UK-GBC Respond To Government Industrial Strategy

The UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) has today responded to the release of the Government’s Industrial Strategy.

The publication of of the Government strategy coincides with UK-GBC’s City Summit in Leeds, where the Chair of Core Cities, Cllr Judith Blake, is addressing city leaders and business executives. The summit is convening city leaders, on the day of the industrial strategy launch, to formulate a shared vision and commitment to sustainability in the built environment, by both public and private sector.

Julie Hirigoyen, Chief Executive, UK Green Building Council:

“The hotly-anticipated Industrial Strategy green paper shows some important foresight from Government. We welcome the regional approach, with a view to ‘backing local innovation strengths’, as well as the references to affordable energy and clean growth.

The Strategy provides an opportunity to equip our cities as the engines of future economic growth

“The Strategy provides an opportunity to equip our cities as the engines of future economic growth, but to do this we must ensure that they have the flexibility from devolution deals to pursue a low carbon future. Attracting investment from businesses into key regions will depend on the availability of healthy and productive places for people to live, work and learn.

Indeed, the built environment as a whole, including the integration of renewable energy infrastructure and resource efficient building practices, will be crucial to ensuring we ‘secure the economic benefits of the transition to a low-carbon economy’. The recently released ‘Achieving Growth Within’ report from the Ellen McArthur Foundation identifies a €115 billion investment opportunity, through to 2025, for the built environment across the EU from circular economy and resource efficiency investments.

“We also need to see an ambitious vision for low carbon & renewable industries, as well as environmental industries more broadly. If the intention is to back winners, these are sectors where the UK is clearly leading the way and there is significant potential for more export and growth. The low carbon and renewable energy economy in the UK currently generates £46bn in revenue, and supports 240,000 ‘green-collar’ jobs, with significant opportunity to expand this.

“Investing now in a low carbon future will create a more resilient economy, with its foundations in growth markets and opportunities to export our knowledge and expertise across the globe.”