Dr Adrienn Tomor receives funding for a UCL Public Policy Collaboration project

Dr Adrienn Tomor has been awarded funding for a UCL Public Policy Collaboration project from the EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) to create a long-term sustainability network for construction. The project is partnered with Construction Leadership Forum, Historic Environment Scotland and Hutton Stone Ltd. 

The goal of the project is to establish a network and bring policy makers and stakeholders together, with direct influence on regulating, adapting and promoting long-term sustainability thinking in the construction industry. The collaboration will also support BSSC’s work as a leader in long-term sustainability thinking, including incorporating the expected life expectancy, instead of the design life into whole life thinking. 

Dr Tomor said: “This project is one of the first recent initiatives to focus on long-term sustainability in the construction industry. 

While many of our buildings and infrastructure were built hundreds of years ago, current construction - with around 60 years design life for housing and 120 for bridges - is almost temporary. We have to start thinking beyond 27 years, after the 2050 Net Zero target. Sustainability is critical for our future but can only be achieved through long-term thinking. 

The project will gather policy evidence on long-term sustainability for housing and infrastructure. We will engage with the wider construction sector and policy makers to support implementation into the industry and government strategy.