The building blocks to a sustainable built environment

Did you know the UK’s built environment is responsible for 42% of carbon emissions, 62% of waste and 50% of material use? These shocking statistics highlight why buildings, infrastructure and land use must be central to our approach to addressing the climate and biodiversity emergency.

Last night I attended the launch of Building Blocks, a manifesto to transform the Built Environment and turn a climate catastrophe into a climate opportunity. The climate emergency can often feel daunting and insurmountable. But it was truly uplifting to join experts focused on practical, implementable, and positive responses. Adopting optimistic, radical alternative approaches can turn waste and climate headaches into solutions to build a fairer, greener, and more prosperous planet.

Architects Declare —a movement of over 1300 architectural practices in the UK – are advocating for a more sustainable built environment. Their message is clear: our current approach to design and construction is not enough to address the urgent climate crisis. We must embrace fundamental change, aligning ourselves with regenerative models to secure a sustainable future for generations to come.

The evidence is undeniable. Despite three decades of sustainable design efforts, we are still far from meeting our climate goals.

Building Blocks is a bold vision for transformation, rooted in systemic change. It outlines practical steps to reduce carbon emissions, promote circular economies, and restore social and natural infrastructure. It’s a roadmap for creating a built environment that not only mitigates climate change, but also fosters thriving communities and ecosystems.

Key among these Building Blocks is the imperative to prioritise resource efficiency. We need legislation to limit embedded carbon emissions in construction (greenhouse gas emissions generated from producing and transporting goods), minimise carbon emission from buildings and align building standards with net zero trajectories (France has already done this). Business can support this and some do. Speaking at the launch Kevin McCloud, from Grand Designs, cited the case of a developer in the North West who builds to passive house standards and still make a decent profit. The more this type of development becomes the norm the quicker costs will come down too.

Local authorities also need greater powers to demand higher standards from developers. Westminster City Council recently unveiled a ‘retrofit first’ approach. It’s facing resistance from those used to traditional development, but it is worth persevering with.  A nationwide retrofit strategy would create around 500,000 jobs, a £300bn boost to the economy , and eliminate fuel poverty—all while reducing emissions from existing buildings. It’s good for the planet, and good for our pockets too. If every home in Manchester were retrofitted it would save £10bn in energy bills.

Transitioning to a circular economy is another vital component. Health, wealth, and wellbeing all improve in a circular economy. By reducing waste and maximising material reuse, we can not only cut carbon emissions but also stimulate economic growth, and protect natural resources. Financial incentives and removing VAT on retrofit would support this shift, encouraging businesses to prioritise sustainability. We need to make sure we are designing all buildings with deconstruction and the reuse of materials in mind.

Furthermore, we must prioritise the restoration of natural and social infrastructure. From protecting biodiversity to promoting climate resilience, our urban planning decisions have far-reaching implications for public health and well-being. By concentrating development on brownfield sites and fostering sustainable lifestyles, we can create vibrant, equitable communities while safeguarding our environment. The Design Museum recently hosted an excellent exhibition on How to build a low-carbon home, highlighting how low carbon materials like wood, stone and straw are providing sustainable building materials of the future. Imagine if we were to turn fossil fuel heavy industries. like steel, towards producing sustainable construction materials – we could create whole new industries and jobs, whilst sustaining long established communities.

But to achieve these ambitious goals, we need more than just policies—we need a shift in mindset. Climate literacy must be embedded at all levels of society, from government, to education, to public awareness campaigns. We must align our economy with planetary limits, prioritising well-being over GDP, and adopting models like Doughnut Economics. We must safeguard the interests of future generations, empowering young people to shape decisions about their future.

As a councillor, I will use my privileged role to champion these principles and work towards their implementation in our communities. By embracing the vision of Architects Declare, we can turn the climate crisis into an opportunity for positive change. Together, let us build a sustainable future for all.

* Cllr Victor Chamberlain is a Liberal Democrat member of the Local Infrastructure and Net Zero Board at the LGA and is the Leader of the Opposition on Southwark Council.

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7 Comments

  • Paul Barker 13th Mar '24 - 5:32pm

    A really excellent article.
    The most crucial immediate change, to my mind, is to see both demolition & construction of new buildings as the absolute last resort, old inconvenient buildings can usually be converted to new uses with much less emission of CO2.

  • It is not the buildings that generate the carbon and the waste, it is the people IN the buildings.

  • David Garlick 14th Mar '24 - 10:02am

    It would mean taking on the powerful building lobby. Will we?
    Support for the retrofitting of our housing stock would be essential.

  • Jenny Barnes 15th Mar '24 - 3:41pm

    Old buildings may be convertible to new uses for less CO2 emissions than demolition & rebuild. However, it’s the total lifecycle emissions that really matter. As well as building on brownfield sites it may be a good move to demolish single family homes near public transport hubs and densify with apartment blocks. Near where I live it would be possible to build a large residential complex over a rail station and nearby rails / parking/ brownfield. Ok, it would be a tricky build, and one would need to be careful about sound proofing, but residents could walk downstairs to the station and be in a major shopping centre in 5 minutes, London in 45, and other towns and villages as well.
    We need to consider not only the CO2 output of the building, but the effects on the residents. A passivhaus on a greenfield site only accessible by car may have low building emissions, but high resident emissions.

  • Christopher Haigh 15th Mar '24 - 3:55pm

    @Jenny Barnes, I remember the Park Hill flats in Sheffield and the other large scale apartment blocks surrounding Sheffield city centre. They were absolutely magnificent until Mrs Thatcher created mass male unemployment in the steel industry and starved the local council of cash to maintain them adequately.

  • Nonconformistradical 15th Mar '24 - 4:21pm

    “A passivhaus on a greenfield site only accessible by car may have low building emissions, but high resident emissions.”
    And an estate of passivhaus buildings on a greenfield site might impact rainwater absorption into the ground and increase flooding risk.

  • David Allen 15th Mar '24 - 5:46pm

    Changes in planning laws are necessary to prioritise retrofitting over wasteful demolish-and-rebuild schemes. Large modern detached houses are being knocked down so that even larger new houses can be built in their place. The resulting massive waste of materials and energy is currently not considered to be a valid objection to a planning proposal.

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