Construction Products Europe thanks the European Commission - Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs - for taking the initiative and launching a debate on the need for a European Digital platform for construction. This debate will take place in Brussels on 30th November during the 3rd meeting of Thematic Group 1 ”Stimulating investment in building renovation, infrastructure and innovation” of the Commission's "Construction 2020" Action Plan.

In the coming years, the world of construction will change beyond recognition as a great number of technologies are slowly but surely adopted by industry. From robots to drones, from the internet of things to big data, technological solutions are extremely varied and these opportunities and challenges were discussed at our 21st March 2017 conference in the European Parliament (1).

Low construction productivity, labour and skills shortage are well-documented facts. Through the circular economy drive and climate change commitment, the industry wants to deliver more with less to respond to the housing shortage and need for infrastructure.

Digital construction is about changing the way we do business. Data and systems integration are at its core. The aim is to efficiently manage all the life-cycle stages of buildings and infrastructure. Digital solutions will help us increase our efficiency and productivity, reporting and decision-making will be improved and our industry will be in a position of strength to seize opportunities in new markets.

For this digital transformation to be successful, we need all actors of the supply chain to coordinate their actions. Together, we can develop a common approach and draft on a European digital construction strategy, where these new technologies are delivering supporting tools for our industry. Our shared strategy should focus on problem-solving, enable sustainable solutions and deliver the desired business outcomes for the construction industry.

Recommendations:

• Collaborate through an open platform;
• Develop European standards;
• Involve the whole supply chain;
• Ensure no system ownership;
• Protect data ownership.

¹ _{https://www.construction-products.eu/news-events/events/events/high-tech-evolution-in-construction.aspx}