This year’s UK Construction Week event at London ExCel provided a platform for driving change across the built environment, and Ingleton Wood's Climate Change Director, Morwenna Slade, was proud to be part of the conversation.
Morwenna joined a range of insightful seminar sessions that shone a light on the key topics shaping the future of our industry, from mental health and cultural awareness to the complex challenges of retrofitting heritage buildings. One thing was clear: our sector is evolving, but there’s still more to do.
Creating inclusive workplaces
The ‘Culture Change and Skills Hub’ was particularly busy throughout the event, drawing crowds eager to engage with the big issues.
A key theme was how far the construction industry has come in tackling the stigma around mental health, with open conversations and support becoming more commonplace, however, when it comes to neurodiversity, the journey is only just beginning.
“There’s been meaningful progress on mental health within the industry, but when it comes to neurodiversity, we’re still in the early stages", commented Morwenna. "We need a better, braver conversation, and we need to create workplaces that support everyone.”
Retrofitting heritage buildings
The event also tackled the urgent need to decarbonise our building stock, a huge opportunity, but one that presents unique challenges for heritage properties in particular.
Blenheim Palace presented their case study on the current roofing works, demonstrating how sensitive retrofit approaches can protect historic fabric while achieving sustainability targets - an area where Ingleton Wood continues to provide multidisciplinary expertise to help clients meet their goals without compromising heritage value.
Looking ahead
Morwenna commented on the importance of this year’s UK Construction Week event:
“Events like these are a timely reminder that the construction sector is more than bricks and mortar; it’s about people, progress, and purpose”.
Ingleton Wood are committed to playing our part, and we believe that diversity in thought, background, and experience makes us stronger, and we’re actively working to ensure our practices and culture contribute to the sector’s wider progress.
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