Nottingham Trent University launches £1.5m sustainable construction and retrofit centre

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) will invest £1.5m into developing skills, research, training and consultancy to support the UK’s construction sector reach net zero.

The University will launch the Centre for Sustainable Construction and Retrofit to develop solutions, skills and support locally and nationally to enable the transition to net zero within the built environment sector.

This will take the form of new courses and skills training, socio-technical research and consultancy opportunities for business.

Led by Professor Richard Bull, deputy dean of the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, the centre will bring together a range of expertise to help the sector reach the ambitious net zero climate change targets by 2050.

Bull said: “Net zero by 2050 presents a huge challenge to the construction sector, which accounts for up to 50 per cent of carbon emissions. NTU has a well-earned reputation for sustainability in the built environment and our research in housing retrofit in particular has a strong track record. We plan to develop new ways to support industry, to help them learn the new skills needed to retrofit existing properties en masse, and create new buildings sustainably.”