Recently, I had the pleasure of attending the annual London Build Expo with my colleague Luke Marron at the Olympia.

Walking around and speaking to different exhibitors was a reminder of just how big the construction industry is in London – from financiers to software development companies and specialist flooring firms to taps and radiator manufacturers. It was amazing to see the sheer number of people attending who are involved at each stage of the process, all of whom are integral to ensuring buildings come to fruition.

Diversity and Inclusion

I was encouraged by the progressive nature of London Build. There was an entire stage dedicated to diversity and inclusion, with a focus on challenging the stereotype that construction is an industry of men in hard hats who wolf whistle and wear low slung trousers. On this stage, the focus was on spotlighting women in construction, as well as including speakers from the LGBTQ+ and disabled communities. Homogeneity within any industry often leads to stagnation, so an ongoing effort to increase the different types of people that join and succeed within the industry is a necessity and fantastic to see. 

Sustainability

It was also great to see that not only was there a sustainability stage at London Build, but that it consistently drew large crowds with attendees often needing to stand around the outside due to a lack of seats! One talk I found to be incredibly informative and inspiring was ‘Retrofitting the Nation’, a panel discussion focusing on the importance of retrofitting existing buildings. One example given by Marion Bardley, Partner at PDP, was upgrading insulation, a process that can achieve a reduction of up to 80 per cent in carbon emissions in residential homes, or, refurbishing and modernising the interiors of existing commercial buildings. A key term used on the panel, and in conversations I had with candidates and clients throughout London Build, was ‘embodied energy’. This is the energy used to create the building, including all aspects of managing materials from extraction to assembly. According to an article published by the Institution of Civil Engineers, it has been suggested that the embodied energy of commercial buildings in the UK can account for up to 45 per cent of the energy in a buildings life cycle. 

With this in mind, in order to reduce carbon emissions, the culture of demolition in the UK needs to change; Rachael Owens, head of sustainability at Buckley Gray Yeoman, commented that, 50,000 buildings in the UK are demolished every year, and it is essential that the value of existing buildings in the UK are re-evaluated. The consensus on the panel was that one of the first steps that needs to be taken is to change the current VAT system in the UK, as retrofitting is currently taxed at 20 per cent. Many campaigners believe it needs to be lowered to at least 5 per cent - a suggestion with European precedent, which we can already see in Italy which gives tax breaks of 50 per cent for retrofitting. Boris (if you’re reading), from one Tori to another – the current UK tax on retrofit really needs addressing.

The extent of which sustainability was discussed at London Build shows a lot of promise for companies across the UK and how the natural and built environment are so intertwined that ignoring this fact would only lead to devastation and not reinvigoration.

If you’re a business looking to recruit new talent, or want to take the next step in your career within the built environment, contact Tori Keene today at tmk@mattinsonpartnership.com or on 020 7960 2589.