Industry asked for views on delivering a sustainable built environment

Industry trade body the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has kicked off a 12-month campaign to explore how the industry delivers a sustainable built environment. 

Launching a discussion paper, How can we accelerate the delivery of a sustainable built environment?, at ACE’s parliamentary reception on 6 November 2018, Natalie Cropp, associate director of Tony Gee and Partners and chair of the ACE sustainability group, said: “We want to start a conversation about delivering a sustainable built environment through the creation of a strategic framework, pursuing consistency in policy and regulation, and improving the use of data and evidence in the decision making process.”

The discussion paper is the first of its kind to be produced by ACE’s sustainability group. It sets out the group’s views on sustainability in the built environment in the UK and opens up these views to the wider industry for consultation and discussion. Cropp said that it was important for ACE to test its thinking on sustainability and establish an evidence base to better inform how the industry understands how it can deliver a sustainable built environment and what it requires from government in order to achieve this.

“There are few areas in which sustainability is more important than in the built environment,” said Cropp. “Our towns and cities, and the infrastructure that connects them, all benefit if built with the future in mind. Considering project outcomes and end users during development is essential. A well-planned built environment has the potential to unlock productivity, support the health and wellbeing of the community and have far reaching impacts on the environment today and in the future,” she said.

ACE wants to hear the views of stakeholders operating in the built environment sector on delivering a sustainable built environment. The discussion paper will kick-start a campaign to further develop and implement the concepts discussed in the paper and ACE is keen to receive feedback around six key areas highlighted in the paper.

1. Definitions
2. Legislation
3. Governance
4. Measurement and targets
5. Project implementation
6. Data collection

ACE chief executive Hannah Vickers said: “Public perceptions and interest in sustainability has never been higher, leading to an increased appetite for sustainable investment opportunities for investors who seek to meet the evolving needs of their client base. In turn, this shapes our customers and our shareholders into recognising and appreciating the broader value we can deliver. Industry has a key role to play here. 

“There is no shortage of ambition committing to change, but we need to see a refreshed commitment to change whilst recognising the areas industry can take a lead on. We need to lead the way with ACE members’ knowledge. We firmly believe that making sustainability one of our core considerations when it comes to infrastructure and planning is essential to deliver the best outcomes for society, the economy and the environment well into the future. Now is the time to move the UK construction sector towards sustainable development.”

Click here to download ACE's sustainability discussion paper.