CPA Weekly Notes – 13th February 2026

Issue No. 1188, 13th February 2026 FOR MEMBERS ONLY

Association Activities

CPA AGM and CPA Spring Lunch Tables on Sale – Tickets Selling Fast
Join us for the CPA Spring Lunch on April 23, 2026, at Hilton Park Lane, London. This event is one of the most significant networking opportunities in the construction industry, attracting influential professionals from all areas of the construction industry. Whether you are a manufacturer, supplier, client, or contractor the CPA Spring Lunch provides a chance to connect and build valuable relationships. Reserve your table now and ensure your place. 

Sponsorship Opportunities at CPA Spring Lunch 2026
Take advantage of our sponsorship opportunities at the CPA Spring Lunch 2026. By partnering with us, your brand will gain maximum exposure before, during, and after the event. This is an excellent way to showcase your commitment to the construction industry and reach a wider audience. By becoming a sponsor, you will not only support this prestigious event but also position your brand for future success. Let’s make the CPA Spring Lunch 2026 an event to remember! For more details on how to become a sponsor, please reach out to Fabi. For details about sponsorship see here.

Weekly Calendar of Meetings 

• Peter Caplehorn, CPA Chief Executive, will have a number of meetings with members this week; will meet with directors at the MHCLG, OPSS and Building Safety Regulator to discuss product issues; will attend a Defra meeting of the Flood Ready Leadership Group; co-chair the monthly meeting of the CLC’s Material Supply Chain Group; will chair a meeting of the CLC’s Standards & Regulatory Alignment Group; and join a regular meeting of the Construction Leadership Council’s Task Force.
• Professor Noble Francis, CPA Economics Director, will meet with officials from HM Treasury’s National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority to discuss the risks and opportunities facing CPA members in support of the government’s pipeline.
• Mark Wilkinson, CPA Senior Technical Manager, will meet with OPSS officials and the white label guidance working group; will support Peter in chairing the meeting of the CLC’s Standards & Regulatory Alignment Group; and attend a meeting hosted by BSI for the CB/301 Offsite & Modern Methods of Construction.
• Jane Thornback, CPA Sustainability Policy Advisor, will attend the Materials Research Exchange 2026event hosted by UKRI and Innovate UK to get a overview of the materials research and innovation advancements available to manufacturers and CPA members.
• Hanna Clarke, Digital and Policy Manager, will have a variety of meetings with industry colleagues and civil servants around both competence and digitalisation of product information.

Economics Update

CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update can be found here it includes:

• ONS Construction Output (December 2025)
• ONS Construction New Orders (2025 Q4)
• RICS UK Residential Market Survey (January 2026)
• Bellway Half-year Trading Update (February 2026)
• Barratt Redrow Half-year Results (February 2026)

The State of Trade Survey 2025 Q4 was published on Monday 9th February and can be found here.
The CPA’s Winter Forecasts were published on Monday 26 January and can be found here.here.

Government Update

Wienerberger Publishes Cost of Compliance Paper
The Cost of Compliance whitepaper explores the far-reaching impact of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) on architectural practice across the UK. Drawing on independent research with 80 architects, it reveals that professionals are now spending an average of four hours per week verifying product claims—equating to around £16,700 per employee each year in additional costs. Since the BSA’s introduction, 95% of architects report increased compliance-related administration, while 81% feel more concerned about professional indemnity risk. With training budgets rising by 14% and widespread frustration around incomplete or inconsistent data, the findings paint a picture of a profession under mounting pressure—balancing creativity, client expectations and stricter regulatory accountability. Central to the discussion is the need for clearer, independently verified product information to rebuild trust and reduce duplication of effort.
The paper highlights the role of the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) in setting higher standards for transparency and accountability, alongside practical solutions such as BIM integration.  As the first UK manufacturer to achieve CCPI assessment for bricks and pavers, wienerberger positions itself at the forefront of this shift toward greater clarity and collaboration. Ultimately, the argues that while compliance is essential for safer buildings, the industry must work collectively to ensure the cost of compliance does not come at the expense of innovation, efficiency and design quality. The paper can be read in full here.

PAS 2000 Launch Event 
This free event marks the launch of PAS 2000 and is aimed at those involved in manufacturing, specifying, testing, or procuring construction products. Regulatory requirements and expectations around product safety, accountability, and evidence are increasing. The event will explain what PAS 2000 covers, why it matters, and how organisations can apply it in practice.
Developed in response to the Morrell/Day Testing for a Safer Future report and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, PAS 2000 sets out a framework for demonstrating that reasonable steps have been taken to ensure products are safe for their intended use. It supports the delivery of clear, accurate, and reliable evidence on product safety and performance, helping to meet the needs of clients, partners, and regulators. Details and booking can be found here.

Building Safety Regulator Re-Launched as Standalone Organisation
The Building Safety Regulator officially moved from the Health and Safety Executive to a standalone organisation under the sponsorship of MHCLG. This paves the way for the creation of a single construction regulator. As a new organisation, the BSR will work towards establishing a single regulator by promoting competence and higher standards.
This move is underpinned by a significant operational reset in the BSR’s role as the building control authority for higher-risk buildings. It must be noted that the BSR’s mandate extends far beyond high-rise oversight to a broader responsibility for safety and standards for all buildings across England.

The Single Construction Regulator Prospectus
The Single Construction Regulator (SCR) Prospectus has now been published by the HSE. This marks a significant milestone in reform of the built environment, following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations.  The prospectus sets out our vision for a coherent, accountable regulatory system that prioritises safety, quality, and trust across buildings, products, and professions. It outlines how a new regulator will consolidate oversight functions, reduce fragmentation, and drive cultural change across the sector. You can read the full prospectus here. The CPA technical committee will lead our response to this publication.

Industry News

Latest BMBI Report
The latest Builders Merchants Building Index (BMBI) report for November 2025 (published on 04 February 2026) is now available.  Produced by MRA Research, a CPA Associate, the report reveals that builders’ merchants’ like-for-like total value sales in November 2025 were -0.4% lower than the same month in 2024. To read the report in full please click here.

The Built Environment Competence Hub is now live
The Built Environment Competence Hub, managed by BSI and developed in collaboration with the Industry Competence Steering Group (ICSG) and the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is designed to bring industry together in a central space to strengthen competence across the UK built environment. Register for the hub here.

CPA in the News

CPA  Welcomes Government’s Warm Homes Plan, But Warns Against Delivery Risks
The Construction Products Association (CPA) has welcomed the government’s Warm Homes Plan and its renewed focus on incentivising the uptake of renewable energy products such as heat pumps and solar, but does not welcome its move away from a ‘fabric first’ approach and proper insulation. CPA argues that the government has decided to generate more energy rather conserve it. 
Tilezine | 12/02/2026 | online

Demand remains top concern for construction product manufacturer
Demand remains the single biggest concern for construction product manufacturers and the primary constraint on future sales. The Construction Products Association’s (CPA’s) latest State of Trade Survey for Q4 2025 showed that 71 per cent of heavy side firms and 60 per cent of those on the light side expected demand to be the primary pressure on sales over the next 12 months.
Construction News | 10/02/2026 | online
also in Borne Go Construct, Roofing Today, Builders Merchants Journal

Construction Leadership Council’s materials group admits market looks ‘bleak’ at moment
Peter Caplehorn, CEO of the Construction Products Association, co-chairs of the Construction Leadership Council’s Material Supply Chain Group. The first report of the year from the CLC’s Material Supply Chain Group is notable for its bleak assessment of market prospects without urgent action to stimulate demand.
Building | 29/01/2026 | online
also in BuildNews, Specification Online, Roofing Today, Tilezine

CPA finds construction growth held back by uncertainty
According to the CPA’s latest forecasts, overall construction output is expected to rise by just 1.7% in 2026, a significant downgrade from the 2.8% growth forecast in October.
Builders Merchant News | 26/01/2026 | online
also in Professional Merchants News, Project Scotland, PBC Today, Fix Radio, Construction News

Tender prices rise 2.5% in a year
Construction Products Association economics director Noble Francis pointed out that brick deliveries between January and November 2025 only managed to climb 6.2 per cent higher than the figure for 2024 and were 25 per cent lower than in 2022. They were also lower than in 2020, when most housebuilding shut down for a period due to the Covid pandemic. “This is very disappointing, as back in summer 2024, we would have expected double-digit growth in starts and high single-digit growth in completions in 2025 and 2026, from a low base,” he said.
Construction News | 15/01/2026 | online