The Peoples Emergency Briefing report.

The People’s Emergency Briefing at the V&A Museum: A Call to Action for the Construction Industry

On Thursday 21 October, I attended The People’s Emergency Briefing, hosted by CIC and CIOB at the V&A Museum. The event brought together a select audience to view the hard-hitting climate change presentation delivered to government in 2025, highlighting the urgent challenges we face and the action needed to address them.
Hosted by Chris Packham, the film brought together powerful contributions from leading scientists and environmentalists, alongside familiar voices from the worlds of entertainment and business, including Jennifer Saunders and Deborah Meaden. Their combined perspectives delivered a compelling message about the climate crisis and the need for meaningful, collective action.

Bringing the Conversation Back to Construction
Following the screening, the discussion turned to issues particularly relevant to our industry, with the panel exploring topics such as reuse, retrofitting and the role of construction in reducing environmental impact.
Well, those of you who know me will not be surprised to hear that my hand went up as soon as questions from the floor were invited!
I took the opportunity to raise an important question: Why don’t we call ourselves the Institute of Deconstruction Engineers?
While we are proud to call ourselves demolition engineers, I wanted to emphasise that this does not define or limit our environmental responsibilities. Our industry has a vital role to play in supporting a more sustainable future through recycling, resource recovery and the growing opportunities to reuse materials recovered from demolition projects.
Demolition is not simply about taking buildings down. It is also about understanding the value of what remains, recovering resources and ensuring that materials can have a useful second life wherever possible. These principles must be part of the wider conversation about sustainable construction and the transition towards a more circular economy.

An Invitation to Collaborate
I welcomed the opportunity to invite the panellists to connect with us and explore how our industry's experience, knowledge and practical expertise could contribute to the climate commitments discussed during the event.
There is a real opportunity to bridge the gap between climate ambition and practical delivery. Those working in demolition and deconstruction have valuable insights to share, particularly when it comes to material recovery, reuse and reducing waste. Our industry needs to be recognised as an active contributor to the solution, rather than simply being viewed as the first stage of a construction project.

Watch This Space!
It is encouraging to report that two of the presenters have already made contact following my invitation. Discussions are now underway about the possibility of joining one of our Tuesday Forum sessions in the new year.
This is exactly the kind of engagement we need: bringing different perspectives together, sharing practical experience and ensuring that the demolition and deconstruction sector has a voice in shaping a more sustainable built environment.
The climate challenge is too important for any part of our industry to sit on the sidelines. We have knowledge, experience and solutions to contribute, and we must continue to make sure they are heard.
Howard Button IDE NCO