BSRIA Briefing 2024: Sustainable Futures. Redefining Retrofit for Net Zero Living

1 Sustainable Futures: Redefining Retrofit for Net Zero Living
2 Key Themes and Discussions
3 Speakers
4 Booking and Further Information
5 Related articles on Designing Buildings

[edit] Sustainable Futures: Redefining Retrofit for Net Zero Living

BSRIA is proud to announce the forthcoming BSRIA Briefing 2024, is to take place on November 22, 2024, at the Brewery, in London. This year's event, themed "Sustainable Futures: Redefining Retrofit for Net Zero Living," promises to be a pivotal moment for the industry as it addresses the pressing need for sustainable solutions in building design and operation.

Amidst global concerns regarding climate change and the imperative to reduce carbon emissions, the built environment stands at the forefront of action. Buildings contribute significantly to carbon footprints, making retrofit solutions a critical pathway to achieving net zero targets. The BSRIA Briefing 2024 aims to shed light on the transformative potential of retrofitting existing buildings, paving the way for a more sustainable future.

[edit] Key Themes and Discussions

The BSRIA Briefing 2024 will feature a diverse array of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and an exhibition space showcasing the latest innovations in sustainable building solutions. Attendees can expect:

Insightful Keynotes: Esteemed experts in sustainable building design and retrofit technologies will share their insights and experiences, offering perspectives on the future of retrofit and its role in achieving net zero living.
Panel Discussions: Thought-provoking discussions will delve into the challenges and opportunities of sustainable retrofitting, exploring topics such as policy implications, technological advancements, and best practices from successful case studies.
Networking Opportunities: The event will facilitate networking among professionals from various sectors, fostering collaborations and partnerships that can accelerate progress towards sustainability goals.

[edit] Speakers

[edit] Nick Ferrari

Ferrari is a leading broadcast journalist. His career spans over four decades, during which time he has become one of the most recognised voices in British media.

Nick Ferrari leads the charge on the renowned talk show LBC (Leading Britain’s Conversation); since joining in 2001, his direct style and willingness to tackle challenging topics head-on have made him a polarising but respected figure in journalism.

During his time with LBC, Ferrari has interviewed top political figures, including Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak, Nigel Farage, Ed Davey, and many more, to discuss policies, current affairs, and their visions for the country. Nick Ferrari and his guests dissect and analyse the implications of major news stories. By challenging guests and prompting in-depth discussions, Ferrari helps shape public opinion and contributes to the broader national conversation.

Ferrari continues to influence public opinion and remains prominent in the broadcasting landscape. Ferrari’s ability to engage with and provoke public discourse will help us navigate this year’s BSRIA Briefing topic & provide insightful debates from our panellist.

[edit] Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE FREng FRS

Baroness Brown is a leading authority in climate policy, engineering, and sustainability, and will be the keynote speaker at the BSRIA Briefing 2024. As an active member of the House of Lords and Deputy Chair of the Climate Change Committee, she plays a crucial role in shaping the UK’s strategy towards net-zero emissions. Her extensive experience spans government, industry, and academia, including in her former role as Vice-Chancellor of Aston University. A fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society, Baroness Brown continues to be a driving force in decarbonisation and climate resilience, making her one of the most influential voices in the UK's climate strategy.

[edit] Hamish Taylor

Taylor's career began in the marketing and sales divisions of Procter & Gamble, where he quickly made a name for himself with his innovative approach and leadership skills. His success at Procter & Gamble led him to management consultancy at PwC where he gained experience across multiple industries. Taylor then joined British Airways as Head of Brand Management. During his tenure, he was responsible for transforming the airline’s business class service and launching the world’s first fully flat beds in First Class.

Taylor later became the CEO of Eurostar. Under his leadership, Eurostar saw significant improvements in customer service and profitability. He later served as the CEO of Sainsbury’s Bank, where he applied his innovative mindset to the financial services sector, resulting in substantial growth and customer satisfaction.

He emphasises the importance of a customer-centric approach and often discusses the lessons he learnt while leading significant transformations. His work focusses on helping businesses think outside the box and adopt a more creative approach to solving problems.

At the BSRIA Briefing, Hamish will discuss promoting innovation whilst ensuring customer buy-in, which is crucial for any retrofit journey.

[edit] Kevin Brownell

Digitalisation of building services has a massive role to play in delivering decarbonised buildings, as it brings a variety of benefits to building owners, operators, and occupants. Kevin will present the DBC’s position on the benefits of building owners and operators using digital twins. Bridging the gap between digital construction and digital operations.

He will also be looking to the future to explore “possible solutions delivering fully digital spaces .. beyond what we can possibly imagine”

[edit] Sanchayan Banerjee

Sanchayan Banerjee is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Economics and Public Policy at King’s College London. Before this, he was an Assistant Professor of Environmental Economics at the Free University Amsterdam. He is a visiting fellow of the London School of Economics and Political Science and an affiliate of Amsterdam Sustainability Institute. His research focuses on developing citizen-oriented, participatory behavioural public policies and testing them in areas of food and energy policy, public health and charitable donations. He is an Editor of Behavioural Public Policy, an editorial member of Scientific Reports and PLOS One, and an Associated Editor of Humanities and Social Sciences Communications journals. He sits on the Steering Committee of the International Behavioural Public Policy Association. He is the founding chair and convener of Behavioural Transformations, an annual workshop of behavioural public policy for early career researchers. Sanchayan holds a PhD (2022) and MSc (2018) from the London School of Economics.

[edit] Prof. Richard Fitton – University of Salford

Prof. Richard Fitton is a Professor of Building Performance at Salford University, specialising in building physics and energy performance. With a PhD in Building Physics and chartered status as a Building Surveyor, Richard’s work focusses on advancing energy efficiency standards and utilising smart meter data to improve building performance. He chairs the upcoming British Standard for Retrofit Assessment and leads a task group on international energy performance standards. Richard is also actively involved with the International Energy Agency, where he contributes to research on energy efficiency in residential buildings. His extensive knowledge and leadership continue to shape the future of sustainable building practices and energy performance across the industry.

[edit] Joseph Benson – Associate, International ESG Team, WSP

Joe is a Social Impact Specialist, providing advice to international financial institutions, commercial banks, investors, developers, asset managers and contractors on how to maximise their positive social impacts. From public buildings in Georgia, to community housing support in Bangladesh, he has worked on retrofits across Europe, Africa and Asia. He also leads Environmental and Social Due Diligence engagements for a variety of developers, Undertakes site visits, and manages virtual site visits to appropriately assess the environmental, social and health & safety impacts of proposed sites. Joe has a Masters degree in Practising Sustainable Development from Royal Holloway University.

[edit] Booking and Further Information

Bookings for the BSRIA Briefing 2024 are now open, with early bird discounts available for those who secure their place before August 31, 2024.

To secure your place and take advantage of this offer, please visit the BSRIA Briefing 2024 Registration Page.

For further information about the event, including sponsorship opportunities and exhibition space bookings, please contact BSRIA directly: sponsorship@bsria.co.uk

This article appears on the BSRIA news and blog ste as 'BSRIA Briefing 2024 - Sustainable Futures: Redefining Retrofit for Net Zero Living' originally dated June, and updated in July, August and September 2024.

--BSRIA