Our New Material Culture

There are really only 3 things we need to change in the Just Transition – stuff, systems and minds. Our second Conversation will talk about the stuff – a Conversation on how we change our material culture of construction.

Of course, most of the buildings and places of 2045 are already with us, so how will we adapt and maintain them to be carbon neutral, Just and biodiverse?

Lots of insulation for a start, but surely using carbon-capturing natural fibres rather than high-embodied carbon synthetics – but how much will we need to grow for retrofitting 300 buildings/week for 20 years? And what is that land being used for before and after? Who will do the retro-fitting and how can they be organised efficiently?

That’s a step change improvement in our building stock delivering heath and equity benefits, one that will require funding, integrated materials, skills & systems, a lot to organise but after 20 years it’s job done, we’ve made the change. How can we test and implement different approaches to varying circumstances while still achieving national equity? 

And won’t it be so much more challenging to deliver the circular economy?

How do we bring construction into a circular economy? New bio-materials of course, but how do we get new design strategies so buildings can be reused in many different ways over an infinite design life, new skills in dismantling and re-using, a network of bioregional materials hubs, changes in standards to enable re-used materials, changes in Planning and tax to promote re-use against new build and un-used buildings? What are the hidden risks? How do we increase occupancy? How do we achieve a change of culture from consumer of nature to living in balance? What is the sequence? Where do we need to invest first? Who’s voices are being heard in the decision-making – the industry of the future or the industry of today? How unpredictable is materials science and technological development?

About the event

Event Date: Friday 16th February 2024

Which bodies have a key role in leading this change through procurement, faster than regulation and tax, and able to change the market through their scale of the market – if targeted and resourced?

And let’s not forget landscape – how do we wean ourself off concrete? Will Dunbar Cement Works still be there in 2045? What does a circular material landscape look like and how do we get there?

To give us your input, ask to participate, or just for more information, please email BigConversation@seda.uk.net

Useful reading:  Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary Emergency, by Sarah Ichioka & Michael Pawlyn.

This page will be periodically updated when further information for the event becomes available.

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