2021 has been what can only be described as yet another peculiar year. Never in a million years did any of us imagine that we’d be hit by a global pandemic in our lifetime. One, which would, over the course of multiple years, bring the world to a staggered standstill. 

Despite the third national lockdown and heightened restrictions which took over the first half of 2021, we are not as close to the end of the pandemic as many of us would have hoped. 

But all is not doom and gloom. I’ve said this before andI’ll say it again, the much-fatigued subject of the pandemic is one that is also responsible for accelerated change which is very much in full motion today.  

In 2021, we witnessed a series of game changing events. The highlight of the year was the recent COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. There’s a lot of debate about the outcomes, especially within the built environment industry given that no concrete roadmaps have been defined yet.  

Personally, I was blown away by the level of awareness, enthusiasm, and intense engagement, especially when compared to the last major COP conference in 2015. Global targets hit the headlines and climate change dominated social media platforms in ways we’ve never seen before. This alone tells us that addressing climate change, one of the greatest emergencies of our time, is really starting to hit home. 

2021 was equally no exception for extreme weather events; we saw large scale wildfires in Greece, floods in Germany and Australia, extreme heat waves in Western North America. The State of the Global Climate 2021 report highlighted that the average global sea level reached a record high this year alone. The list goes on.

That is why it was incredibly encouraging to see world leaders and major organisations outline new fundamental commitments, like cutting methane emissions, ending deforestation, the goal of keeping warming to 1.5C and of course, investments in new technologies to help enable this positive change.  

Where this plays a major part in our own industry, is innovating the delivery of housing. We already know that the built environment is responsible for 36% of worldwide energy usage, and 40% of CO2 emissions. We are also acutely aware of the powerful effects this has on our daily lives.  

The construction industry in the UK has not changed in over 40 years. We need innovation and new technologies to address the environment emergency. Using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) means a significant 67% reduction in energy consumption in comparison to traditional build, with less noise and road pollution.  

According to Forbes magazine, during 2017-18, only 7.5% of homes builtin the UK were built using prefabricated or modular elements. Our European neighbours in Sweden are way ahead of the game, considering that 84% of their homes built during the same period were delivered through MMC.

The pandemic and its consequent restrictions have outlined the importance of delivering housing in controlled environments. We have fallen behind housing targets which we were already failing to hit. The dark course of COVID has and continues to outline just how important addressing the housing crisis really is, given the rise of homelessness in the past few years.

In 2021, we observed a stronger recognition of MMC. New Government frameworks begun to emerge, some of which we are proud to be involved with at Impact Modular.  

The UK Government also set out a new target in law to slash emissions by 78% by 2035, the highest reduction target made by a major economy to date. The new target became enshrined in law in June 2021, with legislation setting out the UK government’s commitments laid in Parliament. 

But reaching our climate change goals takes more than just law. If we really want to make an impact on the great emergencies of our time, we need to do so as individuals, as businesses and as a society, which brings us to the outlook for 2022. 

There is a real sense of green ambition in the air, and I suspect that in 2022, we will see this green movement thriving.

Addressing climate change will continue to progressively leak into each and every sector. As the Government is yet to respond to the targets set out at the COP26 conference, 2022 is sure to see those start to materialise, setting the nation into much-needed green action.  

We will see a perpetual rise of encouragement for green operations, from green loans for developers through to setting more sustainable standards for new build developments, be it recognising the benefits of MMC or setting criteria for carbon net zero building performance.  

Next year will bring with it reforms in the planning system. With Michael Gove taking stand as our new Housing Minister, I’m truly hoping to see his plans to revise the way much needed planning submissions are reviewed, brought to life.  

Innovation will persist in the months ahead too. We will see cross sector partnerships developing, something which is certainly on our agenda here at Impact Capital Group.  

The truth is, predicting the year ahead is always a combination of hope and encouragement. As such, it is my vision to inspire the need to address the great emergencies of our time through what we do at Impact, and to do so collaboratively, with innovation at the forefront of our activities.

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