And there is even a partial precedent here in the UK in the form of G-Cloud, the UK Government’s Digital Marketplace for cloud technology and specialist digital services..

The increasing digitisation of relevant information and data, and our ability to import that data into the planning process in meaningful ways will further help engagement.Well constructed visual representations make raw data accessible to a wide audience.

This will allow people to consider individual planning applications in broader contexts – of sustainability or social mobility, say – or understand the trade-offs and implications inherent in making changes to part of a development.Overall, it will mean the public can form and offer opinions based on rich and contextualised information, rather than on inaccessible and indigestible data and projects in isolation..In other words, it will allow more people to engage in the right way at the right point in the planning process, accessing the right information and able to give the right kind of opinion.. Further, this will enable a holistic view; the ability to consider planning applications in relation to each other, in terms of design etc.

but also in terms of development and other targets, at borough, city, county, or national level..This is about understanding how to take information about one stage of an asset, and make it usable for another stage.

Our approach will generate a density of information that we can make use of throughout the design and build process (including planning) – and then beyond construction, into the operation of buildings and ultimately their end of life.

Standardised data will vastly improve transparency and efficiency, and open up opportunities for future innovation..This would have a bigger, beneficial impact on society.. An increase in investment should also free up more money for research and development.

Construction has famously low investment in R&D, which increases the risk profile.As most projects are currently prototypes, there is very little opportunity to test something out before it becomes a live project.

On our current project for Landsec, we’ve witnessed the benefits of prototyping everything in advance at our testing facility in Ropley.This certainty from testing should continue to reduce the risk profile, making us more attractive to investors.. What role does government play in the future of construction Platforms?.