Creating buildings that are fit for the future

Our colleague and founding director Sam Liptrott recently signed an open letter to the government, calling for better designed buildings. Here, he tells us more about his hopes for the future of the built environment.

This week I joined industry peers including AXA, The Fire Protection Association, Arcadis and the Building Research Establishment to add my signature to a letter to Simon Clarke – the secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities. 

In it, we encouraged the government to establish a cross-industry taskforce to ensure new buildings are fit for the future – putting sustainability and longevity at the heart of its growth plans. 

AXA has supplemented the letter with a report outlining a roadmap to a sustainable future. The paper considers the opinions of signatories and other industry leaders, implementing the advice into a plan for meeting net zero targets without compromising on building safety and insurability. You can read the full report here, which explores regulation, safety and adequate training in the construction sector.

It’s something I’ve been involved in a lot this year. Late in 2021 I gave evidence at the  House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee as part of the sustainability of the built environment enquiry (something you can watch here).

We have also been working to explore the role of timber in a sustainable future for construction — and how investing in the knowledge gap can help timber be more widely — and safely — used across the country.

It’s an area that needs continued investment and attention to ensure that we protect people, place and planet in all future development in the UK – and beyond.