Sustainable Construction: Shifting the narrative

Amanda is Head of Environmental Sustainability at the Chartered Institute of Building, as well as a Subject Matter Specialist on Sustainability for Ofqual. She has worked as an environmental management and sustainability practitioner for over 20 years and has broad experience, having worked in the higher education, land and facilities management, defence, and manufacturing sectors as well as on policy and regional liaison for a Green Member of the European Parliament. She is a Chartered Environmentalist and Fellow of the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) – formerly the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment (IEMA). 

Pooran is a serial social entrepreneur, author and advisor to companies and government.  He put together the world’s first zero carbon urban village development, Beddington Zero fossil Energy Development (BedZED), and created the framework on which the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are based. He studied medical sciences and neuroscience at Oxford and Cambridge Universities before co-founding environmental organisation, Bioregional, in 1994. With colleagues he established enterprises in sustainable forestry, organic farming and recycling, and put together  in south London, the world’s first zero carbon urban village. Pooran coined the term One Planet Living® (OPL), leading an international initiative embedding the holistic framework across real estate, manufacturing, retail and government, including $30bn of zero carbon real estate in 30 countries. served as the basis for the UN SDGs. In 2018 he founded OnePlanet.com, an intuitive ‘systems-thinking-joined-up-action' digital platform enabling users to identify and collaborate in Shared Outcomes.   He was made Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, received the Order of the Officer of the British Empire (OBE) from Queen Elizabeth II and named World Economic Forum Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2011. 

Dr. Cecilia Wandiga is Executive Director and Trustee Board Member for the Centre for Science and Technology Innovations (CSTI). Founded in 1998 as a UNESCO Associated Trust, CSTI serves as a research and development hub and think tank focused on applied sustainable chemistry in industrial ecology. Dr. Wandiga promotes empowerment in technology fields through her mentorship of professional women in the sustainability sector. She is an Assistant Lecturer, University of Nairobi, Department of Sociology - African Women’s Studies Centre (AWSC).  Additional leadership roles include Director - Natural Resource Forum (NAREF), Director - African CSOs Biodiversity Alliance (ACBA), Board Member - Kigali Collaborative Research Centre (KCRC), Advisory Board Member – AxessImpact. 

Gavin Edwards is a conservation and environment advocate with three decades of experience in pursuing and helping secure break-through solutions to the twin biodiversity and climate crises. He has contributed to important conservation successes including conserving the Great Bear Rainforest working alongside indigenous peoples, an Amazon soy moratorium, a Hong Kong ivory sales ban and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. He is the Executive Director of the Nature Positive Initiative Secretariat – a collaboration of 27 leading organizations who will drive alignment around the definition, integrity and use of the term ‘nature positive’. Mr Edwards holds an Executive MBA from Kellogg-HKUST. 

Georgia Byrnes is a Sustainability Engineer at Laing O’Rourke with experience in delivering major infrastructure projects in Melbourne, Victoria spanning the rail and road sectors. She is passionate about developing sustainable strategic projects that exceed contractual emissions reduction requirements, particularly through streamlining processes and data integration into digital engineering. Georgia led the As Built component of the rating for a level crossing removal project in Victoria that achieved the highest Infrastructure Sustainability Council score in the state and the highest score for a rail project in Australia and New Zealand at the time. She is currently working on the largest road project the state of Victoria has ever delivered.

A physics graduate from Durham University. Ian has nearly 40 years construction experience. In 2013 Ian set up Greencore Construction Ltd, now rebranded as Greencore Homes Ltd. Ian is currently Innovation Director. Greencore is pioneering low and zero-carbon housing using bio-based materials to sequester carbon. Greencore has been scaling up the delivery of eco-housing by partnering with investors to develop larger sites. In January 2022 M&G became a shareholder and Greencore now plans to build 10,000 ultra-low carbon homes by 2035.

Dr Julia Baker is a Technical Director at Mott MacDonald. Julia is the lead author for the UK’s Good Practice Principles for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and has designed and implemented BNG on numerous projects, including housing, transport, water and energy developments. Julia collaborated with Natural England on developing what is now the statutory Biodiversity Metric for England’s mandatory BNG, and has been named on the ENDS Power List of the UK’s most influential environmental professionals in recognition of her leading role in good practice of BNG. Julia now leads Nature Services at Mott MacDonald, working with a variety of technical teams for an integrated, holistic approach to Nature, Climate and Society  on infrastructure projects. 

Scott Balmforth is a founding Director of TERROIR Architects.  The Australian practice was established in Hobart and Sydney simultaneously in 1999 and expanded internationally with TERROIR ApS in Copenhagen in 2010. He has led a range of innovative, award winning and internationally published architecture and urban design projects, and consistently champions in his work the place-based values and influences of the island State of Tasmania. Scott is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Tasmania, Chair of the Hobart City Council’s Urban Design Advisory Panel and the inaugural Strategic Architecture and Urban Design Advisor to Infrastructure Tasmania (State Government).

Cressida joined Wates in January 2024 to lead the acceleration of the Group’s environmental and social value delivery. She sits on the Executive Committee. She was previously head of sustainability and corporate affairs at British Land PLC and led the same functions at development and investment company, Quintain. Prior to joining Wates, Cressida spent three years with the critical issues firm, Brunswick, advising UK and international companies how to deliver environmental leadership and social value alongside financial value. Cressida is a member of the Future Leadership Forum Advisory Board at the UK Green Building Council and sits on the Cities Forum of the NLA.

Matthew Belcher is the Founder and CEO of HEMSPAN®, a pioneering bio-based construction technologies company specialising in the use of hemp and other regenerative materials. He is the innovator behind the BIOHAUS® System—a Category 2 MMC (pre-manufactured volumetric system) that integrates hemp-based components into modular, near-zero carbon buildings. The system is designed to deliver high-performance, sustainable homes and community spaces with a strong emphasis on circular economy principles and environmental responsibility. A passionate advocate for environmental and social impact, Matthew has led a range of innovation-driven start-ups, focusing on modular construction and sustainable system design. His experience also spans the early-stage development of plant medicine and nutraceutical ventures, where he served as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), helping to bring nature-based health products to emerging markets.

Becci Taylor is a director at Arup, where she leads retrofit at scale and housing taking a whole-system approach to the decarbonisation of our built environment.  She directs strategic research, develops strategy, delivers physical projects and authors industry guidance to deliver transformational change towards a sustainable and resilient built environment optimised for people’s needs; led by joining up problems to produce the best outcomes. Becci’s expertise lies in integrating diverse disciplines from economics to implementation, with a background in integrated sustainable design, building services engineering and physics. She leads a design-led team providing building decarbonisation and resilience strategies. She is a CIBSE Fellow and Design Council Expert, working with a wide range of industry stakeholders to support positive change.  

Mike is currently the Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Business Innovation at De Montfort University.  A passionate advocate of the importance of strong links between industry and academia, Mike has operated at the pinnacle of the higher education sector in the UK and abroad for almost 30 years. His career has seen him hold the positions of Pro-Vice Chancellor for Global Development (UK and Europe) and Dean of Engineering, Design and Built Environment at Western Sydney University in Australia, Dean of Art, Design and Architecture at the University of Huddersfield and Head of School of the Built Environment at the University of Salford, the latter two in the UK. He has produced more than 240 publications and has been involved in multi-million pound of research activity across most research councils in the UK, undertaken innovation and commercial/consultancy work working with industry and being involved in international review panels for the Netherlands, Greece, Denmark and other countries, as well as a reviewer and peer review panel member for research councils in the UK. His passion is delivering evidence-based outcomes in collaboration with industry for real impact to our sector and society.  

Professor Saul Humphrey MSc PhD FRICS FCIOB FICE MCIArb FRSA CEnv is the Managing Partner of his own consultancy practice eponymously named as Saul D Humphrey LLP - B Corp (certified). The Practice exclusively Project manages sustainable construction projects. Saul is also Professor of Sustainable Construction at Anglia Ruskin University. He is also the Chair of the Institute of Directors (Norfolk). Saul is also Chair of Building Growth (the construction, housing and property development sector group covering Norfolk and Suffolk). Saul is also a Non Executive Director of Great Yarmouth Borough Council's housing development/property companies, Equinox Property Holdings Limited and Equinox Enterprises Limited; Non-Executive Director/Independent Member of Norwich City Council’s East Norwich Strategic Regeneration Area (ENSRA) Delivery Board; and he is the Managing Director (Designate) of Human Nature (Hethel). Saul is a Member of the United Kingdom Green Building Council; Suffolk Sustainability Institute (University of Suffolk); Norfolk Net Zero Advisory Board; a Construction Leadership Council CO2nstructZero Business Partner; and Trustee of Construction East. Saul also volunteers for Sounding Board, Norfolk ProHelp and is an Ambassador Good for Good. Prior to his current portfolio of leadership positions, Saul used to lead privately owned, R G Carter Construction in the East of England  before he became Managing Director (Construction - East) for Morgan Sindall PLC. Saul’s core purpose is to shift the paradigm towards more sustainable development. Saul was awarded the Chartered Institute of Building’s National “Sustainability Award” earlier this year.

Anna Hollyman is Co-Head of Policy & Places at UKGBC alongside her colleague Jo Wheeler, their remit covers National and Local Policy, as well as place-based approaches that transition towards a sustainable built environment - in particular the retrofit of our homes and communities. Anna and Jo co-lead UKGBC's Regenerative Places Programme that aims to explore and demonstrate how retrofit can act as a catalyst to embed wider 'regenerative' benefits to communities. Last year Anna also led UKGBC's work on Commercial Retrofit, publishing a report on the cost and carbon impact on Retrofitting Offices. Anna has over 20 years’ experience as an architect in the UK and internationally, leading the design and delivery of diverse projects from interiors to city-wide masterplans.

Dr Stephanie Wray is a specialist in ecology, biodiversity and sustainable development, with 30 years’ experience in assessing the impacts of projects, policies and whole organisations on the natural environment.  She has a PhD in Ecology and a Masters in Business Administration and has worked for client organisations, such as National Grid, and consultancies such as RSK, ERM, and Arcadis. Stephanie has worked extensively in the planning and construction sectors, including acting as environmental and sustainability advisor to a number of major infrastructure projects including HS2, East-West Rail and the M6 Toll road.  Since 2020 she has consulted on corporate-level issues in biodiversity and climate such as setting science-based targets, and developing nature strategies, most recently trading as Athene Consulting. Stephanie is a past President of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management and is Chair of national wildlife charity The Mammal Society.

With over two decades of global Project and Programme Management expertise, Paloma stands as a passionate champion for sustainability and innovation in the built environment. Through a strategic approach that prioritises the triple bottom line, she consistently challenges conventional practices, steering projects towards net-zero designs and circular economy principles. Paloma is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building and a chartered Project Manager, and holds accreditations as Passivhaus Consultant, Retrofit Coordinator and LCA Practitioner. Engaged in leadership roles within various working groups, she spearheads transformative initiatives while also nurturing community and educational programs aimed at shaping the future of construction professionals. Paloma currently works as the Head of Sustainability for Ward Williams Group and is an active member of a number of industry related working groups such as UK GBC, CESW and SWWIC among others.

Following a Master’s in astrophysics, Tom has spent the last 8 years working in sustainability in the built environment. Firstly, as a consultant delivering full spectrum sustainability and energy support on a range of building projects, before working as a Senior Advisor in the UK Green Building Council's Advancing Net Zero programme until January 2025, where he helped found and develop the industry-led UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard. Tom now works as a Senior Advisor in the Net Zero Homes Platform at Energy Systems Catapult, supporting innovators, local authorities, and central government navigate and accelerate the domestic sector's transition to net zero. He has sat on the Government’s Solar Taskforce, CRREM Global Scientific and Industry Panel, LETI steering group, BECD steering group, NABERS steering group, and the Whole Life Carbon Network (WLCN).

Anthony has been working in Sustainability in the built environment for the last 10 years - spanning both FTSE 100 developers, housebuilding SMEs and Infrastructure projects. In all his roles he has helped businesses to remain at the forefront of sustainability in the built environment, carrying out the essential research and development required to deliver on its Sustainability Strategy. Anthony has led the development of business approaches in areas as diverse as blue infrastructure, nature recovery, sustainability governance, embodied carbon and supply chain decarbonisation. Beyond his current role at Skanska on the Lower Thames Crossing he collaborates across the sector and as part of IEMA's Biodiversity & Natural Capital Steering Group, helping to shape industry-wide practices.

With over three decades of experience in the aviation industry, Steve began his career as an aircraft engineer before moving into flight simulator engineering with British Airways. He later transitioned into Air Traffic Control at Edinburgh, Prestwick, and Gatwick airports, where his role evolved to encompass quality and carbon management. Steve went on to lead the Quality & Standards function in ATC before joining IV Group six years ago as Joint Director and Co-Owner of Carbon Catapult. At IV Group and Carbon Catapult, Steve supports clients across the UK and internationally in carbon management strategy, emissions reporting, and ISO standards implementation. He has led major projects across construction, facilities, manufacturing, and high-risk environments—delivering ISO systems, carbon frameworks, and sector-wide auditing. Steve has specialist expertise in GHG accounting, ISO 14064, PAS 2080, and ISO 14068, as well as integrated ISO systems including ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 27001, 50001, 44001, 41001, and 55001. He continues to play a pivotal role in shaping high-impact, measurable sustainability and assurance outcomes for clients operating across complex environments.

Pooja Ramesh is an Environmental and Sustainability Consultant with over four years of experience supporting infrastructure and development projects across the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. She specialises in environmental impact assessments, ESG strategies, and sustainable construction practices. Pooja is passionate about driving systemic change in the built environment, moving beyond minimising harm to creating net-positive outcomes for people and the planet. She currently serves as the Tomorrow’s Leaders Representative for the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) in the UAE (previously in Qatar) and is committed to fostering inclusive, future-ready solutions across the construction sector.

Adrian Thomas is Project Development Manager for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Europe’s largest nature conservation organisation. He has worked there for 25 years, helping to conceive and deliver some of their largest and highest profile projects. He has worked with Barratt Redrow since 2014 on the Kingsbrook project near Aylesbury, seeking to raise the bar for wildlife-friendly housing on one of their largest housing developments in the UK. He is also the RSPB’s face of wildlife-friendly gardening and wrote their Gardening for Wildlife book, as well as appearing on numerous TV and radio programmes.

Helen Nyul has over 20 years’ experience working on business and biodiversity strategies including nine years with Fauna and Flora International’s Business and Biodiversity Team, advising businesses  on the integration of biodiversity and ecosystem services strategies and biodiversity net gain (BNG) targets into business practices. In 2017 Helen joined Barratt Redrow to deliver the Biodiversity and Ecology Policy and manage the long term partnership Barratt Redrow has with the RSPB. Since then Helen has been involved in the development of the industry BNG Practical Guide published by CIEEM, IEMA and CIRIA, the BS8683:2021, is chair of the Future Homes Hub BNG Community of Practice and is building capacity internally to meet BNG and wider biodiversity requirements.