As I speak to you, the eyes of the world have been on Glasgow for over a week. Global leaders, climate experts, and indeed many of our colleagues are gathered in Scotland for COP26. Collectively, they are attempting to agree on how we can better come together and align our efforts to fight what is the single biggest challenge our planet faces. We are acutely aware of the contributions of the built environment to the climate crisis, and so it is that architects have a crucial leadership role to play in reducing carbon emissions and global heating.
We too are playing our part. Last month we launched our Corporate Strategy for the next five years and our vision for modernising initial education and training, proposals which we believe could potentially lead to the biggest shake-up for architectural education in fifty years. You will also, I hope, be familiar with the sustainability guidelines that we published earlier in the year.
All this work points clearly to the need for architects to modernise their practice to positively affect how the built environment impacts upon the natural environment, and to show leadership for other parts of the industry.
Later this month we host the first in our new series of engagement events around our proposals for initial education and training, a series we have called Developing Competencies for Tomorrow’s Architect. Over the course of the series, we will explore key competencies that architects today feel need greater precedence for those moving through their education. The first of these fittingly takes ‘Environmental Sustainability’ as its theme, and will be led by Professor Elena Marco, Head of the Department of Architecture and the Built Environment at the University of the West of England Bristol. Register to join us in person in Bristol on Tuesday 30th November, or to watch the event online.
If we are to tackle the climate crisis, it’s going to require more than just changes in policy and regulation; it will require a total change in culture and thinking. We’ve started on that journey and we hope to see you on the road. Cycling, if possible!
Lastly, please don’t forget that our survey on CPD will close soon. You can watch a short film in which I explain our proposals, or simply read more online. The survey will close at midday on Monday 29 November.
Alan Kershaw
Chair
Architects Registration Board
