The Autonomy Institute
2024
India Burgess and Julian Siravo
The report titled "Laying the Groundwork: Mapping and implementing accountability tactics for transforming the built environment in Europe," published by the Autonomy Institute in collaboration with the Laudes Foundation, delves into the urgent need for accountability within the built environment sector. Authored by India Burgess and Julian Siravo, this 2024 report aims to adapt successful accountability strategies from other industries to address pressing issues of climate change and social inequality in the construction and infrastructure fields. One of the report's key contributions is the identification of three main mechanisms of accountability: transparency and disclosure, reputation and self-governance, and sanctions and incentives. It meticulously maps out 32 specific tactics within these frameworks, providing insights into their potential impact and transferability. The report emphasizes the urgency of implementing strategies such as embodied carbon legislation and stricter public procurement guidelines, which are vital for fostering accountability and driving sustainable practices. Furthermore, the authors highlight the unique characteristics of the built environment sector that complicate accountability efforts. These include the dominance of the public sector as a customer, extended project lifecycles, and the high stakes associated with construction projects. By presenting detailed analysis and case studies, the report illustrates how these accountability mechanisms can be effectively applied, while also stressing the importance of tailored approaches for capital providers who significantly influence business practices. Ultimately, this report serves as a crucial resource for organizations striving to enhance accountability and facilitate sustainable transformation within the European built environment, advocating for both regulatory measures and voluntary initiatives as complementary pathways to meaningful change.
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.