Net Zero 68

advanced manufacturing with ambitions to drive the wider UK’s low carbon transition. With outline planning permission, this emerging centre of excellence and innovation is crucial to national and international carbon reduction efforts and is part of Scotland’s answer to balancing manufacturing requirements while meeting net zero commitments.

Micro Park Apparel Project: Over £365 billion of waste clothing is discarded each year, with a further £220 billion in lost revenue due to product markdowns. Micro Park aims to create a new location for fashion production in the UK, embedding circularity across all areas of activity including resource use, textile and fibre reuse and packaging. It will use 100% renewable energy, generate no liquid waste and have no negative environmental impacts.

Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Expansion:

Plans including an ambitious energy concept to turn the SEC into one of the world’s most sustainable campuses and includes several globally competitive and cutting-edge conference and exhibition innovations. Investment will drive organisational targets to achieve net zero by 2035 with significant reductions by 2031.

Green Regeneration and Innovation

District: As Scotland’s first Green Regeneration and Innovation District, Clyde Gateway is working to decarbonise travel and energy for homes and businesses while providing the local community a place to live and work in a low carbon and resilient neighbourhood. Council leader Susan Aitken said: “Glasgow is ready to meet the challenges of the climate emergency head on, addressing long-standing social, economic and environmental challenges around fuel poverty, poor connectivity and community blight whilst meeting our climate targets. Our Net-Zero future is about safer communities, warm and efficient homes, sustainable jobs and a prosperous economy. Transition has to be about the social and economic well-being of Glasgow and its people.

“This will require levels of investment never seen before in local government and adaptation plans which will be vital in delivering a modern, resilient and inclusive city economy. As a core element of Glasgow’s Green Deal, our ‘Greenprint’ brings together transformational, investable and shovel-ready projects. From an entire new transport system better connecting citizens to opportunities, generating renewable energy from the River Clyde and upgrading hundreds of thousands of homes across our city region, the Greenprint projects will deliver the infrastructure necessary for a low carbon, climateresilient future.

“All cities face huge change. Glasgow’s challenges are typical of those of so many of our global peers. As cities rebuild to decarbonise, we can be the demonstrator in shaping those solutions. The success of COP26 will be measured by how cities can take the practical steps necessary to secure the future of our planet. Our Greenprint provides a major part of our roadmap to doing just that.”

The portfolio of projects outlined within the prospectus relate to four umbrella United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 8) Decent Work and Economic Growth; 11) Sustainable Cities and Communities; 13) Climate Action; and 17) Partnerships for the Goals. The SDGs are a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.

All cities face huge change. Glasgow’s challenges are typical of those of so many of our global peers. As cities rebuild to decarbonise, we can be the demonstrator in shaping those solutions. The success of COP26 will be measured by how cities can take the practical steps necessary to secure the future of our planet. Our Greenprint provides a major part of our roadmap to doing just that.

GREENPRINT

greenprint.eco

CONSTRUCTION HEAVYWEIGHTS CALL ON COP26 TO DRIVE LASTING CHANGE IN INDUSTRY

With an estimated 40% of all carbon emissions linked to the built environment, some of the UK’s biggest voices in building and construction weigh in on what needs to change for the country to meet its Net Zero target.

The UK is the first major economy to put into law that it will reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. In line with this commitment, George Clarke, Mark Farmer, Yewande Akinola, Elspeth Finch and Ann Bentley share their thoughts on how best to drive the required change, creating a better world for people and planet.

George Clarke, Chair, Ministry of Building Innovation and Education (MOBIE) – ‘ We need a green, ecological revolution’

"The housing industry needs to adopt a clear and consistent long-term strategy if the UK is to meet its Net Zero targets. Yes, we’re starting to see the industry focus more on whole-life value, which is being driven by progressive innovators working together, but still more needs to be done.

Take new housing models for example, Mills Power Architecture's IDEMA Panel House project, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is a repeatable model for desirable, quickto-build net-zero housing; however, we desperately need to see this underpinned by practical government initiatives for moderate-income families to make ecological improvements to their existing homes.

The UK has to take advantage of this platform to implement change and give the housing industry what it desperately needs - a green, ecological revolution. We're hosting what is arguably the biggest influential event when it comes to climate change, and it’s an event that needs to inspire the next generation of architects, planners and builders to think of tomorrow, not today. It’s crucial that we send the right message to the younger generation - we’re relying on them to help us transform the industry.”

Mark Farmer says the built environment still has a long way to go and calls on COP26 to be the turning point for the industry.

Mark Farmer, CEO of Cast Consulting and Government MMC Housebuilding Champion – ‘COP26 has to be a turning point’ “Increasing focus is being placed on how the UK is going to play its part on the international stage in attacking climate change. This narrative has to have a built environment decarbonisation strategy at its heart with 40 per cent of all carbon emissions in some way linked to the construction sector.

"Six years on from the Paris Agreement, COP26 has to provide a turning point, not only for our planet, but for the industry as a whole. Whilst some progress is being made in tackling operational carbon within the built environment there is still a long way to go - particularly in reducing embodied carbon. Once such government and industry funded initiative, AIMCH, is already looking to create scalable industry-led solutions to reducing carbon emissions within homebuilding and is a great example of showcasing the UK as leading the way; however, the industry must continue to challenge itself, with improved resource efficiency and productivity central to fighting climate change.”

Yewande Akinola MBE, Innovate UK Clean Growth and Infrastructure UK Ambassador / Technical Lead, Laing O’Rourke - ‘Cohesive approach needed’

“In the lead-up to COP26, firstly I am pleased that a day has been dedicated to the Built Environment. We are aware of the significant emissions that the built environment generates. My hope is that the discussions and debates help the collective design and construction industry understand how a cohesive approach can be adopted and deployed. We cannot afford to continue to consider architecture, design, supply chain and construction as separate entities in the push to tackle climate change. We also cannot afford to have 'any single points of failure' and as such all aspects of the built environment must be able to offer tangible progress. I suspect that there would be great concerns around remaining profitable as organisations evolve their delivery models to become more sustainable but hope that the concerns lead to conversations around the adoption and scaling of relevant technologies.”

Six years on from the Paris Agreement, COP26 has to provide a turning point, not only for our planet, but for the industry as a whole. Whilst some progress is being made in tackling operational carbon within the built environment there is still a long way to go - particularly in reducing embodied carbon.