Constructive Voices

In the final episode of the Constructive Voices series, host Jackie De Burca talks with Alexandra Steed, a landscape architect and author. Alexandra begins by discussing the significance of land ownership and its deep connections to wealth, power, race, and class. She highlights the concentration of land ownership in the hands of a few, like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, who hold more land than entire indigenous nations, and how this contributes to ongoing inequality and environmental degradation.

The conversation explores the idea of “humble governance,” advocating for a shift in mindset to recognise humanity’s dependence on the Earth’s natural systems and the need to manage land with humility and respect. Alexandra suggests that individuals can contribute to environmental change by becoming more informed, advocating for nature, supporting sustainable agricultural practices, and protecting local ecosystems.

Jackie and Alexandra also touch on international examples, such as Bhutan’s “green schools” initiative and Alula in Saudi Arabia, showing how integrating nature into education and development can be successful. The episode ends with a call to action, emphasising that everyone can play a role in fostering a sustainable future, no matter how small their actions may seem.

In this episode of Constructive Voices, we dive deep into the world of resilient design and urban planning with Lisa Lattu, a pioneering "plangineer" who blends the best of civil engineering and urban planning to create sustainable, disaster-resistant communities. Hosted by Jackie De Burca, the conversation explores the critical importance of resilient infrastructure, particularly in cities prone to natural disasters like hurricanes, and addresses the challenges of maintaining and upgrading ageing infrastructure to meet current and future needs.

Lisa shares her extensive experience working with Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc., highlighting the innovative strategies and technologies her company employs to improve urban resilience. She discusses the complexities of designing infrastructure that can withstand both anticipated natural disasters and unexpected events, emphasising the interconnectedness of systems such as water, power, and mobility. Through real-world examples, including ongoing projects on the Texas Gulf Coast and in Houston, Lisa illustrates how comprehensive planning and community involvement can enhance disaster preparedness and recovery efforts.

Listeners will gain insight into the evolving field of resilient urban design, from data modelling and planning for multiple future scenarios to leveraging both new and time-tested techniques, such as rainwater harvesting and flexible infrastructure use. Lisa also touches on the critical role of community engagement, coordinated efforts between government and private sectors, and the importance of funding and policy in driving sustainable development. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of urban planning, sustainability, and the ways communities can adapt and thrive in the face of growing environmental challenges.

Lisa Lattu, PE, AICP, Associate, Senior Project Manager

Master in Urban Planning, Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University

Lisa Lattu has over 27 years of experience in strategic and resilient long-range infrastructure engineering and planning. She has served in public and private roles throughout Texas, leading groundwater reduction and conservation, surface water operational system modelling and analysis, and utility operations.

This rich experience has developed a unique and valuable knowledge of state and local infrastructure requirements through experience in municipal street and roadway improvement projects, water/wastewater designs, utilities coordination and relocations, hydraulic modelling, and master planning.

Lisa is an experienced leader from small teams of 5-10 engineers to direct responsibility operations, maintenance, and capital improvements for a 200 million gallon per day water purification facility for the City of Houston.

Lisa specialises in water and wastewater master planning and impact fee projects including hydraulic modelling, water supply and contract negotiations, stakeholder coordination, project financing, policymaking, and water purification plant management and administration including federal/state disaster response and recovery (Hurricanes Ike and Harvey and COVID-19).

Her background also includes serving as an alternate for a Texas Water Development Board Regional Water Planning Group and a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Bay and Basin Stakeholders Committee, as well as work for Davenport, Iowa, and Boston, Massachusetts.

Lisa is active in the American Water Works Association and the American Planning Association in committee work and opening organisational doors.

Certifications / Licenses
Professional Engineer, Texas

American Institute of Certified Planners

Affiliations
American Water Works Association (AWWA)

Water Environment Association of Texas (WEAT)

Texas Water Conservation Association (TWCA)

American Planning Association (APA)

Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston

Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) is a full-service civil engineering firm founded in 1935. With more than 350 employees across 16 offices in the United States, LAN offers comprehensive planning, engineering, programme management, construction management, and inspection services.

The firm’s expertise spans various sectors, including transportation, transit, facilities, water, wastewater, stormwater management, drainage, education, right-of-way, healthcare, and ports and marine.

Consistently ranked among the top engineering companies in the country, LAN has pioneered resilient and sustainable civil engineering solutions to shape evolving communities for nearly 90 years.

Recognising the increasing challenges posed by climate change, urbanisation, and ageing infrastructure, LAN has developed a strong focus on resilience in its projects. This approach ensures that the infrastructure designed and managed by LAN not only withstands short-term emergencies but also adapts to evolving conditions in the long term.

As municipalities deal with population growth, climate change, rising sea levels, and supply chain stress, having sustainable infrastructure is necessary. LAN is committed to implementing resilience measures now to enable communities to meet current and future challenges.

LAN’s project portfolio highlights its diverse capabilities across different markets. In the stormwater and drainage sector, key projects include the nine-time award-winning Exploration Green Detention Facility in Clear Lake, Texas, and the $400 million Halls Bayou Flood Mitigation Project in Houston, Texas. Additionally, LAN implements advanced modelling services, such as the 2-Dimensional Hydrodynamic and Sediment Transport Modelling Project for the Harris County Flood Control District, enhancing flood mitigation and stormwater management strategies​.

In the transportation and transit sector, LAN has provided design and project management services for significant projects like the TxDOT MoPAc Diverging Diamond Interchange Expansion, the first of its kind in Austin, Texas, and the VTA/BART Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension near San Jose, California.

These projects emphasise LAN’s commitment to improving public transit infrastructure and accessibility, fostering sustainable urban transportation solutions​.

LAN has a long history of programme management and engineering expertise for large-diameter water conveyance projects, including serving as the Programme Manager for the $660 million City of Houston’s Programme Manager for the Surface Water Transmission Programme for 30+ years.

Another notable project in this category is the 72-Inch Raw Water Main Design for the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department in Miami, Florida, showcasing LAN’s proficiency in managing complex water transmission projects essential for urban development​ and water infrastructure resilience.

In the wastewater market, LAN’s project portfolio includes the award-winning Conroe Central Wastewater Treatment Plant and the $225 million Nueces River Authority Petronila Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in South Texas. These projects illustrate LAN’s expertise in designing and managing wastewater treatment facilities that support sustainable growth and environmental stewardship​.

Through its wide-ranging and geographically varied project experience, LAN continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing public infrastructure and fostering community resilience nationwide.

In cooperation with their local partners, the BROZ Nature Conservation Association, who were also partners on the Flooded Forest project, they have flooded another wetland along the Danube! This time the project focused on a different type of wetland habitat – wet meadows – that have become a rare sight in these lowlands.

Not long ago, wetlands were such an integral part of life in the Danube lowlands that locals would use over 20 expressions to describe the different types of wetland habitats!

Over the course of the 20th century, much of the area got drained to make space for agriculture and the extent of wetlands shrank to a fraction of their former size. So when an opportunity came up to support the restoration of this rare wetland type, they were all in!

The newly restored wetland is fed by the Ciliz Brook, a 33.5 kilometre waterline that once connected to the Danube River. The brook itself used to lack water on most of its course because a number of drainage channels were built on its course.

Thanks to a series of interventions done by BROZ Nature Conservation Association since 2016, which included the reconstruction of several poorly built drainage channels, water has returned to the brook in its full length.

Until now, the brook had a dead end in which the water would accumulate and spill over into another drainage channel. They decided to harness the potential of this water and create another ending to the brook – a 400 metre channel.

Now the water, that would otherwise be lost from the landscape, feeds a 40 hectare disused field over-ridden with invasive plants. Over time as the new water-logged conditions push back the invasives, a wet sedge meadow will form here, providing much needed refuge for species such as the endemic Pannonian root vole, newts and amphibians and migratory bird species.

The last “dig” as they opened the new outflow was a moment of celebration and the story even made it to the national news! And now it is also featured on the Constructive Voices Newsflash.

Photos and words from original post by Mossy Earth

One of the world’s top female sustainability influencers, who was a Constructive Voices’ guest and Round Table collaborator, shared this on LinkedIn.

Roberta Boscolo wrote that:

A shocking 15 national heat records have been shattered in just the first half of 2024. According to climate historian Maximiliano Herrera, this year has been unprecedented in the number of temperature records broken globally, with 130 monthly national temperature records and tens of thousands of local highs from the Arctic to the South Pacific.

From February to July 2024, extreme heat events have reached levels previously unimaginable. While last year’s heat was exacerbated by El Niño, the current wave of records persists even as the phenomenon fades, highlighting the relentless impact of man-made global heating. The fiercest temperatures have struck the tropics, with Egypt hitting 50.9°C, Chad tying its record at 48°C, and Ghana setting a new high of 44.6°C.

The relentless heat is not just breaking records—it’s breaking the very resilience of ecosystems and communities. the World Meteorological Organization warns, these trends show no sign of slowing. Without urgent action to curb greenhouse gas emissions, new extremes will continue to emerge, with devastating consequences for life on Earth. This is a call to action. The time to act is now.

Original post from Roberta Boscolo

In this newsflash, 5-minute episode, you will learn about why scientists are warning that the Pantanal, often described as a "paradise on Earth," could be irreversibly damaged by the Hidrovia project. The delicate balance that sustains this unique ecosystem is already under pressure from climate change, deforestation, and other human activities.

Learn about how one of our longterm collaborators is once again on one of the UK's most important award lists.

Want to be featured regularly, check this out: https://constructive-voices.com/action-leaders/

In Part 3,  host, Jackie De Burca, and guest Alexandra Stead, a landscape architect and urban designer, discuss Part Three of Stead’s book, which examines historical city locations, streetscapes, peri-urban landscapes, and case studies from England.

Stead explains the concept of landscape, highlighting its multifaceted definitions and the design principles essential for protecting and restoring the planet. She emphasises the importance of integrating nature into urban environments and using natural processes in design to create sustainable cities. Stead and Jackie also discuss the consequences of urban development that disregards natural processes, using London’s historical development as an example.

The episode explores innovative approaches like rethinking streetscapes and designing with nature in mind, citing successful projects in Vancouver and the concept of sponge cities in China. The discussion extends to peri-urban landscapes, the ecological footprint, and the necessity of shifting from exploitation to preservation and stewardship of natural resources.

In the latter part of the episode, Stead talks about the crucial roles of soil, water, and air in sustaining life and the benefits of regenerative agriculture and sustainable practices. She concludes by advocating for a holistic approach to design that considers the needs of the entire community of life, not just humans, and emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living beings in creating a sustainable future.

Joanne Proft, Associate Director, Community Planning | Campus + Community Planning at The University of British Columbia said:

Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future is a ground-breaking work authored by a renowned landscape architect. It challenges us to fundamentally alter our relationship with the natural world, presenting a holistic approach to healing the earth by addressing both symptoms and underlying causes of environmental degradation.

Using the metaphor of a narrow, self-focused portrait versus a wide-angle landscape view, the book sheds light on the profound impact of our limited perspective. It offers practical strategies for policymakers, activists, and individuals to protect and restore landscapes, emphasising collaboration and long-term stewardship.

This thought-provoking book inspires readers to re-evaluate their connection with nature and engage in the movement towards a more sustainable future, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of our place in the world and how we can inhabit it with integrity.

Alexandra Steed, a passionate landscape architect and Fellow of the Landscape Institute (FLI) and the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), has a profound commitment to art, sustainability, and the transformative power of landscapes.

In 2013, she founded the London-based studio URBAN with the goal of bringing joy to people’s daily lives through landscape design that enhances beauty and fosters well-being. Steed actively advises and serves on expert panels for organisations such as the Design Council UK and the UK Government’s Office for Place.

As a lecturer at The Bartlett, UCL, she shares her knowledge and volunteers her time to support community place-making visions. Steed’s exceptional contributions to landscape architecture have garnered prestigious awards, including the WAFX Award for innovative global solutions and the LI Award for Excellence in Tackling Climate Change.

Additionally, she was shortlisted for the Sir David Attenborough Award, highlighting her dedication to preserving and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystems. She is the author of the ground-breaking book “Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future.”

In this short 17 minute episode, you will discover how this visual biodiversity net gain tool can help you do your BNG calculations and planning efficiently. Tune into Panu Pasanen as he talks to Jackie De Burca, about this BNG tool which enables you to work without an ecologist for some phases of your BNG work.

Panu Pasanen is the CEO and sole founder of One Click LCA, the world’s leading software platform for life-cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental product declaration (EPD) in construction & manufacturing.

He is an LCA, embodied carbon, and life-cycle costing (LCC) expert and entrepreneur, with a specialisation in the use of LCA and LCC for green building systems globally (primarily across Europe, North America, and Asia). Panu is a life-long advocate for the decarbonisation of the built environment.

He is driven to scale carbon performance optimisation with easy, automated, and affordable LCA. He is focused on developing One Click LCA to be the most user-friendly, automated, and robust LCA and LCC software platform on the market.

In addition to embodied carbon, LCA, and LCC, he works on Green Building credits for BREEAM, LEED, DGNB, CEEQUAL, and Energie-Carbone, among other things. He also collaborates with government bodies and large corporations to draft regulations and policies to achieve cost-effective and durable carbon reduction. He is also interested in sustainability metrics and standards — as well as sustainability software innovation. 

Learn more about Panu’s work with One Click LCA here: www.oneclicklca.co

One Click LCA is a Helsinki-based tech company decarbonising construction and manufacturing with world-leading, easy-to-use, and automated life-cycle assessment (LCA) to calculate and reduce the environmental impacts of building, infrastructure, and renovation projects — as well as construction and other manufactured products. It also enables manufacturers to generate and publish third-party verified EPDs, and allows assessment of circularity, life-cycle cost, and soon also biodiversity.

One Click LCA is used in +170 countries. Its decarbonisation platform includes a unique global database with +200,000 LCA datasets, and it supports +80 standards and certifications, including LEED, BREEAM, GRESB and other national regulations. One Click LCA was founded in Finland in 2001, and has a team of +200 people on all continents.

The first episode offers great insights into the concepts you will discover in this book. The author explains some of the core principles that are featured. De Burca speaks to her in detail about Part 1 of Portrait to Landscape-A Landscape Strategy To Reframe Our Future. 

There is a wealth to learn and discuss about this ground-breaking book. So every podcast episode explores one of the four parts of this trailblazing publication.

Joanne Proft, Associate Director, Community Planning | Campus + Community Planning at The University of British Columbia, said:

Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future is a ground-breaking work authored by a renowned landscape architect. It challenges us to fundamentally alter our relationship with the natural world, presenting a holistic approach to healing the earth by addressing both symptoms and underlying causes of environmental degradation.

Using the metaphor of a narrow, self-focused portrait versus a wide-angle landscape view, the book sheds light on the profound impact of our limited perspective. It offers practical strategies for policymakers, activists, and individuals to protect and restore landscapes, emphasising collaboration and long-term stewardship.

This thought-provoking book inspires readers to re-evaluate their connection with nature and engage in the movement towards a more sustainable future, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of our place in the world and how we can inhabit it with integrity.

Alexandra Steed, a passionate landscape architect and Fellow of the Landscape Institute (FLI) and the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), has a profound commitment to art, sustainability, and the transformative power of landscapes.

In 2013, she founded the London-based studio URBAN with the goal of bringing joy to people’s daily lives through landscape design that enhances beauty and fosters well-being. Steed actively advises and serves on expert panels for organisations such as the Design Council UK and the UK Government’s Office for Place.

As a lecturer at The Bartlett, UCL, she shares her knowledge and volunteers her time to support community place-making visions. Steed’s exceptional contributions to landscape architecture have garnered prestigious awards, including the WAFX Award for innovative global solutions and the LI Award for Excellence in Tackling Climate Change.

Additionally, she was shortlisted for the Sir David Attenborough Award, highlighting her dedication to preserving and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystems. She is the author of the ground-breaking book “Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future.”

The first episode offers great insights into the concepts you will discover in this book. The author explains some of the core principles that are featured. De Burca speaks to her in detail about Part 1 of Portrait to Landscape-A Landscape Strategy To Reframe Our Future. 

There is a wealth to learn and discuss about this ground-breaking book. So every podcast episode explores one of the four parts of this trailblazing publication.

Joanne Proft, Associate Director, Community Planning | Campus + Community Planning at The University of British Columbia, said:

Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future is a ground-breaking work authored by a renowned landscape architect. It challenges us to fundamentally alter our relationship with the natural world, presenting a holistic approach to healing the earth by addressing both symptoms and underlying causes of environmental degradation.

Using the metaphor of a narrow, self-focused portrait versus a wide-angle landscape view, the book sheds light on the profound impact of our limited perspective. It offers practical strategies for policymakers, activists, and individuals to protect and restore landscapes, emphasising collaboration and long-term stewardship.

This thought-provoking book inspires readers to re-evaluate their connection with nature and engage in the movement towards a more sustainable future, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of our place in the world and how we can inhabit it with integrity.

Alexandra Steed, a passionate landscape architect and Fellow of the Landscape Institute (FLI) and the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), has a profound commitment to art, sustainability, and the transformative power of landscapes.

In 2013, she founded the London-based studio URBAN with the goal of bringing joy to people’s daily lives through landscape design that enhances beauty and fosters well-being. Steed actively advises and serves on expert panels for organisations such as the Design Council UK and the UK Government’s Office for Place.

As a lecturer at The Bartlett, UCL, she shares her knowledge and volunteers her time to support community place-making visions. Steed’s exceptional contributions to landscape architecture have garnered prestigious awards, including the WAFX Award for innovative global solutions and the LI Award for Excellence in Tackling Climate Change.

Additionally, she was shortlisted for the Sir David Attenborough Award, highlighting her dedication to preserving and enhancing biodiversity and ecosystems. She is the author of the ground-breaking book “Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future.”

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.

These targets will be achieved through a network of ‘One Stop Shops’, creating a national demand for retrofit amongst homeowners, through marketing, addressing operational bottlenecks, developing smart finance options and raising awareness of the multiple benefits of undertaking a retrofit.

In addition, Dr. Byrne is responsible for scaling several other SEAI programmes including the individual energy grant scheme, the fully funded Warmer Homes grant scheme and the Solar PV scheme to ensure they all contribute, at scale, to Ireland’s CO2 emission reduction targets.

Another priority is activating Sustainable Energy Communities, SEAI’s education and outreach programme and the wider supply chain to build awareness of retrofit and ensure appropriately skilled labour is available to deliver Ireland’s retrofit ambition.

Prior to joining the SEAI, Ciaran held CEO roles in two other Irish State Agencies between 2008 and 2020. Ciaran is a qualified management accountant and served his time working in industry, where he gained a deep understanding of business, and the importance of cost controls and focusing on core strategic objectives.

Ciaran is a Chartered Director and was admitted into the Institute of Directors in 2017, and he has completed a master’s degree in business studies at University College Cork. Ciaran has a degree and Ph.D. in science from Trinity College and has authored several peer reviewed scientific publications.

SEAI is Ireland’s national sustainable energy authority. The national organisation works with households, businesses, communities and the government to create a cleaner energy future.

Welcome to another episode of Constructive Voices! Today, we have an exciting guest with us, Panu Pasanen, the CEO and founder of One Click LCA. Panu is the brilliant mind and driving force behind this innovative lifecycle assessment and environmental product declaration software.

Panu Pasanen is the CEO and sole founder of One Click LCA, the world’s leading software platform for life-cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental product declaration (EPD) in construction & manufacturing.

He is an LCA, embodied carbon, and life-cycle costing (LCC) expert and entrepreneur, with a specialisation in the use of LCA and LCC for green building systems globally (primarily across Europe, North America, and Asia). Panu is a life-long advocate for the decarbonisation of the built environment.

He is driven to scale carbon performance optimisation with easy, automated, and affordable LCA. He is focused on developing One Click LCA to be the most user-friendly, automated, and robust LCA and LCC software platform on the market.

In addition to embodied carbon, LCA, and LCC, he works on Green Building credits for BREEAM, LEED, DGNB, CEEQUAL, and Energie-Carbone, among other things. He also collaborates with government bodies and large corporations to draft regulations and policies to achieve cost-effective and durable carbon reduction. He is also interested in sustainability metrics and standards — as well as sustainability software innovation. 

Learn more about Panu’s work with One Click LCA here: www.oneclicklca.co

Jackie De Burca: Panu, let’s start by giving our audience a bit of background on you. I noticed you worked at Vodafone before setting up One Click LCA, and you speak seven different languages. How has this diverse experience influenced your career and your brain?

Panu Pasanen: Absolutely. I’m a software engineer by education. During my studies, I began learning languages like French and German. Living abroad for about a decade, I picked up several languages, which was both challenging and enriching. Working in various software companies and the telecom industry, I realised my passion lay in contributing to environmental sustainability, which led me to start One Click LCA in 2010.

Jackie De Burca: That’s fascinating. You mentioned a shift from telecom to environmental sustainability. How did you make that transition?

Panu Pasanen: While working in telecom, I always had a side business focused on sustainability. In 2010, I decided to make it my full-time profession. I wanted to create a global impact, and targeting a broad market rather than just Finland seemed the right path.

Jackie De Burca: Let’s dive into some foundational concepts. What are the differences between embodied and operational carbon in construction, and why is reducing embodied carbon crucial?

Panu Pasanen: Embodied carbon comes from the production, transport, and installation of building materials, like cement and steel, which are highly energy-intensive. Operational carbon, on the other hand, is related to the building’s energy consumption over its lifetime. Reducing embodied carbon is vital because it’s front-loaded—meaning it’s incurred before the building is even occupied. Effective lifecycle assessments (LCA) help us measure and reduce these emissions comprehensively.

Jackie De Burca: How do lifecycle assessments play a role in identifying and reducing embodied carbon emissions?

Panu Pasanen: LCAs measure environmental impacts over a building’s entire lifecycle, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal. By using One Click LCA, we automate this process, integrating cost plans and building information models to accurately calculate and reduce embodied carbon, ensuring compliance with various standards.

Jackie De Burca: Since founding One Click LCA in 2010, the company has grown tremendously and is now used in around 70 countries. Can you share the journey and its capabilities?

Panu Pasanen: Sure. From the beginning, we aimed for automation and multi-standard compliance. It took about seven years to cover Europe, and by 2019, we expanded significantly in North America. Continuous improvement, expanding to new geographies, and addressing broader sustainability concerns have been key to our growth.

Jackie De Burca: AI is a big part of your platform. How does it enhance One Click LCA’s capabilities?

Panu Pasanen: AI helps save time and improve accuracy. For instance, in the UK, AI reduced the number of unrecognised data entries by a factor of 10. AI also ensures quality assurance, catching human errors before they impact our clients.

Jackie De Burca: How can early adoption of LCA in the construction process reduce carbon emissions?

Panu Pasanen: Early adoption allows for innovative designs like slim floors, reducing concrete usage, and planning for low-carbon materials. This proactive approach can lead to significant cost savings and carbon reductions, sometimes by up to 40%.

Jackie De Burca: In November last year, you secured a €40 million investment. What does this mean for One Click LCA and its impact on climate change and biodiversity?

Panu Pasanen: This investment allows us to enhance our enterprise capabilities, ensuring high-quality, reliable data for our customers, and supporting their most complex and demanding projects.

Jackie De Burca You recently acquired Buildrz, a generative AI platform. How will this acquisition enhance your services?

Panu Pasanen: Builders enables us to generate thousands of design iterations quickly, optimising for sustainability and other factors. This rapid iteration helps find the best solutions efficiently, enhancing both environmental and financial performance.

Jackie De Burca What are the key legislative developments globally that are setting strong requirements for the construction industry?

Panu Pasanen: The European Union’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive mandates embodied carbon criteria for construction permits by 2026, and the incorporation of carbon data into CE marking. These regulations are game-changers, setting a standard for other regions to follow.

Jackie De Burca How can the construction industry overcome challenges like insufficient environmental data and limited investor awareness?

Panu Pasanen: Standardising data collection and promoting transparency are crucial. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are essential as they provide verified, reliable data, reducing the risk of greenwashing and enhancing trust.

Jackie De Burca Finally, you’ve launched a Biodiversity Net Gain Tool and are offering an online course. Can you give us a brief introduction?

Panu Pasanen: Our Biodiversity Net Gain Tool helps developers in England meet new requirements to enhance local biodiversity by 10%. It allows them to explore various design options to achieve this goal efficiently. We’ll discuss this in more detail in a future episode.

One Click LCA is a Helsinki-based tech company decarbonising construction and manufacturing with world-leading, easy-to-use, and automated life-cycle assessment (LCA) to calculate and reduce the environmental impacts of building, infrastructure, and renovation projects — as well as construction and other manufactured products. It also enables manufacturers to generate and publish third-party verified EPDs, and allows assessment of circularity, life-cycle cost, and soon also biodiversity.

One Click LCA is used in +170 countries. Its decarbonisation platform includes a unique global database with +200,000 LCA datasets, and it supports +80 standards and certifications, including LEED, BREEAM, GRESB and other national regulations. One Cli