What can be done to make your building greener? How can centuries old castles and churches be sensitively adapted to the modern age – becoming more sustainable while retaining their historic character?
Alfie Stephenson-Boyles is an architect with Donald Insall Associates, who specialise in conservation and heritage architecture. He brings his experience across working on ancient buildings and new builds to the show, and of working with clients to show them the impact sustainable actions can have.
Alfie tells us how sustainability has grown as a key aspect for clients, and we look at the many ways sustainability and architecture go together; the key issue of decarbonisation in new constructions and renovations; and the importance of considering sustainability from the start of a project and not putting it in as a late-stage ‘eco-bling’ bolt-on.
Discover the difficulties of working in heritage buildings – and the opportunities to make changes; the myths and reality of Passivhaus, and the concept’s application both around the world and in Jan’s home; and the problems with retrofitting UK homes to – in theory – make them more energy efficient and sustainable.
Learn why you should never speak to strangers on a train; what architects actually do – it’s much more than drawing nice pictures with crayons (though Alfie is a self-professed colouring-in specialist); whether Paul rabbits on too much; and about the oil age of architecture.
Plus, ask yourself if Windsor Castle has a podcast studio.
You can find more information about the idea of ‘Passivhaus’ here: https://www.passivhaustrust.org.uk/what_is_passivhaus.php
And the wonderfully named Association for Environmental Conscious Building can be found here: https://aecb.net/
Transforming Tomorrow
Sustainability is key for any business that wants to build a lasting legacy. From carbon footprints to biodiversity to modern slavery, seabeds to factory floors, everything matters.
On Transforming Tomorrow, we make the complex understandable, the theory practical, as we guide you through the ever-changing and often exciting world of sustainability in business.
Speaking to internationally renowned experts and business leaders, we uncover how to mainstream environmental, social and economic sustainability into purposeful business strategy and performance.
Whether you are leading transition in your business, want to build a corporation with a green heart or change your individual actions, or just want to know more about how space weather might affect your operations, Transforming Tomorrow is the show for you.
Hosts Jan and Paul bring insight, perspective, and not a little amount of disagreement, to all the subjects, helping you find the message among the madness.
Join us every Monday to uncover new insights and become a little more inspired that you can make a difference.
You can find transcripts for most episodes at: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/pentland/resources-for-education-and-practice/transforming-tomorrow-podcast/transcripts/
Send your questions on any of the issues we discuss in Transforming Tomorrow to [email protected] or fill in our feedback form here: https://forms.office.com/e/7Bw4rDiRDt
Find out more about the Pentland Centre and its work here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/pentland/
Meet the Hosts
Professor Jan Bebbington is the Director of the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business at Lancaster University. Jan is an expert on accounting, benchmarking (to her co-host’s annoyance), and how business and sustainability intersect.
Jan loves nature and wants to protect it – and hopes she can change the world (ideally for the better). She is also motivated to address inequality wherever it is found and especially to eliminate forced, bonded or child labour. Transforming Tomorrow is one small step on that quest.
Paul Turner is a former sports journalist who now works promoting the research activities in Lancaster University Management School – a poacher turned gamekeeper as his former colleagues would have it.
Paul has always been interested in nature and the natural environment – it comes from growing up in Cumbria – and has been a vocal proponent of the work of the Pentland Centre since joining Lancaster University. He does not like rankings and benchmarking, and is not afraid to say so.