The series of events takes members through a sustainable project lifecycle (from design to completion) and over the course of the year will cover topics including responsible retrofit, building performance gaps, projects for nature and biodiversity, and sustainable resources.
Recordings of the following events and presentations can be found in our members area.
If you are not a member and would like to join the network, please do get in touch.
#1: Sustainable by design with Museum of the Home
The series kicked off on the 13th January with Lisa Moore, Director of Capital Projects and Operations at the Museum of the Home presenting on the redevelopment of this heritage site in the heart of London. Lisa shared with us how the project was designed, what structures and governance was in place to ensure sustainability ran across the project and how these ambitions were communicated with different teams.
#2: Climate-friendly construction and materials with the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products and Forestry England
The second instalment in our Sustainable Projects series took place on the 17th February. We were joined by Fiona Dewsbury, Laura Charles, Rob Lamb and Shaun Burrows from Forestry England and Willmott Dixon, and Simon Corbey from the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP). For this session, entitled ‘Climate-friendly Construction and Materials’ our speakers shared their knowledge and experience of using different sustainable materials, the selection process, as well as the challenges and successes of working with suppliers and contractors to help them understand and implement this.
Forestry England – Sustainable development project
The Forestry England team shared the story of their exciting redevelopment of their Delemere forest recreation hub, a £9m redevelopment project, the largest ever commissioned by Forestry England. Situated in the largest woodland in Cheshire, this redevelopment had to be sympathetic to the beautiful yet fragile habitat that it would be nestled in.
Showcasing the construction process and natural materials used in the build, this presentation was particularly insightful as the Forestry England team were joined by their contractor, Shaun Burrows from Wilmott Dixon, who was able to talk through techniques and practicalities in more detail, including how they navigated the complexities of the project and agreed on the correct materials and methodology for the work. This really highlighted the importance of the client-customer relationship in achieving sustainability goals.
ASBP – Embodied carbon, EPD’s and sustainable building materials.
Simon Corbey from ASBP shared his extensive knowledge with our members and recommended some specific climate-friendly materials. To start with, Simon gave members a whirlwind introduction to embodied carbon and why we should be considering this as part of our selection process. He then explained the importance of Environmental Product Declarations , dispelling the myths around EPD’s and whether or not they should be a primary part of our construction requirements.
On the subject of natural fibre insulation, Simon promoted a collaborative approach – bringing competitors together to encourage everyone to harness the power of natural materials. We learned that whilst natural materials such as timber are frequently used for structural construction, natural fibre insulation is often overlooked, despite many positive attributes. Members were encouraged to look beyond ‘U-values’ of insulation and consider the wider benefits of using natural fibres for this purpose.
#3: Responsible Retrofit with The Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance & Historic England and Historic England
The third event in our sustainable project series took place on the 18th March and focused on heritage projects, particularly building projects, that are looking at retrofitting for energy efficiency and conservation. Nigel Griffiths (Director at the STBA) and Soki Rhee-Duverne (Building Conservation Advisor at Historic England) gave an overview of their experience working on responsible retrofit using a 'whole house' approach, and the considerations needed when working with heritage, traditional and older buildings.
Recordings of the above events and presentations can be found in our members area.
If you are not a member and would like to join the network, please do get in touch.
The Sustainable Project series will continue on 21st April with the virtual event: 'Managing building performance gaps'
You can book your place here.