UKREiiF 2025 impressions from a Smart Building's perspective
A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of representing SSE Smart Buildings at this year’s UKREiiF event, and it’s safe to say it was a very insightful few days.
It offered deep insight into the ever-changing net zero landscape, the role of digital optimisation, and the challenges that come with heat decarbonisation. The event also brought great opportunities for networking, both across the wider SSE business and with a range of external partners that are also shaping the future of sustainable infrastructure.
There were various standout sessions across the three days, one was a Marketing Manchester event, where
Andy Burnham and Bev Craig shared significant ambitions for the city’s growth and decarbonisation. Their focus on integrated planning and robust energy schemes resonated with SSE’s strategic direction, especially across Greater Manchester.
I found the technical discussions at the event to be very useful. I attended a panel on low-carbon solutions for new build properties which highlighted the constraints on grid capacity and shone a light on innovation from both developers and utilities. The Exhibition Hall provided lots of opportunities for networking and learning about new tools that could be useful for our project toolkit. These innovations align closely with our current approach to performance-based retrofit and compliance with the Building Safety Act.
Sessions like ‘Unlocking the Net Zero City’ and ‘Heat Network Zoning’ provided timely context for several of our live projects, including our work with The Crown Estate. They underlined the importance of scalable infrastructure and system-level thinking, areas where our Smart Buildings offering is increasingly positioned as a trusted delivery partner.
This year’s SSE programme was a great view into the industry as a whole and gave me lots of food for thought on net zero delivery. The relationships forged and insights gained and already proving to be impactful, and I left the event more confident than ever in the strategic relevance of what we do.
If you want to chat about our Smart Buildings offering, reach out to Oliver on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-w-jones/
