The CCC has made the challenge plain: the UK must adapt faster or face mounting threats to people, places and the economy. UKGBC’s Climate Resilience Roadmap shows how that shift can be made in practice, with joined-up action across the built environment and government. The challenge is serious, but it is not beyond us if we choose to act now.”

The Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) latest assessment of climate risk is a clear and urgent signal that the UK must accelerate adaptation now. Climate impacts are already being felt across the country, and the report makes plain that higher temperatures, flooding, drought and cascading infrastructure risks will intensify unless government, business and communities act at pace. UKGBC strongly welcomes the CCC’s focus on practical, evidence-based action, and the emphasis on clear targets, delivery plans and accountability.

This message echoes what UKGBC has been saying through our Climate Resilience Roadmap, which sets out how the built environment can move from awareness of climate risk to assessment, prioritisation and implementation. We have long argued that resilience cannot sit in isolation: it must be integrated with decarbonisation, nature, health and wellbeing, and long-term value. The CCC’s report reinforces that approach, particularly in relation to homes, infrastructure, public services, and the need to protect the most vulnerable.

On the built environment, the CCC highlights the need for new buildings to be fit for a changing climate, for existing homes and assets to be retrofitted and upgraded, for better preparedness, and for cooling and water resilience to be addressed at scale. UKGBC’s Climate Resilience Roadmap supports exactly this shift: from broad ambition to the practical, site, portfolio, and community-level decisions needed to reduce risk and deliver more resilient places.

For industry, the message is straightforward. Climate resilience needs to become a core part of investment, design, planning, procurement and asset management. That means acting now on heat risk, flood risk, water scarcity and infrastructure interdependencies, and using the tools, standards and methods already available to make adaptation routine rather than exceptional.

For government, the priority is equally clear. The CCC sets out the case for stronger objectives, measurable targets, delivery plans and monitoring, backed by regulation, standards and investment. UKGBC support this direction and would add that policy must enable joined-up action across departments and sectors, so that resilience measures are not delivered piecemeal. Planning policy, building standards, infrastructure development, and funding programmes all need to reflect the climate risks we already face, and the more severe future risks that are now unavoidable.

There is a strong case for greater emphasis on nature-based solutions, passive cooling, flood risk management and long-term asset maintenance, all of which can deliver resilience and wider co-benefits. The CCC’s analysis shows that many adaptation actions are cost-effective today, and that delay only increases cost and harm. UKGBC believes this should galvanise a shift in both mindset and delivery: adaptation is no longer a future issue, but an immediate investment in safety, wellbeing and economic stability.

The CCC’s report and UKGBC’s Climate Resilience Roadmap both make the same case: adaptation needs to move from principle to practical delivery. The UK needs clear leadership, practical delivery and sustained investment to create a well-adapted built environment. The opportunity here is to reduce harm, protect lives and livelihoods, and create places that resilient, inclusive and fit for the climate reality we are already entering.

UK Climate Resilience Roadmap

This Roadmap sets out a vision for a climate resilient built environment, sharing clear recommendations for the industry and policy, and next steps needed to increase the climate resilience of our built environment.

Learn more

Policy & Advocacy

Since 2007, we have been bringing together some of the most influential leaders in politics, business, local authorities, civil service and NGOs to accelerate action for a green built environment.

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The post UKGBC responds to the CCC’s ‘A Well Adapted UK’ report appeared first on UKGBC.

Are you ready to start building your knowledge about sustainability and the built environment?  

Great. But before you dive in, I want to ask you one important question:

What will you do with that new knowledge?  

It might feel like an odd place to start. But in my world of learning and development, we’ve come to realise something vital: knowledge alone doesn’t change much. Real change happens when knowledge is applied; when it shifts how we think, decide and act in our day-to-day roles and drives action.  

Building your Sustainability Knowledge with UKGBC

A��great starting point is our��Level 1 learning.��

UKGBC’s introductory learning is designed to support professionals across the built environment to build essential sustainability knowledge, no matter��your foundations.��

If��you’re��new to sustainability and want a clear introduction to the core concepts, our starter pack is��a great place��to begin. It includes:��

• Our Sustainability Essentials��email course��is��delivered straight to your inbox, covering��all��the��fundamentals��you need to know��
• Our long‑form online course, Sustainable Thinking: A beginner’s guide for the built environment.��This format is self-directed��and��you’ll��be joining a cohort of other professionals taking the course at the same time.��

Together, these courses will help you build confidence, develop a shared language and understand how sustainability connects to your role. By the end, you’ll feel more knowledgeable and better equipped to take part in meaningful conversations at work.  

If you’re looking to go deeper into specific topics, you can also explore our courses on Carbon Reduction and Climate Resilience and Adaptation, two interconnected areas that are increasingly critical across the built environment.  These courses support you to bring key concepts into your work and engage more effectively with design teams and clients.

Knowledge is the Start, Action is the Point

But��here’s��the thing.��

Knowing more, or understanding more, is only the beginning. The harder��and more important��part comes after the learning.����

That’s��the doing.��

By “doing”,��we��don’t��mean something huge,��unique��or heroic. But we do believe it needs to be something, a first step. If none of us change anything we do, we��won’t��achieve the transformation the built environment needs��into something regenerative, green,��healthy��and��resilient.��

So, I’ll leave you with one final question

Once you’ve completed one of our courses, what one thing will you do differently to help advance the transformation of the built environment?  

Because knowledge matters. 

But knowledge put into action is what creates change. 

The post From Learning to Doing: Taking your Sustainability Knowledge Further�� appeared first on UKGBC.

Energy Independence Bill

One of the flagship measures introduced, the Energy Independence Bill focuses on improving energy security, accelerating clean energy deployment and reducing exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets. A further bill will increase the tax charged on ‘excess profits’ made by electricity generation companies (Electricity Generator Levy Bill). Expected measures range from reforms to electricity market pricing and planning changes for energy infrastructure, through to making it easier to install EV charging infrastructure, and the Nuclear Regulation Bill will implement recommendations from the Fingleton Review, including changes intended to speed up planning approvals for nuclear infrastructure.

For the built environment industry, the direction of travel reinforces the growing importance of electrification, grid readiness and integrating low-carbon energy systems into buildings and places. It also reflects many of UKGBC’s longstanding calls for policy that supports clean energy deployment while reducing long-term energy costs for households and businesses. However, there is still a need for clarity on how ministers intend to support home energy efficiency upgrades at scale will remain critical for the sector.

Social Housing Renewal Bill

New legislation aimed at increasing long-term investment in affordable and social housing, will aim to increase long-term investment certainty for councils and housing associations, improve housing quality and introduce stronger protections for tenants.

For the built environment sector, this could represent a significant opportunity to align housing delivery with wider affordable housing goals. Greater investment certainty over the longer-term should support the delivery of high-quality, energy efficient new social housing.

Remediation Bill (Building Safety)

The Government has introduced further legislation on building safety remediation following the Grenfell Tower tragedy. The proposed bill is likely to include a stronger legal duty to remediate unsafe cladding and wider measures aimed at improving accountability across the residential sector.

For UKGBC members, this reinforces the continued importance of embedding safety, quality and long-term resilience across both new build and retrofit projects. The industry will be looking for legislation that not only accelerates remediation but also provides greater certainty around delivery responsibilities and funding mechanisms.

 

 

Commonhold and Leasehold Reform

While many more details of the legislation will come through over the coming months, the King’s Speech should provide a strong indication of where the Government intends to focus political and legislative capacity over the next parliamentary session, and should remain consistent regardless of what changes might happen at the top.

For UKGBC, key questions remain around whether the Government will match its growth ambitions with the long-term policy certainty needed to deliver healthy, affordable, resilient and low-carbon places. In particular, industry needs stronger signals on retrofit delivery, climate adaptation, nature and the role the built environment can play in improving energy security and reducing household costs.

What UKGBC Will Be Watching

While many more details of the legislation will come through over the coming months, the King’s Speech should provide a strong indication of where the Government intends to focus political and legislative capacity over the next parliamentary session, and should remain consistent regardless of what changes might happen at the top.

For UKGBC, key questions remain around whether the Government will match its growth ambitions with the long-term policy certainty needed to deliver healthy, affordable, resilient and low-carbon places. In particular, industry needs stronger signals on retrofit delivery, climate adaptation, nature and the role the built environment can play in improving energy security and reducing household costs.

Policy & Advocacy

Since 2007, we have been bringing together some of the most influential leaders in politics, business, local authorities, civil service and NGOs to accelerate action for a green built environment.

Learn more

The post Takeaways from the King’s Speech 2026 appeared first on UKGBC.

Reform UK emerged as the biggest winner across much of England, making major gains in former Labour and Conservative heartlands. At the same time, the Green Party recorded its strongest local election performance to date, alongside further seats for the Liberal Democrats. The result is a far more fragmented political landscape – one that is no longer tied to the traditional two-party system, which could have multiple impacts for the future of housing, planning and climate action.

For the built environment sector, these results are important not simply because councils shape planning and housing policy, but because local authorities increasingly play a leading role in delivering warm homes and retrofit programmes, as well as climate adaptation and nature recovery initiatives. It is important for industry to understand how the rise of Reform and Green councillors within local councils might play out, and what greater fragmentation might require from industry.

Image source: The Guardian (), data from BBC PNS series.

Differences emerge around how development is delivered, how strongly environmental requirements are prioritised, and how communities are engaged in decision-making.”

The delivery of retrofit programmes is a good example of where differences in approach might occur. In areas where Green administrations have gained ground, there is evidence of growing support for retrofit-first approaches. and grant-supported upgrades, alongside similar approaches emerging in other councils, point towards stronger support from ‘Greener’ councils for home decarbonisation, fabric-first upgrades and refurbishment over demolition.

By contrast, Reform-controlled councils over the past year have shown greater scepticism towards formal climate governance which has extended to the provision of electric heating technologies, such as heat pumps. found that several councils under Reform control rolled back climate targets, rescinded climate emergency declarations or weakened climate-related reporting structures. While this might not actually translate into direct opposition to retrofit activity itself, it does suggest that where policies are associated with net zero, they may become more politically exposed in some areas.

Across parties there remains broad agreement on the need for more homes, particularly affordable homes. Differences emerge around how development is delivered, how strongly environmental requirements are prioritised, and how communities are engaged in decision-making. Reform representatives have generally remained supportive of growth, infrastructure investment and housing delivery, particularly where developments are framed around affordability, regeneration and local economic benefit. With the Greens placing even more emphasis on truly affordable housing developments and higher sustainability credentials. The response to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) will provide clarity on how these divergent approaches might play out in councils across the country.

However, as councils become more politically fragmented – with more coalition administrations and ‘no overall control’ authorities – navigating local politics is likely to become more complex. Planning committees may become less predictable, and developers, investors and local partners may need to place greater emphasis on community engagement, and demonstrating tangible local value – signalling the importance of UKGBC’s upcoming Regenerative Places Framework in supporting place-based approaches to development.

What is important to note is that these election results do not point to an outright rejection of climate action. Polling from (ECIU) found that 68% of voters still believe the UK should at least try to meet its net zero targets, while support for renewable energy remains consistently high across the political spectrum (including among many Reform voters). Instead, the election results appear to reflect broader concerns around the cost of living, public services, economic insecurity and trust in politics – with energy bills, housing affordability and local economic decline featured far more prominently in voter priorities than climate policy itself.

Image Source: Architects Journal ()

For the built environment industry, the implication is not that climate ambition disappears, but rather the language and framing around it may need to evolve.”

For the built environment industry, the implication is not that climate ambition disappears, but rather the language and framing around it may need to evolve. The results reinforce the importance of connecting climate action to people’s everyday priorities: warmer homes, lower bills, better health, cleaner air and stronger local economies. Local elections can shift political narratives quickly, but more meaningful signals will come in the months ahead through council leadership appointments, committee structures, local plans and early policy decisions.

The political landscape may be changing rapidly, but the underlying need for healthy, affordable, resilient and low-carbon places remains unchanged, and UKGBC will continue to advocate for their delivery. ��

Policy & Advocacy

UKGBC work closely with members, policymakers and local leaders to ensure the case for climate action remains present within built environment policy discussions.

Learn more

The post What the Local Election Results Could Mean for a Sustainable Built Environment appeared first on UKGBC.

A More Fragmented Holyrood

This parliament will require more negotiation, more compromise and more cross-party working. That can make delivery harder, but it also creates an opportunity: in a more divided system, government is often more open to practical, industry-backed ideas that can command wider support.

The SNP still leads, but without a majority it will need to work issue by issue. Reform’s rise suggests a more polarised debate around regulation and spending, while the Greens’ gains show that climate and nature still have political weight. Labour’s weaker showing reduces the prospect of a strong centre-left challenge, but it does not remove pressure on government to show that climate ambition can be matched by delivery.

The built environment will be one of the clearest tests of whether scotland can still make progress.”

Why the Built Environment Matters

The built environment will be one of the clearest tests of whether Scotland can still make progress. Homes, workplaces, schools and public buildings are central to emissions, but they are also central to people’s lives, bills and wellbeing. Get this right, and Scotland can cut carbon, reduce fuel poverty, improve resilience and support skilled jobs at the same time.

That means the next phase of Scottish climate policy needs to focus on delivery, not just targets. Scotland needs a stronger, more stable framework for retrofit, low-carbon heat, planning and climate adaptation. It also needs to give industry the certainty to invest for the long term.

Why Industry Voices Count More in a Fragmented Landscape

In a more fragmented political environment, industry coalitions become even more valuable. Government is more likely to listen when it can see that a policy is backed by a broad cross-section of businesses, investors and built environment leaders. Our UKGBC network can help turn that collective voice into a practical case for action, showing where industry is already moving, where barriers remain, and what policies would unlock faster delivery.

That matters because climate policy is no longer primarily about setting ambition. It is about building trust that the sector can deliver. Our network is well placed to help government understand what is feasible, what is ready now, and what needs policy support to scale.

What the Next Government Should do

The next Scottish Government has a chance to show that climate action can still be practical, credible and politically durable. To do that, it needs to move quickly from ambition to implementation.

For UKGBC, that means three priorities: a clear and funded plan for decarbonising existing buildings, stronger policy certainty on building standards, heat and embodied carbon, and closer integration of climate mitigation, adaptation and nature recovery through planning and regulation.

Long-term delivery also needs long-term support. Short funding cycles and one-off announcements will not transform a sector that invests over decades. If Scotland wants to maintain climate credibility, it needs to create the conditions for public and private actors to invest with confidence.

A Chance to Reset Delivery

For UKGBC, the message is simple: Scotland should not slow down.”

The election result shows that climate and environment issues still matter to voters, but that support is now spread across a more complex political landscape. That makes the next Parliament more challenging, but it also makes stable, practical climate policy more valuable. For UKGBC, the message is simple: Scotland should not slow down. It should use this moment to sharpen delivery, strengthen collaboration and put the built environment at the centre of climate action.

Scotland still has a real chance to lead. In this more fragmented political landscape, the test will be whether ambition can be translated into action, with industry helping to make the case for what is workable and ready now.

UKGBC Scotland

While the climate crisis affects the entire UK, each nation and local area has its own journey to a net zero future. As a whole-UK organisation, UKGBC ensures that we deliver policy solutions and advocacy for Scotland’s unique political environment and strong industries.

Learn more

The post Holyrood’s Climate Test appeared first on UKGBC.

In 2022, UKGBC launched the System Enablers for a Circular Economy report, which highlighted secondary materials markets as one of the eight key enablers to the circular economy. A secondary materials market was defined as a marketplace for materials and construction products that had a previous life and are easy to procure from. These marketplaces help overcome these barriers to material reuse:

• Limited availability of secondary materials
• Limitations on storage of secondary materials
• Difficulties in the procurement of secondary materials
• Risk being pushed onto contractors

Secondary materials marketplaces seem to fall into either physical or digital marketplaces. Physical reuse hubs provide storage, spaces for materials to be tested, certified and physically inspected, enabling wider use of reclaimed materials.�� Equally, digital platforms can provide key documentation or materials passports , and allow materials to be uploaded and collection time-matched between projects.

 

 

barriers to delivery and implementation, and risk, insurance and warranty, makes secondary materials more difficult to use on projects compared to new materials.”

Procuring reused materials from physical or digital marketplaces is not common practice and something that the supply chain is not used to. This means they often face barriers to scaling successfully, as often seen with innovative solutions. The Scaling Sustainable Solutions for the Built Environment: Barriers & Enablers report highlighted that these barriers are often systemic rather than technical. However, many new pilots and initiatives aim to tackle these barriers, hopefully enabling material reuse to scale and become part of business as usual.

One example is tackling the challenge of time-matching materials between projects. The in London has been bringing project teams together, looking at where timelines are complementary, enabling materials to be reclaimed from one project and used on another. During this process, the physical inspections of materials have been an important consideration to ensure they are able to be used on the recipient project.

The lack of storage for secondary materials has also been a barrier to scaling material reuse. There are a few reuse hubs across the UK, such as in Carlisle, and more are opening across the country. The is trialling a circular construction hub in the Scottish Central Lowlands region, aiming to cover several cities and rural areas. The has piloted a reuse hub specifically focused on suspended ceilings and luminaries. In London, , who use circular practices as a materials-first approach to designing and building, have been founders alongside and to open in Newham. This meanwhile-use site is planning to expand to cover more of the site over the next five years, looking at the testing and refurbishing of materials to enable them to be reused. They are looking at materials which do not already have a defined route and experimenting with packaging up materials to enable design within constraints.

Collaboration and engagement with the supply chain have consistently appeared as key enablers for delivery material reuse and trialling innovative approaches. Engagement with the design team and supply chain to communicate why this matters for the project can help ensure the material reuse is achieved. Equally, having conversations early allows for identification and mitigation of risks, enabling stakeholders to be bought into the approach. Anecdotally, talking to people to understand why processes are done one way and if they can be approached differently can lead to positive results. Engagement across the sectors is also important to enable marketplaces to scale and create space for collaboration, as demonstrated through a recent

Collaboration and engagement with the supply chain have consistently appeared as key enablers.”

The expansion of reuse hubs and platforms will help tackle part of the problem when reusing materials. However, understanding how to reclaim materials from buildings in a condition which enables them to be reused and working with the supply chain to ensure they have a route to be tested, certified and warrantied, can still be very material-dependent. It is also important to consider this when designing buildings now, to ensure they are designed for disassembly, enabling material reuse and recovery in the future.

System Enablers for a Circular Economy

A toolkit that examines the barriers to a circular economy, and presents eight key enablers…

Resource Use Technical Report

Hot topic

Engaging the Supply Chain: A Practical Guide to Delivering Sustainability Outcomes

This guide is a practical starting point for anyone wishing to work with the supply chain to deliver positive transformational sustainability outcomes in the built environment.

Climate Change Mitigation Guidance

Circular Economy Implementation Packs for Products as a Service and Reuse

UKGBC has published implementation packs on reuse and Products as a Service to assist built environment projects adopt circular economy principles.

Climate Change Mitigation Resource Use Guidance

Resource Use

In the UK, construction, demolition and excavation account for 60% of material use and waste generation. Meanwhile, prices of construction materials in the UK rose by 4.9% between 2017 and 2018. Adopting circular economy principles offers a €1.8 trillion opportunity to the EU between 2015 and 2030.  ��

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Circular Economy

The built environment needs to move away from the linear economy and embrace circularity. This will reduce waste, carbon emissions and our impact on the natural world.

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The post Secondary Materials Markets: where are we now? appeared first on UKGBC.

From Pockets of Progress to Widespread Change

Across the UK, there is no shortage of ambition, and really good work.����UKGBC members��continue to lead –d�������������Բ���exemplar buildings, pioneering low-carbon solutions, and shaping��progressive��policy across carbon, nature, planning regs and beyond.

But progress��across the country��remains��overly��fragmented, and��we’re��still seeing isolated pockets of excellence, rather than consistent, industry-wide��and sector-wide��transformation��at pace. And��that is the gap we must now close; and which occupies��us at UKGBC.��

Through our refreshed 2030 strategy, we’re sharpening our focus on moving the industry decisively from intent to action. That means scaling what works, aligning efforts across the sector, and embedding sustainability into the core of decision-making – from boardrooms to planning systems.��Supporting the implementation and operationalisation of progressive actions��by our members – and beyond – to ensure that��we’re��driving change ‘in the here and now’.��And, crucially,��helping make the business case��for that accelerated action.��

Turning Insight into Action

Over the past year,��we’ve��strengthened the foundations for this��transition,��working with our members to define not just��what��needs to change, but��how��to deliver it.��

Our��four-strong��suite of��foundational��frameworks��– our UKGBC tesseract –��provides a clear��and��practical roadmap for the built environment:��

• Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap��–��which has been refreshed with this year’s progress report –��outlines how to measure and reduce carbon emissions across the full lifecycle of buildings and infrastructure on the path to a net zero built environment by 2050.�� Our upcoming Whole Life Carbon Framework, is the essential scaffolding that will enable industry to decarbonise.

• UK Climate Resilience Roadmap – sets out the urgent actions needed to prepare the built environment for current and future climate hazards and achieve long‑term resilience.��

• Framework for a Nature‑Positive Built Environment – defines how the sector can move beyond minimising harm to actively restoring biodiversity through clear pathways and whole‑lifecycle action.��

• Regenerative Places Framework��(launching in September 2026)��– explores how place‑based retrofit and development can deliver wider regenerative benefits for communities,��ecosystems��and local networks.��

Individually, these are powerful tools.��Together, they form a coherent system,��helping organisations understand what action is needed, when, and by whom.����

Our priority now is supporting widespread adoption – working with members to apply these approaches in practice, demonstrate their value, and scale them across assets, portfolios, places and supply chains.

This exemplifies Ukgbc’s role: not just identifying challenges, but defining, testing and delivering new models for the future.”

A More Holistic Model: Regenerative Places

One of the clearest signals of where the industry is heading is our work on Regenerative Places. Evolving from – and retaining – our work on large-scale housing retrofit, this approach reframes buildings not as isolated interventions, but as catalysts for broader societal benefit. 

It connects decarbonisation with health and wellbeing outcomes, retrofit with local economic growth and skills, and developments with access to nature and community value.

And critically, it does so at a place-based, hyper-local level. This is how we move beyond sustainability as a compliance exercise, and towards a built environment that actively contributes to a thriving society. 

This exemplifies UKGBC’s role: not just identifying challenges, but defining, testing and delivering new models for the future. Not just the long-range aspirational end-point, but the current reality of how to build the transition into business planning. 

Policy Progress – but a residual Need for Long-Term Certainty

There are��some��encouraging signs of progress in policy.��The government’s��Warm Homes Plan��signals growing recognition of the need for a long-term retrofit strategy, while��the��Future Homes Standard presents a real opportunity to raise the baseline for new development��–��improving energy efficiency and accelerating the deployment of renewables.��

UKGBC and our members have��helped shape��these shifts – bringing evidence, insight and practical solutions into Ministerial policy discussions through our seats on the government’s expert panels. But we must go further. Especially within the area of commercial buildings, where policy clarity and ambition remain absent.��

Along with policy, key to all of this is unlocking green finance, an area Ģ��ֱ�� focussing on. What industry needs now is certainty, consistency and long-term commitment – policy frameworks that extend beyond electoral cycles and provide the confidence required to invest, innovate and scale.��

This is where our role as a convener and critical friend to government is more important than ever.

Leadership: The Critical Enabler

Breaking the cycle of short-termism requires change at every level.”

If there is one consistent barrier to progress, it is not a lack of solutions, it’s a lack of brave leadership. Breaking the cycle of short-termism requires change at every level:

– political leadership that prioritises long-term outcomes
– organisational leadership that embeds sustainability into strategy
– individual leadership that drives change within businesses and across value chain

Over the coming years, UKGBC is updating and scaling its work to drive transition across this spectrum –equipping organisations and professionals with the skills, evidence and confidence to act. 

Because ultimately, widespread and ultimately systemic change happens when leadership is distributed – and when people are empowered to act wherever they sit.

From Convening to Catalysing Change

UKGBC has long been known for its ability to��convene.��We bring together developers and designers, investors and local authorities,��policymakers��and practitioners��–��creating the conditions for collaboration across the built environment.��But convening is only the starting point.��

Our role is to catalyse action by:

• co-creating those policy solutions for – and with – government��
• developing frameworks that guide industry practice
• showcasing what good looks like through real-world examples
• supporting members to implement change at scale

It is this combination��–��insight,��collaboration��and delivery��–��that defines our impact.��

For UKGBC, the priority��is����to��mobilise��the action,��voice��and influence of our members��–��and to use that��shared��strength to drive systemic change.��

What this Means for You

If there is a single ukgbc priority for the years ahead, it is ever-better harnessing of the collective strength of our membership.”

If there is a single UKGBC priority for the years ahead, it is ever-better harnessing of the collective strength of our membership.

If you’re already part of UKGBC, we thank you. Your role is critical – you can:

– Adopt and apply our frameworks and guidance across your projects and portfolios
– Share your experiences to help scale what works
– Engage in our programmes, working groups and forums to shape the next phase of industry transformation
– Add your voice to our policy engagement, helping us advocate for the changes needed.

And if you are not a member, now is the moment to get involved.

Join a network that is not only defining the future of the built environment, but actively delivering it. Because the transition ahead will not be delivered by any one organisation alone. It will be delivered by a coalition—aligned, ambitious, and committed to action. 

That is the role UKGBC exists to play. And that is the opportunity in front of us. 

Become a UKGBC Member

Ģ��ֱ�� the voice of our sustainable built environment. With a growing network of hundreds of members, we’re at the forefront of driving the transformation to a net zero, climate resilient and regenerative built environment. Join us and drive the transformation in your organisation.

Learn more

Get Involved

There are lots of ways to get involved in the UKGBC network and shape the work that we do and the impact we have. You can participate as an individual, a group or an organisation.

Learn more

The post Building the Coalitions We Need to be Brave on Sustainability in Challenging Times appeared first on UKGBC.

At Ģ��ֱ�� (UKGBC), our mission is to catalyse radical change in the built environment so it minimises harm and actively helps restore and regenerate the natural world.

Central to this is people: their skills, their perspectives and their ability to lead change. Developing professional capacity for sustainability leadership is therefore not just important – it’s essential.

Why Interdisciplinary Skills Matter From Day One

Delivering genuinely sustainable buildings and places is a complex challenge. It involves balancing environmental, social and economic priorities across design, engineering, planning, construction, finance, operations and beyond. No single discipline holds all the answers.��

Yet sustainability learning across the built environment often remains siloed. Graduates entering the sector frequently have strong technical skills, but perhaps have limited experience of how sustainability is delivered in real projects. Many haven’t had exposure to interdisciplinary teams, conflicting project demands and the practical realities of decision-making across the supply chain.

UKGBC members consistently tell us that early career professionals arrive with little understanding of how sustainability is embedded conceptually or achieved in practice. As a result, there is a clear need for learning experiences that encourage collaboration across disciplines from the very start of a professional journey.

Closing the Early-Career Leadership Gap

UKGBC already delivers a well-established portfolio of leadership programmes tailored to professionals at different stages of their careers. These courses bring together interdisciplinary cohorts from across the built environment and have supported hundreds of participants to strengthen their sustainability leadership.

However, a significant gap remains at the point where people first enter the industry. Early career professionals often have limited opportunities to develop the interdisciplinary skills, networks and real-world experience needed to drive sustainable outcomes.

To address this, Ģ��ֱ�� launching a new leadership programme designed specifically for those at the start of their built environment careers. The programme focuses on cross-disciplinary collaboration, practical problem-solving and the development of sustainability leadership skills from the outset.

The programme is supported by the and has an interdisciplinary group of industry professionals as its Steering Group.

Our Steering Committee 

To ensure this programme responds to the needs of industry, we’ve convened a group of highly experienced and skilled people to support us in the design of the programme:

Thank you to all members of our Steering Committee for their support.

Investing in the Leaders of Tomorrow

If the built environment is to meet the scale and speed of change required, we must start by equipping the next generation of professionals with the right skills and mindsets. Interdisciplinary thinking, collaboration and leadership cannot be optional extras – they must be embedded from the very beginning. 

By supporting early career professionals to learn, collaborate and lead across disciplines, UKGBC aims to build the capacity the sector needs to deliver a truly sustainable future. 

If you’re interested in the programme and would like to know more, please email Leaders@UKGBC.org 

Our thanks to the Ove Arup Foundation

who are generously supporting this important work

The post Building the Next Generation of Interdisciplinary Sustainability Leaders appeared first on UKGBC.

• Connect & Collaborate: Build relationships that drive real-world change.
• Learn & Grow: Empower your people. Future-proof your organisation.
• Lead & Influence: Shape the future of the built environment.

Explore the opportunities included with your membership below. Each links to more details, and our team is always ready to help at membership@ukgbc.org. 

Membership gives you the tools, networks, and knowledge to drive impact, without extra cost for these core opportunities. If you’d like to learn more about the full range of benefits available within your membership, join our 45-minute webinar, Making the Most of Your Membership, on 13 April from 12:00-12:45.

Connect & Collaborate

Join UKGBC Forums: Engage with peers, share insights, and tackle emerging challenges in a trusted, collaborative environment. These forums are designed to help you co-create solutions with industry leaders:��

• Climate Resilience and Adaptation Forum. Sign up here.����
• Energy and Carbon Forum. Sign up here.��
• Resource Use Forum. Sign up here��
• Keystone Forum. Sign up here.
• Local Authority Retrofit Forum. Sign up here.

Explore all upcoming events here: /events/����

KEY AREAS OF WORK

We are working towards a built environment that enables people and the planet to thrive, using sustainability as a catalyst to drive the transformational shift in the way the built environment works that is needed to meet industry ambition and targets.

Get Involved

Attend Insights on Optimising and Retrofitting Non-Domestic Buildings Launch (Online) | 14 April, 10:00-11:00. Register Here

Whole Life Carbon Framework Launch (Online) | 26 May, 10:00-11:00, Register Here

Innovation in Commercial Retrofit: A Live Project Demonstrator (Online) | 16 June, 16:00-17:00, Register Here

Insights into UK Resilience: Energy Infrastructure and Distribution Systems ( London) | 23 June, 08:00-10:00, Register Here

Climate Resilience in Action: One Year on from the UK Climate Resilience Roadmap (Online) | 24 June, 10:00-11:00, Register Here

 

Learn & Grow

BUILD KNOWLEDGE

Kickstart your sustainability journey with bite-sized, jargon-free learning that builds confidence and foundations. 

Ideal for: Early-career professionals, those new to sustainability, or anyone seeking a foundational understanding of sustainability, resilience, and carbon reduction in the built environment. 

Benefits: Build confidence, understand key sustainability concepts quickly, and establish a solid foundation to inform your work. 

Get Involved

• UKGBC Sustainability Essentials for the Built Environment email course (Email course) – Eight short, easy-to-read modules introducing core sustainability topics.��

• Sustainable Thinking: A Beginner’s Guide for the Built Environment. (Online course) – Develop foundational knowledge in this interactive, accessible course.��

• Building for a Changing Climate: Foundations of Adaptation (Online course) – Explore the fundamentals of resilience and adaptation in four self-paced modules.��

• Carbon Reduction Essentials in the Built Environment (Online course) – Learn how the built environment impacts climate change, and how sustainable buildings can drive a low-carbon future.��

DELIVER ACTION

Move from learning to doing with immersive masterclasses and hands-on workshops that empower you to drive impact. 

Ideal for: Mid-level to senior professionals, sustainability champions, design/project teams, owners, and ESG practitioners ready to transform knowledge into action. 

Benefits: Gain in-demand technical skills, develop strategies you can implement immediately, and collaborate with peers to operationalise sustainable outcomes. 

Get Involved

• Biodiversity Net Gain Masterclass – London | 28 May
• Scaling Solutions Workshops: Materials & Supply Chain (8 June), Building Adaptation & Resilience (9 June) and Electrification & Energy Systems (29 June)
• A Practical Guide to Engaging Your Supply Chain – Webinar | 15 June

Lead & Influence

Learning designed to spark transformational change. UKGBC’s leadership programmes equip built environment professionals at every career stage to take bold action, challenge the status quo, and drive the systemic change our industry needs. 

Get Involved

Recalibrate – An exclusive enrichment programme for C-Suite and Board members. Shape your leadership for a net zero, climate-resilient future and gain unique insights into leading systemic change at the highest level.��

Runs July-November | full details here.��

UKGBC Leadership Collaboration Cafe and Networking Social – UKGBC Leadership Alumni are invited to connect and explore the leadership skills and behaviours needed for a sustainable built environment.

22 April, 16:00-19:00, London | Sign up here.��

Future Leaders Showcase & Alumni Summer Gathering – Join us to celebrate Future Leaders 2026 Programme finale. Hear from our forward-thinking change-makers, as they embrace their agency to transform the sustainability of the built environment. Then enjoy the start of the summer by connecting with peers across the industry over drinks and networking into the evening.

4 June, 16:00-18:30, London | .��

Re-imagining: Sustainable Finance – UKGBC convenes finance, business, academia & sustainability leaders to reimagine a thriving, sustainable financial system and how to achieve it.

30 June, 16:00-20:00, London | Register Here

The post Membership Opportunities (April 2026-June 2026) appeared first on UKGBC.

This week, the Government set out its Warm Homes Plan, representing the most significant investment in our housing for a generation. Its primary aim is clear: cut energy bills and carbon emissions by retrofitting the UK’s notoriously draughty homes. It also, encouragingly, acknowledges that upgrades must deliver ‘year-round comfort’ and begin to address overheating through low-cost, practical interventions. This signals a welcome recognition that Britain’s homes must work for people in every season and not only be cheaper to heat in winter. The challenge and opportunity now lie in ensuring these ambitions translate into tangible, resilient outcomes alongside deep decarbonisation.

With Met Office figures showing 2025 as the UK’s warmest year on record,��the evidence could not be clearer that the climate crisis is accelerating. Homes across the country are overheating in summer, flooding in winter, and suffering damp and mould all year round. These are not isolated issues, but parts of the escalating climate crisis.

As Emma Howard Boyd CBE, who led the London Climate Resilience Review, puts it:

Making our homes energy-efficient and low-carbon is a vital step toward a better future. By integrating climate resilience – like flood protection and cooling – directly into the Warm Homes Plan, we create a win-win scenario: homes that are safe and comfortable to live in while being more affordable to run.”

The risks are stark. The Climate Change Committee’s 2025 Adaptation Report projects that heat-related deaths could triple by mid-century without urgent action. Poorly ventilated airtight homes will trap heat. Inadequate moisture management will exacerbate damp and mould. And flooding will cause devastating disruption if we do not adapt homes to withstand it. These failures would undermine the very purpose of the retrofit programme: to improve comfort, health and security for households.

The solutions are well within reach. Practical, low-regret measures can be integrated seamlessly into retrofit: shading and ventilation to manage heat, flood resistance for homes in at-risk areas, and water efficiency to prepare for drought. It is heartening that the Warm Homes Plan outlines the inclusion of passive cooling measures, such as internal blinds, shutters, reflective window films, and effective building materials, especially within low-income and social housing schemes. This provides a foundation we can build on together, while also integrating nature-based solutions such as green roofs, rain gardens and street trees that reduce both flood and heat risks while boosting biodiversity and wellbeing. As Howard Boyd says: “Resilience is not an add-on. It’s about creating homes that actually work for people all year round, being cool in summer, warm in winter, and dry when it floods.”

The Government’s commitment to exploring overheating metrics within Energy Performance Certificates marks constructive progress. The next step is to embed adaptation considerations systematically within retrofit programmes so that every funded upgrade supports adaptation as well as efficiency. Doing so would unlock far more than energy savings. It would cut NHS costs, protect the most vulnerable, and help communities withstand the physical shocks that climate change will continue to bring. It would also deliver wider social benefits including cleaner air, greener streets, and stronger, healthier communities.

Delivering on this shared ambition will require government, local authorities, industry and civil society to work together.

In implementing the commitments of the Warm Homes Plan, we urge the Government to:

Set

standards that demand retrofit delivers resilience alongside energy efficiency.

Align

climate, health and housing policy, recognising the shared benefits.

Invest

in skills and innovation so the workforce can deliver resilient retrofit at scale.

Back

place-based and nature-based approaches that strengthen communities as well as homes.

Work

collaboratively with partners to test and scale no-regret adaptation measures across housing types, ensuring no household is left behind.

What’s needed now is coordinated action and sustained collaboration.”

We know the risks, and we know the solutions. What’s needed now is coordinated action and sustained collaboration. The Warm Homes Plan provides the right foundation to future-proof Britain’s housing and safeguard people’s lives and livelihoods. By working together to integrate resilience fully into delivery, we can ensure that the retrofit revolution creates homes that are not only low carbon, but truly climate-ready.

Unpacking the Warm Homes Plan: Member Town Hall and Discussion

Join us for this interactive town hall to unpack and share insights on the Government’s new Warm Homes Plan.

Learn more and register here

UK Climate Resilience Roadmap

This Roadmap sets out a vision for a climate resilient built environment, sharing clear recommendations for the industry and policy, and next steps needed to increase the climate resilience of our built environment.

Learn more

The Warm Homes and Buildings Plan: UKGBC Policy Team Analysis

The UKGBC policy team give you an overview of the long-awaited Warm Homes Plan, with more insights in our full analysis.

Learn more

The post To succeed, the Warm Homes Plan must put resilience centre-stage appeared first on UKGBC.