It is widely known that the construction industry ranks as one of the biggest contributors to the country’s carbon emissions; third after energy supply and transport. According to the UK Green Building Council, embodied carbon from the construction and refurbishment of buildings currently makes up 20% of UK built environment emissions. Within this, steel and carbon are the largest sources of CO2 emissions in the sector. The government has committed to achieving net zero by 2050. 

So, what does the industry need to do to address these challenges, and what might the Midlands’ route to net zero look like? To find answers to these questions, a roundtable discussion was held in Birmingham last month, hosted by Building the Future Think Tank and Constructing Excellence Midlands. Chaired by Ben Flatman, architect and editor of Building Design, the event gathered industry experts from engineers and architects to sustainability directors.

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