The Building Podcast with Mark Wakeford

Mark Wakeford

Mark Wakeford is a Director of the National Federation of Builders, Strategy Director of the Global Solar Council and Chair of the West Midlands Solar Taskforce.  He has run a large regional building contractor and now chairs Evoenergy, one of the UK's foremost renewable companies, bringing low carbon solutions to corporate Britain. Mark talks to leading experts from across the construction sector to discuss issues facing the built environment.  He explores various challenges with his guests, who offer solutions, information and ideas that listeners can apply to their own situations, be it in a company, on a project or studying at college. The Building Podcast aims to provide 'CPD on the go'.  Supporting the sector with easily digestible ideas to support a rapidly changing industry! https://www.linked.com/in/markwakeford/ 

  1. 3d ago

    Banking on Solar: What makes a project investable?

    Send a Text - Feedback Welcome Finance is required for all projects, whether this is provided by the project sponsors or externally through one of many funding institutions.  Thankfully, money is the ultimate universal commodity, however, banks, development banks and other investors all have their own investment parameters and appetite to determine if, how and when a project is bankable and will receive funds. Nik Stone is a Chartered Environmentalist and a member of the Institute of Sustainability & Environmental Professionals.  He is also an advisor to international development banks and has held positions in many of the top funding institutions.  This perspective gives him a great insight into the way that banks work and the ways that developers and project sponsors and their supply chains need to work to de-risk their projects and make them attractive to financiers. Listen to this podcast to hear how funders can influence the risks of the projects that they fund.  Hear about the Equator Principals that guide funding institutions on their behaviour and the International Finance Corporation’s Performance Standards that describe minimum standards of ethics and governance on projects.  Nik talks about how these standards have evolved over time to promote better standards and to reduce investment risk.  Hear about the role of development banks, working with Governments, to make the investment environment within a country bankable and possible for the private sector to operate efficiently. Listen for the positive view that funders can support the 8TW target generation that the Global Solar Council is targeting by 2030 and find out the things that developers and sponsors need to do to make their projects bankable. Nik Stone MISEP CEnv | LinkedIn Home Page - Equator Principles Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability | International Finance Corporation (IFC)

    Banking on Solar: What makes a project investable?

  2. 4d ago

    Testicular Cancer – Something that we all need to know

    Send a Text - Feedback Welcome The Building Podcast is doing something different for its listeners and publicising one of those cancers that affects young men in their prime.  They will be making their way in life and think that they do not have time to stop and think about their health or the implications of illness!  Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged between 20 and 39, but is it highly treatable provided that you catch it early!  Caught early, all most all make a full recovery. Elliott Turner is one of those men with a successful career, young family and who looks after his health, exercising regularly and eating carefully.  Listen to his journey from discovery through treatment to cure from testicular cancer.  Listen to beat the myths surrounding this male only cancer and hear about the support that is readily available to those who are worried and come forward to get checked out. Elliott is pragmatic and honest about the challenges of being really ill, when he had never been ill in his life, about the pressure on his fiancée and young children and the ready support from friends and family.  He talks about the amazing people and support that he has received from our National Health Service and the way that his brush with cancer has changed his outlook on life. Elliott’s message – Testicular cancer can get any man, even if you are fit, healthy and look after yourself.  Check yourself regularly and if you have any concerns or strange symptoms anywhere on your body, then get yourself checked out!  The UK has a free at the point of use health service – Use IT, that is what it is there for!  If you are unlucky, then do not panic!  It might be tough, but you will likely come through emotionally stronger and a lot wiser! Elliott Turner | LinkedIn Testicular cancer - NHS Testicular cancer | Cancer Research UK

  3. Aug 5

    The 'Just Solar Transition' - Is it all about better conversations with our communities?

    Send a Text - Feedback Welcome Large scale solar seeks to change lives for the better, but many communities simply do not have the information or the expectation that they can discover balanced and intelligent knowledge to help them determine and make best value of a local development.   This is the role of the developer who seeks to win permission for a solar or battery development.  Communities can have mistaken views and erroneous information on which they base their opinion.  The developer, through a series of consultations needs to provide balanced information to allow local residents to form their own opinion, based upon all the facts. Alex Kinnear-Mellor is the Head of Corporate Affairs for a Renewable Developer and Independent Power Provider and responsible for winning permissions for their developments.  With a background in marketing fast moving consumer goods she recognises the value of communication on a national scale to win hearts and minds and to replace some of the mis-information that influences the outlook of the general public. Listen to this podcast to hear how an ethical developer approaches consultation with a local community.  Listen to the techniques that they use and the importance of genuine consultation on a granular level dictated by individuals within the community. Listen to this podcast to find out what the industry needs to be doing to improve its image and to "move the dial" slightly to make the population more educated about the benefits of solar and the consequences of ignoring global warming. Alex Kinnear-Mellor | LinkedIn Elements Green - The Leading Global Renewable Energy Experts

    The 'Just Solar Transition' - Is it all about better conversations with our communities?

  4. Jul 31

    Global warming and civil society – What are the impacts on us all?

    Send a Text - Feedback Welcome Lt. General Richard Nugee CB, CVO, CBE is one of the ten experts who present peer reviewed papers as part of the National Emergency Briefing.  His experiences as a soldier inform his views on the implications of national security within the UK and his opinions carry weight.  On this podcast Richard explains the purpose of the National Emergency briefing and the reasons why the film version is aimed at local group, to give them agency and the ability to come together as a community to identify ways to solve the problems. Listen to this podcast to hear the consequences of failed farming around the world, the population movements that this will create and the pressure on all communities as “non-state actors” vie for control of dwindling resources and the consequences for the United Kingdom.  Listen to hear Richard’s real world stories that demonstrated that consequences of global warming and the break-down of civil society. Hear Richard’s call to arms for businesses to imagine life without fossil fuels and to assess their supply networks (not chains) and the resilience measures that they would develop if temperatures increased further, food and water became scarcer and rain was more intermittent and much heavier when it fell.  Image the scenarios, but then recognise that action is needed now! Listen to the podcast to understand why Richard is optimistic, and the opportunities that need to be grasped now to maintain this optimism. Richard Nugee CB CVO CBE | LinkedIn National Emergency Briefing National Emergency Briefing: Overview | LinkedIn

    Global warming and civil society – What are the impacts on us all?

  5. Jul 30

    Deploying Solar at Scale and Pace - The crucial role of Mayors around the world

    Send a Text - Feedback Welcome Global warming creates ill health, extra costs and inefficiencies across economies.  One challenge remains on who and how to take national policies and deliver them on the ground within real communities.  Enter the elected Mayors around the world.  Individuals who have been voted by their constituencies and put into leadership positions to help influence and steer their communities to better health, wealth around a better future. The Global Covenant of Mayors on Climate and Energy is ten years old.  Its leaders represent 150 countries and one in seven of the global population.  It is active in measuring renewable resources, promoting best practice and educating its members on the need for renewable energy and energy saving measures throughout their constituencies.  It is a vehicle for promoting best practice and creating an element of competition, as Mayors recognise that authorities with high levels of renewable energy generation are most likely to have residents and businesses with lower energy bills, more resilient communities and a healthier population.  This is why driving renewable generation, such as solar and battery storage is crucial to the economic survival of many regions. Anna Reynolds is the Lord Mayor of Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania in Australia.  She has been active within the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and she is also an ambassador for the Global Solar Council.  She is passionate about the benefit of renewable generation to local communities, recognising that sunlight is free and energy generated at the place of consumption does not require significant distribution infrastructure.   Cheaper energy means less money spent on fuel, a problem that hits the poorest disproportionately, which means more money on other things.   Solar also encourages greater awareness of electricity costs and it is often an entry technology to much better ways of managing carbon emissions. Listen to this podcast to hear how the Mayors around the world are and can influence, from a position of trust within their communities.  Listen to hear about the opportunities for Mayors to encourage wealth, health and resilience within their communities and the opportunities that this brings communities in terms of jobs and energy resilience. Listen to this podcast to find out the primary target for the Global solar council's initiative to deliver 300 Million homes with solar by 2030.  Why homes across Africa will benefit from this initiative and the independence from fossil fuel exporting countries that this will unlock.  Listen to hear about the need for speed and for Mayors to act in concert, quickly and effectively and decisively. Anna Reynolds | LinkedIn Home - Global Covenant of Mayors Global Solar Council | GSC Home Solar Citizens

    Deploying Solar at Scale and Pace - The crucial role of Mayors around the world

  6. Jul 29

    Clean Energy Partnerships - One way to the Just Transition to a low carbon future for Local Authorities Worldwide

    Send a Text - Feedback Welcome Coventry City Council has entered into a fifteen-year partnership with Eon to support its transition to a low carbon future.  The Partnership focuses on four key themes of clean energy, creating sustainable jobs and careers, supporting innovation and driving community benefits.  Partnering with Eon has allowed the City Council to focus on new and interesting ways to unlock solutions that meet one or more of these goals.  A long term partnership must focus on people and communities, if it is going to be successful and this Energy Transition Partnership is no different. John Martin is a Strategy & Programme Lead for Eon within their Energy Transition Partnership with Coventry City Council.  He has worked within energy all his life and recognises the value of partnership to help change people's lives.  He also recognises that a long term partnership needs to be based upon values and a shared vision, which is what Coventry City Council and Eon have achieved. Listen to this podcast to gain some real-life examples of how local authorities can work with private companies to deliver real value to their communities.  Listen to hear how a culture of innovation within the team can overcome many barriers, allow a fail quick mentality and bring best practice to help solve some of the more challenging energy issues. Listen to this podcast to hear how Coventry City and Eon have gone about creating a market and then growing it through community benefits and ESG procurement to drive as much value as possible into the communities within Coventry.  Listen to hear what makes a successful project and what makes the partnership team beam with pride. John Martin | LinkedIn Climate Change Strategy – Introduction Sustainable ambitions: Transforming Coventry's Energy Landscape

    Clean Energy Partnerships - One way to the Just Transition to a low carbon future for Local Authorities Worldwide

  7. Jul 28

    Building Energy Management Systems - Reduce Energy Consumption and Improve your EPC - What is not to like?

    Send a Text - Feedback Welcome The Building Energy Management System (BEMS) is the central nervous system of any building.  It provides the intelligence to operate a building efficiently and effectively, whilst creating the optimum environment for its occupants.   A good BEMS can save 30% of a building's energy, reducing its carbon emissions and improve its EPC rating.  The first allows the occupier to reduce their running costs and improve their carbon reporting.  The latter may be the only way that building owners are going to be able to improve the Energy Performance Certificate of their building to a standard that allows them to rent or lease their building. Ron Purcell has over 40 years' experience in this sector.  He works for Siemens as a Senior Product Manager, but is also the Vice-President of the Building Controls Industry Association.  The BCIA is a membership body that represents a wide variety of stakeholders who recognise the value and power of an effective BEMS in meeting clients' and occupiers' needs for an effective office workspace. Listen to this podcast to find out the benefits of an effective Building Energy Management System and how quickly it can re-pay its initial investment.  Listen to understand how they can add value to a workplace, both through lowering energy consumption, but also by creating great work environments.  Listen to hear how property owners can use an updated BEMS to improve an EPC rating, which will become crucial as the requirements for lease continue to be tightened. The podcast also covers the training initiative to bring more people into this sector as more building owners recognise the value of an updated BEMS.  80% of relevant buildings need to have an updated BEMS if the UK is to achieve its net-zero targets and the BCIA is working to ensure that there are adequate control engineers who understand and can implement BEMS.  They recognise that many of the allied skills in plumbing, HVAC and electrics will remain under pressure, but they believe that these jobs are going to be immune from AI as they are a mixture of dealing with people and competing priorities as well as manual jobs to effect change. Ron Purcell | LinkedIn BCIA - Building Controls Industry Association Desigo building automation | Siemens

  8. Jul 24

    Australian Solar and Battery Storage leads the World with the highest rates per capita - How does that happen?

    Send a Text - Feedback Welcome Australia has shown the world how to encourage homeowners to install solar and battery storage on a scale not seen anywhere else in the world.  With over 1.7KW per person and 5% of all eligible homes installing battery storage last year, Australia has lessons for all of us as they reduce the cost of electricity for all and create a more resilient energy supply. David McElrea is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Smart Energy Council, which is the national association responsible for guiding the politicians and renewable supply chain.  Their advocacy has been material in ensuring that the voice of the industry is heard amongst the political noise and that there is a competent supply chain to deliver these amazing results. Listen to this podcast to understand the Australian solar and storage market, the environment that has created it and the challenges that have been overcome.  Listen to discover what helped and what hindered this expansion and see whether there are lessons for your own domestic market. Listen to find out about the maturity of skills and supply chains within the Australian market that have responded to the demand from the domestic market.  Hear from the national association how it approaches the federal and state governments to support its aims. David McElrea | LinkedIn Home - Smart Energy Council Global Solar Council | GSC Home

    Australian Solar and Battery Storage leads the World with the highest rates per capita - How does that happen?
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About

Mark Wakeford is a Director of the National Federation of Builders, Strategy Director of the Global Solar Council and Chair of the West Midlands Solar Taskforce.  He has run a large regional building contractor and now chairs Evoenergy, one of the UK's foremost renewable companies, bringing low carbon solutions to corporate Britain. Mark talks to leading experts from across the construction sector to discuss issues facing the built environment.  He explores various challenges with his guests, who offer solutions, information and ideas that listeners can apply to their own situations, be it in a company, on a project or studying at college. The Building Podcast aims to provide 'CPD on the go'.  Supporting the sector with easily digestible ideas to support a rapidly changing industry! https://www.linked.com/in/markwakeford/ 

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