Our industry has a major role to play in the UK’s transition to a low-carbon society (Opinion February 24) and I often wonder how others view our actions here.

If you take a look at recent industry claims — 94% of steel recycled (BCSA), 88% of concrete production responsibly sourced (Concrete Centre) — it does not take much digging to see that some are potentially misleading and a lot of the time irrelevant or meaningless.

In academic circles, publication is taken seriously. A culture of peer review means credibility exists and, through the Freedom of Information Act, transparency also.

For a critical topic such as sustainable construction I believe we as an industry should adopt similar principles and eliminate the greenwash that will get us nowhere and lose the trust of our clients and society. Something for the recently formed Green Construction Board to think about?

Simon Smith
Cambridge

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