Opinion Pieces
Thank you to all our Industry Insider Newsletter guest editors.
See below their Opinion Pieces on key and topical issues facing the built environment now. Register for the Industry Insider newsletter to see opinion pieces and news stories from our upcoming guest editors.
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’
National Retrofit Conference to accelerate the retrofit skills gap
Opinion Piece National Retrofit Conference to accelerate the retrofit skills gap Opinion piece by Derek Harrocks, founder and chair of the National Home Decarbonisation Group With The National Retrofit Conference set to create the roadmap that will lead the retrofitting industry, Derek Horrocks, founder and chair of the National Home Decarbonisation Group, a key partner
AT Awards 2023
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’
What is a Building Safety Case?
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’
Taking a Stand for Better Buildings
Opinion Piece What do we need to change to make better use of our digital twins? Opinion piece by Rebecca De Cicco, Principal– Digital Enablement, Aurecon & Global Chair, Women in BIM A Grenfell Tower tragedy survivor only realised the 24-storey building was on fire when they heard fire engines arrive. The building’s lack of
Greenwashing – what’s true, what’s not, and does it matter?
Opinion Piece Greenwashing – what’s true, what’s not, and does it matter? Opinion piece by Charlie Martin, Co-Founder at The Anti-Greenwash Charter Earlier this month, The Anti-Greenwash Charter carried out an industry-wide survey with Futurebuild. The survey report – ‘Greenwashing – what’s true, what’s not, and does it matter?’ – includes data on how greenwashing
What do we need to change to make better use of our digital twins?
Opinion Piece What do we need to change to make better use of our digital twins? Opinion piece by Rebecca De Cicco, Principal– Digital Enablement, Aurecon & Global Chair, Women in BIM A Grenfell Tower tragedy survivor only realised the 24-storey building was on fire when they heard fire engines arrive. The building’s lack of
Why is the reuse of construction materials and products so important?
Opinion Piece Why is the reuse of construction materials and products so important? Opinion piece by Debbie Ward, Reuse/ Circular Economy from Alliance of Sustainable Building Products Looking at the bigger, biggest, picture, we are not in great shape. Our world has finite resources and we have been using, are using and will continue to
Welcome to Death Valley
Opinion Piece Welcome to Death Valley Opinion piece by Dr Olli Jones, Head of Sustainability & Innovation, Cundall What is the death valley curve? In the process of technological innovation there is something called the “valley of death”. In the innovation of new products and technologies, we typically see an early buoyant, even jubilant peak
Taking a stand for nature’s future: The need for transformative action to halt environmental decline
Opinion Piece Taking a stand for nature’s future: The need for transformative action to halt environmental decline Opinion piece by Richard Benwell, Chief Executive at Wildlife and Countryside Link Walk round the Futurebuild hall, and it can be like stepping into a virtual reality. The conference is a collective exercise of imagination for a better