UKREiiF and Cartwright have published the ‘One Big Idea’ report, revealing the construction industry’s brightest and boldest ideas and concepts
The report encapsulates more than 150 ideas collected through the ‘One Big Idea’ initiative both before UKREiiF through an online entry process and at Cartwright’s in-person stand throughout UKREiiF.
The resulting analysis showcases insights from across the property and construction industry.
James Bywood, marketing director at UKREiiF, stated: “One Big Idea has given us an opportunity to listen to the industry at scale, which has revealed clear ambition, but a gap when it comes to routes to delivery.
“Skills, inclusion and social value were top concerns ahead of UKREiiF, reflecting that talent and representation are central to success rather than an add-on.”
From insight to impact
The report delves into the breadth of ideas shared by consultants, developers, investors, and central and local government, ranging from early concepts to fully fledged ideas ready to be acted upon.
Most importantly, the One Big Idea report lays out the roadmap of how industry ideas can go from insight to actual impact.
A key takeaway from the range of submissions gathered both before and at UKREiiF was the breadth of themes showcased.
Despite 12.4% of panels on the UKREiiF agenda covering housing, only 6% of ideas submitted focused solely on housing. Instead, the industry turned to ideas and insights on challenges across other themes including skills, inclusion and social value (20%), AI and data (16%), planning (16%) and placemaking (11%).
The One Big Idea report showcases how the construction industry can make meaningful changes
Katie Nelson, director and head of construction at Cartwright, said: “Our One Big Idea initiative is defined by its central purpose to offer the space and opportunity for new and impactful thinking from across the industry.
“Across all submissions, we can see the pressure the industry is facing from different directions and levels. With close to half of entries collected at UKREiiF itself, it’s clear that industry growth was at the forefront of attendees’ minds. The data collected illustrates the value of events like UKREiiF to allow the industry to step away from day-to-day delivery pressures and think differently.
“But what One Big Idea has also shown is that there’s no shortage of ambition, imagination or technical ingenuity – in fact, quite the opposite. However, in many cases, what the sector is short of is the collaboration, capacity and coordination to turn those ideas into delivery.”
Addressing gaps across the construction industry
Taking place at UKREiiF, the One Big Idea Breakfast saw three shortlisted ideas captured ahead of the event take to the stage in front of a panel of industry judges.
The three shortlisted ideas focus on reducing carbon emissions, supporting the next generation, and addressing viability gaps in projects.
The winning idea at the breakfast came from Sally Grindrod-Smith, director of planning, regeneration and communities at West Lindsey District Council. Her idea focused on a nationally scalable primary aspiration-raising programme that connects employers with primary schools to inspire children about the built environment, engineering, STEM, and beyond.
Nelson concluded: “The next phase of the conversation needs to go deeper. It’s not just about what needs to happen but who has the power to make it happen, who is missing from the conversation, and what systems need to change.
“Our analysis shows clear evidence that ideas can become the stepping stones to each other – building a chain from isolated ideas into practical pathways for change and growth.”
The One Big Idea initiative formed the newest era of the partnership between Cartwright and UKREiiF, with Cartwright taking on the role of official storytelling partner for UKREiiF 2026, as part of a year-round agreement.
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