Selected futurebuild talks + two evening events this week
A week of events in London and in-person. Time to go offline and meet new collaborators.
Newsletter
URGE has designed a selection of talks to help you navigate the packed schedule of futurebuild which starts tomorrow at Excel London.
The selected talks are a chance to catch up with the latest climate, circular and regenerative thinking from Architects Climate Action Network (ACAN), UK Architects Declare, Interior Design Declares, Institution of Structural Engineers, The UK Green Building Council, UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, RIBA and of course URGE. Summaries of the talks can be found below.
Register to attend for free. LINK
Tuesday . Day 1
10:30 - 11:30 . Futurebuild Arena
Making the circular economy a reality – how far can we go?
16:30 - 18:00 . Materials Impact Stage
Go/No Go: Navigating Ethical and Environmental Decisions in Architecture
17:00 - 17:45 . Futurebuild Arena
Exploring the Regenerative Architecture Index
Wednesday . Day 2
12:00 - 12:45 . Futurebuild Arena
10 years on from their adoption - the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030
13:30 - 14:15 . Buildings Impact Stage
How resilient is the UK built environment to climate impacts
15:30 - 16:15 . Buildings Impact Stage
Consumption, health and wellbeing - specifying for a circular future
Thursday . Day 3
10:30 - 11:15 . Placemaking Impact Stage
What is a 'Regenerative Place'? and how do we get there?
12:00 - 12:45 . Futurebuild Arena
Lessons in Carbon: The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard
Evening events this week
If you are in London, do not miss two other events on Tuesday and Thursday evenings this week at the London School of Economics (LSE) and London Metropolitan University (LMU). They are relevant to anyone interested in how governance and architecture could change in response to the climate crisis. Summaries are below after the selected futurebuild talks.
Selected futurebuild talks
Making the circular economy a reality – how far can we go?
Futurebuild Arena . March 4 . 10:30 - 11:30
A transition to a circular economy supports UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 12. It is a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity and a chance to reduce greenhouse emissions by 40%. Based on 2018 data, the UK regenerates 222 million tonnes of waste a year with 62% from construction. How might the UK achieve near-zero waste within 12 months, by 2030 or at the latest by 2035?
The panel chaired by Tina Paillet (CEO and Co-Founder of Circotrade) includes URGE's Sophie Thomas.
Go/No Go: Navigating Ethical and Environmental Decisions in Architecture
Materials Impact Stage . March 4 . 16:30 - 18:00
With increasing scrutiny on the social, environmental, and ethical aspects of architecture projects, what decision-making frameworks can designers use to select the projects they work on? What influence do unions, industry bodies, and individuals have on these decisions? The panel includes speakers from Collective Works, The Cultural Architect, Central Saint Martins and Unite the Union.
Chaired by Eve Choy of ACAN.
Exploring the Regenerative Architecture Index
Futurebuild Arena . March 4 . 17:00 - 17:45
How can regenerative architecture restore ecosystems and communities and what is the pioneering Regenerative Architecture Index (RAI)? Hear insights from four speakers: Julia Barfield on creating architectural legacies; Tom Bennett on working with natural systems; Sophie Crocker on fostering equity, resilience and community empowerment; and, Anna Pamphilon on addressing climate and biodiversity crises.
The panel chaired by Isabel Allen of Architecture Today includes Anna Pamphilon from UK Architects Declare.
10 years on from their adoption - the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030
Futurebuild Arena . March 5 . 12:00 - 12:45
The built environment has a relationship with all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, but particularly those related to health, infrastructure, sustainable cities, climate action, biodiversity, and partnerships. What progress has been made in the last decade? How can industry better contribute to these goals? Would implementation of the goals improve social equality in the UK?
The panel chaired by Sue Riddlestone (Chief Executive at Bioregional) includes Will Arnold (Head of Climate Action at Institution of Structural Engineers).
How resilient is the UK built environment to climate impacts
Buildings Impact Stage . March 5 . 13:30 - 14:15
What are the vulnerabilities of the UK built environment to climate impacts? The UK Green Building Council will provide a 'sneak peak' of the findings of its Climate Resilience Roadmap research. The panel will consider goals for the next 12 months, plus targets for 2030 and 2035, including potential recommendations and actions to enhance climate resilience across the sector.
Chaired by Hannah Giddings (Head of Climate Resilience and Adaptation at UK Green Building Council) and Dr Macarena Cárdenas (Senior Advisor, Resilience and Nature at UK Green Building Council).
Consumption, health and wellbeing - specifying for a circular future
Buildings Impact Stage . March 5 . 15:30 - 16:15
What is the role of interior design in shaping a circular future? Interior Design Declares - a collaborative movement advocating for sustainable, circular, and regenerative design - will host a practical discussion on material choices, reuse, and industry collaboration. Speakers will share actionable steps and positive solutions to create healthier, future-ready interiors.
Chaired by Cat Hoad (Chair of Absolute Project Management at Absolute Project Management).
What is a 'Regenerative Place'? and how do we get there?
Placemaking Impact Stage . March 6 . 10:30 - 11:15
What does the regenerative concept mean? How might we retrofit our homes and urban spaces to bring the vision into reality for UK communities? The industry uses the term with increasing frequency, but from different perspectives and with a limited understanding of how it translates into practice. The panel will focus on: improving biodiversity and green space; offering health and social value benefits; and, strengthening climate resilience.
Chaired by Anna Hollyman (Co-Head of Policy and Places at UK Green Building Council).
Lessons in Carbon: The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (‘The Standard’)
Futurebuild Arena . March 6 . 12:00 - 12:45
What will it take to comply with the in-use UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard? When will verification submission and conformity claims to the UKNZCBS be possible? The panel will answer these questions and discuss The Standard's limits and targets. Illustrative case studies will show that the mandatory requirements are achievable with practical steps and lessons learnt.
Chaired by Jess Hrivnak (RIBA Technical Advisor Sustainability).
Two evening events
New forms of participation in global governance
Hong Kong Theatre - Clement House . March 4 . 19:00 - 20:15 . LINK
A conversation between leading experts on citizen participation in global governance and its potential to address challenges such as climate change, inequality and political stability. With over 800 assemblies including the Global Citizens’ Assembly (GCA) already showcasing how this can work, momentum is building to rethink global decision-making.
Rich Wilson (Iswe Foundation) will join Professor Luis Cabrera (Griffith University), Dr. Marit Hammond (University of Warwick), and Dr. Mathias Koenig-Archibugi (The London School of Economics and Political Science) for this free public event.
There are no tickets for this. Entry is on a first-come, first-served basis.
More details can be found here. LINK
How is the practice and education of architecture changing to meet the challenges of the moment?
Wash House - Aldgate Campus . March 6 . 18:30 - 20:00 . LINK
Join a dialogue among established, emerging, and future practitioners about how education and practice can evolve to address the pressing challenges of the 21st century.
Peter St John (Caruso St John Architects) and Amy Grounsell (Flimsy Works, Tonkin Liu) will speak about how new and established practices are changing their approaches in response to the climate crisis. They co-run Unit 12 at London Metropolitan University, where the 2024/25 studio, "The Extinction of Beauty," focuses on radical communality and degrowth.