Why does the UK construction industry struggle to build efficiently and sustainably, and what will it take to change course? The UK has a productivity problem, and nowhere is it more visible than in construction. Projects drag on for years, approvals stall, and too many plans never make it off the drawing board.
Join Prof. Priti Parikh, Noble Francis and Prof. Judy Stephenson as they unpack what is really causing these delays, from planning bottlenecks to deeper systemic failures and why projects have become so difficult. They also explore what can be done differently, challenge the assumption that sustainable construction must be slower, and look at how academia is shaping policy and influencing the future of the industry.
Link to Transcript: https://bartlett-review.ucl.ac.uk/podcast-construction-efficiency-the-productivity-blueprint/index.html
Date of episode recording: 2026-05-29
Language of episode: English
Presenter: Prof Priti Parikh
Guests: Noble Francis; Prof. Judy Stephenson
Producer: Adam Batstone; Chizoba Onyiuke
