The BE-ST Fest Summit | 5 Nov

Scaling Solutions: A Viable Path to a Sustainable Future

Energy costs are rising, supply chains are under pressure and the skill shortage continues to grow, meaning the demand for solutions isn't just about climate, it’s about economic survival.

At the BE-ST Fest 2025 Summit, we tackled these challenges head on, discussing how we scale solutions with these in the backdrop - the reality of real change, the risks, trade-offs, and the strategies that actually work.

Rewatch our keynotes and panels:

Mark Farmer, Founder, Cast Consultancy

KEYNOTE
Mark discusses the skills, training, and workforce challenges facing the construction industry, with a focus on the UK and Scotland.
Key themes include:
1. Structural problems in construction workforce planning
2. The skills crisis: more about replacement than expansion
3. The need for strategic workforce planning
4. Scotland as a positive example
5. The increasing impact of AI
6. Increasing diversity in the industry

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Tara Gbolade, Director, Gbolade Design Studio

KEYNOTE
Tara Gbolade delivers a compelling talk on regenerative design, urging the built-environment sector to move beyond traditional sustainability and rethink how projects can positively impact people, place, and planet.
Key themes include:
1. Regenerative design
2. People–Place–Planet framework
3. Expanding the “Red Line”
4. Data-driven, ethical decision-making
5. Challenging clients and industry norms
6. Case studies demonstrating practical application

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Professor Sue Rigby, Professor Judith Phillips & Dr Roddy Yarr

PANEL SESSION
This session explores the challenges and opportunities in scaling sustainable, low-carbon building solutions. Their insights highlight the need for inclusive design, regional collaboration, and strategic investment to drive widespread adoption and overcome barriers in policy, cost, and infrastructure.
Key themes inlcude:
1. Scaling beyond pilots
2. Inclusive design
3. Regional collaboration
4. Policy and regulatory reform
5. Stakeholder engagement
6. Strategic infrastructure investment

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Ryan E Smith & Tyler Schmetterer, Founder, MOD X

KEYNOTE
Ryan Smith and Tyler Schmetterer of ModX share insights and lessons from the US, UK, Japan, Sweden, and Ireland. They emphasise the importance of aligned policy, innovation ecosystems, and industrial-scale production to address the housing crisis.
Key Themes:
1. US industrialised housing limitations
2. Government-industry-academia partnerships
3. Global leaders (Japan, Sweden, UK, Ireland)
4. Off-site construction enables fast, quality, sustainable housing
5. Performance-based codes and integrated manufacturing are essential
6. US can learn from global models to accelerate housing solutions

Watch