Liz Kendall and the future of Digital Construction

The appointment of Liz Kendall as the UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology marks a potentially significant moment for the digital construction sector. With government direction increasingly shaping funding, data standards and procurement rules, construction firms, consultancies and technology vendors need a clear view of how ministerial leadership could influence BIM adoption, digital twin roll-outs, AI in project management and whole-life asset data strategies.

Who is Liz Kendall? (short professional profile)

Current role: Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, appointed on 5 September 2025.
Previous ministerial role: Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (July 2024 – September 2025).
Parliamentary service: Labour MP for Leicester West since 2010; long experience on the Labour frontbench and in social policy.
Mandate context: Kendall’s appointment came as part of a wider cabinet reshuffle; her brief covers the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), including responsibility for the government’s digital transformation and technology policy.

Why this matters to digital construction

The DSIT secretary shapes the policy levers that directly affect digital construction: R&D funding, national data strategy, standards and interoperability, regulation for AI and data use, and cross-government procurement rules. These levers determine how fast digital twin adoption accelerates, how procurement encourages or discourages common data environments (CDEs), and how skills and research funding are prioritised for construction technology.

Policy priorities likely to affect the sector

1. Research & innovation funding and grants

Expect renewed emphasis on R&D pipelines and commercialisation pathways for construction tech — particularly technologies that support net-zero, offsite manufacturing and lifecycle asset value. If DSIT aligns funding toward commercial-ready digital twin platforms or AI tools for defect detection, adoption accelerates.

2. Data standards, interoperability and regulation

DSIT influence over the national data strategy and standards-setting bodies means renewed focus on:

Common Data Environments (CDE) and open APIs for BIM and digital twins.
Mandatory metadata and asset information requirements for public sector procurement.
Governance frameworks for construction data sharing and provenance.

3. AI, safety and liability

With AI regulation rising up the agenda, expect stricter guidance around:

Use of generative AI in design and risk assessment.
Auditability, explainability and traceability for automated decisions (e.g., clash detection filters).
Liability frameworks for model-driven decisions used on site.

4. Skills, apprenticeships and workforce development

Policy levers to scale digital skills in construction may include targeted training funds, accredited qualifications for BIM managers and incentives for employers to reskill staff in digital workflows.

Opportunities and risks

Opportunities

Access to government R&D and procurement for firms who can demonstrate interoperability, net-zero outcomes and digital skills.
Competitive advantage for vendors offering auditable, standards-compliant AI and digital twin solutions.
Possibility of streamlined public sector procurement that favours whole-life, data-driven service models.

Risks

Short-term disruption as procurement and regulation tighten — smaller firms may struggle to meet new compliance costs.
Vendor lock-in risk if suppliers don’t support open standards or exportable asset data.
Liability and reputational risk from ungoverned AI use on projects.

What to watch next

DSIT policy statements and strategy documents from Liz Kendall’s office, particularly any construction- or infrastructure-facing roadmaps.
New procurement mandates or guidance on asset information requirements for public sector capital projects.
Funding calls from Innovate UK and DSIT that mention digital twins, AI for construction, offsite manufacturing or net-zero construction outcomes.

Liz Kendall’s appointment as Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (5 September 2025) places a minister with frontbench experience in a department that will influence the pace and shape of digital construction in the UK. For businesses and project teams, the practical takeaway is clear: align to open data standards, prepare for stronger AI and data governance expectations, and position digital projects to deliver measurable whole-life and net-zero outcomes that DSIT is likely to prioritise. Organisations that act now — auditing data, upskilling staff, and adopting interoperable, auditable technologies — will be best placed to benefit from forthcoming policy, procurement and funding changes.

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