Queens University Belfast Sustainable Construction Conference
Don't Waste Buildings (DWB) was proud to be part of this year's 2026 Annual Sustainable Construction Conference at Queen's University Belfast (QUB) on 24th February, expertly organised by Nathan Campbell, Estates Manager (Sustainable Construction) at QUB, and his team.
DWB co-founder Richard Nelson and case studies workstream lead Scott Farrar joined a lineup of high-calibre speakers for a day of forward-thinking discussion under the theme: ‘Materials Matter: A Deep Dive into Material Innovation, Circularity, and Low Impact Design.’
The conference opened with warm and grounding remarks from Michael Alcorn MBE, setting the tone for a day that would prove both informative and, in many ways, transformative.
DWB case study locations
Richard and Scott joined Duncan Baker-Brown for the opening session, exploring the concept of buildings as material banks and making the case for retrofitting existing structures rather than defaulting to demolition and new build. Scott drew on highlights from more than 20 projects that DWB has toured as case studies over the past two years, offering real-world evidence of what is possible when retrofit and reuse are taken seriously.
Richard and Scott on stage
Richard, meanwhile, offered a sneak preview of findings from DWB's upcoming research paper on financial incentives for retrofit — a timely contribution given the day's recurring themes around policy and fiscal reform.
The conversation continued with Ann-Marie Fallon and Dr Fragkoulis Kanavaris, who brought innovative perspectives on Passivhaus principles and the decarbonisation of concrete, followed by Simon Bell and Heather Evans, who showcased the beauty and practical sustainability of timber in construction and shared best practices for low-impact fit-outs. Panel discussions throughout the day, enriched by contributions from Emma Houston, Dr Rory Doherty, and Emma McKenna, and expertly facilitated by Caroline Ashe Brady, kept the dialogue grounded, honest, and rich with expertise.
Speakers, left to right: Simon Bell, Heather Evans, Scott Farrar, Caroline Ashe Brady, Ann-Marie Fallon, Nathan Campbell, Sara Lynch, Richard Nelson, Emma McKenna, Dr Rory Doherty, Dr Fragkoulis Kanavaris, and Emma Houston. Missing: Duncan Baker-Brown, who delivered his session remotely.
What emerged across the day was not a rehearsal of familiar ideas, but a sharper, more urgent articulation of them. Material reuse, circularity, and low-carbon design are no longer niche concerns debated at the edges of the industry — they are rapidly becoming central to how the sector must operate. With tightening regulation, incoming Sustainability Reporting Standards, and the rising risk of stranded assets, clients and developers can no longer defer decisions about embodied carbon, retrofit, or reuse.
One of the day's clearest and most compelling calls was for bold VAT reform. The current system actively rewards new build — and its associated embodied carbon — while penalising retrofit and reuse. Evidence from elsewhere suggests that removing equivalent VAT barriers has led to a significant increase in retrofit activity and indeed positive returns to government treasuries. The message was clear: fiscal policy has the power to shift markets, and reform in this area is long overdue in the UK.
As Richard put it in his panel session’s final words: "Retrofit professionals will be the rock stars of the next decade." It was a light-hearted line, but it seemed to carry weight. The construction industry is changing rapidly, and meeting the demands of the future will require curiosity, innovation, adaptability as well as bold moves across every part of the sector.
The day was wrapped up by QUB’s Head of Sustainability, Sara Lynch, who thanked all the speakers and sponsors, and noted the need for continued stronger collaboration across policy, regulation, manufacturing, design, research, technology, insurance, and education to drive meaningful change.
Don’t Waste Buildings will continue to champion that change. Watch this space for the forthcoming publication of our financial incentives for retrofit research paper.