Future questions

If one stops to think, it’s surprising how the course of just a few months is having such a profound effect on life – obviously now, but importantly the future. The only other event that can create such a set of circumstances is world war. Predictions at the start of 2020 have been consigned to the dustbin and what we’re left with is a future that is more fluid than at any other time since 1945.

Social restrictions are, hopefully, a transitory phase, at least until 7 billion people have been immunised with a vaccine that is not yet a medical reality (yes, there is a Russian version already but hands up who would trust it? Me neither).

But what then? If we’re creatures of habit, it doesn’t take a huge leap of imagination to believe that, largely, things will go back to pre- Covid times. It would be a brave person who gambles on the status quo, however. Too many reflections, frustrations and actions have taken place since March.

Time spent in lockdown has raised questions about how we live, work, play, co-operate, communicate, travel and, yes, build.

Tools

And there is the question of exactly what we build in the future.

“Build, build, build” was the Prime Minister’s cry in early summer. If that was music to the ears of construction then the retort of “give us the tools” was entirely logical. Securing the framework for the ￡5 billion infrastructure plan with suitable planning, the skills base and a fair deal for SMEs should be done with the needs of the future – structural and human – firmly in mind.

Housing will always be needed. But lockdown saw a fundamental shift to e-commerce and consumer lack of confidence in the safety of the high street post-Covid, while understandable, does no favours to shops. What price the future of the big retail development?

Equally, in many places of employment, working from home has become normal practice and the flexibility that employees say it offers has been one of the surprising positives of the past few months. How many people would find their office full now on any given day? However, does that not also raise questions on the future of office development?

So, are infrastructure, housing and refurbishment markets the only viable way forward now?

We must also consider technology. In the early days of lockdown, statements from Government were already pointing to a ‘green recovery’. It is reasonable therefore to assume that construction technologies helping realise that aim will be given every encouragement and backing. That has to mean greater saturation of digital capability; it has to mean carbon capture and electric vehicles. And just maybe it has to mean moves to a hydrogen economy.

So many questions, but these should be taken with every bit of positivity as we move to recovery. Our future is fluid. Let’s shape it well.

Taken from Concrete September 2020. Visit: www.concrete.org.uk/concrete-free.asp