ARU professor to speak at COP31 climate summit
Saul Humphrey to champion sustainable construction at annual UN conference
Professor Saul Humphrey
An Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) professor is speaking at COP31, the global climate summit, where he will explain the vital role the construction industry must play in reducing carbon emissions and dealing with the challenges of climate change.
Saul Humphrey, Professor of Sustainable Construction Management at ARU and President of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the world’s largest membership body for construction management professionals, will tell delegates that “the solutions exist” when it comes to building a more sustainable future.
COP31, organised by the United Nations, takes place in Turkey from 9-20 November and more than 75 world leaders will be attending, including the UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
In his capacity as CIOB President, Professor Humphrey will chair a session at COP31 focusing on how innovations such as digital twins and material passports can transform how we use resources, offering enormous potential to reduce waste.
He will also take part in a panel discussion about the skills needed by the construction industry to adapt to a changing climate. The panel is a partnership event with the Society for the Environment (SocEnv), who Professor Humphrey will also be representing at COP31.
“The science is clear, we are already feeling the impacts of climate change, and the built environment has a crucial role to play in shaping a more sustainable future. Buildings and infrastructure are at the heart of this challenge. They account for significant emissions, yet they must also withstand the hotter, wetter and more volatile climate conditions that are our new reality.
“My message at COP31 is straightforward: the solutions exist. We know how to design lower-carbon buildings, how to adapt places to a changing climate, and increasingly how to use digital technologies to make better decisions. What remains is the challenge of implementation.
“Every building constructed today must be designed for the climate of tomorrow, with passive design, energy efficiency and overheating prevention embedded from the outset. At the same time, we cannot just build our way to net zero. Retrofitting existing buildings represents one of the greatest opportunities to reduce emissions while making homes, workplaces and public buildings more resilient.
“Construction professionals occupy a unique position between ambition and delivery. The decisions we make today will shape communities for generations. That is why COP31 must be remembered not only for the commitments made, but for the action that followed. The era of debating whether change is necessary is behind us. The time for delivering that change, at pace and at scale, is now.”
Professor Saul HumphreyProfessor Humphrey is part of ARU’s School of Engineering and the Built Environment. ARU offers accredited BSc degree courses in Construction Management at its Chelmsford campus and at ARU Peterborough.