UK ‘dangerously slow’ in tackling climate challenges, new analysis reveals

The UK’s built environment is “severely under-equipped” to adapt to the changing climate, according to new analysis. The UK Green Building Council’s scorecard finds that on five out of seven critical climate resilience priorities, the government policies in its Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) are “insufficient, flawed, or missing, placing millions of homes and buildings […]

Net Zero: Biggest challenge ever

Net zero presents the “single biggest challenge that anyone working in the built environment has ever faced”, and pressure is increasing to achieve the aim, according to a report by the The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM). By 2030, emissions need to be reduced by 50%, and by 2050, net zero must be achieved, according to Government […]

Accelerating decarbonisation in the built environment

A report has been published outlining the progress of a global movement to accelerate the decarbonisation of the built environment on the eve of it being declared a critical climate sector at this year’s UN Climate Summit COP28. The Advancing Net Zero (ANZ) Status Report by the World Green Building Council (GBC) states that the Net […]

Built environment sector ‘must accelerate adoption of circular economy principles’

Construction assessment

The built environment sector has been urged to follow industry best practice to adopt sustainable principles and step up circular economy adoption. The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) and its network of more than 75 Green Building Councils have launched the Circular Built Environment Playbook explaining the benefits of developing a circular economy and reducing resource […]

Built environment taskforce created to devise energy procurement guidance

A team of cross-industry experts has been created to help devise guidance for the built environment on renewable energy procurement. The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has pulled together the team to help draft documents for businesses of all sizes in the sector as part of its commitment to tackling climate change. Decarbonising the UK’s […]

Call for tighter policies to support sustainable built environment

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has called on government to strengthen policies that will support a resilient built environment to mitigate the threats posed by climate change. Philip Box, Policy Advisor at UKGBC, said the heatwaves and droughts this summer caused widespread harm across the UK, from severe disruptions to transport services, and increased […]

G20 nations failing to retrofit buildings to reach net-zero targets

G20 nations are failing to retrofit the built environment with energy and carbon  saving measures at an appropriate pace to meet the Paris Agreement net zero targets. That is the key finding from the Global Retrofit Index which assesses the progress G20 countries are making to reduce emissions from existing buildings. With 80% of the […]

Report shows construction industry can improve sustainability record

The built environment needs to do more to improve its sustainability credentials, particularly in relation to reducing carbon emissions, according to a new report. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Sustainability Report 2022 said that while progress had been made in certain areas, ‘the rate of advancement needs to accelerate significantly and become more widespread’. […]

World Green Buildings Council (WorldGBC)

The World Green Buildings Council (WorldGBC) is calling for businesses to account for the whole lifecycle impact of all new buildings and major renovations, not just address operational carbon reduction. The WorldGBC this month unveiled an update to its longstanding Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment, that aims to ignite a “reduction-first” approach to decarbonisation to […]

Built environment accused of failing to account for projects’ lifecycle emissions

MEES

Less than 1% of global building projects currently calculate and report on lifecycle emissions, according to a new report which urges businesses in the built environment sector to measure the full extent of their carbon footprint in the bid to reach net-zero by 2050. A new report from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), supported […]

Government unveils ‘radical’ energy efficiency standards for homes and office

All homes and business premises in the UK will be required to meet new energy efficiency standards that reduce energy consumption and lower bills by 2025, in line with the Government’s new Future Homes Standard. New homes will be required to have a reduced carbon footprint of 31%  compared to current levels, the Government revealed […]

New Basement Impact Assessment Service launched

To help meet the current demand for basement development projects, Syntegra has decided to launch a new Basement Impact Assessment (BIA) service. A BIA outlines the direct and indirect impact of a proposed development. Given the nature of basement projects, with the associated risks of potentially undermining neighbouring properties, flooding, health and safety concerns, air […]

Meet us at the IHIF Berlin and MIPIM Cannes 2020

Networking at industry events is a great way to sell your brand and show stakeholders that you really mean business with your business. And even when you’re one of thousands of participants representing hundreds of diverse countries, it’s a great opportunity to be seen and take your seat at the table of influencers. With that […]

Ski slopes the venue for networking with a difference

Representatives from Syntegra will join more than 450 colleagues from the world of property development at the annual PropSki event in Chamonix in January. The week long gathering includes network events to meet peers from the global built environment sector combined with the opportunity to enjoy time on the ski slopes and relaxing with informal […]

Cities pledge to decarbonise buildings by 2050

A project has been launched that will see a coalition of eight European cities, including Dublin and Leeds, completely decarbonise their existing building stocks by 2050. The commitment, Build Upon2, is being convened by the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) and will see the cities collaboratively develop and implement a built environment renovation and retrofitting […]

UKGBC urges business leaders to embrace net zero measures

Syntegra Managing Director Alan King is fortunate to be a member of the UK Green Building Council’s Leaders Network which recently received a very useful update on key developments in the built environment sector and what organisations can focus on in a bid to achieve net zero carbon by 2050. Below are some of the […]

Defining and delivering net-zero built environment

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has launched a new five point framework outlining how developers, designers, owners, occupiers and policymakers can define and deliver a net-zero built environment. The report, co-sponsored by sustainable developers the Berkeley Group, aims to build consensus on what net-zero looks like and means in relation to the built environment, both […]

Why the construction industry needs to embrace the fourth industrial revolution

The construction industry has been urged to shed its decades-old working practices and embrace the wave of digitalisation sweeping the global economy if it is to shake free of stagnation and flourish with trillions of dollars of cost savings. The fourth industrial revolution, as it has been termed, has seen a revolutionary merging of the […]

See you on the slopes

Syntegra MD Alan King is networking with a difference this week – with built environment colleagues on the ski slopes. He’s representing the company at PropSki 2019 in the world famous ski resort of Chamonix in France – informal networking with hundreds of peers from dozens of international companies. The event, set up in 2012, […]

Housing programme kickstarted by PM lifting borrowing cap

Syntegra colleagues are ready to work with local councils across the UK as moves to build thousands of new homes are expected following the Prime Minister’s announcement that she is lifting the cap on their borrowing to fund new developments. ‘There’s a government cap on how much local authorities can borrow against their Housing Revenue […]

New guidance on lighting and its effect on bats

New guidance on lighting and its effect on bats has been welcomed by the Syntegra team as it offers advice to clients on sustainable development schemes. The Institution of Lighting Professionals (ILP) has launched the latest practical guidance on considering the impact upon bats when designing lighting schemes. They have worked with the Bat Conservation […]

The Global Goals for Sustainable Development supported by Syntegra

In 2015, world leaders agreed to 17 global goals for a better world by 2030. These goals have the power to end poverty, fight inequality and stop climate change, says The Global Goals website. ‘Guided by the goals, it is now up to all of us, governments, businesses, civil society and the general public to […]

England’s World Cup success eclipses major built environment announcements

While recent national headlines have, rightly, been dominated by the unexpected (but very welcome) England World Cup journey, a couple of major announcements have gone somewhat under the radar when it comes to energy efficiency in the built environment. First came the news that the Government was launching a £420 million construction sector deal aimed […]