Futurebuild, the sustainable built environment event, has announced its new 2022 conference programme, which will explore how the industry can make the necessary changes to drive net zero goals
The Futurebuild 2022 conference programme, held at ExCeL London from March 1 to 3, and sponsored by the construction innovation hub, will explore some of the key questions and issues to close the gap between net zero ambition and delivery.
This comes as built environment has been given twelve months to turn climate pledges into significant action to limit temperature rises to 1.5°C. The conference programme invites panels of industry experts to share their experience and put forward proposals on eleven selected topics, including an action programme beyond COP26, the regulation of embodied carbon, resource efficiency, financial considerations, levelling up, and retrofitting.
‘Beyond COP26: our action programme’
Day one focuses on action plans, showcased in the session ‘Beyond COP26: our action programme’. This explores the physical impacts of climate change that we are already experiencing and highlights the need for developing long-term resilience at the same time as reducing emissions, restoring natural resources and biodiversity, ensuring a sustainable food supply, and recognising the impacts of climate change on human health and wellbeing.
This session will focus on the actions that the UK construction industry will be taking.
‘Shifting the course of the world’s economy’
Shaun Spiers, executive director at Green Alliance and chair of the Beyond COP26 arena session, commented: “There is no simple, off-the-shelf solution to reaching net-zero, but there is a growing understanding of what needs to be done.
“There is an almost universal recognition that we must aim to limit global heating. The next year will give us a much clearer idea of whether the outcomes of COP26 can shift the course of the world’s economy or whether it was ‘blah blah blah’.
‘The opportunities to change are here’
Sue James, Edge member, also stated: “We have had a difficult and uncertain time since Futurebuild 2020 and the impact of the pandemic and the opportunities and urgencies for COP26 have been explored in a number of webinars during this time.
“As our thoughts turn to COP27, we have clearly established what we need to do and must now focus on how to do it at scale. The opportunities to change are here, do we have the courage to act on them? “
On days two and three, the 2022 conference programme topics include raising aspiration, leading by example to make change happen, resolving energy supply and demand, and living in a sustainable relationship with nature.
In each session, a panel of experts will explore the key questions and issues to help the built environment sector take the action needed for us to achieve 100 per cent net zero emissions by 2050.
The programme will conclude with a conversation between architect, Peter Clegg and engineer, Hanif Kara, and Hattie Hartman of the Architects’ Journal on the future of building design in our climate and ecologically challenged world.
