Our building industry has traditionally been subject to criticism, whether for shoddy work, high costs or that old line about being “a bunch of cowboys”. This has become a standard cliché. But it is an old-school view as, in truth, the business of construction has today become far more modern, much better regulated and required at every scale to build to high standards. 

Indeed, the Building The Future Commission conference last month drew out just how much the industry is changing. It is surely now in a better state than at any time in the recent past and is finally aware of just how much responsibility it carries. This, of course, has largely been due to the Grenfell tragedy. To boot, there is a raft of new and heavyweight regulation arriving right now around safety and sustainability.