Welcome to the new Government

CIAT would like to congratulate Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party on their general election win.

We look forward to working with new Ministers in their posts in due course.

We welcome the opportunity to work closely with you in government as you seek to address important areas relating to the built environment sector: building safe new homes, tackling skills shortages in our workforce, and utilising retrofitting to decarbonise the UK's building stock as part of the 2050 Net Zero target.

We strongly believe that our members are ideally placed for much of the work needed to achieve these goals. Not only do Chartered Architectural Technologists have expertise in building design, they underpin this with the knowledge and experience of the best technological solutions for retrofitting existing buildings and installing new buildings.

The nature of the UK's existing building stock indicates an urgent need for a major retrofitting programme that covers both residential and commercial properties. The unique skillsets held by our members make them a superlative choice to be at the forefront of such a programme, working together with the installer sector. We also support and anticipate the implementation of grants and low-interest loans for homeowners and businesses to undertake these energy-efficient retrofitting projects, as outlined in your manifesto.

The new Labour Government's dedication to building safety aligns with CIAT's values and is something our Chartered Architectural Technologists can help you achieve. Our members will work collaboratively with you to ensure all buildings meet rigorous safety standards, and we will advocate for and assist in your plans to retrofit social housing for the purpose of safety improvements.

As a highly respected Chartered professional body, CIAT is driven to ensure that its members are fully and appropriately qualified. We continue to work with a range of academic and other like-minded sector organisations to ensure that both the rapid advances in technology and the evolving best practices for the sector are assimilated into our own membership requirements.

One of CIAT's primary concerns is improving the skills shortage in the built environment sector. We fully approve of your promise to create 650,000 jobs as part of your Green Prosperity Plan, which will include many jobs and training programmes in the construction sector. This will integrate sustainability and construction skills into the education system at various levels and will revolutionise our industry for an entire generation. It will help guarantee a consistently skilled workforce for the sector, while also helping secure a brighter future for the world.

We look forward to a positive relationship, working with and contributing our members' expertise to the relevant Government ministries in assisting to formulate policies that will ensure we consistently meet targets and achieve goals within the timeframes specified in your manifesto. We believe that a consistent and measured approach will greatly help the flow of private sector investment into the industry, which is much needed.

Congratulations again on your historic win; we are excited to get started.

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