Programme
Season 4 - Look out for upcoming events and collaborations
Past Webinars
#1 Net Zero: How are we doing?
Cllr James Stoneman, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Governance, Plymouth City Council will provide an introduction and explanation of his new role at the council, together with some thoughts on why this is so important for Plymouth.
Megan Pearce, Climate consultant at the MET Office will update us on what the targets are, when they need to be achieved and who needs to help to achieve this if we stand any chance of achieving Net Zero Carbon, and
Emmanuelle Marshall, Low Carbon City Officer, Plymouth City Council will update on our progress and plans here in Plymouth.
#16 - Local Environment issues and flooding
Frank Newell will join us to explain the issues of flooding and rising sea levels from the Environment Agency's perspective.
Rod Smith from John Grimes Partnership Ltd, and Richard Bara, urban designer and landscape architect at Plymouth City Council, will discuss what the current and future issues around flooding in the South West and Plymouth specifically are, and how they are and could be solved in the future as the effects of climate change increase! and finally Matthew Parkes, architect at Stride Treglown will discuss some of the issues facing waterfront businesses and development areas, suggesting some radical ideas that could provide some solutions for Plymouth!
#15 - Resolving Transport issues for a Sustainable Future
Proudly Sponsored by Primus Passus Consulting
John Green, Plymouth City Council Low Carbon Officer, will be joining us to talk about plans for Mobility hubs across the city and other sustainable travel initiatives.
Mark Hodgson, MD of Co Cars Limited will be talking to us about their vision for on demand electric shared mobility across the SW and how they are proud to be a not-for-profit Co-operative Social Enterprise, and
Dr Andrew Seedhouse from the University of Plymouth will be telling us about Smart Ticketing which could be considered as one piece of the decarbonising transport jigsaw amongst other national initiatives.
#14 - Net Zero Carbon Futures from a Creative Perspective
Drs Emma Whittaker and David Sergeant from the University of Plymouth will be joining us to talk about their community engagement project across Devon: Narratives of Low Carbon and the Creative Industries - reframing our relationship with the Earth, helping local communities imagine and envision a low carbon future.
Chloë Uden, Founder and Artistic Director of The Art and Energy Collective here in Plymouth and Jemma Knowles from Plymouth Energy Community will tell us about the collaborative Moths to a Flame project which went to COP26 and introduce a new Art and Energy Club which will be open to all Plymouth Residents and will lead to an exhibition of Plymouth people’s creativity responding to the climate emergency next year.
#13 - How could the Planning System better help Climate Change?
We are very lucky to have a pre-recording to share from Hugh Ellis, TCPA (Town and Country Planning Association) Policy Directorto explain why the Planning System needs to be at the heart of delivering the UK’s Climate Change targets.
James Shorten, Geographer/Planner at TerraPermaGeo in Totnes believes that the planning system, “with greater imagination and fewer fetters”, could be doing much more to address the Climate and Ecological Emergencies and will speak to us about what sustainability really is!
Robert Lacey, Cornwall Council Planning Policy Group Leader will speak to us about how they are working towards addressing Climate Change through planning, neighbourhood planning, green infrastructure and design in Cornwall.
#12 - Future Electricity Use and Generation
Associate Professor Martyn Hann from the University of Plymouth joins us to discuss the potential for energy generation around our coasts and Plymouth's Floating Offshore Wind test facility.
Adam Longfield, Senior Consultant at BRE National Solar Centre and Project Manager to SW Energy Hub, will enlighten us on the developments and opportunities for energy generation by solar means in the SW, with an update on the proposals for such at Chelson Meadow by Philip Morris.
Eimear Moloney, Director and Head of Building Performance for Hoare Lea, will talk to us about what the Future All-Electric Home or Building might look like and the changes for us to consider…
#11 - Reduce Reuse and Recycle: How are we dealing with our Waste?
Proudly sponsored by
ReCon Soil Low Carbon Technology Network Event
Paul Carey and Jane Ford from MVV Environment Energy from Waste in Plymouth will join us to explain the pros and cons of preventing our household waste from going to land fill and using it in a productive way to generate heat and electricity,
Professor Mark Fitzsimons from the University of Plymouth will talk to us about the importance of understanding, using and protecting our soil to prevent soil degradation and it being considered a construction ‘waste’, and
Adam Willetts, architect at successful regeneration company Urban Splash, renowned for bringing redundant/historic ‘waste’ buildings back into modern day use all over the country, will provide a narrative on their ethos and examples of their work here in Plymouth.
#10 - The Biodiversity Emergency and Biodiversity Net Gain
Dr Sian Rees from the University of Plymouth will be joining us to present some of her thoughts which contributed to a recent report by the British Ecological Society regarding how nature is essential to mitigate both the Climate and Biodiversity Emergencies.
Dr Gemma Jerome, founder of Building with Nature, is going to explain how this initiative started, whose mission is is to make high quality green infrastructure integral to place-making in the UK, maximising benefits for both citizens and the natural world, and how it can be used by Local Authorities, and
Tom Butterworth, Director and Head of Ecology for WSP UK, will elaborate on their work advising the UK development industry on Biodiversity Net Gain, providing examples on successful implementation of this for some large scale clients and projects.
#9 - Futureproof Housing: Addressing the ‘triple bottom line’
Emma Osmundsen, MD for Exeter City Living, will talk to us about how value-based leadership can produce healthier and wealthier results for our future housing industry, addressing the ‘triple bottom line’ (social, environmental and financial).
Anthony Greer, co-founder of TALO and Director of Corporate, will present on their Finnish inspired systems of timber construction that could be a solution for the British housing industry to embrace, and
Phoebe MacDonald, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Advisor leading on sustainability and climate action policy at the RIBA, will talk to us about the importance of POE (Post Occupancy Evaluation) and retrofitting our existing buildings.
#8 - Structural and Civil Engineering Solutions to the Climate Emergency
Jonathan Derwent, Director at Hydrock Engineering will kindly be sharing his thoughts on Sustainable Structures and the important role that engineers have to play in that responsibility.
Jack Walker, Chair of the Plymouth ICE committee will share recent investigations into Low Carbon and Ultra Low Carbon Concrete and its availability locally, and
Andrew Waugh, Director at Waugh Thistleton Architects will talk to us about their success in producing beautiful, sustainable buildings using timber structurally, even for multi-storey solutions!
#7 - How do young people feel about the Climate Emergency?
Professor Alison Anderson from the University of Plymouth will join us to discuss young people's awareness and perceptions of the Climate Emergency based on her recent research.
Adam Milford, Senior Engagement and Learning Officer for the Box, Plymouth will be joining us to talk about how museums are helping children to understand the Climate Emergency.
Tim Gill, author of 'Urban Playground: How child-friendly planning and design can save cities' will make the case for building places that work better for children and young people, especially in the wake of the pandemic and the climate crisis, and explore the links with urban sustainability.
#6 - Nature based Solutions (NbS) and Integrating Nature into our Buildings
Zoe will update on some of the innovative nature based projects she is involved in - including Green Minds, Plymouth Natural Grid and Future Parks - exploring what wildness means and the challenges and opportunities toengage communities, enterprise and organisations in connecting, conserving and rewilding nature in the city.
Dr Thomas Murphy, Industrial Research Fellow for Green Walls on the Low Carbon Devon team at the University of Plymouth will talk to us about Woodland creation and its importance as an upstream Nature based Solution (NbS) to downstream urban flooding.
Robert Bedner, Chartered Technologist at CURA design will explain what Biophilic design in Architecture is and provide case studies that use nature within buildings.
#5 - Retrofitting Buildings: the Elephant in the Room!
Jenny Pierpoint from the Retrofit Academy is going to discuss the challenges and issues of making existing buildings perform better, and how getting certified as a Retrofit Assessor can support this effort.
Doug Eltham from Devon County council and the Devon Climate Emergency is going to give us an update on the outcomes of the Citizen’s Assembly with a particular focus on the desire to retrofit our existing building stock.
Then Claire Pearce from the Low Carbon Devon team at the University of Plymouth and architect Nadine Wolz will talk us through the highly successful retrofit of the Sustainability Hub building to the highest retrofit SKA Gold rating which was ERDF funded.
#4 - Our Community’s Response to the Climate Emergency and carbon reduction
Jessica Vaughan, Planning Officer at Plymouth City Council, will join us to explain about the annual Plymouth Climate Challenge and the #BackTheFuture LIVE event that just happened in association with Crowdfunder. This initiative encourages anyone in the local community of Plymouth to propose initiatives with a positive environmental impact on the city and its residents, and rewards the winners with significant cash injections for their projects.
Antony Jinman, polar adventurer and ‘local boy’ from Wembury/Plymstock, will explain how his explorations to both poles and his ‘Education Through Expeditions’ (ETE) initiative to date have fuelled his desire for climate change education to be improved generally and how his proposed Plymouth Climate Challenge project this year ‘Our Planet, Your Path’ within a disused shop unit in our City centre could assist this.
Caroline Blackler, who works in PR and Comms for POP, was inspired to pursue her Plymouth Climate Challenge idea last year despite having to pull out of the competition because of Lockdown2. Caroline is passionate that many of the post-war flat-roofed buildings in our city centre could - and should- be retrofitted with 'biosolar' roofs which would offer multiple benefits; mitigate many of the impacts of the climate crisis and help the city achieve zero carbon. As well as providing renewable energy from the photovoltaic arrays, the green roofs would act as a sponge; retain rainwater to be harvested and - significantly - help to mitigate the flood impact of the climate crisis in Plymouth City Centre.
#3 - “2040” Film Screening
Concerned about his young daughter's future, Australian filmmaker Damon Gameau travels the world in search of new approaches and solutions to climate change. He meets with innovators and changemakers in many fields to draw on their expertise.
A panel of local experts will discuss the film afterwards.
This is a hybrid event hosted live at the Portland Square building at the University of Plymouth in the Devonport Lecture Theatre from 4-6pm, but it can also be watched live as a webinar online in the usual way at the same time
Please note that we have had to change the day of this webinar due to Future Plymouth 2030 being shortlisted for 3 awards at the PlymouthLive Business awards on Weds 3rd Nov!
#2 - COP Conversations: Is Adaptation the Cinderella of Climate Change?
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has described Climate Adaptation as such, “still sitting in rags by the stove: under-resourced, underfunded and often ignored.” In the run up to COP26, where Climate Adaptation is a key theme, this webinar will explore what’s happening locally and regionally to adapt our critical infrastructure to climate risk.
#1 - University of Plymouth and RIBA Plymouth Branch Annual Lecture 2021
6pm Introduction, University of Plymouth
6.05pm Lecture, Lynne Sullivan OBE, RIBA
6.50pm Q/A
7.15 drinks second floor gallery.
Lynne Sullivan OBE, RIBA
Lynne Sullivan is an Architect and founded sustainableBYdesign, finalists in all three 2010-2012 BRE-sponsored UK Passivhaus prototype Competitions. Previously Lynne was Sustainability Director for 9 years at Broadway Malyan, and for 10 years Associate Director at ECD Architects, where as Project Architect she won an RIBA Regional Design Award, and was co-author and winner of the UK’s first government-sponsored Zero CO2 housing competition.
Lynne is now a design consultant, Visiting Professor, and industry Board member; sits on local and national design commissions and review panels, and is an RIBA Competitions Design Advisor. She has authored and chairs many policy review and research projects for UK governments and others, including the Scottish Government’s Expert Panel for “A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland”, chairing several projects for Zero Carbon Hub including the Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality Task group and the Performance Gap Design group; two reviews of energy efficiency regulations for the Building Regulations Advisory Committee; and recently chairing the Buildings Mission 2030 Task group for the CLC’s Green Construction Board.
She was awarded an OBE for services to Architecture in 2011, is Chair of the Good Homes Alliance, and a member of the CLC’s Green Construction Board since its inception.
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#14 Planning (for the Future)
Drs Olivia Wilson and Stephen Essex from the University of Plymouth will discuss the implications of the low carbon transition on the education of built environment professions, with particular reference to planners.
Charles Campion, Partner at JTP Architects and Masterplanners, will talk about the importance of charettes in bringing communities genuinely to the heart of planning and placemaking by involving the public in the design process.
David Symons, UK Director of Sustainability at WSP, will remind us that we all need to take action in planning for our own and our planet’s future, and highlight ways that we can be ‘Future Ready’.
#13 Future Housing for Plymouth
Alistair Macpherson from Plymouth Energy Community returns to tell us more about the Green Homes investment and new build Zero Carbon housing projects happening in Plymouth.
Rob Wheaton from Stride Treglown will talk us through a low carbon housing project which assessed carbon, nature and construction impacts informing the Future Homes Standard, and
Paul Britton from Homes England will join us to talk about how they are looking to drive construction innovation and unlock difficult sites, whilst seeking to work holistically with nature to create beautiful and sustainable places to live.
#12 Health and Wellbeing
Tunde Agoro and Katherine Adair from Hoare Lea Partnership will introduce us to Wellbeing principles and methodologies for assessing these in the context of the built environment,
Roger Higman from the Network of Wellbeing will discuss how healthy building and environments = healthy people and planet!
Mike Westley from the University of Plymouth will explain why the green and blue infrastructure of external spaces are so importance to our Wellbeing from a design perspective.
#11 Urban Design in a post COVID world
Niki Read, Urban Designer for Plymouth City Council will talk us through the Healthy Streets initiative and how important this and the quality of the external spaces between our buildings has become to us all following the Covid pandemic.
Steve Warren-Brown and Adam King of YGS Landscapes would like to introduce us to urban afforestation which often take the form of species rich dense micro forests in urban locations on a very small scale.
Tess Wilmot and Ian Smith from Food Plymouth will then explain some theories and local actions in permaculture and urban farming/food growing which is increasing in popularity as people chose to move towards a more sustainable future!
#10 Behaviour Change – Education
Another angle on Behaviour Change this week:
Chris Woodfield, Low Carbon Devon's Knowledge Exchange Officer at the University of Plymouth talks about how we can empower our students to be change leaders and role models for a brighter future through practical work experience and skills development.
Emma Hewitt of Building Plymouth - local construction industry representative and whirlwind! Will talk us through Plymouth City Council’s strategies and Resurgam programme to ‘build back cleaner and greener’ following the Covid crisis, and Jessica Furner (19 yrs old) will speak about the local Youth Parliament group, their current projects and initiatives in relation to the Climate Emergency to empower them to become climate conscious adults
#9 Behaviour Change – Psychology
This week Elizabeth Kavanagh, Senior People and Change Consultant at PCSG, talks us through strategies and examples of Behaviour Change, and how this could be applied to decarbonising the planet!
Jackie Young, from Environment Plymouth, and also representing Devon and Plymouth Chamber, will explain how the local business community is responding to the Climate Emergency
Dr Alba Fuertes and Dr Rory Jones will present the outcomes of a series of recent research projects at the University of Plymouth investigating the potential for carbon/energy reduction by changing occupant behaviour in buildings.
#8 Retrofitting and Reuse
Please join us to hear Paul Elliott, Low Carbon officer for Plymouth City Council, talking about his extensive experience in retrofitting homes for better/improved performance.
Tim Mitchell, from local practice Mitchell Architects, will be discussing the transformation of a Dartmoor cottage to a sympathetically adapted, low energy performing home without destroying the architectural heritage.
And David Banner from Stride Treglown will talk us through the planned reuse of InterCity Place, with its commanding position over the train station in Plymouth, by repurposing it to make it suitable for the University to use as a specialist teaching faculty of Health and Human Sciences.
#7 Biodiversity & Carbon Sequestration
Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, and Shadow Environment Secretary Luke Pollard joins us to talk about COP 26 and 15 and the urgent action required regarding the climate emergency and biodiversity across the country and focussing on Plymouth and local opportunities.
Loveday Trinick from the Ocean Conservation Trust and National Marine Aquarium will explain about the seagrasses and beds within Plymouth Sound as an opportunity for carbon sequestration locally and the ReMEDIES restoration project.
Drs Thomas Murphy and Paul Lunt from the University of Plymouth will talk about how biodiversity can be physically introduced into buildings design by the use of Green walls, discussing the energy saving and health inducing benefits of the different systems available.
#6 The Circular Economy
A circular economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources.
Richard Harper from Hoare Lea will discuss how this can be applied to the Construction Industry.
Professor Katherine Willis from the University of Plymouth will explain what this might mean for the city of Plymouth? Presenting some of the aspects of smart and sustainable cities from other cities globally. How could a smart approach to transport, energy, governance, data and areas such as the circular economy work in Plymouth?
Hannah Harris from Plymouth Culture will discuss what this means for the creative sector, and the Fab City initiative.
#5 Technology and Innovation
Peter Kydd from South West Infrastructure Partnership (SWIP) will talk about infrastructure and our future energy needs generally, discussing the changes we all need to make in the UK.
Dr Zaki Ahmed and Jonny Bloor from the University of Plymouth will discuss Power Electronics - Increased efficiency in power electronics is a significant contributor to reducing carbon and a vision for how we can achieve this will be presented, including battery technology, electric vehicles (EVs), the dynamic power grid and innovative integrated electronics.
Alistair Macpherson from Plymouth Energy Community will explain the rationale for community owned energy infrastructure and solutions.
#4 Standards for Better Performing Buildings
Zero Carbon, Net Zero and Passivhaus are all standards/targets that designers can strive to achieve, some more stringently measured than others. Engineers and contractors give us the benefit of their experience and expertise. Professor Pieter de Wilde from the University and CIBSE, and Kate Fry, Principal Engineer from SDS, explain the challenges. Andrew Ash from Kier Construction talks us through the trials of building the first Passivhaus leisure centre in the world currently under construction, just up the road in Exeter.
#3 Embodied Energy and Whole Life Carbon
Industry expert and architect Simon Sturgis demystifies operational carbon emissions and embodied carbon, and explains the importance of the calculation of both to provide detailed Whole Life Carbon analysis to inform design decisions.
The CobBauge team at the University of Plymouth, led by Professor Steve Goodhew, present the latest refinements of their new composite earth wall system as a revival of a traditional low embodied carbon building method in a modern world.
James Rob, Senior Sustainability Consultant at WSP provides examples in SW of how a critical understanding of carbon calculation can be used to target and deliver carbon efficient designs.
#2 Plymouth & South West Climate Issues
Professor Iain Stewart (of BBC fame), Director of the Sustainability Earth Institute at the University of Plymouth, and Paul Barnard, Service Director for Strategic Planning & Infrastructure for Plymouth City Council, ‘set the scene’ of the Climate Emergency, the situation in Plymouth and the wider South West regarding effects of climate change on us, and the City’s annual Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP). Hamish Hall, WSP’s Head of Water team in the UK will explain how we are increasingly having to design with flooding and rising sea levels in mind with examples in the SW.
Zero Carbon, Net Zero and Passivhaus are all standards/targets that designers can strive to achieve, some more stringently measured than others. Engineers and contractors give us the benefit of their experience and expertise. Professor Pieter de Wilde from the University and CIBSE, and Kate Fry, Principal Engineer from SDS, explain the challenges. Andrew Ash from Kier Construction talks us through the trials of building the first Passivhaus leisure centre in the world currently under construction, just up the road in Exeter.