the Edge, in collaboration with the NIC and ICE held a Round Table discussion on the 16th November 2024 to address the question of the costs and risks associated with delaying the implementation and maintenance of critical infrastructure in the UK . The session laid out, examined and tested examples of the available evidence in order to make proposals for positive change in the sector.

The discussion built on the NIC’s Second National Infrastructure Assessment report available on the their website.

It was not planned to cover every possible delay or variety of infrastructure in the short time available and we are most interested in specific examples and case studies where delay has resulted in a quantifiable cost (not necessarily financial). The session focused on three indicative areas; grid transformation, clean water and transport; looking at examples of the environmental, social and economics costs of delay in each sector.

For each topic area the three speakers were asked to spend a maximum of five minutes (with or without a presentation) discussing an example or area of evidence relating to the impact of delay. There will then be a short discussion between them on the bigger, possibly interconnected, picture before passing on to the next topic

The session ran as follows:

Welcome – The Institution of Civil Engineers

Chair: Karl Fitzgerald, Project Director, Infrastructure and Projects Authority

Introduction: Sir John Armitt, Chair NIC

Speakers:

Grid Transformation

·   Environmental cost – Charles Wood, Deputy Director, Energy UK

·   Social cost - Daisy Powell-Chandler, Head of Energy and Environment, Public First 

·   Economic cost - Paul Wakeley, Head of Strategic Network Development, National Grid ESO

Clean water

·   Environmental cost - Erica Popplewell – Campaigns Manager, River Action

·   Social cost - Ana Mijic, Reader in Water Systems Integration, Imperial College

·   Economic cost - Daniel Johns, Managing Director, Water Resources East

Transport

·   Environmental cost – Sue Percy, Chief Executive, Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT)

·   Social cost - Professor Tim Benton, Director Environment and Society, Chatham House

·   Economic cost - Martin Tugwell, Chief Executive, Transport for the North

Table discussion

Summary: Sir John Armitt

This, by invitation only, event is a collaboration between the Edge, the National Infrastructure Commission and the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Venue:  The ICE, 1 Great George Street London SWIP 3AA (The Rennie Room)

Date:   16th November 2023

Downloads:

• Summary notes of the discussion prepared by the NIC

• Full version of notes of the discussion prepared by the Edge

A Roundtable of leading experts was brought together by the Edge to discuss to help DLUHC to answer difficult questions: are Local Plans a useful vehicle to deliver net-zero objectives; can they quantify net-zero outcomes; can they bring the private sector and communities along the road to net-zero? If so, how best can we use them to tackle the climate emergency?

The discussions were confidential but please watch this space for a report on the discussion

Several relevant recent reports were cited in the discussion:

Climate emergency: time for planning to get on the case?, CPRE, March 2022 https://www.cpre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/climate-emergency-and-local-plans.pdf

ADEPT Policy Position: Climate Change & Green Growth, May 2022

https://www.adeptnet.org.uk/system/files/documents/ADEPT%20CC%26GG%20Policy%20Position%20May%202022.pdf

Manifesto for stronger places, ADEPT, Autumn 2023

https://www.adeptnet.org.uk/sites/default/files/media/2023-09/ADEPT%20Manifesto%20Asks%20Autumn%202023.pdf

The Climate Crisis: A Guide for Local Authorities on Planning for Climate Change, tcpa/RTPI, January 2023

https://www.tcpa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/TCPA-RTPI-Climate-Guide-4th-edition-1.pdf

Spatial planning for climate resilience and Net Zero, CCC July 2023 https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/spatial-planning-for-climate-resilience-and-net-zero-cse-tcpa/

Join key stakeholders at an invite-only event at Woburn House in central London to discuss meeting sustainability goals, share ideas and highlight innovative practice. Following the event, attendees are invited to join networking drinks and canapes.

This in-person event aims to bring together heads and directors of sustainability from the leading organisations in the built and natural environment sector; including property owners and developers, designers and consultants, contractors and managers; to discuss developments in meeting sustainability goals in practice, share ideas and highlight innovative practice. 

We hope that the event will provide an important opportunity to network with others in this fast-moving sector with presentations addressing not only the challenges around achieving net zero carbon and delivering on biodiversity improvements but also to hear from speakers on how they have made it work effectively within their organisations.

Successful leadership in this field is becoming critical not only for achieving global obligations under the Paris and Kunming-Montreal agreements and performing against ESG requirements but also for the success of the construction, built environment and property sectors as we all look forward to a future dominated by new approaches to address climate and biodiversity concerns.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Amanda Clack, Partner & Regional CEO - EMEA, HKA

• Richard Ellis, Director of Sustainability. Peabody

• Guy Grainger, Global Head of Sustainability Services & ESG, JLL

• Andy Nolan, Director of Development and Sustainability, University of Nottingham

• Hero Bennettt, Head of Sustainability, Max Fordham

• Joe Jack Williams, Partner FCBS

• Penny Gowler, Director and Head of Sustainability, Elliott Wood

Venue: Woburn House Conference Centre, Tavistock Square London WC1H 9HQ

Date & Time: Thursday 13th July 2023, 14.00 - 18.30

Register at Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/leadership-for-sustainability-in-the-built-environment-tickets-623594847977

The event is jointly organised by the Edge and UCEM with support from the CIC and CLC

The recent ‘Policy Proposals for the Built and Natural Environment’, published by the Edge provides a clear, holistic and ambitious set of ideas and strategies for “tackling the poorly performing built environment sector” to policy-makers - particularly in relation to the urgency surrounding global heating and biodiversity loss.

However, current responsibilities for the built environment are spread across many different government departments.

• Is greater coordination needed?

• How can ambitious and interlinked policies be adopted and implemented?

• What evidence, arguments and collaborations are needed to drive profound changes?

• What responsibilities and tasks can be delegated to and delivered by local authorities?

• What powers, resources and capabilities do local authorities need?

Other countries are also addressing these concerns and implementing ambitious programmes.  For example, building regulations that create carbon budgets for buildings and ambitious retrofit programmes. What lessons can the UK adapt from other countries in terms of commitment, adoption and implementation over the short and long term? Can successes from elsewhere help to leverage action and minimise risk?

What could be the next steps for implementing the Edge’s policy proposals?

Introduction:    Simon Foxell, the Edge

Speakers:      Matti Kuittinen, Ministry of the Environment, Finland 

                     Pascal Smet, State Secretary of the Brussels-Capital Region

                     & others tbc

Online:          Zoom

Timing:          26th June 2023, 17.00 – 18.30

To attend please register at:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/built-environment-policy-implementation-lessons-tickets-654015948307

Edge Ministerial Keynote #145: 10.15-10.30

Trudy Harrison, Government post of Parliamentary Under-Secretary. Department of

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Edge Debate #146: 10.30-11.30:
The Big Nature Debate: Our contract with nature for a nature positive world

Nature can survive very well without us and would embark on a ‘restoration programme’ with surprising speed and ease. Unfortunately, we cannot survive without nature. We cannot continue to extract nature’s freely given reserves at the current rate and not suffer unintended consequences. The already apparent evidence of those consequences has led to a global understanding that we are facing a climate and ecological emergency.

COP15 has delivered some clear targets for protecting nature and we, as an industry, must now bring it to the forefront of our decision making going forward if we are to have a sustainable and regenerative future. The UK government has committed to manage 30% of the land for nature by 2030 but, according to Wildlife and Countryside Link “only 3% of land could reliably be said to be specifically protected by nature, rather less than the 26% suggested by the Government.” How can we close the present 27% gap and is 30% actually enough for future resilience?

The challenge ahead is considerable and urgent, but actions need to be taken for long term recovery not quick tree planting projects!

FUTUREBUILD PROPOSITION NO 9:
The natural and built environments are so tightly interconnected that any decision making on development must be influenced by its impact on nature.

Chair: Dame Fiona Reynolds, former Master of Emmanuel College Cambridge and former Director-General of the National Trust

Assessing the state of the natural world and resources in the UK

Craig Bennett, Chief Executive, The Wildlife Trusts

Restoring the natural world must be part of the economy

James Alexander, Chair, Finance Earth

We need comprehensive, integrated land use framework for the whole of the UK so that nature recovery and essential development can co-exist
Jenny Merriman, Technical Director, WSP

The Environment Act – what next?

Richard Benwell, Chief Executive, Wildlife and Countryside Link

Edge Debate #147: 11.45-12.45
Facing Challenges: Edge Policy Proposals

This year’s Futurebuild conference has been looking forwards to ensure lessons are learned, so that changing and taking action become second nature. We are ready to take a stand for a better built and natural environment and take the action that is needed in the critically short window of time that we have to take it. the Edge considers that successfully overcoming the existential threats of climate change and biodiversity loss is feasible, but only if two conditions are met – first that there has to be a clear focus and overriding combined commitment by government, industry and society to address the major challenges that face us all and, second, that the necessary changes are carried through with the utmost urgency.]

FUTUREBUILD PROPOSITION NO 10:

We need a national economic plan for transforming our built and natural environments.

Chair: Ben Westerman, Head of Policy, Aldersgate Group Introduction to the proposals:

Simon Foxell, The Edge and Principal, The Architects’ Practice

1. An economy for the environment

   Antonia Jennings, Associate Director, Centre for Local Economic Strategies

2. Planning for Society

   Sophie Beagles, Principal Regeneration Officer, Ealing Council and Learning Facilitator, Public Practice

3. Using our Land
   Martin Baxter, Director of Policy and External Affairs, IEMA

4. Essential Infrastructure

   Pete Winslow, Director, Expedition

5. Climate Skills and understanding

   Professor Elena Marco, Pro Vice-chancellor and Head of College of Arts, Technology and Environment at the University, West of England (UWE)

6. Measuring, declaring and eradicating carbon

   Fabrizio Varriale, Space and Place Analyst, RICS

7. Creating a resilient built and natural environment.
   Dr Martina Girvan, Green Construction Board (Biodiversity Working Group) and Senior Technical Director- Ecology, Arcadis

8. Design and construction performance and building passports

   Marianne Heaslip, Technical Lead, People Powered Retrofit

Edge Debate #148: 13.00-13.45
Activism: Teaching the new curriculum: education is key to positive action on climate and ecological breakdown

A clear understanding of both the climate and ecological crisis is the critical first step for taking action. This should start in the earliest years and continue throughout our formal education and into lifelong learning. It could be argued that these are the two most important issues on which we all need clarity so that we can all take the right decisions and actions to achieve the degree of change that is needed for a sustainable and regenerative future for all.

FUTUREBUILD PROPOSITION NO 11:
We need to redesign our whole education on a multi-disciplinary basis around the climate and biodiversity emergency.

Chair: Keith Clarke CBE, Intercity Development Partners - Partenaires de Développement Interurbain and Chair of Constructionarium

What students are asking for

Eleanor Andrade May, Student volunteer, Teach the Future

How politicians are responding

Zoe Arnold, Campaigns Manager - Education, Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS-UK)

What we need for climate and ecologically literate built environment education

Dr Neal Shasore, Head of School and CEO, London School of Architecture

&
Dr Jenny Russell, Director of Education and Learning, Royal Institute of British

Architects (RIBA)

Edge Conversation #149: 15.00 – 15.45
Futurebuild conversation: What have we got right? Which exams have we passed? What are our re-sits? Are we heading for expulsion? What next?

The challenges that we face are closely interrelated and it is important that we do not focus so much on one – reaching ‘net zero’ for example - that we overlook the others. How are we doing in tackling the multiplicity of challenges relating to climate and ecological breakdown both in the UK and taking account of our global responsibilities? We last took the stage in the wake of COP 26, since then both COP 27 and COP 15 have taken place

This conversation between a scientist and practitioners assesses how we are doing one year on.

Chair: Sara Edmonds, Coordinator, Architects Climate Action Network (ACAN) and Director, Studio seARCH

Mark Maslin, Professor of Earth System Science, University College London and author of How to save our planet: the facts

Lara Young, Head of ESG, Cromwell Property Group

Smith Mordak, Director of Sustainability and Physics, Buro Happold

DAY 2 of the Futurebuild Conference will explore the nature of Changing and especially ‘behaviour change’ (the second most sought topic in the 2022 Futurebuild survey after energy). We know that an urgent transition is required but how can we make the necessary changes? What does the transition involve? How can we bring others along with us?

Register for the Conference here

Edge Debate #141: 11.15 – 12.15
The Big Behaviour Debate: Changing our professional and personal behaviour so we can live within planetary boundaries.

Our main challenge in responding positively to the impacts of climate and ecological breakdown is social and not technical. As the recent report from the House of Lord’s Environmental and Climate Change Committee (In our hands: behaviour change for climate and environmental goals) explained – “32% of emissions reduction up to 2024 requires individuals and households to adopt low carbon technologies, choose low carbon products and reduce carbon-intensive consumption.”

We know that we have to live within planetary boundaries if we are to have a future and that we owe a future to the young and future generations. Our responsibility to consider the ‘future’ inevitably impacts on our decision making today. We know that we must stop the increase in global heating below the 2°C agreed in Paris and that we absolutely cannot afford an increase of 2-3°C that we are currently heading towards. How can the necessary changes be welcomed as benefits and liberation and not as deprivation?

We first discussed this issue at Ecobuild in 2009 and ‘Behaviour change’ was the second most highly rated topic for discussion in a recent Futurebuild survey and we know that there is concern about ‘climate change’ amongst the general public.

FUTUREBUILD PROPOSITION No 5:
We have the capacity to change the way we work and live our lives to create a fairer world within planetary boundaries.

Chair: Dr Viktoria Spaiser, Associate Professor in Sustainability Research, University of Leeds

How a Wellbeing of Future Generations Act for England will inspire change

Daniel Zeichner, MP, Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Future Generations

Empowering young people to deliver change

Anna Burrows, Chief Executive, See It, Be It

With” traditional economics” continuing to fail in the face of our multiple current challenges, what is the new economics teaching that is needed?
Dr Christian Spielmann, Reader of Economics Education, University of Bristol

Achieving change in the built environment

Dr Niamh Murtagh, Principal Research Fellow, Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, UCL

Edge Debate #142: 12.30 – 13.15
Facing Challenges: Change management

The aim of ‘change management’ is to implement strategies for effecting change and enabling adaptation for change. This involves identifying goals and processes for making the transition.

FUTUREBUILD PROPOSITION No 6:
We will have to change the way that we do things to achieve net zero carbon at scale

Chair: David Partridge, Chairman Related Argent and Governance Board Chair, Net Zero Building Standard

How is ‘change’ to be achieved?

Elspeth Kirkman, Chief Programmes Officer, NESTA

How much change did ‘Modernise or Die’ achieve change? And what I would recommend today.
Mark Farmer, Chief Executive, Cast Consultancy

Behaviour change - voluntary, legislated, economically managed or a combination?

Andrew Simms, Coordinator of the Rapid Transition Alliance and co-director of the NewWeather Institute

Edge Debate #143: 13.30-14.15
Activism: Understanding social change

In November 2023 George Monbiot wrote: “ Nothing can now be achieved without mass

But...this is only part of the challenge. We also need to translate our demands into action,

which requires political, economic, cultural and technological change. All are necessary,

none are sufficient. Only together can they amount to the change we need to see.”

So, how do we achieve that critical mass so that people embrace change as a way to improve our lives for the long term rather than as a threat to our current living standards? How can we make change inclusive and fair for all?

FUTUREBUILD PROPOSITION No 7:
A critical mass of people can embrace change as a way to improve our lives in a way that is fair for all and for the long term rather than as a threat to our current living standards

Chair: Areeba Hamid, Joint Executive Director, Greenpeace

How to inspire mass social change

Dr Jennifer Rudd, Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Engagement, University of Swansea

Mobilising the emerging generation of leader

Nicola Kench, Director, Groundswell Ecosystems

Energising Communities with Active Buildings

Professor Mark Gillott, Chair in Sustainable Building Design, Department of Architecture & Built Environment, University of Nottingham
&

Charles Bradshaw-Smith, CEO, SmartKlub Ltd.

Edge Debate 144: 14.30 – 15.30
Wise heads: Time for reflection and inspiration for change

This is not a new discussion – we have had at least 15 sessions at Futurebuild (ecobuild) on the topic over the last 15 years. What is different is that the timescale has dramatically shortened. Jonathon Porritt warns “Who knows what lies beyond this decade? But if we haven’t dramatically changed our ways by then, genuine hope will have become the scarcest resource on earth.”

FUTUREBUILD PROPOSITION NO 8:
Changing how we do things is the critical challenge for us all.

Chair: Baroness Parminter, Chair of the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee

The benefits of living a 1.5degree lifestyle

Lewis Akenji, Managing Director, Hot or Cool Institute

Changing behaviour, increasing fairness and equity

Paul Chatterton, Professor of Urban Geography, University of Leeds; member of the Rapid Transition Alliance and author of the forthcoming How to Save the City: a guide for emergency action.

Thinking circular, changing behaviour in the built environment

Jane Manning, Director, Allies and Morrison Urban Practitioners

DAY 1 of the Futurebuild Conference 2023 will focus on Looking Forward to develop the foresight necessary to break out of our current mindset, for as William Catton has explained - “we tend to seek adaptation to the circumstances we presently confront, not the circumstances posterity will face.”

Register for the Conference here

Edge Debate #137: 10.45 - 11.45

Big Energy Debate: 100% renewables are needed to reduce global heating

We once believed that fossil fuels were a wonderful thing for the human race and over the last 2-300 years, we indulged ourselves by drawing down the reserves that nature had laid down over millions of years before we, as a species, arrived. We call it coal, oil and gas ‘production’ but it has of course been ‘extraction’, claimed by us without charge. We have demanded that this free ‘bounty’ is as cheap as possible and we have been happily profligate in our use of it. Of course, nothing comes for nothing and the consequence has been an increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases and the heating of the earth itself, the results of which are now unfolding at a rapid rate.

What are the critical challenges we face going forward?

We must decarbonise our energy supply, re-organise and rebalance the grid, lower overall and manage peak demand and achieve greater energy efficiency across the board.

We have learnt the hard way to be aware and careful of where our energy is coming from and to take energy security seriously, with the ultimate goal of meeting our ‘reduced’ demand from clean and local sources, a goal that unfortunately may run counter to the operations of a free global energy market!

If our energy is to come almost entirely from renewable sources this has implications for all aspects of built environment professionals’ work in the construction industry and especially for materials, building performance, transport, and biodiversity

The window of opportunity for effective change is closing at speed and so we must make a rapid transition to a real green energy and net zero carbon future. As part of this transition, we need to be aware of the sources of and often lethal competition for critical materials such as rare earths for batteries, as their use will necessarily form an essential part of our strategy.

We are being told that, with some adjustments, we can continue with business as usual, just transitioning our energy sources but is this really the case?
Do we need to consider other measures such as carbon rationing if we are to live within an agreed carbon budget and stand a chance of limiting global heating to 1.5°C?

FUTUREBUILD PROPOSITION No 1:

We need to act now on a plan to make a rapid energy transition with a balanced decarbonised grid, demand reduction at scale and maximum energy efficiency. If so, what is our plan?

Chair: Fiona Harvey, Environment Correspondent, The Guardian

Energy producer – game changing, what are you doing?

Sam Gardner, Head of Climate Change & Sustainability, Scottish Power

How to make a rapid energy transition – what is the action plan to get there?

Libby Peake, Head of Resource Policy, Green Alliance

Energy economics: rationing, pricing, taxing?

Paul Ekins, Professor of Resources and Environment Policy Bartlett School Env, Energy & Resources, University College London

The role of the construction industry to increase energy efficiency

Helena Rivers, Director, AECOM and Vice President IMechE

Edge Debate #138: 12.00 –13.00

Facing challenges: Learning lessons, being prepared

In 2022 alone we have had the return of war to Europe, an ongoing pandemic, floods, drought, record breaking temperatures exposing the inadequacy of our buildings and the fragility of our urban environments as places in which people can be expected to live and thrive. It was a year in which energy shortages, rising energy costs, rampant inflation and food shortages revealed the narrow margins by which sections of society are living. We need to find solutions even while facing worker shortfalls and a planning system mired in uncertainty and change.

Can we learn from the events of last year and focus on the circumstances we are in, so that we are ready to act and do not just revert to ‘business as usual’?

FUTUREBUILD PROPOSITION No 2:

We must all learn the lessons and be better prepared – no excuses

Chair: Fiona Harvey, Environment Correspondent, The Guardian

Foresight and preparedness – what have we learned from recent events?

Reflections on how we dealt with Covid and how prepared we were and lessons to learn from other potential catastrophes such as recent global climate change experiences, energy and food shortages etc - which has also had impact in the UK - what we have learned and the measures we are recommending

Brooke Rogers OBE, Professor of Behavioural Science and Security, King’s College London

Ecological preparedness to protect and restore nature

Nature is in crisis globally and seriously in the UK – our sustainable future depends on nature’s health.
Beccy Speight, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

Energy preparedness – what the built environment must do.

For built environment professionals, improving the energy performance of built stock is something that we can do, so why are we having so much difficulty in making this happen at the scale needed?
Paul Ruyssevelt, Professor of Energy and Building Performance, Building Stock Lab Leader, UCL Energy Institute, UCL

Edge Debate #139: 13.15 – 14.00

Activism: Act now, or face extinction

Over the years there have been many warnings about the increasing threats and consequences of climate and ecological breakdown, but the rate at which we have responded to these challenges has been slower than is needed.

A recent UN report states that “ there is “no credible pathway to 1.5C in place”, the UN’s environment agency has said, and the failure to reduce carbon emissions means the only way to limit the worst impacts of the climate crisis is a “rapid transformation of societies”.

So, what will change things? Will we act now or move eyes wide shut into an uncertain future?

FUTUREBUILD PROPOSITION No 3:

Talking about the problem is our ‘comfort zone’, but those working in the built environment know what we need to do, so let’s all agree to act.

Chair: Ben Goldsmith, Chair, Conservative Environment Network and Chief Executive, Menhaden Plc

Our climate action campaigns

Sara Edmonds, Coordinator, Architects Climate Action Network (ACAN) and Director at Studio seARCH

How we are influencing action across the built environment

Kat Scott, Low Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) and Sustainability & Regenerative Design Manager, dRMM Architects

What we are doing to effect change

Smith Mordak, Built Environment Declares and Director of Sustainability and Physics at Buro Happold

Political action is critical for making progress

Dr Amy McDonnell, Campaign Director, Zero Hour and a co-author of the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill

Edge Debate #140: 15.30 -16.30

Futurebuild debate: Rebuild or Retrofit: Planning and Whole Life Carbon

Our preferred option is habitually to clear the site and start again, but carbon calculations too often advise that this is not appropriate. An alternative has been to retain the facade leaving it looking out of place, but why not retain the building? Adaptive reuse of, and where appropriate extensions to, existing buildings can be more challenging, but more rewarding against many of the measurements we can apply including the continuity of place. Is it the designer’s obligation to put zero carbon first?

This debate will look at the issues from both sides. The audience will be invited to vote for the motion at the start of the session and again at the end once the arguments have been aired.

Debate motion:

Planning must presume in favour of retrofit for whole life carbon and cultural reasons

Chair: Isabel Allen, Editor, Architecture Today

For the motion:
Why planning is the key to building retrofitting and reuse

Estelle Dehon, KC, Cornerstone Barristers
The designer’s responsibilities for whole life carbon

Peter Fisher, Director, Bennetts Associates

Against the motion:

What about viability?

Matt Richards, Planning Director, Planning Residential and Business Space, Savills When demolition and rebuilding is the right decision

Jo Bacon, Partner, Allies and Morrison

Housing Adaptability

More than (but essential to) climate issues?

In 2022, the refereed journal Buildings & Cities (B&C) published a Special Issue, Housing Adaptability, guest edited by Sofie Pelsmakers and Elanor Warwick https://www.buildingsandcities.org/journal-content/special-issues/housing-adaptability2.html - all papers are freely available.  This joint Edge and B&C event will use the Special Issue as the basis for an in-depth examination of the need for housing adaptability and the barriers to its provision.

While retrofitting the existing housing stock for climate change mitigation has been well researched, less consideration has been given to the increasingly important issues of the adaptation and flexibility of our homes – especially given the decreasing size of dwellings and changing nature of work and education. What can policy makers, planners, clients, developers and designers do to make new and existing dwellings more adaptable?

A home’s adaptive capacity supports an individual’s and community’s resilience when faced with inevitable life events and changing demographics (ageing population, migration, fluidity of household structures) and their associated disruptions and consequences.

The debate will explore the climatic /environmental, social and economic perspectives for making housing more adaptable. An emphasis on durability will entail buildings that are adaptable to different user needs, but also able to respond to the changing climate to remain fit for purpose. Can a small additional initial investment in adaptability maximise a building’s value throughout its life – if so, what is holding us back and what needs to change?

This virtual event will explore these questions in relation to current practice and new initiatives with contributions from an invited panel and afterwards from the audience.

Chair                 John Palmer, Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, UK

Introduction:        Elanor Warwick, Clarion Housing Group, UK

Speakers:              Jyrki Tarpio, Tampere University, Finland

The value of adaptability to residents

Astrid Smitham, Apparata Architects, UK

Adaptable housing to accommodate life’s changes

Marta Smektala, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland       

Do we know what inhabitants need?

Online:              Zoom

Timing:              27th February 2023, 17.00 – 19.00 GMT

Download: Debate Notes

Debate videos: