I absolutely loved speaking at FOOTPRINT+ with my colleague Ben Ransom, and session chair Richard Crocker of Berkeley Group Plc, about maximising the reuse of existing buildings and making the right choices.

For those of us truly invested in sustainability, it’s heartening to have had so many positive discussions and see successful collaborations that are driving net zero

𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼:

1. be creative and have a can-do attitude as it takes skill, and determination to find good design solutions to complex problems

2. undertake comprehensive research to understand the site’s history and the existing buildings

3. work with the structure, and not force new build strategies or approaches as these won’t fit

4. collaborate as being pragmatic to simplify complex challenges is essential

5. regularly check and carefully monitor embodied carbon, at each RIBA stage (at a minimum)

𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼. 𝗕𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀.

If working together to do the right thing, rather than simply doing the easy thing, sounds good to you, then get in touch!

Well done to Emily Day and all at FOOTPRINT+ on a great conference.

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By Garreth Joyce 

Walsh