Your MP does not usually ask your opinion but election time is one of the few times he or she might turn up on your doorstep, so have your sustainability questions ready.

With talk of the general election in the air and every politician on the trail of your vote, now is the time to find out how your local MP and government officials feel about the issues that concern you.

If you read my column regularly, I hope you are concerned about sustainability. I hope you are concerned about climate change and I hope you are concerned about where building services go from here.

Will a change in government continue or increase the pace of change or, with the burgeoning national debt in mind, bring a halt to the whole thing?

During the past five years, sustainability has certainly become an issue that people care about. Before that, sustainability was desirable, but now it is essential, driven by climate change, fuel shortage, international regulation and public demand.
The size of government itself, both central and local, might be reduced very shortly. Irrespective of whether we are designers, builders or facilities managers this will affect us and we will have to change the way we do things.

But does reducing government mean cutting regulations? Maybe regulation has gone too far, but we must try to ensure that the politicians do not throw the baby out with the bath water. Parts F, G and L of the Building Regulations for example must be retained and enhanced. They promote innovation, technological advancement and long-term gain to the British economy.

We have to meet government half way, however, and consider if some regulations are a hindrance to the industry because they are too expensive. We know we have a world where we need to make much better use of natural resources and we have to drive out waste, carbon emissions and energy use.

So, take this all too brief opportunity to quiz your prospective MPs on their stance on construction issues, climate change and energy security and, hopefully, we will elect a government that will maximise the benefit to the nation and economy as a whole.

Ant Wilson is director of the Sustainable Development Group at AECOM