MRA Analyst on construction data and conservation

Hear how MRA Research Data Analyst, Gavin Brooks, brings together two seemingly different worlds: construction market insight and hands-on conservation work with the National Trust.

MRA Research has a long-established reputation for providing valuable insight into the construction sector, helping businesses understand market trends and plan for the future.

But for Data Analyst Gavin Brooks, some of the best insights are said to come from getting hands-on experience in the field — quite literally.

Alongside his role at MRA Research, Gavin volunteers as a Ranger with the National Trust, where he helps care for and manage a site spanning almost 600 hectares.

While the two roles may appear worlds apart, he says there are more similarities than might first be expected.

“At MRA, we look at trends across different categories and over multiple time periods. This enables businesses to understand what is happening in the construction sector and plan accordingly. The same is true in my volunteer role.

“We monitor environmental changes over time, look at the impact on different species and plan what needs to happen next. Not only that, but climate change is a huge driver in both fields.”

That connection between data, changing conditions and practical action was recently brought to life when Gavin helped create shaded rest areas for visitors to the National Trust site.

The project was prompted by the increasingly hot summers experienced in recent years, with timber benches and tables designed to blend naturally into the surrounding landscape, using natural shade provided by trees and valleys, to determine the best locations for the new rest areas.

As part of his work at MRA Research, he helps produce the Building Merchants’ Building Index, and the Windows & Doors Trend Reports within PROSPECTManager.

He regularly analyses data and market trends across various construction categories, including timber and joinery products, working with experts from companies such as Metsä Wood.

However, when it comes to his own practical skills with those products, he is refreshingly self-deprecating.

“I’m far better at building a table with data than I am with timber!” he joked.

“We dropped a drill bit in the grass and spent 15 minutes trying to find it before giving up. That doesn’t happen when you’re building a spreadsheet!”

For more information about MRA Research, visit: Construction Industry Research – MRA Research – Home