Global Construction & Infrastructure Conference

10:30 GST

07:30 BST

Registration and virtual networking

11:10 GST

08:10 BST

Welcome remarks from RICS and the morning Conference Chair

Nicholas Maclean OBE RD FRICS, President and Chair of Governing Council, RICS

Tom Bell FRICS, Partner, Quantem Consulting

11:20 GST

08:20 BST

Opening keynote: Global construction and infrastructure – outlooks, opportunities and challenges

This keynote presentation will help you to understand the state of play for construction and infrastructure in 2026. It offers a forward-looking forecast of the key trends and developments that will need to be navigated over the next 5 years. Hear about:

• Changing markets, such as the pivot to constructing mission-critical data centre and energy assets.
• The impact of global policy and political upheaval on construction activity and sustainable development.
• Technological advances within construction, costs and productivity, and risks to sector outlook.
• How the construction and infrastructure sector can plot a path forward.
   

Speaker: Dr Nicholas Fearnley, Director and Head of Global Construction Forecasting, Oxford Economics

12:05 GST

09:05 BST

Virtual networking and exhibition break

12:15 GST

09:15 BST

Panel discussion: The infrastructure investment gap – a global overview

It’s been estimated that a minimum investment of $3.7 trillion per year is needed in infrastructure to rapidly reduce emissions, support urbanization, and strengthen the resilience of our cities. Whilst some markets are experiencing a construction boom, for others, bridging this financial shortfall will be essential to ensuring future-proofed, fit-for-purpose infrastructure. In this economics-focussed session, a panel of global experts will:

• Provide a comparative market picture of infrastructure investment and urban development.
• Discuss the emerging global markets undergoing a construction boom, where financing is currently flowing (and where it is not), and what the barriers are to unlocking capital and closing the investment gap.
• Share how cities can leverage sustainable investment opportunities and labour market factors.
• Reflect on what this all means for the sector and future developments.
   

Moderated by Karen Ching MRICS, Director – Global Client Development Programme - AtkinsRéalis

Panellists: Holly Davis MRICS, Major Projects Advisory, KPMG; Laeeq Hassan FRICS, Chair of RICS KSA Board; Steve Lewis MRICS, Partner & Hong Kong Leader - Infrastructure, Capital Projects and Construction Advisory, Ernst & Young Transactions Limited

13:00 GST

10:00 BST

Virtual networking and exhibition break

13:15 GST

10:15 BST

Panel discussion: The future workforce – addressing the labour and skills gap challenge

A shortage of labour and skills remains one of the most pressing challenges facing construction on an international level. In this session, a global panel will look at how the industry can improve career visibility for young people, build a new talent pipeline, upskill existing professionals, and take advantage of digital transformation.

• How can we improve the diversity of the profession, remove barriers to entry, and close the demographic gap?
• Where will we find talent in the future and do new pathways to entry need to be established?
• What is the story we tell about careers in construction and infrastructure and how do perspectives differ around the world?
• What opportunities lie in emerging digital technologies and new, non-traditional roles – and how can we create a resilient profession that holds the skills of the future?

Moderator: Alison Watson MBE, Founder and CEO, Class of Your Own

Panellists: Sarah Hayford, CEO, The Land Collective; Lauren Lemcke MRICS, Associate, AECOM; Dr Eugene Seah FRICS, Chief Executive Officer, DLS Consultancy Pte Ltd

14:00 GST

11:00 BST

Virtual networking and exhibition break

14:15 GST

11:15 BST

Panel discussion: Beyond net zero – regenerative design, living buildings and bio-based materials

Can the construction of new developments restore the balance between the natural and built environments and have a positive impact on the planet? This case study-oriented session will spotlight the concept of regenerative design and the innovative bio-based materials that are changing the ways we approach net zero, aiding the capture of embodied carbon, and benefiting both the environment and building users. Panellists will share exciting real-life examples and transformative learnings on:

• How regenerative design and green materials can move from an ambitious idea to common practice.
• The growing demand for mass timber construction and CLT and the ways engineered wood usage is being scaled for larger projects.
• Navigating the supply chain and cost challenges involved in procuring and using bio-based materials.
• What steps you can take to influence clients, combat hesitancy, and align longer-term benefits with investment opportunities.
   

Moderator: Dr Tim Forman, Associate Teaching Professor, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Panellists: Joe Giddings, European Networks Lead, Built by Nature; Juliana Renn, Head of Sustainability, HLM Architects; Elina Kalliala, Global Sustainability Director, Transport, Ramboll

15:00 GST

12:00 BST

Virtual networking and exhibition break

15:15 GST

12:15 BST

07:15 EST

Panel discussion: Circular construction and supply chain challenges – recycling, urban mining and challenging demolition

Circular economy concepts continue to grow in popularity as a sustainable solution to supply chain disruption and resource scarcity. Developers are establishing ambitious ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ goals whilst some major cities are setting deadlines for achieving full circularity. Join our expert global panel for a look at the latest approaches within circular construction and procurement, their challenges and benefits, and what action needs to be taken for long term, systemic change. They’ll consider:

• Designing for disassembly and reuse: How can the default of demolition and disposal be challenged and what opportunities does the end of a building’s life hold.
• Comparative global attitudes: What barriers and regulations might affect scaled rollouts of reuse and what lessons can be taken from existing circular initiatives.
• Innovations in recycling and reuse: Which digital tools can be utilised in identifying, sourcing, costing, and maximising opportunities for reuse.
• Urban mining: How can we unlock the resources that are held within our cities to create a further source of recovery and reuse.
   

Moderated by Aythan Lewes MRICS, Director, EALA Impacts CIC

Panellists: Dr. Ali Al Jassim, President of Circular Cities Network and Chairman of The Society of Sustainability & Green Materials; Jelle Buikema, Project Manager, C-Creators; Carolina Montano Owen, Technical Lead of Sustainable Buildings, WorldGBC; Debbie Ward, Director - Reuse & Circular Economy, The Alliance for Sustainable Building Products

16:00 GST

13:00 BST

08:00 EST

Virtual networking, exhibition break and Americas’ region registration

16:30 GST

13:30 BST

08:30 EST

Welcome remarks from afternoon Conference Chair

Michael Hardman MRICS, Vice President, Turner and Townsend and Chair of the RICS Americas World Regional Board

16:45 GST

13:45 BST

08:45 EST

Spotlight session: The future of smart buildings and infrastructure – digital twins and building connectivity

Join this session for an engaging look at how digital twins and IoT technologies can be applied to optimise building design, enhance management and operation and create smart ecosystems. 

• What are the implications of smart buildings for the built environment and sustainability, and how can they reduce costs, waste and carbon emissions, and benefit users?
• What is the potential for scaling up digital twins across major infrastructure and transport systems?
• How can the technology support decision-making and investments – and what challenges do they pose around data transparency and trust?
• What lessons can be taken from real life usage cases and success stories.

Speaker: Dr Bola Abisogun OBE FRICS, Founder & CEO, AI-QS and Founder & President, Digital Twin Skills Academy CIC; Mark Coates, Vice President of Infrastructure Policy Advancement, Bentley Systems

17:20 GST

14:20 BST

09:20 EST

Virtual networking and exhibition break

17:30 GST

14:30 BST

09:30 EST

Panel discussion: The energy transition – geothermal infrastructure and heat networks

Could unlocking the untapped potential of geothermal power hold the answer to decarbonising global electricity and heat systems? Geothermal resources are available everywhere in the world and could pose a sustainable and controllable source of power for commercial, industrial and urban networks - yet despite growing interest and investment, usage levels remain comparably low. In this enlightening panel discussion, you’ll hear:

• Why geothermal energy has historically lagged behind other renewables in much of the world, and what role new infrastructure might play in the next step of the ongoing energy transition.
• How geothermal technologies can be scaled up, and what opportunities or blueprints for the future lie in established supply chains, existing expertise, and waste heat.
• Diverse case examples of domestic heat networks, data centre plants, successful collaboration and the repurposing of fossil fuel sites.
• What debates and barriers are impacting the growth of geothermal networks in new markets, including cost, labour, and concerns around environmental impact and site longevity.
   

Moderated by Roger Esson MRICS, Regional Market Director - North, RICS

Panellists: Dr Charlotte Adams, CEO, National Geothermal Centre; Dr Will Pettitt, Global Lead, Geothermal, Baker Hughes

15:15 BST

10:15 EST

Virtual networking and exhibition break

15:25 BST

10:25 EST

Spotlight session: Putting AI into practice – compliance, value and application

As the usage of AI within construction becomes more widely adopted and integrated into processes, AI literacy is an important skill that can help futureproof the profession, enhance decision-making and data management, and allow companies of all sizes to gain a competitive advantage. Join this enlightening session for a look at how to implement AI tools in practice and make the most of what this rapidly changing technology has to offer: 

• Navigating regulations: Advice on how to comply with professional, national and international AI rules and standards to ensure correct usage and ethical innovation.
• Challenges and constraints: Managing client expectations around AI efficiencies, tackling trust around data, the importance of avoiding a ‘race to the bottom’ and ensuring the AI adds positive value to individuals, partners and the profession.
• Practical tips and demos: A show-and-tell of uses and tools that can be taken away and applied to your practice today.
• Practice cases: Hear real-life examples of how AI tools have been integrated into project and building lifecycles.
   

James Garner FRICS, Head of AI and Data, Gleeds

16:05 BST

11:05 EST

Virtual networking and exhibition break

16:15 BST

11:15 EST

Closing keynote: Combatting the sustainability slowdown – accelerating carbon measurement, resilient infrastructure and green development

The RICS 2025 Sustainability Report revealed a lessened demand for sustainable buildings, a lack of progress in carbon measurement and a widening gap between climate commitments and practice. This presentation offers a forward-looking perspective on why we are seeing a slowdown, the blocks to sustainable investment and how the industry can act to promote decarbonisation, encourage the adoption of sustainable processes and accelerate green transformation, including:

• Policy and regulations: Green legislation reform and the importance of green building certification.  
• Green finance and investment: The appetite for green financing and borrowing, and how the industry can demonstrate long-term economic benefits to clients and investors.
• Resilient infrastructure: Tapping into adaptation finance, ESG goals and structuring projects that attract investment.
• Skills and knowledge gaps: How the can sector build more capacity for sustainability work and embed approaches into professional practice.
• Action: Ideas for high-level activities to speed up the sustainable transformation of the construction industry.

Speaker: Mina Hasman, Sustainability Director & Climate Action Lead, SOM

16:50 BST

11:50 EST

Conference closing remarks

17:00 BST

12:00 EST

End of conference