AI, energy resilience and the future of sustainable construction take centre stage at international SEEDS Conference

These were among the key questions explored at the 2026 International SEEDS Conference, organised by Leeds Beckett University's School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing and delivered in partnership with MLA College, Loughborough University, University of Suffolk and UWE Bristol.

For over a decade, SEEDS has brought together academics, researchers, industry leaders and sustainability professionals from around the world to promote research on how to reduce negative impacts on the environment while providing for the health and wellbeing of the society.

A recurring theme throughout the conference was the growing influence of artificial intelligence. Delegates examined both the opportunities and risks associated with emerging technologies, including how AI could help organisations improve sustainability performance while raising important questions around governance, ethics and long-term societal impact.

Among the keynote speakers was Ben Richardson, Co-Founder and Chief Sustainability Officer at Zevero, whose presentation, Help or Hurt? How AI Is Reshaping Corporate Sustainability, explored the rapidly evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and environmental responsibility.

Discussions also focused on the resilience of future energy systems. Professor Faye Banks, Managing Director for UK and Ireland at Arcadis, addressed the challenge of building a reliable electricity network capable of supporting the transition to net zero while maintaining resilience in the face of increasing demand and uncertainty.

Saul Humphrey, President of the Chartered Institute of Building, outlined the sector's role in creating more sustainable places, while Don Ward, Chief Executive of the Confederation of International Building Associations, examined emerging global trends shaping built environment research.

Questions of professional responsibility and ethical leadership were also high on the agenda. Professor John Chudley, Chair of the Engineering Council, explored the importance of ethics and sustainability in engineering practice, while Alison Watson MBE, founder of Class of Your Own, highlighted the need to develop the talent and human intelligence required to deliver a sustainable future.Looking to the future of digital transformation, Professor Farzad Rahimian of Loughborough University showcased the potential of digital twins, Building Information Modelling (BIM) and blockchain technologies to transform the construction and infrastructure sectors.

The conference also provided a platform for emerging researchers to share new findings and build international collaborations.

Among those presenting was Shivani Senthilkumar, who described the event as an opportunity to "exchange ideas with researchers from different backgrounds" and receive valuable feedback on ongoing research.

Leonie Parkinson, Research and Project Coordinator at Leeds Beckett University, said:

"From artificial intelligence and energy resilience to sustainable construction and the future skills our economy will need, the issues discussed at SEEDS reflect some of society's biggest challenges.

"What makes this conference particularly valuable is its ability to bring together expertise from academia, industry and professional practice. It is through these collaborations that research can help inform real-world solutions and support progress towards a more sustainable future.

“Thank you to all of our speakers, researchers and everyone who attended.”

Founded in 2015, the SEEDS Conference has grown into an internationally recognised forum for sustainability research, knowledge exchange and innovation, supporting collaboration across disciplines and contributing to global efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

For the fifth year, a competition to inspire ideas and action from younger people was run alongside the conference. RISE for Schools 2026 asked pupils from all over the country to think about whether science and technology could help us to live more sustainably or does it make it worse? The responses, submitted in the forms of posters, included using more wind turbines and solar panels, driving low emission vehicles, using water butts to collect and reuse rainwater, more recycling bins around school and special robot bins that collect litter and separate waste and recycling.

The SEEDS Conference was organised by the following conference chairs and committee: Professor Chris Gorse and Dr Ali Saad (Loughborough University), Dr Alison Pooley and Professor Darryl Newport (University of Suffolk), Professor Colin Booth (University of the West of England, Bristol), Professor Mohammad Dastbaz (MLA College), Professor Saheed Ajayi (Leeds Beckett University), Leonie Parkinson (Leeds Beckett University), Natasha Telepneff (MLA College) and Donna Lee (Leeds Beckett University).