Since the G7 Summit took place in Cornwall earlier this month, the conversation around climate change, green infrastructure, and decarbonisation seems to have gone up a gear. Back in March the Chancellor’s budget was derided by some as lacking the financial investment for an imminent green revolution, but the renewed display of collegial global leadership at the summit has the hallmarks of a real and immediate call to action.

With the commitment of the G7 leaders to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest, an agreement on financing infrastructure projects in developing nations, and an intentional shift to renewable and sustainable technologies, now is absolutely the time for the construction and building services industry to pivot towards decarbonisation of the built environment.

The industry as a whole is straddling both the old and new worlds; the traditional services, technologies and methodologies remain most companies’ bread and butter, and yet these same companies are tasked with actually delivering those lofty goals set by the world leaders.

The greening of existing infrastructure, or if you like, the decarbonisation of the built environment (this conversation is so new that, no, there isn’t a snappier name for this yet), is set to become one of societies most pressing requirements – and the government is putting its money where its mouth is.

“We are united in our vision for a cleaner, greener world, a solution to the problems of climate change. And in those ideas, those technologies, which we’re all addressing together, I think there is the potential to generate many many millions of high wage, high skilled jobs” – Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister

Making good on the government’s eco commitment – and budget

The UK Infrastructure Bank recently opened on June 17^th, with a remit to accelerate investment in national infrastructure projects, and with the intention of unlocking more than £40 billion in funding for climate change projects and the country’s net-zero ambitions.

That money is available now, and many large-scale projects are on the horizon.  With the prospect of many millions of highly skilled and highly paid jobs such as Boris Johnson has suggested it’s hard to see how any building services or construction company could choose to turn away from the opportunity. However, a short term pivot that might be painful to achieve will ultimately lead to much greater success over the mid-longer term.

United Capital is ready to match the ambition of the government, by leveraging our group assets to win large-scale national infrastructure projects central to the country’s journey towards its net-zero goal. With our unmatched broad range of services and expertise in renewables and sustainability, we’re ready to take advantage of this huge shift in the market. Our group companies, and our £1 billion pipeline of potential acquisitions, are all striving to become both unashamedly ambitious, and synonymous with the greening of the built environment.

United Capital CEO, Graeme Carling explains;

“If you’re in the construction and building services industry and haven’t changed your business strategy to position yourselves squarely in front of these government contracts, then you haven’t been paying attention. It’s a huge shift in our industry and while it may feel like a headache, it’s also a gigantic opportunity for the companies that get it right.”