Best Q Squared Solutions Podcasts (2025)

1
Leveraging the overlap between Whole Life Carbon Assessments and Scope 3 emissions reporting 46:39

19d ago46:39

46:39

Scope 3 emissions reporting can be challenging, but could widespread Whole Life Carbon Assessments (WLCAs) make the process easier? With a range of industry voices including UKGBC, Part Z and IStructE calling for regulations to mandate whole life carbon assessments, this session will explore how the industry can utilise and optimise emissions repor…

1
Social value: A revival of philanthropy? 42:28

26d ago42:28

42:28

Social value delivers public benefit while tapping into the skillset of the development industry. What place has social value in property? With different approaches from three developers, this presentation will discuss both direct and tangential benefits of social value creation. Is social value the new philanthropy and could it signal a change to …

1
Tools to sequence retrofitting programme across a portfolio 45:03

1M ago45:03

45:03

There are growing regulatory and commercial risks associated with older, less energy-efficient buildings. Over 70% of the UK’s commercial stock was built before 2000 so a huge proportion of buildings will require retrofitting to meet Net Zero goals. Building on the industry-led work by the UKGBC Task Group, the panel will debate the successful deli…

1
Retrofit challenge for Life Sciences 42:03

2M ago42:03

42:03

This booming building typology has gone from strength to strength in the last few years, particularly following the pandemic, once everyone's awareness of health and wellbeing was heightened. Hear from some of the leading experts on how to balance the rapid expansion in this sector with the drive for Net Zero performance and wellness requirements f…

1
Zero Carbon development embraces the circular economy 43:29

2M ago43:29

43:29

Castleforge’s redevelopment in Golden Lane reimagines a heritage asset at the heart of the city. Sustainability has been a key driver for the client with a variety of certifications undertaken and a desire to get the project recognized as Net Zero in Operation and Construction within the current UKGBC framework. Using Circular Economy principles ha…

1
Transformation challenge for Higher Education estates 40:06

3M ago40:06

40:06

Buildings and campus identity are a big consideration for students deciding where to study. Frequently new buildings are proposed, with designers selected through competition competing to develop modern state-of-the-art facilities. Higher Education is moving on from that model to give existing buildings and campuses a new lease of life. This approa…

1
Enhancing community through biodiversity improvements 43:41

3M ago43:41

43:41

Communities are coming together to change the places where they live for the better and to develop their skills, build their confidence and make new friendships. Enabling businesses to put their corporate responsibility strategies into action helps connect them with communities and helping them build social value into their services. In this sessio…

1
Bringing Nature into the City: The benefits of living with nature 45:04

3M ago45:04

45:04

Eden is an 11-storey office building in Manchester with a host of sustainability goals. This session will focus on the benefits of its living wall. Featuring 350,000 plants and 32 different species the system replaces regular cladding at a reasonable cost. Attracting birds, bees and bugs, it will provide a huge increase in biodiversity. The plants …

1
Investing in Natural Capital: Benefits and challenges 44:13

3M ago44:13

44:13

Our economies depend on the resources given to them for ‘free’ by nature and the environment. Construction activities are highly dependent on these resources. Increasingly, the international community is recognising the vital role of nature and biodiversity in tackling the climate challenge in a way that enables communities to thrive. This growing …

1
Exploring Regenerative Construction: Socio-Economic Impacts and Innovations 42:06

4M ago42:06

42:06

Regenerative construction is an approach to planning, design and construction that aims to create sustainable, resilient, and thriving communities. It goes beyond traditional sustainable development, beyond recycling and reuse, by focusing on restoring and replenishing ecosystems, enhancing social well-being, and fostering economic vitality. Succes…

1
The role of procurement in driving change 44:22

4M ago44:22

44:22

Construction projects have an immense capacity to drive change. As our sector’s interdependency with nature becomes more pronounced, how do we harness that capacity through procurement techniques? We hear from public sector construction stakeholders, who are involved in billions of pounds of construction output, how they use the procurement of cons…

1
Green skills: The workforce of the future 47:44

4M ago47:44

47:44

According to the Local Government Association, nearly 700,000 direct jobs could be created in the low-carbon and renewable energy economy in England alone by 2030, rising to more than 1.18 million by 2050. The large scale rollout of retrofit and other construction activities necessary to deliver low-carbon real estate is dependant on the developmen…

1
Breakfast Briefing with SRE: Cathedral Hill: A Blueprint for Retrofitting Success 1:08:33

4M ago1:08:33

1:08:33

Achieving a net zero economy by 2050 is a significant challenge for the UK. This Breakfast Briefing will delve into the potential benefits of adopting a retrofit-first strategy and its role in advancing our journey towards net zero. Retrofitting holds the promise of reducing carbon emissions, energy consumption and utility expenses, but what are th…

1
Housing retrofit: How do we deal with aging housing stock? 45:27

5M ago45:27

45:27

The UK has the oldest housing stock in Europe with up to 40% homes built before 1946. Decarbonisation of the sector is progressing much slower than on much of the continent. Across the UK 70% of homes are owner occupied, 18% are in some kind of social rent and 12% in private rent. What solutions work for our older housing stock? Retrofit Balsall He…

1
Optoppen: Appraising your portfolio for vertical extensions in timber 44:23

5M ago44:23

44:23

Lightweight timber extensions can achieve large increases of accommodation with lower embodied energy and utilising existing foundations. Engaging a design team to appraise your portfolio for extensions opportunities can be time consuming and costly. A new free, open access digital tool is being developed to enable property owners and asset manager…

1
Promoting the positives in timber-framed housing 44:10

5M ago44:10

44:10

In Scotland timber-framing accounts for 83% of the market and in England it is 23% and growing (1). Setting out to bust myths around the difficulty of delivering timber-framed volume housebuilding developers and consultants delivering this will answer: What are the factors that have expanded the use of timber-framing for housing in Scotland? Are th…

1
Building in Stone: A perpetual virtuous cycle 45:41

5M ago45:41

45:41

From extraction to use, stone is a low environmental impact material. Ready to use, affordable, plentiful and easily adapted for reuse, stone is more relevant than ever. At the heart of stone construction there is a very low carbon footprint, with no heating/cooking process required, very little water needed, with a nose to tail approach including …

1
Breakfast Briefing with White Arkitekter: The role of timber in sustainable city transformation 1:16:21

5M ago1:16:21

1:16:21

According to the Local Government Association, nearly 700,000 direct jobs could be created in the low-carbon and renewable energy economy in England alone by 2030, rising to more than 1.18 million by 2050. The large scale rollout of retrofit and other construction activities necessary to deliver low-carbon real estate is dependant on the developmen…

1
Can Regenerative Thinking unlock commercial returns? 47:59

6M ago47:59

47:59

In a climate of economic insecurity, is regenerative thinking yet another industry buzzword, or can it materialise into meaningful financial, environmental and social value? Regenerative thinking goes beyond merely lessening the harm of new development; it strives to leverage design and construction as positive forces that repair natural and human …

1
St Edmund’s Hall: Passivhaus in a heritage context 44:40

6M ago44:40

44:40

A key part of this project’s development was to look carefully at how Passivhaus can be achieved sympathetically within a sensitive historic context, striking a balance between conservation principles and energy performance. The project provides high quality accommodation for 128 students with a mixture of new construction, refurbishment, and upgra…

1
Climate change adaptation 42:50

6M ago42:50

42:50

Climate change resilience is therefore a recurring theme within all global new and emerging ESG disclosure frameworks, including the SFDR and EU Taxonomy. Born off the back of the insurance industry’s recent losses due to the physical impacts of climate change, there is a growing emphasis on mitigation and evaluation of physical risks to individual…

1
Breakfast Briefing with Polycor, Albion Stone and Hutton Stone: Mayfield School: Redefining construction norms 1:09:28

6M ago1:09:28

1:09:28

Mayfield School's Health & Wellbeing Centre integrates natural materials such as stone and timber in an innovative and sustainable way, with a special focus on the revolutionary use of low-carbon stone brick. Addressing not only the physical and psychological needs of students the building serves as an educational tool on sustainability. Spatial an…

1
3 Sheldon Square: Accelerating low carbon retrofit 44:52

7M ago44:52

44:52

3 Sheldon Square sits in British Land & GIC's Paddington Central campus, adjacent to Paddington Station. 3 Sheldon Square was originally constructed c2000, and with all office tenants vacating in 2022, British Land explored a multitude of development and refurbishment options. Retention and reposition of the existing building was the preferred sche…

1
The cumulative carbon effect in CAT B fit out 45:12

7M ago45:12

45:12

Late in 2023, a dedicated cross-sector research group was set up to better understand the upfront carbon emissions associated with Cat B Office fit out projects. Created as an extension of the Offices Sector Group for the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, the team sought to obtain data on the current industry performance level of Cat B office …

1
Facades at the heart of retrofit strategy 47:28

7M ago47:28

47:28

Facades are the skin of a building playing a role in thermal efficiency, daylighting and aesthetics etc. Improving the external envelope of buildings can be one of the most effective ways to alter a potentially stranded asset and give it a long term future, saving the embodied carbon within the existing building. What considerations should be forem…

1
Delivering BNG within dense urban environments 43:48

7M ago43:48

43:48

The Environment Bill has created obligations for developers that can have unintended consequences, not least the provisions for offsite gain or payments to local authorities in lieu of on-site provision. A tight urban site can seem to offer few opportunities to increase biodiversity and support nature. In this practical session addressing the chall…

1
Breakfast Briefing with Modus: How is ESG driving asset performance? 1:25:18

8M ago1:25:18

1:25:18

Real estate businesses, funds and assets with a robust understanding of how to leverage ESG benefits through their activities place themselves at a strategic advantage in the market - minimising risk and enhancing future resilience – so it’s more important than ever to understand this trend for long term commercial success. Join Workplace Futures G…

1
Xylo: The largest all-timber frame office building in the UK 47:00

8M ago47:00

47:00

Xylo, the largest consented all-timber office building in the UK, is a 9-storey, glulam and CLT framed office building in Clerkenwell. Designed as a kit of parts, it proposes a new typology of sustainable office building based around the future adaptability and the wellbeing of its occupants. This whole building approach to sustainability demonstra…

1
Retrofit-first planning policy 45:57

8M ago45:57

45:57

GLA Whole life carbon and Circular Economy policies have transformed development in London. Councils, such as Westminster City and City of London, have developed borough-specific policies that go one BIG step further developing specific planning targets to prevent demolition and being to set limits to embodied carbon emissions. What is the future f…

1
Delivering real estate for Article 8 and 9 funds 43:57

8M ago43:57

43:57

Bloom Camberwell is one of the first logistics facilities in the UK able to demonstrate true alignment with the Paris Agreement commitments on climate change through the UK ESG Taxonomies. Sustainable investment funds require project teams to show compliance throughout the project lifecycle so assessments needed from Stage 2 have included: Climate …

1
Breakfast Briefing with Willmott Dixon: Early Contractor Involvement: Enhancing Deliverability 37:12

8M ago37:12

37:12

The integration of the contractor within the design team and process is standard practice for some building types and sectors. For decarbonisation projects it can bring specific beneficial outcomes. In this session the contractor and developer will show how ECI gets projects on site with more cost and programme security and with less risk discussin…

1
Energy consumption data analysis: Reaping the rewards 44:40

9M ago44:40

44:40

The British Property Federation's recent Towards Net Zero research asked investors, developers, managers, owners and occupiers about the challenges they were facing in their path towards net zero. Senior leaders from 45 different organisations identified that the biggest challenge they or their clients/tenants faced in the transition to net zero ca…

1
Glass: A viable circular commodity 40:06

9M ago40:06

40:06

The majority of construction glass goes to landfill because the industry has not established the knowledge and procedures to divert this precious and carbon-intensive commodity back into the supply chain. As with all materials, the journey to reuse starts with identifying the glass within a building to understand what can be accepted as cullet back…

1
Mainstreaming novel regenerative materials: Challenges and solutions 30:44

9M ago30:44

30:44

Some novel nature-based materials have been around for millennia but have fallen out of mainstream use, while others are entirely new and innovative. The regenerative capability of new nature-based construction materials may be well-documented but it doesn’t automatically follow that a regenerative product can be brought into the supply chain. How …

1
Metropolis: Mass Timber hybrid extension delivering high-value workspace 41:29

9M ago41:29

41:29

Metropolis is the deep retrofit of the Woolworth’s HQ building designed by Richard Seifert. Designed to be net zero in operation the project has also saved an estimated 25,000 tonnes of embodied carbon through building retention, mass timber extension and fossil-free fuel in operation. Delivering an exceptional product to future occupiers, the desi…

1
UK Retrofit: What can we learn from the US? 42:22

10M ago42:22

42:22

In 2019 New York City adopted a unique piece of legislation called Local Law 97 setting out operational GHG emission limits for all buildings in the city, both new and existing. A first of its kind internationally, the standard sets maximum emission levels by building program and type, which become progressively stricter until 2050, and sets fines …

1
Measuring Scope 3 carbon in fit out 45:22

10M ago45:22

45:22

Businesses are being encouraged to monitor and disclose the results of their carbon emissions, despite the absence of a current legal obligation, highlighting a pressing need for action. For contractors, Scope 3 emissions will likely account for 95%+ of carbon emission so there is no route to Net Zero without tackling Scope 3. In this session we wi…

1
Concrete: Developments in the supply chain 46:02

10M ago46:02

46:02

There are myriad concrete technologies in development around the world, but the majority of these are at the laboratory stage and not ready to deploy. In this session we cover three of those that have made it to the supply chain: GGBS, limestone fines, and calcined clays. GGBS is a finite resource. What should developers and specifiers know about m…

1
Building with Nature: An opportunity for construction and society 44:52

10M ago44:52

44:52

The built environment is a net consumer of materials and a major contributor to climate change. Future generations are concerned about how current decision-makers are seeking to address this, and many children are already considering what their role might be in the future to make a positive contribution. Speakers Timothy Clement, Head of Carbon & E…

1
MMC offsite timber-frame houses delivering on performance, cost, quality and carbon reduction 44:04

11M ago44:04

44:04

Countryside Partnership’s development in Hemel Hempstead will deliver 445 low carbon homes. Spencer’s Park is also being used as a monitoring site for Category 2 MMC closed panel timber frame, providing evidence on the benefits of offsite manufacturing, not only for a safer, more pleasant working environment for contractors, but a more environmenta…

1
Portfolio greening through retrofit 45:44

11M ago45:44

45:44

In spite of higher complexity and less financial incentives, a few developers have proven that it is possible to make retrofit a main business model. On the other hand, larger developers are looking at new models for portfolio-wide "greening" through energy retrofits, low-carbon extensions, operational hyper-optimisation and product transformation.…

1
ESG Investments: A primer 48:12

11M ago48:12

48:12

An increased focus on ESG has given rise to a suite of new regulations, and the financial market is poised to take the lead on climate action in the years ahead. The European Union’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) means that all financial sector entities within the EU, including asset managers, are now required to disclose their E…

1
The UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard 44:22

11M ago44:22

44:22

The UK NZC Building Standard sets out to provide a methodology by which buildings can be assessed as Net Zero against Science-Based targets to reduce emissions in line with the Paris climate agreement. Working groups have tackled 13 different building sectors to determine an approach to setting limits on embodied carbon and operational energy, and …

1
Improving the accuracy of embodied carbon modelling 46:29

11M ago46:29

46:29

Carbon calculations rely on accurate data and modelling of the embodied carbon in proposed schemes. Significant decisions about the direction of the project including weighing up the relative value of refurbishment vs. demolition and rebuild are based on these results. How can we develop consistent carbon modelling and establish a consensus on the …

1
Timber for Retrofit and Extensions 48:35

1y ago48:35

48:35

Deep retrofit of commercial buildings often aims to increase useable floor area whilst maintain the existing structure. Timber is a lightweight structural material whose additional load can frequently be added to existing buildings without the need to upgrade existing structure especially the foundations. Key protagonists of such projects give an i…

1
UK Green Taxonomy: Update and Q&A 45:14

1y ago45:14

45:14

The UK Green Taxonomy is intended to provide a common framework for investments that can be defined as environmentally sustainable. It is an opportunity for the UK to set a high bar globally with a rigorous, science-based taxonomy that helps accelerate green finance and support the UK’s transition to a net zero economy. The Green Taxonomy Advisory …

1
Commercial Buildings in Timber 43:54

1y ago43:54

43:54

Mass timber structure is being used for larger and more ambitious commercial buildings than ever before. In this session we ask what has changed to enable the use of timber in these buildings and chart a possible trajectory for the growth of timber as a carbon-negative structural material in the commercial sector.…

1
Breakfast Briefing: The Future is Timber with Built By Nature 1:33:28

1y ago1:33:28

1:33:28

Developers seeking to adopt timber on increasingly large and complex schemes are joining forces with architects devising inventive methods of biobased construction. This Breakfast Briefing will spotlight projects by three Built by Nature Frontrunners, using timber and biobased materials for low-carbon health, housing and commercial development. Bui…

1
NABERS UK - A Tool for Investors to Drive Improvement in Energy Performance of Buildings in association with Greengage 45:32

1y ago45:32

45:32

NABERS UK is becoming the rating of choice for property owners to measure and improve the energy performance of buildings. A number of industry bodies in the UK have acknowledged the critical role NABERS UK will play in delivering Net Zero and have since incorporated it within their own standards and guidance. What sets NABERS UK apart? How are pro…

1
Procurement sets the scene for Decarbonisation via a Circular Economy 44:42

1y ago44:42

44:42

Despite advances in circularity in some supply chains generally that has been little change in procurement behaviour. We examine what this needs to look like to support the introduction of circularity into construction supply chains covering: How does circular procurement differ between Tier 1 and Tier 2 contracting? What are the procurement clause…

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Q Squared Solutions Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen