The UK Government has signed a £420 million deal with the construction industry to make the sector more efficient and productive.

The so-called ‘bytes and mortar’ revolution will use digital design and offsite manufacturing to transform building construction, develop new technologies and introduce new tools.

This will support the Industrial Strategy mission to halve the energy use of new builds by 2030 and is expected to result in cheaper energy bills for families and businesses by improving efficiency.

It will also boost the delivery of government’s ambition to deliver 1.5 million new homes across the country by 2022.

The deal will also work to provide 25,000 construction apprenticeships and 1,000 placements by 2020 to help give young people the skills required, with £34 million dedicated to scaling up innovative training models.

Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said: “The construction industry is fundamental to growing our economy as we build to invest in our future.

“As buildings account for around 30% of total emissions, we also want to ensure that we are at the global forefront in designing and building smart, energy efficient and affordable homes and buildings through the Clean Growth Grand Challenge, saving families money on their bills.”

The government has signed a £200 million Nuclear Sector Deal to make the UK’s energy mix more diverse and affordable.