Construction in UK experiencing huge drop in Environmental Innovation and Patents
As the world hunts for technological solutions to climate change, the UK construction industry has seen the number of environment patents it files fall 56% in ten years, reveals analysis by innovation funding specialist Catax .
The construction industry filed 101 patents relating to climate change mitigation technologies in buildings in 2010, falling to 75 in 2015, and dropping to 44 in 2020.
Globally, environmental patents in the construction industry rose from 2,056 in 2010 to
2,169 in 2015 before falling to 1,504 in 2020 – a 7% reduction in ten years. Canada’s construction industry saw the smallest drop in patent numbers, declining 37% in ten years.
G7 environmental patents in the construction industry. Source: Catax/OECD
|
2010 |
2015 |
2020 |
% change in 5 years |
% change in 10 years |
|
| UK | 101 | 75 | 44 | -41% | -56% |
| USA | 495 | 480 | 300 | -38% | -39% |
| Germany | 211 | 160 | 112 | -30% | -47% |
| Japan | 340 | 450 | 135 | -70% | -60% |
| Canada | 52 | 43 | 33 | -23% | -37% |
| France | 86 | 77 | 30 | -61% | -65% |
| Italy | 58 | 36 | 36 | -1% | -38% |
| World | 2,056 | 2,169 | 1,504 | -31% | -27% |
Generally, patents relating to environmental technology have fallen in recent times, dropping 3% worldwide in the past five years. The United States, Germany, Japan, Canada and Italy are all producing fewer eco patents than they were 10 years ago.
Total environmental patents for G7 countries in 2010, 2015 and 2020: Source: Catax/OECD
| 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | % change in 5 years | % change in 10 years | |
| UK | 700 | 815 | 736 | -10% | 5% |
| USA | 5,463 | 5,679 | 4,555 | -20% | -17% |
| Germany | 2,841 | 2,681 | 2,398 | -11% | -16% |
| Japan | 5,098 | 6,102 | 3,958 | -35% | -22% |
| Canada | 399 | 423 | 385 | -9% | -4% |
| France | 1,024 | 1,260 | 1,084 | -14% | 6% |
| Italy | 406 | 364 | 373 | 2% | -8% |
| World | 22,121 | 25,413 | 24,611 | -3% | 11% |
Nigel Holmes, Director of Tax at innovation funding specialist Catax, said: “The UK’s construction industry is lagging behind when it comes to researching solutions to environmental issues, with the country producing less than half the patents it was 10 years ago.
“Research into environmental technology will be vital in the battle against climate change, and the construction industry needs innovation to help it reduce emissions.
“The UK has a strong heritage of innovation, but research institutions and businesses need to make the most of government support available, which can provide the resources to make even more innovation possible.
“It is important that companies embarking on innovation understand the patent process and the associated tax reliefs by receiving specialist advice from the outset.
“The cost of obtaining a UK patent could easily be outweighed by the tax reduction from a Patent Box claim which creates an effective rate of Corporation tax of only 10%, yet not enough companies are making patents and the Patent Box an essential part of their innovation strategy.”
