The Institution of Structural Engineers The Institution of Structural Engineers
Sustainability Panel

Sustainability Panel

Tag
Author
Date published
Price

Our Sustainability Panel promotes best practice in sustainable construction.

The Panel promotes effective industry-wide initiatives on sustainable construction in conjunction with other construction sector bodies. The Panel works with the Climate Emergency Task Group to support the Institution's sustainability agenda, through the development of tools and guidance on relevant topics. Topics may include:

  • Reducing embodied carbon
  • Use of materials in a sustainable context
  • Reuse and repurposing of structures
  • Sustainability case studies
Panel structure:

The constitution of the Panel aims to reflect the diversity of the Institution's membership and to provide different perspectives.

  • Chair
  • Vice Chair
  • Up to 24 other members (including members of various grades and based in different locations)
 
Get involved:
We invite expressions of interest in Panel membership each September, contacting all members except Student Members.

Members of the Panel are expected to fully participate in supporting and driving the Panel's activities forward.

There are many ways that you can contribute to the activities of the group, and you will be expected to do some work outside the meetings, for example drafting or reviewing guidance and keeping up to date on the latest developments around the topic of sustainability.

All meetings are held on-line.

Contact the Panel if you have questions about their work.

  Contact the panel

Looking for an event or training?

Explore our range of online training, recorded lectures and up and coming events.

Read more

Featured resources and events

Guidance
<h4>International drivers of low carbon structural design</h4>

International drivers of low carbon structural design

Tom Harley-Tuffs and Jonathan Russell from the Sustainability Panel explore how government legislation and investor commitments are causing clients globally to put carbon first.

Date – 3 April 2023
Author – Tom Harley-Tuffs and Jonathan Russell
Price – £0
Training
<h4>Circular economy panel debate</h4>

Circular economy panel debate

A technical debate around practical approaches towards implementing the circular economy within structural engineering and the construction industry.

Date – 7 January 2022
Author – Laura Batty, Andrea Charlson, Penny Gowler and Charlie Wedgwood
Price – 0
Blog
<h4>Mass timber embodied carbon factors</h4>

Mass timber embodied carbon factors

Arup has conducted a review of European manufacturers’ CLT and glulam Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). The review demonstrates that the currently adopted industry average carbon factors for CLT and glulam have reduced when compared with factors from the Inventory of Carbon and Energy database (ICE database).

Date – 1 December 2021
Author – Tom Place, Clare Perkins and Lucy Caine
Price – 0
Report
<h4>Low carbon sprayed concrete</h4>

Low carbon sprayed concrete

The executive summary from a 2020 Research Award winning project.

Date – 7 February 2022
Author – Professor Chris Goodier, Professor Sergio Cavalaro, Zhi Hu, Michael Sataya, Dr Chris Peaston, Stuart Manning
Price – Free
Blog
<h4>COP26 and structural engineering</h4>

COP26 and structural engineering

Date – 15 November 2021
Author – Will Arnold, Head of Climate Action, IStructE
Training
<h4>Minimal intervention: less is more</h4>

Minimal intervention: less is more

Hear from the engineer behind the Structural Award-winning Newquay Harper Footbridge project - and get into the mindset of only doing what is necessary.

Date – 27 April 2020
Author – Tony Parasram
Price – Free
<h4>The ACORN, the SQUIRREL and the OAK</h4>

The ACORN, the SQUIRREL and the OAK

The poster of the 2021 Coolest Concrete Award winner, Robin Oval, Postdoctoral Research Associate at University of Cambridge.

Date – 7 February 2022
Author – Robin Oval
Price – Free
Guidance
<h4>Design for zero</h4>

Design for zero

This guide explains why overdesign is so prevalent, its impact on material consumption and CO2 emissions, and provides five key actions you can take now, to reduce the carbon your projects produce. 

Date – 29 October 2021
Author – J J Orr, M Cooke, T J Ibell, C Smith & N Watson
Price – £24.95
Training
brick factory

Masonry solutions for low energy buildings

Learn how to avoid unintended consequences to buildings in accordance with the 2022 changes to the Building Regulations.

Date – 26 April 2022
Author – David Boyd, Tony Hopkin and Mike Leonard
Price – £26 - £40 + VAT

Related resources and events

Course
<h4>Ground investigation and outline foundation design - November 2025</h4>

Ground investigation and outline foundation design - November 2025

This half-day in-person course provides guidance to early-career structural engineers to develop a better understanding of geotechnical engineering and use that knowledge to enhance and promote sustainable design.

Date – 12 November 2025
Location – Online
Price – £215 - £325 + VAT
Course
A bridge over a dry river bed

Net-zero structural design

This popular course offers a series of interactive sessions, supplemented by individual study. It is designed to empower participants with the skills and knowledge needed to design structures that achieve net-zero emissions.

Date – 5 November 2025
Location – Online
Price – £515 - £765 + VAT
Course
steel roof

Eurocode 3: structural steelwork design - October 2025

This course provides an introduction to structural steelwork design to Eurocode 3 for building design.

Date – 29 October 2025
Location – Online
Price – £295 - £445 + VAT
Course
<h4>Timber workshop: design through worked examples - October 2025</h4>

Timber workshop: design through worked examples - October 2025

This one-day, online advanced practical workshop teachs complex timber engineering through worked examples. It encourages problem-solving through teaching tools and group discussion.

Date – 21 October 2025
Location – Online
Price – £295 - £445 + VAT
Course
<h4>Structural engineering with bamboo</h4>

Structural engineering with bamboo

This course equips attendees with practical knowledge about structural design with bamboo stems (culms). The course considers aspects of concept design, detailed design and durability by design.

Date – 3 July 2025
Location – Online
Price – £295 - £445 + VAT
Course
A bridge over a dry river bed

Net-zero structural design - July 2025

This popular course offers a series of interactive sessions, supplemented by individual study. It is designed to empower participants with the skills and knowledge needed to design structures that achieve net-zero emissions.

Date – 2 July 2025
Location – 47-58 Bastwick St, London, EC1V 3PS
Price – £515 - £765 + VAT
Course
<h4>Adaptive reuse of existing buildings - June 2025</h4>

Adaptive reuse of existing buildings - June 2025

This practical course helps structural engineers to confidently approach a refurbishment or reuse project, looking at the initial steps to understand an existing structure, how to apply basic conservation principles and the design implications and considerations.

Date – 11 June 2025
Location – 47-58 Bastwick St, London, EC1V 3PS
Price – £295 - £445 + VAT
Course
<h4>Eurocode 5: connections and advanced topics in timber design - June 2025</h4>

Eurocode 5: connections and advanced topics in timber design - June 2025

This course introduces timber connections in detail and several other advanced topics in timber design to Eurocode 5.

Date – 10 June 2025
Location – Online
Price – £295 - £445 + VAT
Course
Amesbury School detail

Eurocode 5: the essentials of timber design - June 2025

This one-day, online course offers an introduction to timber design to Eurocode 5.

Date – 9 June 2025
Location – Online
Price – £295 - £445 + VAT

Explore our training, events and resources to support you throughout your career and membership journey.