Industrialised Construction green paper highlights need for digital connectivity

A green paper from the Industrialised Construction Advisory Board (ICAB – comprising figures from UK industry, academia, technology and government) sets out a proposed national Industrialised Construction Strategy. It talks about developing a world-leading ecosystem that is digitally connected, manufacturing-led, and productivity-driven. The strategy will be discussed at a London conference on 21-22 April 2026.

Industrialised Construction reimagines buildings and infrastructure as configurable products, not one-off projects. It merges digital design, manufacturing discipline, and construction delivery through three interconnected pillars: productisation, DfMA (design for manufacture and assembly) and prefabrication. The green paper notes that Icountries leading industrialised construction adoption have common characteristics including deep integration between digital tools, design and manufacturing systems.

Change enablers

Discussing enablers for change, the paper talks about procurement reform, standardisation and regulation, digital foundations, a manufacturing ecosystem, skills and capability, and cross-sector training pathways. The digital foundations include:

“universal adoption of open BIM, digital twins, and product libraries. Integration
between AEC design tools and manufacturing systems to eliminate digital silos and provide interoperable data over the lifecycle of the asset”

The ICAB green paper (download here) proposes an 18-month action plan with work in five areas including standards and data. Here it talks about developing “an Open Product Platform Standard (OPPS) for digital product data and DfMA interoperability.” Lead partners in this activity are ICAB, BSI, Autodesk and KOPE.

Collaboration

The ICAB calls for collaboration, inviting policymakers, clients, contractors, manufacturers, and technologists to unite behind the strategy. Its 2026 plans include:

• The Industrialised Construction Conference (London, 21-22 April 2026)* – presenting progress, lessons, and global partnerships. “Engage with construction sector leaders to influence the White Paper development”.
• Publish an Industrialised Construction white paper (Q3 2026).
• Initiate HVM Catapult-led sector engagement to shape the Industrialising & Digitalising Construction Challenge (IDCC) and create the conditions for industrialised construction at scale (Q3 2026).
• Publish the Industrialised Construction Playbook (Q4 2026).

* nima senior vice chair Paul Wilkinson will be attending the conference, and will be facilitating a Day Two panel on The Data-Driven Construction Site. The following session is features speakers talking about Digital Platforms in Practice.