Constructive Voices: Recent Episodes
Peter Finn, Henry McDonald, Steve Randall, Jackie De Burca
The Constructive Voices Podcast is all about inspiring change within the construction industry. Television builder, Peter Finn, is our man on the ground who injects his decades of construction experience with his unique sense of humour into the topics he covers. Then we have the gritty, investigative journalist, Henry McDonald, who spent over 25 years writing for The Guardian Newspaper in the UK. These days he does podcasts for us and the Sunday Times and is a freelance journalist for a number of top publications. Behind the scenes, we have Jackie De Burca, who is a creative director, author, media consultant, podcast creator and presenter. We focus on finding great stories within the construction industry about organisations and people who are doing something constructive. Topics include but are not limited to inclusivity, mental and physical health, investigating organisations that are ahead of the pack when it comes to sustainability, collaboration and team building, and initiatives that do social good. We also have our eyes and ears alert for cutting edge technologies and new updates on the industry’s economy and outlook.
In this episode of Constructive Voices, we dive deep into the world of resilient design and urban planning with Lisa Lattu, a pioneering "plangineer" who blends the best of civil engineering and urban planning to create sustainable, disaster-resistant communities. Hosted by Jackie De Burca, the conversation explores the critical importance of resilient infrastructure, particularly in cities prone to natural disasters like hurricanes, and addresses the challenges of maintaining and upgrading ageing infrastructure to meet current and future needs.
Lisa shares her extensive experience working with Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc., highlighting the innovative strategies and technologies her company employs to improve urban resilience. She discusses the complexities of designing infrastructure that can withstand both anticipated natural disasters and unexpected events, emphasising the interconnectedness of systems such as water, power, and mobility. Through real-world examples, including ongoing projects on the Texas Gulf Coast and in Houston, Lisa illustrates how comprehensive planning and community involvement can enhance disaster preparedness and recovery efforts.
Listeners will gain insight into the evolving field of resilient urban design, from data modelling and planning for multiple future scenarios to leveraging both new and time-tested techniques, such as rainwater harvesting and flexible infrastructure use. Lisa also touches on the critical role of community engagement, coordinated efforts between government and private sectors, and the importance of funding and policy in driving sustainable development. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of urban planning, sustainability, and the ways communities can adapt and thrive in the face of growing environmental challenges.
About Lisa LattuLisa Lattu, PE, AICP, Associate, Senior Project Manager
Master in Urban Planning, Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University
Lisa Lattu has over 27 years of experience in strategic and resilient long-range infrastructure engineering and planning. She has served in public and private roles throughout Texas, leading groundwater reduction and conservation, surface water operational system modelling and analysis, and utility operations.
This rich experience has developed a unique and valuable knowledge of state and local infrastructure requirements through experience in municipal street and roadway improvement projects, water/wastewater designs, utilities coordination and relocations, hydraulic modelling, and master planning.
Lisa is an experienced leader from small teams of 5-10 engineers to direct responsibility operations, maintenance, and capital improvements for a 200 million gallon per day water purification facility for the City of Houston.
Lisa specialises in water and wastewater master planning and impact fee projects including hydraulic modelling, water supply and contract negotiations, stakeholder coordination, project financing, policymaking, and water purification plant management and administration including federal/state disaster response and recovery (Hurricanes Ike and Harvey and COVID-19).
Her background also includes serving as an alternate for a Texas Water Development Board Regional Water Planning Group and a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Bay and Basin Stakeholders Committee, as well as work for Davenport, Iowa, and Boston, Massachusetts.
Lisa is active in the American Water Works Association and the American Planning Association in committee work and opening organisational doors.
Certifications / Licenses
Professional Engineer, Texas
American Institute of Certified Planners
Affiliations
American Water Works Association (AWWA)
Water Environment Association of Texas (WEAT)
Texas Water Conservation Association (TWCA)
American Planning Association (APA)
Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston
About Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN)Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) is a full-service civil engineering firm founded in 1935. With more than 350 employees across 16 offices in the United States, LAN offers comprehensive planning, engineering, programme management, construction management, and inspection services.
Halls BayouThe firm’s expertise spans various sectors, including transportation, transit, facilities, water, wastewater, stormwater management, drainage, education, right-of-way, healthcare, and ports and marine.
Consistently ranked among the top engineering companies in the country, LAN has pioneered resilient and sustainable civil engineering solutions to shape evolving communities for nearly 90 years.
Recognising the increasing challenges posed by climate change, urbanisation, and ageing infrastructure, LAN has developed a strong focus on resilience in its projects. This approach ensures that the infrastructure designed and managed by LAN not only withstands short-term emergencies but also adapts to evolving conditions in the long term.
As municipalities deal with population growth, climate change, rising sea levels, and supply chain stress, having sustainable infrastructure is necessary. LAN is committed to implementing resilience measures now to enable communities to meet current and future challenges.
LAN’s project portfolio highlights its diverse capabilities across different markets. In the stormwater and drainage sector, key projects include the nine-time award-winning Exploration Green Detention Facility in Clear Lake, Texas, and the $400 million Halls Bayou Flood Mitigation Project in Houston, Texas. Additionally, LAN implements advanced modelling services, such as the 2-Dimensional Hydrodynamic and Sediment Transport Modelling Project for the Harris County Flood Control District, enhancing flood mitigation and stormwater management strategies.
Lebow CreekIn the transportation and transit sector, LAN has provided design and project management services for significant projects like the TxDOT MoPAc Diverging Diamond Interchange Expansion, the first of its kind in Austin, Texas, and the VTA/BART Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension near San Jose, California.
These projects emphasise LAN’s commitment to improving public transit infrastructure and accessibility, fostering sustainable urban transportation solutions.
108-inch Northeast Transmission Line, Contract 99C-1 – City of HoustonLAN has a long history of programme management and engineering expertise for large-diameter water conveyance projects, including serving as the Programme Manager for the $660 million City of Houston’s Programme Manager for the Surface Water Transmission Programme for 30+ years.
Another notable project in this category is the 72-Inch Raw Water Main Design for the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department in Miami, Florida, showcasing LAN’s proficiency in managing complex water transmission projects essential for urban development and water infrastructure resilience.
In the wastewater market, LAN’s project portfolio includes the award-winning Conroe Central Wastewater Treatment Plant and the $225 million Nueces River Authority Petronila Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in South Texas. These projects illustrate LAN’s expertise in designing and managing wastewater treatment facilities that support sustainable growth and environmental stewardship.
Through its wide-ranging and geographically varied project experience, LAN continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing public infrastructure and fostering community resilience nationwide.
Under 5 Minutes ListenNewsflash: Wetlands Restoration & Recording Breaking TemperaturesMossy Earth and their local partners have restored a 40 hectare meadow wetland!In cooperation with their local partners, the BROZ Nature Conservation Association, who were also partners on the Flooded Forest project, they have flooded another wetland along the Danube! This time the project focused on a different type of wetland habitat – wet meadows – that have become a rare sight in these lowlands.
Not long ago, wetlands were such an integral part of life in the Danube lowlands that locals would use over 20 expressions to describe the different types of wetland habitats!
Over the course of the 20th century, much of the area got drained to make space for agriculture and the extent of wetlands shrank to a fraction of their former size. So when an opportunity came up to support the restoration of this rare wetland type, they were all in!
The newly restored wetland is fed by the Ciliz Brook, a 33.5 kilometre waterline that once connected to the Danube River. The brook itself used to lack water on most of its course because a number of drainage channels were built on its course.
Thanks to a series of interventions done by BROZ Nature Conservation Association since 2016, which included the reconstruction of several poorly built drainage channels, water has returned to the brook in its full length.
Until now, the brook had a dead end in which the water would accumulate and spill over into another drainage channel. They decided to harness the potential of this water and create another ending to the brook – a 400 metre channel.
Now the water, that would otherwise be lost from the landscape, feeds a 40 hectare disused field over-ridden with invasive plants. Over time as the new water-logged conditions push back the invasives, a wet sedge meadow will form here, providing much needed refuge for species such as the endemic Pannonian root vole, newts and amphibians and migratory bird species.
The last “dig” as they opened the new outflow was a moment of celebration and the story even made it to the national news! And now it is also featured on the Constructive Voices Newsflash.
Photos and words from original post by Mossy Earth
Record Breaking TemperaturesOne of the world’s top female sustainability influencers, who was a Constructive Voices’ guest and Round Table collaborator, shared this on LinkedIn.
Roberta Boscolo wrote that:
A shocking 15 national heat records have been shattered in just the first half of 2024. According to climate historian Maximiliano Herrera, this year has been unprecedented in the number of temperature records broken globally, with 130 monthly national temperature records and tens of thousands of local highs from the Arctic to the South Pacific.
From February to July 2024, extreme heat events have reached levels previously unimaginable. While last year’s heat was exacerbated by El Niño, the current wave of records persists even as the phenomenon fades, highlighting the relentless impact of man-made global heating. The fiercest temperatures have struck the tropics, with Egypt hitting 50.9°C, Chad tying its record at 48°C, and Ghana setting a new high of 44.6°C.
The relentless heat is not just breaking records—it’s breaking the very resilience of ecosystems and communities. the World Meteorological Organization warns, these trends show no sign of slowing. Without urgent action to curb greenhouse gas emissions, new extremes will continue to emerge, with devastating consequences for life on Earth. This is a call to action. The time to act is now.
Original post from Roberta Boscolo
In this newsflash, 5-minute episode, you will learn about why scientists are warning that the Pantanal, often described as a "paradise on Earth," could be irreversibly damaged by the Hidrovia project. The delicate balance that sustains this unique ecosystem is already under pressure from climate change, deforestation, and other human activities.
Learn about how one of our longterm collaborators is once again on one of the UK's most important award lists.
Want to be featured regularly, check this out: https://constructive-voices.com/action-leaders/
Alexandra Steed Podcast: Part 3The ground-breaking author, Alexandra Steed, talks to Jackie De Burca in a series of four podcast episodes that delve deeply into her brilliant book. She has also generously agreed to give away 10 copies of her book. Be sure to enter below.Listen to Part 1 on this page and Part 2 here.In Part 3, host, Jackie De Burca, and guest Alexandra Stead, a landscape architect and urban designer, discuss Part Three of Stead’s book, which examines historical city locations, streetscapes, peri-urban landscapes, and case studies from England.
Stead explains the concept of landscape, highlighting its multifaceted definitions and the design principles essential for protecting and restoring the planet. She emphasises the importance of integrating nature into urban environments and using natural processes in design to create sustainable cities. Stead and Jackie also discuss the consequences of urban development that disregards natural processes, using London’s historical development as an example.
The episode explores innovative approaches like rethinking streetscapes and designing with nature in mind, citing successful projects in Vancouver and the concept of sponge cities in China. The discussion extends to peri-urban landscapes, the ecological footprint, and the necessity of shifting from exploitation to preservation and stewardship of natural resources.
In the latter part of the episode, Stead talks about the crucial roles of soil, water, and air in sustaining life and the benefits of regenerative agriculture and sustainable practices. She concludes by advocating for a holistic approach to design that considers the needs of the entire community of life, not just humans, and emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living beings in creating a sustainable future.
Joanne Proft, Associate Director, Community Planning | Campus + Community Planning at The University of British Columbia said:
“Alexandra Steed offers a compelling, well-researched and passionate argument for securing a future for life on earth – by making a fundamental shift in our relationship to nature, from a selfie-oriented portrait perspective to a more all-encompassing landscape perspective.”
About Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future:Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future is a ground-breaking work authored by a renowned landscape architect. It challenges us to fundamentally alter our relationship with the natural world, presenting a holistic approach to healing the earth by addressing both symptoms and underlying causes of environmental degradation.
Using the metaphor of a narrow, self-focused portrait versus a wide-angle landscape view, the book sheds light on the profound impact of our limited perspective. It offers practical strategies for policymakers, activists, and individuals to protect and restore landscapes, emphasising collaboration and long-term stewardship.
This thought-provoking book inspires readers to re-evaluate their connection with nature and engage in the movement towards a more sustainable future, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of our place in the world and how we can inhabit it with integrity.
Click through to buy the book on Amazon.About Alexandra SteedAlexandra Steed, a passionate landscape architect and Fellow of the Landscape Institute (FLI) and the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), has a profound commitment to art, sustainability, and the transformative power of landscapes.
In 2013, she founded the London-based studio URBAN with the goal of bringing joy to people’s daily lives through landscape design that enhances beauty and fosters well-being. Steed actively advises and serves on expert panels for organisations such as the Design Council UK and the UK Government’s Office for Place.
As a lecturer at The Bartlett, UCL, she shares her knowledge and volunteers her time to support community place-making visions. Steed’s exceptional contributions to landscape architecture have garnered prestigious awards, including the WAFX Award for innovative global solutions and the LI Award for Excellence in Tackling Climate Change.
Additionally, she was shortlisted for the Sir David Attenborough Award, highlighting her dedication to preserving and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystems. She is the author of the ground-breaking book “Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future.”
In this short 17 minute episode, you will discover how this visual biodiversity net gain tool can help you do your BNG calculations and planning efficiently. Tune into Panu Pasanen as he talks to Jackie De Burca, about this BNG tool which enables you to work without an ecologist for some phases of your BNG work.
About Panu PasanenPanu Pasanen is the CEO and sole founder of One Click LCA, the world’s leading software platform for life-cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental product declaration (EPD) in construction & manufacturing.
He is an LCA, embodied carbon, and life-cycle costing (LCC) expert and entrepreneur, with a specialisation in the use of LCA and LCC for green building systems globally (primarily across Europe, North America, and Asia). Panu is a life-long advocate for the decarbonisation of the built environment.
He is driven to scale carbon performance optimisation with easy, automated, and affordable LCA. He is focused on developing One Click LCA to be the most user-friendly, automated, and robust LCA and LCC software platform on the market.
In addition to embodied carbon, LCA, and LCC, he works on Green Building credits for BREEAM, LEED, DGNB, CEEQUAL, and Energie-Carbone, among other things. He also collaborates with government bodies and large corporations to draft regulations and policies to achieve cost-effective and durable carbon reduction. He is also interested in sustainability metrics and standards — as well as sustainability software innovation.
Learn more about Panu’s work with One Click LCA here: www.oneclicklca.co
About One Click LCA:One Click LCA is a Helsinki-based tech company decarbonising construction and manufacturing with world-leading, easy-to-use, and automated life-cycle assessment (LCA) to calculate and reduce the environmental impacts of building, infrastructure, and renovation projects — as well as construction and other manufactured products. It also enables manufacturers to generate and publish third-party verified EPDs, and allows assessment of circularity, life-cycle cost, and soon also biodiversity.
One Click LCA is used in +170 countries. Its decarbonisation platform includes a unique global database with +200,000 LCA datasets, and it supports +80 standards and certifications, including LEED, BREEAM, GRESB and other national regulations. One Click LCA was founded in Finland in 2001, and has a team of +200 people on all continents.
The ground-breaking author, Alexandra Steed, talks to Jackie De Burca in a series of four podcast episodes that delve deeply into her brilliant book. She has also generously agreed to give away 10 copies of her book. The first episode offers great insights into the concepts you will discover in this book. The author explains some of the core principles that are featured. De Burca speaks to her in detail about Part 1 of Portrait to Landscape-A Landscape Strategy To Reframe Our Future.
There is a wealth to learn and discuss about this ground-breaking book. So every podcast episode explores one of the four parts of this trailblazing publication.
Joanne Proft, Associate Director, Community Planning | Campus + Community Planning at The University of British Columbia, said:
“Alexandra Steed offers a compelling, well-researched and passionate argument for securing a future for life on earth – by making a fundamental shift in our relationship to nature, from a selfie-oriented portrait perspective to a more all-encompassing landscape perspective.”
About Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future:Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future is a ground-breaking work authored by a renowned landscape architect. It challenges us to fundamentally alter our relationship with the natural world, presenting a holistic approach to healing the earth by addressing both symptoms and underlying causes of environmental degradation.
Using the metaphor of a narrow, self-focused portrait versus a wide-angle landscape view, the book sheds light on the profound impact of our limited perspective. It offers practical strategies for policymakers, activists, and individuals to protect and restore landscapes, emphasising collaboration and long-term stewardship.
This thought-provoking book inspires readers to re-evaluate their connection with nature and engage in the movement towards a more sustainable future, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of our place in the world and how we can inhabit it with integrity.
Click through to buy the book on Amazon.About Alexandra SteedAlexandra Steed, a passionate landscape architect and Fellow of the Landscape Institute (FLI) and the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), has a profound commitment to art, sustainability, and the transformative power of landscapes.
In 2013, she founded the London-based studio URBAN with the goal of bringing joy to people’s daily lives through landscape design that enhances beauty and fosters well-being. Steed actively advises and serves on expert panels for organisations such as the Design Council UK and the UK Government’s Office for Place.
As a lecturer at The Bartlett, UCL, she shares her knowledge and volunteers her time to support community place-making visions. Steed’s exceptional contributions to landscape architecture have garnered prestigious awards, including the WAFX Award for innovative global solutions and the LI Award for Excellence in Tackling Climate Change.
Additionally, she was shortlisted for the Sir David Attenborough Award, highlighting her dedication to preserving and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystems. She is the author of the ground-breaking book “Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future.”
The ground-breaking author, Alexandra Steed, talks to Jackie De Burca in a series of four podcast episodes that delve deeply into her brilliant book. She has also generously agreed to give away 10 copies of her book. The first episode offers great insights into the concepts you will discover in this book. The author explains some of the core principles that are featured. De Burca speaks to her in detail about Part 1 of Portrait to Landscape-A Landscape Strategy To Reframe Our Future.
There is a wealth to learn and discuss about this ground-breaking book. So every podcast episode explores one of the four parts of this trailblazing publication.
Joanne Proft, Associate Director, Community Planning | Campus + Community Planning at The University of British Columbia, said:
“Alexandra Steed offers a compelling, well-researched and passionate argument for securing a future for life on earth – by making a fundamental shift in our relationship to nature, from a selfie-oriented portrait perspective to a more all-encompassing landscape perspective.”
About Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future:Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future is a ground-breaking work authored by a renowned landscape architect. It challenges us to fundamentally alter our relationship with the natural world, presenting a holistic approach to healing the earth by addressing both symptoms and underlying causes of environmental degradation.
Using the metaphor of a narrow, self-focused portrait versus a wide-angle landscape view, the book sheds light on the profound impact of our limited perspective. It offers practical strategies for policymakers, activists, and individuals to protect and restore landscapes, emphasising collaboration and long-term stewardship.
This thought-provoking book inspires readers to re-evaluate their connection with nature and engage in the movement towards a more sustainable future, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of our place in the world and how we can inhabit it with integrity.
Click through to buy the book on Amazon.About Alexandra SteedAlexandra Steed, a passionate landscape architect and Fellow of the Landscape Institute (FLI) and the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), has a profound commitment to art, sustainability, and the transformative power of landscapes.
In 2013, she founded the London-based studio URBAN with the goal of bringing joy to people’s daily lives through landscape design that enhances beauty and fosters well-being. Steed actively advises and serves on expert panels for organisations such as the Design Council UK and the UK Government’s Office for Place.
As a lecturer at The Bartlett, UCL, she shares her knowledge and volunteers her time to support community place-making visions. Steed’s exceptional contributions to landscape architecture have garnered prestigious awards, including the WAFX Award for innovative global solutions and the LI Award for Excellence in Tackling Climate Change.
Additionally, she was shortlisted for the Sir David Attenborough Award, highlighting her dedication to preserving and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystems. She is the author of the ground-breaking book “Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future.”
In this enlightening episode of the Constructive Voices Podcast, Jackie De Burca talks to Dr. Ciaran Byrne, the Director of National Retrofit in Ireland. He offers invaluable insights into the country’s experience to date and the future of retrofitting in Ireland.About Dr Ciaran ByrneDr. Ciaran Byrne is currently the Director of the National Retrofit Directorate in Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). In this position, his key priority is to build the National Retrofit Directorate within SEAI and design the business and financial model capable of mobilising the effective delivery of over 60,000 BER B2 retrofits per annum from 2026 onwards towards 2030.
This is to ensure Ireland’s 2030 targets for CO2 emission reduction from the domestic residential sector can be achieved.These targets will be achieved through a network of ‘One Stop Shops’, creating a national demand for retrofit amongst homeowners, through marketing, addressing operational bottlenecks, developing smart finance options and raising awareness of the multiple benefits of undertaking a retrofit.
In addition, Dr. Byrne is responsible for scaling several other SEAI programmes including the individual energy grant scheme, the fully funded Warmer Homes grant scheme and the Solar PV scheme to ensure they all contribute, at scale, to Ireland’s CO2 emission reduction targets.
Another priority is activating Sustainable Energy Communities, SEAI’s education and outreach programme and the wider supply chain to build awareness of retrofit and ensure appropriately skilled labour is available to deliver Ireland’s retrofit ambition.
Prior to joining the SEAI, Ciaran held CEO roles in two other Irish State Agencies between 2008 and 2020. Ciaran is a qualified management accountant and served his time working in industry, where he gained a deep understanding of business, and the importance of cost controls and focusing on core strategic objectives.
Ciaran is a Chartered Director and was admitted into the Institute of Directors in 2017, and he has completed a master’s degree in business studies at University College Cork. Ciaran has a degree and Ph.D. in science from Trinity College and has authored several peer reviewed scientific publications.
About the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (S.E.A.I.):SEAI is Ireland’s national sustainable energy authority. The national organisation works with households, businesses, communities and the government to create a cleaner energy future.
Click through to read more about the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (S.E.A.I)
Welcome to another episode of Constructive Voices! Today, we have an exciting guest with us, Panu Pasanen, the CEO and founder of One Click LCA. Panu is the brilliant mind and driving force behind this innovative lifecycle assessment and environmental product declaration software.
Used in 170+ countries, this is a tool that can help you fast track built environment sustainability.About Panu PasanenPanu Pasanen is the CEO and sole founder of One Click LCA, the world’s leading software platform for life-cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental product declaration (EPD) in construction & manufacturing.
He is an LCA, embodied carbon, and life-cycle costing (LCC) expert and entrepreneur, with a specialisation in the use of LCA and LCC for green building systems globally (primarily across Europe, North America, and Asia). Panu is a life-long advocate for the decarbonisation of the built environment.
He is driven to scale carbon performance optimisation with easy, automated, and affordable LCA. He is focused on developing One Click LCA to be the most user-friendly, automated, and robust LCA and LCC software platform on the market.
In addition to embodied carbon, LCA, and LCC, he works on Green Building credits for BREEAM, LEED, DGNB, CEEQUAL, and Energie-Carbone, among other things. He also collaborates with government bodies and large corporations to draft regulations and policies to achieve cost-effective and durable carbon reduction. He is also interested in sustainability metrics and standards — as well as sustainability software innovation.
Learn more about Panu’s work with One Click LCA here: www.oneclicklca.co
Some Episode HighlightsPanu’s Background and JourneyJackie De Burca: Panu, let’s start by giving our audience a bit of background on you. I noticed you worked at Vodafone before setting up One Click LCA, and you speak seven different languages. How has this diverse experience influenced your career and your brain?
Panu Pasanen: Absolutely. I’m a software engineer by education. During my studies, I began learning languages like French and German. Living abroad for about a decade, I picked up several languages, which was both challenging and enriching. Working in various software companies and the telecom industry, I realised my passion lay in contributing to environmental sustainability, which led me to start One Click LCA in 2010.
Transition to One Click LCAJackie De Burca: That’s fascinating. You mentioned a shift from telecom to environmental sustainability. How did you make that transition?
Panu Pasanen: While working in telecom, I always had a side business focused on sustainability. In 2010, I decided to make it my full-time profession. I wanted to create a global impact, and targeting a broad market rather than just Finland seemed the right path.
Understanding Embodied and Operational CarbonJackie De Burca: Let’s dive into some foundational concepts. What are the differences between embodied and operational carbon in construction, and why is reducing embodied carbon crucial?
Panu Pasanen: Embodied carbon comes from the production, transport, and installation of building materials, like cement and steel, which are highly energy-intensive. Operational carbon, on the other hand, is related to the building’s energy consumption over its lifetime. Reducing embodied carbon is vital because it’s front-loaded—meaning it’s incurred before the building is even occupied. Effective lifecycle assessments (LCA) help us measure and reduce these emissions comprehensively.
Role of Lifecycle AssessmentsJackie De Burca: How do lifecycle assessments play a role in identifying and reducing embodied carbon emissions?
Panu Pasanen: LCAs measure environmental impacts over a building’s entire lifecycle, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal. By using One Click LCA, we automate this process, integrating cost plans and building information models to accurately calculate and reduce embodied carbon, ensuring compliance with various standards.
Growth and Global Reach of One Click LCAJackie De Burca: Since founding One Click LCA in 2010, the company has grown tremendously and is now used in around 70 countries. Can you share the journey and its capabilities?
Panu Pasanen: Sure. From the beginning, we aimed for automation and multi-standard compliance. It took about seven years to cover Europe, and by 2019, we expanded significantly in North America. Continuous improvement, expanding to new geographies, and addressing broader sustainability concerns have been key to our growth.
The Role of AI in SustainabilityJackie De Burca: AI is a big part of your platform. How does it enhance One Click LCA’s capabilities?
Panu Pasanen: AI helps save time and improve accuracy. For instance, in the UK, AI reduced the number of unrecognised data entries by a factor of 10. AI also ensures quality assurance, catching human errors before they impact our clients.
Impact of Early LCA AdoptionJackie De Burca: How can early adoption of LCA in the construction process reduce carbon emissions?
Panu Pasanen: Early adoption allows for innovative designs like slim floors, reducing concrete usage, and planning for low-carbon materials. This proactive approach can lead to significant cost savings and carbon reductions, sometimes by up to 40%.
Strategic Investments and Their ImpactJackie De Burca: In November last year, you secured a €40 million investment. What does this mean for One Click LCA and its impact on climate change and biodiversity?
Panu Pasanen: This investment allows us to enhance our enterprise capabilities, ensuring high-quality, reliable data for our customers, and supporting their most complex and demanding projects.
Acquisition of BuildrzJackie De Burca You recently acquired Buildrz, a generative AI platform. How will this acquisition enhance your services?
Panu Pasanen: Builders enables us to generate thousands of design iterations quickly, optimising for sustainability and other factors. This rapid iteration helps find the best solutions efficiently, enhancing both environmental and financial performance.
Current Legislation and Its ImpactJackie De Burca What are the key legislative developments globally that are setting strong requirements for the construction industry?
Panu Pasanen: The European Union’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive mandates embodied carbon criteria for construction permits by 2026, and the incorporation of carbon data into CE marking. These regulations are game-changers, setting a standard for other regions to follow.
Addressing Industry ChallengesJackie De Burca How can the construction industry overcome challenges like insufficient environmental data and limited investor awareness?
Panu Pasanen: Standardising data collection and promoting transparency are crucial. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are essential as they provide verified, reliable data, reducing the risk of greenwashing and enhancing trust.
Future Collaborations and Biodiversity Net Gain ToolJackie De Burca Finally, you’ve launched a Biodiversity Net Gain Tool and are offering an online course. Can you give us a brief introduction?
Panu Pasanen: Our Biodiversity Net Gain Tool helps developers in England meet new requirements to enhance local biodiversity by 10%. It allows them to explore various design options to achieve this goal efficiently. We’ll discuss this in more detail in a future episode.
About One Click LCA:One Click LCA is a Helsinki-based tech company decarbonising construction and manufacturing with world-leading, easy-to-use, and automated life-cycle assessment (LCA) to calculate and reduce the environmental impacts of building, infrastructure, and renovation projects — as well as construction and other manufactured products. It also enables manufacturers to generate and publish third-party verified EPDs, and allows assessment of circularity, life-cycle cost, and soon also biodiversity.
One Click LCA is used in +170 countries. Its decarbonisation platform includes a unique global database with +200,000 LCA datasets, and it supports +80 standards and certifications, including LEED, BREEAM, GRESB and other national regulations. One Cli
In under half an hour, learn how you and your colleagues can reduce plastic consumption in the construction industry. Jackie De Burca speaks to Neal Maxwell, a highly successful construction company owner who sold his business to allow him to focus on showing others how to reduce plastic use. His story was originally featured in one of the world's top newspapers: The Guardian, by Henry McDonald. Henry then brought the story to Constructive Voices.
Discover how Maxwell's organisation, Changing Streams, has developed over the last few years to bring valuable resources to the built environment. Benefit from the research work it has done in partnership with the University of Liverpool, and use this within your own company.
Did you know that construction stands as the second-largest consumer of plastic globally, accounting for approximately 20% of total production, which reached 460 million metric tonnes in 2019 and is increasing exponentially year on year?
About Changing StreamsChanging Streams CIC is a partnership with the University of Liverpool, dedicated to assisting the construction industry in reducing its plastic footprint. This initiative is particularly crucial, considering that after the packaging sector, construction stands as the second-largest consumer of plastic globally, accounting for approximately 20% of total production, which reached 460 million metric tonnes in 2019 and is increasing exponentially year on year.
Changing Streams has recently relaunched their membership model, which now offers even more benefits for those operating within the built environment. Their revamped community boasts a range of new features, including an innovative app-based forum designed to facilitate discussions and idea-sharing among industry experts and academics. They have also created a repository of useful information and research.
Changing Streams' ultimate goal is to foster collaboration across all levels of the construction sector, driving progress through collective insight and action. They believe that by breaking down silos and offering access to a community of like-minded individuals, we can make the sector more sustainable for everyone involved.
Website: https://www.changingstreams.org/
In the first of a new series of short but insightful conversations with construction industry thought leaders, Steve Randall is joined by René Morkos of Alice Technologies.
Are you ready to explore the cutting edge of construction technology? René shares his remarkable journey, from hands-on construction projects around the world to pioneering AI applications in the industry.
Learn how AI is not just changing, but revolutionising the way we plan, simulate, and execute construction projects.
Find out how René's work is paving the way for a more efficient and cost-effective future, and why this might just be the most exciting time in construction history.
Listen and build your knowledge on the AI revolution in construction!
--
Building Conversations is a Retuned Media production for Constructive-Voices. © 2024 Retuned Media Ltd.
Building Better Cities: A Journey Through Urban DesignHost: Jackie De Burca
Guest: Dr. Julian Bolleter, Co-Director of the Australian Urban Design Research Centre
Below are a few of his books and you can check out Dr. Julian Bolleter on Amazon.
Introduction:
- Jackie De Burca welcomes Dr. Julian Bolleter, an influential figure in landscape architecture and urban design.
- Julian shares his personal connection to the environment rooted in his childhood.
Main Themes:
- Urban Development Challenges: Julian discusses his research in Dubai on the city’s rapid construction, environmental impact, and labor practices.
- Climate Performance and Policy: Insight into Julian’s collaboration with state government to enhance climate performance and urban policy.
-
Educational Contributions: Julian’s role in academia through teaching and writing, nurturing the next generation of urban designers. Research Highlights:
-
New City Development and Urban Infill: Julian’s exploration into how new urban spaces are created and existing ones are optimized.
- Public Open Space Design: The significance of designing accessible and functional public spaces for communities.
- Critical Examination of Urban Growth: Analysis of historical and contemporary urban growth strategies in Australia through Julian’s publications.
Books Discussed:
- “The Ghost Cities of Australia”: A critique of past settlement strategies.
- “Scavenging the Suburbs”: Potential for densification and repurposing of underutilized urban spaces in Perth.
- “Take Me to the River”: The importance of the Swan River to Perth’s ecological and cultural landscape.
Environmental Concerns:
- Human impact on wetlands and river areas.
- Consequences of climate change like sea level rise and intense storms.
- Balancing urban densification with biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Innovative Proposals:
- Low-rise apartments near large parks as a sustainable development model.
- Investing tax revenue in park improvements and environmental initiatives.
- The concept of “solastalgia” and reclaiming urban land by nature.
Cultural Perspectives:
- Examining the relationship between Australians and their indigenous landscapes.
- Addressing cultural shifts in colonial and post-colonial contexts.
Urban and Suburban Synergy:
- Embracing the greenness of suburbia and the energy of urban life.
- Excitement for population decentralisation and the creation of new city developments.
Concerns and Advocacy:
- Warning against an overreliance on quantitative data in an AI-centric world.
- Advocating for housing affordability that includes all living costs.
- The necessity of considering individual needs in urban planning. About Dr. Julian BolleterDr Julian Bolleter is the co-director of the Australian Urban Design Research Centre (AUDRC) at the University of Western Australia. His role at the AUDRC includes teaching a master’s program in urban design and conducting urban design related research and design projects.
Julian is an experienced landscape architect and urban designer and has worked in design offices in Australia, the USA, the UK and the Middle East. He has completed a PhD concerning Dubai’s urban development (which will be published by Routledge in 2018) and has commercially published 6 books.
Welcome to Constructive Voices. In Episode 1 of Season Three, we explore the urgent shift within the construction industry towards more sustainable practices, particularly in the face of the UK government’s net-zero targets.
The construction industry is seeking environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional cement due to its significant carbon footprint, with the UK government setting net zero targets for the sector. A promising innovation in this field is Cemfree by DB Group, a binder made from waste material through alkali activation, offering an 85% reduction in carbon emissions compared to conventional cement. Jackie De Burca investigates Cemfree with Tony Sheridan.
About Tony SheridanTony Sheridan is Group Commercial Manager at DB Group (DBG), the pioneering leaders behind Cemfree, an alternative to traditional cement that offers the construction industry unprecedented savings of up to 85% in carbon emissions.
Tony has over 20 years of construction industry experience and has spent the majority of that in management roles within the ready-mix concrete industry. He has remained dedicated to furthering his own knowledge of the industry as well as others, with a degree in civil engineering before completing a further MBA in 2010.
Tony remains committed to influencing the industry to work towards a more sustainable future, and through his leadership of the commercial function of all divisions at DBG, he is championing sustainable practices every day in the role.
This episode features Yaron Dycian, co-founder of WINT, who discusses the integration of AI in water management to combat water scarcity and climate change.
WINT employs AI algorithms to monitor water flow patterns in buildings, identifying anomalies that indicate leaks or damage, which can result in substantial water savings and reduced carbon footprints.
The system is designed to alert staff to these issues promptly, which is crucial given that about 25% of water in buildings is wasted, contributing to significant carbon emissions and financial losses, such as the $100,000 annual waste at the Empire State Building.
Dycian highlights that water damage is now the leading cause of insurance claims, surpassing fire damage, prompting initiatives like the UK’s Joint Code of Practice to enforce Water Leak Mitigation Systems.
WINT not only helps in achieving sustainability by reducing water waste and carbon emissions but also offers financial benefits by saving money for its customers. The technology, adaptable to various environments, including construction sites, uses AI to predict potential leaks, although it does not ensure a 100% success rate.
The podcast also discusses the cost-effectiveness of implementing WINT, with initial prices ranging from hundreds to thousands of pounds and ongoing fees in the tens per month per system. WINT has a presence in multiple countries and is effective in preventing leaks on construction sites, despite the inherent limitations of AI technologies, which can sometimes produce inaccurate results or “hallucinations.”
Overall, WINT is posited as an essential and increasingly standard component in building design, likened to elevators and sprinkler systems, for creating water-sustainable buildings. The adoption of WINT across various projects exemplifies its utility in real-world applications, and the conversation underscores the potential of AI in revolutionising water management in the construction and building management industries.
Yaron Dycian, Chief Product and Strategy Officer, WINT Water IntelligenceMr. Dycian has over 30 years’ of experience in building innovative products that disrupted various markets in companies ranging from early stage startups to Fortune 50 corporations.
Before joining WINT Yaron ran IBM’s cyber-theft defense portfolio following its successful acquisition of Trusteer, one of the first anti-malware companies.
Yaron also held executive positions at RSA Security where he ran the software authentication and credit card fraud prevention portfolios; at Consumer Physics, inventor of the world’s first micro spectrometer broadly used for digital agriculture applications; Lannet, inventor of the Ethernet Switch; Wavion, creator of the world’s first MIMO-based Wi-Fi access point, and Mercado Software, an e-commerce startup.
Before that, Mr Dycian served in the Israeli air force working on cutting edge military R&D applications.
Mr. Dycian is a graduate of the IDF’s elite Talpiot program and holds a BsC in Math and Physics from the Hebrew university, a Masters in Electro-optical engineering from Tel Aviv University, and an MBA from Tel Aviv university’s Recanati Executive MBA program.
Yaron is an avid road and mountain cyclist. He also loves skiing and hiking, especially in remote locations such as the Himalayas.
“I never really saw engineering as the career for me and it wasn’t really pushed. When I was studying subjects like art, science, maths, those subjects were always my passion from school all the way up to college. But I was always looking at different career pathways like medicine, going into maths, or even going into marketing and media. And it wasn’t until I did lots of different work experience placements, that I realized that engineering really was the career for me.”
This intriguing quote above is from this episode’s guest, Melissa Ahmed, who is talking to Emma Nicholson as part of the series Focus on Female Engineers. Melissa Ahmed is the Managing Director at Techwuman Ltd.
“Our company’s mission is to empower women in engineering to improve gender parity in the industry. So having such a passionate engineer and myself looking around and understanding that there are a lack of females in the engineering industry, but also other STEM based careers as well.
This is a way to be able to promote STEM, but also to work on the engineering projects and continue to continue the career I love”
About Melissa AhmedMelissa is a design engineer, entrepreneur and ambassador. She is passionate about being a role model, not just for engineers, but for young entrepreneurs, females from ethnic minorities and the next generation; showing that engineering can be a viable career choice for all.
At the age of 27, Melissa has achieved Chartered engineer status (IMechE), is a certified SolidWorks professional member, a SolidWorks Champion programme, a STEM & female role model, an advocate for women in engineering and is a successful entrepreneur, running her own engineering consultancy, Techwuman Ltd.
About Emma NicholsonEmma is an award-winning Chartered Construction Manager and Chartered Environmentalist and has been a previous Board Trustee with the Women’s Engineering Society.
She is a Principal Sustainability Project Manager with a multi-disciplinary national UK consultancy with 25 years built environment industry experience.
She is also Chair of the EDI Specialist Interest Group for the Women’s Engineering Society and is an EDI Advisory Group member of the Chartered Institute of Building.
Emma founded the international LinkedIn Group, Women in Sustainable Construction and Property and has been Chair of the UNA-UK Harrogate Group since 2022.
“I grew up seeing my Dad as my role model. And he is a civil engineer. So I saw him working with interesting tools and software. I remember he had this huge table with massive white papers. It had scribbles of buildings all over it, and a ruler that was taller than me.
He also had sketches on his computer. He had lots and lots of books. And all of this really fascinated me. I would even do pretend play when he was not looking.”
The wonderful quote above is from this episode’s guest, Dr. Zenan Ahmed, who is talking to Emma Nicholson as part of the series Focus on Female Engineers. Dr. Zenan Ahmed is currently a Senior Energy and Sustainability Engineer at WSP in the United Kingdom. But in her biography below you can read about more of her endeavours.
“Starting early during the formative years. I think that it’s really important how each of us are brought up in our household and how the gender bias rules are passed on from one generation to another. I think it’s really important that we eradicate that preconceived notion from a very early age.
And it’s not really about forcing people to be an engineer when they do not want to be an engineer. It’s more about exposure and validation and telling them look, this is also for you.”
About Dr. Zenan AhmedDr. Zenan Ahmed is an experienced Senior Energy and Sustainability Engineer currently employed at WSP in the United Kingdom. Alongside her primary role at WSP, Zenan also volunteers with the European Youth Energy Network, contributing as an Energy Policy Reviewer within the Youth Energy Consumer task force.
Additionally, she shares her datascience knowledge by teaching at Le Wagon, a global coding bootcamp. Zenan’s professional interests revolve around the intersection of energy, sustainability, and data. She has previously held roles at Swansea University as a researcher and worked as an Energy Pricing, Forecasting, and Trading Analyst at an energy company in the UK.
Zenan originally hails from Bangladesh, where she completed her undergraduate studies in Electrical and Communication Engineering at BRAC University. She later pursued further education in the United Kingdom, obtaining both a master’s and a doctoral degree in Renewable Energy Systems from the University of Nottingham.
Dr. Zenan Ahmed’s diverse experiences and educational achievements have established her as a respected professional in the field of energy and sustainability, both in the UK and internationally.
About Emma NicholsonEmma is an award-winning Chartered Construction Manager and Chartered Environmentalist and has been a previous Board Trustee with the Women’s Engineering Society.
She is a Principal Sustainability Project Manager with a multi-disciplinary national UK consultancy with 25 years built environment industry experience.
She is also Chair of the EDI Specialist Interest Group for the Women’s Engineering Society and is an EDI Advisory Group member of the Chartered Institute of Building.
Emma founded the international LinkedIn Group, Women in Sustainable Construction and Property and has been Chair of the UNA-UK Harrogate Group since 2022.
Tune in to this podcast episode that could be life-changing for you, someone you love, or friends at work or on the next site you go to. Jackie De Burca talks to Bill Hill, chief executive of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity. The charity has been in existence since 1956 and has evolved immensely over the decades.
The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity and its extensive network are doing phenomenal work through a variety of channels and initiatives. This episode investigates their work and how it has resulted in 125 active rescues to date. Active rescues refer to people who were considering suicide and through the charity’s support did not take that route, after all.
Bill speaks in depth about #MakeItVisible which is a support tool and portal created by the charity with their partners.
MakeItVisible is a free workforce wellbeing and welfare portal for all in construction
The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity has partnered with CITB and Samaritans to create a wellbeing support tool as part of the industry-wide initiative called Make It Visible.
The Make It Visible campaign and portal aim to make welfare and wellbeing support visible on every construction site, helping to reduce the stigma around the subject and increase awareness of the support pathways available. Having secured over £400,000 in funding from CITB, the #MakeItVisible portal was created earlier this year to support the initiative.
The portal provides a wide range of resources, covering themes of emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing. It aims to help individuals recognise when they’re struggling and how to cope with the challenges they’re facing. For each area, there is an extensive list of organisations that can provide further in-depth advice and support.
Research shows that stress, depression, or anxiety account for 27% of all work-related illnesses in construction. Tragically, the charity also reveals that two construction workers in the UK take their own lives each day. The charity’s mission is to ensure that no construction worker or their family feels alone in a crisis and that they get the support they need before it’s too late.
The Make It Visible campaign also has a taskforce of people who are dedicated to visiting construction companies, builders’ merchants, hire centres, and sites across the UK and Ireland to get the conversation started and raise awareness of the free resources. The team has spoken to almost 30,000 people and visited almost 500 sites since the on site tours started in February last year.
The portal is currently encouraging visitors to take part in the world’s biggest mental health check-in, One Million Lives. This free tool has been developed by mental health professionals to help users assess their current state of mind and better understand the complexities of mental health. One Million Lives aims to create a global ripple effect by encouraging users to share the tool with friends and family.
Bill Hill, Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity CEO, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support from our industry to take on the challenge of improving workforce welfare and wellbeing as a unified force. This new portal curates all the amazing free services from various charities in the UK and Ireland and simplifies access for anyone seeking emotional, physical or financial help. The CITB has been instrumental in making this happen. There is much more to do but this is a great step forward.”
Tim Balcon, CITB Chief Executive, said: “We know that there is a huge mental health crisis in the construction industry, and we must do more to support workers and their families. The statistics presented by the Lighthouse Charity’s research are truly devastating, and with World Mental Health Day upon us, I urge anyone who is struggling right now to reach out to the charity’s helpline.
“CITB has been making improvements to ensure employees get the wellbeing support they need, and I feel very passionately about carrying this through to industry. The work we are doing with the Lighthouse Charity will help drive long term culture change and promote fairness, inclusion, and respect across workforces.
“There is a great selection of resources online, and I hope that this will make support more accessible to the wider industry. When all workers can access support, without fear of stigma, lives will be saved and attracting new entrants will be easier.”
To find out more visit the #MakeItVisible portal today.About Bill Hill: Chief Executive, Lighthouse Construction Industry charityBill gained over 20 years’ experience holding senior positions in blue-chip giants Hewlett-Packard and Sage PLC. He has a passion for customer service and has a wealth of experience across the major business disciplines of marketing, sales, operations, and finance. Bill trained as an accountant and holds diplomas from INSEAD, Cranfield University, as well as CIMA qualifications. Most recently, Bill qualified as a Mental Health First Aid instructor.
He joined the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity in 2013 and since then has played a major role in significantly growing the profile and significance of its charitable work within the construction community.
The charity now operates a 24/7 Industry Helpline, it has also developed a construction-focused Health and wellbeing APP and plays a central role in “Make It Visible”, the construction industry’s major new initiative to improve workforce Welfare and Wellbeing.
“There is a big difference between doing things right and doing right things. Developing a strategy to improve workforce welfare and wellbeing in our industry is the right thing to do! If you look after your people … your people will look after your business.”
Emma Nicholson speaks to Helen Ramsay whose enthusiasm and drive is bound to inspire you.
Helen, who seems to have boundless energy, has worked in steel, water consultancy and medical device manufacturing, during her engineering career.
“We need to be able to change the way we work and live, to be able to manage and also to reduce our impact on the environment. So I absolutely think it’s key. We can’t solve the problems that we face as a society without including half the population.”
Emma Nicholson speaks to Helen Ramsay whose enthusiasm and drive is bound to inspire you.
Helen, who seems to have boundless energy, has worked in steel, water consultancy and medical device manufacturing, during her engineering career.
“I believe that engineers are great problem solvers, are very genuine people, and they’re fun to work with. It’s a fantastic career and I’d recommend it to anyone.”
Helen Ramsay FIChemE FWES CEng MBA MA MEng (Cantab)Helen is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow member of Institution of Chemical Engineers and Fellow member of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) with over 20 years’ experience of working in Industry. She is currently Non-Executive Director of World Transport Agency Group, a family run international logistics company, and during her engineering career, she has worked in steel, water consultancy and medical device manufacturing.
At the start of her career, Helen was an environmental engineer at British Steel putting in environmental management systems to the international standard of ISO 14001; Helen believes engineers are key in addressing the global challenges of the Climate and Biodiversity crisis.
In her previous role as Engineering Manager at Abbott Diabetes Care, Helen has run a department of over a hundred multi-discipline engineers designing, developing, testing and maintaining hardware and software for blood glucose sensor manufacturing.
She has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Cranfield University and is currently Lead Governor for the South Central Ambulance Service. She is a Trustee for The Engineers Trust (Charitable Trust Fund of the Worshipful Company of Engineers) where she is focused on building on the diversity and inclusion reach of the organisation.
Helen is passionate about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. She currently sits on the Women’s Engineering Society Equality, Diversity and Inclusion specialist sub-group. She founded the Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) chapter at her workplace in 2017.
In her previous role, she partnered with StemReturners and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers and tripled gender diversity in project engineering.
She is a WES judge for UK Karen Burt Award celebrating the achievements of recently chartered female engineers. She mentors many individuals including a Chief Executive of a Charity and multiple women in STEM specialising in supporting those overcoming the challenges common to minority groups in early stages of their professional careers.
For over 20 years, Helen has attended schools to encourage STEM careers and her highlight was delivering a motivational speech to 30 Oxfordshire Engineering Apprentices to celebrate 100 years of UK Women in Engineering.
About Emma NicholsonEmma is an award-winning Chartered Construction Manager and Chartered Environmentalist and has been a previous Board Trustee with the Women’s Engineering Society.
She is a Principal Sustainability Project Manager with a multi-disciplinary national UK consultancy with 25 years built environment industry experience.
She is also Chair of the EDI Specialist Interest Group for the Women’s Engineering Society and is an EDI Advisory Group member of the Chartered Institute of Building.
Emma founded the international LinkedIn Group, Women in Sustainable Construction and Property and has been Chair of the UNA-UK Harrogate Group since 2022.
“I never dreamed that I will get to the point where I am.”
Emma Nicholson speaks to the very insightful Magda Sartin about many aspects of her work in engineering and the path that led to it.
From being a ballerina to now being a Mum who balances her successful career in engineering, Magda’s story will resonate with many of you. She touches on how motherhood has helped aspects of her work and also delves into Imposter Syndrome.
“I’ve never dreamed I will be working for international companies travelling around the world, living in different countries. So I would definitely recommend to give it a try.”
About Magdalena SartinMagdalena Sartin is the Global Reliability Excellence and Engineering Senior Director for Cargill in food industry. She is originally from Poland where she graduated in Master of Science in Civil & Structural Engineering from Gdansk University of Technology.
Prior to Cargill, Magda has spent over 17 years working for various industries in the UK and in the USA including: residential, commercial, industrial and Oil and Gas onshore and offshore in both owner’s organizations as well as engineering service providers.
She is a chartered member of the Institutions of Civil Engineers in the UK and a member of the AISC (USA). I’m also chairing the PIP (Process Industry Practices) Globalization Community in the USA.
Magda is very passionate about STEM and promoting it from very early ages. As growing up she did not know what she wanted to be and there were no outreach programmes for her to learn what opportunities there may have been. She loves being involved in school projects, experiments to teach kids about science through fun and play.
Throughout her career, she has had to overcome many barriers and obstacles as a foreign female engineer however, she has encountered some amazing mentors (males and females) who helped her navigate and supported me through challenging times.
Now Magda would like to share her journey and inspire younger generations of talented females to choose engineering as their career path as it has been very rewarding for her. It has allowed her to travel the world, live and work in other countries across the globe and to meet inspirational people.
Magdalena has always has been an ambassador for Equity Diversity & Inclusion, and has served on various panels to raise awareness of this issue. She is very excited, and thoroughly looking forward to making a difference through WES.
This episode features a really interesting conversation between two construction industry experts. Irish builder and TV star, Peter Finn, talks to David Hernandez, Managing Director of Elecosoft LLC.
Although David is based in America, he also talks to Pete The Builder about how the industry is doing there right now, Elecosoft’s history can actually be traced back to 1895 in Essex, England.
..”So you have performance and predictive analytics. To me that is the piece that I think could be really transformative for the industry.”
David Hernandez, Managing Director, Elecosoft, LLCDavid Hernandez is the Head of US/Managing Director for Elecosoft, LLC, a provider of Innovative Planning and Scheduling solutions for the construction industry.
For over 15 years, David has been involved in virtually all aspects of the commercial construction industry. From Business Development to running his own business, he brings diversified experience to his role at Elecosoft.
Previously, he was head of sales at eMOD by BuildSafely LLC, where he helped construction companies digitalize their safety processes, safety plans and inspections, ensuring that crews would come home safely at the end of their shift. He began his construction technology career at Trimble Viewpoint, shortly after leaving his partnership in a commercial construction company in Houston, TX.
David understands the pain created by tremendous company growth without proper processes and poor technology in place. Removing that pain is what drives him today, and that is what ultimately brought him to Elecosoft. Based in Austin, Texas, the company provides solutions that are built by construction for construction that revolutionize the way projects are planned, tracked, and delivered.
In the world of project management, efficiency, accuracy, and collaboration are paramount to success. At Elecosoft, David is instrumental in delivering one of the premier technology tools to the construction industry. In doing so, he is helping customer companies to achieve these goals.
Constructive Voices, has been inspired by a former guest to create something new and exciting. Thanks to Emma Nicholson, we are collaborating to bring you a number of episodes that Focus on Females in the built environment. So far these have been extremely well received.
In the third Focus on Females episode features , Emma Nicholson speaks to Océane Mbaguta, a recent Environmental Engineering graduate. Océane’s interview will be a great inspiration to younger women but for sure, her immense passion and motivation will trigger something in all listeners.
What we talk aboutIn this interview, Océane shares her motivation to study engineering, the challenges she has encountered and her future aspirations as a young female engineer in the sustainability and built environment sectors.
In the area of diversity and inclusion she’s hoping to see BAME and people with disability have more opportunities in the engineering sector. She ends with an inspiring quote for young females –
“We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.”~Marie Curie.
About Océane MbagutaOcéane Mbaguta is a recent Environmental Engineer Graduate. She graduated from The University of Nottingham with a Masters Degree (MEng) in environmental engineering including an industrial year.
She has also received the Nottingham Advantage Award, recognition given to students who have achieved extra-curricular modules. She completed her placement year with an international energy company, where she worked as an Environmental Consultant. She’s excited to soon start her graduate scheme with a multinational infrastructure consulting firm.
Océane’s passion to study engineering, came from her desire to develop solutions to tackle climate change. She aspires to become an environmental manager.
Océane is a committee member of the WES EDI Special Interest Group. Outside of WES, she is a graduate member of ICheme and IEMA.
She’s also a STEM ambassador and she enjoys volunteering. She held several positions at University such as Vice-President of The Sustainability Society and Treasurer for Women’s Engineering Society.
Océane enjoys working in teams and has experience in project management, team work, organization and planning.
About Emma NicholsonEmma is an award-winning Chartered Construction Manager and Chartered Environmentalist and has been a previous Board Trustee with the Women’s Engineering Society.
She is a Principal Sustainability Project Manager with a multi-disciplinary national UK consultancy with 25 years built environment industry experience.
She is also Chair of the EDI Specialist Interest Group for the Women’s Engineering Society and is an EDI Advisory Group member of the Chartered Institute of Building.
Emma founded the international LinkedIn Group, Women in Sustainable Construction and Property and has been Chair of the UNA-UK Harrogate Group since 2022.
In the second Focus on Females episode features , Emma Nicholson speaks to a trailblazing female engineer, Jo Parker.
Jo Parker is a chartered civil engineer who was awarded an MBE by the Queen, in 1994, for her services to the water industry. What we talk about
Jo has had a fascinating career. She was originally inspired to be a civil engineer when she was only around 14 years of age.
It was the idea of being able to build dams and bridges that did this. And you can only begin to imagine where she has done this and under what circumstances. Jo has had a remarkable career so this interview is one not to miss. The interview also delves into the challenges women currently face as engineers in the built environment.
Jo also discusses biodiversity and sustainability with us.
About Jo Parker Jo Parker is a chartered civil engineer, who works as an independent consultant having worked in the water industry for over 40 years. She has held senior roles with UK water companies up to Director level and has also worked in a variety of other countries as varied as Afghanistan and Australia.
She was awarded the MBE by the Queen in 1994 for services to the water industry and is an Honorary Life Member of the Pipeline Industries Guild. She is also Chair of the Water and Sanitation Community Advisory Board for the Institution of Civil Engineers, Vice-President Engineering of the Institute of Water and a fellow of the International Water Association.
She was voted one of the UK’s top 50 women engineers in 2020
Once again, Constructive Voices, has been inspired by a former guest to create something new and exciting. Thanks to Emma Nicholson, we are collaborating to bring you a number of episodes that Focus on Females in the built environment.
This very first Focus on Females episode features Emma Nicholson interviewing Kat Draper.
Kat is a Chartered Civil Engineer and has been working in the construction industry for more than 15 years.
What we talk aboutWe cover why Kat chose engineering as a career in the first place, what motivates her and what special skills she feels are important to being an engineer.
Emma asks her about some of the most interesting engineering projects she has been involved in.
We talk about some work she has done that really helped a community.
The interview also delves into the challenges women currently face as engineers in the built environment.
Kat also discussing biodiversity and sustainability with us.
About Kat DraperKat is a Chartered Civil Engineer and has been working in the construction industry for more than 15 years. She completed a Master’s degree (MEng) in Civil Engineering at the University of Southampton and has completed the APM Project Fundamentals Qualification.
Kat first became Incorporated (IEng) before later becoming Chartered (CEng). Her latest roles focus on management and co-ordination of design teams; roles include Team Leader, Project Manager and Design Manager.
The projects she’s worked on range from early feasibility studies, preliminary design and detailed design, with extensive collaboration with Contractors, Clients and various third parties and Stakeholders.
Kat is keen to encourage others into the construction industry and is passionate about creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive industry. She promotes engineering to others through mentoring, by being a STEM Ambassador and facilitating student work placements and attending career events.
She is a member of the Women Engineering Society Equality Diversity Inclusion (EDI) committee, which provides a platform to assess the Engineering industry, highlighting best practice whilst challenging the industry in areas that require improvement.
With lower-than-average numbers of women and minority groups working in the industry, Kat acknowledges that change is required to make the industry more effective at attracting and retaining talent.
Kat believes that if people have certain skills or are capable and keen to do certain roles, they should be able to do a role that utilises those skills. This shouldn’t be limited or defined by gender.
The best teams will have different skills, emotions and personalities within them, and this provides resilience and balance. Everyone within the team has the right to be their authentic self, and being able to be authentic, they can give their best and achieve their own and the project objectives.
About Emma NicholsonEmma is an award-winning Chartered Construction Manager and Chartered Environmentalist and has been a previous Board Trustee with the Women’s Engineering Society.
She is a Principal Sustainability Project Manager with a multi-disciplinary national UK consultancy with 25 years built environment industry experience.
She is also Chair of the EDI Specialist Interest Group for the Women’s Engineering Society and is an EDI Advisory Group member of the Chartered Institute of Building.
Emma founded the international LinkedIn Group, Women in Sustainable Construction and Property and has been Chair of the UNA-UK Harrogate Group since 2022.
Discover this episode and more at Constructive Voices.
We are delighted to announce the Beyond Biodiversity Net Gain accessible online training series created with our Ecology Training Leader, Claire Wansbury along with many other esteemed experts. In our 60th episode ever, Claire Wansbury talks to Jackie De Burca about biodiversity net gain, its implications and specifically the online training series that we are creating in partnership with Claire and a wonderful line-up of top experts – Beyond Biodiversity Net Gain.
The accessible online training series will comprise of 15 modules to begin of around twenty or so minutes per module. It is designed to be easy to dip in and out of and will cover the necessary nitty gritty as well as inspirational case studies.
“If we work with nature we work with the ultimate multi tasker”
About Claire Wansbury Claire is an Atkins Fellow and Technical Director Atkins, a world-leading engineering and environmental consultancy. In June 2023, the Society for the Environment named her as their 2023 Environmental Professional of the Year Winner.
Claire is one of the UK’s top experts on biodiversity net gain, including having co-authored national good practice pri
Constructive Voices has recently been listed as one of the UK's Top Sustainability Podcasts on Feedspot According to the World Economic Forum,
Heating and cooling are essential to modern life. This includes comfort control for homes and buildings, and temperature control in industrial processes. It also includes the cold chain that ensures safe delivery of food, medicine and vaccines around the world…
Heating and cooling technology for buildings create around 15% of global carbon emissions, while food loss adds 10%, according to research.
New technologies that are helping to decarbonize these areas are increasingly being used for industry and transportation.
This podcast episode investigates a new heating technology with guest Tom McGee of X-Heat
Tom also wrote a short explainer article, which you can begin reading here: As the urgency to combat climate change intensifies, the race towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 has become a paramount goal for the United Kingdom.
While many industries grapple with finding affordable and sustainable alternatives, the commercial heating sector has found a promising solution: catalytic combustion.
This innovative approach not only offers significant advantages over traditional heating methods but also provides a cost-effective pathway towards achieving net-zero targets within the industry.
Catalytic combustion, as a highly efficient heating technology, harnesses the power of chemical reactions to produce heat with minimal carbon emissions.
Continue reading –
Understand more about Biodiversity Net Gain With Sustainability Lawyer, Ben Stansfield of Gowling WLG. Ben specialises in environmental and planning law.
BNG – biodiversity net gain is a really positive step. I suspect 10% improvement through development stops the rot, preventing further degradation.
But actually, it’s only when we get to 20 to 30% biodiversity net gain that we can start to see some reversal of some of the damage that we’ve done in the last 200 years
About Ben StansfieldBen is a Sustainability Lawyer at Gowling WLG, specialising in planning and environmental law.
He is a Trustee of the UK Environmental Law Association and a frequent speaker on nature and climate issues.
Ben was part of the inaugural ENDS Report Power List, recognising 100 environmental professionals who had had a significant impact since 2020.
Biodiversity Net Gain With Sustainability Lawyer, Ben Stansfield Investigates:* The history leading up to this law * Ben’s personal perspective which is both interesting and positive * Some of the unknowns and how things need to be organised to avoid issues when the law rolls out * Ben talks about how he feels his clients will receive the new law * We look at the opportunities and challenges * We investigate how this law will create a radical shift in the approach to development – both urban and rural * Ben speaks about the law and how it will potentially affect players in different roles in the built environment sector
And much more besides. Ben is a superb guest and this is one not to miss!
“Clean energy cities is a framework of recommendations that we gave to five different typologies of cities globally across the world.” Dr. Stephen Lorimer, Centre for Net Zero
If you want to be ahead of the curve in understanding how are cities need to change and are being transformed, then be sure to listen to Dr. Stephen Lorimer of the Centre For Net Zero, who speaks both passionately and expertly on this topic.
About Dr. Stephen Lorimer & Clean Energy CitiesDr. Lorimer has built new programmes and teams across smart cities, data, and energy. Clean Energy Cities is his project at Centre for Net Zero, powered by Octopus Energy – and delivered an international standard for cities to be the new leaders of the energy transition.
He has written the £16m business case that created the Data Standards Authority for the UK Government, and the £5m case for the London Office of Technology and Innovation for London’s 33 boroughs and the Mayor.
Stephen has managed a new £2m pre-seed fund for sustainable technologies at Imperial Business School.
He is an expert in sustainable cities and data sharing after years as the policy lead for data sharing for the UK government, for smart cities for the Mayor of London, and as a consultant for urban design and regeneration.
We took data from 17 cities to form these from the open data about the structure of the city, the number of people the commercial floor space, the number of households, the density, and the open space available within the city, but also from the energy system. How much was decarbonized?
The Global Policy Research Group is the the policy hub for next-generation policymakers that brings senior researchers, young professionals, and students together. One of their most recent reports investigates case studies and other aspects of Sustainable Housing in Europe.
Jackie De Burca speaks to GPRG’s Research Leader of the Environmental Solutions, Katharina Fey, and Research Fellow, Jordan Everetts about the report’s findings, which policy makers will be considering.
Discover some of the possible solutions for Sustainable Housing in Europe, hear about urban and rural concepts, existing stock, UK case studies and more.
“We have one planet, we have a set of resources, use only what you need and make sure that what you have is actually being utilized, be that the resources that already exist, or be that the housing stock and it’s already there.” Katharina Fey
About Katharina FeyKatharina Fey is the Research Leader of the Environmental Solutions team at Global Policy Research Group.
She brings experience from having worked and being educated in both Germany and the UK, as well as Malaysia, the Netherlands and Sweden in her graduate studies.
First hand experience with the different facets of sustainability in each of these environments, as well as the overarching theme of overconsumption and mismanagement of resources inspired her to dedicate herself to both development and sustainability topics.
She holds a Masters Degree in Development Economics, an undergraduate degree in International Cultural and Business studies and is currently completing a complementary double degree in Development Economics with a focus on Sustainability.
Outside of academic work she enjoys exploring her current residence Sweden and engaging in post-growth and community initiatives.
“My messaging towards policymakers would be mostly to listen to what the market is saying there is a need for this type of shift towards these types of conversions towards the adoption of sustainable materials.
Towards these types of schemes, to better address sustainability issues in the housing environment.” Jordan Everetts
About Jordan EverettsJordan Everetts is a research fellow at Global Policy Research Group with the Environmental Solutions team.
Jordan comes to the GPRG team from a small, rural town in Central Pennsylvania in the United States.
Growing up in a farming community, he is accustomed to the wide-open spaces of nature that come with living in a rural community.
Being close to nature and a rural way of life influences his research into sustainability. He holds two bachelor’s degrees, one from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and one from the University of Florida specializing in economics and geographic information systems.
Currently, he is studying human geography at Lund University. His research interests include housing inequality, degrowth, sustainability in value chains, and education inequality.
Outside of his work and research, Jordan is an avid hiker and plays basketball on the weekends. If he could move anywhere in the world, he would go to the Azores to spend his days fishing and hiking.
Global Policy Research Group’s MissionAs a forward-looking policy think tank from the Nordics, GPRG aims to be the policy hub for next-generation policymakers by bringing senior researchers, young professionals, and students together.
GPRG carves a unique discussion space for everyone interested in improving the quality of policy-making through publications, initiatives, events, and social media.
With policy teams from a number of disciplines and major issue areas, GPRG applies creative approaches to develop ideas for policymakers that lead to real change.
Our extensive communication and outreach efforts allow us to adapt to a rapidly changing media landscape and move our ideas in the national and international policy debate.
Learn more about the Global Policy Research Group here
Jane Findlay is the Immediate Past President of the Landscape Institute of the UK, and the director of Fira Landscape Limited. She has a wealth of experience in not only landscape architecture but also how it works in healthcare settings and therefore, how it can affect our health.
Be sure not to miss this thought-provoking interview with Jackie De Burca, which you can listen to here or on your favourite podcast channel from Tuesday 4th April.Did you know that….?
Your life expectancy improves, if you live within 10 or 15 minutes walk of a green space, it’s as stark as that.
If we want to continue to have a healthy lifestyle, we have to be more considerate about our environment, and how we build, how we plan, how we restore nature.
And we have to accept nature coming into our cities, and we’re going to have to make you know, we’re going to have to make some sacrifices to allow nature into our cities.
About Jane FindlayJane founded Fira with Sue Radley in 1997, having both previously worked together for PTP Landscape. She is the immediate past President of the Landscape Institute, having been on the Board of Trustees since 2019.
She is an experienced master planner and designer of the public realm and has completed a number of high-profile schemes across the UK and overseas. Key projects have included the International Convention Centre and Brindley Place in Birmingham, Salford Quays, and Cardiff Bay.
I think people are beginning to realize just how important our survival is and how dependent our survival is on nature. And anything we do to damage nature actually damages our own health.
She is passionate about promoting the psychological and physical benefits that quality landscape design plays in all aspects of the public realm.
Jane is a member of the Healthy Buildings Focus Group, part of the Business Council for Sustainable Development and Architects for Health.
Placemaking is at the centre ofh her work, using the public realm to define the character of a new development or to redefine the character of an existing urban area.
Jane has led the Fira team on large and complex commercial and public sector projects, creating sustainable civic spaces that are designed to promote enjoyment and a feeling of well-being in the people who use them.
We continue to build these multi storey developments, right bang in the city centre with no space around them for green.
It just saddens me that in the striving to create homes, for people we’re not thinking about how the spaces around them, the places that we’re creating for those people.
I just wonder whether we’re building the problems in the slums of the future.
Learn from some top experts on biodiversity during Part 2, of the Biodiversity in the Built Environment Roundtable. Gain perspective on this topic that is not only vital to understand from an industry perspective but also from a climate change angle.Led by Claire Wansbury, this Roundtable included a superb panel of experts.
Claire is an Atkins Fellow and Technical Director Atkins, a world-leading engineering and environmental consultancy. She will share her particular expertise in biodiversity and natural capital. Claire is one of the UK’s top experts on biodiversity net gain, including having co-authored national good practice principles.
In 2022, Claire was included in the Ends Director’s Power List of the 100 most influential environmental professionals.
With over 30 years of experience as an award-winning ecologist, in the last few years, Claire has been working with environmental economists and others to build a shared understanding of the value of benefits our natural world provides to people.
Together with some of her colleagues, Claire produced an excellent short magazine before COP15. This is a very useful resource regardless of what your level of knowledge is as it combines insights and hopes from top experts along with a selection of case studies.
“The globally and instantly recognisable WWF panda logo took its inspiration from Chi-Chi, a giant panda that arrived at London Zoo in the late 1950s. The strikingly simple image was drawn by British conservationist Sir Peter Scott, with a helping hand from environmentalist and artist, Gerald Watterson.
Sir Peter’s rationale for featuring the panda was powerful and practical, ‘We wanted an animal that is beautiful, is endangered, and one loved by many people in the world for its appealing qualities. We also wanted an animal that had an impact in black and white to save money on printing costs.’
That logo and the reasons behind it offer a beacon of hope for me. While pandas are considered to be vulnerable, they are no longer endangered thanks to the decades of specialist knowledge in breeding and conservation efforts carried out around the world.
This story demonstrates that we can make a positive difference.”
Claire Wansbury excerpt from the Engineering a Nature Positive Future publication.
Below is a another quote from an article that Claire co-authored with her colleague, Senior Environmentalist at Atkins, Jonathan Nichols:
What we found most compelling in the Dasgupta Review was the comparison of biodiversity (a key part of the world’s “Natural Capital”) to an investment portfolio – no sensible investor would rely on only a few assets for their profits; they would ensure they have a diverse portfolio to secure a return and mitigate their risks.
The same can be said of life on Earth. By cultivating only a few species at the expense of the rest we are putting our prosperity at risk. The effect of humans, particularly in the last thousand years, has been to erode this diversity.
The more we lose biodiversity, the more we undermine the resilience of our asset portfolio; an action that is already having grave consequences across the globe, including our ability to achieve carbon Net-Zero.
Follow Claire on LinkedIn
You can also see the full event here at Biodiversity Roundtable.Our panel includes Roberta Boscolo of this episode and also the following top experts:Roberta BoscoloRoberta Boscolo is leading the Climate and Energy workstream at the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.
Her main work is to enhance the capacity of all countries to contrast climate change and enact sustainable development through scaling up science-based climate adaptation and mitigation measures in alignment with the global landmark agreements.
With a wide and deep knowledge of climate and sustainability-related issues, she manages a transformative interface between climate science and socio-economic sectors, especially energy sector, through partnerships with United Nation agencies, public and private sectors, academia, civil society, media groups and associations.
She has long-term experience in developing knowledge platforms and good practices to support climate-related risk management and pathways to resilient low-carbon economy.
In 2022 she was included in the list of top 10 Sustainability Influences by the Sustainability Magazine and nominated Top Voice of LinkedIn.
Previously she served as science officer for the World Climate Research Programme, coordinating scientific efforts worldwide to address the knowledge gaps in understanding Earth climate system. Such knowledge is assessed by the IPCC milestone reports.
She launched and managed multi-stakeholders development projects in 20+ countries, currently she manages a portfolio of several multi-million projects (US$ 30M) in Africa, South America, South East Asia and Pacific.
Follow Roberta on LinkedIn and Twitter
Jayne Manley, CEO, Earth TrustDr Jayne Manley believes that future life on Earth requires people thriving and being intimately connected with the ecosystems that support us.
She became CEO of Earth Trust in 2012, bringing with her a strong practical diverse background in whole ecosystem thinking, farming/land management, policy development, income generation, learning and engagement.
Previously working in strategic roles for Plantlife International and English Nature, Jayne is currently Chair Oxfordshire Environment Board, member of the Oxfordshire Executive Officers Group of Future Oxfordshire Partnership, and past Chair of the OXLEP Environment and Sustainability Sub Committee.
Follow Jayne on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Chris Gerrard, Anglian WaterChris is the Catchment and Biodiversity Manager at Anglian Water Services Vice-President for England at CIEEM. Previously he was the Director of Living Landscapes for the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.
At Anglian Water Services, he works with a team of four people, most of whom are based on the nature conservation wildlife side of the work. Together they identify plans and projects to reduce any potential negative impacts on wildlife, whilst also seeking to maximize the benefits to wildlife of their day to day activities.
They also have a multi-million-pound construction program running, so they need to know when there are going to be problems with things like protected species or protected sites.
This means having a team member involved in the screening of those projects so they can point out all the work that needs to be done to address Great Crested Newts, Bats, Sites of Species Scientific Interest (SSSI) or whatever it is that might be a constraint that we need to manage.
Chris also does climate change adaptation for Anglian Water, which is saying “what is the inevitable climate change that we are going to face in this part of the world, and what do we therefore need to do in order to continue to provide great service to our customers”?
John Vesey, WM5GJohn is the Health and Care Sector Lead at West Midlands 5G.
John has worked in numerous roles supporting the public and private sectors (having worked in both at HMRC and Amazon amongst others) to harness the benefits of technology, connectivity, artificial intelligence and data.
His current role focuses on developing sustainable services for the health and social care sectors, that are underpinned by digital transformations and shifting where care is delivered.
Follow John on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Margarita Skarkou, ClimateTech VC @ 2150 | Non Executive @ Innovate UK – UKRI Credit Committee | Top 30 Women in the City Brummel | Newton FellowWorking with founders to scale solutions and companies that can have a measurable impact and create more resilient, sustainable, healthy and equitable cities is the single most exciting mission of our time. I am optimistic about technology and humanity’s ability to alter the current climate change and ecosystem degradation trajectory.”
Margarita has spent the last ten years working across the construction, international development and finance sectors.
Prior to joining 2150 she was a VP in the Sustainable Impact Capital team at Barclays, leading investments in sustainable tech businesses. While at Barclays, she co-founded Barclays Ventures, a corporate innovation / CVC business unit where she led on ESG and wellbeing investments.
Margarita is an active angel, business advisor and scout for FiveThirteen, which showcases female founders in cleantech. She is also currently a Non-Executive Credit Committee member at UKRI – Innovate UK, NERC ‘Economics of Biodiversity’ and ‘Quality of Urban Environments with Nature Connectedness and Health’ delegate and Advisory Board member for the Next Generation NED Network.
Margarita graduated with a MEng Civil Engineering degree from the University of Edinburgh and is a CIMA certified Business Accountant.
Her personal commitment to sustainability is to avoid buying a car despite having a baby and use reusable/biodegradable nappies!
Follow Margarita on LinkedIn
You can also see the full event here at Biodiversity
Learn from some top experts on biodiversity during Part 1, of the Biodiversity in the Built Environment Roundtable. Gain perspective on this topic that is not only vital to understand from an industry perspective but also from a climate change angle.Led by Claire Wansbury, this Roundtable included a superb panel of experts.
Claire is an Atkins Fellow and Technical Director Atkins, a world-leading engineering and environmental consultancy. She will share her particular expertise in biodiversity and natural capital. Claire is one of the UK’s top experts on biodiversity net gain, including having co-authored national good practice principles.
In 2022, Claire was included in the Ends Director’s Power List of the 100 most influential environmental professionals.
With over 30 years of experience as an award-winning ecologist, in the last few years, Claire has been working with environmental economists and others to build a shared understanding of the value of benefits our natural world provides to people.
Our panel includes Roberta Boscolo of this episode and also the following top experts:Roberta BoscoloRoberta Boscolo is leading the Climate and Energy workstream at the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.
Her main work is to enhance the capacity of all countries to contrast climate change and enact sustainable development through scaling up science-based climate adaptation and mitigation measures in alignment with the global landmark agreements.
With a wide and deep knowledge of climate and sustainability-related issues, she manages a transformative interface between climate science and socio-economic sectors, especially energy sector, through partnerships with United Nation agencies, public and private sectors, academia, civil society, media groups and associations.
She has long-term experience in developing knowledge platforms and good practices to support climate-related risk management and pathways to resilient low-carbon economy.
In 2022 she was included in the list of top 10 Sustainability Influences by the Sustainability Magazine and nominated Top Voice of LinkedIn.
Previously she served as science officer for the World Climate Research Programme, coordinating scientific efforts worldwide to address the knowledge gaps in understanding Earth climate system. Such knowledge is assessed by the IPCC milestone reports.
She launched and managed multi-stakeholders development projects in 20+ countries, currently she manages a portfolio of several multi-million projects (US$ 30M) in Africa, South America, South East Asia and Pacific.
Follow Roberta on LinkedIn and Twitter
Jayne Manley, CEO, Earth TrustDr Jayne Manley believes that future life on Earth requires people thriving and being intimately connected with the ecosystems that support us.
She became CEO of Earth Trust in 2012, bringing with her a strong practical diverse background in whole ecosystem thinking, farming/land management, policy development, income generation, learning and engagement.
Previously working in strategic roles for Plantlife International and English Nature, Jayne is currently Chair Oxfordshire Environment Board, member of the Oxfordshire Executive Officers Group of Future Oxfordshire Partnership, and past Chair of the OXLEP Environment and Sustainability Sub Committee.
Follow Jayne on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Chris Gerrard, Anglian WaterChris is the Catchment and Biodiversity Manager at Anglian Water Services Vice-President for England at CIEEM. Previously he was the Director of Living Landscapes for the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.
At Anglian Water Services, he works with a team of four people, most of whom are based on the nature conservation wildlife side of the work. Together they identify plans and projects to reduce any potential negative impacts on wildlife, whilst also seeking to maximize the benefits to wildlife of their day to day activities.
They also have a multi-million-pound construction program running, so they need to know when there are going to be problems with things like protected species or protected sites.
This means having a team member involved in the screening of those projects so they can point out all the work that needs to be done to address Great Crested Newts, Bats, Sites of Species Scientific Interest (SSSI) or whatever it is that might be a constraint that we need to manage.
Chris also does climate change adaptation for Anglian Water, which is saying “what is the inevitable climate change that we are going to face in this part of the world, and what do we therefore need to do in order to continue to provide great service to our customers”?
John Vesey, WM5GJohn is the Health and Care Sector Lead at West Midlands 5G.
John has worked in numerous roles supporting the public and private sectors (having worked in both at HMRC and Amazon amongst others) to harness the benefits of technology, connectivity, artificial intelligence and data.
His current role focuses on developing sustainable services for the health and social care sectors, that are underpinned by digital transformations and shifting where care is delivered.
Follow John on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Margarita Skarkou, ClimateTech VC @ 2150 | Non Executive @ Innovate UK – UKRI Credit Committee | Top 30 Women in the City Brummel | Newton FellowWorking with founders to scale solutions and companies that can have a measurable impact and create more resilient, sustainable, healthy and equitable cities is the single most exciting mission of our time. I am optimistic about technology and humanity’s ability to alter the current climate change and ecosystem degradation trajectory.”
Margarita has spent the last ten years working across the construction, international development and finance sectors.
Prior to joining 2150 she was a VP in the Sustainable Impact Capital team at Barclays, leading investments in sustainable tech businesses. While at Barclays, she co-founded Barclays Ventures, a corporate innovation / CVC business unit where she led on ESG and wellbeing investments.
Margarita is an active angel, business advisor and scout for FiveThirteen, which showcases female founders in cleantech. She is also currently a Non-Executive Credit Committee member at UKRI – Innovate UK, NERC ‘Economics of Biodiversity’ and ‘Quality of Urban Environments with Nature Connectedness and Health’ delegate and Advisory Board member for the Next Generation NED Network.
Margarita graduated with a MEng Civil Engineering degree from the University of Edinburgh and is a CIMA certified Business Accountant.
Her personal commitment to sustainability is to avoid buying a car despite having a baby and use reusable/biodegradable nappies!
Follow Margarita on LinkedIn
You can also see the full event here at Biodiversity Roundtable.
Today, Tuesday 28th February 2023, our beloved and esteemed colleague, Henry McDonald will has been laid to rest. This episode is a tribute to Henry, with excerpts of a small selection of some of his excellent interviews for Constructive Voices. Additionally, a few guests and colleagues pay tribute to him.Henry was a talented, prolific, versatile and empathetic journalist, author and broadcaster. He was also a very special, kind human being.
He was invited to become part of the team at Constructive Voices by our producer, Jackie De Burca, who had previously interviewed Henry McDonald.
There was serendipity in this connection as Henry suggested to Jackie to interview some of the team at Changing Streams.
Constructive Voices had always intended to make a positive difference in the industry.
He spoke to Dr. Wendy Jones, the Scientific Lead and Climate Adviser firstly to tee up the hard facts behind the organisation. Then Henry spoke to Neal Maxwell, who set up Changing Streams after a life changing moment on a trip to the Artic. Neal had worked for thirty years in construction.
Neal speaks to Jackie about Henry.
If you knew Henry McDonald, you knew very well how much he loved football.And Everton and Cliftonville were his teams.
He had already covered the story about the then proposed Everton football stadium with the renowned Liverpool expert, Prof. Michael Parkinson.
Professor Michael Parkinson C.B.E. also pays tribute to Henry.
Henry McDonald often talked to Jackie after his interviews and was almost always delighted with the guests he or we had chose for him to interview.Moving on to an episode that he was especially delighted with was Episode 13 about How Women Can Help Create Sustainable Change.
This featured two wonderful women, Emma Nicholson, B.A, MSc, FCIOB, FIEMA, FWES, CEnv, FAPM, the Founding Director of Women in Sustainable Construction and Property
and Sumele Aruofor (now Adelana) who is the Senior Product Marketing Manager at SketchUp, Trimble
Both women commented on one of our LinkedIn posts:
Sumele -
This is such sad news — it was a pleasure to meet and chat with Henry. Sending my condolences to his family, friends and the Constructive Voices team. May he rest in peace.
Emma -
Goodness me I have just seen this terribly sad news about Henry. I send my deepest condolences, he was a brilliant interviewer! My best wishes and thoughts to his family. Emma Nicholson
There have been so many amazing episodes that Henry was part of, that this really is very challenging.
But one person who was part of a lot of this journey, in the background, was Sangeeta Waldron. In fact, Sangeeta was lucky enough to meet Henry in person in 2022 in his native city of Belfast.
Last but certainly not least, of this tiny tribute that only touches the surface really, is Henry's terrier-like interview post COP26 with Victoria Kate Burrows of the World Green Building Council.
Henry McDonald talks to two top authorities about the precarious state of the British Houses of Parliament: Ian Paisley Jnr. and the Observer Architecture Critic, Rowan Moore.This podcast episode is one of many examples of Henry's superb broadcasting work. These excellent interviews were recorded in 2022 before Henry became ill.
The team here at Constructive Voices have been deeply saddened by the news that our colleague and friend, Henry MacDonald passed away aged just 57. We offer our sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.
Those who have been listening to this podcast since we started, will recognize that Henry was one of the most important voices on the programme.
His interviews never failed to be engaging, interesting, thought provoking, and on topics that make a real difference to the construction industry and wider society.
Henry's long career in journalism included 23 years as the Ireland correspondent for The Guardian and observer. He also wrote landmark books on the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and was renowned for his insights into paramilitaries, the security services and politics.
Next week, in Season 2, Episode 4, the Constructive Voices team will pay tribute to Henry by remembering some of the great interviews that he did on this podcast.But for now, we're remembering again one of Henry's most incredible interviews, discovering the fragile state of Britain's Houses of Parliament, the Palace of Westminster.
**Can Venture Capital Help Biodiversity in the Built Environment with Margarita Skarkou?
Plus Fintan Damer of Mott MacDonald Talks About the Importance of Education**
Join the Round Table here.As part of the Biodiversity in the Built Environment month, we investigate the urgently needed good that venture capital can do in an interview with Margarita Skarkou of 2150 VC. Plus we talk to Fintan Damer of Mott MacDonald about the urgent need for biodiversity education.
Margarita Skarkou, ClimateTech VC @ 2150 | Non Executive @ Innovate UK – UKRI Credit Committee | Top 30 Women in the City Brummel | Newton Fellow
Working with founders to scale solutions and companies that can have a measurable impact and create more resilient, sustainable, healthy and equitable cities is the single most exciting mission of our time. I am optimistic about technology and humanity’s ability to alter the current climate change and ecosystem degradation trajectory.”
Margarita has spent the last ten years working across the construction, international development and finance sectors.
Prior to joining 2150 she was a VP in the Sustainable Impact Capital team at Barclays, leading investments in sustainable tech businesses. While at Barclays, she co-founded Barclays Ventures, a corporate innovation / CVC business unit where she led on ESG and wellbeing investments.
Margarita is an active angel, business advisor and scout for FiveThirteen, which showcases female founders in cleantech. She is also currently a Non-Executive Credit Committee member at UKRI – Innovate UK, NERC ‘Economics of Biodiversity’ and ‘Quality of Urban Environments with Nature Connectedness and Health’ delegate and Advisory Board member for the Next Generation NED Network.
Margarita graduated with a MEng Civil Engineering degree from the University of Edinburgh and is a CIMA certified Business Accountant.
Her personal commitment to sustainability in 2022 is to avoid buying a car despite having a baby and use reusable/biodegradable nappies!
Follow Margarita on LinkedIn
Fintan Damer, Ecologist, Mott MacDonaldFintan Damer is a practicing Ecologist working for one of the world’s leading engineering and environmental consultancies, Mott MacDonald.
Although he has been working as an ecologist for the past number of years, Fintan has a wide breadth of knowledge and understanding in other related areas of environmental science.
Previously Fintan worked in the wider horticulture industry where he accumulated over 30 years of experience working in various sectors of the industry including private commercial operations, public sector local authorities, and as a self-employed landscape contractor and garden designer.
His lifelong passion for nature has lead him to question many aspects of operational norms in land use industries, not least those that are perhaps questionably considered ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’.
Read the full episode page here.
Join the Round Table here.
Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors
Follow Constructive Voices on:
Request a media pack: jackie@constructive-voices.com
Join the Round Table here.Welcome to Season Two of Constructive Voices and our first-ever themed month: Biodiversity in the Built Environment.
January 2023 will offer you expert insight into Biodiversity in the Built Environment. We have lined up a superb panel of guests who will be featured in two podcast episodes (17th and 24th January) and we will culminate in the Round Table event on 31st January 2023.
It all starts with this special episode featuring Roberta Boscolo, who is the Climate and Energy Lead at the World Meteorological Organisation. Roberta is a Climate and Sustainability Influencer with over 40,000 followers on LinkedIn.
If you wish to understand climate change and how it is interlinked with biodiversity, this interview is easy to digest while packed with accurate scientific facts and clarity.
Roberta’s interview should help clear up any doubts you may have on the topic.
Her work focuses on how to harness the power of climate data and climate information that the WMO generates, through partners and member states, to support decision making in key sectors. The energy sector is her speciality.
The scientific data she and her colleagues work with is central in helping decision making by private and public sector entities on their pathway to sustainability and climate change mitigation
Roberta and her colleagues appreciate how important those working in the built environment are and what big responsibilities they have.
..They also need to increase the risk climate resilience of the buildings and make buildings adaptable to the future climate. I think they have a big responsibility to understand the issue and talk with the scientists as well, to find solutions.
When it comes to biodiversity, regardless of what country you are in and what your role is in the built environment, Roberta reminds you of the potentially positive effect that improving biodiversity can have. Whether we label this Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) or simply see it as natural steps to cooperate with nature, at a time when it is so badly needed, what we can be assured of is Nature’s innate instinct to heal and cooperate.
Nature offers a lot of untapped potentials, not only to reduce climate risk and deal with the causes of climate change but also to improve people’s lives. For example, by restoring ecosystems, on land and ocean, we help plants and animals to build climate resilience.
You will also hear from some of our panelists whom you can meet virtually at the Roundtable Event on 31st January 2023, Biodiversity in the Built Environment
The scientific data she and her colleagues work with is central in helping decision making by private and public sector entities on their pathway to sustainability and climate change mitigation
Roberta and her colleagues appreciate how important those working in the built environment are and what big responsibilities they have.
..They also need to increase the risk climate resilience of the buildings and make buildings adaptable to the future climate. I think they have a big responsibility to understand the issue and talk with the scientists as well, to find solutions.
Read the full episode information here.
Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors
Follow Constructive Voices on:
Request a media pack: jackie@constructive-voices.com
As some of our loyal listeners know, 2022 was the very first full year of Constructive Voices. And what a year it was!
From Ireland to Australia, and from Brighton Beach to the United States of America, 2022 has been an amazing year thanks to the magnitude and diversity of our global guests.
We have explored some big topics, such as climate change and sustainability, and how they relate to the built environment. With our expert guests, we have endeavoured to talk about the solutions and challenges to Net Zero and its related topics.
While these have been huge discussion points for many years, the team at Constructive Voices and our collaborators, have been investigating these subjects in the arena of the built environment.
We finished our first few months of existence of 2021 with an event that looked at the roadmap post COP26 with Victoria Kate Burrows, Director of Advancing Net Zero of the World Green Building Council. Along with a panel of distinguished guests.
Little did any of us know that in the early part of 2022, that Russia would invade Ukraine, resulting in a war that has also changed the playing field when it comes to energy, in a number of countries.
Depending on your perspective, this might have hindered the journey towards Net Zero or encouraged it to be accelerated.
Not long before that, in the second episode of the year, we spoke to Gilbert Lennox King about how to measure and offset embodied carbon – a topic of huge relevance to all involved in the built environment.
For our special for International Women’s Day, we featured a small selection of leading lights, such as Farah Naz:
"I think it starts from home. And it starts from very early age, high school is too late, we really as an industry should start going to primary and middle schools to actually having those conversations with the young children.I also think that our school system, our teachers also need support in having those conversations with their students.
I strongly feel that as an industry, where we are working as architects, engineers, urban planners, we also have a role to play to support our teachers and our schools, to go and spend that time and really speak to them about the leadership that they can play.Especially, we are in the middle of a climate emergency. And all these professions have a very important role to play."
Undoubtedly one of the big highlights of the year was FOOTPRINT+ which was our first live event as a media partner, in Brighton, UK.We spoke to many of these industry leaders live at the event and brought a number of insightful episodes to you after it.
But the reality is that we have had so many defining moments during 2022.With the help of an amazing man, Richard, we produced an Addiction Special, which the experts feel has the potential to save lives. Be sure not to miss the Addiction Special.
After COP27 we had an insightful panel session to look at the roadmap ahead for the built environment.
PS: Did you know about the Rats and Other Disasters in the Palace of WestminsterBookmark Constructive Voices Episode 48.
Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors
Follow Constructive Voices on:
Request a media pack: jackie@constructive-voices.com
“If we’re not careful, the United Kingdom is going to have its Notre Dame moment…. that Parliament is going to burn to the ground.”
Ian Paisley, Jnr. Member of Parliament, United Kingdom
“It’s very politically sensitive because no politician wants to be the one who tells the public that a very large amount of taxpayers’ money has to be spent on MPs’ place of work.”
Rowan Moore, Architect Critic for The Guardian
In this episode, Rats and Other Disasters in the Palace of Westminster these two experts delve into the danger of this historic place.
Urgent intervention is needed to save the Palace of Westminster which is not only on its last legs but is potentially hazardous in various ways. This is not fresh news sadly but our two distinguished experts will certainly offer you some fresh perspective.
Rowan Moore, Architecture Critic, The Guardian & Observer
Rowan Moore is architecture critic of the Observer and was named Critic of the Year at the UK press awards 2014. He is the author of Slow Burn City and Why We Build. Follow him on twitter: @rowanmoore
“Obviously, the longer it takes to do the work, the greater the risk, you simply multiply the risk per year by the number of years it takes. And also all the work done on a project so far says the more slowly you do it, the more it costs.”
**Ian Paisley, Jnr. MP, Westminster Spokesperson for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports
Member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee of Refurbishment and Restoration**Ian has represented North Antrim since 1996 when he was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue. In 1998 he was then elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for North Antrim.
As a member of the Assembly Ian served as Chairman of the Agriculture Committee and also as a Junior Minister in the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister from 2007 until 2008. He was also a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board from 2001 until 2007.
“You have to have a crew of four man walk that building constantly 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and they spot fires, fire hazards and put them out and we’re working in that building.”
After Dr Paisley stepped down as the Member of Parliament for North Antrim Ian contested the General Election of 2010 and comfortably retained the seat for the Democratic Unionist Party. He was again re-elected at the General Election in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Ian is currently the DUP spokesperson for Communities, Local Government and Culture, Media and Sports. He is also a member on the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.
Read the full page here on Constructive Voices.
Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors
Follow Constructive Voices on:
Request a media pack: jackie@constructive-voices.com
COP26 saw the first-ever Built Environment DayCOP26 in Glasgow saw the first-ever Built Environment Day. Considering that one of the most shared statistics states that approximately 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions can be traced to constructing and maintaining buildings, some of you might be wondering if this is too little, too late.
Roland Hunziker, director of sustainable buildings and cities at the WBSCD, described built-environment emissions as “the sleeping giant.”
Our panel of experts in this podcast episode will look honestly at the outcome of COP27 in terms of the built environment and also look back at what has happened in the year since COP26.
Below you can meet our guests and further down you can check the latest building initiatives announced at COP27 according to the BuildingtoCOP website.Matthew Black, World Green Building Council
Matthew is Programme Coordinator for World Green Building Council’s (WorldGBC) global Advancing Net Zero programme.
Emma Nicholson, B.A, MSc, FCIOB, FIEMA, FWES, CEnv, FAPM, the Founding Director of Women in Sustainable Construction and Property
Emma is an accomplished and skilled Chartered Construction Manager and Chartered Environmentalist with Board level experience. She is currently the Principal Sustainability Project Manager, at Pick Everard,
Sumele Adelana, Senior Strategic Marketing Manager for SketchUp at Trimble
Sumele Adelana (RIBA Associate) uses her training and experience in architecture, interior architecture, and building performance design to create content that enables professionals in the AEC industry to leverage innovative technologies for better design and a more sustainable built environment.
Phanos Hadjikyriakou, 2050 MaterialsPhanos Hadjikyriakou is an engineer and sustainability expert focusing on democratizing sustainable construction practices in the built environment.
Amrita Dasgupta Shekhar, Associate at Greengage
Amrita is an Associate at Greengage and leads their Energy and Carbon services. She has over 15 years of experience working within the public, private and not-for-profit sector providing strategic leadership and management of carbon reduction programmes. Amrita is a part of a cross industry initiative to develop UK’s first Net Zero Carbon Building Standards.
For fuller information and biographies of our guests, go to Constructive Voices Episode 46: What is the Post COP27 Roadmap for the Built Environment?
Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors
Follow Constructive Voices on:
Request a media pack: jackie@constructive-voices.com
Richard is a recovering alcoholic who has worked in the construction industry for fourteen years. His bravery and honesty will touch you whether you are dealing with an addiction yourself or know of someone who is. The addiction doesn’t need to be alcohol for this episode to be relevant for you.
Two top addiction healthcare specialists from the UK and USA are part of the conversation. Both of whom have a lot of respect for Richard’s courage for not only speaking out on Constructive Voices, but also for accepting his addiction and finding the tools available to him to deal with it.
This episode will give you a deeper understanding of the issue of addiction in the construction industry. Richard’s lived experience will resonate with some of you and the honest, in-depth discussion with him and the healthcare experts is enlightening.
It is clear that no one should feel ashamed of an addiction according to all of our expertsIt is clear that no one should feel ashamed of an addiction according to all of our experts. The shame is not to feel okay to seek support.
Richard also highlights the fact that in his case, as in many others, his addiction can be linked to various mental imbalances.
"I drank every day for about five, six years, I think and I thought I was doing it successfully working in the construction industry, I was working in the offices as a technician, I didn’t really think I had a problem, which is the case with many addicts, they often are quite deluded and think that there’s no issue."
Some construction industry addiction statisticsEmployees of the construction industry, mostly blue-collar workers, have nearly twice the rate of substance abuse as the national average. Around 15% of all construction workers in the United States have a substance abuse disorder compared to 8.6% of the general population of adults, according to data from the National Survey on Drug Use conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. Other statistics from this study pertaining to construction workers include:1-2
These statistics are reflected in other countries as well.
Richard has also experienced the ongoing feeling of:
"Keeping it secret, not opening up about it- it’s all been about fear of losing your job, essentially, that’s what it’s been for me. Just creating an environment where people don’t feel that fear, they feel safe, that if they’re serious about doing something about it, that they’re gonna get the support they need, and they’re not going to be thrown away in some way because that’s what I was scared off and that’s what I’m still scared of, you know."
There isn’t an investment in making sure that there’s a healthy workforce
Dr. Lucas Trautman, MPH, the Medical Director, Oxford Treatment Center recognises that,
"More and more of our construction workers have gone from full employees to quote contracted labor. And so what happens in those cases are that the employer really even stops doing any kind of drug testing. And there isn’t an investment in making sure that there’s a healthy workforce."
Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors
Follow Constructive Voices on:
Request a media pack: jackie@constructive-voices.com
The 44th episode of Constructive Voices looks Stateside to construction technology expert, Aaron Henderson. Talking to Steve Randall, Aaron navigates the stormy waters of an industry that has been shaken by a range of phenomena.
He discusses how to minimise risk during these turbulent times, while giving listeners an interesting insight into the AEC sectors in America.
As Product Marketing Manager for STACK Construction Technologies, Aaron Henderson is on a mission scale contracting organizations leveraging technology to increase efficiency and minimize risk.
Over his career, Aaron has worked with top AEC industry leaders to streamline systems and processes and develop strategies for more effective growth.
Aaron on construction waste:
"When you look at the overall numbers of construction waste – material from a construction project, or wasted man-hours of not having the right labour on-site, when it needs to be there.It’s an area that we can easily fix or not easily, but we can at least make really good headway with some of the technologies."
Aaron is in charge of helping contractors work 10X faster, eliminate costly errors, and earn more using STACK, the leading software for construction take-off and estimation.
On material shortages in America, Aaron observes that,
"The lumber shortage was one that just had a massive impact…We saw lumber prices absolutely skyrocket and an inability to get the lumber when we needed to get it."
About STACKSTACK has been recognized as one of the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private companies in the US six times and has raised $26.3M to date.
They also have 65,000+ active users who have performed 3.7M+ construction take-offs in the last 12 months, and their annual revenues are $6.5M+.
Aaron has 15+ years of construction technology experience leading top AEC firms like PASKR and PioneerIQ through strategic digital transformation for more effective growth.
Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors
Follow Constructive Voices on:
Request a media pack: jackie@constructive-voices.com
Ireland’s favourite TV Builder, Peter Finn, talks to Scott Delaney of CIS Ireland about the state of the construction industry in Ireland plus he shines a spotlight on the work of CIS Ireland.
They discuss how COVID-19 has changed the landscape of the construction industry. Scott also hones in on the huge challenge of material costs. Learn his insights from his industry researcher’s perspective.Construction Information Services (CIS) is Ireland’s leading provider of business intelligence to the Construction and Allied Industries. Founded in 1972, CIS provides comprehensive, researched, verified and real-time information on all building projects throughout Ireland – North and South.
CIS Ireland essentially tracks and monitors all major, minor and self-build projects in Ireland from early planning right up to completion. Their customers are able to search, and track when opportunities are on these projects.
It is possible to search using very specific search filters to ensure pinpoint results are brought back to you.
About Scott DelaneyScott joined CIS in August 2006 after studying Business and Entrepreneurship at the Institute of Art, Design, and Technology (IADT). Scott has worked as a junior researcher, senior researcher, assistant editor, and was appointed Research Manager in 2017.
Scott has extensive knowledge of the planning, procurement, and construction cycles. Scott has worked on many bespoke sector reports as CIS and has developed strong business relationships with many key industrial professionals in the construction sector.
About Construction Information Services (CIS) Ireland
Celebrating 50 Years as Leaders in Irish Construction
Construction Information Services (CIS) is commemorating its 50th year since its establishment in 1972. Since then, it has cemented itself as a cornerstone of the construction and related industries, delivering comprehensive, well-researched, timely, and verified business opportunities and intelligence. CIS hopes to initiate a new era of growth throughout the year to honour its past achievements and to share with its members the milestones and challenges of the last 50 years while looking forward to future opportunities for many years to come.
Read the full Constructive Voices Episode 43 information here.
Does this episode title annoy you in the current circumstances that so many of us find ourselves in? It can be hard to stomach concepts like this when our worlds have been turned upside down in so many ways over the last few years.
However, architect and company director of Cityzen, John Smith MCIAT’s interview with Henry McDonald will certainly make you think!
Plus Peter Finn gives his very honest input about the current state of affairs on this topic as a builder in Ireland.
John Smith MCIAT:
If the energy companies dropped all their prices tomorrow, everyone would have just turned things back on. And that’s no good for the environment and the planet. If we talk about it now at least they’re thinking about it when the energy prices come back down, and they go, oh, yeah, but if I do start turning things on, you know, what’s my carbon emissions?
About John SmithJohn Smith is the Director of Cityzen Limited, a professional services firm that offers professional clients architectural design and planning bids, building regulations packages, and M&E advice for building development. Its team can assist in creating and developing the buildings you require by utilising their skills, experience, and technical knowledge. Building services engineering, thermal performance, feasibility, sustainability, and conservation are some of their specialities.
In this interview, John talks about his work at Cityzen Design and explain what Cityzen does in a nutshell by highlighting two or three projects that he is particularly proud of, as well as aspects of these projects that are good examples of working towards Net Zero. On example is in the photo above.
John, like many others, feels that there is not enough energy and action at the local and central government levelThere is a disconnect between the pace of change that is needed to address the climate crisis and the speed at which governments are currently moving.
This was a recurring theme at the recent FOOTPRINT+ event, where experts from around the world gathered to discuss the latest developments in sustainability.
While there was a general sense of optimism about the progress that is being made, there was also a growing sense of frustration at the lack of energy and action at a local and central government levels. This disconnect is likely to continue unless there is a radical shift in the way that governments operate. Only by working together can we hope to address the climate crisis in a meaningful way.
John will discuss his thoughts on the issue, the solutions he believes should be implemented to expedite the situation, and the statement he made in an article:
We have had successive governments not investing in retrofits (or saying they are, then pulling the funding!). The UK’s Housing stock is old, poorly insulated and draughty, at Cityzen we have been designing retrofits for houses and working with others on retrofit schemes (which were government backed) and reporting on how buildings can be retrofitted for over 10 years, we also have done 100s of surveys showing what buildings are insulated with or typically not and how they can be improved.
Discover more on the full Constructive Voices Episode 42 page.
Worldwide top construction podcast recognition
As we release this episode we are delighted to announce that we have been included in the world's most important list of Feedspot best construction podcasts.
Read more about this here over at Constructive Voices News.
Imagine your mission is to protect one of the most famous books in the whole world. A beautiful and intricate illuminated manuscript that contains the four Gospels of the New Testament that was created by Celtic monks around the year 800. This was the challenge that Peter Finn, Ireland’s Favourite TV Builder and one of the Constructive Voices presenters, faced a while ago.
Ireland’s Favourite TV Builder’s Labour of Love for the Book of Kells
Yes, we are talking about The Book of Kells with its elaborate spiral and interlace patterns, images of animals and birds, which is housed in Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland.
The Book of Kells was probably created by monks at the monastery of Iona, off the coast of Scotland. It is unclear how the book made its way to Ireland, where it was eventually donated to the University of Dublin in 1661.
Today, the Book of Kells is on display at Trinity College Library, where visitors can see its ornate pages up close. Despite its age, the Book of Kells remains an awe-inspiring work of art that continues to fascination scholars and laypeople alike.
**Hear this unique interview on Episode 41.
Peter Finn, Ireland’s Favourite TV Builder:**
“I’m sure everybody’s heard of the Book of Kells. It’s the oldest Christian scripture in existence in the world. We were given the project of creating a protection mobile around the Book of Kells, which was a labour of love.”
The Book of Kells receives over a million visitors each year. In fact, in 2021, after it reopened after COVID restrictions, 78,000 people visited the Book of Kells between May and October.
Peter Finn…blend the old with the new:
“You have to have an eye to be able to blend the old with the new in as seamless away as you possibly can. And it takes skill and it takes the right people to do it. It’s not the type of construction where you can get a load of lads in on price, and push them and force them to get a job done in a set period of time.”
So it seems that you know what you are doing, what could possibly go wrong?
Peter Finn…a skeleton in the closet:
“The worst thing that can happen is you actually find a literal skeleton in the closet because it means everything has to stop and you have to rethink what you’re doing….”
Listen to this fascinating interview with Pete The Builder.
Wondering how your counterparts are doing Down Under? Curious about the current state of the construction industry in Australia? Then tune in to Episode 40, with our Australian expert guest, Alex Fernandez-Soncini.
Alex will give you a snapshot of the Australian construction industry, where the attitudes are, where the industry is right now based on a survey of several countries across Asia Pacific, that Procore did recently.
Our very own, Steve Randall, talks to Alex Fernandez-Soncini, a Strategic Construction Technologist for Procore Technologies, not only about the state of the construction industry in Australia but also about how technology is now playing a major role in the industry.
It is no secret that Australia is lagging when it comes to the construction industry
It is no secret that Australia is lagging when it comes to the construction industry. Alex claims this is due to the lack of mobile technology utilised compared to Asian parts of the industry that have utilised mobile technologies from the start. However, Alex believes that the introduction of new technologies to the industry has allowed them to gain some ground on Asian countries.
“If you look where Australia is starting out, it is a lot more of a mature market to be honest, we have not had a lot of that mobile technology…”
How is climate change affecting the industry in Australia?
Climate change is affecting all industries and the Australian construction one is no different. Alex explains how increased rain and inclement weather are making the job of construction workers much more challenging than before.
“Yeah definitely, the rain activity has not helped construction. We have already got all of these other issues and then you go and add a whole bunch of inclement weather and then all of a sudden that is putting a lot of pressure on builders…”
About Alex Fernandez-Soncini
Alex Fernandez-Soncini is the Team Lead for Strategic Product Consultants at Procore Technologies.
As Team Lead, Alex utilises his extensive construction knowledge and experience to direct a team and offer guidance on the role of cloud-based technology and best practices to key customers and internal stakeholders. In addition, the team collaborates with industry stakeholders to communicate enhancements for the industry.
Using his in-depth understanding of what makes Australian construction professionals tick, Alex is an innovator who contributes to improving and developing construction technology for the industry. In addition, he possesses the skill to communicate solutions in a way everyone can understand.
With over 10 years of experience in the construction industry, before joining Procore in 2017, Alex’s resume consists of most recently working as a Contracts Administrator at Renascent Australia. He was also with Philip Chin Group working as a Building Code Consultant before joining Parkview Group to take on the role of BCA/Design Coordinator.
Read more about Episode 40 Constructive Voices here
The inaugural FOOTPRINT+ was a huge success and we were delighted to be there as a media partner. This bonus episode wraps up the series of super interviews that we recorded at the event.
If you missed any interviews from the event you can catch up on previous specials one, two, three and four. Plus the first bonus special is available here.
Check out the great selection of guests on this bonus episode.
Jason Horner - Head of Infrastructure Services and Director of Environment & Infrastructure at Hilson Moran: Jason is an Infrastructure Planner and Environmental Engineer with a good few years of experience.
**We also spoke to Marie-Louise Schembri, Design Director at Hilson Moran
John Macdonald-Brown, Founder, Syzygy**
Founded in 2010, Syzygy has grown to become one of the leading specialist low carbon technology consultancies in the UK and Europe.
Kelly Harrison, Associate Director, Whitby Wood
Kelly is an active proponent of sustainable construction, and is particularly experienced in the structural design of engineered timber, hybrid structures, and retro-fitting.
Ken Hunnisett, Head of Public Sector, Triple Point Investment ManagementKen Hunnisett has spent the last 25 years in asset and infrastructure finance. He was one of the speakers at
The regulation of heat: A new era for heat networks
Lee Golby, SHEQ Manager & Sustainability Lead at Paula Rosa | ManhattanLee is the SHEQ Manager & Sustainability Lead at Paula Rosa | Manhattan.
Mike Reynolds, Vattenfall
Mike is Managing Director of Vattenfall Heat UK, and lead Vattenfall’s successful UK Market entry in 2018 – taking the business from paper to pipes installed in under three years.
Mitakshi Sirsi, Director at WILL+Partners | Chair, Sustainability Community at CoreNet, UK Chapter
Mitakshi specialises in Sustained the Workplace; particularly in directing management policy through research frameworks; and using training as a tool to integrate high-level strategies and certifications through the life cycle of buildings.
Sam Jarrett U+I - Sam is the Head of Marketing and Communications at U+I PLC who create thriving mixed-use places in the London City Region, Manchester and Dublin, where people can live, work and socialise.
Tom LarssonTom is the Design Director at Stanhope, a developer specialising in complex urban regeneration.
Vikki Slade, Cratus CommunicationsVikki is a Director at Cratus Communications leading on the work of helping clients respond to the climate emergency, based out of our Southampton offices but working across the UK.
To read more information on all of these great guest, head over to the Constructive Voices Episode 39 page.
In this episode, Steve Randall speaks to Sam Whitworth and Maddie Podstada of Stelling Properties Limited. Steve was also given a tour around the Stelling Properties factory and himself and Pete the Builder discuss modular construction.
If you have an interest in modular construction or you want to hear how it is being used to aid civilians fleeing the conflict in Ukraine then this episode is for you!
Sam Whitworth is the Engineering Director for Stelling Properties. Sam’s portfolio consists of working in the Marina, Aerospace and Civil Sectors. Sam is committed to the development and delivery of new technology and products. He also enjoys being challenged and works well under pressure.
“We exist to take on the challenge of bringing modular to the mainstream and giving people the choice that they deserve as a customer.”“Interface is key in the modular industry.”
Stelling Properties are one of the UK’s leading modular development and construction companies. They traditionally focus on student accommodation, residential developments, and hotels.
Today however they are using their expertise to help civilians fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.Stelling Properties are now designing and building transportable accommodation inside shipping containers to aid in housing civilians living in dangerous and freezing conditions in refugee camps in Europe.
The carefully designed and insulated units can provide shelter for up to two adults and two children or three adults at a time. They provide them with space to sleep and eat.
Known as Project Re: Haus, this venture is staff-led and is a separate charitable initiative started by the team just days after the news of the war broke around the world.
Maddie Podstada is the Project Coordinator for Project Re: Haus. A future charitable organisation that is designed to be a solution for those displaced by conflict, war, and natural emergencies.
Maddie believes that the speed of modular is what makes it suitable for a crisis. A modular can be built, transported and then be ready for use within two hours.
Visibly emotional when the first containers were transported, Maddie and her team are very proud of the hard work and long hours that they put in to help families fleeing from their countries.
If you wish to help Maddie and her team with their admirable project you can make a donation at www.rehaus.org.
“The modules are produced and then transported to Poland and can be ready to be used in about two hours, so they call it plug and play.”“Modular construction is a fantastic solution to be relocated from one location to another.”
To kick off this bonus FOOTPRINT+ episode, Pete the Builder spoke to Andrew Waugh about using timber in construction
Andrew Waugh, Waugh Thistleton Architects
Andrew is a founding director of Waugh Thistleton Architects, an architecture practice dedicated to designing buildings and places of the highest architectural quality that acknowledge their impact on the environment.
“…for the last 20 years, we’ve become increasingly fascinated, even slightly obsessed with the opportunities for building in timber for designing beautiful buildings in timber.”
Next up, Steve Randall spoke to Angela Crowther about repurposing existing buildings
Angela Crowther is an Associate Director at Arup. She was a keynote speaker at the event. Her talk was entitled Repurposing existing buildings to save the embodied carbon. Modernising assets to make them more energy-efficient can be done in various ways. For example, one could choose the retrofitting option to make a building fit for purpose for the future.
“The opportunity to immediately save 50% of our carbon budget by protecting and celebrating and reusing what we have already built in the past into the future, rather than starting again.”
Peter the Builder spoke to Ann-Marie Fallon of Architype about Passivhaus
Ann-Marie Fallon is an Associate Director and CEPH Designer at Architype. She was a keynote speaker at the event. Her talk was entitled Is Passivhaus the answer?
“My context from working with Passivhaus buildings for the last 13 years is that it’s become a bit of a dirty word. You know, clients are afraid of it, design teams don’t want to touch it, contractors are nervous of building.”
Pete the Builder spoke to Councillor Samer Bagaeen about the government’s role in achieving Net-Zero
Samer Bagaeen is a member of the Brighton & Hove City Council. With a background in the built environment, Samer is a chartered town planner and a chartered surveyor.
Samer believes that achieving Net-Zero ultimately comes down to what local governments and councils in the cities do. He does however acknowledge that there are constraints, the biggest one being money. Despite these constraints, he believes that governments need to be more ambitious in their policies and the delivery of these policies.
“You need the bankers to step out, you need central government to kind of be more ambitious in their policies and the delivery, so it’s a collective effort”
Pete the Builder spoke to Courtney MacDougall of Vattenfall about educating people on low carbon solutions.
Courtney MacDougall is a project engineer for Vattenfall. Working with the wider project team, she provides technical advice and steers the project through the development and delivery stages.
“So it’s really that education piece that you don’t need to have a boiler within your house or in your flat, you can have a heat pump”
Next up, Pete the Builder spoke to Dan Epstein about using solar energy. Dan Epstein is a sustainability leader for Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC). He was a chairperson at the event.
This bonus episode has a number of other episodes. to read the full line-up and information head over to Constructive Voices Episode 37.
Julia Watson is a leading light at this crucial moment in humanity's history. We were honoured and delighted to be able to interview her recently about indigenous architecture.
From 5 May - 29 August 2022, the Barbican Centre is featuring Julia's collaborative exhibition, Our Time on Earth, which is a major exhibition celebrating the power of global creativity to transform the conversation around the climate emergency. Through art, design, science, music and philosophy, the exhibition presents a range of radical visions for the future of all species.
A journey through immersive, interactive installations and digital works, the exhibition invites visitors to experience a range of perspectives of our shared planet, exploring Earth as a community to which we all belong – humans as just one species among millions.
Aiming to reignite respect for our essential and complex biosphere and inspire awe and wonder for our beautiful planet, the exhibition explores different ways of existing on Earth and finding ways to reconnect with them, while also looking at the role technology has to play in deepening our understanding and connection to the natural world. Our Time on Earth encourages visitors to take an active role and leave feeling empowered to make positive change.
About Julia Watson
Julia is a leading expert of Lo—TEK nature-based technologies for climate-resilience. Her eponymously named studio brings creative and conceptual, interdisciplinary thinking to design projects and corporations interested in systemic and sustainable change.
She is the author of Lo—TEK Design by Radical Indigenism
Julia Watson is a renowned architectural historian but is especially known for her work around Indigenous Architecture
Julia Watson is a renowned architectural historian and the author of several books on the history of architecture. She is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin and has taught at Harvard University, Yale University, and Columbia University. Julia Watson is one of the world’s leading experts on the history of architecture and has published numerous articles and books on the subject.
She is a highly respected authority on the subject and her work is widely respected by her peers. Julia Watson is an important voice in the field of architectural history and her work is essential reading for anyone interested in the subject.
More about Julia Watson on our website.
We really enjoyed being at the Footprint+ event earlier this month. Speaking to so many different people with the same goal was really refreshing. We still have one more episode to bring you, plus a couple of bonus episodes!
If you missed any interviews from the event, you can catch them on the previous specials one, two and three.
To begin the final episode of this four-part series, Pete the Builder spoke to Adrienne Bloch about women and their role in the construction industry. Adrienne Bloch is the ESG, Managing Director for Bloch Solutions.
She was a chairperson at the event. Her talk was entitled MMC delivers massive carbon savings.
Adrienne believes that modular construction will make it easier for women to play a more critical role in the industry.
Adrienne leads Bloch Solutions with a specific focus on maximising environmental, social and economic outcomes, and ESG investment.
“The environment is much easier for women to participate in. I think it is going to be a real game-changer in terms of getting women into construction”
Next up, Steve Randall spoke to David Lewis about life sciencesDavid Lewis is the Operations & Finance Director for Ironstone Asset Management Limited.
Life Sciences is a topic that is growing at an increasing rate and one in which David takes a particular interest.
He believes that there is a lack of suitable office and lab space in the UK. Together with his team, they try to create space for science. They focus on what they call the golden triangle, the space between London, Cambridge, and Oxford.
“We only have eight people on our team but one of the first people we actually hired was a sustainability director, so that is how important we treat it”
Pete the Builder spoke to Rory Bergin about the hot topic of modular constructionWith a personal interest in all things sustainable, Rory Bergin is the Head of Sustainability for HTA Design. He was a keynote speaker at the event. His talk was entitled MMC delivers massive carbon savings.
Rory’s ambition is to deliver some ground-breaking innovative sustainable designs that set the standard for the new generation of environmentally, socially and economically sustainable places.
“Volumetric construction is about 40-45, 50% less energy-intensive than traditional construction”
Justin Guest is a partner at Archipelago Eco Investors. He was a keynote speaker at the event. His talk was entitled Carbon Offsetting – Where is your carbon pot best spent?
“Offsetting is absolutely a legitimate strategy when it is done right”
Pete the Builder spoke to Romy Rawlings for the penultimate interview in this special.Romy Rawlings is the Commercial Director at Vestre. She is a Chartered Landscape Architect with lots of experience as a consultant, designer, project manager and researcher.
“I think we are some way off meeting those targets genuinely”
For the final interview of this four-part Footprint+ special, Steve Randall spoke to Philip Steele of Octopus Energy.Philip Steele is the Future Technologies Evangelist at Octopus Energy.
“We are actually nearly there already, we are already at 40% of our energy bei
To kick off this third special episode, Steve Randall spoke to Josie Cadwallader-Hughes about Zero-Carbon homes
As Sustainability Director at Thakeham Group, Josie Cadwallader-Hughes is responsible for keeping Thakeham at the leading edge, building partnerships with distinguished organisations with a long history of championing change, and advising on a number of cross-industry programmes enabling zero carbon placemaking.
“The homes that we deliver by 2025 will be zero carbon, none of this tricky transition period”
Next up, Steve Randall spoke to Martin Hale about EV charging.Martin Hale is the Sales Director for RAW Charging.
Electric charging is a trending topic as we move from fuel sources such as diesel and petrol to more environmentally friendly sources such as electricity. More people are demanding these EV chargers on company sites. As with most new inventions challenges exist such as location and sources of power.
“The big case is the power because that is the showstopper, where is the power coming from?”
Pete the Builder spoke to Mike Harrison about concrete and their new innovative product ConcreteneMike Harrison is the Delivery Director at U+I. He was a chairperson at the event. His talk was entitled Concretene: Graphene-enriched concrete lowering cement and carbon emissions.
Developed by the University of Manchester’s Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre, Concretene is a type of concrete that is significantly stronger. This allows designers to propose concrete mixes with lower cement content driving down the embodied carbon of one of construction’s most relied upon materials.
Encouraging people to adopt something new always has its challenges, how can we overcome these challenges?
“What it does is it gives you a lot greater strength in the concrete for the same cementitious content.”
Next up, Pete the Builder spoke to Nick Hillard about modular constructionNick Hillard is the ESG lead at Tide Construction. He was a keynote speaker at the event. His talk was entitled MMC delivers massive carbon savings.
“45% saving against the traditional reinforced concrete method of construction”
Our next guest is Paul Sullivan. Pete the Builder spoke to him about the challenges of labour shortages in the construction industry
“The work needs to be done out there by 2030, we are just concerned whether there is the trades to do it. We have estimated that there is probably a shortfall of about 130,000 tradesmen.
Pete the Builder spoke to one of the event’s speakers, Stuart McLaren about low-carbon estates. Stuart McLaren is the Net Zero Director for Infrastructure at Atkins. He was a chairperson at the event. His talk was entitled Decarbonising your estate. All the challenges to achieving a Net-Zero carbon future are present in a mixed-asset estate.
“The more we come together and see what good looks like or what bad looks like the more chance we have at succeeding at this monumental challenge.”
The final interview on this third special episode is Ziad Asmar. Steve Randall spoke to him about reducing carbon emissionsZiad Asmar is a Senior Structural Engineer at Pinnacle Consulting Engineering Ltd.
“Cost is a very big factor but once it is forced and regulated that is when we are going to see a big change”
Pete the Builder and Steve Randall along with this special’s guests are transporting you back to Footprint+! And if you weren’t there, this is a great way to be in the know!
Pete the Builder spoke to Wendy Bishop of Architype about retrofitting and the Entopia BuildingWendy Bishop is an associate of
Architype and Passivhaus designer. She was a keynote speaker at the event. Her talk was entitled Retrofitting a historic building: CISL’s Entopia Building.
" What might work for a 1930’s building like the Entopia Building in Cambridge won’t work for a 1980s built school up in Scotland."
Read more on our episode page here.
Next up Steve Randall spoke to Catherine Dewar and David Tomback from Historic England about the importance of reusing old buildings.
".. the three days have really brought into focus the importance of reusing buildings and the carbon that’s embodied in those buildings. Of course, we represent Historic England, so we would say that’s important.But it’s been a joy to hear everybody else saying it. We’ve been talking about this, haven’t we for years? And it’s just a joy to hear everybody else, recognising the importance of doing that, for really important reasons."
Our next guests are two young people in the Construction industry, Shane Orme and Serena Gugliotta of WSP. Pete the Builder spoke to both about the goal of net zero and the importance of collaboration in order to achieve it.
"But I think that the biggest point here is that we as consultants, can do more than just advising. We can really push for a circular economy and all these concepts that we’re discussing today. Because it’s a really collaborative approach, the one we have to push forward. And so we’re doing our best to work together."
Steve Randall spoke to Sophie Cole of Mikhail Riches next about retrofitting and achieving zero carbon housing at a scale.
Sophie Cole is a senior architect at Mikhail Riches. She specialises in housing design and her priority lies in sustainability. She believes that now clients are demanding a green agenda, and everyone is on the same page to achieve it.
" Now our clients are asking us to do it, whereas before I think we felt that sometimes you had to push a green agenda."
Next Pete the Builder talks to Steve Hearn, the Chief Executive Officer at Mid Group about using timber wood in construction
Mid Group is a dynamic Construction, Investment and Development company, focused on providing enhanced value to its clients and partners.
"I think the answer is probably not doing enough. There’s more we can do but we are constrained by legislation and the market conditions."
Read more on our episode page here.
The penultimate interview on this second special episode is Steve Randall speaking to Paul Lincoln, Editor from Landscape
The Landscape Institute is the body that represents landscape architects in the UK. With over 6000 members consisting of landscape designers, landscape managers and landscape planners or students.
"Landscape architecture is absolutely at the heart of sustainable development."
This special ends with Pete the Builder interviewing Sebastian Wood of Whitby Wood
Listen to Sebastian Wood who was a keynote speaker at the event. His talk was entitled Revitalising disused buildings to deliver on the triple bottom line.
Pete the Builder and Steve Randall make you feel like you are at FOOTPRINT+ yourself!
This first FOOTPRINT+ Special kicks off with an insightful catch-up interview with Emily Day, the Co-Founder of Footprint+. Speaking to Pete, Emily, who believes that through connections people can learn from each other and come up with new ideas, talks about how she feels about the first ever FOOTPRINT+
Emily Day is co-founder and director at Footprint+, she is an award-winning architect and urban designer with a particular focus on global development and social responsibility. As founder of Footprint+, she has taken the opportunity to redeploy her knowledge to make a positive social contribution, helping all parties make progress towards a Carbon Zero future.
Qualified as a chartered architect , Emily has over 20 years of experience working on large-scale projects. She has worked with many key players within the industry; local authorities, developers, and financial institutions which have given her a unique insight into the needs of the different parties
Here are some of the questions we Pete asked Emily:
Do you think the Footprint Plus+ event went well? Do you wonder what the founders of the event think about the state of the industry and prospects for future? If so, you will enjoy this interview with one of the founders of Footprint+.
“The event itself is intended to bring people together, to share knowledge and through this knowledge sharing able to approach projects with new initiatives...“It’s a slow changing industry, it’s not going to change overnight but I can really see the opportunities are there”
Read more at Constructive Voices Radio special episode page.
**Steve Randall spoke to Prof. Greg Clark about the role of cities in our quest towards NetZero.
Prof. Greg Clark is Chair of the Connected Places Catapult and UK Cities Climate Investment Commission**Greg is a world expert on cities, urban investment, and sustainable urban transition. Over a career of 35 years he has advised more than 300 cities, 40 national governments, 20 multilateral institutions, and multiple global corporates and investors.
Next up Pete the Builder talks to top engineer, Tom Holbrow, who specialises in public sector projects.
Tom Holbrow is the Business Development Director at Mace Group. He is a senior Board level professional with expertise in Engineering and Construction Business Development. He leads the Business Development function for the Public Estates, Research, Education, Arts and Culture and Healthcare Construction team at MACE.
Our next guest touches on one of the most important things right now when it comes to achieving our goals around NetZero…collaboration
Katie Clemence-Jackson, MENG CENG MCIBSE, Senior Engineer & Partner, Max FordhamKatie is a senior project engineer and sustainability consultant, experienced in delivering varied and unique projects at all construction stages. She is chartered with CIBSE and actively involved in the Institution, including chairing the CIBSE Technology Committee.Katie coordinates the activities of Max Fordham’s Net Zero Carbon (NZC) working group, and was key to establishing the Practice’s NZC design service. She is also co-chair of the Practice’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion group. Plus she was an NLA Expert Panellist for Net Zero Alumni 2021.
Timothy E. Glew, Business Development Manager, Q-Bot talks about robots, and specifically BettyQ-Bot featured on BBC Breakfast following the announcement of the UK’s Energy Security Strategy
Along with 25 robots, Q-Bot employs 35 humans at a headquarters in London and offices in Newcastle. The highly-experienced multidisciplinary engineering and research team has a unique blend of robotics, digital and building experience.
Don’t miss this fascinating interview with Henry Mc Donald talking to top architect, Dr Joe Jack Williams, whose specialism is understanding the impact of the built environment on schools.
Ever think about your school days and wonder how you managed to learn anything in a cold, depressing classroom? Or maybe you were more privileged and sat in an inspiring space surrounded by nature?
Either way there’s a good chance you will enjoy this great interview with one of the speakers at FOOTPRINT+
If a school feels important, feels loved, the students respect it that little bit more… kids are very impressionable. So even if it’s painted, if it’s kept clean, it will just perpetuate that idea.
The problem with a lot of this is how do you measure attainment and academic performance? And that’s the real complexity.
About Dr. Joe Jack Williams
Dr Joe Jack Williams is an Associate and researcher at FCBStudios and, alongside Ian Taylor, leads environmental research at the practice, identifying, developing and enabling research across sectors and projects.
His specialism is the influence of the school building on the students studying within, measuring perceptions, environmental performance and building forms as well as predicting, measuring and mitigating carbon impacts of architecture.
He has taught at a number of universities in the UK and is part of core research groups within Architects Declare, CIBSE and LETI.
We are delighted to reach another milestone on the 17th May 2022 – when we publish our 30th episode. It’s been a wonderful journey so far and we are very happy to have a great guest to mark this special occasion.
“..When I give lectures, I ask the question, what’s the relationship between architecture and shoes, and I show a picture of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai…”
Bryan Oknyansky is an international award-winning product architect known for inventing pioneering products that have taken him around the world as a lecturer and speaker. With 15 years of experience in the architecture, product and footwear design industries, Bryan has worked for leading architecture and design firms in the US, UK and China and has been invited as Guest Lecturer at design schools in the US, UK, Russia and China.
Bryan talks to Henry McDonald about what shoes, western and oriental architecture have in common as well as many other important topics!
A lot of what I work on architecturally doesn’t land from outer space. It exists within a community that’s already there where people already live and work. The context is important. The townscape is important to forms. The kind of architectural decisions you make on what you believe would not only fit the client brief, but make something interesting and elevate the quality of the neighbourhood.
Bryan is able to bridge the gap between technology and design because of his unique specialty in using the latest robotic manufacturing technologies like 3D printing to reinvent the world around us one product at a time. Setting his sights on reinventing the footwear industry, Bryan founded Shoes By Bryan in 2012 – a London-based fashion and technology start-up pioneering mass-market 3D printed footwear unique to every single foot in the world while also looking, and feeling, great.
Being committed to visionary and technologically forward design, Bryan has picked up numerous awards including an American Institute of Architects Design Excellence Award, a Bernardo Footwear Sole Perspective Designer Award, and an Honorable Mention in the highly coveted Red Dot Product Design awards. As an internationally recognized thought leader in his field, Bryan’s award-winning works are regularly exhibited around the world in galleries and museums.
In addition to directing a ground-breaking footwear brand, Bryan is a visiting lecturer at Regent’s University London School of Fashion and Design and consults to individuals, businesses and communities to foster new generations of designers and manufacturers.
Henry McDonald speaks to Tim Rose, the Program Lead for the Energy Super Hub Oxford Project.Tim Rose is one of the speakers at FOOTPRINT+. He is a low-carbon consultant with 25 years in the renewable energy and aerospace sectors. And now through his role at Pivot Power, Tim is the program lead for the Energy Super Hub Oxford Project, a joint venture, combining the technologies for charging electric vehicles, large scale energy storage, and electrification of heat, which together form a core element of the city of Oxford’s ambitious decarbonisation plans
What is Energy Superhub Oxford?
About Energy Superhub Oxford
Our Electric Vehicle (EV) charging network – connected to the National Grid’s high voltage electricity transmission network – will bring an unprecedented amount of power to Oxford for rapid vehicle charging, the charging of big vehicle fleets, and the addition of new chargers as demand grows.
Our hybrid battery is the first of its type in the world to explore the synergies of lithium-ion and vanadium flow technology from flow specialists Invinity Energy Systems, who will incorporate a new Overdrive (extra power) mode into the battery.
Innovative, small ‘shoebox’ ground source heat pumps will show one way in which we can help to eliminate the carbon associated with heating our homes and businesses.
Our Optimisation and Trading Engine underpins the whole project. This will control the activity of the battery and the EV chargers so that they automatically use cheaper, cleaner electricity when available. The heat pumps will also use newly developed smart controls to optimise comfort and cost for residents.
The Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO) is one of three demonstrator projects part-funded by the UK government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund under its “Prospering from the Energy Revolution” (PFER) programme. The PFER programme is about delivering innovation in smart local energy systems.
We are delighted to announce that we will be going to FOOTPRINT+ as a media partner for this exciting event which takes place in Brighton on 7-9 June 2022. Our three guests will leave you in no doubt about the value of attending FOOTPRINT+. In our opinion, this event is a much-needed model that should ideally be replicated around the world.
What is FOOTPRINT+
FOOTPRINT+ will gather representatives from every sector of the UK construction and property market to discuss and discover how to action state of the art methods to achieve Net Zero in construction and real estate.
The exhibition space enables stakeholders and experts to meet face-to-face, learn from each other and build the relationships required for putting sustainable solutions into practice.
Emily Day, an award-winning architect and one of the founders of FOOTPRINT+
Emily speaks about how the event came about, what you can expect of it, and who will be there.
“Footprint Plus is a place where everybody from the whole broad spectrum of different disciplines within construction, architecture, property, and engineering can get together and learn from one another about all of the different initiatives that we’re all introducing.No one initiative is going to solve all of the problems. But together, we can share knowledge on all the good things that we’re doing and accelerate the progress that the industry needs to make to reduce the carbon emissions that we’re responsible for.”
About Emily
Emily Day is a chartered architect with over 20 years of experience working on large-scale projects. Emily has worked with many key players within the industry; local authorities, developers, and financial institutions which have given her a unique insight into the needs of the different parties
Local authority clients have included:
City of Nottingham
London Borough of Hackney
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Rutland Council
North Devon District Council
Cornwall Council
Projects completed include major residential developments and urban planning, mixed-use developments, speculative office, hospitality, educational estates, and community developments up to £6bn in value.
Tim Rose, Program Lead for the Energy Super Hub Oxford Project
Tim Rose is one of the speakers at FOOTPRINT+. He is a low-carbon consultant with 25 years in the renewable energy and aerospace sectors. And now through his role at Pivot Power, Tim is the program lead for the Energy Super Hub Oxford Project, a joint venture, combining the technologies for charging electric vehicles, large scale energy storage, and electrification of heat, which together form a core element of the city of Oxford’s ambitious decarbonisation plans
Dr. Joe Jack Williams, associate, and researcher at FCB Studios
Dr. Joe Jack Williams is an associate researcher and Passive House consultant at British architectural design firm FCPS, established in 1978, and known for its pioneering work in sustainable design and the social design agenda, Joe led the development of FCB’s carbon tool that estimates the whole life carbon of a building to inform design decisions prior to detailed design.
In Episode 27 of the Constructive Voices Podcast, Henry Mc Donald speaks to Craig Applegath, architect, urban designer, and zero-carbon building pioneer, to discuss his work with DIALOG on the “Supertall” Hybrid Wood Tower and the Zero-Carbon Mass Timber Projects.
Craig is internationally recognised for his design and advocacy of zero-carbon regenerative buildings and cities, as well as mass timber design. In the episode, he speaks to us about the urgency in the construction industry to focus on zero-carbon buildings, how we have the technology to do it – we just need the leadership and the will.
Read more about Craig and his projects here!
“One cubic meter of wood stores one metric tonne of CO2. That’s a lot. So really having a building that 70% made of wood is a way of storing huge amounts of CO2.”
“There has to be the will of the society and our government leadership to drive [a zero-carbon future] down the tracks. We’ve got all the technology we need. And there’s huge opportunities.”
“70% of all the materials used in a tall building are in the floor system. So that was the opportunity to use mass timber CLT. And, and that was also the opportunity for us to design a long span CLT mass timber floor system, which is one of the real innovations here”
About Craig ApplegathArchitect, urban designer, and a pioneer in the planning and design of zero-carbon buildings and campuses, climate adaptation, and regenerative cities, Craig is a principal and founding partner of DIALOG’s Toronto studio.
Trained as a biologist, and then as an architect and urban designer, Craig is passionate about finding planning and design solutions that make sense in a world challenged by climate change and environmental deterioration. Since graduating from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University with a Master of Architecture in Urban Design, Craig has focused on leading complex, sustainable planning and design projects, and is internationally recognized for his design and advocacy of zero-carbon regenerative buildings and cities, as well as mass timber design. Craig’s area of practice at DIALOG includes the master planning and design of institutional and tall mass timber projects.
In addition to his professional practice responsibilities, Craig writes, speaks and teaches about his research and design explorations at conferences and workshops internationally.This has included recent presentations at conferences, including the UN Habitat III Conference in Prague, the World Future Council Conferences in Munich and Beijing, at the International Living Futures Institute Conference in Portland, and most recently, at the American Institute of Architects Students Conference in Toronto. Craig has just completed teaching a Masters of Architecture seminar course with Alex Lukachko of RDH at the University of Toronto, Daniels Faculty of Architecture that explores architecture and planning for adaptation to sea level rise caused by anthropogenic climate change.
Craig also hosts the Twenty First Century Imperative podcast, where he explores the questions of how will we continue to live on our planet without destroying our biosphere; how will we repair and regenerate the environmental damage we have already caused; and how will we successfully adapt to the escalating impacts of climate change?
In Episode 26 of the Constructive Voices podcast, Henry Mc Donald speaks to David Burczyk, Construction Robotics Lead at Trimble Connected Construction, and Mark Crawford, Business Manager at Balfour Beatty, to speak about their exciting collaboration, Spot the Robot, who could be our future new co-worker on construction sites.
Robotics platforms such as Spot have huge potential in making construction sites safer, more efficient and more streamlined places of work. From covering repetitive tasks on-site, mitigating health and safety risks to employees, and delivering real-time data, we could be seeing the future of construction sites unfold before our eyes.
“It can undertake any surveying, monitoring or capture activity on on any site that you know there are certain limitations and restrictions.” Mark Crawford“They’re there to do the tasks that are the unsafe task, the repetitive tasks, or even, just the the ones that you don’t want to have a person having to do that kind of work on a day to day basis – let the teams on site focus on the higher value tasks.” David Burczyk“There’s finite availability of labor and resource availability, whether that’s skilled or unskilled, the UK as well as the global market. Spot very much complements that workforce.” Mark Crawford“I like to call it a “collaborative robot” or a “co-bot”, and it’s there to supplement the teams that are on site.” David Burczyk“If you look at the full power cycle of it, our energy cycle usage, then it’s a sustainable model as well” Mark CrawfordAbout David Burczyk, Construction Robotics Lead at Trimble Connected ConstructionDavid Burczyk is the Construction Robotics Lead at Trimble where he is responsible for the business area management and the strategic product development of the Trimble construction robotics solutions. With over twenty years of AEC industry experience promoting technology and collaboration among design and construction teams, David is focused on the development and implementation of tailored construction robotic solutions to advance the field productivity of AEC contractors, architects, and engineers.
About Mark Crawford, Business Manager at Balfour BeattyMark Crawford is the business manager for Balfour Beatty and is responsible for looking after digital and survey. He has been with Balfour Beatty for just over two years. Prior to that, he spent a year with Trimble, working with for one of their UK distributor distribution partners in the geospatial side. He started off working in finance, commercial and then his strong forte on survey lead his to where he is now, working one the digitisation of traditional surveys.
In Episode 25 of the Constructive Voices podcast, Henry McDonald speaks to Farah Naz, award-winning climate change strategist, in our International Women’s Day special. Farah provides her professional and personal experience, with global insights, into where we stand in relation to the gender gap in the construction, engineering and architecture industries.
Farah and Henry discuss her experience as a woman in the AEC sector, what we all need to do to address gender bias in the industry, and how we can look at gender diversity as an opportunity instead of a problem to solve.
*“The pandemic has actually showed us how new way of working and doing business. And we should be taking this approach, taking this is as an opportunity to really address the issues of gender diversity, to really address inclusion and diversity within our workplace, and also address how we can inspire the next generation.”
“So I think it starts from not just women in the industry, but also the men, and anybody who is part of this industry to really engage more time and effort to actually go out and talk to the younger generation, talk to our children. It starts from our homes, to start creating that role model effect. And also explaining the power of this industry in creating a better, more resilient future.”
“We really require a co-creative environment, collaboration and diverse thinking to resolve the climate emergency. It’s not just women, or it’s not just men, it’s together.”
“Because women have to play a lot of roles: a role of a daughter, a role of a friend, a role of a sister, or a mother. I think that wiring of brain kind of helps to women to look at all these climate diversity and challenges we have, and come up with a more collaborative way of co-creating the future.”*About Farah Naz, Award-Winning Climate Change StrategistFarah Naz is an award-winning Climate Change strategist with over 20 years experience in the construction sector gained in the USA, UK, Southeast Asia and most recently the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
She is a Chartered Engineer (UK), Fellow of CIBSE, LEED and WELL AP and Verified Research Expert for Dubai Future Foundation. Farah chairs CIBSE UAE Chapter and is an advocate of STEM education for the future generation. Farah recently co-authored a book on Net Zero City, which is considered the first book published from the Middle East Region.
For the past few years, Farah has been based in UAE, where she has been steering sustainability and innovation in the built environment covering the entire Middle East, Saudi Arabia and wider Gulf Region. She leads Specialist Services with a focus on Sustainable Cities, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and Urban Resilience for AECOM across the Middle East and Africa.
Farah was a prime mover in creating the Energy Strategy for the first zero-energy building in the UK, which subsequently won the 2015 RIBA Sustainable Buildings Award (UK). In the Middle East, her name has become a synonym for implementable sustainability & energy strategy among others, linked to projects including Museum of the Future, the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi, the Bee’ah Headquarters in Sharjah, Expo 2020 Sustainability Pavilion, Masdar Eco Villa, Masdar Housing. Master planning projects like NEOM, Red Sea, Amaala and Hudayriat Master Plan. Her projects, Sustainability Pavilion in Dubai expo, Masdar Housing and Bee’ah Headquarters in Sharjah is the winner of the Best Sustainability Project of the year award for the last three consecutive years in the Middle East Region.
In her innovating role, she focuses on implementation best practices within the built environment, adopting systems related to Energy Water Food Nexus, Biomimetics, Five Capital model of Sustainability, Liveability and Inclusive Integrated Innovation Frameworks, which will build the foundation of the cities and communities of the future.
Henry Mc Donald interviews Charlie Winton, founder of OK+ Positive, to discuss the silent challenge that is alarmingly prominent throughout the Construction Industry – Mental Health.
With the industry facing challenges like skilled labour shortages and rising material costs, mental health is often overlooked in construction. Henry and Charlie explore the stigma around mental health within the industry, the lack of support available for those suffering, and how your organisation can help your team.
“The suicide rate in construction is three times more than the UK average”
“The problem is, no matter how many resources you have, if you’re not engaging your people to look at it, to involve themselves in it, to help others with it, then it’s going to be sitting there like any other resource that you’re forced to do each day”
“Your mental health is just like your physical health, the more you work out, the more you look after yourself, the more you exercise – the healthier you are, the fitter you are. It’s the same with mental health. Treat it like you treat your body and look after it because it’s the only one you’ve got. And it’s just as important, if not more important, than your physical health.”
“For every pound you spend on mental health support for your employees, you get five pounds back in productivity.”
About Charlie Winton and the OK+ Positive AppCharlie’s career began with hands-on experience in the construction industry working in scaffolding, before moving into recruitment and financial technology. Now he is the founder of OK+ Positive.
The OK Positive app is a B2B mental health application, which utilises machine learning and AI to preempt mental health triggers enabling an earlier stage of intervention. As an employee, you get a wide range of mental health services, tailored to you as an individual, with complete anonymity. As a business, you can see the overall aggregated mood trends of your business, and where the issues are.
There are three forms of mental health support in the world: preventative, proactive, and reactive. 90% of the solutions in the world focus on being proactive or reactive to a problem, without focusing on preventative. Ok+ positive want to be able to prevent these issues before they become too serious.
Henry McDonald interviews Brian Berry, the Chief Executive of the FMB, to explore the future of Retrofitting UK homes.Retrofitting your home involves taking energy upgrade measures to improve the energy efficiency of the building, reducing both to your energy bills and your carbon emissions. Henry discusses what we can do to make our homes greener – from LED lightbulbs to heat pumps, and the range of challenges facing the retrofitting industry – including lack of government incentives and skilled labour shortages.
“Retrofit is a market that needs to be developed. We need countries to learn from one another about how to adapt existing buildings, the wider issues about embodied carbon and how you go about reducing that. So retrofit, I think, will be on the agenda for many years to come.”
“If we’re going to actually kickstart the retrofit market in a serious way, we need the government to commit to this and put in a range of incentives to start the retrofit market.”
About Brian Berry, the Chief Executive of the FMB
Brian Berry is the Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders. He is also a member of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and Chair of the CLC Domestic Repair Maintenance & Improvement Working Group. Prior to his current position Brian was Director of External Affairs at the FMB with responsibility for UK and EU policy, public affairs and media relations. Before the FMB, he worked at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), where he was Head of UK Public Policy. Brian regularly provides commentary on construction issues for television, national and trade press.
Henry McDonald interviews Gilbert Lennox-King, a co-founder of Construction Carbon to investigate how you can measure and offset embodied carbon.
Construction Carbon offers a simple way to assess, reduce & offset embodied carbon. Gilbert will get down to the basics by explaining exactly what is embodied carbon.
I think there’s quite a large demand and a growing demand for what we are doing that is from developers who want to be recognised for basically calculating, reducing making better procurement decisions around the embodied carbon, we see that only going going to increase as the provenance of Leti benchmarks become more widely known as people become more educated.
About Gilbert Lennnox-King, Co-Founder of Construction CarbonGilbert grew up in New Zealand and has spent most of his career delivering ongoing energy management programmes and solutions across Asia, Europe, and the UK.
More recently Gilbert has been heading up business development for sustainability focused property technology companies. He was involved with over 4 million sq metres of energy reduction programmes for multinational clients including JP Morgan, HSBC and Intercontinental with his previous company, Energenz. He co-founded Energenz in 2010, growing it to become one of Asia’s leading energy efficiency consultancies before it was acquired by NV5 Global in 2017.
Gilbert completed a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Auckland and a postgraduate certificate in Applied Finance from the Securities Institute of Australia.
Gilbert currently works for a leading commercial property developer, HB Reavis.
Gilbert was also one of our group of experts in Episode 21: New Year Special: What Top Experts Predict In 2022
Welcome to the Constructive Voices New Year Special 2022. Episode 21 – Release Date: 11th January 2022
Listen to a global panel of top experts as they reveal their industry predictions for the coming year.
From Emma Link of the Construction Industry Training Board in the United Kingdom, to Amie Shuttleworth in Hong Kong and Phil Carpenter of Alice Technologies in California. Our guests have some very interesting predictions for you.
“I think design teams are going to start proposing Net Zero designs that are also future- proofed for a changing climate.” Amy Shuttleworth
Meet some of our guests:
Emma Link is an Industry Analyst at CITB.
Emma has worked at CITB for 17 years in a variety of roles and has been in the research team for 12 years.
During this time as well as managing numerous projects examining construction skills and employment needs Emma completed both a post graduate diploma in business management and the Market Research Societies Advanced Certificate in Market and Social Research.
Emma has been leading on CITB’s recently published Building Skills for Net-Zero research and subsequent Net Zero and Construction Perspectives and Pathways.
Marc Mesa Capodicasa, CEO of Eco Soil Group
Eco-Soil Group is a Global Innovative Engineering Technology Company that seeks to break paradigms in the dust and erosion control, soil stabilization and roads construction industries, offering the most efficient, cost-effective and ecological products on the market.
At our core, we have the experience, drive; know-how and a group of exceptional professionals which allows us to offer you a world-class quality service in record time.
Episode 20 is absolutely jam-packed with highlights from all of our 2021 episodes. Whether you are a regular listener or curious to check out the podcast, this episode is a great choice for you.Great Guests & Topics
We look back at the great guests and topics since launching in April 2021. Listen in to get a fascinating taste of the breadth of subjects that the Constructive Voices podcast features.
The team are very grateful to the excellent guests that took the time to be part of our vision in its first nine months.
Professor Michael Parkinson about the proposed Everton football stadium
Talking to top journalist and presenter, Henry McDonald. Prof. Michael Parkinson delivers a superb interview that investigates the proposed Everton stadium project as well as delving into Liverpool’s regeneration.
Go To Episode Five
Women & Sustainability in Construction
Listen to some insightful excerpts from Emma Nicholson and Sumele Aruofor taken from another superb interview with Henry McDonald.
Go To Episode Thirteen
Next we look back at Episode 12.
Henry McDonald talks to Kevin McLoughlin MBE about how we can attract workers into the industry.
Kevin owns K&M McLoughlin Decorating, which has a turnover of £6m+ and a company that heavily invests in the apprenticeship scheme. In 2010 he created K&M Painting & Decorating College as his business needs were not being met by the local colleges.
And the episode features many more highlights!
Henry McDonald originally wrote about Changing Streams for The Guardian Newspaper in 2020 in a feature entitled, “Builder aims to help UK construction industry kick its plastic habit.” He also introduced Changing Streams to our audience in the second episode of the Constructive Voices’ podcast in April 2021.
So in this episode, we are delighted to welcome the founder of Changing Streams, Neal Maxwell and the Science Engagement Lead, Wendy Jones, in a fascinating interview with Henry McDonald. We catch up on some fascinating facts and this admirable organisation’s progress.
Whether the topic of plastic in the construction industry is close to your heart or not, be sure not to miss this episode. Why? It might be affecting your health or the health of a loved one or colleague. In fact, a quote below from scientist Wendy Jones should resonate with a number of you.
“We know about the turtles in the sea, and we know about what goes on on the beaches and all that sort of thing. What we don’t really understand properly as yet, is what the health impacts can be of breathing in small particles of plastic and it’s going to be a while before we know about it. You know, years ago, people said oh, asbestos is the best insulating material you can get.”Wendy Jones, Science Engagement Lead, Changing Streams
Another newspaper feature was published on 9th December 2021, announcing that, Liverpool housebuilder Hassett Homes is joining forces with an environmental not-for-profit organisation in a drive to eliminate plastic from its operations.
About Changing Streams
We exist to reduce plastic pollution, build a global community, and collaborate to save our oceans and environment. Acting as the bridge between academia and industry, we affect change through various methods and aim to prove much of this through science.Changing Streams
Changing Streams Membership Program
Changing Streams is looking to engage with forward-thinking companies and individuals to make a collective approach and to take major steps towards the removal of plastics from our business practices.
Why Become a member of Changing Streams
Because, like us, you are aware of the damage plastic is doing to the planet and its wildlife and you want to play your part in reducing this damage. Because after packaging, the construction industry is the biggest culprit.
Because the Green Agenda is gathering momentum and governing bodies worldwide are now alive to the problem, so you will be at a disadvantage commercially unless you adopt and promote a sustainability programme within your organisation.
PLEASE NOTE: You should listen to Episode 17 before Episode 18 as they are two parts of the same event.
The Post Cop26 Roadmap For The Built Environment Sectors will be opened by Neal Maxwell who has made the transition that many of us need to! Then we will have the main interview with our featured guest, Victoria Kate Burrows, who is the Director of Advancing Net Zero, at the World Green Building Council. Victoria’s interview aims to inform you of what the potential roadmap for the built environment sectors looks like post COP26.
Next, we will open up to questions from the panel. Each panellist will ask Victoria a question that relates to the overall topic but reflects their own specific niche.
Joined By A Panel Of Industry Thought Leaders
Claire Wansbury, Award-Winning Ecologist & Associate Director at Atkins
Focus: Biodiversity
Dr Darshil Shah – Lecturer at the University of Cambridge
Focus: Biomaterials
Dr Wendy Jones – Science Engagement Lead at Changing Streams CIC
Focus: Plastic in Construction
Vicente Guallart – Global Award-Winning Architect
Focus – Ecological Cities
Sumele Aruofor – Senior Strategic Marketing Manager for SketchUp at Trimble
Focus: How the AEC industry can create sustainable change through design and inclusivity
Sangeeta Waldron – Author and Award-Winning PR Consultant
Focus: Why Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is Vital for all Types of Businesses
If you haven't listened to the first part please go to Episode 17.
This episode is the first part of the Post Cop26 Roadmap With Victoria Kate Burrows, Advancing Net Zero Director at The World Green Building Council event. The second part follows in Episode 18.
The Post Cop26 Roadmap For The Built Environment Sectors will be opened by Neal Maxwell who has made the transition that many of us need to! Then we will have the main interview with our featured guest, Victoria Kate Burrows, who is the Director of Advancing Net Zero, at the World Green Building Council. Victoria’s interview aims to inform you of what the potential roadmap for the built environment sectors looks like post COP26.
Featured Guest: The World Green Building Council, Victoria Kate Burrows, Advancing Net Zero Director
Victoria is interviewed by Henry McDonald (Sunday Times freelancer, ex-Guardian/Observer) to get her perspective on what the post COP26 Roadmap needs to be for the built environment sectors. This interview will be packed full of valuable information and insights.
About Victoria Kate Burrows
Victoria is Director of Advancing Net Zero, the pioneering WorldGBC global project to ensure that all buildings are “net zero” carbon by 2050. In this role, Victoria oversees and supports Green Building Councils participating in the project, as well as a number of other partnerships which provide funding and support, marketing and communications, and the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment.
With a strong background in the sustainable development industry, ranging from client-side advisory services, green building rating tool consultancy, and an on-site Head of Sustainability for a major international contractor, Victoria brings a unique perspective to the Advancing Net Zero project.
Victoria has a degree in Architecture and Environmental Design from the University of Nottingham, and co-authored the book:
A Whole System Approach to High-Performance Green Buildings
Victoria is based between London, UK and France.
Neal Maxwell Ex-Construction Boss Who Founded Changing Streams Featured In The Guardian, ITV News & Others
The event will be opened by Neal Maxwell who has transitioned from being a very successful construction company Managing Director to becoming the founder of Changing Streams. Featured in The Guardian and on the ITV News, Changing Streams CIC has been created as a not-for-profit organisation with the sole intention of significantly reducing the use and reliance of plastic in the construction industry.
These words are certainly not music to many peoples' ears but they are integral to any construction business operating successfully and avoiding huge legal battles and the scary costs associated with them.
This episode is well-timed in November 2021, as the industry sees challenge after challenge of rising material costs, along with shortages in both materials and labour.
"Avoiding ambiguity is key to avoiding disputes. One of the biggest problems faced is changes that are verbally instructed on site. Getting those matters agreed in writing can sometimes be problematic." Simon Dunkling of Arbicon.
"When you enter into a contract the sums are phenomenally high, and sometimes the penalties can be quite arduous as well." says our builder by day and TV builder by night, Peter Finn.
About Simon Dunkling
Simon is a professional Chartered Quantity Surveyor and Construction Claims Consultant with over 10 years of experience. Simon is an expert in the management, measurement and valuation of all aspects of construction works with particular expertise in windows, doors, curtain walling contracts, groundworks and specialist roofing. Simon advises and works with Employers, Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Engineers, Contractors, Subcontractors, Solicitors and Barristers; familiar with all aspects of ADR and the Technology & Construction Court.
Simon started his career as a contractor's QS, then developed his career joining Arbicon to work as a project QS, forensic QS and claims consultant obtaining a Masters degree in Construction Law and Practice and achieving Chartered Surveyor status. Simon has acted as Contract Administrator for Clients and managed numerous construction projects for contractors. In addition to the delivery of major construction projects, Simon has also prosecuted and defended many claims by negotiation, adjudication and dispute resolution.
Simon adds a further dimension to the Arbicon team in respect of the evaluation of legal construction problems and is very knowledgeable and experienced in the application of adjudication including the "Construction Acts", namely the Housing, Grants, Construction & Regeneration Act 1998 and the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 and the associated Schemes for Construction Contracts that go with those Statutes. Simon has expert knowledge on adjudication enforcement case law and has witnessed important cases heard in the TCC. Simon has acted for and against some of the biggest construction firms in the UK including Main Contractors, Subcontractors and Employer.
Simon is an expert on construction contracts and construction contract law, advising on JCT and NEC contract forms. Simon is an authority on the interpretation of contracts including the understanding and application of Construction Statutes; Simon is also an advisor, negotiator and an expert on contract procurement including writing contract amendments, Employers Requirements and Contractors Proposals.
Simon is a specialist in all aspects of Construction Contract ADR. Simon is available to be appointed as an Expert Witness assisting the parties or the Court/Tribunal in getting to a resolution in disputes.
Henry McDonald interviews Cambridge lecturer, Darshil Shah, about biomaterials in the built environment sectors.
Welcome to Constructive Voices published in the week leading up to a major event for the future of the planet. The United Nations cop 26 climate change conference will bring together world leaders with the recent IPCC report fresh in their minds. The report warned that urgent action is required to avoid the worst impacts of rising global temperatures. And with the construction industry playing such an important role in reducing carbon emissions and driving sustainability, we’re joined by Darshil Shah, a specialist in natural materials, who says change is essential.
Who is Dr Darshil Shah
Darshil Shah is a material scientist and lecturer in materials at the Department for Architecture at the University of Cambridge. He also works in the Centre for Natural Material Innovation, where the team looks at a range of different natural materials, particularly timber, bamboo and their engineered composites as well as linen, hemp and their engineered composites as alternatives to materials like concrete, steel, glass and carbon fibre composites for the built environment sector, but also a range of other application sectors. "So nature has always been a source of grandeur and inspiration for me. And after graduating as an engineer, I had the opportunity to undertake PhD research on sustainable materials and manufacturing methods for the wind energy sector. And that was the first time when, as an engineer, I was challenged to foresee problems of material sustainability in a sector that was already green, because we always associate with wind turbines with sustainable energy production methods. And that made me understand think of and design solutions that could actually make it greener. And to do that I had to look at plants for solutions…"
Pete Ireland’s Favourite TV Builder discusses the same topic in his own unique way
Don’t miss our man-on-the-ground’s take on this subject. He makes a really accessible comparison that you will enjoy, we hope!
But most importantly, Pete has to deal with these changes just like many of our listeners. As always, he is honest and down to earth about this!
Henry Interviews Top Architect James Mary O’Connor.
Following one of our most important episodes to date, James Mary O’Connor, Principal-in-Charge at Moore Ruble Yudell, talks to Henry McDonald about the importance of affordable social housing and sustainability.
"We cannot be deciding whether I’m going to do the latest benchmark building here sustainably. I think it has to be the norm. Ithas to be the norm that we build sustainability."
About James Mary O’Connor
Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, James Mary O’Connor came to Charles Moore’s Master Studios at UCLA in 1982 as a Fulbright Scholar. James received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Trinity College in Dublin, his Diploma in Architecture from the Dublin Institute of Technology, and his Master of Architecture from UCLA.
As Principal-in-Charge of Moore Ruble Yudell, James has provided spirited design and project management for residential, academic and mixed-use urban projects, including Kobe Nishiokamoto Housing in Japan, the Horace Mann Elementary School and Fairmont Towers Hotel Addition, both in San Jose, California.
International work has become a focus, with large-scale housing and planning projects such as the Potatisåkern and Tango projects in Malmö, Sweden, the mixed-use development Project Yoda in Manila, and Tianjin-Xinhe New Town in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China.
His interest in uncommon building types is reflected in the Sunlaw Power Plant Prototype in Los Angeles, and the Santa Monica Civic Center Parking Structure.
With irrepressible energy, James has also led Moore Ruble Yudell teams in national and international design competitions, such as the Beijing Wanhao Century Center, and the winning design for the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park, Maryland. Over the past 15 years, James has taught design studio, lectured, and has been invited as a guest critic at UCLA, USC, SCI-Arc, University of Calgary, Alberta, University of Hawaii, Manoa, Tianjin University School of Architecture, China, and Tongji University School of Architecture, Shanghai, China.
Pete Ireland’s Favourite TV Builder Talks About the Global Movement To The Countryside and Sustainability.
We’re all looking at climate change, we’re all looking at the need for sustainability. So if you can do that, by moving into a new home that’s more sustainable, it’s more economical to run. You do feel as though you’re also making good input into the whole sustainability as well.
In Episode Thirteen, Henry McDonald interviews two women who are leading lights when it comes to creating sustainable change within the construction industry, especially in light of the IPCC Report of August 2021.
Emma Nicholson, B.A, MSc, FCIOB, FIEMA, FWES, CEnv, FAPM, the Founding Director of Women in Sustainable Construction and Property
Emma is an accomplished and skilled Chartered Construction Manager and Chartered Environmentalist with Board level experience. She is passionate about achieving quality projects and was nominated in 2018 for an Excellence Award in quality of project delivery of Leeds Art Gallery and Leeds Library roof restoration.
Some quotes from Emma from the interview:
"Embodied carbon is really important at the very beginning of the design process, and also taking on board.. the circular economy."
"I think there should be more Fossil Free construction sites. I’d also like there to be an analysis of embodied carbon. I think this needs to be more inherent in project design. …plus the inclusion of circular economy principles."
"I think the next two decades are going to be about the rise of women in sustainability in construction, and in leadership roles. Just watch this space. We have got so many talented women out there!"
Click here to discover more about Emma Nicholson.
Sumele Aruofor, Senior Strategic Marketing Manager for SketchUp at Trimble
Sumele Aruofor (RIBA Associate) uses her training and experience in architecture, interior architecture, and building performance design to create content that enables professionals in the AEC industry to leverage innovative technologies for better design and a more sustainable built environment. She applies this knowledge in her role as the Senior Strategic Marketing Manager at Trimble’s SketchUp and in designing residential projects in the UK.
Sumele believes that architects are uniquely positioned to positively impact the day-to-day experience of people, communities, economies, and the global climate. Through her work, she advocates for architects to see occupant comfort and building performance as a distinct criterion of great design, and for all AEC professionals to go beyond minimum regulatory requirements by analyzing energy and daylight early and often as part of the design process.
Some quotes from Sumele from the interview:
"I think an understanding of space and context, can make a massive impact on how we design as architects, and as people in the built environment, I think just that consciousness of context, and a care for the world, is kind of the starting point of any project that wants to be sustainable."
"Can you design buildings that deliver the tectonic ideas of architecture, so materiality and constructability? But still think about how you cater to the comfort and the special needs of occupants. And balance that with how you use Earth’s resources? And I think, yes, we can, and we need to with even more intention than ever before, because the impact of our work is more crucial than ever."
"I feel like architects have a really unique role in shaping the built environment. The spaces that they create are almost like the backdrop for the theatre of humanity. But then they use real things, right? They use real resources. And we can, you know, we have the ability to influence the ways that people live."
Henry McDonald talks to Kevin McLoughlin MBE about how we can attract workers into the industry.
Kevin owns K&M McLoughlin Decorating, which has a turnover of £6m+ and a company that heavily invests in the apprenticeship scheme. In 2010 he created K&M Painting & Decorating College as his business needs were not being met by the local colleges.
In 2012, he helped to develop a CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility – program targeted on work skills, giving unemployed youngsters work experience whilst instilling in them basic work ethics.
In 2014 he was awarded an MBE for his services to training. Kevin is a National Apprenticeship Ambassador, he sits on the Islington Business Board and the LCCI Property & Construction Committee.
Peter Finn, Ireland’s favourite TV builder talks to Steve Randall about how getting into construction is a great way to travel.
Pete chats to Steve about how construction is an amazing path to take not only for getting work easily these days but also as a way to travel and work abroad in other countries. As always, Pete and Steve are fun and entertaining to listen to!
**Henry McDonald interviews Gavin Tonnet of utecture about city-changing urban renewal projects and transformational virtual pre-construction technology.
Who is Gavin Tonnet?**
Gavin is a recognised expert and leader in the property space having created and led businesses for Mirvac, Leighton, Stockland and Japanese giant, Sekisui House. He was responsible for many significant city-changing urban renewal projects. He has been involved and led over USD$20b of major renewal. Some of those that really changed and shaped city fabric and culture include:
- Sydney Olympic Village (Newington) Sydney
- Walsh Bay Redevelopment Sydney
- Perth City Link Perth
- Green Square Sydney
- Jacksons Landing Sydney
- Liverpool Civic Place Sydney
What is utecture?
He’s now turned his attention to utecture which is carving out a new category in building technology that uses digitisation, visualisation and data to lower costs for builders and consumers and drive climate impact.
After being introduced to the team behind the utecture technology, Gavin spent the better part of the year travelling around the world trying to poke holes in it.
Instead, he realised that there were no holes to poke and he joined the team because he believed it is the next big thing with ramifications not only for the commercial health of the building industry, the well-being of the house-buying public, but also our shared environmental future.
utecture is carving out a new construction technology category called Virtual Pre-Construction. Virtual Pre-Construction requires digital twinning technology to deliver on four distinct pillars: Design, Real-time Pricing; Visualisation and Management.
Existing construction design platforms share some of utecture’s features superficially, but compared to utecture they are basically only cosmetic tools. They use CAD design window-dressing, but fail to address the significant pain points that have held back the construction industry for years.
Pete The Builder talks aboutThe Tool Revolution
Pete talks to Steve Randall about tools and how they have evolved since his early days working in construction. As always, Pete injects plenty of knowledge with his unique sense of humour.
Discover more about this and other episodes on the Constructive Voices website.
Henry McDonald talks to sustainable architect, Daniel Jaconetti, about his work and how Europe compares to the USA when it comes to green building. Daniel’s passion lies in biomimetic concepts and how technologies inspired by nature can create responsive environmental that coexist with their ecologies. His chat with Henry is a real eye-opener.
“If I were looking to buy a new home right? I would be looking for something that was maybe net-zero or Passive House. Solar panels on the roof for sure. Right. And there are other people that just seem to have this rebellion against it. And I think it might be because there’s a misconception that being pro-environment pro sustainability is anti-business.”Daniel Jaconetti, National Sustainable Design Leader at HED
Pete The Builder discusses the day-to-day reality of the industry’s challenges of a shortage of both materials and workers.
“I’ve got a client A, B and C they all want me to do work at the same time. They all want to use materials that I’m not even sure that I can get my hands on them. And when I do get my hands on them, actually, I’m not sure what the price of those materials are going to be. I’m going to need three different crews to work on the three different projects and I’m not sure if I can even get two crews never mind three crews. It’s a challenge there’s no doubt about it, you know.”Peter Finn a.k.a. Pete The Builder
This episode of Constructive Voices is sponsored by Viewpoint, a Trimble Company.
At the time of releasing this episode, wildfires have been raging again in Greece and temperatures have become unbearable across parts of the States, it really is impossible to avoid the issue of climate change. Pete The Builder talks to Steve Randall about how this affects the construction industry and how you and your team can best deal with this huge issue.
Skanska’s Director of Health, Safety and Well Being, Dylan Roberts, joins us but wearing a slightly different hat. Dylan is part of an industry group steering health in the construction industry. Did you know that:
“It’s time for change … construction workers in the UK are 100 times more likely to die from an occupational disease than a workplace accident.”
Health in Construction Group
Dylan talks about how we need to Think Health. The Health in Construction Leadership Group (HCLG) was formed in 2014 after a challenge from HSE’s Construction Industry Advisory Committee (ConIAC) for the industry to do more to ‘Think Health’ and responding to the influence of ‘Construction 2025’, the Industry Strategy for Construction.
The group is comprised of contractors, clients, the Health and Safety Executive, professional bodies, trade associations and trade unions.
The role of the HCLG is to act as both a stimulus and a catalyst in helping unify the industry in its approach to worker health protection and the promotion, adoption and implementation of best practice processes and initiatives.
The HCLG has engaged key business leaders and industry influencers in the construction sector through its Health in Construction CEO Summit events in 2016 and 2017.
At these events, CEOs made a commitment to eradicate the thousands of cases of ill health and disease caused every year as a result of exposure to health hazards during construction work, as well as to address the growing incidence of mental ill-health in our workforce.
There is much to achieve by the overall target date of 2025. From 2021, the HCLG will focus on the key areas of promoting good mental health, the prevention of respiratory disease and the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders. These focus areas will be reflected in the revised strategy which will be published here shortly.
This episode of Constructive Voices is sponsored by Viewpoint, a Trimble Company.
Architect, James Lee Burgess, explains what is Mixed Reality in an accessible way. If you are hoping to understand MR this is an easy way to absorb it.
James, who is super enthusiastic about Mixed Reality along with mentoring, collaboration and sustainability, also covers the Microsoft HoloLens and Trimble Connect.
By the end of his interview, you will really get Mixed Reality, Plus you will understand how it is different from Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. James illustrates perfectly how MR can be applied effectively in a commercial setting.
The Mixed Reality interview is followed by our man on the ground, Pete The Builder. Ireland’s favourite TV builder, Pete Finn, will be discussing one of the biggest challenges of the moment – the rising costs of materials.
This episode of Constructive Voices is sponsored by Viewpoint, a Trimble Company.
If you are Irish of a certain age, you will remember when the Pope visited Ireland in 1979. The same age group will also remember the famous Rumble in the Jungle in 1974. Whether an event is organised because of culture, sport or religion, the effect on the local area is similar. In many cases, it changes the city or place’s story and potential beyond recognition.
In this episode of Constructive Voices, Pete the Builder discusses this topic with Steve Randall. Henry McDonald chats to the Creative Director of Coventry 2021, Chenine Bhathena, in a wonderful interview that explores construction, old meets new, the integration of people and art into the heart of the place and its plans.Image credits:
Poster for The Rumble in the Jungle - By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42234585
Chenine Bhathena - ByAhsen Sayeed
This cutting-edge episode of Constructive Voice is looking at Artificial Intelligence (AI); technology that is being adopted by different sectors, from auto manufacturing to consumer products, including one of the world’s largest industries – construction! You will hear from leaders in this space – Stanford Professor and ALICE Technologies, CEO René Morkos, who gives a real insight into how AI is being used to build big structures that range from airports to office towers, and how AI can be used to radically reduce construction costs that overrun.
ALICE Technologies’ vision is to harness AI to reduce the cost of construction by 25 per cent globally; a big goal. According to McKinsey & Company, large projects typically take 20 per cent longer to finish than scheduled and are up to 80 per cent over budget.
Our man on the ground, Pete The Builder, takes a look at the construction scene in America with his mate, Steve Randall.
Talking to top journalist and presenter, Henry McDonald. Prof. Michael Parkinson C.B.E. delivers a superb interview that investigates the proposed Everton stadium project as well as delving into Liverpool’s regeneration.
This exceptional interview is followed by a very interesting look at The Green Scene in Ireland with our man on the ground, Pete the Builder, and Steve Randall.
Prof. Michael Parkinson’s Biography Courtesy of Liverpool University
Michael is an Honorary Professor at the University of Liverpool and Ambassador for its Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place. He was made Commander of the British Empire for services to urban regeneration in 2007 and Citizen of Honour of Liverpool in 2016.
He received his BA (Hons) from the University of Liverpool in 1965, his MA Economics (with Distinction) from the University of Manchester in 1968 and his PhD from Liverpool John Moores University in 2002. He was a Lecturer in Politics at the University of Liverpool 1970-1992; Professor of Political Science 1972-3 and Director of the Urban Studies Programme 1976-79 at Washington University in St Louis. He was Director of The European Institute for Urban Affairs 1992-2013 at Liverpool John Moores University and Adviser to its Vice-Chancellor 2012-2013. At the University of Liverpool, he was Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor 2013-14 and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Civic Engagement 2014-2020.
Michael has acted as adviser on urban affairs to UN-Habitat, the European Commission, the European Parliament, OECD, EUROCITIES, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the National Audit Office, the House of Commons Select Committees, the Core Cities, and a range of cities in the UK and Europe. He has held board positions in many local, national and international organisations. He most recently served as a Board member of the Prime Minister’s Regeneration Investment Organisation and of the Special Olympics Great Britain 2021 and Trustee of the Centre for Cities and Alternative Futures Group. He is currently a member of the Mayor’s Advisory Board on Liverpool’s World Heritage Status, a member of the Liverpool Brand Committee and Special Adviser to Procure Plus Group.
To continue to read Prof. Michael Parkinson's bio, click here on Constructive Voices Episode Five.
Henry McDonald talks to John Burton of Inside Connections. Inside Connections was formed in 2017, to provide wrap-around services and support, access to training leading to sustainable employment as a way to empower individuals to change their lives.
Inside Connections Support CIC is an organisation set up to support individuals with training opportunities that are labour market-linked in order to provide a positive pathway into sustainable employment.
The individuals with whom Inside Connections work have experience of the Criminal Justice System and are either currently serving in a category D establishment or have been released from custody. Inside Connections work proactively with young people who need a positive intervention, those in or exiting care and ex-service personnel. Everyone who comes to their team is provided with one-on-one mentoring support to ensure the greatest opportunity for success.
Peter Finn, our very own Irish TV Builder, talks to Steve Randall about new builds. Peter has been on both sides of the fence, as he has built his own home on a plot that he inherited as well as being the man in charge of a number of new builds for his construction clients. As always, Pete blends lots of useful information with his own light-hearted sense of humour.
Did you know that the entire month of May is Mental Health Month in the States? Of course, we had Mental Health Week in the UK from 10th to 16th May. We were lucky enough to catch up with the M.D. of Mates In Mind – the UK charity for mental health in the construction industry. James Rudoni talks to Jackie De Burca about the shocking statistics in the construction industry, what Mates In Mind is doing to combat these and a specific story that has been made into a heart-wrenching video. James also talks about how you can help. This is a feature not to be missed.
If you have been wondering about how you might integrate Mixed Reality into your construction projects, you have definitely come to the right place. Jordan Lawver, of Trimble, gives an excellent and entertaining introduction to this topic. Learn from Jordan how Mixed Reality can really work for you.
Listen to Pete The Builder and Steve Randall as they chat openly about one of the most important issues of our time: mental health. Somehow the guys manage to balance the serious nature of stress and mental health while also injecting a sense of humour.
Henry McDonald interviews Josh Mathias, the M.D. of The Hythe Group. This is an honest feature about how Josh has been on both sides of the fence, what role apprentices play in his business and how he tries to ensure that this works for everyone involved.
Coming up on this episode of Constructive Voices, Henry MacDonald has been looking into a big topic for the industry, plastic waste. How can we cut down on using plastic? What alternatives are there? And why should we be bothered about it anyway?
Pete the Builder Is back to share his experiences of apprenticeships - he's been one and he's hired many. And he's a big fan, despite the potential for things to go wrong!
Keeping people safe and healthy especially has been in focus for everyone since early 2020. And the construction industry has made great strides over the years to ensure site safety. But what can we also do to ensure that the health part of health and safety is given greater status? Top expert, Jennie Armstrong, has taken some time out from her busy schedule to give you guidelines on this crucial issue.
This episode is sponsored by Lewis Access and Property Insurance Centre.
Discover more about Constructive Voices.
As they say, let’s start off as we mean to go on! In this case, this means the very best in investigative journalism along with an expert interview that can benefit your construction business. Henry McDonald, Sunday Times reporter, ex-Guardian & Observer Newspaper and BBC, is here to do what he does best – investigate to bring important information to your attention.
We are delighted to launch the podcast by welcoming Michael Bryant, who is the Commercial Director of Biosite Systems Ltd. Many of Biosite Systems’ products have become vital during the pandemic for construction sites that need to find technological solutions in order to keep their sites open and running as safely as possible.
Matt asks Michael about how technology has helped in the construction industry’s response to COVID-19 and the role workforce management and access control systems have played on site as well as different ways the pandemic has altered the industry.
Meet the Irish TV Builder, Peter Finn, with his down-to-earth but entertaining story about how a “normal” builder like him ended up on television.
Henry’s feature for this episode is a timely interview with Guy Woodford about the worldwide aggregate industry and how we can perceive it as “shifting sands to economic recovery.”
This episode is sponsored by Lewis Access and Property Insurance Centre.
Discover more about Constructive Voices.