Puma Property Finance is sponsoring the launch of UCL’s new sustainable construction solutions research centre, the Centre of Sustainable Governance and Law in the Built Environment
The new ‘Centre of Sustainable Governance and Law in the Built Environment’ seeks to address the challenge of building more with fewer emissions as the demand for more and better-quality housing increases by innovating sustainable construction solutions.
It is estimated that 39% of global carbon emissions come from the built environment.
Rearch topics will include improving methodology and decarbonisation
The two-year partnership will see research into improving understanding of sustainability practices in the built environment and drive forward solutions.
This includes research to identify the best measurement tools to accurately measure the environmental emissions and the social impact of construction projects and buildings; develop innovative financing models for construction projects; improve knowledge transfer; and decarbonise building stock.
The centre will sit within the Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction: the first built environment faculty in the UK.
The ten-person research team will be led by Dr Armando Castro, an Associate Professor at UCL, who has been researching and writing about ESG related themes since 2014.
Other team members’ expertise spans economics, finance, civil engineering, surveying, geography, management and law, in order to tackle and solve the wide-ranging issues across the industry.
Dr Armando Castro, UCL commented: “This Centre has been launched in a critical time and has the purpose of sharing academic insights and knowledge, while connecting and fostering the dialogue between academics and practitioners of the built environment.
“This is greatly needed now since the construction industry and its players need to do more to address current societal concerns regarding their social and environmental impact. Further, universities’ research can be used for the greater good and should be shared more widely.”
Sustainable construction solutions will require collaboration across multiple sectors
Paul Frost, managing director of Puma Property Finance, and member of the Centre’s Advisory Board comments: “We’re incredibly proud to sponsor UCL’s new research centre and play our part in significantly reducing the carbon impact of the construction industry. Delivering net zero buildings and retrofitting existing ones is a huge challenge, especially as we try to meet the demand for more and better quality housing, education facilities and suitable accommodation for our ageing population.
“Progress can’t be achieved through policy and regulation alone; it requires collaboration across industry and academia, innovation, creativity and ambition if we’re to drive truly impactful change.
“This new Centre offers an exciting opportunity to put that into practice, and we are delighted to be supporting its important work. The finance sector has enormous influence over the real estate that we build in this country and around the world. We can and must use that influence for the benefit of both current and future generations.”
