The Net Zero expert panel has been an enthusiastic forum for professionals to share insights on net zero and how climate change will affect the built environment. 

We recognise that decarbonising buildings and infrastructure needs to be combined with improving resilience and adaptation. The panel included developers, local authorities, architects, and consultants that shared perspectives on common goals. We explored two themes in more detail in dedicated working groups. 

Firstly, we reviewed the issues around improving circularity of materials in London. There is a need to increase the amount of material that can be reused in construction, but there are challenges around storage, timing and identifying suitability of materials for reuse elsewhere. This could be better coordinated by the various industry stakeholders. 

Secondly, we reviewed the capacity of local authorities to assess whole life carbon assessments in planning applications and identified the need for planners to have greater access to resources. 

Overall it has been valuable for the panel members to share knowledge and advance the case for net zero.