Constructive Voices

The built environment and of course, the environment in general, are inextricably linked to our health and well-being. With so much media coverage on climate change and biodiversity loss, it is hard to ignore these facts.

Places and people are also connected in various ways. The people who live in nature-blessed places have a higher chance of good health than those whose homes are in concrete jungles with little or no nature. We have investigated these topics in earlier episodes with guests such as Dr. Nadina Galle and Jane Findlay.

But did it ever occur to you that when a health issue affects you, your treatment may be bad for the environment?

“Healthcare is the fifth largest greenhouse gas emitter.”

From anaesthetic gases and inhalers to transport, food, and the built environment, Lisa shares practical, high-impact shifts for clinicians, health systems, and patients.

Healthcare is a lifeline—but if it were a country, its emissions would rank among the world’s largest. Lisa explains how that reality became a call to action for her work with Irish Doctors for the Environment and the Irish College of General Practitioners, and why awareness inside medicine must catch up fast.

“We’re great at starting medications in medicine—but not as good at stopping them.”

Built environments shape health—and healthcare’s footprint. Lisa highlights how transportation to and from facilities drives a significant share of emissions.

Why safe walking/cycling access for staff and patients matters, and how site design and biodiversity in care settings support staff and patient well-being. 

She also explores active travel, car-pooling after long shifts for safety, and hospital/clinic design that encourages movement and connection with nature.

Better asthma control means better health and a smaller footprint.

1) Where healthcare’s emissions really come from

Transport: Staff and patient travel in and out of hospitals and clinics is a huge contributor, especially where public transport or safe cycling routes are limited.

Consumables & waste: Single-use plastics are endemic; re-engineering and sterilisation pathways can help, but system change is needed.

Medications: Over-prescribing and poor deprescribing practices drive both patient risk and carbon waste; regular medication reviews are a high-impact fix.

Anaesthetic gases: Targeted reductions (e.g., nitrous oxide) show big carbon wins without compromising care.

2) Asthma, inhalers, and good control

Short-acting bronchodilators can carry large carbon footprints, yet clinically equivalent lower-impact options exist. The bigger lever? Better asthma control so patients need fewer rescue doses in the first place. Patients should ask their GP about optimising management—not only for the planet, but for their own long-term health.

3) Climate hazards showing up in clinic

Air pollution peaks worsen asthma and COPD; even healthy lungs feel the hit on bad days.

Heat stress disproportionately harms older people, those with heart failure, children, and pregnant women—driving health risks and migration pressures.

Microplastics: Detected across human tissues, including the brain and placenta—the health implications are still emerging, which makes upstream action urgent.

4) Food in healthcare: better for recovery, better for the climate

Colleagues across IDE are piloting plant-forward hospital food—reducing red/processed meat and dairy to lower emissions while supporting recovery and chronic disease prevention when replaced with nutritious plant-based options.

5) Practical actions for clinicians

Make medication reviews routine, especially in polypharmacy and at life-stage transitions; align treatment with patient goals and realistic benefit horizons.

Partner with pharmacists to minimise interactions and safely deprescribe.

Educate on inhaler choices and control plans; support recycling where available.

Model active travel where safe and feasible; support car-pooling and hybrid work/learning to cut unnecessary trips.

6) Practical actions for patients

Bring a written question list to appointments; ask, “Do I still need this?” for repeat meds.

Focus on movement and whole foods; make small, sustainable swaps (e.g., lentils for half the mince in a family bolognese).

Choose seasonal, more local produce where possible to cut “food miles.”

For severe period pain, painkillers are appropriate—but ask about underlying causes and options (e.g., hormonal methods) that can reduce pain and medicine use overall.

7) Conferences, flights, and fairness

Aviation’s footprint is personal and structural. Lisa advocates hybrid conferences for inclusion and carbon reduction—and candid, compassionate conversations about necessary travel.

8) Nature, design, and neuro-health

Social prescribing, green views, and biodiversity on health campuses help mental and cognitive health. Design choices that encourage daylight, greenery, movement (think inviting stairs and walkable layouts), and community reduce risk and aid recovery.

In this Youth Month special, Plan International’s Chief Programme Officer Damien Queally joins youth host Ciara O’Brien to unpack what truly locally led, gender-responsive programming looks like—especially where climate shocks meet the built environment.

“If you’re not bringing young voices in, you’re making decisions with your eyes closed.”

From safe, climate-resilient schools and health centres to inclusive streets, water systems, and shelters that protect girls, Damien makes the case for community-owned solutions that put young people—particularly girls—at the centre of how we design, govern, and maintain the places we live.

Tune into Plan International Chief Programmes Officer, Damien Queally, and Plan International Global Young Influencer, Ciara O’Brien, as they discuss their work with Plan International, a global organisation focused on improving the lives of girls and women in the developing world in a sustainable and equitable way. Their conversation focuses around their approach to this work, youth leadership within the organisation, and current affairs.  

“We shouldn’t be in a community for 30 or 40 years—our job is to help build self-reliance and shift ownership locally.”

As Plan International focuses on International Day of the Girl 2025, we dive into the campaign in more detail. The launch of the 2025 State of the World Girls Report has caused a stir in the international community. Damien and Ciara explore the specifics of the research and the global implications. 

The role of international institutions is in question a lot more often with the roll-back on rights and the rise of anti-rights groups globally. Taking a balanced approach, we address the advantages and disadvantages of delegating social justice work to international organisations. We explore the role that organisations like Plan International can play in approaching global issues such as gender equality. 

• Real local leadership: 98.5% of Plan’s staff are from the countries they work in, shifting power to people who understand the culture, risks, and climate realities.

• Youth at the table (not the side room): Young people now hold voting seats in Plan’s Members’ Assembly and sit on steering committees for major global projects.

• Gender & climate lens in action: From menstrual dignity in emergencies to cash assistance and psychosocial support, programs are designed with communities to withstand compounding climate shocks.

• Ending child marriage: Clear-eyed insights on laws vs. implementation, harmful norms, economic drivers—and how education and girls’ economic opportunities shift outcomes, even as climate stress heightens risks.

“In a climate era of droughts, floods, displacement, hunger—community-owned solutions are non-negotiable.”

• Safe, resilient schools: Elevated, ventilated classrooms; gender-safe WASH; routes to school designed with girls’ safety in mind.

• Inclusive public spaces: Lighting, transport, and facilities co-designed with young people so girls can access services and livelihoods.

• Climate-smart basics: Rainwater harvesting, flood-resilient health posts, and shelters that account for privacy, period products, and protection risks.

• Youth as co-designers: Participatory mapping and budgeting so local plans reflect lived experience—not assumptions.

• Plan’s program DNA: Early childhood development, education, protection from violence, SRHR, livelihoods & youth economic empowerment—plus LEAD, the youth participation thread running through everything.

• Localisation that lasts: Genuine partnerships, skills transfer, and avoiding long-term dependency by strengthening local civil society and government accountability.

• Climate reality check: How droughts, floods, hunger, and displacement are reshaping needs—and why solidarity “at home and abroad” isn’t either/or.

• From tokenism to power: How youth seats with voting rights and regular roles in strategy and program design are changing decisions—and outcomes.

• Child marriage now: Prevalence, the “choice” that isn’t, early pregnancy risks, mental health impacts, and community strategies that keep girls in school and expand futures.

• Micro-grants that spark movements: Inside youth-led accelerators and micro-grants that pair small funding with real-world budgeting and delivery skills.

• Cutting through noise: Fighting disinformation with plain language and human stories, not jargon.

As Global Director, Programmes and Operations, Damien strives to make Plan International the world’s go-to organisation for girls’ rights through high-quality programme delivery.

Damien Queallhy Plan-International

His focus is to build on the organisation’s experience to-date and ensure the organisation at all levels has the insights and information needed to allow for timely and relevant interventions to advance our mission.

In his role, Damien is eager to further promote and implement a more gendered approach to Disaster Risk Management, while simultaneously strengthening Plan International’s dual mandate in both development and humanitarian work – enhancing our vision of being the go-to agency for girls in crisis.  

Ciara O’Brien is a Philosophy, Political Science, Economics and Sociology student from Ireland. Outside of university, Ciara advocates for issues surrounding gender equality, education, and mental health. They bring a compassionate and pragmatic mindset to their work, and ensure that intersectionality is at the heart of everything that they do.

Ciara O Brien

This unique approach has been curated by working with diverse organisations on diverse causes, including forced displacement, environmental sustainability and disability inclusion. Ciara’s main work has been with Plan International. Initially joining the organisation at age 17, they have continued to work for Plan throughout their later teenage years.

They have represented Plan at the UN Headquarters in Geneva, the EU Parliament in Brussels and the Garda (police) Headquarters in Dublin. They currently hold positions as a Youth Advisory Panel member with Plan Ireland, a Global Young Influencer Group member with Plan International and a Marketing and Fundraising Committee member with Plan Ireland. Ultimately, Ciara works to ensure that individuals with both minority and dual identities are represented and respected in their work. 

"Generation Restoration wonderfully weaves together the most important ingredients of how we can heal ourselves and the planet. The book is the culmination of Tim’s last twenty-nine years of work and life experience.

Experience that has included leading parts of the United Nations’ Environment Programmes to his current role as VP of Climate Action at Salesforce.

It is hard to imagine anyone better placed to illustrate to the human race how restoration is the key to health, wealth and happiness. We are nature. When we restore nature, we restore ourselves.

Read Generation Restoration to find out how.” Jackie De Burca

What if the next step in human evolution is learning to restore rather than extract?

In this episode, Jackie de Burca speaks with first-time author and renowned nature leader Tim Christophersen to explore his new book, Generation Restoration (launching 14 October 2025).

From East Africa’s shrinking migrations to a small Danish farm buzzing back to life, Tim makes the case that restoration at planetary scale is not only possible—it’s already underway.

Tim explores the concept of ecological literacy, the importance of biodiversity, and the role of indigenous wisdom in sustainable practices.

He shares insights from his personal journey and professional background, highlighting the significance of investing in natural capital and the potential for positive change through collective action.

The discussion also touches on the financial shifts in nature restoration and the necessity of cultivating a mindset of optimism for a sustainable future.

We live in a “10% world,” but we can rebuild. Wildlife abundance has plunged since 1970; the tools to reverse course exist today.

Collaboration beats competition. Forests function through cooperation; our institutions should mirror that logic.

Ecology + economy must reunite. We’re running the economy without ecological literacy; treat nature as essential infrastructure.

Restoration is a flywheel. Diversity builds productivity; give nature a nudge and it accelerates—starting in the soil.

Hope is a practice. Conditional optimism + small, local actions create a virtuous cycle: action → hope → more action.

Opening jolt: The book’s promise—humanity can become a civilization that repairs what it damaged.

Shifting baselines: From common eels in one childhood to an endangered species in one lifetime—how loss hides in slow motion.

Career arc: From global policy to private finance to hands-on regeneration on a family farm.

Beyond the “spaceship Earth” metaphor: Why mechanical analogies miss the living complexity of ecosystems.

Tipping points to avoid: The Amazon’s dieback threshold and the “flying rivers” that feed a continent.

Nature as an asset class: Private investment in nature is rising, but we need sustained, smart capital at scale.

Flagship restorations: Andes, Atlantic Forest, and South Africa’s Eastern Cape thicket.

Health dividend: Two hours a week in nature supports blood pressure, mental health, and joy.

Closing charge: Focus on a detailed positive vision—then start small and local.

Tim Christophersen is a leading global voice on ecosystem restoration, with over 25 years of experience in climate and biodiversity advocacy. He is the author of ‘Generation Restoration’, a roadmap for restoring nature at planetary scale.

His career includes pivotal roles at the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and 15 years as a diplomat with the United Nations Environment Programme.

From the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement to the 2022 Global Biodiversity Framework and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030, Tim has been at the forefront of global environmental action. In May 2022, Tim joined the private sector as Vice President of Climate Action at Salesforce, where he drives sustainability initiatives with major corporations and public institutions.

Tim also explores regenerative practices on his family farm in Denmark, continuing his personal mission to restore planetary abundance and beauty.

In this episode of Constructive Voices, Jackie De Burca interviews Dr. Brian MacSharry from the European Environment Agency to discuss the concept of nature credits, their significance in the context of biodiversity, and how they differ from carbon credits.

Brian shares insights from his extensive career in environmental policy, emphasising the importance of recognising the role of biodiversity in our economy and society.

The conversation explores the challenges of measuring biodiversity, the roadmap for implementing nature credits, and the potential for incentivising private sector involvement in conservation efforts. Brian concludes with actionable steps for individuals and businesses to support biodiversity.

The difference between carbon credits and nature credits, and why biodiversity is harder to measure.

How businesses and economies are far more dependent on nature than most people realise.

Why the European Union’s roadmap for nature credits is both ambitious and full of open questions.

How pilot projects across Europe are already testing new models of valuing biodiversity.

Practical ways individuals, businesses, and policymakers can support biodiversity today.

If you want to understand one of the most important and timely debates in environmental policy, and hear directly from someone helping to shape it at the European level, this episode is for you.

Whether you’re a policymaker, a business leader, or simply curious about how nature and the economy are intertwined, this conversation will leave you better informed and inspired to act.

Brian also brings the discussion down to earth with everyday examples — from porridge oats to chocolate bars — showing how biodiversity underpins so much of what we take for granted. His insights make it clear: putting nature on the balance sheet isn’t just an environmental issue, it’s an economic and cultural one too.

Dr Brian MacSharry works as an Expert in Biodiversity at the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen.

With over two decades of experience, Brian has dedicated his career to conservation efforts, working at various levels from the Irish Government to international platforms.

After an initial five-year stint with the Irish government, Brian transitioned to roles focused on gathering and evaluating data related to habitat and species conservation within the EU, as well as the management of protected areas across Europe.

Following this, Brian assumed leadership of a team at UNEP-WCMC, overseeing global progress toward Biodiversity Targets, specifically in relation to protected areas.

Since 2018, Brian has been at the European Environment Agency, working in a variety of roles leading and supporting work on EU and Global Biodiversity policies.

Brian has a extensive experience in protected areas, nature restoration, assessments of the state of nature and mainstreaming nature into the wider society.

How Ireland is making homes warmer, cheaper to run, and lower-carbon—at real scale—and what you should actually do first.

Ireland set out to decarbonise its housing by upgrading existing homes—insulation first, fossil heating out, heat pumps and other renewables in.

Dr. Ciarán Byrne from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland explains what “retrofit” really means, where the numbers stand, what’s working, and how to start your own upgrade without getting overwhelmed.

“Anything you do in this space is no-regrets work.” Dr. Ciarán Byrne C Dir

Plain-English retrofit 101: What counts, what doesn’t, and why external wall insulation can make a whole street look brand new.

Real progress, real targets: Thousands of upgrades each year, with a growing share of homes reaching a strong BER rating.

Money + logistics, demystified: Grants that can be netted off your bill, low-cost green loans, and why using registered contractors matters.

Old buildings, smart fixes: How “breathable” materials and traditional-home know-how avoid moisture traps in heritage fabric.

Myths busted: You usually don’t need to move out for a deep retrofit; confusion often comes from bundling retrofits with kitchen or bathroom refits.

00:00 – What is retrofitting? A home-energy upgrade: insulate the fabric (walls, roof, doors, windows), then swap fossil heat for renewable systems like heat pumps.

03:00 – Targets & the clock: Carbon budgets arrive in five-year blocks; scaling now matters because the decade is “back-end loaded.”

04:30 – Scorecard: Applications and completions climbing, more homes hitting BER B2, and solid momentum behind insulation-first pathways.

09:30 – Climate reality meets the home: From heatwaves to winter bills—the “no-regrets” case for starting somewhere, anywhere.

16:00 – The homeowner journey: Make action easy; reduce clicks and complexity; balance demand with trained, inspected, registered contractors.

20:00 – Grants that actually move: Faster approvals, one-stop shops that can net off aid, and quality assurance through inspections.

30:00 – “Isn’t this only for the wealthy?” Attic insulation is often the cheapest, best first step; green finance covers the rest.

33:00 – Deep retrofit myths: Staying put vs. moving out—and why people conflate retrofits with other renovations.

34:00 – Heritage & physics: Permeable vs. impermeable materials and a growing evidence base for doing old buildings right.

37:00 – What’s next: Optimised construction, off-site panels, digital twins—promising, but still at early stage locally.

40:00 – SEAI’s role: “The meat in the sandwich”—bridging policy and delivery while simplifying, standardising, consolidating.

41:00 – 2026 success looks like… Bigger numbers, smoother customer journeys, and a confident supply chain.

42:00 – Final advice: Check your BER and advisory report, explore grants/finance, pick registered contractors, and start now.

“Simplify, standardise, consolidate—that’s how we make the homeowner pathway effortless.” Dr. Ciarán Byrne C Dir

Insulate the attic and cavity walls first. Biggest comfort gain per euro; quick to install; noticeable immediately.

Plan a pathway, not perfection. Do what you can this year; add measures over time. It’s all “no-regrets” work.

Use registered contractors. You benefit from standards, audits, and quality checks. Get two or three quotes.

Make the money work. One-stop shops can net grants off your bill; low-cost green loans can cover the rest.

In heritage homes, go breathable. Choose materials that suit older walls to avoid trapped moisture and mould.

Dr Ciaran Byrne is currently the Director of the National Retrofit Directorate in Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). In this position, his key priority is to build the National Retrofit Directorate within SEAI and design the business and financial model capable of mobilising the effective delivery of over 60,000 BER B2 retrofits per annum from 2026 onwards towards 2030.

Dr. Ciarán Byrne originally spoke to Constructive Voices in 2024. Tune into that episode about retrofitting in Ireland here.

We dig into why lone workers are growing fast, how extreme weather is reshaping site risks, and how connecting culture with smart tech turns “compliance” into prevention. You’ll hear real examples—from JLL to Costain—and a pragmatic playbook any firm can use.

“Safety works when everyone has permission to call it out—from apprentices to execs.” David Picton

1.  Lone workers: why they’re on the rise, the unique risks they face, and how to protect them.

2. Climate disruption on site: heat, storms, floods—and the simple factors (shade, hydration, acclimatisation, permission to speak up) that change outcomes.

3. Culture that speaks up: the “permission” moment that proves safety works when everyone can challenge—even a junior apprentice.

4. Data into decisions: how visibility lifts reporting and drives action.

5. SME playbook: low-cost, high-impact moves for smaller firms to handle extreme weather and continuity.

“Technology plus culture is the shift—from basic compliance to predicting issues before they happen.” David Picton

Many “lone workers” are only sometimes alone—which can hide risk unless you design for it.

Heat and severe weather are no longer edge cases; they’re planning assumptions for every site.

Lone-worker tech—check-in/out, location alerts, non-movement (“man-down”) triggers—now underpins safer field work at scale.

Elevating data visibility increases reporting and closes the loop faster—from near-miss to preventive action.

David is Senior Vice-President of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) at EcoOnline. He has substantial experience across construction, supply chain, operations, and strategy. His previous roles have included Chief Sustainability Officer and an original Board member of the Supply Chain Sustainability School.

Courtesy of David Picton

Prior to EcoOnline, he held Director and Executive roles in the technology, media, infrastructure and public sectors, started an independent advisory practice and served for 20 years as a senior military officer.

He also achieved the Queen’s Enterprise Award for Sustainable Development and presented the benefits of responsible business to the UN in Geneva.

At EcoOnline, we believe in the power of technology to reshape how organisations protect their people and the planet, paving the way for a safer, more sustainable future.

As a global SaaS leader, we’re at the forefront of innovation in workplace health, safety, and sustainability. Our team is passionate about creating meaningful impact and making a real difference.

Trusted by over 11,000 customers, we’re recognised as pioneers in our field, delivering expertise and guidance to empower our customers at every stage of their safety and sustainability journey.

Read all about EcoOnline here.

A short, sharp burst of optimism from the built environment. This episode: how floating neighbourhoods can power and protect themselves; why the EU wants to put nature on the balance sheet; and a hopeful update from Burkina Faso where smart water-harvesting is helping 29,000+ new trees thrive.

Floating neighbourhoods: Modern floating platforms are typically hollow, creating space for decentralised systems—wastewater and drinking-water treatment, on-board electricity storage, floating solar, even algae/seaweed biofuels. That off-grid setup boosts resilience and, placed offshore, these structures can also reduce wave energy to help protect coasts during storms. 

“Floating structures… offer opportunities to become more self-supporting and off-grid—more resilient.” Rutger de Graaf, Blue21

Tune into the full episode – Floating Futures here

Courtesy Rutger de Graaf Floating-Pavilion

EU Nature Credits: Brussels is sketching a roadmap to value nature directly—turning restoration outcomes into investable credits. As discussed in the episode, the aim is to mobilise private finance, reward those restoring ecosystems, and align business with biodiversity that underpins much of the economy.

“We have to put nature on the balance sheet… nature credits can mobilise the private sector to invest and innovate.” Brian MacSharry

Full feature lands 9th September. Bookmark this page for link.

Ecosia in Burkina Faso: In 2016, with partner Hommes et Terre, Ecosia planted 29,328 trees on a degraded savanna using traditional “half-moon” pits to capture scarce rain. Six years on, trees and grasses are back, soils are recovering, and wildlife is returning—funded in part by everyday searches.

This news came from Ecosia on LinkedIn.

At Constructive Voices, we’re not only about the place and the things that happen within the built environment, we’re also about how the places are directly connected with us as people. Along with the creatures around us and how that actually plays out in various ways within our lives.

Today we’re with David Picton. Now David will also be visiting you again in another episode, but in this particular episode, David, who’s the Senior Vice President of Safety and Sustainability at EcoOnline, is going to speak to you about his visit to the Everest Base Camp and how this is a mirror for his life as it has been to other people also. 

In this conversation, David Picton shares his transformative journey to Everest Base Camp, discussing the profound connection he felt with nature, the communities along the trail, and the importance of teamwork and collaboration.

He reflects on the physical and mental challenges faced during the trek, the sustainability efforts observed in the region, and the life lessons learned from this extraordinary experience.

Manage your energy, not just your time. Altitude makes every step count; your week does the same. Pacing wins.

Anxiety doesn’t mean stop—it means manage. David hit a wall at ~14,000 ft and adjusted, step by step.

Teams beat heroes. Five strangers became a safety net—hydration checks, hard truths, small celebrations.

Attention is a choice. On a dusty, risky trail, lifting your head to the view changes your state immediately.

Sustainability is practical, not abstract. Solar kettles, micro-hydro, “carry a kilo back” trash schemes—simple actions that add up.

Gratitude resets your baseline. Four days without soap or running water makes that first sink at home feel miraculous.

Awe reorganises priorities. Standing below those peaks, you remember what matters—and what doesn’t.

Friction reveals values. Dust, cold, thin air: when comfort falls away, character shows up.

Community redefines strength. Sherpas, porters, teammates—nobody gets far alone.

Simplicity clarifies. Food, water, sleep, warmth, safe footing. Strip life to its essentials and decisions get cleaner.

Perspective returns with you. Back home, the “ordinary” is extraordinary: a hot tap, a light switch, a friendly smile on the bus. Keep noticing.

Choose your pace. The mountain forces you to move “at the pace of the slowest yak.” In life, set a sustainable cadence: schedule recovery, protect deep-work blocks, and leave buffers.

Start before you feel ready. You plan, then you begin. Momentum turns unknowns into information.

Name the fear, walk anyway. Bridges sway; hearts race. Pick a fixed point, breathe, take the next step. Apply it to tough emails, first pitches, or hard conversations.

Small wins compound. Each village reached is proof you’re moving. Break your week into waypoints and celebrate progress, not perfection.

Carry your share. On the trail, everyone hauls something—water, a teammate’s pack, a bag of trash for recycling. At work and at home, share the weight you can actually lift.

Resourcefulness beats resources. Solar mirrors boiling kettles; tiny hydro setups powering homes; recycled bottle-top souvenirs funding education. Constraints spark creativity—use them.

Choose your attitude. Weather changes. Plans change. Your stance is still yours to pick.

Look up. Don’t let risk or routine steal awe. A 10-second view break can reset your nervous system and focus.

Everest Base Camp is a mirror. It shows you your pace, your fears, your dependence on others, your capacity to adapt—and your ability to choose your attitude. Bring that home, and a faraway mountain changes your everyday life.

“But the place that can support and/or challenge you to do better is not always such an obviously dramatic one. It may be so ordinary most people don’t even know its name. But it can still help you push beyond your boundaries.”

David is Senior Vice-President of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) at EcoOnline. He has substantial experience across construction, supply chain, operations, and strategy. His previous roles have included Chief Sustainability Officer and an original Board member of the Supply Chain Sustainability School.

Courtesy of David Picton

Prior to EcoOnline, he held Director and Executive roles in the technology, media, infrastructure and public sectors, started an independent advisory practice and served for 20 years as a senior military officer.

He also achieved the Queen’s Enterprise Award for Sustainable Development and presented the benefits of responsible business to the UN in Geneva.

“I just hope all this new development is done well. There’s a huge amount of ambition around Cork—but not enough legislation to measure the environmental impact.” Stephen Barrett

Discover more in the Sustainable Snapshot of Cobh

“Planning makes all the difference—and Zurich plans with purpose.” Anna Haas

Tune into Zurich: A Living Lab for Sustainable Cities

“Nature has thought of everything to keep everything in place and in balance. It’s just us who’ve gone in and disrupted everything because we don’t know. And we should make it our job to know, to understand.” – Sangeeta Waldron

Listen to the award-winning Sangeeta Waldron on Enfield Where Community Meets Nature.

We open with a fascinating concept that’s as much about protecting our minds as it is about protecting the planet — neurosustainability. Host Jackie De Burca speaks with Mohamed Hesham Khalil, whose pioneering research at the University of Cambridge explores how the built environment affects our brain health, mental wellbeing, and cognitive performance.

“That shift… from experiencing the built environment in a specific way and then going back was an alert to start seeing this relationship between the built environment and the human brain.” — Mohamed Hesham Khalil

Discover how architecture, neuroscience, and nature intersect — and why this matters more than ever post-lockdown.

Next, volunteer reporter Sarah Austin speaks with Catherine Cleary, co-founder of Pocket Forests, about transforming small urban spaces into thriving native woodlands. With over 125 sites planted — from car-parking-space-sized micro-forests to half–tennis-court plots — these dense plantings are changing soil health, biodiversity, and community connections.

“We’re planting much younger trees… much more closely together… the result is that they create this microclimate very quickly.” — Catherine Cleary

For the full deep dive, check out our special episode Greening Ireland from Pocket Forests to Native Woodlands on our website.

Catherine Cleary and Ashe Conrad-Jones, Founders of Pocket Forests.
Image courtesy of Pocket Forests

We round things off with encouraging retrofitting news: in early 2025, Ireland saw 11,910 home energy upgrades supported through government grants — a 2% rise from the previous year.

These upgrades avoided 15,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, reinforcing Ireland’s national push toward energy efficiency and climate action.

Bookmark this page to check for the podcast episode that deep dives into this topic with Dr. Ciaran Byrne, the Director of National Retrofit at Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

From turning down Harvard to study engineering against her father’s wishes, to running manufacturing plants in her twenties, Gretchen’s career is a testament to courage, adaptability, and a refusal to accept the status quo.

Today, she is an international author, speaker, and founder of the Women Thriving in Construction Institute, a global non-profit driving data-led change to attract and retain more women in construction.

If you care about leadership, diversity, or the future of the construction industry, this conversation delivers both inspiration and actionable insight. Gretchen doesn’t just talk about change — she’s building the structures, connections, and data that will make it happen.

The “grounded self-leadership” approach – why leadership starts with personal values and purpose

How male allyship can transform workplace culture and open doors for women

Why inclusivity fuels innovation in construction, energy, and engineering

Four agile leadership routines every leader needs in high-stakes industries

The systemic barriers holding women back — and practical steps to dismantle them

Gretchen’s vision for scaling what works globally through the Women Thriving in Construction Institute

Dr. Gretchen Gagel is a distinguished executive in the construction industry, bringing 40 years of management consulting expertise.

She holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA focused on finance, and a Ph.D. in Leadership, Organization Culture, and Change/Agility.

She has served as Chair of Brinkman Construction and is the founder of Women Thriving in Construction, a Global Institute dedicated to fueling global collaboration and funding strategies to accelerate the success of women in construction, mining, and energy inspired by her 2021 induction into the National Academy of Construction, Dr. Gagel is committed to fostering the success of women leaders.

Her book, Building Women Leaders: A Blueprint for Women Thriving in Construction, published by Wiley in April 2025, provides invaluable guidance and strategies for women to excel in construction, engineering, and related fields.

Mary K. Rhinehart, Chair, Johns Manville Corporation, wrote,

“In the decades I’ve known Gretchen, I have watched her grow and excel as a mother, a civic and business leader, and an influencer in the construction industry. We are so fortunate that Gretchen carved out the time to write this seminal book on women’s leadership and I am confident that all will benefit from the knowledge she shares. Gretchen is a remarkable leader and role model who cares deeply for the construction industry, and her passion for helping women thrive helps us build a more inclusive industry.”

Dr. Gagel’s work is driven by a deep commitment to diversity and innovation, making her a key advocate for transformative change within the construction sector.