How does the built environment create value for people, nature and climate as demands on the sector grow?
With a reputation as one of the most environmentally burdensome industries which also has a fundamental opportunity to support healthy and resilient societies, the built environment sector needs to find a way to lead the transition to a sustainable economy.
The operation, maintenance and construction of our buildings, towns and cities account for typically the largest – or among the largest – share of any country’s, and any individual's, carbon footprint and impact on natural resources; but also provide among our greatest opportunities to strengthen the resilience of our societies, maximise shared social benefit, and create safe, secure and enjoyable futures for all.
Experts agree that the sector's role in exacerbating global challenges and its potential to provide solutions to these challenges is of critical importance today. There is an urgent need to for radical change in the sector, and conversations about this seem louder today than ever.
Insights for built environment professionals
Sustainable real estate - a constellation of risks and opportunities
First published in The Lighthouse, this blog by Munish Datta
explores the constellation of risks and opportunities for
sustainable real estate.
Read the blog
Sustainable real estate - reflections and next steps
Building on the blog by Munish on the constellation of risks and opportunities in sustainable real estate, Lucy Bruzzone considers how and why stakeholders must make the transition to sustainable practices and gives recommendations for further reading
Read the blog
Collaborative leadership? It’s what a sustainable
future in the built environment sector requires.
Dr Tim Forman describes how 'shared leadership' was central to
the refurbishment of Entopia.
Read the blog
Building Entopia
Discover the story behind the world-leading sustainable retrofit of Entopia, CISL's new home in central Cambridge.
Read the case study
Education on a sustainable built environment
For over three decades, CISL has been at the forefront of sustainability education. We have a deep understanding of the changing global context and access to a wealth of world-leading research into sustainable business. Our programmes draw upon leading academics, practitioners and innovators to help inform business strategy and inspire action.
Sustainable Real Estate: Creating a Better Built Environment
For professionals who want to understand
the sustainability challenges facing the real estate sector.
Find out more
Postgraduate programme for the
built environment
Explore the importance of building
knowledge and leadership skills to drive
real change through collaboration.
Find out more
Executive Education (open application and custom)
Identify innovative and commercially compelling approaches to address sustainability challenges.
Find out more
Postgraduate student stories
"I am invigorated and stimulated by the discussions [...]. I challenge my beliefs and biases, and I am more intentional about actively listening"
Sonia Green-Browne, Principal Engineer, Graphite Engineering Ltd.
"I would be lying if I didn’t say that there
is a lot to take in on an average day! I feel like I am learning many new ideas and insights which I can reapply in my field of work."
Neiad Adams-Austin, Traffic Engineer, London Borough of Waltham Forest
"The huge merit of the part-time course structure is the opportunity to apply what we have learnt to the real world immediately after we absorbed the lectures."
Emi Sugiyama, Sustainability Consultant, PwC Japan
Sustainable built environment innovation and collaboration opportunities
For over three decades, CISL has built individual and organisational leadership capacity and capabilities and created industry-leading collaborations, to catalyse change and accelerate the path to a sustainable economy. To discuss how we can work with you to support you in your transformation, please get in touch.
Find out more about CISL Canopy and Accelerator opportunities, which foster sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship through our community of founders, startups, corporate intrapreneurs, investors and systems change experts.
Resources and research
12 October 2018
16 October 2018 – The 2018 GGP Summit, ‘From Here to 2050: taking the long-term view for innovation and transformation’ brought together over 80 Ministers, policy makers, key thinkers, and business leaders, alongside EU Commission officials and Members of the European Parliament, to take stock and discuss the opportunities, challenges and next steps to building an economy fit for the 21st century.
24 September 2018
26 September 2018 – The Green Growth Platform will host its 2018 Summit on Monday 8 October in Luxembourg ahead of the European Environment Council meeting on 9 October.
11 September 2018
12 September 2018 – Leading CEOs back calls from The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group for ambitious targets to inspire transition to a low-carbon economy.
Aiming for Zero: A growing business movement
10 September 2018
10 September 2018: Business leaders can share their insights and experience to inform policy and regulation; they can also shape public expectations on how sustainable growth can be advanced. This briefing aims to support companies to engage more meaningfully in the net zero debate.
CISL strengthens European presence with two senior appointments in Brussels
30 August 2018
31 August 2018 — As part of a move to enhance its European activities and strengthen its presence in Brussels, the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) is delighted to announce two important new appointments to its Policy team.
Energy Policy Research Group paper commissioned by CISL is published in influential academic journal
14 August 2018
14 August 2018 – Commissioned by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and first published in April 2017, the working paper on the future of the EU electricity market was published in the leading academic journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.
The drive to net zero emissions should be the next space race
8 August 2018
8 August 2018 – With a month to go to the Global Climate Action Summit, Eliot Whittington reflects on the innovation and competition that can emerge from the accelerated pursuit of a net zero emission economy.
The Climate Change Act at 10 years: Where next for UK ambition?
12 July 2018
12 July 2018 – On the ten-year anniversary of the UK Climate Change Act, The Prince of Wales's Corporate Leaders Group convened a discussion between leading UK businesses and Parliamentarians to explore setting a net zero carbon emissions target for the UK.
Resource Productivity and the Circular Economy: The opportunities for the UK economy
21 May 2018
May 2018 – This paper presents the findings of consultation with members of Business in the Community’s (BITC’s) Circular Economy Taskforce on opportunities for the UK to take a leading global role in resource productivity and to move towards a circular economy. It discusses the opportunities and challenges in accelerating the UK’s transition to a circular economy.
The IDBE Master's: Instilling a confidence for my future
30 April 2018
1 May 2018 – Gary Cass, Regional Operations Manager for Aedis Regulatory Services Ltd explains how studying the CISL’s Master of Studies in The Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment (IDBE) has catalysed his career.
