The UK is making a shift towards more #sustainable construction and real estate, innovating with green building materials, passive house standards, and large-scale #retrofitting projects. How efficiently are these efforts reducing carbon emissions, enhancing energy efficiency, and generating a new wave of #greenjobs in construction and design?

Speakers:

BASIL DEMEROUTIS, Managing Partner, FORE Partnership

Basil is Managing Partner of FORE Partnership, the purpose-driven real estate private equity firm that drives social and environmental innovation in the built environment using low carbon strategies, social impact, placemaking, and design. Prior to founding FORE, Basil was a partner at Capricorn Investment Group, the family office of Jeff Skoll (eBay), and was Managing Partner of a German property fund. He spent 13 years in investment banking in New York and London. Basil is Chair of the children’s charity, the Institute of Imagination, and sits on the board of trustees of the UK Green Building Council, the property industry’s largest membership organisation dedicated to sustainability.

JONATHAN WATES, Director, Wates Group

Jonathan (Jonny) Wates was appointed to the Wates Group Board in 2008, having previously served as Group Head of Strategy and Sales Director of Wates Homes Ltd. He chairs the Board Sustainability Committee and champions sustainability at a strategic and an operational level. He is a Trustee of the Wates Family Enterprise Trust, the William Wates Memorial Trust and the Wates Foundation. Previously, Jonny was Founder and Chairman of the renewable energy start up Myriad Cleaner Energy Generation. He began his career as a brand manager at International Distillers & Vintners (now Diageo). Outside of the company, Jonny holds a range of positions including: Trustee of Forum for the Future; Associate at Leaders’ Quest; Advisory Board Member for the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations; member of the Advisory Council of Commonland; Ambassador of the World Benchmarking Alliance. He has an MBA from the Cranfield University School of Management and a master’s degree in Sustainability and Leadership from the University of Cambridge. He is passionate about encouraging nature in cities to raise awareness of climate change and promote community well-being.

SIMON HARDING-ROOTS, Managing Director for London, The Crown Estate

Simon Harding-Roots is The Crown Estate’s Managing Director for London. In this role, he oversees a 10 million sq ft portfolio, including the Regent Street and St James’s Districts, valued at circa £8 billion.

Simon is leading on a strategic new vision for our London Estate that will enable us to evolve as we continue to support exciting and relevant neighbourhoods. The vision will lead our response to wider trends and seeks to deliver for all our communities, visitors and customers. Building on our core long term West End presence, we want to enhance and retain its profile at the heart of London as a Global City.

Most recently, Simon worked at Grosvenor Britain and Ireland as Board Director helping oversee overall strategy, and as Executive Director leading the Major Projects team delivering major real estate investment and regeneration projects across London worth around £2 billion.

AUDREY NUGENT, Global Advocacy and Campaigns Director, World Green Building Council

Audrey Nugent is the Global Advocacy & Campaigns Director at the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC).

In this role, Audrey leads on global advocacy and campaigns collaborating with Green Building Councils around the world to champion ambitious and innovative public policies.

Audrey is passionate about how a holistic approach to building policy and regulation can support the delivery of the Paris Agreement whilst leading to better outcomes for people and communities. Audrey has over 15 years experience working in policy and advocacy and has worked across private, public and the NGO sector.