Green technology’s role in decarbonising construction

An interview with George Dobbins, Co-Founder & Director – Technology and the Built Environment.

What is green construction technology?

In essence, green technology is anything that has a sustainability angle to it, so anything that improves the world that we live in from a sustainability point-of-view or for ESG-focused reasons.

Qflow is a good example of a technology business that supports the de-carbonisation of the construction industry. The unique technology enables businesses to make informed decisions on cost, carbon and quality, collecting real-time materials and waste data at source for construction teams. Qflow has recently received £7.2M Series A funding in a round led by climate tech VC Systemiq Capital, to help fuel its growth in the U.S. and Australia, which is a positive indication that green construction technology is being taken seriously by investors and the industry alike.

Similarly, PiLabs has recently backed Greenpass, a ClimateTech company enabling liveable cities all over the world. Greenpass facilitate ecology in cities, planting new trees and plants and incorporating greenery into the façade of old and new buildings with the ambition of making them carbon-positive.

How would you say tech and innovation play a role in the industries decarbonisation?

It goes without saying that green technology and innovation will play a huge role in de-carbonising the industry. Without innovation, construction will continue to do the same old things and nothing will change. The industry needs new products and technology, and it also requires leaders to embrace the change and pioneer green tech. In order for green technology and innovation to make an impact on the construction industry, it will require leaders to champion change and take their organisations on the change journey with them.

What role do founders play in decarbonising the built world?

Founders have a fantastic opportunity to disrupt the status-quo by shifting the focus from exclusively share price, to incorporating ESG targets. PLCs are also doing this, but Founders of new start-ups can be more agile, and can really capture the minds of the generations entering the workforce. When it comes to decision-making in those businesses, vision-setting and inspiring are vital to success. Founders have the opportunity to set the vision the entire industry should strive for in years to come.

What would you say are the biggest challenges or limitations that Founders need to overcome?

Construction is certainly transforming, but not at the same pace as other sectors. There’s many good reasons for this: low profit margins, large workforce and some traditional mindsets.

Founders should be prepared for things to move slower than perhaps they’d like, particularly when entering the sector from an alternative tech sector. I think the general trend in years to come will be that new leadership taking the reins will approach leading the industry with more of an open mind and strategic goals around sustainability will become the norm.

How can Beaumont Bailey and BETA play a role in enabling green construction technology in the future?

BETA can raise awareness for businesses that perhaps are not yet known and get them known by the right people. It can connect them with industry clients that can dramatically change the construction landscape, at speed.

Beaumont Bailey has an important role to play when it comes to leadership. Getting the right leaders into the right roles is crucial, both in ConTech businesses and within the construction industry itself. From a start-up perspective, we need to find individuals who don’t just have a good idea but can also execute the strategy behind it and rally people around it. When it comes to the construction industry, challenging the initial preconceptions people have at the initial briefing stage about the role of leadership and making sure we really push for those candidates that have more altruistic goals is essential in enabling change in our industry.

If you would like to discuss any of the topics raised in this piece or if you need support with your leadership resourcing strategy, please get in touch with George Dobbins: george.dobbins@beaumontbailey.com