Constructive chaos is the likely result of adapting to zero-carbon targets, delegates told

The building professions are facing a period of unparalleled but necessary errors, the chief executive of Atkins told a plenary session of Think 08 yesterday.

鈥淲e have been planning Crossrail for 20 years, but we have to make sustainability decisions about airport and rail developments almost instantly,鈥� Keith Clarke told delegates gathered for the 鈥榋ero carbon 鈥� mapping a future and overcoming road blocks鈥� session.

鈥淲hen we look back in two years time we will realise half of the things we thought were going to be useful will turn out to have been mistakes,鈥� Clarke continued.

鈥淲e will have to innovate at a rate we have never done before.鈥�

Paul King, chief executive of the UK Green 黑洞社区 Council pointed to Barratt Homes as an example of successful risk taking.

鈥淭hey have gone out and built a prototype of a home eight years ahead of the Code," he said, referring to the housebuilder's CSH Level 6 experiment on the BRE site, Watford.

He added, 鈥淚t鈥檚 worth remembering that the Chinese symbol for crisis is the symbol for danger next to the symbol for opportunity.鈥�

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