Zero Ambitions Podcast

Jeff and Dan
  • 4.6 (37)
  • DOCUMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Zero Ambitions is a consultancy and weekly podcast about sustainability and the built environment. We find interesting and experienced guests who know what they're talking about, usually to discuss how we navigate the complexity of decarbonisation and sustainability in the built environment and its many related sectors. The success of the podcast has seen it grow into a consultancy, Zero Ambitions Partners. The consultancy works with blue chip clients, public sector institutions, and niche-market innovators that operate in the built environment, advising about the development and delivery of sustainability strategy and how it should be communicated. Hosted by Jeff Colley and Dan Hyde, publishers of Passive House Plus magazine (UK and Ireland) and co-founders of Zero Ambitions Partners.

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    The reluctant house builder: Greencore is building homes that challenge expectations of what a house can deliver, and the performance modelling in PHPP, with Ian Pritchett (Greencore Homes)

    We are joined by Ian Pritchett of Greencore Homes to talk about his science-based approach to green building and the work that has led him from developing green building materials becoming the co-founder of a vertically-integrated developer and house builder. There's a lot of history and legacy to cover because Ian has been in the green building game for decades and it's this that has informed the approach being taken right now. Greencore is also challenging the Passive House Institute about the accuracy of its PHPP (passive house planning package) modelling software because their homes outperform the model's predictions because of their use of phase-change materials. Be warned, this is nerd business—Jeff gets to interrogate the build up specification—but it doesn't get too technical to be able to follow the thread. Notes from the show The Greencore Homes website Ian Pritchett on LinkedIn A PH+ article about Neil May **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION** We don't actually earn anything from this podcast, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs. Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Retrofit Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

    1hr 31min

  2. 21 APR

    How sustainable is Futurebuild? The state of green building through the lens of the UK’s biggest event, with Martin Hurn (Futurebuild)

    We take a look at the state of the green building sector through the lens of itss biggest dedicated show in the UK, Futurebuild. It on 12–14 May this year and you can sign up here. Helping us to peek behind the curtain is the event's director, Martin Hurn, a man who is, ultimately, responsible for it all. It seemed with a conversation because this year Futurebuild was acquired by a new owner and repackaged to become a super event. The green building great big networking event has merged with UK Construction Week and the Stone and Surfaces Show. In light of this we get into the history of Futurebuild that sheds a little light on how the impact of changes that it’s going through right now are a little more like a return to its roots. The episode has a bit of a long wind up because we’ve included a chunk of preamble in which Jeff explains his background to Martin which wasn’t intended for the episode but it ended up revealing similarities, and differences, in their backgrounds that felt worth including. Both Martin and Jeff have been in this working within the business of the built environment for about the same amount of time (early 00s), and both coming from publishing backgrounds. They’ve seen the heydays, boom times, and catastrophes created by the Celtic Tiger and the UK’s solar subsidisation and feed-in tariffs. Consequently, the pair of them are able to offer a some illuminating and interesting perspectives on where they see the sector at this strange point in time. We also let Martin plug the show. And, at the end we do get around to asking ‘how sustainable are events?’ Notes from the show Register with Futurebuild 2026 for your event passThe Futurebuild website Martin Hurn on LinkedIn  **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION** We don't actually earn anything from this podcast, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs. Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Retrofit Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

    1hr 20min

  3. 7 APR

    The messy business of social value: retrofit, procurement, and the built environment, with Michael McLaughlin (LHC Procurement Group)

    What is social value? It's a messy, ill-defined beast that's increasingly a core component of public procurement, and it's something that we worked on recently so it's been front of our minds. We invited Michael McLaughlin (LHC Procurement Group) onto the show to talk through what he thinks about social value, and what he thinks it could be if the sector was able to organise itself better. No shade intended and we're not suggesting that it's easy to fix things, but we have looked into it. While there's a lot of great work being done there are an unconscionable number of opportunities being wasted, and not for want of trying. Notes from the show Michael McLaughlin on LinkedInThe LHC Procurement Group website LHC on LinkedIn  **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION** We don't actually earn anything from this podcast, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs. Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Retrofit Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

    1hr 11min

  4. 24 MAR

    Infrared surveys for retrofit: triage, validation, and accountability, with Lucy Lyons (Kestrix)

    Lucy Lyons of Kestrix joins us this week to talk about their use of drones, infrared imaging, and AI to quicken the pace of retrofit surveying. Specifically, with regard to a case study detailing their work with Peabody housing association. Kestrix is a software company that works with landlords to assess their building stock in terms of which homes need help and whether the retrofit works that have been carried out are performing.  They use their sophisticated broad-brush surveys and image analysis is is designed to help asset owners get the greatest value out of stretched budgets and capacity, investing time wisely and proving value for money. Notes from the show Lucy Lyons on LinkedInKestrix on LinkedIn The Kestrix website The Kestrix & Peabody case study that we refer toNational Audit Office report of retrofit performance: Energy efficiency installations under ECONHMF award 'Best Warm Home Initiative' 2026New Study Suggests Using AI Made Doctors Less Skilled at Spotting Cancer **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION** We don't actually earn anything from this podcast, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs. Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Retrofit Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

    1hr 6min

  5. 10 MAR

    Musings on modelling performance and the impact of the Home Energy Model (HEM), with Baz Iyer (Vulcan) and Stephen Lloyd (Savills Earth)

    Baz Iyer (Vulcan) and Stephen Lloyd (Savills Earth) join us to talk about the likely impact of the UK's long-awaited Future Homes Standard (FHS) and, perhaps more importantly, the Home Energy Model (HEM). HEM is the new model that will inform the UK's Energy Performance Certification (EPC) rating system. It's much more detailed in terms of the information that it demands about the buildings it is being used to rate, and therefore much more demanding of the assessors. But this means that it can be much more useful for modelling the energy performance of buildings because it will better reflect how the building will be experienced by its users.  It won't be perfect but the level of detail that it demands means that homeowners may be able to use EPCs to make meaningful decisions about how to improve the buildings in which they live.  This also means that, in time, it is conceivable that HEM can become a design tool in the same way designers use PHPP to predict performance and calibrate design. That's certainly what Baz is planning and why he and Stephen have been interrogating the place HEM will occupy in the UK construction sector, the impact it might have on its culture, and the opportunity that its adoption will open up. If anyone needs some help getting to grips with this I'd recommend they connect with Baz, he's very friendly and well-informed. Notes from the show Baz Iyer on LinkedInStephen Lloyd on LinkedIn The Vulcan websiteThe Savills Earth websiteVulcan on LinkedInOld ZAP #1 - 'Incompetence still reigns supreme' in energy ratings: DPE certification, EPCs, BERs, and a little bit of ESGOld ZAP #2 - ZAP Shady business #1 – overheating, and Camden: we should think about solar gain all year round, with Zoe De Grussa (BBSA) **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION** We don't actually earn anything from this podcast, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs. Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Retrofit Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

    1hr 14min

  6. 24 FEB

    Integrated asset management and the realpolitik of retrofit: building physics versus cost, with Anna Moore (Domna Group)

    We sat down with Anna Moore, CEO of Domna Group, to talk about its approach to the business of retrofit, pragmatic retrofit strategy, and long-term asset management for landlords. All underpinned by a layer of data collation and machine learning. Domna is currently retrofitting around 10,000 homes per year through grant-funded and self-funded programmes, using an integrated asset management—strategy to: deliver impact and savings through a mix of strategy, support on funding, management of delivery, and quality assurance. Importantly, Anna knows her stuff and she is fun, too. Notes from the show Anna Moore on LinkedInDomna Group on LinkedIn The Domna website (sign up in the footer) **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION** We don't actually earn anything from this podcast, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs. Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Retrofit Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

    1hr 24min

  7. 10 FEB

    Post-occupancy evaluation in the built environment: validating the quality of fabric, the impact of retrofit works, and anticipating car crashes, with Tom Robins and Leigh Fairbrother (Switchee)

    We're back! And we’re talking about the value of post-occupancy evaluation (POE) with Tom Robins and Leigh Fairbrother of Switchee. Their business is POE for landlords that’s intended to improve the quality of life for the residents that they rely on. Capturing sensor data, analysing it, and synthesising that into something their clients can use. Essentially, this means validating the quality of fabric, the impact of retrofit works, and anticipating car crashes—metaphorical ones. We get a really helpful explanation of Awaab’s Law around 25–30 minutes in, too. (Thank you Leigh.) Notes from the show Tom Robins on LinkedInLeigh Fairbrother on LinkedIn The Switchee website (sign up in the footer)Switchee on LinkedInPH+ coverage of that early work in Thamesmead (the Clockwork Orange estate)  **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION** We don't actually earn anything from this podcast, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs. Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Retrofit Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

    1hr 8min

  8. 23/09/2025

    Delivering high-density, high-volume Passive House in Central London, with Attzaz Rashid (Barratt London) and Joel Callow (Beyond Carbon)

    In this episode, we are joined by Attzaz Rashid (Barratt London) and Joel Callow (Beyond Carbon) to talk about Barratt London's move into Passive House. It was a chance to get into what attracted Barratt to developing this Lo-E homes proposition and how they came to feel confident about committing to deliver certified Passive House apartments, the team effort that's been employed to make it work, and the way this change has brought about a renewed enthusiasm for the job in some of the project's participants. It's a really interesting exploration of how the rigour and challenges of Passive House has affected Barratt's approach to high-density building, and how the Passive House approach has come to be recognised as advantageous to Barratt, in all sorts of ways.  Finally, the critique of M&E design that's made late on in the episode is not a Barratt critique—as Az makes abundantly clear—this is one founded in Joel’s experience of inheriting issues that require Beyond Carbon’s expertise for their resolution. Notes from the show Attzaz Rashid on LinkedInJoel Callow on LinkedIn The Barratt London websiteThe Beyond Carbon websiteDistrict heating and passive house - are they compatible? from the pages of Passive House PlusBarratt launches record passive house scheme also from the pages of Passive House Plus **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION** We don't actually earn anything from this podcast, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs. Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page (we still don't have a proper website)Jeff and Dan about Zero Ambitions Partners (the consultancy) for help with positioning and communications strategy, customer/user research and engagement strategy, carbon calculations and EPDs – we're up to all sortsSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Check Lloyd Alter's Substack: Carbon UpfrontJoin ACANJoin the AECB Join the IGBCCheck out Her Retrofit Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

    1hr 23min
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4.6
out of 5
37 Ratings

About

Zero Ambitions is a consultancy and weekly podcast about sustainability and the built environment. We find interesting and experienced guests who know what they're talking about, usually to discuss how we navigate the complexity of decarbonisation and sustainability in the built environment and its many related sectors. The success of the podcast has seen it grow into a consultancy, Zero Ambitions Partners. The consultancy works with blue chip clients, public sector institutions, and niche-market innovators that operate in the built environment, advising about the development and delivery of sustainability strategy and how it should be communicated. Hosted by Jeff Colley and Dan Hyde, publishers of Passive House Plus magazine (UK and Ireland) and co-founders of Zero Ambitions Partners.

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff and Dan
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    196
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Zero Ambitions 2026
  • Show Website
    Zero Ambitions Podcast

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