Solutions and Innovation
A step change in the sector’s environmental and social impact is needed to achieve UKGBC’s vision for a sustainable built environment. This requires innovation in technology, business models and ways of operating, but innovation in the sector can be slow. Our work on solutions & innovation aims to help address shared sustainability challenges within the property and construction sector by showcasing practical solutions and enhancing collaboration between innovators and corporates.
The Solutions Library highlights practical and commercially viable ways to help address common sustainability challenges across the built environment, alongside case studies demonstrating their implementation and the notable work of UKGBC members. We welcome anyone to submit or recommend solutions, and UGKBC members to submit case studies, for potential inclusion. We regularly feature content from the Solutions Library in our social media communications, courses & events and in discussions with our members.
UKGBC also collaborates with a range of hubs, accelerators, and investors to help identify and scale sustainable innovations across the built environment.
UKGBC has an expanding community of Innovative Start-Up members, which it welcomes at a discounted rate of £105 per year. UKGBC works to profile and connect start-ups in its network with its wider corporate membership. Benefits of being a UKGBC Innovative Start-Up Member include:
- Profiling on Inside Innovation page
- Opportunity to participate in our Inside Innovation blog series, which convenes start-ups in our network around key innovation themes
- Access to quarterly Innovative Start-Up Forum where we are joined by different UKGBC member sub-sectors (more details below)
- Start-up bulletin sharing opportunities from our innovation network including pilot projects, investment and acceleration opportunities
- Bespoke opportunities such as introductions, networking events, market insight, speaking opportunities, media opportunities etc
For more information about becoming an Innovative Start-Up member, or to enquire about working with one of our existing start-ups, please contact innovation@ukgbc.org. Applications can be made directly through our regular membership application form.
Upcoming Innovative Start-Up Forums:
- “Meet the Sustainability Consultants” – 3rd April 2023. Guest panellists TBC.
Previous Innovative Start-Up Forums:
- “Meet the Local Authorities” – 10th January 2023. We welcomed the West Midlands Combined Authority, Glasgow City Council, Devon County Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Reflection piece to follow.
- “Meet the Contractors” – 27th September 2022. We welcomed ISG, Multiplex Construction Europe and Laing O’Rourke as our guest panellists. Reflection piece to follow.
- “Meet the Architects” – 13th April 2022. We welcomed Penoyre & Prasad, Orms, Bennetts Associates, and SOM as our guest panellists. Read a reflection piece here.
- “Meet the Developers & Investors”, 12th January 2022. We welcomed Berkeley Homes, Transport for London, Grosvenor, and JLL as our guest panellists. Read a reflection piece here.
SOLUTIONS AND INNOVATION ADVISORY GROUP
The members of this group bring a range of expertise from different sub-sectors and disciplines, providing a wide knowledge base and variety of perspectives. The main purpose of this group is to:
- Review new solutions and case studies for inclusion in the Solutions Library to ensure their quality and appropriateness to UKGBC’s mission and membership base.
- Review Innovative Start-Up membership applications to ensure their appropriateness for participation in this network.
- Provide market insight and solution development advice to UKGBC’s Innovative Start-Up members to help them refine their offering and business models.
UKGBC INNOVATION TOOLS & RESOURCES
- Open Innovation Levels Framework
- Delivering Social Value: Community Engagement Hacked
- Innovation Insights: Nature-Based Solutions & Climate Resilience
- Innovation Insights: Circular Economy
- Innovation Insights: Making Space as Agile as Technology
- Innovation Insights: Reducing Operational Carbon
- Sustainable Innovation Manual
- Sustainable Innovation Templates
- Concepts from UKGBC’s Future Leaders programme
Please join our Solutions & Innovation Mailing List to receive regular updates, or contact innovation@ukgbc.org for more information about collaborating with UKGBC on innovation activities.