Can i build and shape in a way that a space is created while nothing is destroyed?”

It’s been exactly ten years since I stepped into the diverse, timeless world that is the building industry. Half a decade in India, the second half in the UK. My first orientation into this world came with hyperbolic statements – architects shape the future of how people live, move, and thrive. The influence of an architect extends across lifetimes. I remember hearing that and thinking, okay, sure, but also – me?

Since then, often my role was minuscule in the grand scheme of things, but it never felt insignificant. There’s always been a kind of responsibility in it, hope, and a stubborn optimism I can’t quite explain, which pulled me toward whatever came next. Across this decade I have learnt to really interrogate every decision I make. Quite soon into it, I started to question what “zero impact” on the environment translates into. Can I build and shape in a way that a space is created while nothing is destroyed? Or is that against the law of nature itself?

Coming from India and spending my first five years entrenched in what vernacular construction actually means – timber shacks in the Himalayas, mud houses in subtropical southern India to now working at a Scandinavian firm where climate-positive thinking is built into the ethos of everyday life; I have been lucky enough to look closely into two very resilient societies of its time: an India from a few hundred years ago that stood the test of time, and the Scandinavia of today.

That question ‘what does zero really mean’ – has followed me for a decade. Last year it followed me straight into a taskforce.

From drawings to decisions

As designers, we are trained to draw, model, calculate, and optimise. We are good at solving problems once the brief is set. At White Arkitekter, that brief is already framed by a strong, value-led approach- one that is firmly rooted in designing with a climate-positive lens and an understanding of architecture as a social and environmental act.

Through my time at UKGBC, I began to understand that the brief itself may be one of the most powerful design tools we have.

Working on the update of the 2019 Net Zero Framework meant stepping upstream away from individual projects and towards the rules, principles, and expectations that shape all projects. It meant asking the same questions I had always wrestled with but now, out loud: What does “net zero” really mean? Who decides? Who benefits? Who defines it, and what does it include? Hearing how differently stakeholders interpret net zero, in terms of scope and timelines, was revealing.

These questions directly shape what gets built, what cities become and the quality of the environment our lives unfold in.

Sitting at the table

One of the most defining aspects of this work at UKGBC was the people. The task group brought together experts from fifty organisations across the sector: architects, engineers, developers, contractors, academics and working with them was deeply inspiring.

It felt, at times, like being in a room of guardians. Stewards – people who care about doing the right thing, even when “the right thing” is harder, slower, or less convenient. Disagreement and tension were inevitable and necessary. Net zero is no longer a fringe ambition; it is technical, political, and even cultural. Reaching consensus required listening as much as leading.

One of the earliest and most telling disagreements amongst the group was over the name itself. The framework began life as an update to ‘’Net Zero Framework’’ from 2019 but as everyone worked through it, that title felt amiss. Net zero implies a single, calculable endpoint; the reality we were shaping was broader and messier: from the carbon locked into materials before a building opens its doors, to how it performs in use, to what happens to it decades later. We eventually landed on Whole Life Carbon, because it could hold all of that, and because it sat more honestly alongside the UKNZCBS it is meant to work with.

What we ended up with is structured around four delivery principles- minimising embodied carbon, optimising operational energy and water performance, managing residual emissions, and optimising the impact on the people who use these buildings: mapped against a building’s whole lifecycle, from upfront construction through to end of life. It also has a set of overarching principles: act now but stay adaptable, set clear objectives, hold ourselves accountable, and measure and disclose honestly. Instead of working as a checklist, it’s supposed to be a way of thinking.

Learning to speak policy

As an architectural designer and sustainability specialist, the learning curve was steep and exhilarating. I had to shed the comfort of project-specific thinking and adopt the skin of a policy writer. Someone who zooms out. Someone who understands that language matters. That a single word can open doors or close them for years. The work itself involved leading, writing, editing, coordinating, chairing discussions.

I learned that good policy is not about perfection, but about clarity, ambition, and usability. A framework that cannot be applied will be ignored. One that is too vague will be misused. Walking that line is what often kept me up at night questioning certain word choices.

Perhaps the biggest question that surfaced for me through this process was: how can we do better as a society? Not just through conversations that sit safely within professional echo chambers, but by reaching the clients, investors, and builders who make decisions every day and encouraging them to think beyond the next two years. This reframing feels critical, especially in cities like London, where the pressure to build quickly risks flattening identity, performance, and care.

The architect’s expanding role

the future of the built environment hinges on asking the right questions and answering them through a mix of policy, practice and collective responsibility.”

This experience has also reshaped how I see the role of architects in the climate transition. We are implementers of policy, but we can be co-authors of it too. We understand the consequences of decisions on the ground. We see where frameworks succeed, where they fail, and where they are quietly worked around. Architects are uniquely positioned to translate abstract targets into spatial, material, and human consequences.

Working with UKGBC has reaffirmed something I have long believed: that the future of the built environment hinges on asking the right questions and answering them through a mix of policy, practice, and collective responsibility.

It has been a privilege to contribute, even if in a small way – to a piece of work that asks the industry to do better, be braver, and think longer-term and to walk in the footsteps of the global movement led by the World Green Building Council.

I have gained sharper tools, a broader perspective and a deeper sense of responsibility now – which sit alongside my studio work, not just for the projects I work on, but to the systems that shape them.

I’m looking forward to watching people adopt the framework, stress-test it, and eventually build with it.

Explore the Whole Life Carbon Framework

This updated framework is a set of principles and actions to guide the minimisation of whole life carbon (WLC) and manage residual emissions across a building’s life cycle.

Learn more

The post Beyond the Brief: Rethinking the Architect’s Role in the Net Zero Transition appeared first on UKGBC.

What legacy does Starmer’s government leave behind for our sector?

One of the clearest successes was the publication of the Warm Homes Plan – the first long‑term national strategy of its kind, and something UKGBC and industry have long called for. With £15bn committed this Parliament, the plan finally set out a coherent approach to tackling fuel poverty, scaling heat pumps, expanding rooftop solar, and supporting low‑income households – but Starmer has stepped down just before the most important phase: delivery. The next government must build on this strong strategic platform, embedding real‑world lessons from local authorities, community groups and place‑based pilots, and ensuring resilience is not treated as an optional extra.

The Future Homes and Buildings Standard was another milestone. Starmer’s government chose the more ambitious option: no new gas boilers, mandatory rooftop solar, and improved energy efficiency for new homes. This shift will cut emissions from new build homes by around 75% and gives industry long‑awaited certainty. It’s a strong foundation, but there is more to do. Developers are already building to higher standards, and Burnham’s government will need to build on this momentum to close the gap on climate resilience, embodied carbon and long‑term affordability.

The Planning Bill passed, and the first update to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) made welcome improvements: stronger support for Local Plans, better design guidance, and encouragement of higher‑density development on brownfield land. But the reforms didn’t fully rise to the scale of the climate and nature crises. Climate, nature and community resilience still risk being treated as add‑ons rather than core principles. And the response to the latest NPPF consultation wasn’t completed before Starmer’s departure, leaving the new administration with the chance to provide clarity for local authorities and strengthen the planning systems role in delivering high‑quality, climate‑ready places.

Starmer’s government made meaningful progress on housing quality. The Renters’ Rights Bill, extension of Awab’s Law to the private rented sector, and reforms to the Decent Homes Standard will all strengthen protections for tenants. Crucially, MEES were strengthened across both private and social rented homes, aligning standards and tackling fuel poverty more consistently. The reform of the EPC system was another overdue improvement, moving toward multiple metrics and better alignment with modern policy priorities. Taken together, these reforms represent one of the most comprehensive boosts to housing quality in recent years.

For non‑domestic buildings, the long‑awaited uplift to MEES finally arrived: commercial buildings over 1,000m² must reach EPC B by 2031. After six years of delay, this announcement addressed a major uncertainty for industry and takes a significant step toward decarbonising commercial stock, but the job is not done yet. Burnham’s government should build on this progress, with in-use performance measurement and reporting, as well as measures like practical support for SME decarbonisation.

Despite welcome progress on retrofit and energy efficiency, Starmer’s government left a major gap on climate resilience. The CCC’s adaptation reports were unequivocal: the UK is not adapting fast enough, and action on resilience remains under‑resourced, under‑funded and fragmented. UKGBC’s Climate Resilience Roadmap sets out exactly what needs to change — clearer accountability, smarter investment, and integration of resilience across planning, building standards and retrofit. But national policy has yet to catch up. The Warm Homes Plan made a start with a nod to year-round comfort, but the UK still lacks a comprehensive adaptation strategy capable of protecting communities, buildings and infrastructure from escalating climate risks. This is one of the clearest opportunities for Burnham to accelerate progress.

Starmer’s government made a promising start on circular economy by commissioning a special task force, and on embodied carbon by responding to the AECOM report. However, we are yet to see the circular economy strategy, and there has been no further steps taken to regulate embodied carbon – leaving the new government with a well-defined area where further action could unlock major whole-life sustainability benefits for our sector.

For now, starmer’s legacy is a reminder that intent is not the same as action.”

The past two years have shown that high-level strategy can take shape quickly, but real-world delivery takes time. Industry is ready to invest, innovate and deliver, but only when government sets a stable course. As Burnham makes some welcome cabinet appointments and starts with promising policy interventions to address the cost of living by reducing the cost of electricity, the UKGBC policy team will be watching closely and preparing an analysis of what this new era means for our sector.

For now, Starmer’s legacy is a reminder that intent is not the same as action: his government established the right direction, made meaningful progress across many parts of the built environment, and leaves Burnham with a strong foundation to turn ambition into the tangible outcomes our homes and places urgently need.

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

Thank you to UKGBC’s policy partners for supporting our advocacy work this year.

The post High Hopes, Half Built: Starmer’s Built Environment Legacy appeared first on UKGBC.

The built environment is��increasingly��being asked to deliver on climate��mitigation,��resilience��and nature��recovery��at the same time.��At a macro level, our current ways of working are not yet set up to do that, but��this summer’s prolonged heatwaves and wildfires across the UK show that we can’t wait for some future crisis to act; the impacts are already here, and we’re suffering nationally from our unpreparedness.��

It is this urgency that makes our BuildingLife Ambassadors campaign��so important.��Bringing together��expert practitioners and policy advocates��from across the sector, it��gives��industry and politicians a��crucial��message: that��decarbonisation, resilience,��and nature are interdependent, and��demand a joined-up response.��

Across the sector, the evidence base has strengthened��considerably in��recent years. Through UKGBC’s��own��work,��via our four pillars – of our��UK��Net Zero Whole Life Carbon and Climate Resilience Roadmaps, alongside our Nature Positive Framework and our forthcoming Regenerative Places Framework. Enlivened by insight from industry, academia and policymakers, we now have a far clearer picture of both the risks we face and the actions required.��

What we now face is��not primarily a knowledge problem, but��an implementation and coordination problem.

From evidence to integration

The direction set by that evidence is consistent. Decarbonisation, climate��resilience��and nature recovery are not separate agendas, but��interdependent outcomes of the same system.��

However, much of our delivery model still treats them independently, with old-school, siloed thinking and acting. Embodied carbon action��remains��largely voluntary��and is applied inconsistently. Investment in resilience continues to��lag behind��mitigation. Nature��recovery��is gaining��visibility but��is not yet embedded in core decision-making or long-term��financing, investment, and��asset strategies.��

This fragmentation is holding us back. It creates unnecessary trade-offs and, in some cases, locks in poor outcomes.

A building that meets a carbon target but cannot cope with heat or flood risk is not fit for the future. A development that supports nature but does not account for changing climate conditions will not deliver lasting value. Treating these issues separately leads to outcomes that fall short.

The reality we’re navigating

There are clear examples of leadership across the sector. Parts of industry, finance and local government are��demonstrating��what more integrated approaches can achieve.��

At the same time, there are significant political and economic challenges that continue to affect the pace and consistency of climate action, particularly in the UK.��Policy signals��remain��uneven, especially for existing buildings, where greater clarity is still needed.��

Progress is real, but it is patchy and too dependent on individual leadership rather than being built into how the system��operates.

A broader coalition

It is in this context that��our��BuildingLife��Ambassadors sit.��The��campaign brings together��practitioners, policymakers,��investors��and advocates from across the built environment. What connects them is a shared willingness to work across the boundaries that still shape much of our sector.��

Their role is to reflect and reinforce that way of thinking. To show what it looks like to treat the built environment as a system, and to work across the interfaces that too often hold progress back.��

The next phase of��the��built environment’s��transition must be��about aligning��the entire industry��behind��the evidence we now have.��Voluntary action across the industry has played a critical role in��demonstrating��what is possible, with many organisations already taking a more integrated approach to carbon,��resilience��and nature. The priority now is to build on that leadership by translating it into policy frameworks��and ways of working��that enable consistent, whole-system outcomes across the market, rather than siloed compliance.��This also requires far stronger coordination across the value chain, from national policy through to project delivery.��

Over the coming months, including through the perspectives of our��Ambassadors, we will continue to explore what this looks like in practice.��

The task ahead is straightforward to describe, but harder to deliver. A built environment that is low carbon, resilient and supports nature will only be achieved if we treat it as a single system and act accordingly.��

The post Joined-up by Design: Closing the Gap between Evidence and Action appeared first on UKGBC.

The application process

The prerequisites then were a fully refundable (until the day before the installation) advance payment of £200 and a recent EPC (under 10 years) with no outstanding recommendations for cavity wall insulation. Our house is a three-bedroom semi, built as part of a council estate in Hove around 1950.

Regardless of the peace of mind that we wouldn’t have issues with the application, we did understand how important reducing heat loss is in an old home when you want to supply heat with an all-electric system. Electricity is still expensive and crucially we wanted to be sure this solution would work well and efficiently. We had done a lot of work in the house to improve efficiency: loft retrofit insulation, ground floor retrofit insulation with the opportunity of a ground floor extension, new double-glazed windows, and a new entrance door.

Once our application was submitted, we were booked in for a home survey about three weeks later. The home survey was meant to confirm the property’s eligibility for a heat pump and collect all the necessary information to run a heat loss calculation. The surveyor looked at every room, the loft and the outside, taking some measurements and making notes of materials and evidence of insulation. They took note of our boiler details, reviewed pipework and measured radiators.

The team calculated the heat loss and identified that with each individual radiator’s output it couldn’t be met. They suggested replacement radiators, but they were only able to offer a particular make – unfortunately with very little choice both in terms of dimensions and style. Here’s where we put out engineer hats on and ran the calculations. Over a period of a month, we bounced ideas and ran the numbers, checking specifications, dimensions and locations. We agreed to add four radiators in different rooms. Our provider wouldn’t be able to undertake this installation as they could only do it for their offered products. As we chose to go our own way, we would have to install the new radiators on our own and have the provider’s installation team review the system ahead of installing the heat pump.

We also had to resolve the issue of the space arrangement of the tank and vessels. Our preferred option was to house these in the utility cupboard where our boiler and washing machine previously were, as any other solution would be quite intrusive in running all required connections. The space was marginally smaller than what was required, but the install team working around this by finding and specifying a slim line version of the tank.

Installation process and fine tuning

The installation took three days in early January 2025, and the pump has been running smoothly and keeping us warm without issues for just over a year now.

The first thing I noticed was how uniform the temperature felt throughout the house and throughout the day. With our boiler, in an effort to be as efficient as possible, we were running an almost militant schedule of operation with different running hours and setpoints per room depending on our schedule. With the heat pump running constantly all spaces feel equally comfortable 24/7.

A common concern around heat pumps is how noisy they can be. Although our external unit is on the wall on a path shared with our next-door neighbours, they have happily declared that they never hear it. Perhaps our context is idea, or perhaps domestic heat pump technology has managed to deliver practically quiet equipment, but it was definitely a happy myth buster for us.

We have optimised the heating for domestic hot water, as well as the weekly high temperature legionella cycle to match the times of day when our tariff is lowest.

The original set up of the heat pump was controlled by our existing smart meter based on the thermostat. We experimented with different settings and features and found that the weather department is the most efficient. This reads the outside temperature from sensors on the heat pump and adjusts the flow temperature in the system to ensure a stable internal temperature.

In-use data

Our heat pump is a 8kW pump with blygold coating because of our coastal location. According to its specification, the seasonal coefficient of performance should be 3.48 for heating and 2.75 for hot water. Our total produced heat in the year was 6,192 kWh and the total input was 1,819 kWh, just about verifying the efficiency to 3.4 for heating. For hot water, our total produced heat was 1,183 kWh from a total input of 430 kWh, achieving exactly 2.75. Based on metered data these efficiencies were almost 100% verified in use.

We’ve been monitoring our energy consumption and playing around with our data since 2018. It tells an interesting story.

Our gas energy consumption decreased between 2018 and 2024 when the gas supply was disconnected after the installation of the heat pump. The rate of decrease varied and different energy efficiency measures contributed to a demand reduction: radiator ’s and smart control and programming of heating operation, retrofit floor insulation, loft insulation and new double-glazed windows and door. Our electricity consumption has remained relatively stable bar a spike over the pandemic, with an upward trend since the installation of the heat pump.

Energy consumption for heating and hot water

Looking at our last year of gas heating and our first year of the heat pump, our energy consumption over 2025 has been a fraction of that of 2024, with a��32% reduction on average. Although this is just an indicative comparison as the weather conditions of different years will impact a system’s performance, the drop in energy consumption during the heating season is impressive.

With the electricity prices remaining high and further increasing, this ambitious downward trend is unfortunately not reflected in the cost comparison. Our first year with the heat pump cost us about £100 more than the year before (approximately 7% increase). The energy landscape is continually changing, and it isn’t easy to predict future trends. Perhaps the only way to control this right now is through on-site energy generation and a lesser reliance on the grid as a result.

The journey requires patience, but the rewards are substantial: a more comfortable home, lower-carbon heating, and a meaningful contribution towards our net-zero ambitions for 2050.”

Overall, switching to a heat pump has been a strongly positive experience for us, with the increased level of thermal comfort in the house being the most impactful advantage of the new system. We initially thought that our house would be a straightforward candidate for a heat pump: fairly typical typology, no major space restrictions, and in the best possible state in terms of energy efficiency for its age and condition. Still, there were many considerations to make a heat pump a workable solution in a house that was never originally designed for one. In many ways, this is simply the latest chapter in the house’s evolution. The house has seen a few heating systems in its 80-year life, from coal burning fireplaces in each room, to gas fireplaces, open cylinder gas boiler, a combi boiler and now a heat pump. Each transition would have required thoughtful adaptation, skilled workmanship and a willingness to embrace change. We were fortunate that the teams we engaged with – from the initial sales discussions through to installation – were flexible and accommodating to purposeful conversations about our needs.

Both professionally and personally, I would enthusiastically recommend a transition to a heat pump to anyone interested. Your chosen provider will have an eligibility checklist; but beyond that, success often depends on investing time, asking questions, and communicating clearly throughout the process. The journey requires patience, but the rewards are substantial: a more comfortable home, lower-carbon heating, and a meaningful contribution towards our net-zero ambitions for 2050.

Home Retrofit

With time running out to keep global temperatures to 1.5 degrees, upgrading the nation’s homes is one of the biggest opportunities the UK has to reduce carbon emissions whilst tackling the cost-of-living crisis, energy security and levelling up.

Learn more

The post A Domestic Heat Pump: A Year in Review 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.

During the month of July we’re running three special open sessions as part of our member forums. These one-off sessions welcome all members, including those who don’t usually attend, to join the discussion.

• The energy and carbon forum will be running a session on supply chain on 7 July. Sign up here.
• The resource use forum will be running a session on managing risk on 13 July. Sign up here.
• The climate resilience and adaptation will be running a session on nature on 28 July. 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

Regenerative Places Framework for Housing (London) | 16 September, 16:00-19:00, Register Here

Attend Our Events

Membership Summer Drinks with Considerate Constructors Scheme (London) | 22 July, 17:00-19:30, Register Here

Member Social in Belfast | 16 September, 17:00-19:30, Register Here

Member Social in Manchester | 24 September, 16:00-19:00, Register Here

UKGBC’s AGM: Value, Visibility and Views (London) | 30 September, 16:00-20:00, 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-September 2026) appeared first on UKGBC.

Agenda

• 5.00 pm – 5.15 pm – Registration and Networking
• 5.15 pm – 5.25 pm – Welcome and Opening Remarks
• 5.25 pm – 5.45 pm – Introduction: The role of Green Building Councils in accelerating a sustainable built environment.
• 5.45 pm – 6.05 pm – Mott MacDonald Spotlight – Sustainability leadership, climate resilience, low-carbon infrastructure and nature-positive approaches.
• 6.05 pm – 6.40 pm – Panel Discussion – Accelerating to Zero Together: What does sustainable building look like on the island of Ireland today?
• 6.40 pm – 6.50 pm – Audience Q&A
• 6.50 pm – 7.30 pm – Networking Reception

Speakers

• Pat Barry, CEO, Irish Green Building Council
• David Steen, Senior Policy and Commercial Advisor, ������Ƶ
• Adil Hussain, Net Zero Carbon Consultant, Mott MacDonald
• Ciarán Fox, Director, Royal Society of Ulster Architects
• Dr. Barry McCarron, Managing Director, KORE Retrofit
• Hope Lovelady, Associate Consultant and the Health Decarbonisation Lead, Mott MacDonald
• Jim Mulholland, Director, TODD Architects
• Ryan Young, Director, Sustainability, Delap and Waller

The post Accelerating to Zero Together: Opportunities, Insights & Programmes appeared first on UKGBC.

Who Should Apply?

UKGBC forums are a membership benefit. This forum will be particularly appealing to constructors, developers, engineers, government, finance and investment and owners and occupiers.

The post Energy and Carbon Forum x Supply Chain appeared first on UKGBC.

The CCC’s message is clear: the UK cannot hit its climate targets unless we dramatically speed-up the decarbonisation of our buildings. Heat pump deployment has slowed, government support for low-income households AND public buildings has been cut, and electricity is still priced in a way that holds back clean heat. Without urgent action, we risk locking-in higher bills, inefficient homes and a widening gap to our 2030 commitments.

But this is also a moment of huge opportunity which the incoming Prime Minister should seize. Electrification is now the cheaper, safer option, for most households, and the technologies and skills already exist to transform our homes and workplaces. UKGBC’s members are ready to deliver as demonstrated through our latest Whole Life Carbon Framework, and we look forward to working with ministers to build the comfortable, affordable, climate-ready buildings the UK needs”.

The lands at a moment of global instability and domestic uncertainty – and its message for the built environment is clearer than ever. The UK is still cutting emissions overall, but the pace has slowed, and the Government’s current plan no longer reaches the UK’s 2030 Paris commitment. The CCC is clear that the UK must “almost double” the annual rate of emissions reduction to stay on track, and that the biggest gap sits within our sector.

This year’s report is also shaped by the second major fossil fuel price shock in four years. The war in Iran has pushed up global energy prices again, exposing the UK’s continued dependence on fossil fuels for heating and transport. However, the CCC’s analysis shows that households with a heat pump have seen far smaller bill increases than those with gas boilers and petrol cars – a reminder that electrification is not just a climate strategy, but one of economic resilience too.

Against this backdrop, the CCC’s verdict is blunt: the UK is not moving fast enough to decarbonise buildings, and without a major acceleration, the sector will become one of the biggest barriers to meeting the 2030 NDC and the Sixth Carbon Budget.

Emissions reductions slow from the built environment

Emissions from buildings fell slightly in 2025, but this was driven largely by higher energy prices suppressing demand rather than structural decarbonisation. The CCC notes that emissions fell because heating became less affordable – not because homes became cleaner or more efficient. Heat pump deployment remains far too slow to make a meaningful dent in emissions, and the CCC warns that without further action, emissions are likely to rebound as soon as prices fall or we get a colder winter.

The Government’s own Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan (CBGDP) assumes a slower transition to low-carbon heat than previous plans, and slower than the CCC’s recommended pathway. By the mid-2030s, buildings are predicted to become the highest-emitting sector in the Government’s trajectory. To meet the 2030 NDC, the UK needs annual emissions reductions of around 22.5 MtCO₂e across the economy – almost double the recent average. For buildings, that means cutting emissions by nearly 3 MtCO₂e every year between now and the mid-2030s, that means installing heat pumps 30 times faster than we are currently.

The heat pump sized gap in the UK’s Net Zero pathway

Heat pumps remain the single biggest lever for decarbonising buildings, yet deployment has stalled at exactly the wrong moment. Around 50,000 retrofit heat pumps were installed in 2024 and 2025 – a tiny fraction of what is needed – and growth slowed dramatically to just 7% last year. The closure of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, which previously delivered around a third of all retrofit heat pumps, has created a major policy vacuum. Without a replacement soon, the CCC warns installations could fall significantly in 2026.

New build progress is better, with 25% of new homes now built with a heat pump, and regulations requiring low-carbon heating in all new buildings n England and Wales finally coming into force through the Future Homes and Buildings Standard. But because applications submitted before the deadline can still be built to old standards, fossil-fuelled homes will continue to be constructed well into the late 2020s.

 

The long-term picture isn’t good, with around 60% of the emissions reductions required from buildings after 2030 reliant on policies that currently carry significant risks or are simply insufficient. The Government has also reduced its assumed heat pump deployment compared to the previous plan, widening the gap further. 

Electricity is (still) too expensive

The UK continues to have one of the highest electricity-to-gas price ratios in Europe. Although the Government cut some policy costs from electricity bills, falling wholesale gas prices meant gas became even cheaper relative to electricity. As a result, the electricity-to-gas price ratio increased, making heat pumps less financially attractive despite the policy changes. For a typical household on a standard tariff, electricity remains more than four times the price of gas per unit – a structural barrier to heat pump adoption.

The CCC was clear in their progress report last year that this must change, and this year’s core message is no different. Removing the remaining policy costs and legacy levies from electricity bills would bring the ratio down so that a typical household would be able to break even on lifetime costs when switching to a heat pump with a grant. However, the CCC’s citizens’ panel emphasised that households want a heat pump to pay back positively over its lifetime, not simply break even. Achieving this will require cheaper electricity, better installations, and continued support for solar and flexible tariffs.

The (household) economic case for electrification

The CCC’s household cost analysis includes more detailed modelling of the economic impacts for various households compared to previous years. Heat pumps alone do not yet deliver lifetime savings for most households on standard tariffs, but when combined with solar panels and time-of-use tariffs, they do. The CCC estimates that a typical household could save around £460 per year by switching to a heat pump, solar and a flexible tariff.

The Iran war has made the economics even clearer. Bill increases since the start of the conflict have been almost four times higher for households with gas boilers than for those with heat pumps. For rural households with oil boilers, the difference is tenfold.

Electrification is the most effective form of energy security.

Public and commercial buildings

One of the most concerning findings in the report is the lack of plan for public and commercial buildings (although not the recent MEES announcement changes this). The closure of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) has removed the only dedicated funding stream for heat decarbonisation in the public estate. Treasury is considering public-private partnerships, but these are expected to focus on solar and efficiency rather than heat.

The CCC estimates that the loss of PSDS funding removes almost 5 MtCO₂e�� of annual abatement in the Sixth Carbon Budget period – one of the largest single gaps in the Government’s entire decarbonisation plan. Non-residential energy efficiency policy has made progress recently with the delivery of the long-promised MEES updates, but this will need to be coupled with support and incentives for owner-occupiers to upgrade their buildings.��

Key Enablers: Public Engagement, Local Delivery, Skills and Finance

The CCC highlights several enabling conditions that will determine whether the UK can accelerate progress in buildings:

Public engagement has improved, with the Government’s Energising Britain plan and new public participation initiatives.

But the strategy lacks a concrete programme, and the CCC stresses the need for deeper, ongoing dialogue with households about low-carbon choices.

Local authorities are increasingly recognised as central partners in delivery, but roles, responsibilities and funding arrangements remain unclear.

The Warm Homes Plan, Local Power Plan and Land Use Framework all point in the right direction, but the detail is still missing.

Skills remain a major bottleneck.

There are fewer than 30,000 qualified heat pump installers in the UK, compared to over 130,000 gas engineers. The Clean Energy Jobs Plan is a welcome step, but the CCC warns that training capacity must expand rapidly across all sectors, not just clean energy.

Businesses face continued exposure to high energy prices, with limited support for SMEs and non-energy-intensive firms.

This is a major barrier to electrifying commercial buidlings and investing in low-carbon technologies

A Decisive Moment for the Built Environment

The CCC’s analysis makes it clear that buildings are now the UK’s biggest climate test, and its biggest opportunity. Electrification of heat, combined with energy efficiency, flexibility and cheaper electricity, is the fastest route to cutting emissions, reducing bills and strengthening energy security. But the current policy landscape is not yet capable of delivering the scale and pace required.

The next two to three years will determine whether the UK can close the gap to its 2030 target and set the buildings sector on a credible path to Net Zero. At UKGBC, we are keen to support government with our members’ expertise and experience to remove barriers for households and businesses, and put in place long-term, stable policies that give industry the confidence to invest.

This is the moment to turn words into real delivery – ad to ensure that the built environment becomes a driver of climate progress, not a drag on it.

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The announcement came after a visit by Martin McCluskey (Minister for Energy Consumers) to a central London office building owned by UKGBC keystone member Landsec. UKGBC Chief Executive Simon McWhirter also joined the tour with the Minister where Landsec demonstrated how targeted retrofit measures can transform the performance of existing buildings. The property has been improved from EPC D to EPC B via a series of interventions including swapping out all the gas systems for air-source heat pumps (providing both heat and cooling) and advanced building management systems. It represents a clear example of the role our existing building stock can play in delivering shared value through better building performance.

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Simon McWhirter said:

Today’s announcement is a really welcome step forward and provides the kind of policy certainty that we have long been calling for. Improving the performance of existing commercial buildings will be critical to meeting our climate goals, and greater clarity on future standards will help give the market the comfort and confidence to invest.

Many of our members are already showing what is possible, with retrofit projects that demonstrate both the technical and commercial case for action. Their experience will be invaluable as Government develops and embeds this policy to accelerate retrofit across the sector and give owners, investors and occupiers the confidence to invest. We look forward to working with ministers and officials on the next phase of this agenda, helping to shape the policy and market conditions required to deliver decarbonisation at scale.”

The visit highlighted the leadership being shown by organisations across UKGBC’s membership, such as Landsec, who have chosen to act ahead of regulation and invest in improving the performance of their assets.

While this announcement is an important milestone, further collaboration between industry and Government will be needed to deliver at scale. We look forward to working with policymakers and our member network on creating the right conditions to unlock commercial retrofit at scale, including finance and value, skills, and data, to support the transition to a more efficient, resilient and lower-emission building stock.

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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By cataloguing and organising the retrofit innovation landscape into specific interventions that a low carbon retrofit should consider, the Innovation Map enabled the project team to identify and specify 18 high-impact solutions. This includes an innovative airtightness system, advanced glazing options such as vacuum-insulated glass and a glass recycling scheme, and high-efficiency solar panels that could mean No. 1 Poultry has one of the highest efficiency solar arrays on any building in the UK.

The report sets out a practical ‘Innovation Process’ that encourages project teams to evaluate and engage with innovative technologies at the earliest stages of development, when decisions have the greatest influence on carbon outcomes, cost and performance.

Commercial buildings currently account for nearly a quarter of the built environment’s carbon footprint in the UK through the energy required to heat, power and operate them.

At the same time, the report highlights how growing regulatory requirements, rising energy costs, investors expectations and net zero commitments are increasing pressure on building owners to use ingenuity to drive the performance of existing assets.

Simon McWhirter, Chief Executive of the ������Ƶ, said:

The UK can’t achieve a net zero built environment without dramatically improving the performance of its existing commercial building stock. This report demonstrates that innovation doesn’t need to be an afterthought.

Rather, by bringing innovative solutions into the decision-making process at the front end, project teams can unlock greater carbon savings, reduce risk and create better-performing buildings. This is all about driving a market change that simply delivers better outcomes – environmental and commercial – for all involved.”

Basil Demeroutis, Managing Partner, FORE Partnership, said:

No. 1 Poultry has shown that even highly constrained and historically significant buildings can become platforms for innovation. Indeed, by proving that innovation can happen even in the most highly constrained cases like No. 1 Poultry, we are proving that commercial retrofit can deliver both environmental and commercial value in every building, so long as sustainability and ingenuity are embedded from the outset.”

Building on the success of this initiative, UKGBC, Breakthrough Energy and FORE will continue to champion innovation-led retrofit across the built environment sector. The partners are seeking to work with more organisations that want to adopt and help develop the Innovation Map, expanding its use across live projects and strengthening the evidence base for innovative retrofit solutions. By creating a clearer pathway from emerging technologies to deployment, the initiative aims to help make innovation a standard part of commercial retrofit practice rather than the exception.

The Initiative

Introducing a new initiative that will transform the iconic One Poultry building into a live laboratory for innovative retrofit solutions.

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