Scottish businessman Lord Willie Haughey is calling on the construction industry to put sustainability at the top of the agenda to speed up the transition to net zero.
Speaking ahead of an industry event next week designed to accelerate transformation across the built environment, Mr Haughey said the sector must “urgently turn conversation into action”. Businesses need to start looking at the “hard evidence”, he added, with no room for individual agendas.
“During the pandemic we were asked to trust the science, and in the case of the climate crisis it should be no different,” he said. “There is no silver bullet that’s going to come along in 10 or 20 years’ time and magically solve the challenges, we need to start acting now with the tools and technology already available to us.
“The industry needs to get on board with disruption and urgently turn conversation into action. It’s not just a technical journey, it’s cultural, social and political too, and we need to work together towards a common goal – without any conflicting commercial or political agendas.”
READ MORE: Ministers told 79,000 more construction workers needed to meet net zero goals
Mr Haughey will be speaking at the Built Environment – Smarter Transformation conference being held on April 27 by the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (SCIC). The one-day event will bring together key players from the sector to examine the progress made since COP26, and the challenges that remain ahead of the next climate summit later this year.
Stephen Good, chief executive of CISC, said it’s “no secret” that the pace of transformation needs to speed up significantly.
“This event is about bringing the whole community together to talk about what the route map looks like and how it can be applied across all building typologies, including housing, commercial property, industrial, infrastructure projects – both new build and retrofit – to make that happen,” Mr Good said. “Every project from now on needs to deliver a positive impact for the environment.”
Mr Haughey added: “As with any kind of change or transformation project, there will inevitably be discussions around costs; but it is becoming more and more achievable to build sustainable, zero-carbon homes and buildings affordably.
READ MORE: Concerns as surging costs could halt some construction projects
“Developers need to be thinking in terms of the life-cycle costs of a project for them and for occupiers, the carbon cost, and the initial financial outlay.”
Hosted by former BBC broadcaster Clare English, sessions will cover accelerating the adoption of low carbon technologies, energy efficiency and a fabric first approach, policy wins and gaps, equipping the workforce and supply chain, and creating social value through human capital.
Speakers and panellists include Scott McAulay, coordinator of the Anthropocene Architecture School; Damien Yates, chief executive of Skills Development Scotland; Fionna Kell, director of policy at Homes for Scotland; Mairi Spowage, director at the Fraser of Allander Institute; and Jon Bootland, chief executive of the Passivhaus Trust.
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