Building a transition: innovative approaches to construction industry transformation towards a safer and more sustainable future

This report responds to the multiple challenges currently impacting Victoria’s building and construction industry including skills and labour shortages, supply shortages, price increases, significant workplace stress and mental health issues. It sets out best-practice skills, practices and innovation being developed and applied in leading

international jurisdictions (EU, UK, US and Canada). It also identifies opportunities and best practice

initiatives, tools, projects and instruments that have the potential to inform Victoria’s post-Covid building

and construction industry. The underlying aim of this work is to ensure that Victoria’s building and construction industry can continue to position itself as internationally innovative. Key objectives of the project were

investigating best-practice skills, training and migration; innovation in sustainable building practices; emerging trends in alternative supply chains and materials; and regulatory reform insights; with the aim to assist industry leaders in creating a future-ready industry. The authors recognise that translating key learnings from international case-study locations into the Victorian context requires several steps involving policy experts, which is beyond the scope of this project. Rather, this report informs policy development, support and industry practices for the State government and other key construction industry stakeholders.