Cedral surveyed 250 industry professionals for the report entitled Building the Future which examines the construction industry’s attitudes towards emerging design trends, sustainability and meeting the UK’s chronic housing needs. The 30 page study highlights some of the key trends within the facade sector, which is working hard to balance the need for creativity, while adhering to a swathe of new legislation from the Building Safety Regulator.
Discussions around sustainability, futureproofing and a fabric first approach have become increasingly prominent for housebuilding. The research examined how the increasing focus on sustainability and climate resilience has brought about a shift towards eco-friendly materials, while energy efficiency and the need to withstand extreme weather conditions have become key design priorities. With more intense sunshine, higher temperatures and increased radiation, the UK renovation and homebuilding sector is having to re-evaluate material choices as well as design features.
Almost all (96%) respondents say climate change is affecting facade design and specification choices in one or more ways. 59% of respondents say climate change is affecting the choice of materials chosen. While most building materials are designed to withstand some degree of expansion and contraction, excessive heat can push these materials beyond their limit.
Nearly a third (32%) of architects predicted a return to natural materials such as brick, stone or other low-carbon materials such as fibre cement cladding.40% of respondents agreed that ‘living facades’ (made from plants and vegetation) was becoming a major trend in urban design. Smart facades (39%), minimalisation (32%) and industrial cladding (29%) were also cited as important developments that would become more popular over the next three years.
New builds continue to represent the largest proportion of projects, driven by demand for housing, energy efficiency and sustainability. Half (50%) of survey respondents expect to see an increase in new build projects because they are deemed more energy efficient. At the same time retrofitting and adaptive reuse are on the increase, particularly when it comes to increasing property value and achieving net zero targets. Modular construction is also gaining traction as a cost-effective construction method for residential building that allows for higher quality control while achieving faster delivery times and reduced waste.
While many architects, developers, contractors and manufacturers involved in residential construction have been proactive in making modifications to reduce carbon emissions, there is much more to do. Almost all (97%) survey respondents report that they are experiencing one or more challenges when it comes to innovating new ways to improve the sustainability of building projects.
The obstacles that the architects and building specifiers are most likely to be facing are caused by economic factors outside of their control such as the cost of materials (65%) and the cost of construction (62%).
48% of architects admitted that they expect sustainability measures they are introducing on current new builds to be out of date within 15 years. Collaboration across the industry will be essential to overcome these barriers and create buildings that stand the test of time.
Visit https://www.cedral.world/en-gb/professionals/-/whitepapers/ to read the full Cedral report entitled Building the Future which examines the construction industry’s attitudes towards emerging design trends, sustainability and meeting the UK’s chronic housing needs.
Cedral also carried out a survey of UK homeowners with the findings published in a report, Fit for Purpose. The research suggest that homeowners are increasingly focused on long-term sustainability and resilience and are more interested in having a timeless exterior than following design trends. Visit https://www.cedral.world/en-gb/professionals/-/whitepapers/ for the results of the study.