£1.5m investment into sustainable construction and retrofit in the UK.

Exciting news for the sustainable construction industry as Nottingham Trent University (NTU) invests £1.5 million into a brand new Centre for Sustainable Construction and Retrofit.

After recent knocks to the sustainable construction industry following Rishi Sunak’s back pedal on the green agenda, some good news on the future of eco-friendly builds was much needed. We were therefore overjoyed to hear the announcement from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) about their £1.5m investment into a new Centre for Sustainable Construction and Retrofit at their University.

What is the Centre for Sustainable Construction and Retrofit?

The innovative new centre will focus on developing skills, research, training and consultancy to support the UK’s construction sector to reach net zero. Underpinning this exciting centre is the mission to explore solutions and skills that will enable both local and national movement on the transition to net zero within the built environment sector. It will do this through:

• New courses and skills training
• Socio-technical research
• Consultancy opportunities for businesses

The centre launched on November 14th with an event which was open to policy makers, business leaders, academics and students. During the event, a panel – including speakers from NTU and partner organisations including Nottinghamshire County Council, Green Growth, Investment and Assets, Arup, Focus Consultants, Spenbeck and Morgan Sindall – explored the challenges and opportunities for the built environment sector on the mission to Net Zero 2050.

Professor Richard Bull, Deputy Dean of the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, was reported to say:

“Net-zero by 2050 presents a huge challenge to the construction sector, which accounts for up to 50 per cent of carbon emissions,” said Professor Bull, an expert in energy, sustainability and the built environment.

“An absence of skills, knowledge and expertise threaten to derail plans for the UK’s important net zero targets. But this ground-breaking centre will enhance the way in which existing buildings and new construction can meet those all-important climate change objectives.”

RELATED: BUILDING TO NET ZERO | CPDS WITH BUILDPASS

What do the experts think?

Here at Buildpass, we couldn’t be happier about this news. We echo every point made by Professor Richard Bull. The future of not only the built environment sector, but the entire planet rests in the hands of our younger generation. 

We know that the built environment is responsible for 39% of global energy related carbon emissions. In the UK, the built environment is responsible for approximately 25% of total UK greenhouse gas emissions. Clearly, we have an enormous role to play in reaching net zero; from education to implementation. But in order for this to be achieved, people need to be well equipped with the (sometimes) complicated skills and experience necessary to make substantial changes. 

This is a really important part of our own business ethos. We deliver CPD training regularly throughout the year, educating organisations on everything from thermal bridging (and how to reduce your impact), building low carbon buildings and changes to Part L Building Regulations. We will continue to do so and strive to reach even wider audiences with our training. However, no individual consultancy or University can  tackle the overall problem on their own. As a country, we need to rally together, push for more investment and awareness and change the landscape for the better. 

To find out more about training and CPD opportunities at Buildpass – or to explore our consultancy services – drop us a line and we’ll book in a free consultation. We look forward to hearing from you.