Finishes and Interiors sector, fit-out and finishing of buildings.
The finishes and interiors sector covers the interior fit-out and finishing elements of the build process including the construction of walls, fixtures, ceilings and flooring and finishing operations such as plastering and rendering.
The £10 billion Finishes and Interiors sector is a pivotal part of construction, turning structures into homes, educational facilities, hospitals, care-homes, workplaces, hotels, leisure facilities, retail outlets and functional spaces.
The sector is unique in construction in so far as buildings will typically have over 30 fit-outs in their lifetime. Each re-fit fundamentally impacts, not just the way a building looks, but how it performs in terms of fire, acoustic and thermal integrity and has a critical impact on sustainability, whether that relates to the embodied carbon of the building itself or to the operational performance of that building.
The sector employs around 250,000 people with the key trades employed being interior systems installers (i.e. ceiling fixers, demountable and relocatable partition installers, drylining installers), plasterers, shop fitters, steel frame system (SFS) installers and carpenters and joiners.
High priority sustainability challenges for the finishes and interiors sector include:
- Sustainability Strategy
- Waste
- Carbon
- Materials
- Environmental Management
- Modern slavery
- Business Ethics
- Wellbeing
- Fairness Inclusion and Respect
It can be difficult to understand all these issues, and knowing where to focus efforts can be challenging. Find out more about each topic below, and the role of the supply chain in helping the finishes and interiors sector address these challenges.
The identification, management and mitigation of risk of bribery, corruption…
Climate change is the biggest issue of our time and…
How we deal with the potential positive and negative impacts…
Making our workplaces even better for everyone.
The built environment industry can reduce the negative impacts of…
With an estimated 49.6 million victims worldwide, modern slavery is…
Social Value is more important than ever and has a…
Sustainable development requires a holistic consideration of environmental, social and…
Monitoring and addressing water consumption and use helps to reduce…
Changing the mindset from 'waste' to 'resources' and improving efficiency…
Addressing wellbeing and welfare improvement across the whole value chain…
Science Based Targets - Sustainability Short
An increasing number of businesses are setting science-based targets to reduce their carbon emissions. This animation looks at what SBTs are, why they’re relevant to you, and how you can participate.
Why Retrofit?
Introduction to Climate Change and Carbon
E-learning Module
45 minutes
Energy and Carbon
Carbon Reporting
E-learning Module
Energy and Carbon
Carbon Footprinting & Measurement
E-learning Module
Energy and Carbon
Carbon Reduction, Offsetting And Net Zero
E-learning Module
Wellbeing
Wellbeing in the Built Environment
Document / Presentation
Training and Skills
Introduction to Social Value
E-learning Module
Sustainability Strategy
Social Value in the Built Environment – Industry Briefing 2020
Document / Presentation
Training and Skills
Social Value Tools Report
Document / Presentation
Fairness, Inclusion and Respect: Induction
This talk outlines how Fairness, Inclusion and Respect can be an integral part of how an organisation operates.
“We have to start thinking differently, rather than thinking of buildings or interiors as the end product, we have to think about every building as a kind of DIY store for the next project and the next project and the next project. We are keen to work with members of the FIS through this database and wider initiatives to help realise our values and support transformation of the supply chain as a whole. ”Adam Strudwick Principal, Corporate Interiors, Perkins & Will
In 2019 Perkins & Will pledged to offer a net zero operational design strategy to all architectural clients up to RIBA Stage 2, at no cost to the client. The next stage is to offer net-zero embodied carbon for interiors projects this manifesto sets out how they intend to achieve and report on this.
This page is run in partnership with FIS (Finishes and Interiors Sector) the Trade Body for the £10 Billion finishes and interiors sector www.thefis.org.
