Partnership, delivery and long-term thinking: reflections from UKREiiF 2026

UKREiiF continues to be one of the best opportunities to take the temperature of the built environment sector. Across healthcare, defence, commercial property, regeneration and housing, one theme stood out for me at UKREiiF this year: delivery remains the industry's greatest challenge and greatest opportunity.

There is no shortage of ambition across the public and private sectors. Organisations are investing in their estates, planning major regeneration programmes and looking to create places that support long-term economic and social outcomes. The challenge is ensuring those ambitions are viable and can be delivered efficiently, sustainably and with confidence.

That theme came through strongly in the discussions we hosted throughout the week.

Delivery is becoming more complex

The expectations placed on projects today are significantly greater than they were even a few years ago.

Customers are no longer simply looking for buildings to be delivered on time and on budget. They are balancing operational performance, sustainability targets, future flexibility, user experience, whole-life value and ever‑more complex stakeholder requirements. At the same time, projects are often being delivered against a backdrop of funding pressures, evolving regulations and changing customer expectations.

Our session exploring whether to refurbish, reposition or replace commercial office buildings reflected this perfectly. Decisions are now being shaped by long-term performance, carbon outcomes, occupier requirements and operational efficiency rather than capital cost alone.

The discussion reinforced the importance of understanding not just how a building is constructed, but how it will perform over its entire lifecycle. For delivery teams, that means helping customers make informed decisions based on evidence, data and long-term value.

Collaboration is moving earlier in the process

One of the clearest shifts I observed at UKREiiF was the growing recognition that successful delivery starts long before construction begins.

Across sectors, there is a growing understanding that projects benefit from bringing together customers, designers, contractors, operators and funding partners earlier in the process. The most successful projects are now characterised by shared objectives, transparent decision-making and collaborative problem-solving.

This was particularly evident in discussions around the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild programme. Modernising healthcare estates at scale will require more than capital investment alone. Success will depend on repeatable delivery models, strong partnerships and a shared commitment to long-term outcomes.

The same themes emerged during conversations around defence estates, where investment is increasingly being viewed through a wider lens of economic growth, skills development and community impact. Delivering complex programmes successfully requires alignment between multiple stakeholders, clear priorities and long-term thinking from the outset.

Long-term performance is now central to project success

Another recurring theme throughout the week was the growing focus on what happens after practical completion.

Whether discussing healthcare facilities, commercial offices, public estates or regeneration projects, there was widespread recognition that project success is now measured through operational performance, user outcomes and long-term value creation.

Our session exploring the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard highlighted how expectations are evolving. Customers are more focused than ever on measurable building performance, operational energy use and long-term sustainability outcomes rather than design intent alone.

Similarly, our innovation workshop on data-led placemaking and social value demonstrated how better use of insight and evidence can help shape stronger decisions throughout the development and delivery process. Understanding how communities use places, how assets perform and how people interact with their environments is becoming more important in delivering successful long-term outcomes.

Evolving to meet customer needs

UKREiiF also provided the perfect opportunity to officially launch Willmott Dixon Developments.

While development is not new to us, the launch reflects how customer requirements continue to evolve. More and more organisations are looking for partners who can help bring together development, investment, funding and delivery expertise to unlock more complex opportunities.

I was pleased to open the launch event during the week and celebrate what is an important milestone for our business. The creation of Willmott Dixon Developments reflects our ambition to support customers earlier in the lifecycle of projects and create stronger foundations for successful delivery.

My overriding reflection from UKREiiF is that success in our industry now depends on bringing the right people together at the right time. The challenges facing customers today are rarely straightforward, and solving them requires expertise that spans funding, design, development, construction and operation.

The conversations throughout the week reinforced the importance of early engagement, shared objectives and collaborative problem-solving. These are the factors that reduce risk, improve outcomes and ultimately help turn ambitious plans into projects that can be delivered with confidence.

For me, that is the real opportunity ahead – helping customers move from planning and aspiration to confident, successful delivery.

Catch up on our UKREiiF content

Click here to find out more about the sessions held in the Willmott Dixon pavilion at UKREiiF 2026.