In December, we asked our community to tell us which topics should lead our 2026 events agenda. The results were clear and tell a wider story about where the industry is right now. Costs remain sensitive, confidence is mixed, and expectations around quality, competence, and outcomes continue to rise. But what does this mean for SCI in 2026? The results are in!
Your Top Five Topics for 2026
Based on the survey, five themes came through strongest:
- Skills gaps and shortages
- The Building Safety Act
- Collaborative working
- Social Value
- Modern methods of construction (MMC)
SCI has taken a deeper dive into why these topics may have been chosen, set against the current state of the sector, and how they’ll shape our upcoming events for 2026.
1. Skills Gaps and Shortages
Skills gaps and shortages landed at the top of your list, and it’s easy to see why. The latest CITB Construction Workforce Outlook forecasts the sector needs 47,860 additional workers each year, totalling 239,300 across 2025–2029, simply to meet expected demand. The challenge shows up across the board, from core trades to technical and management roles, and it’s made tougher by higher staff turnover and an ageing workforce, at the same time as expectations on competence, digital processes, and quality assurance are rising. That is why skills are not just “a people topic”, it’s the foundation underneath safety, productivity, and resilience, and it will be a constant thread through our 2026 events.
2. The Building Safety Act, From Policy to Practical Delivery
The Building Safety Act ranked second, and it reflects how much the industry has shifted from “doing the work” to being able to evidence the work. However, there is cause for concern that the inevitable additional time required to complete work may deter private investment or inflation in costs, meaning that projects never get off the ground in the first place. This may result in potential new workers choosing alternative industries with more certain opportunities and existing workers losing opportunities that would have been available if not for the additional hurdles required as part of the Building Safety Act. The priority for the construction industry should be to utilise the requirements of the Building Safety Act to ensure better quality and improved safety on projects, but find an efficient way to avoid excessive delays in both the design and construction process due to bureaucratic issues.
3. Collaborative Working
Collaborative working came through strongly, and it sits right at the centre of the stability conversation. When projects are tight on time and cash, the usual fault lines, late change, fragmented scopes, and risk pushed down the chain, get harder to absorb. The Construction Playbook has consistently pushed the idea that involving the supply chain earlier supports better collaboration and reduces problems later. That matters even more in a market where insolvency risk and supply chain fragility are still part of the backdrop, and where relationships can decide whether an issue becomes a fix or a fight. In 2026, we want to make collaboration practical, discuss what it looks like in procurement, in behaviours, and in decision making when pressure hits.
The increase in the usage of “two-stage tenders” across the industry shows that both clients and contractors are showing an increased willingness to collaborate early in the construction process. Over time, with experience and lessons learned, the industry may shift towards this being the typical method to which projects are procured, and the older, more traditional methods of contract where additional fees are prevalent may fade out.
4. Social Value, Moving From “Nice to Have” to Evidence
Social Value has reached a tipping point. It’s not just a line in a bid anymore, it’s increasingly tied to how work is evaluated and managed, especially in public procurement. The updated Social Value Model (PPN 002) set a transition period from 24 February 2025, with use becoming mandatory from 1 October 2025 for in-scope organisations. That shift is nudging the sector away from broad promises and towards clearer outcomes, measurement, and reporting that stand up to scrutiny. It also lands at a time when communities are feeling pressure and want to see tangible benefits, jobs, skills, inclusion, local spend, and wellbeing.
5. MMC, The Search for Certainty
Coming in at 5th place was Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), reflecting the fact that the drive for greater certainty in delivery is not going away. The appeal is obvious – improved quality, safer working, less waste, and programmes that feel calmer and more predictable. But confidence depends on getting the basics right, earlier decisions, the right procurement approach, capability in digital and assurance, and a supply chain with enough pipeline visibility to invest. The requirements of the Building Safety Act are a major hurdle that needs to be overcome by MMC. MMC isn’t a one size fits all solution, but it is a serious route to reducing risk and improving outcomes when it’s set up well, and that’s exactly the kind of grounded conversation we want to host in 2026.
A Close Contender: Women in Construction
One topic that came through strongly, just outside the top five, was Women in Construction. It is paramount that women are aware at an early age of the variety of jobs and opportunities in the construction industry to allow them to work towards those roles in their academic curriculum when progressing through school and higher education. The momentum built in 2025 has helped keep the spotlight on visibility, recognition, and progression across the sector, and this year, we’re keeping the momentum going by kicking things off with our first SCI events during Women in Construction Week, creating space for engaging conversations, practical insight, and the connections that help move the dial.
SCI Women in Construction Events:
Looking Ahead.
In summary of the top topics outlined in the survey, it is clear that the sector is pushing forward through a challenging period, with higher expectations around competence, evidence, outcomes, and stability. Our 2026 events will be built around these priorities, bringing the right voices into the room, grounding conversations, and focusing on what helps people deliver better projects, with fewer surprises and stronger supply chains.