The Green Construction Board, chaired by Skanska chief executive Mike Putnam and government skills minister Nick Boles, has unveiled a new line up and fresh set of priorities.
The new GCB held its first meeting on 4 November. It acts as the “sustainability workstream” of the revamped Construction Leadership Council, which itself held its first meeting on 21 October.
The 20-strong group includes several new faces, but many are stepping in for other indivuals in the same organisation, for instance the UK Green Building Council, Laing O’Rourke and Marks & Spencer.
According to a statement, ithe GCB’s new targets are:
- Supporting action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from infrastructure, domestic (housing) and non-domestic built environment sectors, in line with the Low Carbon Routemap (reductions of greenhouse gases by 50% by 2025 and 80% by 2050) and producing an update report on progress.
- Supporting the construction sector to move towards a “circular economy” business model to improve resource efficiency and productivity.
Boles said: “The new Green Construction Board members bring together some of the best expertise in industry. The refreshed board will build on the work of the new Construction Leadership Council, delivering its sustainability agenda to help the UK achieve a more low carbon built environment.”
Putnam said: “I am looking forward to continuing in the role as the chair of the Green Construction Board and to working with a wide selection of industry leaders to deliver on our ambitious and challenging priorities. There is a clear need for leadership and action from the industry if we are to deliver a low carbon future and I believe we are well placed to do this.”
The membership includes strong representation from the public sector and client bodies, with the addition of several civil servants. With new members in italics, the membership consists of:
George Adams – director for UK energy and engineering, Spie – new appointment
Mark Bew – chair of the UK BIM Task Group
Tim Chapman – director/leader for infrastructure London Group, Arup – new appointment
Louise Clarke – group sustainability manager for Berkeley Group and chair of CIC 2050 Group – new appointment
Alan Couzens – director, Infrastructure UK, HMT
Munish Datta – head of facilities management and Plan A, M&S – new appointment
Louise Ellison – head of sustainability, Hammerson
David Hancock – head of construction, Cabinet Office – new appointment
Julie Hirigoyen – chief executive of the UK Green Building Council, new appointment (replacing former chief executive Paul King)
Peter Hunt – chief operating officer for the Lighting Industry Association, chief executive Lumicom, and vice president of LightingEurope – new appointment
Rob Lambe – managing director, Willmott Dixon Energy Services
Chris Newsome – director of asset management, Anglian Water
Rob Pearce – consultant to Haskoll Architects & Designers. Pearce, formerly head of design and architecture at M&S, has retained his seat on the GCB
David Purdy – director for Energy Efficiency Deployment Office, DECC
Mike Putnam – president and CEO of Skanska UK
Peter Schofield – director-general for neighbourhoods, DCLG
John Sinfield – managing director for Knauf Insulation Northern European and chairman of the Construction Products Association – new appointment
Lynne Sullivan – co-founding partner, SustainableBYdesign
Robin Webb – deputy director, retail, construction & rail, BIS – new appointment
Peter Williams – technical director, European hub, Laing O’Rourke – new appointment, replacing Laing O’Rourke’s Steve Wignall
