A partner in law firm Thrings’ Bristol office is helping promote environmentally focused change in the South West’s booming construction sector by contributing to a guide showing how the industry can achieve a more resilient future.
Called Net Zero in the South West – Drive the Change, the publication is the latest in a series produced by Constructing Excellence South West (CESW) to highlight best practice and demonstrate the vast challenges and opportunities for the construction industry on the path to net zero in the region. 
CESW, part of the Constructing Excellence Regional Partnership (CERP), is driving the change agenda in the industry across the South West through innovation and collaboration, with its members coming from across the entire construction supply chain, including manufacturers, surveyors, architects and specialist contractors as well as law firms.
Thrings partner Natalia Sokolov, pictured, who is based in its Bristol office, is chair of the CESW’s Climate Crisis focus group, looking to address the impact of construction on the climate crisis.
She has helped oversee the creation of the guide, working with fellow CESW members to draw together expertise from across the industry.
Natalia and fellow Thrings partner Eve Laws have also produced an article for the guide focused on the key legal considerations developers and landowners should address to make their construction or real estate project a success. 
This includes areas such as early stakeholder engagement, ‘green’ leases and contracts, planning and option engagements and successfully dealing with negotiations and disputes.
Natalia said driving sustainable and focussed change in the sector should be something everyone in the industry was moving towards in order to redefine the future of mainstream construction.
“However, studies show that the transition has been slow amid multiple challenges, including high costs, skills gaps and economic and geo-political and governmental issues,” she added. 
“The South West is swiftly becoming the UK’s natural powerhouse and one of the key providers of sustainable energy in the UK and this guide is evidence change is possible at every stage of the supply chain, demonstrating some of the projects in the South West seeking to promote and spearhead the required change.
“I would very much like to thank everyone from the CESW team and our contributing members from across the South West region who have worked so brilliantly together to create this thought-provoking and impactful document.”
CESW chair and head of the Southern Construction Framework (SW), Kingsley Clarke, pictured, said climate change was an issue that affected construction just as much, if not more, than other sectors.
“We have collective responsibility as built environment professionals to ensure that sustainability is established as a pillar of practice in all areas,” he added.
“Often, and rewardingly, the buildings we help create leave lasting legacies and it is incumbent on us to ensure that the climate legacy we leave is a positive one.
“As such. it is fantastic to have seen colleagues from across Constructing Excellence’s membership coming together on this project and I want to congratulate Natalia and her team for producing this industry-leading work.”
Thrings’ construction and engineering lawyers have wide expertise in supporting clients with property portfolios, investment and transactions.
As well as Bristol, Thrings also has offices in Bath, London, Lydney, Romsey, Ross-on-Wye and Swindon.
To download a copy of the publication, click here
