How can the construction industry serve the needs of a society threatened by climate change?

Construction serves the needs of society with infrastructure that provides safe and healthy places in which to live, work, learn and play, with transport that serves trade and leisure, and with industries that drive our economic prosperity. Yet in serving important societal needs, construction has also been a major contributor to the degradation of the planet’s natural resources and acceleration of climate change. These harmful impacts are now threatening human prosperity and safety. The Henderson Colloquium, organised by IABSE UK in September 2020, asked key players across multiple sectors of the construction industry this question: How can the construction industry serve the future needs of a society threatened by climate change? The discussions revealed the need for deep-seated change across all elements of the industry including our business models, our professional institutions, education, and government policy. These outcomes are being shared in this paper to stimulate thinking in a wider, international forum of construction professionals.