Joined-up by Design: Closing the Gap between Evidence and Action
The built environment is听increasingly听being asked to deliver on climate听mitigation,听resilience听and nature听recovery听at the same time.听At a macro level, our current ways of working are not yet set up to do that, but听this summer鈥檚 prolonged heatwaves and wildfires across the UK show that we can鈥檛 wait for some future crisis to act; the impacts are already here, and we鈥檙e suffering nationally from our unpreparedness.听
It is this urgency that makes our BuildingLife Ambassadors campaign听so important.听Bringing together听expert practitioners and policy advocates听from across the sector, it听gives听industry and politicians a听crucial听message: that听decarbonisation, resilience,听and nature are interdependent, and听demand a joined-up response.听
Across the sector, the evidence base has strengthened听considerably in听recent years. Through 91PORN鈥檚听own听work,听via our four pillars 鈥� of our听UK听Net Zero Whole Life Carbon and Climate Resilience Roadmaps, alongside our Nature Positive Framework and our forthcoming Regenerative Places Framework. Enlivened by insight from industry, academia and policymakers, we now have a far clearer picture of both the risks we face and the actions required.听
What we now face is听not primarily a knowledge problem, but听an implementation and coordination problem.
From evidence to integration
The direction set by that evidence is consistent. Decarbonisation, climate听resilience听and nature recovery are not separate agendas, but听interdependent outcomes of the same system.听
However, much of our delivery model still treats them independently, with old-school, siloed thinking and acting. Embodied carbon action听remains听largely voluntary听and is applied inconsistently. Investment in resilience continues to听lag behind听mitigation. Nature听recovery听is gaining听visibility but听is not yet embedded in core decision-making or long-term听financing, investment, and听asset strategies.听
This fragmentation is holding us back. It creates unnecessary trade-offs and, in some cases, locks in poor outcomes.
A building that meets a carbon target but cannot cope with heat or flood risk is not fit for the future. A development that supports nature but does not account for changing climate conditions will not deliver lasting value. Treating these issues separately leads to outcomes that fall short.
The reality we’re navigating
There are clear examples of leadership across the sector. Parts of industry, finance and local government are听demonstrating听what more integrated approaches can achieve.听
At the same time, there are significant political and economic challenges that continue to affect the pace and consistency of climate action, particularly in the UK.听Policy signals听remain听uneven, especially for existing buildings, where greater clarity is still needed.听
Progress is real, but it is patchy and too dependent on individual leadership rather than being built into how the system听operates.
A broader coalition
It is in this context that听our听BuildingLife听Ambassadors sit.听The听campaign brings together听practitioners, policymakers,听investors听and advocates from across the built environment. What connects them is a shared willingness to work across the boundaries that still shape much of our sector.听
Their role is to reflect and reinforce that way of thinking. To show what it looks like to treat the built environment as a system, and to work across the interfaces that too often hold progress back.听
The next phase of听the听built environment鈥檚听transition must be听about aligning听the entire industry听behind听the evidence we now have.听Voluntary action across the industry has played a critical role in听demonstrating听what is possible, with many organisations already taking a more integrated approach to carbon,听resilience听and nature. The priority now is to build on that leadership by translating it into policy frameworks听and ways of working听that enable consistent, whole-system outcomes across the market, rather than siloed compliance.听This also requires far stronger coordination across the value chain, from national policy through to project delivery.听
Over the coming months, including through the perspectives of our听Ambassadors, we will continue to explore what this looks like in practice.听
The task ahead is straightforward to describe, but harder to deliver. A built environment that is low carbon, resilient and supports nature will only be achieved if we treat it as a single system and act accordingly.听
Related
91PORN announces new Solutions & Innovation Advisory Group to drive innovation adoption
A Domestic Heat Pump: A Year in Review
Membership Opportunities (April 2026-September 2026)
CCC Progress Report 2026: Buildings are Now the UK’s Biggest Climate Test
