6 September 2018 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal
The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has launched its Sustainable Innovation Manual for the construction and property industry.
The manual contains a step-by-step guide designed to help built environment professionals prioritise sustainability in planning, decision-making, and project work.
It includes practical templates to promote new thinking and help organise ideas. The manual is complemented by a separate Innovation Insights report, packed with case studies of sustainable innovation on the theme 'How do we make space as agile as technology?'
These resources are products of UKGBC's inaugural Innovation Lab, which is "an open process of innovation" designed and facilitated by UKGBC and consultancy Switch On.
The Lab's insight and idea generation processes were driven by lead partners with a wealth of built environment experience and a readiness to challenge the status quo - Canary Wharf Group, Landsec and Marks &Spencer.
Cat Hirst, director of learning and innovation at UKGBC, said: "With the world facing increasing pressures, the need for new thinking and creative approaches is greater than ever. We know industry leaders want to be innovative, but that can be harder than it sounds. By demystifying the process of innovation and providing some simple steps to get started, we hope the manual will work to build the capacity of industry so that every business in the built environment can begin to reach their 'sustainable innovation potential'."
Edward Dixon, sustainability insights director at Landsec, said: "Innovation is imperative for our industry and will play a key part in the transition to a low carbon economy."