Scott McFadyen’s Post

Sept. 19, 2024 - Manitoba Builds Green - Opportunities for transformational residential retrofits Transitioning off of fossil fuels in Manitoba's building sector will require transformative action on energy efficiency. This report investigates the potential to scale up a deep energy retrofit industry in Manitoba to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create good jobs, spur green industrial growth, and improve housing quality. The study draws on 15 interviews with labour, industry, policy, and finance experts engaged in the building sector in Manitoba. International Institute for Sustainable Development Report by By Zachary Rempel, Niall Harney, Mark Hudson, Laura Cameron, Zoe St. Aubin on September 19, 2024 Sustainable Building Manitoba BizforClimate

The way how countries are going to continue building their towns and cities, including the supporting infrastructure, will have a strong bearing on their ability to attain #sdg9 targets and the #sdgs in general. With the construction industry value chain estimated to contribute about 40% of the global carbon emissions, with the emerging markets contributing 69% of these emissions, it is clear that the race towards net-zero cannot be won without the construction industry, and governments, playing their significant part. A lot of the construction in the developing world is still based on the conventional methods, meaning that little regard is given to the impact of the built-environment. It follows that many developing countries are stuck on a development path that is tangent to the desired one. It's about time governments in the developing countries realized the burden they carry to create an environment that fosters adoption of modern building technologies, starting with the manufacture of the basic raw materials to the design of the built-environment. The engineering fraternity Zimbabwe Institute of Engineers and the architects Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe need to take a leading role in fostering adoption of the more modern green building technologies. The private sector, largely driven by the profit motive, should also play their part in manufacturing and sourcing green-building compliant materials. The developing world stands a great chance to leapfrog the developed world in the reduction of carbon emissions from the construction value chain given that they have an opportunity to influence the built-environment trajectory along a sustainable path, an advantage that is not available to the developed world, on account of the amount of adaptation required. But that requires urgent collaborative action. Granted, new technologies could come relatively expensive and this could raise the question of #justtransition, but that should not cloud the way towards the ultimate objective of net-zero. #TheTalkWithMerelin #sdgs #sdg9 #infrastructure #industry #innovation

📢 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲: '𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭' As Scotland drives towards its net zero target by 2045, building and construction faces a monumental challenge: filling the green jobs essential to transforming our sector. With demand for green skills and knowledge growing exponentially, the path forward requires bold action, innovative strategies, and cross-sector collaboration. To meet this challenge head-on, we’re launching the Sustainabuild Assembly on 30th January 2025 in Glasgow. We look forward to hearing from 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐲 𝐌𝐒𝐏, 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, who will deliver the Opening Address, setting the stage for a half-day of action, green skills insight, and collaboration. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰? ⚠️ The UK construction sector contributes approximately 39% of CO2 emissions globally, making decarbonisation critical. 🚨 Achieving Scotland's 2045 net zero target will require over 22,500 new green roles by 2028 (CITB). 👉 The transition demands new skills, sustainable innovation, and green practices across the sector. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲? 💡 Gain key insights - Hear from policymakers, educators, and industry leaders shaping the future of green construction. 💡 Practical strategies - Discover what’s needed to tackle the green skills challenge head-on and future-proof your business. 💡 Powerful connections - Network with Scotland's top sustainable construction professionals, and leaders. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭? ✅ Keynote speakers: Leaders from government and industry. ✅ Panel discussions: Focused on actionable strategies to close the green skills gap. ✅ Interactive round tables: Collaborate with peers and experts to co-create solutions. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬: 📅 Thursday, 30th January 2025, 8:30 – 12:30 📍The Social Hub, Candleriggs, Glasgow 🎟️ 𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: Limited to just 60 participants—book quickly to secure your place! *Special offer: Register 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 5𝐩𝐦 𝐨𝐧 31𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 with the code 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 and save £30* 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 👉 https://lnkd.in/eqRYtgUF 🏗️ Join us and help build Scotland’s green construction workforce of tomorrow 🦸👷♂️ 𝐒𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐄! 👷♀️ 🦸♀️ #SustainabuildAssembly #GreenSkills #GreenJobs #GreenConstruction #NetZeroScotland

There are many ways to start the week - I usually rely on very strong coffee! But this week was a little different. I attended the East of England Sustainable Building Network, a fantastic initiative started by Cannon Clarke Architects. We had a really useful presentation from Jon Brent and James Cotton explaining how they had developed a "toolkit" that would educate and encourage their clients to move towards Carbon Neutral development. They have me asking the question, should I, as a Chartered Town Planner, only be prepared to work for clients who are prepared to engage in sustainable forms of development like this? Would I risk clients going elsewhere? Should the whole profession adopt a similar approach? Frankly, I don't know. What I do know is initiatives like this are key to starting such conversations.

To all of you involved in green and just transition in construction. On this site by Institute for Human Rights and Business, you can follow a two-year project which investigates the human rights impacts of built environment decarbonisation policies, such as renovation programmes, retrofit subsidies, or new energy-efficient buildings, focusing on the right to housing construction worker rights, meaningful participltion and spatial justice. The project investigates a diverse range of contexts uncovered how the dual global challenge of climate change and inequality is being tackled in different parts of the world, each with its own unique national, political, economic, and social context. the research is grounded in eight city case studies: Lagos (Nigeria), Prague (Czechia), Lisbon (Portugal), Melbourne (Australia), Copenhagen (Denmark), Jakarta (Indonesia), Athens (Greece), and Valparaíso (Chile).

Canada’s ambitious zero emissions goals by 2030 and 2050 present both challenges and opportunities for the multi-family construction industry. While technology plays a vital role in this transition, it is imperative that we address economic realities that hinder adoption. High upfront costs and limited incentives can discourage developers from embracing sustainable practices. By advocating for stronger policies and economic frameworks, we can create an environment where green development flourishes, ultimately benefiting our communities and the planet. Together, we can turn these challenges into stepping stones towards a sustainable future.

HOAs play a key role in maintaining vibrant communities. But as times change, so should HOA planning. To thrive HOAs should conduct reserve studies and establish long-term planning committees for future-proofed projects. Without a reserve studies any evaluation for additional resident needs and amenities would be a shot in the dark as well as an open risk of surprise assessments. Many associations are considering sustainability measures; communities should remember green technology is evolving rapidly and what’s in use today might be obsolete tomorrow. Proceeding with caution in sustainability enhancements by consulting with experts is in the HOAs best interest. Let's Discuss! Share your thoughts on long-term HOA projects in the comments below!

How the Tai ar y Cyd project will benefit people and the planet 👫🌍 Last week, we were proud to attend the launch of the Tai ar y Cyd initiative. The project brings together 23 social landlords united by the common goal of providing affordable, high-quality homes in Wales - and we’re on board! These homes are designed to meet the highest standards of low-carbon performance, guided by a standardised pattern book 🏡 Here’s how the initiative will create positive change: - Homes will be built with natural materials, reducing carbon emissions 🌱 - By reducing emissions, tenants will save money on energy bills - The methods outlined in the design guide will speed up the building process, so homes will be built at a faster rate 🔨 - Using local resources will benefit our economy, creating green jobs Read the project details here: https://lnkd.in/d8ZvphDz

🏗️🌱 Spanish building council’s new team focuses on sustainability Green Building Council España will tackle climate and social challenges in construction. 📖 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/ekCkdXjr #SustainableConstruction #GreenBuilding #ClimateAction #NetZero #CleanEnergy #Spain #EnergyLiveNews

Sustainability is a key consideration in construction and an ongoing discussion in the Ottawa construction sector. Here are a few trends in the construction industry that allow us to make a difference: ▶️ Eco-friendly materials ▶️ Optimized energy efficiency with LED lighting and natural ventilation ▶️ Minimize waste with recycling and repurposing ▶️ Seek green building certifications