What’s stopping construction from becoming more resource efficient?/

The construction sector is one of the most important industries in the UK. But it is also responsible for some of the biggest environmental impacts. It is the source of most of the country’s waste, a quarter of UK carbon emissions and the extraction of the raw materials it uses has wide ranging effects on the land, natural systems and communities.

Shifting to a more circular construction sector, prioritising reuse, remanufacturing and recycling, could significantly reduce the environmental footprint of the industry while still providing the housing and infrastructure the country needs. So what’s stopping the industry from going for it?

We’ll present our research, for the Circular Economy Task Force, which has identified how to put the UK’s building industry on a greener, more sustainable path. Come and hear the responses to these findings from a panel of experts from academia, the government and industry.

The panel will be followed by a Q&A session and a drinks reception.

Panellists

• Chair: Tessa Devreese, project manager, CIRCuIT programme, ReLondon
• Heather Plumpton, policy analyst, Green Alliance
• Danielle Densley Tingley, senior lecturer, University of Sheffield
• Rachel Hoolahan, architect and sustainability co-ordinator, Oorms
• Mark Edwards, head of sustainability, Gatwick Airport