About the podcast
Join us as we bridge the knowledge gap between the concept and the application of sustainability with insightful discussions led by industry experts, navigating the critical and topical challenges within the built environment. From transformative innovations to the latest trends, BE Sustainable will help to unravel answers to questions you may not have even considered.
In each episode, you will have a front row seat to thought-provoking interviews and dynamic panel discussions with top industry leaders. We will explore the relationship between innovation, sustainability progress, and the overall advancement of the built environment sector.
Tune in, stay informed, and let’s have conversations beyond blueprints and bricks.
Listen to BE Sustainable.
Episode overview
Is the Brundtland definition of sustainability useful in today’s complex landscape? Or is creating one universal definition of sustainability an impossible feat?
In the first episode of BE Sustainable, our host Mike Speight is joined by guests Dr Graeme Larsen and Dr James Ritson. From global challenges to individual priorities, they explore the limitations of singular definitions of sustainability, and navigate the intricacies of the field in the built environment.
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Guests
Dr Graeme Larsen
Dr Graeme Larsen is the Associate Dean (Sustainability) at UCEM. He’s also Visiting Professor at RMIT, Australia, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building as a Chartered Construction Manager. Graeme also holds a key strategic international role within the prestigious International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB), as coordinator for ‘Working Group 65 – Organization and Management in Construction’.
Dr James Ritson
Dr James Ritson is a Senior Lecturer at UCEM, and an architecturally trained building conservator with a focus on sustainability and historic built environment documentation. Alongside his role at UCEM, James holds key positions in various organisations, such as his role as the Vice President of ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Energy and Sustainability, and is published widely on sustainability, health, and conservation issues.
Episode overview
Retrofitting is the art of breathing new life into existing buildings. It goes beyond simple maintenance and repair.
In this episode of BE Sustainable, Dr James Ritson explores the ‘hot topic’ within the built environment in the last few years.
With 80% of the buildings we’ll see in 2050 already standing, the urgency of retrofitting could not be any clearer. While policymakers view it as a silver bullet for energy efficiency and sustainability, the reality is far more complex.
Join Dr Ritson as he discusses how the idea has been coveted as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, yet, the policies are fragmented, and the initiatives insufficient.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
Watch/Listen
Guest
Dr James Ritson
Dr James Ritson is a Senior Lecturer at UCEM, and an architecturally trained building conservator with a focus on sustainability and historic built environment documentation. Alongside his role at UCEM, James holds key positions in various organisations, such as his role as the Vice President of ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Energy and Sustainability, and is published widely on sustainability, health, and conservation issues.
Episode overview
In a world of endless possibilities, Marc Fleming and Fred Mills shift the conversation from what we could achieve to what we should. The Line in Saudi Arabia is one of the most interesting, polarising and ambitious urban projects of our time. It promises to revolutionise urban living whilst raising a multitude of questions and concerns for both construction and architecture enthusiasts.
Our guests discuss the feasibility, sustainability, and ethical implications of this groundbreaking project. They delve into the historical roots of linear cities, examine the technological challenges, and explore the potential for such a project in the UK.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
Watch/Listen
Guest
Marc Fleming
Marc Fleming is programme leader for the BSc Architectural Design Technology at UCEM and a Chartered Architectural Technologist. He has extensive experience in industry, secondary, further and higher education teaching and management as well as running his own consultancy practice.
Additionally, Marc is a member of the Institute of Innovation and Knowledge exchange. Marc is actively involved in a range of working groups and networks that support the transformation of industry and skills/training opportunities.
Fred Mills
Fred Mills is an award-winning entrepreneur and YouTuber. He is a founder of The B1M, the world’s largest and the most subscribed-to video channel for construction with over 3 million subscribers, and recently launched Tomorrows Build which is focused on shaping the future of construction.
Fred has also been awarded an Honorary master’s degree by UCEM for his outstanding and inspiring contribution to the built environment sector.
Our Host
Mike Speight
Mike is the Director of Academic Performance at UCEM and is responsible for making sure all taught programmes are resourced appropriately. He is approaching the start of his third decade in managing educational provision and has worked across all tiers of the British education system.
He has always believed that education is at the heart of influencing sustainable change. Mike’s recent experience at UCEM has provided him with an insight into how education, specifically within the built environment sector, can bring about massive systemic improvements and how professionals within the industry can be agents of positive change.
The BE Sustainable podcast provides an opportunity to further explore the topic of sustainability in the built environment context and hear from a broad range of voices about the possibilities for the future.
Get in touch
Whether you want to be a guest, share your thoughts, or inspire the topic for the next episode, we want to hear from you.