The University of Cambridge’s Department of Engineering and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) have joined the Centre for Construction Best Practice’s (CCBP) Academic Advisory Group (AAG)
The partnership reinforces the centre’s ambition to strengthen collaboration between industry and academia through evidence-based research in the built environment.
The University of Cambridge’s involvement will play a central role in CCBP’s next phase of research, which will focus on sustainability and how the construction sector can deliver more resilient, efficient, and environmentally responsible buildings and infrastructure.
The university’s expertise will help shape the programme’s direction and strengthen the academic rigour underpinning the centre’s work.
Delivering quality and value with sustainability at the forefront
Dr Tim Forman, course director of ‘Sustainability Leadership for the Built Environment’ at CISL, added: “The construction industry faces urgent imperatives to deliver better quality and value while meeting our most pressing sustainability challenges.
“Sharing evidence-based best practices is essential to delivering the resilient, efficient buildings and infrastructure our communities need. I am delighted to support CCBP as it works to meet these challenges.”
Collaborating with leading UK research institutions
CCBP’s Academic Advisory Group brings together leading UK research institutions, including University College London’s Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, Queen’s University Belfast’s School of Natural and Built Environment, the University of Leeds’ School of Civil Engineering, Loughborough University’s School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, and the University of Edinburgh’s School of Engineering.
Robbie Blackhurst, chair of the Centre for Construction Best Practice, said: “The University of Cambridge is one of the most respected academic institutions in the world and we are honoured to have its Institute for Sustainability Leadership and Department of Engineering’s involvement in helping to drive CCBP and its research forward.
“Working alongside the Institute for Sustainability Leadership significantly strengthens our ability to bring well-researched, academic theory to the industry’s most pressing challenges, particularly around sustainability and long-term value.”
Industry Advisory Group (IAG)
The centre also works closely with an Industry Advisory Group (IAG), comprising tier-one contractors such as BAM, Kier, Morgan Sindall, and Wates. This dual-advisory structure ensures that research outputs are grounded in practical delivery experience and applicable across major construction projects.
In early 2025, CCBP collaborated with its advisory groups to publish research on the benefits of Early Contractor Involvement, which received rapid support from the Government.
The announcement follows a series of university-led collaborations
Recently, Birmingham City University welcomed research fellows from South Korea to support the development of smart city technologies, with a focus on digital construction, urban resilience, and data-driven infrastructure planning.
Such partnerships highlight the growing role of international and cross-disciplinary academic collaboration in addressing the construction sector’s digital, sustainability, and productivity challenges.
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