As the house building industry begins to return to work, sites re-open, and companies re-examine their business strategies and models, it will become even more important to embrace new technologies and processes to ensure the restart and future development of the sector is done in a way that it can thrive long term.

The idea of a net zero carbon emissions and zero waste economy isn’t as far-fetched as some may think. The key promise of a bio-based economy is that we can grow the sources of raw materials for every day products. Industrial Biotechnology (IB) is one of the many faces of innovation in the life sciences world. IB offers sustainable, scalable solutions to the current environmental challenges facing many industries.

Over the past four months, like many people, I have experienced some of the most challenging times in my career. But while this has been devastating in so many ways for so many people, it has also created a unique opportunity to prove that rough sleeping can be ended in our cities and it is possible to create and support positive change in the lives of the people we support.

From an early age, I was always interested in the world of property and construction. I loved playing with Meccano and initially thought I would follow a career in architecture. As I moved through secondary school and studied more business-related subjects like economics, I began to envisage how my interest might take a turn into the development and property investment side.

“With so many people making the transition to working from home, there is a school of thought that the coronavirus pandemic might signal the end of office life as we know it. In reality, it’s likely to fast-forward its rebirth.”

As the construction industry begins its journey through the restart plan, we consider how lockdown has afforded us the opportunity to rebuild the future of this vital sector.

Who could ever have imagined -  pre-lockdown -  that buyers would be - virtually - queuing up to buy a new property, without having set foot inside?

Amid all the anxiety and uncertainty that is currently going on in the world, we are all craving a brighter future ahead.

Moving more to offsite construction can also deliver financial and sustainable improvements that lead to longer term inclusive growth.

The Nordic countries demonstrate a strong model for sustainable growth in the integrated processing of renewable feedstocks into a range of marketable products such as food, feed, fuel or chemicals, for example. This is known as biorefining.

As a designer of workplaces, I’m fascinated by the adaptability of millions of people around the world as they embrace the transition from office to home working, and by the growing debate as to whether or not it can, or should, be reversed when the current crisis recedes.

A recent report from property services company, CBRE showed that Grade A office supply in Glasgow has reached a ‘critically low’ level and there is little evidence of space returning to the market.

Tokenistic. Tickbox. Lip Service. These are just a few of the words that are commonly used by employees to describe how seriously their organisation takes the topic of diversity in the construction sector.

On moving to Edinburgh as a child, my first impression was that it seemed complete. It was like a drawing where all the elements and perspective fitted together perfectly. 

Scotland is proud of its rich history of intellectual and scientific accomplishments.  Once more, we find ourselves looking to innovators with entrepreneurial spirit. 

It was Barack Obama who pointed out that the challenges of the 21st century could not be met without collective action.

I’m sure visitors to the city now have the same formative view with the castle as the ­centrepiece and the logic and symmetry of the adjacent New Town.

Employee engagement is still a hot topic in 2020. As margins are squeezed and businesses look to increase their productivity, a motivated, positive workforce is a big plus.