Sustainable Places

In the bi-monthly Sustainable Places online event series, we're hosting conversations to ignite new ideas and explore solutions to construct a sustainable world for everyone. 

In each event we'll explore the latest ideas and research from The Bartlett's leading thinkers in the built environment field. We'll explore all aspects of the climate crisis and how it intersects with the built environment: from sustainability and green design to climate-adapted cities and housing. 

Past events

Climate Leadership for COP28

The climate crisis is one of the great challenges facing humanity, but why are leaders are failing to act?

In this Sustainable Places: Climate Leadership for COP28 event we discussed the constraints and barriers that are stopping government, policy and industry leaders from making the changes needed to address this global crisis. How can these constraints and barriers be reduced or removed – and who by?

We examined why we are not seeing the individual climate leadership that we would like to see, and talk about the context that shapes behaviours – and how it can be altered. We discussed sustainability as an ethical imperative, and why understanding it in this way is crucial for the possibility of action to promote sustainability at all levels.

Host

Dr Efrosyni (Effie) Konstantinou: Associate Professor in the Strategic Management of Projects at The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction

Panel

Professor Paul Ekins: Professor of Resources and Environmental Policy at UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources

Dr Cornelius Pieper: Senior Partner and Managing Director and global topic leader for Climate and Sustainability in Industrials

Professor Jeff Malpas: Professor Emeritus at University of Tasmania

Partnerships for Green Design

In this Sustainable Places: Partnerships for Green Design event we explored how architecture and construction companies have used innovative Knowledge Transfer Partnerships to develop new models for sustainable building design and net zero carbon targets. We discussed successful Knowledge Transfer Partnerships in green construction, including a net zero carbon guide and tool created for architects, and design solutions, management strategies, and adaptation plans to explore and test net-zero carbon targets.

We explored the lessons learned from these partnerships, and how they can be applied in the future to cut carbon emissions and make our buildings and cities more sustainable.

Host

Joe Welsh: KTP Programme Manager, UCL Innovation & Enterprise at UCL

Panel

Dr Qiuchen Lu: Associate Professor, The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, UCL

Dr Esfandiar Burman: Associate Professor, The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, UCL

Dr Simon Hatherly: Senior Building Performance Architect at Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) and former KTP Associate

Preparing for the COP28 Climate Summit

In this event our panel of UCL experts explored how the built environment sector can address the climate crisis through cross-sector collaboration, and prepare for COP28, this year’s global United Nations climate summit. Our speakers discussed their experiences of attending COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, last year, and how the loss and damage funds agreed by governments at COP27 have the potential to influence and inspire action in the built environment sector.

Host

Professor Priti Parikh: Acting Director, The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, UCL

Panel

Dr Simon Chin-Yee: Lecturer, Department of Political Sciences

Professor Mark Maslin: Professor of Earth System Science, Department of Geography, UCL and the Natural History Museum of Denmark

Rejecting Roads, Sustaining Streets

This online panel discussion explored how integrated real estate and urban design approaches can improve health and sustainability. We also discussed the ways in which the built environment can make walking either possible or impossible, and in turn, contribute to long-term health and the climate crisis.

Host

Prof. Yolande Barnes: Chair and Professor of Real Estate at The Bartlett Real Estate Institute within The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction at University College London (UCL)

Panel

Ed Parnham: Architect (BA(hons) DipArch) and Director of Innovation and Design at Space Syntax

Environments for Mental Health

This online Inclusive Spaces explored the architecture of psychiatric buildings and the importance of involving end users in the design and planning of mental health care environments.

Host

Dr Evangelia Chrysikou: Associate Professor, The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London (UCL)

Panel

Prof Helen Killaspy: Professor and Honorary Consultant in Rehabilitation Psychiatry, University College London (UCL) and Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust

Katherine Barrett: Co-Chair at Service User Research Fora, University College London (UCL)

Housing for Resilient Ageing Communities

This online event explored how housing can help ageing communities to be more resilient to climate change.

Host

Niamh Murtagh: Principal Research Fellow, The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London (UCL)

Panel

Jenny Pannell: Research Associate, University College London (UCL)

Alison Benzimra: Head of Research and Influence, United St Saviour’s Charity

Evelyn Callahan: Research Fellow, The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London (UCL)

Alison Pooley: Research Fellow, University of Suffolk

Place Inspired Architecture

This online panel discussion explored how rural architecture, design and craft can be inspired by their natural environment.

Host

Steve Johnson: Associate Professor at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL

Panel

Nick Gant: Co-Founder at Community21

Andy Trotman: Designer at Timberwright

Sal Wilson: Technical Environmental Design Tutor at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL

Climate Adapted Cities

Urban green infrastructure can help cities worldwide to adapt to the growing impacts of climate change. In this event, our panel of experts discussed how biodiverse urban landscapes can be created and managed through new opportunities in employment, financing, communities and radical collaborations.

Host

Blanche Cameron: Environmental Design Lecturer, The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL

Panel

Dusty Gedge: President of the European Federation of Green Roof Associations, Founding Director of living roofs.org  

John Little: biodiverse urban public realm landscapes innovator, Hilldrop wildlife gardens  

Drew Davy: Senior Sustainability Insights Manager, Grosvenor Property UK

Jonathan Wates: Lead Trustee, Wates Family Enterprise Trust

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