The government has unveiled a competitive challenge-based grant call to deliver a Build Digital Project for the Construction Sector in 2021.

Michael McGrath TD, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, has launched a competitive challenge-based grant call to deliver the Build Digital Project for the Construction Sector in 2021.

Applications are being sought from multi-partner consortia, for example collaborations between higher education institutions (HEIs), companies and/or other Research Performing Organisations (RPOs).

Expressions of interest must be submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform by January 15, 2021, and full application by 3pm on February 15, 2021.

Grant of €500,000 pa for five years

One successful application will be selected in March 2021 based on the prescribed criteria. The successful bidder will be eligible to draw down public grant funding of up to €500,000 per annum for a total of five years, subject to meeting the requirements of the grant agreement.

The project will present significant opportunities for industry participation and co-operation, as well as the need for the public funding to be supplemented by industry funding.

Increasing innovation in the Irish construction sector is more necessary than ever over the coming years in order to deliver on the ambitions set out in the government’s Project Ireland 2040 investment strategy.

To support the industry in grasping this opportunity, a Construction Sector Innovation and Digital Adoption team has been established by government and industry.

This is to deliver on the seven priority actions detailed in the Building Innovation Report, which was itself informed by research carried out by KPMG and Future Analytic Consulting and peer reviewed by Technological University Dublin.

Productivity trends in construction

This work drew upon a wide-ranging survey and consultation, international benchmarking process and an economic analysis of causes of productivity trends in the construction sector in Ireland.

The Build Digital project is one of the leading actions of this strategy. To this end, and as part of its role in driving the delivery of Project Ireland 2040, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is launching a competitive challenge-based grant call to deliver the Build Digital project.

Minister McGrath said: “Build Digital aims to ensure that world class digital practices are adopted throughout the industry and supply chain in order to achieve a more sustainable and innovative sector from top to bottom.

"It will provide guidance and leadership on the necessary digital tools, standards, approaches and training required by all across the sector, and in particular small and medium sized firms who may have yet to realise the full benefits of digital approaches.

"Increasing innovation in the Irish construction sector is more necessary than ever over the coming years in order to deliver on the ambitions set out in the Government’s Project Ireland 2040 investment strategy.” 

Digital transformation

CIF said: “CIF welcome today’s launch of this call for consortia to lead the Build Digital Project and recognise it as a critical step in the advancement of our industry towards a digital transformation.

"Successfully delivered the project can be an enabler for regionally balanced delivery of Project Ireland 2040 and should promote the advancement of our SME’s.

"With the establishment of the project, the industry can look forward to a coordinated approach to the implementation of standards, development of nationally aligned training programmes and in time facilitate a mandate supporting the digital procurement of public and private sector projects."

Earlier, Enterprise Ireland, in collaboration with the IDA, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the CIF, hosted a high-level webinar entitled, 'Next Generation Construction of Capital Assets in Ireland – Innovation for International Investors' aimed at highlighting the opportunity created by the Build Digital grant call-out.

The webinar was attended by over 200 participants across the construction sector, relevant government department agencies and other bodies.

Seven priority actions

Chair of the CSG Innovation and Digital Adoption sub-group PJ Rudden said: “Build Digital is one of seven priority actions to raise construction productivity levels.

"Also included is a new Construction Technology Centre by Enterprise Ireland, a move to high quality offsite and modular methods of construction, addressing the built environment skills shortages and digitising the planning permission application system to speed up preconstruction planning approvals.

"These seven new integrated actions will combine to better deliver Project Ireland 2040 and the National Development Plan. It means building to much higher technical standards, delivering on time and within approved budgets.

"Our future construction will be green as well as digital. That’s means meeting our sustainability and climate action targets.”

Further information 

Applications are being sought from multi-partner consortia by 3pm on February 15, 2021. The successful applicant will be announced in March 2021 and will be eligible to draw down public grant funding of up to €500,000 a year for five years.

For more information go to gov.ie/2040 where you will find Guide for Applicants, Expression of Interest (EOI) and Full Application Form.