{"id":500991,"date":"2024-06-19T09:16:45","date_gmt":"2024-06-19T08:16:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/?p=500991"},"modified":"2024-06-19T09:16:45","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T08:16:45","slug":"lack-of-green-collar-builders-threatens-net-zero-drive-says-turner-townsend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/skills\/lack-of-green-collar-builders-threatens-net-zero-drive-says-turner-townsend-19-06-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Lack of \u2018green collar\u2019 builders threatens net-zero drive, says Turner & Townsend"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UK will struggle to radically improve the energy efficiency of its building stock due to a lack of \u201cgreen collar\u201d construction workers, according to Turner & Townsend.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A new report published by the consultant says in-demand green trades now command annual salaries of \u00a3134,000, with wages having soared by 22 per cent in the past year as demand outstrips supply.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Insulation specialists and solar and heat pump installers in London now typically earn \u00a370 per hour, more than two-and-a-half times more than general construction labourers, who typically earn \u00a328 an hour in the capital, the report says.<\/p>\n

Insulation, heat pump and solar workers earn an average of \u00a347 per hour outside of the capital (see below for regional breakdown<\/em>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Turner & Townsend\u2019s report, International construction market survey 2024<\/a><\/em>, says the trend comes amid an increase in retrofitting both commercial developments and homes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTightening environmental and climate regulation is impacting commercial development as owners seek to retrofit and upgrade their portfolios and futureproof new schemes against changing occupier priorities,\u201d the report states.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cResidential retrofitting programmes are also picking up, driven by government funding, and electric heat pump installers are especially in demand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur figures show that this is the most sought-after green skill in construction across the majority of UK regions. Costs are high as a result.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turner & Townsend said the shortage of green trades workers and the inflation of labour costs \u201cthreatens the UK\u2019s delivery of its binding net-zero [by 2050] target\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll nine UK regions surveyed reported skills shortages, and 78 per cent of UK markets reported that this shortage is already having a \u2018major\u2019 or \u2018large\u2019 impact on programmes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Labour cost inflation is not limited to low-carbon developments, with overall construction wages in the UK increasing by 13 per cent since 2023, from \u00a336 an hour to \u00a342 an hour in 2024.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, overall inflation in construction is expected drop to 3 per cent across 2024, down from 4.2 per cent in 2023.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chris Sargent, managing director of UK real estate at Turner & Townsend, said: \u201cWe\u2019re seeing the rise of the green specialist across the UK.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs a nation we have a relatively old and inefficient building stock, and construction is absolutely central to meeting our net-zero goals and making our homes, offices and public buildings fit for the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFundamentally, this can\u2019t be done without the workforce. Hundreds of thousands of new trained specialists are required to give the sector the capacity it needs for the green transition.<\/p>\n

\u201cHigh wages may make the role more appealing to many, and attract these much-needed skills. But green construction cannot afford to be in a separate tier of costs from traditional work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to help make net zero achievable and affordable by investing now in building and training the pipeline of skilled workers we need, and by adopting innovative digital tools to improve productivity and outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Labour cost and inflation in UK cites<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
City<\/strong><\/td>\n2023 inflation (%)<\/strong><\/td>\n2024 inflation forecast (%)<\/strong><\/td>\nOverall wages \/ hour (\u00a3)<\/strong><\/td>\nGreen worker wages \/ hour (\u00a3)<\/strong><\/td>\nGeneral labourer wages \/ hour (\u00a3)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
London<\/strong><\/td>\n3.5<\/td>\n2.0<\/td>\n47<\/td>\n70<\/td>\n28<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Manchester<\/strong><\/td>\n4.5<\/td>\n3.5<\/td>\n41<\/td>\n52<\/td>\n30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bristol<\/strong><\/td>\n4.5<\/td>\n3.5<\/td>\n37<\/td>\n45<\/td>\n26<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Leeds<\/strong><\/td>\n4.0<\/td>\n3.0<\/td>\n41<\/td>\n47<\/td>\n30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Edinburgh<\/strong><\/td>\n4.0<\/td>\n3.5<\/td>\n37<\/td>\n45<\/td>\n27<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birmingham<\/strong><\/td>\n4.5<\/td>\n3.5<\/td>\n38<\/td>\n47<\/td>\n28<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Glasgow<\/strong><\/td>\n4.0<\/td>\n3.5<\/td>\n37<\/td>\n45<\/td>\n27<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Newcastle<\/strong><\/td>\n4.0<\/td>\n3.5<\/td>\n38<\/td>\n47<\/td>\n27<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Belfast<\/strong><\/td>\n4.5<\/td>\n2.0<\/td>\n39<\/td>\n45<\/td>\n22<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Source: Turner & Townsend
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The UK will struggle to radically improve the energy efficiency of its building stock due to a lack of \u201cgreen collar\u201d construction workers, according to Turner & Townsend.\u00a0 A new report published by the consultant says in-demand green trades now command annual salaries of \u00a3134,000, with wages having soared by 22 per cent in the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90383,"featured_media":501011,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[575,556],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n