A BMN roundtable held in association with ACO warned that flooding, water scarcity and tougher planning expectations are pushing sustainable drainage higher up the construction agenda — creating a clear opportunity for builders’ merchants to add value through better advice, training and technical support.
Builders' merchants have been urged to take a more active role in helping the construction supply chain respond to the growing pressures around flooding, water scarcity and sustainable drainage.
The message emerged from a BMN roundtable, held in association with ACO, which brought together leading merchants, manufacturers and consultants to discuss how the sector can move beyond traditional product supply and support better water management outcomes on live projects.
Panellists said water management is rapidly becoming a mainstream commercial and technical issue, as planning requirements, sustainability expectations and climate pressure place greater scrutiny on how developments capture, control, treat, store and maintain surface water. Drainage, they argued, can no longer be treated simply as a matter of moving water away from a site as quickly as possible.
Instead, the roundtable highlighted the need for a more joined-up approach, with merchants acting as a practical link between suppliers, consultants, contractors and customers. While branches and sales teams are not expected to become drainage designers, contributors agreed they do need the confidence to ask better questions, recognise when a specification may be incomplete and know when to bring in specialist support.
Regulatory inconsistency was identified as one of the biggest barriers. Speakers pointed to the delayed implementation of Schedule 3 in England, contrasting it with the clearer statutory framework already in place in Wales. They also warned that local interpretation of sustainable drainage requirements continues to vary, creating uncertainty for designers, contractors, merchants and manufacturers alike.
Education was described as essential if the merchant sector is to add value rather than simply fulfil orders. Panellists called for clearer, more role-specific training and simpler supplier information, including accessible performance data that branch teams can use with confidence when advising customers.
The discussion also underlined the importance of long-term maintenance and commercial value. Contributors warned that sustainable drainage systems only work if they are properly owned, inspected, cleaned and funded after installation. They added that if merchants are to invest in training, technical support and better advice, that expertise must be recognised commercially. The opportunity, the roundtable concluded, is for merchants to position themselves as a vital technical bridge — helping customers reduce risk, save time, meet planning demands and deliver water management systems that perform in the real world.
