This resource is tailored to built environment practitioners, developers, architects, developers, engineers, and decision-makers involved in retrofit projects. By providing this structured tool, the map helps users think in systems and quickly identify relevant solution categories, saving valuable research time and increasing project efficiency and impact.
The Innovation Map showcases the breadth and depth of the positive, impactful work underway to make our built environment more sustainable. With innovation efforts often fragmented and knowledge siloed across the sector, the map brings these solutions together for the first time, and structures them into domains, systems, clusters and nodes so project teams can navigate logically. This enables comparability of options against the same building elements, whilst illuminating the scale of innovation and fostering collaboration to drive down emissions.
Beyond this dynamic taxonomy, the Map is action-oriented, designed for real projects not theoretical exercises. The Map includes 530+ solutions, each anchored to one of 162 end “nodes” or points of intervention. However, this is not just a directory – it’s a practical tool to encourage collaboration and accelerate adoption. It covers a range of solutions, including design and planning tools; operational energy, water and waste reduction technologies; energy generation and storage; and low embodied carbon materials.
This map is being launched for use by industry as part of a new initiative between UKGBC, Breakthrough Energy and FORE Partnership. This initiative will also see the Map applied to a live commercial retrofit project, No.1 Poultry, a landmark Grade II* listed building in the City of London.
We would like to thank members of UKGBC’s Solutions & Innovation Advisory Group who provided feedback on the map structure, all the innovators that responded to the consultation and key industry stakeholders that supported with specific sections of the map.
If you are interested in applying any of these innovative solutions to real world projects, or have any sustainability challenges of your own, UKGBC may be able to support. Please reach out to innovation@ukgbc.org to engage.
Solutions & Innovation
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