CEWales Newsletter January 2025

AWARDS - Are you ready to get involved in the biggest and brightest showcase event for the Welsh Built Environment and Construction in the CEWales 2025 awards. Taking place on June 20th at the Celtic Manor Resort. With over 400 people from across the entire value supply chain in attendance… be sure to not miss out by booking now to secure your table.

Entries are open for 15 categories with a new category for Retrofit, so please start thinking about making your submissions. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your exceptional work and the talented people involved in delivering exemplar outcomes.   Sponsorship opportunities are selling fast, so if you are interested in sponsoring a category, presenting the award on stage and securing your branding within all the event promotions, do get in touch quickly.

NHSBfW - This week the NHS Building for Wales 2 Framework was launched. We were delighted to support the specialist estates, shared services and framework team at the event. It was so well attended with all the partners in the room demonstrating the collective commitment to healthcare projects in Wales. When speaking at the launch, It was a great opportunity to reinforce CEWales commitment to help and drive action, promote the best practice the sector is delivering and enable change to improve construction processes, practices and address systemic issues. Given the challenges - retrofit at scale, decarbonisation, net zero, a move towards industrialised construction methods in DfMA and MMC as well as demands for skills and training……. yet limited by and constrained finances - it is going to need this collective passion more than ever. But to deliver value, to build for future generations and for our industry to remain profitable and survive we must do it right because all of us operate in a sector limited by tight margins, and increased legislative scrutiny. This Framework, I am pleased to say is embracing these challenges. We must stop the ‘race to the bottom’ culture that focuses on price to the detriment of value. Procurement remains therefore, the fundamental process that determines project success.

Circular Economy - CEWales is also at the forefront of highlighting the importance of circular economy principles. Thank you to everyone who came to the CEIC and CEWales event, building on our understanding of the Circular Economy in the Construction Sector, exploring the opportunities and obstacles together. CEIC have a wealth of information and training programmes HERE and it was inspiring to hear the best practice from CEWales member Andrew Scott and Cardiff Country Council’s One Planet.

Construction Digital Action Plan & Project Bank Accounts
We are currently commissioned by Welsh Government to draft a Construction Digital Action Plan for Wales and to understand the strategic importance of its Project Bank Accounts (PBAs) policy in supporting the sustainability of Welsh supply chains. We rely on your input into these programmes of work and would very much apricate it if you would kindly fill out the associated surveys.

Construction Digital Action Plan Survey
PBA Survey for subcontractors (T1/T2)
PBA Survey for Tier 1 Contractors
PBA Study for Banks

Value Toolkit
We are delighted to inform you that Constructing Excellence is now the open distributor of the Value Toolkit. See Value Toolkit - Constructing Excellence. Designed to support clients, policymakers, and project teams, the Value Toolkit enables organisations to define, deliver, and manage outcomes. Its adoption supports a focus on long-term value rather than short-term costs. Developed by the Construction Innovation Hub with input from over 200 partners across industry and government, the Toolkit has already empowered clients in both the public and private sectors, including Bristol City Council and East Sussex County Council, to make better-informed decisions, achieving outcomes that contribute positively to the built environment. The move from the Construction Innovation Hub to Constructing Excellence ensures the resources remain freely accessible and positioned for widespread adoption. With its extensive network and shared commitment to driving value in the built environment, Constructing Excellence has also convened a cohort of leading institutions, organisations and individuals involved in the development of the Toolkit to facilitate uptake across industry and embed its ethos in industry culture and practices. This is completely aligned with the Constructing Excellence Mission & Vision and we look forward to working with all of you to bring the Toolkit and value-based decision-making to life in the wider construction industry. Please let us know if you have any questions or ideas about how we can progress the Toolkit.

Networking
Lastly it is always so rewarding to be a part of the supportive built environment community we have in Wales; An Inspiring and creative networking breakfast event led by Powell Dobson Architects and a superbly turned-out Women in Property event in the Ivy, sponsored by Willmott Dixon. Thank you!