Construction too conservative to go green claims developer

The founder of major developer Quintain has labelled construction as too conservative to drive the sustainability agenda.

Adrian Wyatt, whose firm is behind two of the largest regeneration schemes in the UK around the new Wembley Stadium and Millennium Dome, said the industry was wary of experimenting.

In an interview with sustainability news site Zerochampion Wyatt said: "The building industry is conservative. That gets in the way of new ideas. The industry is often held back by issues such as insurance that holds it back. It’s wary of experimenting often for good reasons. The only way to do it is to do it ourselves. If I was to wait for new technologies I would be too old."

Wyatt said his firm had invested in a new material called Serrastone which takes gypsum, sand and water and turns it into stone. "It’s low energy, low carbon, non toxic and can be produced on site," he said. "I think Serrastone could be as important a material as plastic or concrete." Quitain has also formed a joint venture outfit with sustainable firm BioRegional to develop zero carbon developments in London and Brighton.

To read the full interview with Wyatt go to Zerochampion. Other content on the site this week includes a look at how environmental issues are now hitting both America and the Middle East, more reports and reaction from last week's MIPIM conference and how Bellway has cut its CO² emissions by a third.