Government to change what it buys to achieve 20% savings

Chief construction adviser Paul Morrell has indicated that more than half of the expected 20% savings in publicly-procured construction work in the next five years will come from the government changing what it buys.

Morrell, who last week launched the government’s construction strategy, told Building the “significant part” of savings would come from changing what contractors build.

His comments may allay fears that contractors will have to find all the savings from efficiencies and integration.

He said: “With BSF we had the most expensive school costing twice as much as the cheapest, not because the need was greater in one place than another, or costs were higher.

“It’s about the public sector being clearer about what amount you should pay for a job. It’ll be as much about what we buy as how we buy. Probably the more significant part of the saving will come from that.”

The construction strategy recommended a range of measures, from a two-year pipeline of public sector projects to mandating BIM.