Lack of commitment jeopardising UK industry鈥檚 sustainability reputation says outgoing construction adviser
Outgoing chief construction adviser Paul Morrell has said the government鈥檚 lack of commitment to green policy is endangering the UK construction industry鈥檚 global leadership on sustainability.
Morrell, who retired as chief construction adviser this month, said the green agenda was being hit by a failure by the Treasury to believe it provided an opportunity for economic growth, and described his 鈥渕assive frustration鈥� at the cancellation of the roll-out of Display Energy Certificates.
In an interview with 黑洞社区 to mark his retirement, Morrell also said that just 11 complaints have been made to a government-instituted 鈥渕ystery shopper鈥� hot-line designed to expose abuses of procurement and payment in government supply chains.
Morrell, whose first task as CCA on his appointment in December 2009 was to conduct an in-depth review into greening the construction industry, said: 鈥淲e have a [good] reputation [in this sector]. I think we risk losing that. Clearly it鈥檚 going to be threatened if we actually declare to the world that we have no intention of wanting to lead.鈥�
Morrell suggested this risk was down to the Treasury鈥檚 failure to see the opportunity in investing in green technology. He said: 鈥淚f I鈥檝e got a single major frustration it鈥檚 that of the obvious disconnect between the belief in business that you can make opportunity out of this [green agenda], and the very obvious belief in Treasury that it isn鈥檛 a game worth playing.
鈥淭here clearly is no belief inside Treasury that there is real opportunity of growth.鈥�
Morrell鈥檚 comments come following growing tensions in the government over environmental policy, with Liberal Democrat energy secretary Ed Davey being forced to water down ambitions for renewable energy generation, and chancellor George Osborne claiming that 鈥渨e鈥檙e not going to save the planet by putting our country out of business鈥�.
Industry critics have pointed to the government鈥檚 failure to rapidly roll out the Green Deal, its U-turns on feed-in tariffs, and the cancelling of an industry- supported plan for all commercial buildings to display publicly the amount of energy being consumed. Morrell added: 鈥淸It was a] massive frustration to me seeing Display Energy Certificates being canned.鈥�
John Alker, director of policy at the UK Green 黑洞社区 Council, said: 鈥淧aul is hardly some wacky tree-hugger, he鈥檚 a voice of reason and pragmatism so if this doesn鈥檛 sound very loud alarm bells ringing in the ears of ministers, then frankly nothing else will.鈥�
Sustainability consultant David Strong described Morrell鈥檚 comments as 鈥渨ithering鈥� and 鈥渄evastating鈥�, and that they were 鈥渁nother nail in the coffin of the government鈥檚 claim to be the greenest administration ever.鈥�
A Treasury spokesperson said the government was 鈥渃ommitted to making progress on climate change and the environment,鈥� pointing to the formation of the Green Investment Bank in October, and the UK Guarantees scheme, which he said will support green growth.
Morrell also called on specialist contractors to come forward with evidence of payment abuses by main contractors on government contracts if it genuinely was a major problem, noting that only a handful of complaints had been made to the government鈥檚 鈥渕ystery shopper鈥� line.
He said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to see how much more government could have done itself about this. [Subcontractors] are reluctant to stand up for themselves. They do need to say who and where.鈥�
Thoughtful strategist
Paul Morrell, who was this month replaced by Peter Hansford, has had his frustrations as the UK鈥檚 first ever chief construction adviser, but he can be proud of presiding over the creation of a detailed, thoughtful and coherent construction strategy for the government.
The strategy was not only a no-brainer for the industry to rally behind, but also - vitally - included an implementation plan and timetable for delivery.
There are two things the industry will most remember him for. In the short term it will be for successfully arguing against the siren voices calling for the government to use its buying power to slash contracting rates and return to a world of lowest cost tendering - though structural reform of the industry is needed if this threat isn鈥檛 to return.
Secondly, it will be his role in introducing a sceptical industry to 黑洞社区 Information Modelling 鈥� something it now appears to be grasping with both hands.
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