initiative across Wales involving over 20 social landlords and the Welsh Government, creating standardised, low-carbon, timber-based housing designs to deliver sustainable and affordable homes more efficiently.

Although each initiative is different, they're all responding to the same challenge.

Not simply how to build better homes.

But how to build a better housing delivery system.

Why Creu Cartref Is Exploring This

At Creu Cartref, these developments reinforce the thinking behind our Housing Delivery Ecosystem.

Our ambition isn't simply to develop better house types or produce better construction information.

It's to connect every stage of housing delivery—from early feasibility and standardised design through to coordinated RIBA Work Stage 4 information, procurement, construction and continuous improvement.

We're not trying to replace the ideas of Latham, Egan or Farmer.

We're asking a different question.

If the industry has spent the last thirty years telling us to collaborate more, standardise more and modernise more...

How do we actually make that happen?

We believe the answer lies in creating a connected housing delivery ecosystem where people, information and processes work together rather than in isolation.

Looking Ahead

Latham challenged the industry to become a team.

Egan challenged it to learn from manufacturing.

Farmer challenged it to modernise before it was too late.

Perhaps the next challenge is even bigger.

Not simply to modernise construction.

But to modernise the entire housing delivery process.

Because the future of housing won't just be defined by the homes we build.

It will be defined by how we choose to deliver them.