Whole Life Carbon in Practice: From Assessment to Policy

The UK built environment is responsible for around 25% of the nation’s carbon emissions, with emissions from construction materials and processes alone producing around 64 million tonnes of embodied carbon each year.

As the UK accelerates efforts to meet its net-zero commitments, attention is rapidly shifting towards Whole Life Carbon Assessments (WLCA) as a critical tool for shaping design decisions, procurement strategies and emerging policies. Yet despite this, many organisations are still navigating how WLCA can be effectively implemented in practice.

This webinar brings together industry professionals, academics, and policymakers to explore how WLCA is being applied in practice and what it means for the future of the built environment.

Through evidence-based research, real-world industry perspectives, and collaborative discussion, the session will examine the practical challenges, opportunities, and policy developments shaping whole-life carbon assessments today.

Attendees will gain insights into how organisations across the sector are approaching WLCA, what barriers remain, and how collaboration between research, industry, and policy can accelerate progress.

By joining this conversation, participants will not only deepen their understanding of WLCA but also engage with a community committed to delivering more transparent, measurable, and sustainable outcomes across the UK built environment.

Our speakers

David Hawes

Co-Founder and CEO of Net Zero International

David Hawes

Co-Founder and CEO of Net Zero International

David is the CEO and co-founder of Net Zero International, an organisation that supports businesses in accurately measuring, analysing, and reducing their carbon emissions. With a passion for enabling organisations to take meaningful climate action, David works with companies of all sizes to assess emissions across Scopes 1, 2 and 3 and develop audited Carbon Reduction Plans that support progress toward Net Zero by 2050.

David is a strong advocate for transparency and standardisation in carbon reporting, highlighting the opportunities for businesses within the low-carbon economy while emphasising the importance of robust measurement to avoid greenwashing.

Joe Jack Williams

Head of Regenerative Strategy at Bywater

Joe Jack Williams

Head of Regenerative Strategy at Bywater

Joe Jack is the Head of Regenerative Strategy at Bywater, embedding his years of cross-discipline experience directly into our projects and business. He is coordinating Bywater’s core response to the climate crisis and approach to ESG.

Prior to joining Bywater, Joe Jack was a partner at leading architectural practice Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, where he led on research and sustainability, working across projects to drive forward innovation and minimise their impacts on the planet.

He has been a key part of many pioneering sustainability initiatives, including LETI, UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard and Architects Declare, as well as working closely with industry organisations including CIBSE, RIBA, IStructE, and RICS. He recently co-edited the RIBA book, Materials: An Environmental Primer, reconnecting people with the common materials found in construction.

Dr Stephen Finnegan

Associate Professor of Sustainable Design at the University of Liverpool

Dr Stephen Finnegan

Associate Professor of Sustainable Design at the University of Liverpool

Stephen Finnegan is one of the UK’s leading experts on delivering Net Zero strategies. He graduated with a Masters degree from the University of Leeds and a PhD from the University of Liverpool. He has spent the majority of his working career in industry, having worked for the European Commission, Ricardo, Arup, KPMG and EY. He currently works as an Associate Professor of sustainable design at the University of Liverpool.