Strong engagement and open discussion defined the CIOB Midlands Half Day CPD event, Build Safe. Build Smart. Build Sustainable, which brought together practitioners from across the sector to focus on two critical challenges: strengthening building safety competence and delivering sustainability without increasing risk.

The first session, chaired by Mark Johnston, director of Cube Construction Consultants and CIOB Nottingham Hub vice chair, alongside panel members Pete Dawber, chartered building engineer and consultant; Alasdair Mealey, technical leader building safety at Laing O’Rourke; David Vanderson, architect and principal director at Weedon Architects; and Deborah Ritchie, partner at Knights, explored the difference between competence and capability.

A clear message emerged that competence is no longer a tick-box exercise. It must combine skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours, and be actively managed as a live, ongoing process. Organisations were urged to ensure individuals only take on work they are capable of delivering safely, while embedding competence into everyday business operations rather than treating it as a one-off assessment.

Leadership was highlighted as essential in setting expectations and accountability, but panellists agreed that behaviour and culture remain the most challenging aspects – particularly creating environments where people feel confident to challenge decisions, admit mistakes and learn from failure.

There was also a strong push for a more proactive approach, encouraging organisations to demonstrate capability in bids, move towards competency profiles instead of traditional CVs, and treat competence as both a compliance requirement and a strategic advantage.

Sustainability without compromising safety

The second session, chaired by Amanda Williams, CIOB head of environmental sustainability focused on how to deliver sustainability without compromising safety. She was joined by Charlie Law, sustainability director at Timber Development UK, Mark Harris from the Green Roofing Organisation, Dr Monica Mateo-Garcia from Birmingham City University, and Martin Milner of Milner Associates and a technical consultant for the Structural Timber Association.

Timber prompted significant discussion; while combustible, it was widely recognised as a well-understood material that can be used safely when properly designed and managed. Ongoing testing and improved industry knowledge are helping to build confidence, although challenges remain, particularly around insurance.

The conversation also drew on recent research highlighting the carbon benefits of timber. Studies by Arup for Defra and the Future Homes Hub point to measurable whole-life carbon (WLC) and upfront savings. For a typical family home, timber solutions can achieve up to 9.3% WLC savings and around 14.8% reductions in upfront embodied carbon, with similar trends in commercial buildings. More detailed analysis suggests that focusing on substructure, superstructure and façade elements alone can deliver carbon reductions of around 25-35% in some cases. Timber also offers the added benefit of carbon storage, with figures reaching up to 80kgCO₂/m² for housing and over 200kgCO₂/m² for certain larger-scale buildings. Comparative data indicates that timber frame construction can reduce upfront carbon by roughly 10% and whole-life carbon by a similar margin when compared to more traditional masonry approaches.

However, speakers emphasised that these benefits must be balanced with robust safety considerations. Low-carbon solutions can introduce new risks if not carefully managed, from fire hazards associated with emerging technologies to issues around moisture, overheating and maintenance. The importance of a holistic, early-stage approach was reinforced, ensuring the right expertise is involved from the outset to avoid unintended consequences. Long-term performance was another key theme, with a reminder that sustainable solutions must be supported by proper maintenance and greater understanding among end users.

Overall, the event reflected a positive shift in industry mindset, with greater openness, collaboration and willingness to share knowledge. The key message was clear: competence must be actively managed and evidenced, culture and leadership are critical to improving outcomes, and safety and sustainability must be considered together from the very beginning.

The event was sponsored by Careys.