There has been a fresh reminder that Construction Scotland's annual conference will take place soon - on 1st November - and that it will look at the theme, 'If carbon is the new currency, how do we value it? - Identifying a way forward for construction'.

The construction sector is being urged to come together for the inaugural Construction Scotland and BRE Scotland joint conference on 1 November at The Thistle Hotel in Glasgow.

The emergence of terms such as "Embodied carbon", "carbon footprint", "carbon trading", "carbon sequestration", "carbon accounting".........have added a layer of complexity to day-to-day business operations and procurement.

The output from these terms can be used to demonstrate compliance with carbon reduction targets, or determine the life cycle value of one contract over another.

Either way there is a financial impact across all industry sectors in the requirement to demonstrate a reduction in the carbon impact of the built environment.


The event will examine how there are many methods for calculating the financial impact of ‘managing carbon'.

These methods are implemented across the financial and construction sectors - from trading floors in stock exchanges which trade carbon as a commodity, to SMEs using freely available tools to calculate the carbon footprint of their organisation.

This one-day conference will provide insight into the complex challenges that large-scale construction companies and corporate organisations face in reducing the carbon impact of their business through construction, maintenance and operation of their estate.

A Construction Scotland statement said: "Our cross sector speakers will give their perspective on the innovative products, processes and services that they require from the construction industry to help them achieve their carbon objectives."

The delegate fee for this full day event is £50 (+VAT).

The conference will also provide exhibition space to organisations who may wish to promote their products and services to the attendees.

Chair of Construction Scotland, Archie Ferguson, said: "Legislation and the emergence of concepts such as carbon trading and accounting present a unique challenge to construction companies, in fact the need to demonstrate compliance with carbon reduction targets has been never greater.

"Bringing together some of the most influential figures in the industry, the first ever joint Construction Scotland and BRE Scotland conference will focus on the increasing importance of managing carbon to the industry and ask how we value this new currency.

"This conference is the perfect opportunity for construction businesses across Scotland to get involved and have their say in the future of one of Scotland's key industries. By sharing perspectives on the way forward we can find the right way to work together to build a brighter future for construction."

(BMcC/CD)