The Build Better Now events programme follows daily themes of the official COP26 Presidency Programme with a focus on the Built Environment. Featuring speakers from across the global industry with a range of expertise, the programme promises to be an inspiring way to engage with the solutions our buildings can provide.
Build Better Now events are free and open to a global audience. Please note that the time of all of the events is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Explore the official Build Better Now programme for COP26 below. For even more ways to engage, you can view a detailed schedule of events led by our partners below. Together, these programmes offer a rich selection of content covering the official COP26 themes and shine the spotlight on sustainability in the built environment.
All of the events will be available on demand within around 24 hours, simply fill in the registration form to access the recording.
Events have been carefully programmed in collaboration with WorldGBC and partners representing the United Nations (UN) to avoid content clashes with the official programme. No events are scheduled for Cities, Regions & Built Environment Day on 11th November. On this day, we will be sharing links to view events live-streamed from COP26 in Glasgow.
For even more ways to engage, you can view a detailed schedule of events led by our partners below.
Partner Events
Watch now. Webinar series: Building Natural Connections – driving change across the built environment with a focus on people, nature and climate (CISL)
The series – hosted by Make Architects’ Future Spaces Foundation, in collaboration with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership – features diverse perspectives from business, policy, finance, academia and civil society. With an audience of investors, developers, asset managers and policymakers, the talks will trigger fresh thinking around how the built environment can deliver a resilient and prosperous future for all.
This series concluded on 13th October. All events are available to watch again online at your convenience.
Tuesday 12th October, 8.30am - Energy in Property: key features and issues in renewable or low carbon energy in property (Pinsent Masons)
Exploring the various ways in which the real estate sector can acquire low carbon or renewable energy, generated on or off site for their properties. Covering on site renewables, Power Purchase Agreements and heat networks, looking at the advantages and challenges and at the relevant regulatory background.
Tuesday 12th October, 11am - Sustainable outcomes for the construction industry (The NBS)
In the second episode of the NBS sustainability mini-series, Paul Swaddle, Head of Technical Solutions, will discuss sustainability goals and quality specification in the face of the climate emergency.
The webinar will aim to explain key concepts and look at projects working towards positive outcomes in construction and operation.
Tuesday 19th October, 8.30am - Net Zero Real Estate - The role of planning, property investment, and management and construction (Pinsent Masons)
Issues arising in property consenting, construction, and property investment and management in the transition to Net Zero, interactions between them, how changing commercial and regulatory landscapes will drive outcomes for real estate developers, owners and investors and what issues/opportunities there are for real estate actors in the transition.
Tuesday 19th October, 11am - Marketing masterclass: Sustainable marketing (The NBS)
In episode three of the NBS sustainability mini-series, Lee Jones, Head of Manufacturer Solutions at NBS, discusses sustainable marketing. Whether you’re working for an architectural practice, engineering firm, or product manufacturer, we all have a role to play. But how do you raise awareness and proactively promote your sustainability activities and credentials?
Tuesday 19th, Wednesday 20th & Thursday 21st October, 8.30am - Glasgow's Retrofit Conference (Low Carbon Homes)
Low Carbon Home’s retrofit conference for Glasgow will draw on the soon-to-be-published city-region retrofit feasibility study which considers how best to improve 428,000 homes across the region. Low Carbon Homes’ second event hosted by Glasgow City Council will help foster increased collaboration between government, industry and training providers to help Glasgow realise its ambition to become the UK’s first carbon-neutral city.
Thursday 21st October, 8.15am - COP26 Academy Conference (Ashurst)
The COP26 Global Climate Conference is fast approaching. If you haven’t had time to read the latest IPCC report, join us to discover the latest from scientists leading the research.
Anna-Marie Slot, Ashurst Global Sustainability/ESG Partner, is delighted to host a discussion with Sir David King, Founder of the Cambridge Centre for Climate Repair and Head of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group and Professor Nerilie Abram of ANU Research School of Earth Sciences.
We invite you to join in our conversation as we delve into the science of Climate Change and why the journey to net zero and net negative is so important for business.
Thursday 21st October, 9.15am - COP Gloucestershire (Active Building Centre)
Ahead of COP26 in Glasgow, ABC is hosting a COP fringe event in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. We will discuss issues ranging from leadership on the green agenda, the role of the public sector in reaching net zero, to the need for green skills, and how the UK’s construction industry needs to adapt or wither.
Find out how ABC has helped deliver more affordable and environmentally friendly homes & developments, as well as hearing from guests such as, Ecotricity’s Dale Vince and Robert Llewellyn from Fullycharged.
Tuesday 26th October, 11am - Delivering a sustainable water cycle (The NBS)
Episode four of the NBS sustainability mini-series looks at water, and how the climate emergency requires a better understanding of water sustainability and flood mitigation. Paul Swaddle, Head of Technical Solutions at NBS will consider water usage at global, national, and local scales.
Wednesday 27th October, 12pm - Built by Nature Launch (Laudes Foundation)
Please join us for the virtual launch of Built by Nature, a new industry transformation network and accelerator fund with a vision for our built environment to work in unison with nature.
Funded by Laudes Foundation, Built by Nature’s mission is to accelerate the timber building transformation – radically reducing embodied carbon in construction; safely storing carbon in our buildings for generations; and sequestering carbon by championing forest stewardship and regeneration.
Thursday 28th and Friday 29th October, 10am-6pm - Built Environment Summit (RIBA and Architects Declare)
The Built Environment Summit is a global event taking place on 28-29 October following the publication of the Built for the Environment report and ahead of COP26 in Glasgow, which starts on 1 November.
Today 38% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to the built environment. The summit is a call to action, bringing together professionals from across the international built environment sector to address the urgent need to drive changes in behaviour to reduce carbon emissions.
Monday 1st - Thursday 11th November 2021 - COP26 Buildings Pavilion (GlobalABC)
The COP26 Buildings Pavilion Programme is a 2-week, packed programme featuring frontrunner companies, countries, cities, networks, and many more on their joint vision from the the Building to COP26 Coalition ‘united towards a zero-emission and efficient and cities for everyone, everywhere.’
Note that this pavilion is in the Blue Zone and can be found in hall 4 (main space) and hall 5 (theatre) – further details on the website.
Thursday 4th November 2021, 10am - From wheels to meals: a city's food footprint (ReLondon)
45% of damaging greenhouse gas emissions come from the global management of land and the production of goods and food, and these emissions need to be tackled in a way that requires a transformational change in how we make, consume and dispose of ‘stuff’ – they require a global shift to a circular economy.
This event will launch a ground-breaking report by ReLondon and Circle Economy which details the flows of food in and out of London, using a methodology which all cities could use for a variety of material streams. This material flow analysis highlights waste and carbon ‘hot spots’ around the city, providing the data needed to target tangible action on carbon emissions in London.
Thursday 4th November 2021, 11am - Heat innovation for a cooler tomorrow (Mitsubishi Electric)
An opportunity to hear from leading innovative solutions from Scotland to decarbonise heat. Find out about some of our world leading technologies. See how we are using innovative sources to deploy zero carbon heat. Hear the latest information on how Scotland will tackle public sector buildings and join the discussion.
Thursday 4th November 2021, 5.30-8pm - UKGBC – Scotland launch, Glasgow (UKGBC)
Join us in Glasgow Thursday 4th November for UKGBC – Scotland’s first launch event. You can expect to hear from UKGBC CEO Julie Hirigoyen and other local speakers. The event will include informal networking and refreshments and snacks will be provided.
Monday 8th November 2021, 7-9pm - UKGBC – Scotland launch, Edinburgh (UKGBC)
Join us in Edinburgh at 7pm on Monday 8th November for UKGBC – Scotland’s second launch event. Taking place in member Bennetts Associates’ pop-up exhibition SpACE, you can expect to hear from our hosts as well as Julie Hirigoyen and other local speakers. The event will include informal networking, and refreshments and snacks will be provided.
Monday 8th November 2021, 6pm - The Race to Net Zero: Why We Need to Plan the World We Need (IStructE)
This face to face and webcasted event will show how planners and planning system across the world are tackling climate change and working to achieve net zero.
Monday 8th, Tuesday 9th, Wednesday 10th & Thursday 11th November 2021, 5-7pm - Open House Cocktails (JLL)
Join us at our Glasgow office on St Vincent Street for open house cocktails and networking between Monday-Thursday during the second week of COP.
Wednesday 10th November 2021, 5.30pm - 4-5 Lochside Avenue Talk & Tour (Troup Bywaters + Anders)
With a focus on Sustainable refurbishment towards net zero carbon.
Key elements of the presentation (6:15pm) followed by study tour will include:
- Reuse of existing building rather than demolition supporting a “RetroFirst” approach
- Best practice features in terms of ‘Wellness’ agenda
- All electric zero fossil fuels building meeting objectives for “zero direct emissions” buildings
- Achieving UK Green Building Council 2025-2030 interim targets for operational energy use
Thursday 11th November, 8:30am - How do we kick start the renovation revolution? (Rockwool)
We can’t tackle climate change without tackling buildings. Governments recognise that action is needed and COVID-recovery funds are set to stimulate this, but how can we deliver wide-scale retrofitting well? This event presents solutions, drawing on research with UK, US and EU financiers and policy-makers as well as fresh consumer polling.
Thursday 11th November, 10am-6pm - Onyx Building Open House (Troup Bywaters + Anders)
Join us for topical discussions, refreshments and a series of brief presentations every hour. Please book a timeslot from 10am -6pm to suit your schedule via the ‘Select a Time’ button.
Topics will include:
- Net Zero Targets to adopt for building projects
- Approved methodologies for assessing embodied carbon in the built environment sector
- Refurbishment and repurposing of existing building stock as a Net Zero strategy
- Proposed changes to Energy Performance standards within the Building Regulations – Scotland + England.
Thursday 11th November 2021, 6.30pm - Sustainability in the Built Environment (IStructE)
The Institution of Structural Engineers invites you to an open panel discussion on sustainability in the built environment, ongoing activities across the industry, and the impact of this year’s COP26 conference.
Tuesday 23rd - Friday 26th November 2021 - International Conference on Advancing Net Zero 2021
Themed “Decarbonising High-rise, High-density, Sub-tropical Cities”, the Conference aims to enhance the knowledge of Hong Kong’s building and construction professionals, as well as those from other parts of the world, on the latest concepts, trends, strategies and technical solutions to decarbonise and advance towards a net zero and sustainable built environment in a high-rise, high-density, sub-tropical city context.
Thursday 25th November and Thursday 2nd December, 2pm - UK Passivhaus Conference: Delivering Net Zero through Passivhaus
Join us this winter for the 2021 UK Passivhaus Conference, dedicated to exploring the latest best practice & delving into cutting edge research developments. After exploring the bigger picture of the climate emergency in Glasgow, we shall be driving down into the technical & practical aspects of putting net-zero pledges into action.
Technical Delivery Partner
Communications Delivery Partner
