How to organise an umbrella organisation for sustainable built environment?
10 May 2010
How can all the organisations and businesses involved in creating our built environment work together to improve sustainability?SSDF would like to hear about different models for sector umbrella organisations and networks:
- How did they originate?
- How are they governed?
- How are they funded?
- How do they maintain membership and drive?
- How do they deliver actions?
- How well do they deliver?
Please join in the discussion on the forum
The SSDF has been working informally for quite a while with the Planet Group (on sustainability) of the Scottish Construction Forum (SCF). Initially this was in support of work they were doing on a sustainability strategy for the construction industry. We are now exploring ideas about enthusing and encouraging the entire built environment sector to grasp sustainability.
The built environment in Scotland accounts for around 20% of GDP and around 50% of all carbon emissions - so it has an immense part to play in achieving sustainable economic growth and in mitigating climate change.
A joint workshop was held recently by SSDF and SCF which found very strong support for the proposal to bring together the whole cycle of the built environment in Scotland to create a climate of mutual support instead of mutual blame. Stakeholders are keen to create a climate of empowerment that pushes for improvements towards sutainability instead of waiting around for someone else to request it, require it, or regulate for it.
There are, of course, many groups associated with the built environment: clients/customers developers architects designers landscape architects civil engineering consultancies building control planning authorities construction companies fitting-out companies materials suppliers facilities managers contract maintenance companies demolishers reuse/recyclers and, of course, the numerous associated NGOs and professional bodies.
Potentially this is hundreds of interested parties. Something would need to be put in place to act as a facilitator, an umbrella and a focus. This alliance/organisation/network could bring coherence, ambition, aspiration and drive to the entire sector to do better, to circumvent vested interests, to rise above supposed rivalries and competitive mistrust, and to actively develop/share learning and good practice.
There is also a need for a focus to lead the whole sector into a new sustainability future. This would benefit all the companies in terms of long-term survival and profitability. The SSDF Secretariat had already undertaken a preliminary mapping exercise to see if any such built environment organisation existed in Scotland or elsewhere - nothing was found that fitted the precise bill.
The workshop asked SSDF to do another piece of review work to identify what analogous models might already exist for similar umbrella bodies in the UK. An obvious one, for example, might be Scottish Environment Link which brings together numerous environmental NGOs on issues when they need to speak louder and more effectively with one voice.
There must be other examples which are perhaps nearer the vision for a "Scottish Sustainable Built Environment Alliance" (working title only). It would be great to find successful examples of such organisations:
how did they originate?
how are they governed?
how are they funded?
how do they maintain membership and drive?
how do they deliver actions?
how well do they deliver?
The SSDF Secretariat is hoping to complete this review within the next month or two and would greatly appreciate any ideas or contributions from the SSDF membership.
If you have any good or bad experiences, any suggestions of what to pursue and what to avoid, or maybe you know of a classic example which is flourishing, then please join in the discussion on the forum
Featured post
-
2011-12-20 14:23:42
Kelly Johnstone said:
…»
Ways to share:
