Manufacturing better buildings: apply for funding

27 Mar 2018 01:54 PM

Up to £72 million is available to establish a core innovation hub for construction as part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

Innovate UK has up to £72 million to invest in establishing a core innovation hub to support collaboration between industry and academia and transform the construction sector.

The funding is for UK-based research and technology organisations that already have substantive existing facilities and expertise to work with others in the construction sector, such as businesses, the research base or public sector organisations.

Transforming construction

The way we create buildings has not changed in 40 years, and construction has not seen the same increases in productivity as other industries. The sector is also facing a skills crisis due to an ageing workforce.

This competition aims to fund a single, core innovation hub that will develop and commercialise new digital and manufacturing technologies for construction. The hub should focus on how to:

• create better performing built assets
• increase the industry-wide adoption of emerging digital and manufacturing technologies
• design new processes to improve productivity in construction

To be successful in their application, the research and technology organisation will need to demonstrate there is a commitment from the private sector to invest and use the hub once it is complete.

Part of the Industrial Strategy

The transforming construction challenge aims to support the construction industry to adopt the latest digital manufacturing technologies to produce safe, healthy, efficient building.

This will help buildings to be constructed 50% faster, 33% cheaper and with half the lifetime carbon emissions.

It is the part of government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, which brings together world-leading research with businesses to take on the major societal and economic challenges of our time.

Find out more about the government’s Industrial Strategy.

Competition information

• the competition is open, and the deadline for applications is at midday on 23 May 2018
• projects must be led by a research and technology organisation working in collaboration with other businesses, the research base or public sector
• total eligible project costs should be £72 million or less
• projects should start in August 2018 and last up to 4 years
• a briefing event will be held on 28 March 2018 and consortia-building event on 19 April 2018

Find out more about the competition and apply.