Event summaries, slides and recordings

Achieving Net Zero Buildings: A Cross-Sector Perspective

Author WIG Date 1 Sep 2022

A recording of the WIG Webinar 'Achieving Net Zero Buildings: A Cross-Sector Perspective' with speakers Ben Rimmington, Director General, Net Zero Buildings and Industry, BEIS; Dr Carolina Vasilikou, University Researcher & Principal Investigator, ZeroCityPlus; James Low, Global Head of Responsible Business, Mace and Dr Gbemi Oluleye, Assistant Professor, Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London.

Theme(s)

Infrastructure

Net zero and sustainability

The UK has around 30 million buildings and includes some of the oldest building stock in Europe. In total, buildings are responsible for around 17% of our national emissions. It is clear that we can't achieve Net Zero by 2050 without changing how we construct, power, and utilise our buildings. 

Join us for the opportunity to:

  • Learn more about BEIS’ priorities for the ‘Net Zero Buildings and Industry’ team                                
  • Explore different solutions to achieving Net Zero in buildings, and the role of cross-sector cooperation 

To access this resource you must be a WIG member and logged in to our website. 

You can register or log-in here. 

Speakers at the Event

Ben Rimmington became Director General, Net Zero Buildings and Industry at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in June 2021.

Ben moved to this role from the Department for Transport, where he was most recently the Director with responsibility for all EU Exit/Transition work relating to roads issues, from market access negotiations to delivery of traffic management infrastructure in Kent.

Ben’s earlier career includes senior civil service roles dealing with company law and corporate governance, business finance policy, EU employment law negotiations and management of the Government’s relationship with the car industry.

Carolina Vasilikou is an EU-registered architect, educator and researcher who works with architectural students to enhance research and practice-led global transferable skills across UG and PG education, with expertise in sustainable architecture. Her research focuses on people-centred design, building awareness on transparent multi-sensory participation processes, inclusive and diverse. With an extensive research network, she leads interactive, playful workshops and is active in developing innovative research methodologies for participatory processes based on empathetic and inclusive ways. She is an advocate of the transformative powers of design and community, committed to an urban development that is socially and environmentally just.

Carolina believes that people-centred, inclusive design is at the forefront of current debates around quality of life, sustainability, and the city. She is currently the Principal Investigator of a UKRI/AHRC-funded project called ZeroCityPlus, prototyping an urban game that promotes behavioural change and understanding of net zero+ literacies in public participation. Her project is part of the new Future Observatory, a new UK national research programme in collaboration with The Design Museum London. 

James Low is the Global Head of Responsible Business at Mace, a consultancy, construction and facilities management business. He leads a team delivering climate change, environmental, social value, and biodiversity consultancy services to clients across the public and private sectors, while ensuring Mace continues on its own journey as an industry leading and net zero carbon business.

 

Gbemi is an assistant professor at the Centre for Environmental Policy, and a member of the Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering. She leads a research group/activity on Modelling, Integration, Assessment and Adoption of Alternative Technological Systems. Gbemi's research vision is to synthesise cost-effective and innovative ways to accelerate uptake of alternative fuels and technologies for buildings and industrial decarbonisation. Her transdisciplinary research experience and expertise at the interface of Engineering, Policy and Economics places her in the best position to support accelerated technology adoption. 

Gbemi received a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria in 2008, completed an MSc in Advanced Chemical Process Design at the University of Manchester in 2010, and obtained her PhD from the University of Manchester (2012 - 2016). She has over 10 years combined experience in academia and industry. She has worked as the lead researcher in a range of projects in both academia and industry, covering emerging strategies for decarbonising buildings and energy intensive industries, fabric integrated thermal storage for low carbon dwellings, quantifying distributed energy potential for the UK, commercialisation of biogas fuelled solid oxide fuel cells in Europe, pathways to commercialisation of clean technological systems and renewable gas production in Europe.

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