Overview
Businesses are confronted with global trends towards digitalisation and the drive towards low carbon and resource efficiency. Smart technology is a powerful way to achieve clean growth and bring business resource costs down, but limited uptake is preventing UK companies from realising the opportunities.
Although the UK has set out the ambition for digital innovation and clean growth in its industrial strategy, little attention has been given to how they will be delivered.
In collaboration with our task force members, we worked to address this policy vacuum, spotlighting the technological solutions that will strengthen businesses through greater resource efficiency, rebalance the UK economy and, critically, revitalise manufacturing in regional economies outside south east England.
Our work
Our work focused on the four major sectors that underpin regional economies outside south east England: transport, energy, buildings and food.
Read our reports:
Smarter transport: a digital revolution for electric vehicles and mobility services
We highlight how digital technologies could help put UK businesses at the forefront of new low carbon transport industries and how policy can drive their adoption across the sector.
A smarter way to save energy: using digital technology to increase business energy efficiency
In this policy insight, we explore how the adoption of digital technology could transform the delivery of energy efficiency across UK businesses. We set out three policy actions to help buildings and industry across the UK cut both energy bills and carbon emissions.
Smart building: how digital technology can help futureproof the UK construction sector
In this report, we explore the role of digital technology in future proofing UK buildings.
From better building design and offsite retrofit, to predictive maintenance and material tracking and reuse, digital technologies could accelerate both the transition to low carbon construction and the retrofitting of existing buildings for a net zero future. Their adoption could also support greater industry productivity and new jobs across the country.
Smart and green: joining up digital and environmental priorities to drive the UK’s economic recovery
We explore how digital technology could support a green economic recovery from Covid-19.
We highlight the opportunities afforded by digitalisation in the transport, energy, buildings and food sectors, and argue for the digital and low carbon agendas to be integrated into the government’s strategies for economic recovery and decarbonisation. This would enable UK businesses to simultaneously improve efficiency, become more competitive in global markets, and reduce their environmental impact.
Members
We’re grateful to our Tech Task Force members for supporting this project:
Related content
View AllSmarter transport: a digital revolution for electric vehicles and mobility services
13 November, 2019
A smarter way to save energy: using digital technology to increase business energy efficiency
22 January, 2020
Smart building: how digital technology can help futureproof the UK construction sector
20 May, 2020
Smart and green: joining up digital and environmental priorities to drive the UK’s economic recovery
20 October, 2020
