Insights

We’re exploring whether there are ways to tackle both sustainably

It has been said that the construction industry has a materials problem, and the property industry has an energy problem; that is, building anything new leads to high embodied carbon, and more often than not, existing buildings consume a lot of energy.

At a recent BusinessLDN sustainability round table, hosted at Hoare Lea and attended by the Deputy Mayor of London Mete Coban MBE, the Deputy Mayor London for Environment and Energy, as well as other industry luminaries, we explored the challenges facing our industry from a sustainability and Net Zero Carbon perspective.

To tackle the materials challenge, the supply chain must decarbonise and offer zero-carbon solutions which are acceptable to the insurance industry. For example, repositioning steel plants such as Port Talbot to be arc-light rather than blast furnace will create lower carbon steel. But by doing so, the availability of Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS) as a by-product and lower-carbon cement replacement will likely dwindle. Could this mean that hybrid steel and timber structures become the lowest-carbon and most reusable solutions? Or, will the concrete industry innovate to remain competitive in a construction environment chasing lower embodied carbon?

If we look at how we reduce energy consumption of existing properties, we are leaning towards the innovators to create solutions.

For example, the team at Albotherm is working to create a coating that can be applied to windows that changes opacity as sunlight and temperature increases, without the need for energy input, allowing for a combination of sunlight protection and architectural creativity. When applied to buildings with high cooling demands, this solution can make a real difference without visual impact to the building fabric or streetscape.

At Hoare Lea, we’re hearing that our clients need clarity on targets as well as broader guidance for whole life carbon and operational energy. We’re also sensing the public perception of developments as being inherently negative. Yet, in many instances the act of development is regenerative and delivers outcomes that are better than the status quo; nowhere is this more obvious than in urban nature restoration.

As an industry, we have been fluent in communicating the architectural merits of proposals, but there is an opportunity to improve our communication and engagement around sustainable outcomes.

Our teams advocate for community co-creation which invites people to take part in the design process and see first-hand both the opportunities and the constraints of a site and encourages developers to work with communities. This helps keep the conversations fresh and an approach that focuses on the positive achievements of the past 25 years rather than a lurch towards nostalgia. The choice lies between a worldview that idolises the good old days, or one that prioritises the future. We are committed to working with our clients and collaborators to create approaches that tackle the challenges that face us.

If you’d like to know more about our sustainability practice and how we can support your development, please get in touch with Greg Jones.