Every year, Registered Master Builders Association (RMBA) hosts an all of industry forum to bring stakeholders together from across the construction sector, including central and local government, suppliers, subcontractors, designers, consultants, clients and builders, to work on the issues facing the sector and collaboratively work up solutions to lift performance across residential and commercial construction.
Collaboration is the enduring theme of Constructive – something Trigg is passionate about – and the event aims to enhance collaboration, build resilience and ensure a vibrant and sustainable construction sector that delivers what New Zealand needs now, and for the future.
This years’ forum, in Rotorua, was split over two days, with day one focussed on residential and, day two on commercial construction. Here’s a brief commentary on the forum if you missed it.
Day One
Day two had panel discussions on the state of the sector and what comes next? Attendees were able to provide feedback and ask questions of panellists. Hon. Dr Megan Woods, Minister of Housing, and Minister of Building and Construction, gave a keynote address outlining some of the issues and what the current government is doing about them.
There are many challenges facing the construction sector, such as the psychological wellbeing of our workforce, the slowing economy, skilled labour shortages, rising costs, consenting delays and government regulation pressing down on the sector. These created many great and robust discussions and some good outcomes to work on.
Day Two
Day two focussed on issues specific to the commercial construction sector. Procurement, climate change, waste management, supply chain disruption, cost escalation and business failures were explored to derive lessons and inform new adaptive strategies to respond to these acute pressures impacting on the sector.
Master Builders presented their annual state of the sector survey, which showed what we have achieved in the past 12 months, while raising the issues being experienced in the sector. We focused on what’s keeping leaders awake at night, and what they’re doing about it. This year’s survey was especially important to gauge how well the sector is holding up as it faces a significant change in market conditions.
Master Builders is well respected by central government, who are keen to work closely with the sector, through the Construction Sector Accord, on what improvements are needed and discuss where to from here for the Accord as economic conditions, regulatory overload, and workforce conditions place the sector under greater stress.
In summary, Constructive 2022 was well attended with a variety of speakers and topics discussed over the two days providing insight and exploring many questions as the sector goes into a definite slow down on the back of a post pandemic boom. The opportunity to hear from some great speakers from across the sector and from government department heads was fantastic for all attendees. We look forward to progress on these issues and Constructive 2023 which is all set for 30-31 August 2023 in Auckland – save the date!
Find out more about Constructive Forum 2023
