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but its productivity has not kept pace when compared to others ,” he proposes . “ It still uses the traditional concept of building on site , but with an ageing industry and consequent skills shortages , we need to consider how to take complexity away from the building site itself .
“ Maintaining productivity requires a different way of thinking and a shift towards a modern , off-site approach . Off-site buildings are constructed by piecing together prefabricated components , which makes the on-site process much quicker and means that skilled workers can be utilized more efficiently . I think the benefits of off-site building will drive the construction industry away from on-site builds , especially as we continue to address global skills shortages .”
Despite Bent ’ s concerns over the future of construction , Grundfos ’ efforts to make the industry more sustainable are admirable . It not only takes its own environmental impact into consideration but responds to social demands for water across the globe .
“ Moving forward , I ’ d like to see significant investments in upgrading existing buildings to the most energy efficient standards . I think that governments around the world will need to subsidize costs associated with installation to ensure that vision becomes a reality .
“ We need to see a shift in attitude where the energy consumption and efficiency of a building are prioritized over the initial cost ; it is an additional investment that ’ s necessary to ensure a building is future-proof ,” Bent concludes . “ Ultimately , our aim is to see our energy efficient products become the norm for both new and existing buildings .” ■
Bent Jensen www . grundfos . com
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