Construction Disrupted Episode 100 - Fraud, Funding, and Frozen Frontiers (28.01.26)

From the UK’s ambitious Warm Homes Plan to calls for fraud investigations in insulation schemes, and the completion of a groundbreaking Antarctic construction project, exploring the southernmost, coldest, driest, and windiest construction project we could find, showing that delivering a project on time, even "when it's a bit cold and wet", is achievable.

Everything You Need to Know About the Warm Homes Plan

The UK’s Warm Homes Plan is finally here, promising a transformative £15 billion investment to upgrade homes, reduce energy bills, and tackle fuel poverty.

With ambitious goals to lift one million families out of fuel poverty, triple rooftop solar installations, and install 450,000 heat pumps annually, the plan aims to revolutionise energy efficiency across the country.

Key highlights include:

1. Support for low-income households: Free upgrades like solar panels and heat pumps to reduce energy bills and improve living conditions.
2. Low-cost loans for renewables: Nearly £2 billion allocated for low-interest loans to make energy-efficient technologies accessible to all.
3. Minimum energy efficiency standards for rental properties: By 2030, most rental properties must achieve a minimum EPC C rating, benefiting over 1.5 million households.

However, the plan faces significant challenges. Industry experts warn that delays in its rollout and the cancellation of the ECO scheme have left the UK without the workforce needed to deliver its goals.

David Weatherall of the Building Research Establishment humorously remarked, “I’ve been expecting it next week for about the last four months.” This delay has led to concerns about whether the industry can meet the plan’s ambitious targets.

The government’s decision to drop the phase-out date for gas boilers has also sparked criticism, with experts urging a stronger push toward renewable energy technologies.

While the Warm Homes Plan has been welcomed by many, others argue that the incentives are too weak to drive the necessary change.

As one industry insider put it, “The cliff edge has probably been reached.” When the Warm Homes Plan finally arrives, will there be an industry left to deliver it?

MPs Call for Fraud Probe in Solid Wall Insulation Scandal

The UK’s ECO insulation program has come under fire, with MPs calling for a Serious Fraud Office investigation into widespread fraud and failures in the delivery of insulation schemes.

The Public Accounts Committee has revealed shocking statistics, including a 98% failure rate in external wall insulation installations under the ECO4 scheme, leaving over 30,000 homes with defective work.

Key findings from the report include:

1. Fraud and non-compliance: Ofgem identified fraudulent installations worth 1.75% of the scheme’s value, but MPs believe the true figure is much higher.
2. Health and safety risks: 6% of external wall insulation and 2% of internal wall insulation posed immediate risks, including inadequate ventilation and electrical safety failures.
3. Slow remediation: Only 4,603 homes have been fixed out of an estimated 32,000 to 35,000 affected, raising concerns about the pace of progress.

The committee has criticised the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero for its lack of oversight and accountability, warning that the £15 billion Warm Homes Plan risks repeating the same mistakes.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, described the ECO4 scheme as “the most catastrophic fiasco” he has seen in his 12 years on the committee.

This scandal highlights the urgent need for systemic reform in the delivery of energy efficiency programs to restore public confidence and ensure that future initiatives, like the Warm Homes Plan, are successful.

Largest UK Antarctic Construction Project Completes on Time

In a remarkable achievement, the British Antarctic Survey has officially opened the £100 million Discovery Building at Rothera Research Station.

This six-year project, part of the £670 million Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme, marks the largest construction project ever undertaken by the UK in Antarctica.

Key features of the Discovery Building:

1. Sustainability: Designed to reduce carbon emissions at Rothera Research Station by 25% through improved energy efficiency.
2. State-of-the-art facilities: The building includes over 100 rooms and spaces, providing all power, drinking water, and communications for the research station.
3. Environmental focus: Phased deconstruction of outdated buildings is being carefully managed to minimise environmental impact, with materials being reused where possible.

The project’s success is a testament to the collaboration and long-term planning required to deliver major infrastructure in one of the world’s most challenging environments. The Discovery Building will serve as the operational hub for UK Antarctic research, supporting critical studies on climate change and its global impacts.

As Lord Patrick Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Research, Innovation, and Nuclear, stated, “Antarctic research is essential to understanding how changing climate patterns could affect our planet in the years to come, from food security to flooding risk, so together we can act.”

This milestone underscores the UK’s commitment to advancing polar science and addressing global challenges through innovative infrastructure and research.

Bios

Ryan Jones - SLG Agency

For almost 20 years, Ryan’s focus has been on helping brands in the construction and manufacturing sectors tell their story.

His career began in PR, working for global businesses across a variety of sectors, before opting to focus on construction and the built environment.

In his role as Managing Director, Ryan works to ensure that SLG Agency continues to be one of the construction industry's leading specialist strategic and creative agencies, having seen its work recognised by the likes of Campaign, Marketing Week and The Drum in recent years.

Ryan is regularly asked to speak at trade shows and events, and to contribute thought leadership pieces to trade media. He is also a member of several industry advisory boards, including Constructing Excellence and the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.

His passion for the construction sector has seen him work with clients on CSR campaigns that tackle the sector’s public perception, culminating in him recently launching a not-for-profit called Deconstruction.

Peter Sumpton - buildDifferent

Peter is a construction–marketing strategist and co-host of Construction Disrupted. With two decades’ experience spanning manufacturers, contractors and agencies, he helps organisations swap scattergun activity for clear strategy, joined-up planning and measurable outcomes.

His approach is practical and plain-spoken: cut the noise, focus on what moves the numbers, and build repeatable systems that teams can actually use.

Having seen first-hand how unfocused tactics waste time and budget, Peter works with leaders to align commercial goals, customer insight and content so marketing supports delivery rather than distracting from it.

Peter's passion lies in diagnosing organisations' marketing functions' capabilities and existing market, assembling what’s required to create a functional strategy, fit for purpose and scalable.

Marketing should create value, not just cost, and Peter’s work is about making that the norm.