Design better, specify better and consume more carefully – that’s my (not so) radical idea

Matthew Lloyd_resize

While we should all be taking action in order to preserve our planet, direct action is actually rather less effective than well-placed words if we want to drive real and lasting change, writes Matthew Lloyd

We are facing severe headwinds, all in effect man-made: covid (now declining), Russia’s war in Ukraine (we are right in the midst of this horror) and the climate crisis (this is nearly insurmountable). All these are touching everyone in various ways. Our construction industry is tangibly affected: through significantly rising costs and shortages of both materials and workers.

Here in the UK, we are also now confronted with the Building Safety Act, arising out of the Grenfell tragedy, to add more scrutiny to building design and construction. But this is about national incompetence and corruption, rather than forces from the outside.

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