Black Cat Chat: The Building Podcast

Has the enthusiasm for ESG faded, or are we finally getting serious about what sustainability can deliver?

Following our Black Cat Lates series, Andy Clow returns with another episode of Black Cat Chat, joined by Black Cat’s ESG Director, Ryan Greensmith, for a conversation about the changing sustainability landscape.

From political uncertainty and public scepticism to increasingly selective business investment, Ryan explores why the ESG conversation has changed and what that means for the property sector.

They discuss the difference between ESG and Sustainability, the commercial realities driving decision-making and why the future of sustainability may depend less on ambitious statements and more on demonstrating genuine value through better buildings, lower operating costs and smarter long-term investment.

There’s also plenty of discussion about the practical challenges facing property owners, from energy performance and decarbonisation to navigating the many regulations and frameworks shaping the industry.

A refreshingly practical and optimistic look at what comes next for sustainability, and why ESG might simply be growing up.

In the final episode of Black Cat Lates, our panel turns its attention to the profession itself.

From RICS and the APC to CPD, professional standards, the Building Safety Regulator and the lessons the industry continues to learn following Grenfell, it's another candid conversation drawing on decades of experience.

At the heart of the episode is a bigger question: what actually makes someone good at this job?

Qualifications matter. Training matters. But so do experience, judgement, curiosity and continuing to learn throughout your career.

Black Cat Lates has brought together six colleagues with close to 300 years of combined experience across the built environment. Across three episodes, they've shared stories, challenged each other and offered the kind of practical insight that only comes from having spent a lifetime working in the industry.

That depth of expertise is a huge asset to Black Cat – for our clients and for the people developing their careers alongside them.

We're also always looking for more of the industry's best people to join us. That includes experienced professionals who want to get back to what they do best – working with clients, solving difficult problems and practising their profession – without necessarily having to spend their time running increasingly large teams.

Listen to the final episode of Black Cat Lates now.

Episode 2 of Black Cat Lates explores what happens when buildings, contracts and professional judgement are tested.

Andy is joined by experienced Black Cat colleagues to discuss expert witness work, dilapidations, mediation, cladding failures, design and build, site inspections, fire testing and building safety.

There are stories from court, an Amsterdam development where the façade did not fit, and a strong reminder that drawings, reports and regulations can only take you so far. Sometimes, you have to get out of the office and look properly.

“Time spent on reconnaissance is seldom wasted.”

The next and final episode of this mini-series takes the conversation further, with candid debate about Grenfell, the Building Safety Regulator, RICS and the future of professional standards.

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In this the first special episode of Black Cat Lates, Andy Clow brings together six of Black Cat’s most experienced colleagues for an open and wide-ranging conversation about the building industry.Between them, Stephen Flower, Eric Larmett, Stuart Hill, Diego Alves, Tony Threadgold and Eric Roberts bring decades of experience across building surveying, fire safety, defence, façade consultancy, building control and major commercial projects.The conversation covers:• The practical challenges of responding to the 1996 Manchester Arndale bombing• Lessons from Grenfell and the continuing debate around building safety• Building control, regulation and the risks of becoming too focused on process• Fire doors, cladding, insulation and the importance of practical experience• The value of testing, challenging assumptions and understanding how buildings work• Why building survey reports should give clients useful answers rather than simply more pages• The experience of working on major commercial developments, including the Trafford Centre• Training the next generation and improving communication across the industryIt is an honest, entertaining and occasionally forthright discussion about how the industry has changed, what it can learn from the past and why good judgement still matters.This is the first Black Cat Lates episode, with more conversations and experienced voices to come.Like & Subscribe to be kept up to date with more episodes.

In this the first special episode of Black Cat Lates, Andy Clow brings together six of Black Cat’s most experienced colleagues for an open and wide-ranging conversation about the building industry.

Between them, Stephen Flower, Eric Larmett, Stuart Hill, Diego Alves, Tony Threadgold and Eric Roberts bring decades of experience across building surveying, fire safety, defence, façade consultancy, building control and major commercial projects.

The conversation covers:

• The practical challenges of responding to the 1996 Manchester Arndale bombing

• Lessons from Grenfell and the continuing debate around building safety

• Building control, regulation and the risks of becoming too focused on process

• Fire doors, cladding, insulation and the importance of practical experience

• The value of testing, challenging assumptions and understanding how buildings work

• Why building survey reports should give clients useful answers rather than simply more pages

• The experience of working on major commercial developments, including the Trafford Centre

• Training the next generation and improving communication across the industry

It is an honest, entertaining and occasionally forthright discussion about how the industry has changed, what it can learn from the past and why good judgement still matters.

This is the first Black Cat Lates episode, with more conversations and experienced voices to come.

Turning Ambition into Deliverable Development

What stops a promising development or regeneration project from moving forward?

In this episode of Black Cat Chat, Andy Clow is joined by Tom Smith, Development Advisory Lead at Black Cat, to explore how complex, underperforming and stalled sites can be unlocked.

Tom explains how development advisory brings together commercial insight, viability testing, funding, planning and delivery strategy to help clients turn ambitious ideas into practical, deliverable projects.

The conversation covers:

• Why development and regeneration schemes stall
• How viability challenges can be identified and addressed
• The changing role of town and city centres
• Why residential development is increasingly important to regeneration
• How Mayoral Development Corporations can help accelerate delivery
• Tom’s experience supporting the regeneration of Stockport
• The value of bringing commercial and technical advice together early

Tom also shares how he joined Black Cat to establish the Development Advisory service and how the new offer connects with the wider multidisciplinary team.

A practical and positive conversation about unlocking opportunity, overcoming barriers and creating places where people can live, work and thrive.

What makes a town an attractive place to live, work and invest?

In this episode of Black Cat Chat, Andy Clow is joined by Peter Taylor, the Elected Mayor of Watford, to explore the continued growth and evolution of one of Hertfordshire’s most commercially important towns.

Peter discusses the advantages of Watford’s location, transport connections and highly connected business community, as well as the role that major employers, business parks and the creative industries play in the local economy.

The conversation also looks at the changing demands of the commercial property market, including the growing focus on high-quality office space, the importance of balancing new homes with places to work, and how brownfield development can support sustainable growth.

Peter also shares the plans to reimagine Watford Town Hall as a more accessible civic destination, incorporating an innovation and incubation hub, museum, community facilities and workspace.

It is a positive conversation about investment, regeneration and the partnerships helping towns like Watford continue to thrive.

In this episode of Black Cat Chat, Andy Clow sits down with Nick Goss, founder of Goss Consultancy and one of the UK's leading voices on accessibility, inclusive design and disability inclusion.

Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience, Nick shares how organisations can move beyond compliance and create buildings, places and services that genuinely work for everyone. The conversation explores the role of accessibility in the built environment, the commercial and social benefits of inclusive design, and why involving people with lived experience is critical to creating successful spaces.

From major construction projects and historic landmarks to everyday workplaces and public spaces, Nick explains how small decisions made early in the design process can have a significant impact on the people who use them.

"It's a lot easier and a lot cheaper to move a line on a drawing than it is to move a wall." Nick Goss

A fascinating discussion for anyone involved in property, construction, design, asset management or placemaking.

We're looking forward to welcoming guests from across the built environment in upcoming episodes. Hit Subscribe to make sure you don't miss an episode!

Sandon Global: Building a World-Class Manufacturing Facility

In this episode of Black Cat Chat, Andy Clow is joined by Rich Millington, Managing Director of Sandon Global, and Peter Fearon Brown of 2M2 Studio to explore the story behind one of the UK's most impressive advanced manufacturing facilities.

Together, they discuss how a long-term vision evolved from an ageing industrial unit into a purpose-built headquarters designed to support innovation, growth and global ambition.

The conversation covers the importance of understanding a client's business before putting pen to paper, the role design plays in shaping company culture, and how thoughtful workplace environments can bring teams together. Rich and Peter also share the challenges faced throughout the project, including land acquisition, power supply issues and navigating construction during the Covid-19 pandemic.

From showcasing cutting-edge manufacturing processes to creating collaborative spaces that break down barriers between office and production teams, this episode highlights how great buildings can become powerful business tools.

A fascinating listen for anyone involved in property, construction, manufacturing, workplace design or business leadership.

We're looking forward to welcoming guests from across the built environment in upcoming episodes. Hit Subscribe to make sure you don't miss an episode!

Black Cat Chat returns for Series 2 with a fascinating conversation between Andy Clow and London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith BA MSc.

In this episode, Jonathan shares the scale and complexity of leading London Fire Brigade, the UK’s largest fire and rescue service, and explains how London’s unique built environment creates challenges unlike anywhere else in the country. From high-rise and ultra high-rise buildings to heritage assets, subterranean infrastructure, climate-related wildfire risk and lithium-ion battery fires, Jonathan explores how risk is changing and what that means for the fire service, the property sector and the wider built environment.

The conversation also looks at the lasting impact of Grenfell on building safety culture, the importance of early engagement between the public and private sectors, and why fire safety must be embedded from planning through to occupation.

A must-listen for anyone working in development, construction, building consultancy, asset management or property. 

We're looking forward to welcoming guests from across the built environment in upcoming episodes. Hit Subscribe to make sure you don't miss an episode!