Construction and The Climate 39 Essex Chambers

In this episode Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating are joined by Simon Wyatt. Simon is a Sustainability Partner at Cundall. At Cundall Simon leads on net zero carbon and sustainable governance service streams, supporting clients realise their net zero carbon and wider ESG aspirations.
Simon has delivered the first WELL-certified projects in both Europe and MENA, as well as helping to develop net zero carbon and whole life carbon methodologies for the Greater London Authority, the UK Green Building Council, the Whole Life Carbon Network and the Construction Industry Council Hong Kong.
Camilla, Ruth and Simon discuss the ‘Eden’ project – the UK's first new build building to achieve a 5.5 NABERS ‘Design Reviewed’ Target Rating. This episode discusses how Eden minimised upfront embodied carbon and lessons for future projects.
Eden project: https://www.cundall.com/projects/eden-new-bailey

Jess Hrivnak is a Practice Technical Adviser (Sustainability) for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Jess has been involved in developing the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard since its inception, representing the RIBA on the Standard as a member of the Technical Steering Group, and co-leading one of the Tasks groups. In this podcast episode, Camilla, Ruth and Jess discuss the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard.

Biodiversity Net Gain is a way of creating and improving natural habitats – it is mandatory from 12 February 2024. In terms of the construction industry, developers are one of the groups who need to understand how Biodiversity Net Gain works. For this episode, Ruth Keating and Camilla ter Haar are joined by Simon Boyle and Stephen Poole from the Landmark Academy to discuss Biodiversity Net Gain – the opportunities and the challenges.

A building block in most construction projects, concrete is responsible for about 8 percent of global carbon emissions. Several companies are working to create a greener mix. One of those companies is CarbonCure Technologies a company based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. For this episode, Ruth Keating and Camilla ter Haar are joined by Chad Mahoney of CarbonCure Technologies to discuss more sustainable concrete production.

In this podcast episode, Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating discuss force majeure clauses – in particular how our understanding of force majeure may have to adapt over time in light of climate change.

In this episode, Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating are joined by Simon Sturgis. Simon Sturgis is widely recognised as an expert, an innovator and a lateral thinker in delivering a low carbon, resource efficient, built environment. He has led UK thinking and produced industry guidance for the RICS, RIBA, UKGBC, BCO and others which has already changed the way projects are designed and built in the UK.
Camilla, Ruth and Simon discuss the first edition of the RICS Whole life carbon assessment standard and the upcoming second edition (effective from July this year).