Construction and The Climate

In this episode, Camilla and Ruth are joined by Andrew Kidd, Director of Environmental Sustainability for the Lower Thames Crossing at National Highways. Andrew shares insights into his role leading National Highways’ decarbonisation strategy for the Lower Thames Crossing. Together, they explore innovative approaches to designing low-carbon infrastructure and its impact on sustainability in large-scale projects.

Ruth and Camilla discuss climate considerations and the National Planning Policy Framework with 39 Essex Chambers barristers, Richard Harwood KC. They discuss proposed reforms to the NPPF along with other changes to the planning system and their potential impact on the construction sector.

In this podcast episode Camilla and Ruth are joined by David Metcalfe, a Director of the Centre for Window and Cladding Technology (CWCT). Camilla, Ruth and David discuss embodied carbon in relation to facades, the technical challenges, the facades in relation to the building safety regime, and success stories.

In this episode, Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating discuss trends in climate change litigation with Catherine Higham. Catherine is a Policy Fellow at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Catherine coordinates the Climate Change Laws of the World project – the most comprehensive global resource on climate legislation and policy. In June this year, the Grantham Institute published ‘Global trends in climate change litigation: 2024 snapshot’. This episode discusses the latest trends, including the rise in cases against corporates. You can listen to previous conversations on global trends and snapshot reports with Joana Setzer (here) and Tiffanie Chan (here).

In this episode, Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating from 39 Essex Chambers are joined by Sarah Milne from H2 Green Steel. The Swedish start-up is building a plant in the Swedish town of Boden, just below the Arctic Circle. H2 Green Steel will produce steel, with a reduction of up to 95 percent reducing CO₂ emissions compared to traditional steelmaking – using green hydrogen. H2 Green Steel’s investors include Al Gore’s Just Climate fund. Sarah has spent 20 years working in the steel industry – the last two and a half with H2 Green Steel. Camilla, Ruth and Sarah discusses how steel can be made more sustainably.

In this episode Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating are joined by Simon Wyatt. Simon is a Sustainability Partner at Cundall. At Cundall Simon leads on net zero carbon and sustainable governance service streams, supporting clients realise their net zero carbon and wider ESG aspirations.Simon has delivered the first WELL-certified projects in both Europe and MENA, as well as helping to develop net zero carbon and whole life carbon methodologies for the Greater London Authority, the UK Green Building Council, the Whole Life Carbon Network and the Construction Industry Council Hong Kong. Camilla, Ruth and Simon discuss the ‘Eden’ project – the UK's first new build building to achieve a 5.5 NABERS ‘Design Reviewed’ Target Rating. This episode discusses how Eden minimised upfront embodied carbon and lessons for future projects. Eden project: https://www.cundall.com/projects/eden-new-bailey

Biodiversity Net Gain is a way of creating and improving natural habitats – it is mandatory from 12 February 2024. In terms of the construction industry, developers are one of the groups who need to understand how Biodiversity Net Gain works. For this episode, Ruth Keating and Camilla ter Haar are joined by Simon Boyle and Stephen Poole from the Landmark Academy to discuss Biodiversity Net Gain – the opportunities and the challenges.

In this podcast episode, Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating discuss force majeure clauses – in particular how our understanding of force majeure may have to adapt over time in light of climate change.