SOCOTEC's Xavier Aguiló: 'Innovation doesn't always mean creating something unprecedented'

BusinessGreen: What was your first role in the low-carbon economy and what attracted you to the sector?

Xavier Aguiló: My first role in the low-carbon economy began in 2012, when I started designing sustainable buildings. I was drawn to the sector by the chance to address the built environment's significant environmental impact through thoughtful, innovative design. I was also drawn to the challenge of creating buildings that not only served their functional purpose but also minimised their carbon footprint - a responsibility I felt was essential for our profession.

Initially, my focus was on reducing operational carbon through energy-efficient systems, passive design strategies and renewable energy integration. As the industry evolved and our understanding of carbon impacts deepened, I broadened my approach to address embodied carbon, the emissions associated with materials, construction, and the entire building lifecycle.

SOCOTEC is sponsoring the Innovation of the Year category at this year's UK Green Business Awards - what do you think are the biggest drivers of innovation in the low-carbon economy?

The drivers of innovation in the low-carbon economy are multifaceted. Policy and regulation really are the leaders here, with government intervention remaining fundamental. Climate policies, including emissions trading systems, carbon pricing and R&D subsidies, have proven particularly effective at spurring innovation. International cooperation and regulatory frameworks create the market conditions needed for low-carbon solutions to compete and scale.

The shift towards circular economy principles and material passports represents a transformative approach. By tracking materials throughout their lifecycle and designing for re-use, we fundamentally challenge the linear ‘take-make-dispose' model. This transparency enables better decision-making and accountability.

When the true carbon and resource costs of materials are reflected in pricing, this naturally drives innovation towards lower-impact alternatives. This market signal can transform industry practices more effectively than regulation alone.

Sustainable finance mechanisms are easing credit constraints and altering risk pricing, making green capital more accessible and attractive. This financial support accelerates the development and deployment of low-carbon technologies.

But, perhaps most importantly, innovation in the low-carbon economy requires a mindset shift, primarily in doing only what is absolutely necessary, prioritising quality over quantity, and designing for longevity. This ‘less, but better' philosophy, combined with material transparency and proper pricing, can catalyse the systemic transformation needed to achieve meaningful decarbonisation.

What do you think are the keys to a successful innovation project?

Often, the most impactful innovations come from doing things differently - applying existing methodologies in novel ways or adapting proven approaches to new contexts. This pragmatic view makes innovation more accessible and sustainable across projects.

Successful innovation thrives in environments that encourage experimentation and continuous improvement. By treating each project as an opportunity to innovate, we foster a culture where teams are empowered to challenge conventional approaches. This requires cross-functional collaboration, bringing together technical, commercial, and operational perspectives to ensure innovations are both technically sound and practically viable.

Align resource allocation with clear innovation goals, prioritise projects that deliver real value, and ensure teams have the support they need to execute innovative solutions effectively.

Which specific industries do you feel are blazing a trail for others to follow in terms of sustainable innovation?

Construction and real estate stand at the forefront, driven by the urgent need to address embodied and operational carbon. Projects such as ICTA-ICT in Barcelona and Castellana 69 in Madrid demonstrate how integrated design, material passports, and circular-economy principles can dramatically reduce environmental impact. The sector is increasingly adopting whole-life carbon assessments and prioritising regenerative design over merely compliant buildings.

The retrofitting of buildings is becoming increasingly important, too. In major cities, the opportunities to knock down and rebuild buildings are less so, due to the carbon impact, so instead, we look to reuse and retrofit a building to change its use. Our teams across SOCOTEC work together in order to retrofit existing buildings as sustainably as possible, all while being backed by the required engineering and compliance requirements.

Transportation networks, water management systems, and smart city developments are embedding sustainability from conception through decommissioning, recognising infrastructure's long-term environmental legacy. Energy and industrial facilities are transforming through decarbonisation strategies, renewable integration, and operational efficiency improvements.

Government policy is accelerating this shift, but industry leaders are moving beyond compliance to embrace circularity, transparency through material passports, and the principle of ‘doing only what is needed'.

Where do you see the next wave of green ideas and leaders coming from?

First, real estate and circularity are revolutionising construction through the ‘no waste' philosophy. This approach moves beyond traditional sustainability metrics to embrace circular design principles where materials retain value across multiple lifecycles, buildings become material banks, and waste is designed out of the system entirely. Material passports and circular supply chains are enabling this shift, fundamentally changing how we conceive, construct, and deconstruct buildings.

Second, the data centre sector is becoming an unexpected champion of innovation. As digital infrastructure expands exponentially, these facilities are pioneering solutions in energy efficiency, waste-heat recovery, and renewable-energy integration. Forward-thinking operators are transforming data centres from energy-intensive liabilities into assets that contribute to local energy systems, using excess heat for district heating and exploring innovative cooling technologies that minimise water consumption.

We are seeing infrastructure projects evolving toward integrated system thinking. The traditional siloed approach to water treatment, sewage management, waste processing and energy generation is giving way to interconnected networks where outputs from one system become inputs for another. This circular infrastructure model recognises that water, waste, and energy are interconnected resources requiring coordinated management.

These sectors share a common thread: they reject the linear take-make-dispose model that has driven unsustainable resource consumption. The leaders emerging from these fields understand that we cannot continue overspending our planetary resources.

What developments do you think are currently under the radar?

Global government initiatives are increasingly mandating circular economy principles, moving beyond traditional recycling towards comprehensive reuse frameworks. The United States' net zero government initiative, for instance, has launched ‘buy clean' programmes that prioritise low-carbon materials and sustainable procurement, creating substantial market signals for circular products. Similarly, the EU's forthcoming Circular Economy Act aims to double Europe's circularity rate from 12 to 24 per cent by 2030, establishing a robust single market for secondary raw materials.

What remains underappreciated is the revolutionary potential of material passports and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. These mechanisms are quietly reshaping how we value resources, shifting from traditional cost models to impact-based pricing - a transformation that will fundamentally alter industry economics.

The most under-the-radar development is perhaps the mainstreaming of sustainability within government workforces and procurement, creating unprecedented demand for circular solutions. These policy frameworks are laying the groundwork for zero-waste principles to become the norm rather than the exception, positioning forward-thinking organisations to lead this inevitable transition.

What is the biggest misconception about the low-carbon economy?

The biggest misconception about the low-carbon economy is that incremental improvements and efficiency gains alone will deliver the transformation we need. Many believe that optimising existing systems - making buildings slightly more energy-efficient or using marginally better materials - will solve the climate crisis, which is fundamentally flawed.

Another critical misconception is that climate action can succeed through isolated, localised efforts. This challenge is inherently global and demands coordinated international responses. Carbon emissions know no borders, and fragmented regional initiatives, however well-intentioned, cannot achieve the scale of impact required.

Perhaps most significantly, there's a naive belief that industries will voluntarily transform without clear economic incentives. Markets respond to financial signals, and without government intervention to reshape these signals, meaningful change remains elusive. This is where policy leadership becomes essential - governments must take courageous first steps, implementing bold measures such as comprehensive waste policy reform and mandatory water reuse programmes at national, regional, and local levels.

What advice would you give to someone looking to work in the green economy?

The distinction between 'green' and 'brown' economies is rapidly dissolving. Today, the fundamental question isn't whether to work in the green economy but rather recognising that any viable economic activity must respect environmental boundaries.

For those entering the workforce or considering a career transition, my advice is straightforward: every industry, every role, and every project must now embed environmental thinking. This isn't about choosing between traditional careers and green alternatives - it's about understanding that environmental stewardship is becoming the baseline expectation across all sectors.

Focus on developing skills that bridge technical expertise with environmental awareness. Whether you're in construction, finance, engineering, or data management, understanding how your work impacts carbon emissions, resource consumption, and waste generation is essential.

At SOCOTEC, we've observed that the most successful professionals are those who view environmental considerations not as constraints, but as drivers of innovation and opportunity. They understand that circularity, resource efficiency, and low-carbon solutions aren't niche specialisations - they're fundamental components of modern professional competence.

The future doesn't offer a choice between green and brown pathways. There is only one path forward, and it must be environmentally responsible.

What can the green economy do to better promote its successes?

The green economy must fundamentally reframe its message: sustainability is not an alternative path but the only viable future. We are currently consuming 2.5 times what the planet can regenerate annually - a debt that would bankrupt any company operating under such terms.

To effectively promote its successes, the green economy should shift from cost-centric arguments to impact-based valuations. Every action must be measured not just in financial terms but in environmental and social consequences. This requires transparent reporting of success stories that demonstrate both ecological restoration and economic viability.

However, promotion alone is insufficient. Governments must lead this transformation through bold policy interventions, such as re-defining waste management, mandating water reuse, and incentivising circular design methodologies. The private sector will only pivot when regulatory frameworks and economic incentives align.

The narrative must evolve beyond 'green versus traditional' to establish that non-sustainable practices are simply obsolete. This is about recognising that without immediate, coordinated action, the medium and long-term simply won't exist as we know them. Success stories should highlight the urgency and show the tangible benefits of early adopters who have already committed to this inevitable transition. Global alignment is essential; localised efforts alone cannot solve planetary-scale challenges.

Xavier Aguiló is director of sustainability and international managing director at SOCOTEC.

SOCOTEC is the sponsor of the Innovation of the Year award at the UK Green Business Awards 2026, which takes place on the evening of 11 June at The Brewery in London. You can reserve your place at the awards here.