Led by Claire Wansbury, this Roundtable included a superb panel of experts.

Claire is an Atkins Fellow and Technical Director Atkins, a world-leading engineering and environmental consultancy. She will share her particular expertise in biodiversity and natural capital. Claire is one of the UK’s top experts on biodiversity net gain, including having co-authored national good practice principles.

In 2022, Claire was included in the Ends Director’s Power List of the 100 most influential environmental professionals.

With over 30 years of experience as an award-winning ecologist, in the last few years, Claire has been working with environmental economists and others to build a shared understanding of the value of benefits our natural world provides to people.

Roberta Boscolo is leading the Climate and Energy workstream at the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.

Her main work is to enhance the capacity of all countries to contrast climate change and enact sustainable development through scaling up science-based climate adaptation and mitigation measures in alignment with the global landmark agreements.

With a wide and deep knowledge of climate and sustainability-related issues, she manages a transformative interface between climate science and socio-economic sectors, especially energy sector, through partnerships with United Nation agencies, public and private sectors, academia, civil society, media groups and associations.

She has long-term experience in developing knowledge platforms and good practices to support climate-related risk management and pathways to resilient low-carbon economy.

In 2022 she was included in the list of top 10 Sustainability Influences by the Sustainability Magazine and nominated Top Voice of LinkedIn.

Previously she served as science officer for the World Climate Research Programme, coordinating scientific efforts worldwide to address the knowledge gaps in understanding Earth climate system. Such knowledge is assessed by the IPCC milestone reports.

She launched and managed multi-stakeholders development projects in 20+ countries, currently she manages a portfolio of several multi-million projects (US$ 30M) in Africa, South America, South East Asia and Pacific.

Follow Roberta on LinkedIn and Twitter

Dr Jayne Manley believes that future life on Earth requires people thriving and being intimately connected with the ecosystems that support us.

She became CEO of Earth Trust in 2012, bringing with her a strong practical diverse background in whole ecosystem thinking, farming/land management, policy development, income generation, learning and engagement.

Previously working in strategic roles for Plantlife International and English Nature, Jayne is currently Chair Oxfordshire Environment Board, member of the Oxfordshire Executive Officers Group of Future Oxfordshire Partnership, and past Chair of the OXLEP Environment and Sustainability Sub Committee.

Follow Jayne on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Chris is the Catchment and Biodiversity Manager at Anglian Water Services Vice-President for England at CIEEM. Previously he was the Director of Living Landscapes for the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

At Anglian Water Services, he works with a team of four people, most of whom are based on the nature conservation wildlife side of the work. Together they identify plans and projects to reduce any potential negative impacts on wildlife, whilst also seeking to maximize the benefits to wildlife of their day to day activities.

They also have a multi-million-pound construction program running, so they need to know when there are going to be problems with things like protected species or protected sites.

This means having a team member involved in the screening of those projects so they can point out all the work that needs to be done to address Great Crested Newts, Bats, Sites of Species Scientific Interest (SSSI) or whatever it is that might be a constraint that we need to manage.

Chris also does climate change adaptation for Anglian Water, which is saying “what is the inevitable climate change that we are going to face in this part of the world, and what do we therefore need to do in order to continue to provide great service to our customers”?

John is the Health and Care Sector Lead at West Midlands 5G.

John has worked in numerous roles supporting the public and private sectors (having worked in both at HMRC and Amazon amongst others) to harness the benefits of technology, connectivity, artificial intelligence and data.

His current role focuses on developing sustainable services for the health and social care sectors, that are underpinned by digital transformations and shifting where care is delivered.

Follow John on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Working with founders to scale solutions and companies that can have a measurable impact and create more resilient, sustainable, healthy and equitable cities is the single most exciting mission of our time. I am optimistic about technology and humanity’s ability to alter the current climate change and ecosystem degradation trajectory.”

Margarita has spent the last ten years working across the construction, international development and finance sectors.

Prior to joining 2150 she was a VP in the Sustainable Impact Capital team at Barclays, leading investments in sustainable tech businesses. While at Barclays, she co-founded Barclays Ventures, a corporate innovation / CVC business unit where she led on ESG and wellbeing investments.

Margarita is an active angel, business advisor and scout for FiveThirteen, which showcases female founders in cleantech. She is also currently a Non-Executive Credit Committee member at UKRI – Innovate UK, NERC ‘Economics of Biodiversity’ and ‘Quality of Urban Environments with Nature Connectedness and Health’ delegate and Advisory Board member for the Next Generation NED Network.

Margarita graduated with a MEng Civil Engineering degree from the University of Edinburgh and is a CIMA certified Business Accountant.

Her personal commitment to sustainability is to avoid buying a car despite having a baby and use reusable/biodegradable nappies!

Follow Margarita on LinkedIn

Henry was a talented, prolific, versatile and empathetic journalist, author and broadcaster. He was also a very special, kind human being.

He was invited to become part of the team at Constructive Voices by our producer, Jackie De Burca, who had previously interviewed Henry McDonald.

There was serendipity in this connection as Henry suggested to Jackie to interview some of the team at Changing Streams. 

Constructive Voices had always intended to make a positive difference in the industry.

He spoke to Dr. Wendy Jones, the Scientific Lead and Climate Adviser firstly to tee up the hard facts behind the organisation. Then Henry spoke to Neal Maxwell, who set up Changing Streams after a life changing moment on a trip to the Artic. Neal had worked for thirty years in construction.

Neal speaks to Jackie about Henry.

And Everton and Cliftonville were his teams.

He had already covered the story about the then proposed Everton football stadium with the renowned Liverpool expert, Prof. Michael Parkinson.

Professor Michael Parkinson C.B.E. also pays tribute to Henry.

Moving on to an episode that he was especially delighted with was Episode 13 about How Women Can Help Create Sustainable Change.

This featured two wonderful women, Emma Nicholson, B.A, MSc, FCIOB, FIEMA, FWES, CEnv, FAPM, the Founding Director of Women in Sustainable Construction and Property

and Sumele Aruofor (now Adelana) who is the Senior Product Marketing Manager at SketchUp, Trimble

Both women commented on one of our LinkedIn posts:

Sumele -

This is such sad news — it was a pleasure to meet and chat with Henry. Sending my condolences to his family, friends and the Constructive Voices team. May he rest in peace.

Emma -

Goodness me I have just seen this terribly sad news about Henry. I send my deepest condolences, he was a brilliant interviewer! My best wishes and thoughts to his family. Emma Nicholson

There have been so many amazing episodes that Henry was part of, that this really is very challenging.

But one person who was part of a lot of this journey, in the background, was Sangeeta Waldron. In fact, Sangeeta was lucky enough to meet Henry in person in 2022 in his native city of Belfast.

Last but certainly not least, of this tiny tribute that only touches the surface really, is Henry's terrier-like interview post COP26 with Victoria Kate Burrows of the World Green Building Council. 

This podcast episode is one of many examples of Henry's superb broadcasting work.  These excellent interviews were recorded in 2022 before Henry became ill.

The team here at Constructive Voices have been deeply saddened by the news that our colleague and friend, Henry MacDonald passed away aged just 57. We offer our sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

Those who have been listening to this podcast since we started, will recognize that Henry was one of the most important voices on the programme.

His interviews never failed to be engaging, interesting, thought provoking, and on topics that make a real difference to the construction industry and wider society.

Henry's long career in journalism included 23 years as the Ireland correspondent for The Guardian and observer. He also wrote landmark books on the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and was renowned for his insights into paramilitaries, the security services and politics.

Can Venture Capital Help Biodiversity in the Built Environment with Margarita Skarkou?

Plus Fintan Damer of Mott MacDonald Talks About the Importance of Education

Join the Round Table here.

As part of the Biodiversity in the Built Environment month, we investigate the urgently needed good that venture capital can do in an interview with Margarita Skarkou of 2150 VC. Plus we talk to Fintan Damer of Mott MacDonald about the urgent need for biodiversity education.

Margarita Skarkou, ClimateTech VC @ 2150 | Non Executive @ Innovate UK – UKRI Credit Committee | Top 30 Women in the City Brummel | Newton Fellow

Working with founders to scale solutions and companies that can have a measurable impact and create more resilient, sustainable, healthy and equitable cities is the single most exciting mission of our time. I am optimistic about technology and humanity’s ability to alter the current climate change and ecosystem degradation trajectory.”

Margarita has spent the last ten years working across the construction, international development and finance sectors.

Prior to joining 2150 she was a VP in the Sustainable Impact Capital team at Barclays, leading investments in sustainable tech businesses. While at Barclays, she co-founded Barclays Ventures, a corporate innovation / CVC business unit where she led on ESG and wellbeing investments.

Margarita is an active angel, business advisor and scout for FiveThirteen, which showcases female founders in cleantech. She is also currently a Non-Executive Credit Committee member at UKRI – Innovate UK, NERC ‘Economics of Biodiversity’ and ‘Quality of Urban Environments with Nature Connectedness and Health’ delegate and Advisory Board member for the Next Generation NED Network.

Margarita graduated with a MEng Civil Engineering degree from the University of Edinburgh and is a CIMA certified Business Accountant.

Her personal commitment to sustainability in 2022 is to avoid buying a car despite having a baby and use reusable/biodegradable nappies!

Follow Margarita on LinkedIn

Fintan Damer, Ecologist, Mott MacDonaldFintan Damer is a practicing Ecologist working for one of the world’s leading engineering and environmental consultancies, Mott MacDonald.

Although he has been working as an ecologist for the past number of years, Fintan has a wide breadth of knowledge and understanding in other related areas of environmental science.

Previously Fintan worked in the wider horticulture industry where he accumulated over 30 years of experience working in various sectors of the industry including private commercial operations, public sector local authorities, and as a self-employed landscape contractor and garden designer.

His lifelong passion for nature has lead him to question many aspects of operational norms in land use industries, not least those that are perhaps questionably considered ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’.

Read the full episode page here.

Join the Round Table here.

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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Join the Round Table here.

Welcome to Season Two of Constructive Voices and our first-ever themed month: Biodiversity in the Built Environment.

January 2023 will offer you expert insight into Biodiversity in the Built Environment. We have lined up a superb panel of guests who will be featured in two podcast episodes (17th and 24th January) and we will culminate in the Round Table event on 31st January 2023.

It all starts with this special episode featuring Roberta Boscolo, who is the Climate and Energy Lead at the World Meteorological Organisation. Roberta is a Climate and Sustainability Influencer with over 40,000 followers on LinkedIn.

If you wish to understand climate change and how it is interlinked with biodiversity, this interview is easy to digest while packed with accurate scientific facts and clarity.

Roberta’s interview should help clear up any doubts you may have on the topic.

Her work focuses on how to harness the power of climate data and climate information that the WMO generates, through partners and member states, to support decision making in key sectors. The energy sector is her speciality.

The scientific data she and her colleagues work with is central in helping decision making by private and public sector entities on their pathway to sustainability and climate change mitigation

Roberta and her colleagues appreciate how important those working in the built environment are and what big responsibilities they have.

..They also need to increase the risk climate resilience of the buildings and make buildings adaptable to the future climate. I think they have a big responsibility to understand the issue and talk with the scientists as well, to find solutions.

When it comes to biodiversity, regardless of what country you are in and what your role is in the built environment, Roberta reminds you of the potentially positive effect that improving biodiversity can have. Whether we label this Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) or simply see it as natural steps to cooperate with nature, at a time when it is so badly needed, what we can be assured of is Nature’s innate instinct to heal and cooperate.

Nature offers a lot of untapped potentials, not only to reduce climate risk and deal with the causes of climate change but also to improve people’s lives. For example, by restoring ecosystems, on land and ocean, we help plants and animals to build climate resilience.

You will also hear from some of our panelists whom you can meet virtually at the Roundtable Event on 31st January 2023, Biodiversity in the Built Environment

The scientific data she and her colleagues work with is central in helping decision making by private and public sector entities on their pathway to sustainability and climate change mitigation

Roberta and her colleagues appreciate how important those working in the built environment are and what big responsibilities they have.

..They also need to increase the risk climate resilience of the buildings and make buildings adaptable to the future climate. I think they have a big responsibility to understand the issue and talk with the scientists as well, to find solutions.

Read the full episode information here.

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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As some of our loyal listeners know, 2022 was the very first full year of Constructive Voices. And what a year it was!

From Ireland to Australia, and from Brighton Beach to the United States of America, 2022 has been an amazing year thanks to the magnitude and diversity of our global guests.

We have explored some big topics, such as climate change and sustainability, and how they relate to the built environment. With our expert guests, we have endeavoured to talk about the solutions and challenges to Net Zero and its related topics.

While these have been huge discussion points for many years, the team at Constructive Voices and our collaborators, have been investigating these subjects in the arena of the built environment.

We finished our first few months of existence of 2021 with an event that looked at the roadmap post COP26 with Victoria Kate Burrows, Director of Advancing Net Zero of the World Green Building Council. Along with a panel of distinguished guests. 

Little did any of us know that in the early part of 2022, that Russia would invade Ukraine, resulting in a war that has also changed the playing field when it comes to energy, in a number of countries.

Depending on your perspective, this might have hindered the journey towards Net Zero or encouraged it to be accelerated.

Not long before that, in the second episode of the year, we spoke to Gilbert Lennox King about how to measure and offset embodied carbon – a topic of huge relevance to all involved in the built environment.

For our special for International Women’s Day, we featured a small selection of leading lights, such as Farah Naz:

Undoubtedly one of the big highlights of the year was FOOTPRINT+ which was our first live event as a media partner, in Brighton, UK.

We spoke to many of these industry leaders live at the event and brought a number of insightful episodes to you after it. 

But the reality is that we have had so many defining moments during 2022.

With the help of an amazing man, Richard, we produced an Addiction Special, which the experts feel has the potential to save lives. Be sure not to miss the Addiction Special.

After COP27 we had an insightful panel session to look at the roadmap ahead for the built environment.

PS: Did you know about the Rats and Other Disasters in the Palace of Westminster

Bookmark Constructive Voices Episode 48.

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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“If we’re not careful, the United Kingdom is going to have its Notre Dame moment…. that Parliament is going to burn to the ground.”

Ian Paisley, Jnr. Member of Parliament, United Kingdom

Rowan Moore, Architect Critic for The Guardian

In this episode, Rats and Other Disasters in the Palace of Westminster these two experts delve into the danger of this historic place.

Urgent intervention is needed to save the Palace of Westminster which is not only on its last legs but is potentially hazardous in various ways. This is not fresh news sadly but our two distinguished experts will certainly offer you some fresh perspective.

Rowan Moore, Architecture Critic, The Guardian & Observer

Rowan Moore is architecture critic of the Observer and was named Critic of the Year at the UK press awards 2014. He is the author of Slow Burn City and Why We Build. Follow him on twitter: @rowanmoore

Ian Paisley, Jnr. MP, Westminster Spokesperson for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports

Member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee of Refurbishment and Restoration
Ian has represented North Antrim since 1996 when he was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue. In 1998 he was then elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for North Antrim.

As a member of the Assembly Ian served as Chairman of the Agriculture Committee and also as a Junior Minister in the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister from 2007 until 2008. He was also a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board from 2001 until 2007.

After Dr Paisley stepped down as the Member of Parliament for North Antrim Ian contested the General Election of 2010 and comfortably retained the seat for the Democratic Unionist Party. He was again re-elected at the General Election in 2015, 2017 and 2019.

Ian is currently the DUP spokesperson for Communities, Local Government and Culture, Media and Sports. He is also a member on the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.

Read the full page here on Constructive Voices.

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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COP26 saw the first-ever Built Environment Day

COP26 in Glasgow saw the first-ever Built Environment Day. Considering that one of the most shared statistics states that approximately 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions can be traced to constructing and maintaining buildings, some of you might be wondering if this is too little, too late.

Roland Hunziker, director of sustainable buildings and cities at the WBSCD, described built-environment emissions as “the sleeping giant.”

Our panel of experts in this podcast episode will look honestly at the outcome of COP27 in terms of the built environment and also look back at what has happened in the year since COP26.

Below you can meet our guests and further down you can check the latest building initiatives announced at COP27 according to the BuildingtoCOP website.

Matthew Black, World Green Building Council

Matthew is Programme Coordinator for World Green Building Council’s (WorldGBC) global Advancing Net Zero programme. 

Emma Nicholson, B.A, MSc, FCIOB, FIEMA, FWES, CEnv, FAPM, the Founding Director of Women in Sustainable Construction and Property

Emma is an accomplished and skilled Chartered Construction Manager and Chartered Environmentalist with Board level experience. She is currently the Principal Sustainability Project Manager, at Pick Everard, 

Sumele Adelana, Senior Strategic Marketing Manager for SketchUp at Trimble

Sumele Adelana (RIBA Associate) uses her training and experience in architecture, interior architecture, and building performance design to create content that enables professionals in the AEC industry to leverage innovative technologies for better design and a more sustainable built environment.

Phanos Hadjikyriakou, 2050 Materials

Phanos Hadjikyriakou is an engineer and sustainability expert focusing on democratizing sustainable construction practices in the built environment. 

Amrita Dasgupta Shekhar, Associate at Greengage

Amrita is an Associate at Greengage and leads their Energy and Carbon services. She has over 15 years of experience working within the public, private and not-for-profit sector providing strategic leadership and management of carbon reduction programmes. Amrita is a part of a cross industry initiative to develop UK’s first Net Zero Carbon Building Standards. 

For fuller information and biographies of our guests, go to Constructive Voices Episode 46: What is the Post COP27 Roadmap for the Built Environment?

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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Richard is a recovering alcoholic who has worked in the construction industry for fourteen years. His bravery and honesty will touch you whether you are dealing with an addiction yourself or know of someone who is. The addiction doesn’t need to be alcohol for this episode to be relevant for you.

Two top addiction healthcare specialists from the UK and USA are part of the conversation. Both of whom have a lot of respect for Richard’s courage for not only speaking out on Constructive Voices, but also for accepting his addiction and finding the tools available to him to deal with it.

This episode will give you a deeper understanding of the issue of addiction in the construction industry. Richard’s lived experience will resonate with some of you and the honest, in-depth discussion with him and the healthcare experts is enlightening.

It is clear that no one should feel ashamed of an addiction according to all of our experts

It is clear that no one should feel ashamed of an addiction according to all of our experts. The shame is not to feel okay to seek support.

Richard also highlights the fact that in his case, as in many others, his addiction can be linked to various mental imbalances.

Some construction industry addiction statistics

Employees of the construction industry, mostly blue-collar workers, have nearly twice the rate of substance abuse as the national average. Around 15% of all construction workers in the United States have a substance abuse disorder compared to 8.6% of the general population of adults, according to data from the National Survey on Drug Use conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. Other statistics from this study pertaining to construction workers include:1-2

These statistics are reflected in other countries as well. 

Richard has also experienced the ongoing feeling of:

There isn’t an investment in making sure that there’s a healthy workforce

Dr. Lucas Trautman, MPH, the Medical Director, Oxford Treatment Center recognises that,

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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The 44th episode of Constructive Voices looks Stateside to construction technology expert, Aaron Henderson. Talking to Steve Randall, Aaron navigates the stormy waters of an industry that has been shaken by a range of phenomena.

He discusses how to minimise risk during these turbulent times, while giving listeners an interesting insight into the AEC sectors in America.

As Product Marketing Manager for STACK Construction Technologies, Aaron Henderson is on a mission scale contracting organizations leveraging technology to increase efficiency and minimize risk.

Over his career, Aaron has worked with top AEC industry leaders to streamline systems and processes and develop strategies for more effective growth.

Aaron on construction waste:

Aaron is in charge of helping contractors work 10X faster, eliminate costly errors, and earn more using STACK, the leading software for construction take-off and estimation.

On material shortages in America, Aaron observes that,

About STACK
STACK has been recognized as one of the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private companies in the US six times and has raised $26.3M to date.

They also have 65,000+ active users who have performed 3.7M+ construction take-offs in the last 12 months, and their annual revenues are $6.5M+.

Aaron has 15+ years of construction technology experience leading top AEC firms like PASKR and PioneerIQ through strategic digital transformation for more effective growth.

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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