As the UK government confirms its intent to progress with the long-debated third runway at Heathrow — including major works such as rerouting the M25 — questions are mounting over the environmental cost of growth-led infrastructure policy.
READ: Third runway at Heathrow gets government green light
Commenting on the Autumn Budget, Ruth Kerrigan, Chief Operating Officer at global climate tech firm IES, urged ministers “not to lose sight of the environment in the drive to deliver growth,” warning that the environmental performance of new infrastructure must not be an afterthought.
“Major projects like this are often seen as signals of growth,” she said. “But we must be honest about the environmental implications of decisions taken now and be responsible in the way we deliver against them.”
The built environment, she noted, already accounts for 39% of global energy-related emissions. Without stronger regulation and the integration of digital tools to track and optimise carbon performance throughout the lifecycle of projects, the UK risks “locking in avoidable environmental and financial costs for decades.”
Kerrigan highlighted how other major airport developments, including Brussels Airport, have deployed physics-based digital twins and simulation tools to model and reduce their carbon footprint — achieving verified emissions savings of up to 63% against a 2019 baseline.
“This doesn’t need to be a binary choice,” she said. “With better uptake of emerging technologies, the UK can pursue the economic benefits of major projects like Heathrow while still making meaningful progress towards its climate goals.”
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Author: Anastasiya Simsek
