The construction industry is faced with the challenge of rapidly adapting its practices to minimise the amount of CO2 released from the production of building materials.

In order to do this, we need to imminently and dramatically reduce our use of and reliance on concrete and steel, two highly energy intensive building materials which account for around 15% of total global CO2 emissions. We can achieve this through two simple measures.

The first is to build less. We need to curtail the culture of rampant over-production in the building industry and encourage the refurbishment of functional existing buildings. This can be achieved through government tax incentives that promote the reclamation, rather than demolition, of disused and outdated buildings, and the introduction of legislation that requires those wishing to demolish existing structures to substantially prove their case against re-use.

…