FOOTPRINT podcasts

Regulation and policy for embedding a circular economy

A workshop session on early forms of policy and regulation, including some unintended consequences of well-intentioned schemes. We ask the questions:

• How can we overcome the barriers to meaningful regulation?
• How can we avoid the creation of new carbon economies from circularity?
• What is the future of waste management industry?
• Will we see the development of new skills?

NABERS UK - A Tool for Investors to Drive Improvement in Energy Performance of Buildings

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 property owners, lenders and investors using NABERS UK to drive and finance change?
• Do we need a cultural shift to roll out NABERS UK at scale and what will assist the transition?

Mass Timber Insurance Playbook: Intro and Workshop

The Mass Timber Insurance Playbook has been written with input from all disciplines involved in the development of timber buildings.

Aligned with RIBA stages the playbook sets out what should be considered by designers, developers, fabricators and insurance intermediaries to communicate clearly with the insurance industry at every stage in the design and procurement process.

The UK NZC Building Standard

What is a Net Zero Carbon building? How can it be defined given the different factors that impact on building types and new builds vs. retrofits? There is a clear demand for an agreed methodology but in aiming to respond to 14 separate building types, can there be just one?

The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard aims to enable the industry to robustly prove their built assets meet an agreed net zero carbon standard. Hear from the team on progress.

Retrofit First, Not Retrofit Only

In 2022, the London Property Association published ‘Retrofit First, Not Retrofit Only’ illustrating the spectrum of recent Net Zero Carbon commercial projects undertaken to date across Westminster and City of London. The case studies demonstrate the importance of allowing for flexibility through both retrofit and redevelopment approaches, providing examples of typical challenges and opportunities. This session presents key findings and invites questions from the audience.

Nature restoration as a route to a circular economy

By moving from a take-make-waste linear economy to a circular economy, we support natural processes and leave more room for nature to thrive. How can nature restoration and the building of natural capital be spear headed and supported by the construction industry to create a thriving circular economy. And do nature based solutions sit at the heart of this? 

How does ESG performance impact asset valuation?

The real estate market has shown that certified buildings with strong ESG performance now command higher rental values and lower vacancy rates. New buildings must now comply with current regulations and construction standards around the globe to ensure good ESG scores. However, the real estate market still doesn’t have a standardized methodology to assess the gain or loss in asset value as a result of its environmental performance.

This session will explore how environmental performance can be incorporated into valuation and how this can be used to inform real estate retrofitting strategies. Focusing on tools such as CRREM and variables including emissions and energy intensity, the panellists will discuss how investors can anticipate and avoid asset value loss due to inaction and non-compliance.

Timber buildings command a premium

Evidence is mounting that green buildings command a premium in the commercial market. Developers and funding partners recognise that the creation of high-quality, sustainable assets is likely to deliver better returns in the long run.

We hear from developers and agents how timber buildings can be a significant part of this picture.