The UK's built environment sector is a powerhouse of the economy, yet has no nationwide source of trusted research information. Discuss!

The built environment sector generates 24% of GVA and provides 1 in 8 jobs making it the predominant player in the UK economy. Yet does not attract the same attention as health (8%), education (6%), finance (9%) or IT (6%). As NLA has noted, it is ‘an economic powerhouse hiding in plain sight’ [The Built Environment Sector, NLA, 2026].

Yet, even as a powerhouse, the sector has its problems. These include an approach to building safety marked by ‘serious deficiencies’ [Grenfell Tower Inquiry Report, 2024]; carbon emissions that still need to reduce by 98.6% to achieve net zero by 2050 [Seventh Carbon Budget, CCC, 2025]; and productivity that lags well behind that of other industries [ONS, 2025]. 

The sector needs serious improvement. Critical to achieving this is access to good information and a reinvigorated culture of research and development.

From the privatisation of the BRE in 1997 onwards, UK PLC progressively reduced its public sector research capacity. This has led to a near-total reliance on the academic and consultancy sectors for information. As a result, the UK has lost access to robust data and evidence, and effectively control of successfully developing this key sector of the economy.

If the sector is to achieve its unmet potential, the Edge believes a National Built Environment Research Organisation (NBERO) is required to drive better outcomes and greater productivity.

18:00   Arrivals

18:30   Welcome and debate
            Dr Barbara Lane, Chair Building Advisory Committee (chair)
               Speaker from NLA
            Professor William Powie, University of Southampton & Convenor UKCRIC
            Adala Leeson, Head of Social and Economic Research, Historic England (tbc)
            John Naylor, Senior Researcher, Ryder
            Simon Rawlinson, Arcadis & CIC Chair elect

20:00   End of debate

20.00   Networking
               The Anthologist, 58 Gresham Street, EC2V 7BB