FOOTPRINT+ podcasts

One Exchange Square reimagines a 1980s office building and demonstrates how novel methods can be used to expand commercial floor space on a large-scale cut & carve project whilst minimising carbon impact. The whole building has been redesigned to deliver healthier working environments with roof terraces, interior planting and a diversity of uses contributing to a revitalised whole.

The project delivers a substantial 11-storey, 7.5m extension above London Liverpool Street Station without foundation strengthening, avoiding the significant embodied carbon associated with new basements and deep piling. An exoskeletal transfer truss and hanger system redistributes loads back to the retained structure, enabling 94% structural retention by volume, prioritising flexibility and material efficiency. Preloading the structure and removing it as the facade was installed minimises movement of the cladding system.

Investor approaches to greening real assets span a wide spectrum—from doing the bare minimum to comply with regulation, to deep retrofits designed to meaningfully reduce climate impact. This session explores what truly matters to investors across this range of ambition and how differing priorities shape capital allocation, asset design, and operational decisions. We examine how owners, developers, lenders, and asset managers weigh cost, risk, return, and reputation when assessing sustainability strategies, and how these considerations translate into real-world outcomes for the built environment.  

The discussion will also tackle: 

Is it possible to remove mechanical heating and cooling systems entirely while still providing comfort?

Buildings today are increasingly designed around mechanical systems rather than people. Comfort is routinely solved through equipment, driving complexity, cost and carbon. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems alone can account for over 15% of construction budgets, often exceeding the cost of the façade, while remaining energy-intensive to operate and carbon-hungry to manufacture and maintain.

Challenging the practice of designing for rare climatic extremes that dictate system size for the entire year, and by understanding how temperature, air movement and adaptive comfort interact, NowtHaus explores buildings that perform naturally year-round. The outcome is a passive office building with no conventional heating or cooling. Peak heating loads remain below 5 W/m², allowing internal gains to maintain winter comfort, while natural ventilation and thermal mass regulate summer conditions. The team behind the concept will demonstrate how this approach simplifies construction and reduces cost.

Much to the annoyance of linguists, Will Arnold argues that regenerative design is a verb, not a noun. It's a process we can all follow - on any project - to move us closer to the goal of doing more good with construction, rather than just minimising harm. 

In this keynote, Will will share a simple process he has developed to anchor all the amazing innovations, processes and mindsets that exist in industry today, and draw them together into a regenerative approach to building design and construction. 

Learning from examples taken from across the industry, see how his three pillars of systems thinking - place, time and influence - can be combined to create buildings that heal our planet. 

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) have shaped the non-domestic built environment since their introduction in 2008 and, despite ongoing criticism, are clearly here to stay. While EPCs are often challenged for relying on simplified and sometimes outdated assumptions, overlooking factors such as heritage constraints and offering only a broad view of building performance, they continue to exert significant influence on investor confidence, tenant demand and asset value. This session explores whether EPCs are the right tool to drive progress towards net zero and, crucially, how they can be used more effectively. 

Panel members will discuss how EPC assessments are approached in practice, the transformative impact of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), and recommended pathways for ongoing improvement. The discussion will cover practical measures to improve ratings, including the role of commercial heat pumps, and the differing levels of retrofit required to reach target ratings. Real-world case studies will demonstrate how office buildings can be upgraded from EPC ‘E’ to ‘A’ or ‘B’, contrasting deep retrofits in vacant buildings with the challenges of working in occupied spaces.

Workplace Futures Group shine a light on the impact of CAT A fitouts within construction. The session will provide real world data on the impact of CAT A fitouts, reviewing waste, carbon and cost impacts created in the move from landlord to tenant ownership. The panel will also discuss examples of ways our design and site teams can reduce their impact, and showcase the innovative new technologies which also may be the answer for CAT A waste.

Respecting materials is essential to credible circularity in construction yet current legislation fails to demand low-carbon or post-consumer metals. This gap is expected to close as policy evolves but progress on such regulation is slow.

Using the example of a central London office retrofit this discussion will focus on the principles that shaped its low‑carbon strategy, the successes and learnings. The discussion explores why respecting materials is essential to credible circularity, and how current legislation fails to demand low‑carbon or post‑consumer metals; a gap expected to close as policy evolves. The panel will cover the challenges of downcycling, particularly where, once downcycled, aluminium alloys can never be upcycled again, and the need to maintain high material quality, highlighting the importance of closing the loop, reducing waste and treating metal as a resource we are all responsible for stewarding. 

Reimagining the future of stone as a utilitarian material; this talk will put stone centre stage and consider the concept that a brick can be a stone - and visa versa - and a stone can be an ashlar, with all of them a humble piece of rubble walling for the next century. 

As ideas of circular economy and materials reuse become established in the lexicon of architectural language, the ancient practice of Spolia is rightly back in the spotlight. Reusing components from existing, soon-to-be-demolished, or already deconstructed structures significantly reduces the need for manufacturing new components, in turn reducing the carbon cost of the building.

Shifting the status quo is vital to building more sustainably. The UK produces around 2 billion bricks a year which require high temperature kiln firing, considerably adding to CO2 emissions. Bricks are a familiar part of the UK landscape and often the go-to response by planners keen on replicating ‘context’ but a straightforward switch to natural stone bricks could be a game-changer for the future of sustainable construction.

Join Workplace Futures Group (WFG) as we delve into the transformative journey towards sustainability and social responsibility, anchored by the principles of B Corp certification. This engaging session will feature actionable insights and real-world case studies that highlight the challenges, triumphs, and innovative approaches driving meaningful change in workplace design and operations.

Matt will explore the group’s sustainability strategy and its ripple effect on creating impactful, future-ready workplaces. Juliet and Tim will share insights from award-winning projects such as The Waterman and Alchemy Asset Management—illustrating how recycling, refurbishment, and collaborative funding platforms like Action Funder and Q Flow can reshape our impact on the environment.

Learn how B Corp certification serves as a catalyst for aligning purpose with profit through initiatives like Correx Recycling, and partnerships with charities such as London Air Ambulance, and leave inspired and equipped to take your first or next step toward sustainable leadership in your own organisation.

Hear from heritage and design experts as they share the story of the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange, a Grade I listed building transformed into a vibrant, sustainable cultural hub. Recognised with a prestigious 2024 Structural Award from the IStructE, this remarkable project showcases how innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to sustainability can add holistic value to historic buildings. Learn how the team navigated the complexities of modernising a 200-year-old venue while preserving its heritage, delivering a socially impactful and environmentally conscious space that sets a benchmark for future projects.