Altruism, self-interest, and the future of sustainability reporting
Opinion Piece Altruism, self-interest, and the future of sustainability reporting Adam Smith and Spinoza, two profound thinkers from different eras, explored the intricate relationship between altruism and self-interest. They posited that protecting others is often the smartest form of self-preservation. A baker, for example, improves his own success by ensuring his customers are satisfied with […]
Information Management Initiative (IMI)
Opinion Piece Information Management Initiative (IMI) The ‘Information Management Initiative’ (IMI) aims to transform information management practices across the built and natural environment sector. Led by hugely commendable volunteer efforts across the Construction Leadership Council and nima (formerly the UK BIM Alliance), the IMI: • sets out a sector-wide directive to industry, including some over-arching principles […]
Delivering a legacy of quality net zero homes
Opinion Piece Delivering a legacy of quality net zero homes The government has committed to delivering the most ambitious housebuilding programme in two generations. This is a welcome and important initiative. However, in constructing 1.5 million new homes, we must ensure that this new generation of properties deliver homes which embed the necessary performance to […]
Bridging the gap: advancing renewable heating in the UK
Opinion Piece Bridging the gap: advancing renewable heating in the UK By Stephen Bielby, Operations Manager, Ground Source Heat Pump Association (GSHPA) As the UK intensifies its commitment to a sustainable energy future, the focus on renewable heating solutions has never been more critical. Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) and district heating networks stand at […]
Building a Better World: How Biophilic Design Can Transform Lives and Sustain Our Planet
Opinion Piece Building a Better World: How Biophilic Design Can Transform Lives and Sustain Our Planet Why is it important that we care about how we design our workplaces, our hospitals, our schools or our cities? Why should we care about what materials we source, and how we position them in the buildings we create? […]
Overcoming retrofit challenges and enhancing sustainable design
Opinion Piece Overcoming retrofit challenges and enhancing sustainable design By Rachael Owens, Co-director at the National Retrofit Hub and Head of Sustainability at Buckley Gray Yeoman As the co-director of the National Retrofit Hub and head of sustainability at Buckley Gray Yeoman, I have been engaging with a wide number of stakeholders on the pressing […]
Driving sustainable change in construction: A call to innovate and collaborate
Opinion Piece Driving sustainable change in construction: A call to innovate and collaborate By Martin Townsend, Director for BSI’s Centre of Excellence for Sustainability The construction industry is facing mounting pressure to meet net-zero targets, meaning we must navigate the complex challenge of balancing sustainability with tight margins. The path to greener practices is filled […]
Addressing the Ever Evolving Role of Specification
Opinion Piece Addressing the Ever Evolving Role of Specification By David Ing, Managing Director at Fabrick The role of specification has changed considerably over the past few years with a larger number of people having influence and decision-making powers. A number of different consultants and engineers now have increasing input into specifications, such as façade […]
Don’t wait for change, lead it — diversity and sustainability in construction
Opinion Piece Don’t wait for change, lead it — diversity and sustainability in construction By Funmbi Adeagbo, keynote speaker at BE-ST Fest 2024 Driving change in construction and the built environment is not about waiting for others to take the lead – it’s about stepping up, being visible, and inspiring others to follow. That’s where […]
Sustainability Impact in Action
Opinion Piece Sustainability Impact in action 540 WORLD just won an LCA 2024 award. You might say, so what, and ask – how is this helpful for me? Well, if you are vaguely interested in building a better tomorrow or understanding materials that unlock residual financial value and circularity, or quantify low carbon, or other […]
Mapping Climate Risk and Vulnerability in the West Midlands
Opinion Piece Mapping Climate Risk and Vulnerability in the West Midlands Climate change is here, and our urban areas are ill-prepared. In July 2022, the West Midlands experienced temperatures surpassing 38°C, leading to overheating in residences and care facilities, school shutdowns, travel disruptions, data server malfunctions, a rise in fire emergencies, and water safety issues, […]
UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard
Opinion Piece UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard In May 2022, a cross-industry group comprising leading organisations BBP, BRE, the Carbon Trust, CIBSE, IStructE, LETI, RIBA, RICS, and UKGBC, joined together to develop a Standard to define the requirements for buildings in the UK to be Net Zero Carbon (NZC). The UK Net Zero Carbon […]
The Challenge Ahead: CIBSE’s Role in Leading Industry Innovation
Opinion Piece The challenge ahead: CIBSE’s role in leading industry innovation As we enter a transformative phase in the built environment, the stakes for our industry have never been higher. With the introduction of the Building Safety Act and the urgent push towards net zero, CIBSE is at the forefront, guiding and supporting its members […]
Timber in Construction: Debunking Myths and Bridging the Gap between Construction and Forestry
Opinion Piece Timber in Construction: Debunking Myths and Bridging the Gap between Construction and Forestry At the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP), we are leading a unique research initiative called IMPACTT (Innovative Mapping and Processes to Advance Construction Timber Transparency). The project aims to bridge the gap between forestry and construction and raise awareness […]
Towards Regenerative Architecture
Opinion Piece Towards Regenerative Architecture Co-founder of UK Architects Declare, Michael Pawlyn explains the thinking behind the Regenerative Architecture Index and explains why why need a paradigm shift to move from conventional sustainability towards regenerative design. The idea for the Index emerged from discussions in the Architects Declare Steering Group. Our strategy for change has […]
The Legacy of Triple Point Heat Networks Investment Management: Transforming the UK’s Heating Landscape
Opinion Piece The Legacy of Triple Point Heat Networks Investment Management: Transforming the UK’s Heating Landscape As the Programme Director for two major heat network funding schemes over the past six years, I have had the unique privilege of witnessing firsthand how effective collaboration, sheer hard work, and innovative solutions can bring about transformational change. […]
Why the Construction Industry Needs to Adopt Radical Transparency in Environmental Communications
Opinion Piece Why the construction industry needs to adopt radical transparency in environmental communications The construction industry is at a pivotal moment where sustainability has transitioned from being a buzzword to an imperative. With increasing scrutiny from regulators, clients, and the general public, the industry faces a unique challenge: how to communicate its environmental efforts […]
The future of the built environment: embracing a purpose-driven, technological revolution
Opinion Piece The future of the built environment: embracing a purpose-driven, technological revolution I remember my first Futurebuild—then called Ecobuild—like it was yesterday. The lively conversations and visionary presentations back in 2009 set the trajectory for my career. Since then, the construction industry has made strides in ways we couldn’t have imagined, but we seem […]
Five initiatives to achieve major change for people and the environment
Opinion Piece Five initiatives to achieve major change for people and the environment We have a new Government, with new beliefs, policies and plans, even if with an inherited and deeply constraining budget. Much ink has already been spent trying to predict what Labour will do in power given its focus on economic growth, building […]
Becoming the change
Opinion Piece Becoming the change Opinion piece by Dr Olli Jones, Associate Director Sustainability & Innovation, Cundall. As the planet warms past 1.5 degrees for its 12th consecutive month, murmurings of change appear to be afoot. A new government is welcome, to slowly begin restoring the flow of public sector projects and private sector confidence that […]
Liverpool Green Lanes: place shaping a new urban critical path
Opinion Piece Liverpool Green Lanes: place shaping a new urban critical path Opinion piece by Dr Graham Kelly, Managing Director, Okana In many cities, large parts of the built environment are comprised of outdated urban assets and infrastructure that are not yet future ready. The challenge is to make these urban neighbourhoods more liveable, resilient, […]
Making the built environment visible – how do we better connect with young people?
Opinion Piece Making the built environment visible – how do we better connect with young people? Opinion piece by Mark Southgate, Chief Executive, MOBIE Crisis, crisis, crisis! We have housing, climate and biodiversity crises and the built environment has a labour crisis! One on its own is difficult, all at the same time is a […]
No home left behind
Opinion Piece No home left behind Opinion piece by Derek Horrocks, Chair of the National Home Decarbonisation Group The national housing crisis and worldwide sustainability mission are inextricably linked, but not how you may think at first. Much of the housing discussion is focused on new homes, but as anyone involved in retrofit will appreciate […]
Harnessing digital innovation for landscape-led solutions
Opinion Piece Harnessing digital innovation for landscape-led solutions Opinion piece by Carolin Göhler FLI, President-Elect, Landscape Institute Advances in digital technology are changing the way we operate across both the built and natural environment, and providing increasingly impactful landscape solutions to the challenges we as a sector face. Digital innovation in the landscape sector is […]
Revolutionising the Construction Industry: Embracing an Iterative and Integrated Future
Opinion Piece Revolutionising the Construction Industry: Embracing an Iterative and Integrated Future Opinion piece by Mina Hasman ARB, RIBA, FRSA, LEED, BREEAM, WELL AP TIME 100 Climate Leader, Sustainability Director, SOM | Founder, Climate Framework The construction and buildings sector, a powerhouse of the global economy, is at a critical juncture. Despite its significant contributions […]
It’s time to act now.
Opinion Piece It’s time to act now People’s Pavilion unpacked! by bureau SLA & Overtreders W with Arup ©Jeroen van der Wielen Opinion piece by Duncan Baker Brown, Architect, Academic & Environmental Activist, Founder at BakerBrown I want to thank Futurebuild for giving me the opportunity to write an opinion piece. I’ve been a big […]
NABERS UK partners with CIBSE as new UK scheme administrator
Opinion Piece NABERS UK partners with CIBSE as new UK scheme administrator Opinion piece by Kieran O’Brien – Director of CIBSE Certification ltd CIBSE has recently been appointed as the new scheme administrator for NABERS UK, and this is widely viewed as an essential and welcome step in both the re-energization of the NABERS scheme […]
Your planet needs you: a new kind of national service for a carbon-conscious age
Opinion Piece Your planet needs you: a new kind of national service for a carbon-conscious age Opinion piece by Isabel Allen, Editor at Architecture Today Last month, UK Architects Declare presented Parliament with Building Blocks, a manifesto to transform the built environment in response to the threat of climate catastrophe. The document sets out a […]
What does digital transformation mean for construction?
Opinion Piece WHAT DOES DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION MEAN FOR CONSTRUCTION? by Marie Grieve, Founder and Managing Director of Costello Palmer Communications & Global Vice Chair of Women in BIM Digital transformation typically means harnessing the power of digital technologies to make operations more efficient, productive and safe. However the definition of digital transformation differs from person to […]
IF WE HAVE THE ABILITY, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
Opinion Piece IF WE HAVE THE ABILITY, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY Opinion piece by David Ing, Managing Director, Fabrick It feels like the industry is in the middle of a perfect storm of skills shortages, changes in regulations, increasing costs, increased scrutiny and complexity, and a lack of decision-making from the Government. The Building Safety […]
The next government must get behind the circular economy
Opinion Piece The next government must get behind the circular economy Opinion piece by Ben Goodwin, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, IEMA There are a range of issues in the environmental space that the next government will have to grapple with and make speedy progress on. We have of course our long-term commitment to […]
Driving forward confidence in renewables with MCS
Opinion Piece Driving forward confidence in renewables with MCS Opinion piece by Ian Rippin, CEO of MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme When it comes to investing in renewable technology, consumers can, understandably, feel cautious about transitioning away from their fossil fuel systems, especially when they have relied on those systems for years to heat and power […]
A call for an industry route-map Designing reinforced concrete for climate change resilience
Opinion Piece A call for an industry route-map -Designing reinforced concrete for climate change resilience Opinion piece by Chris Atkins, Mott MacDonald and Nigel Fraser, BUILDOFFSITE It is widely accepted that climate change is caused by the increasing level of atmospheric CO2 which has increased by 30% since the ISO equations were developed for the […]
Driving Prosperity: Innovations in the Built Environment for Connected Communities
Opinion Piece Driving Prosperity: Innovations in the Built Environment for Connected Communities Opinion piece by Sam Markey is Ecosystem Director for Place Leadership at Connected Places Catapult Places thrive on their ability to connect people – to resources, opportunities, and each other. The better connected a place, the more effective the flow of goods, talent, […]
The Joy of Streets – why is it so hard to make healthy streets happen?
Opinion Piece The Joy of Streets – why is it so hard to make healthy streets happen? Opinion piece by Amy Burbidge, Head of Master Development & Design, Homes England Streets are really important. Once streets are laid out, their pattern lasts a very long time – just look at historic cities through time and […]
Join our campaign for a better Future Homes Standard
Opinion Piece Join our campaign for a better Future Homes Standard Opinion piece by Sue Riddlestone OBE CEO & co-founder, Bioregional, Board Director, Future Homes Hub It is pretty well universally acknowledged by sustainability professionals that Government proposals for the Future Homes and Buildings Standard (FHS) – the next generation of building regulations, released for […]
HOW TO SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE HOUSING DECARBONISATION?
Opinion Piece HOW TO SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE HOUSING DECARBONISATION? Opinion piece by Derek Horrocks Owner of Sustainable Building Services (UK) Ltd and chair of the National Insulation Association (NIA) and National Home Decarbonisation Group (NHDG) There is a golden opportunity in front of us – with much more to gain than simply improving energy efficiency […]
The need to make our buildings kinder to the planet is of course paramount, but there is a need for building design to be holistic and human centric. This is where Active House comes in. Active House is a flexible design-led standard that balances the need for energy efficiency, with indoor comfort and wider environmental impact.
Opinion Piece The need to make our buildings kinder to the planet is of course paramount, but there is a need for building design to be holistic and human centric. This is where Active House comes in. Active House is a flexible design-led standard that balances the need for energy efficiency, with indoor comfort and […]
Tackling Complacency in the Face of the Climate Crisis
Opinion Piece Tackling Complacency in the Face of the Climate Crisis James Cadman FIEMA, Head of Consultancy and Climate @ Action Sustainability Get in touch with James We increasingly see more stories about climate change and its impacts. At the time of writing, Storms Henk, Isha and Jocelyn have all been in the news, the […]
OUR CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
Opinion Piece OUR CONFERENCE PROGRAMME Opinion piece by The Edge Team The built and natural environment think tank, the Edge, has taken up the challenge of curating the Futurebuild Arena conference programme again in 2024. Edge members have been involved with Futurebuild since its earliest ‘Ecobuild’ days and have seen efforts to tackle zero carbon […]
How to use systems thinking to help create a sustainable built environment, in five blockbuster films
Opinion Piece How to use systems thinking to help create a sustainable built environment, in five blockbuster films Opinion piece by Smith Mordak, Chief Executive, UKGBC We hear a lot about the importance of systems thinking for bringing about a shift to a sustainable built environment, but what does that really mean? And how can […]
2024 will see Paris host the Olympics, with new construction for the event built largely from Timber
Opinion Piece 2024 will see Paris host the Olympics, with new construction for the event built largely from Timber Opinion piece by Joe Giddings, UK Networks Lead, Built by Nature Since 2020 the industry has been consistent. We have persistently called for unchecked embodied carbon emissions to be addressed alongside operational carbon. Multiple industry-led initiatives […]
Building the Future – Addressing the Talent and Skills Challenge
Opinion Piece Building the Future – Addressing the Talent and Skills Challenge Opinion piece by Cathryn Greville, Head of Fairness, Inclusion & Respect (FIR) Action Sustainability Ensuring we have the right people with the right skills to deliver sustainable environments fit for the future is a critical component of addressing climate change. Diversity in our […]
Construction needs support to build its AI future
Opinion Piece Construction needs support to build its AI future Opinion piece by Sara El Hanfy, Head of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at Innovate UK 2023 was a watershed year for artificial intelligence (AI). Unprecedented attention has led to huge leaps in the public understanding of what it is capable of and how it […]
Using flexible electric heating to decarbonise buildings
Opinion Piece Using flexible electric heating to decarbonise buildings Opinion piece by Tom Lowe, Founding Director at Thermal Storage UK Almost everyone agrees that electrification will play a major role in decarbonising heating. That includes independent experts working for the UK and Scottish governments, the Climate Change Committee, the National Infrastructure Commission and the Energy […]
How do we make buildings fit for the future?
Opinion Piece How do we make buildings fit for the future? Opinion piece by Jade Lewis, Chief Executive at Sustainable Energy Association Amidst the urgent call for climate action, our responsibility to transition to a sustainable future is paramount. Facing the challenges of our era, our built environment demands urgent attention. In this pursuit, the […]
Making the case for long-term stewardship of green infrastructure as the foundation of a better built environment
Opinion Piece Challenges of meeting the PM2.5 target in urban areas Opinion piece by Emma Ferranti with contributions by Joe Acton, Deepchandra Srivastava, Catherine Muller, Sarah Greenham, James Hall, Jian Zhong), University of Birmingham Air pollution is the largest environmental threat to human health in the UK. According to Public Health England, 28,000-36,000 premature deaths […]
Challenges of meeting the PM2.5 target in urban areas
Opinion Piece Challenges of meeting the PM2.5 target in urban areas Opinion piece by Emma Ferranti with contributions by Joe Acton, Deepchandra Srivastava, Catherine Muller, Sarah Greenham, James Hall, Jian Zhong), University of Birmingham Air pollution is the largest environmental threat to human health in the UK. According to Public Health England, 28,000-36,000 premature deaths […]
Building For the Future
Opinion Piece What is a Building Safety Case? Opinion piece by Allan Binns, Safety Director, Ryder Architecture In preparation for changes to the Building Safety Act, the safety team at Ryder Architecture partnered with their digital counterparts and Ryder sister company BIM Academy, for a unique collaboration on safety and digital strategies to support ‘accountable persons’ […]
Shifting the built environment towards net zero and beyond
Opinion Piece What is a Building Safety Case? Opinion piece by Allan Binns, Safety Director, Ryder Architecture In preparation for changes to the Building Safety Act, the safety team at Ryder Architecture partnered with their digital counterparts and Ryder sister company BIM Academy, for a unique collaboration on safety and digital strategies to support ‘accountable persons’ […]