Tackling climate change is the biggest environmental challenge that we face today. The built environment is a major contributor through the carbon emissions from both construction and use. For new buildings the majority of lifetime carbon emissions will be directly attributable to materials, construction and maintenance. Reducing carbon emissions through better building design, low carbon material choices, resource efficiency and circular economic strategies is therefore no longer optional but essential, and with the right advice economically achievable. Simon, recently appointed Special Advisor to the Environmental Audit Select Committee, will share his expertise providing an overview of the ‘Climate crisis and why a low-carbon future matters’.