Visiting Professor Lewis Barlow: Advancing low carbon construction

Join us for a session with Lewis Barlow, recently appointed Visiting Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. In this event, Lewis will set out his vision for his three-year professorship (2025–2027), which focuses on advancing decarbonisation and sustainability in civil engineering through research, education, policy influence, and professional engagemen

This transdisciplinary event is open to colleagues from across the University. Colleagues with an interest in civil engineering, sustainable development, economics, policy, may especially be interested in this.

Lewis will reflect on his background and career to date, including his role as a senior leader at WSP, his work advising the Scottish Government on net zero infrastructure, and his international position as Trustee for Carbon and Climate at the Institution of Civil Engineers. He will outline his priorities during the professorship—shaping low-carbon research, contributing to teaching and curriculum development, strengthening knowledge transfer between academia and practice, and supporting broader citizenship activities such as ethics and sustainability education.

A key ambition of Lewis’s work at Strathclyde is to accelerate the uptake of PAS 2080: Carbon Management in Buildings and Infrastructure across the built environment sector and to help ensure that the proposed Part Z building regulations on embodied carbon are adopted and implemented. This session will be an opportunity to hear how he plans to help Strathclyde play a leading role in these national and international shifts.

The format will include a 20–30 minute presentation by Lewis, followed by a fireside chat with his sponsor, Dr Jannik Giesekam (Chancellor’s Fellow, CEE), and time for audience questions.

Lunch and networking after the event will be available for all attendees.

Lewis Barlow FICE CEng CEnv CWEM

WSP Head of Profession: Decarbonisation

With over 25 years’ experience of managing environmental risk and minimising whole life carbon, Lewis is responsible for many internationally recognised and award-winning advances in addressing the climate crisis.

As a regular guest lecturer on environmental matters and a registered tutor on whole life carbon and sustainability for the Institution of Civil Engineers, Lewis is keen to promote professional development and share carbon reduction best practice wherever possible.

Lewis is recognised internationally for his skills and experience in reducing carbon on construction projects. He and his team won the NCE100 Low Carbon Leader award for two consecutive years for their work in reducing carbon and sharing best practice across the infrastructure sector.

He is currently advising the Scottish Government on the development of new planning guidance to align with climate policy.

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