Picture a typical morning in your life.

You might go to a coffee shop, where you’ll see more customers using their own reusable cups, rather than disposable cups. As you enter a clothes shop, you might notice that, while high street chains continue to stock cheap low-quality clothes, many consumers are more aware of the scourge of fast fashion and instead opting for more expensive but higher-quality clothes produced in more ethical environments. As the deadline for Scotland to fulfil net zero targets approaches (2045), the wider Scottish public is becoming increasingly conscious of the need for sustainable choices.

Yet as you walk down the street you may not notice one area where unsustainable practices remain. We tend to take for granted that the buildings we live and work in are the result of careful, quality investment. However, just as an individual might buy an inexpensive item of clothing to save money, some in the construction industry continue to utilise poor-quality materials which end up costing more.

The building and construction sector accounts for an eye-watering 37% of global operational carbon emissions, with fast fashion getting more stick and contributing less with 10% carbon emissions. Using substandard materials is not only financially disadvantageous in the long run, it's unsustainable. The consequences of cutting corners by implementing poor materials reverberate in many ways, from the way they are sourced to the transport methods involved and even the fuels used in transportation. Low-quality materials are also more liable to damage, which means they need replacing more quickly – creating a repetitive cycle which is both financially and environmentally destructive.

We need to open up better discussion, within the construction industry and also adjacent industries, and collaborate.

We also need to invest in green skills, embedding a sustainable ethos at all stages –from early planning t through to building completion, and afterwards. Successful case studies should be shared across the industry to prove to sceptics that those who invest in high-quality materials and the accompanying skillset will reap the rewards. It’s crucial that we keep the bigger picture in mind and don’t allow ourselves to develop tunnel vision in terms of the huge impact our industry choices have. At Harley Haddow we are passionate about raising awareness of sustainable practice throughout our various projects and our Pledge to Net Zero.

Retrofitting (making existing structures more sustainable) will also contribute towards a more environmentally friendly industry. Just as choosing second-hand clothing as a more sustainable alternative to fast fashion, improvement work to make existing buildings more energy-efficient will create a positive effect in both societal and environmental terms.

To harness the potential of a sustainable revolution in construction, a collective effort is required. It’s not only up to engineers : many industries have a role to play in making sure that our buildings don’t emulate the example of fast fashion. As the public begins to wake up to the reality of committing to sustainability in the long run, we need to match this with a commitment to change.

Shweta Salvankar is Senior Building Performance and Sustainability Engineer at Harley Haddow

Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@theherald.co.uk