The Autonomy Institute
2024
India Burgess and Julian Siravo
The report "Laying the Groundwork" by the Autonomy Institute discusses accountability tactics for transforming the built environment in Europe. It highlights how strategies used in addressing climate change and social inequality in other sectors can be applied to this field. The authors identify three main accountability mechanisms: transparency & disclosure, reputation & self-governance, and sanctions & incentives, mapping 32 specific tactics. Key recommendations include implementing embodied carbon legislation, enhancing transparency in raw material use, and updating professional body membership requirements. The report acknowledges the unique challenges of the built environment, such as public sector dominance and extended project lifecycles, while emphasizing the need for tailored transparency tools for capital providers. It concludes that regulation is essential for driving change, but voluntary initiatives can complement regulatory efforts, ultimately guiding organizations towards increased accountability and sustainable transformation in the sector.
This report titled "Laying the Groundwork: Mapping and implementing accountability tactics for transforming the built environment in Europe" was published in 2024 by the Autonomy Institute in collaboration with Laudes Foundation. The authors are India Burgess and Julian Siravo.
Key findings and context:
- The report examines how accountability tactics used to address climate change and social inequality in other industries can be applied to the built environment sector in Europe.
- It identifies three main mechanisms of accountability:
- Transparency & disclosure
- Reputation & self-governance
- Sanctions & incentives
- The report maps out 32 specific accountability tactics across these three mechanisms and analyzes their potential transferability and impact in the built environment sector.
- Key tactics recommended for prioritization in the built environment include:
- Implementing embodied carbon legislation
- Increasing transparency around raw material use
- Updating membership requirements for professional bodies
- Providing stricter public procurement guidelines
- Creating tools to hold companies accountable to climate/social commitments
- Putting more pressure on capital providers regarding ESG requirements
- The built environment sector has unique characteristics that affect accountability efforts, including:
- Dominance of public sector as a customer
- Business-to-business focused dynamics
- Extended project lifecycles
- High stakes leading to risk aversion
- Dependency on material/market fluctuations
- The report provides detailed analysis of how each accountability mechanism could be applied in the built environment, including case studies, hypothetical scenarios, and recommendations.
- It emphasizes that while many tactics are already implemented to some degree, additional resources and coordination could help expand their scope and impact across Europe.
- The authors highlight the importance of tailoring transparency tools to capital providers, as they play a key role in shaping business practices in this sector.
- Regulation remains a crucial mechanism for driving industry change, but voluntary initiatives can also be effective precursors or complements to regulatory approaches.
The report aims to provide guidance for organizations working to increase accountability and drive sustainable transformation in the European built environment sector. It offers a comprehensive mapping of tactics and analysis of their potential effectiveness in this specific industry context.