The delivery of new homes and the critical infrastrustructurw to support them is a big theme of the Labour government's drive for economic growth.
We're here at UK Construction Week to hear from Mark Reynolds, chief executive of Mace to hear his take on this critical issue.
Mark talks about the Construction Leadership Council, of which he co-chairs, and how it sees itself as a critical friend of government, and aims to represent the entirety of the industry, from SMEs upwards.
Talking about the Building Safety Act, he says the industry is doing a lot of work on this behind the scenes.
We need to hold ourselves to account, on Grenfell Inquiry, he says. We do need a golden thread. We need to at contractual obligations. Too often risk is pushed down the line.
The industry needs to engage with the right stakeholders on diversity, inclusion and mental health.
The sector also needs to look at productivity gains, and moving towards Net Zero.
There's also the NPPF to look at, and nutrient neutrality.
So much, there, for the industry to consider.
But the construction industry delivers economic growth.
We do amazing things and we should be proud of that, he says. The construction industry likes a challenge.
Our safety standards are improving. Mental health is being focused on more.
There's a lot of uncertainty now, but that also brings opportunity.
Construction has a central role to play in delivering growth and the transition to net Zero.
To deliver, government must support the construction industry, and be held to account by us as members of the public, but also as the industry.
Productivity is very important. It's at the heart of growth, but the industry has plateaued.
There are areas where it can be improved, in planning, in the way we deliver buildings, better business processes, more collaboration.
The industry needs to reach out to young people and retrain. Construction is the second best paid industry in the country, he points out.
A question on regulation from the floor, Mark doesn't think there should be more regulation of the industry; he thinks there needs to be more collaboration.
But he does think there should be more regulation on retentions.
On sustainability, he thinks the UK is genuinely world leading on Net Zero.
Sustainability has a double meaning of course, sustaining business, but also sustainability in terms of the planet.
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