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Episodes
We bring the smartest minds in the property carbon-reduction world to FOOTPRINT+, so we think it’s only right for us to disseminate all this experience and knowledge freely. Most of what you hear here won’t have been spoken about before; it’s all hot-off-the-press! If you were at FOOTPRINT+ 2026, you can hear all the talks you couldn’t get to while you were in another of our 6 theatres; and if you weren’t, now is your chance to learn why you need to be at FOOTPRINT+ 2027.
Episodes
Jul 14, 2026
Jul 14, 2026
45 min
171 Victoria Street is an iconic 412,000 ft² redevelopment and a good example of how sustainability has become core investment risk management, not an add-on. From day one, this project was aligned with Westminster’s strong retrofit-first policy, so the real question wasn’t whether to reuse the building, but how deep the retrofit needed to be to unlock planning certainty, future value and market appeal.
In the early feasibility stages, multiple redevelopment routes were tested through whole life carbon modelling, using environmental impact as a decision-making tool rather than a reporting exercise. The selected strategy retains the substructure and most of the superstructure, dramatically reducing embodied emissions and, critically, de-risking planning in a highly constrained borough. In this context, retrofit really is the new prime.
From an investment and agency perspective, the ESG strategy isn’t about collecting labels. Certifications like BREEAM, NABERS and Fitwel matter because they respond to occupier demand, but they sit alongside practical circular economy thinking, designing for adaptability, embedding material passports, and planning for end-of-life value. Each building element is treated as a recoverable asset, not a future liability. The result is an office designed to perform - environmentally, commercially and beyond its first life.
Jul 9, 2026
Jul 9, 2026
47 min
Energy performance is where the net-zero retrofit challenge will be won but only if ambition is matched by delivery. Using Tower Bridge Court (TBC.London) as a live case study, this panel explores how one of London’s first all-electric, net-zero carbon retrofit workplaces translated energy ambition into measurable operational performance through building systems.
Bringing together the developer, architect and engineering perspectives, the discussion examines how energy targets were defined early, embedded into design, and delivered in practice. From all-electric strategy and operational energy performance to embodied carbon reduction and occupier wellbeing, the panel focuses on the decisions that mattered and the trade-offs that shaped the outcome.
Jul 7, 2026
Jul 7, 2026
42 min
The Portman Estate’s relocation of its head office to One Great Cumberland Place presented an exciting opportunity to reimagine the workplace. The project aims to set a benchmark for sustainable commercial interiors across its 110-acre Marylebone estate.
The retrofit of the 8,400 sq ft office prioritises collaboration, wellbeing, and exemplary environmental performance while working within an existing base build. Sustainability informed every design decision including:
- Low-carbon and high-recycled-content materials
- Circular economy principles resulting in reuse of existing services, lighting, and finishes
- Inventive reuse of salvaged materials
- Specification of furniture to meet rigorous environmental, repair, and replacement criteria
Embodied carbon was measured and recorded to support The Portman Estate’s One Planet Action Plan, achieving carbon neutrality with minimal offsetting and setting a replicable benchmark for future workplace retrofits.
Jul 7, 2026
Jul 7, 2026
45 min
So what is Regenerative Design?
Regenerative design is increasingly discussed across the built environment sector, yet it is often unclear what it means and how it differs from other sustainability practices within construction.
This session will provide a concise, accessible introduction to what regenerative design is, what it aims to do, and why it can’t be reduced to a checklist.
Drawing on insights from the Regenerative Design Lab, a cross-sectional learning programme for built-environment professions, the speakers will share what emerges when people work with regenerative principles over time and what it means for practitioners trying to make change today.
Jun 30, 2026
Jun 30, 2026
49 min
2 Finsbury Avenue is a 38‑storey, 106,000 sq m development set to
Chairperson
Marion Charlier, Central Engineering Lead - Arcelor Mittal
Speakers
Matthew Webster, Head of Sustainability - British Land
Ollie Wildman, Director - Buildings - Ramboll
Kathryn Castledine, Senior Sustainability Manager - Sir Robert McAlpine
Jonathan Davis, Technical Director - William Hare Group
David Chapman, UK Sustainability Lead - ArcelorMittal
Jun 25, 2026
Jun 25, 2026
46 min
One Exchange Square reimagines a 1980s office building and demonstrates how novel methods can be used to expand commercial floor space on a large-scale cut & carve project whilst minimising carbon impact. The whole building has been redesigned to deliver healthier working environments with roof terraces, interior planting and a diversity of uses contributing to a revitalised whole.
The project delivers a substantial 11-storey, 7.5m extension above London Liverpool Street Station without foundation strengthening, avoiding the significant embodied carbon associated with new basements and deep piling. An exoskeletal transfer truss and hanger system redistributes loads back to the retained structure, enabling 94% structural retention by volume, prioritising flexibility and material efficiency. Preloading the structure and removing it as the facade was installed minimises movement of the cladding system.
Jun 23, 2026
Jun 23, 2026
46 min
Investor approaches to greening real assets span a wide spectrum—from doing the bare minimum to comply with regulation, to deep retrofits designed to meaningfully reduce climate impact. This session explores what truly matters to investors across this range of ambition and how differing priorities shape capital allocation, asset design, and operational decisions. We examine how owners, developers, lenders, and asset managers weigh cost, risk, return, and reputation when assessing sustainability strategies, and how these considerations translate into real-world outcomes for the built environment.
The discussion will also tackle:
- Has political fatigue dampened sustainability momentum or simply reshaped it?
- The sentiment divide differences across Europe, UK and US capital?
- How occupier demand, leasing behaviour, and willingness to pay influence investment decisions and long-term asset value?
Jun 19, 2026
Jun 19, 2026
46 min
Is it possible to remove mechanical heating and cooling systems entirely while still providing comfort?
Buildings today are increasingly designed around mechanical systems rather than people. Comfort is routinely solved through equipment, driving complexity, cost and carbon. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems alone can account for over 15% of construction budgets, often exceeding the cost of the façade, while remaining energy-intensive to operate and carbon-hungry to manufacture and maintain.
- How far can design intelligence go before mechanical systems are truly required?
- What do people actually need to feel comfortable?
Challenging the practice of designing for rare climatic extremes that dictate system size for the entire year, and by understanding how temperature, air movement and adaptive comfort interact, NowtHaus explores buildings that perform naturally year-round. The outcome is a passive office building with no conventional heating or cooling. Peak heating loads remain below 5 W/m², allowing internal gains to maintain winter comfort, while natural ventilation and thermal mass regulate summer conditions. The team behind the concept will demonstrate how this approach simplifies construction and reduces cost.
