Zero Ambitions Podcast

Back in the summer Glasgow-based architect Chris Stewart became the new President of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS), so a chat with him was right up our street. He has long been a strong advocate for the incorporation of sustainability into architectural practice and education, so when Sara found herself on a tour of Shetland in his company she seized an opportunity to book him for the show. As an individual with a strong track record in ecological design for the built environment, we were delighted to hear about his plans for his premiership and were particularly enthused by his eagerness and willingness to instigate some very necessary change.Some references from the showRoyal Incorporation of Architects in ScotlandChrist StewartCollective Architecture (Glasgow)**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Contact Zero Ambitions Partners to talk about any professional help you might need (zap@eiux.agency)Join the AECB Join ACANSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Email Alex and Dan about websites, branding, and communications (zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User Experience)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

In our last episode from BE-ST Fest 2022 Alex and Eddie McAvinchey (Scottish National Investment Bank) explore the funding stages available to companies, from concept to commercial scale, as well as the role of the Scottish National Investment Bank in supporting innovative supply chain companies, housing projects, heat networks, and more.ICYMI - BE-ST Fest 2022 was a day of inspiring speakers, expos, demos, workshops, and other activities, aimed at promoting and advancing our journey to a zero-carbon built environment.Some references from the showEddie McAvincheySunampIndiNaturePFP Capital BE-ST Fest 2022**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Join the AECB Join ACANSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Email Alex and Dan about websites, branding, and communications (zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User Experience)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

In episode four of our mini-series, the ZAP team and Christina Gaiger discuss the need for a shift in perception within the industry of the domestic market and how it must become more accessible in order to achieve net zero.ICYMI - BE-ST Fest 2022 was a day of inspiring speakers, expos, demos, workshops, and other activities, aimed at promoting and advancing our journey to a zero-carbon built environment.Some references from the showChristina GaigerBE-ST Fest 2022Useable buildings.org**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Join the AECB Join ACANSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Email Alex and Dan about websites, branding, and communications (zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User Experience)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

Episode three of our mini-series from BE-ST Fest 2022, where we spoke with Jennifer Phin, MD of energy-efficiency contractor A.C. Whyte & Co.  Following her appearance on the BE connected panel discussion, she shared more of her experiences of her leading a retrofit business in a rapidly changing environment.ICYMI - BE-ST Fest 2022 was a day of inspiring speakers, expos, demos, workshops, and other activities, aimed at promoting and advancing our journey to a zero-carbon built environment.Some references from the showJennifer PhinA.C. Whyte & Co **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Join the AECB Join ACANSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Email Alex and Dan about websites, branding, and communications (zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User Experience)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

In ep two of our mini-series from BE-ST Fest 2022, fresh from the BE Inspired panel, we spoke with Ele George from Elevate, Catherine Cosgrove chair of the Scottish Ecological Design Association (SEDA), Quam Temidayo from Microsoft, and Jeff Colley. Representing different facets of the industry, we explored some less commonly discussed retrofit topics (for this podcast at least), such as the need for more re-use in retrofit, how looking at the health of occupants is a way you get motivate change, and how digital technology can be harnessed to link social and commercial value in order to move the sustainability agenda at pace and scale.  ICYMI - BE-ST Fest 2022 was a day of inspiring speakers, expos, demos, workshops, and other activities, aimed at promoting and advancing our journey to a zero-carbon built environment.Some references from the showSEDAMicrosoft  iOpt **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Join the AECB Join ACANSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Email Alex and Dan about websites, branding, and communications (zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User Experience)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

In this first BE-ST Fest 22 interview we spoke with Chris Stark, CEO of the Climate Change Committee (or Committee on Climate change, both names appear to be out there), and returning guest Stephen Good, CEO of BE-ST to discuss the journey to net zero as well as touching upon the BE-ST Fest Summit itself. Chris was there to give the opening keynote address, discussing the role of the built environment in addressing climate change. After the main event he and Stephen offered us a few more of their thoughts on why the journey to net zero is tremendously exciting but requires more ambition, more imagination, and perhaps taking some inspiration from the Victorian's infrastructure investment programmes.ICYMI - BE-ST Fest 2022 was a day of inspiring speakers, expo, demos, workshops, and other activities, aimed at promoting and advancing our journey to a zero carbon built environment.Some references from the showChris StarkStephen GoodBuilt Environment - Smarter Transformation (BE-ST)BE-ST Fest 2022 programme**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Join the AECB Join ACANSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Email Alex and Dan about websites, branding, and communications (zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User Experience)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

Last week, we went to BE-ST Fest 2022, we've definitely mentioned it before. We mention it again because while we were there we took an opportunity to catch up with some of the speakers and some friends of the show. So, we have a little episode with Sara, Alex, and Jeff to set the scene and introduce the series, as well as offering a little of their experiences having been there as host, panelist, and interviewer. In this friendly natter we also discussed lighter topics including: Did Jeff waffle on for 7 minutes, or was it 10? The unexpected role the podcast had to play at BE-ST Fest How pleased we were to have our first ever in-person podcast audience What should they call next year's BE-ST Fest?ICYMI - BE-ST Fest 2022 was a day of inspiring speakers, expo, demos, workshops, and other activities, aimed at promoting and advancing our journey to a zero carbon built environment.Some references from the showBuilt Environment - Smarter Transformation (BE-ST)BE-ST Fest 2022 programme**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Join the AECB Join ACANSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Email Alex and Dan about websites, branding, and communications (zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User Experience)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

We caught up with friend of the show, Robbie McGrath, Head of Sustainability at D/RES Properties in Ireland. He's a mechanical engineer who meandered his way into sustainability, working as a sustainability consultant with corporate asset managers in the nordics and (bizarrely,) the British Embassy in Finland. We talked about loads of stuff. He's really interesting.Some of the references from the showSilken Park, Ireland's largest commercial Passivhaus development, as featured in Passive House Plus, as well as D/RES's own case study. D/RES's Tinakilly Park, the recent development that we discuss, that featured heavily in a recent issue of the magazine*.The GRESB website. Bizarrely, I couldn't find an explanation of the acronym anywhere on there; I'm sure that Robbie explains it at one point. Otherwise, it seems like a really good scheme.That story about rushing foundations to beat building regs in the UK.Ireland's Building Energy Rating (BER) system for judging A1 on homes.Polar Night Energy, the Finnish company that heats up sandpits.*"The magazine" is always Passive House Plus.**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Join the AECB Join ACANSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Email Alex and Dan about websites, branding, and communications (zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User Experience)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

Part two of our long, rambling chat with Tania Jennings about delivering public sector projects including an Energiesprong scheme. She has experience that wraps in collective procurement as well as keeping the momentum up throughout lockdown. Tania has a keen insight into the many opportunities, as well as the difficulties, in trying to make our homes safer, warmer, and more efficient. Some of the references from the show.BE-ST Fest 2020Energiesprong in the UKRetrofit ReimaginedEnergiesprong in a day  That 2040 documentaryThe West London Alliance, the public sector partnership between seven West London local authorities of Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, and Hounslow. **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Join the AECB Join ACANSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Email Alex and Dan about websites, branding, and communications (zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User Experience)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

This week we had a long, rambling chat with Tania Jennings about delivering public sector projects including an Energiesprong scheme. She has experience that wraps in collective procurement as well as keeping the momentum up throughout lockdown. Part two up on Thursday.Tania has a keen insight into the many opportunities, as well as the difficulties, in trying to make our homes safer, warmer, and more efficient. Some of the references from the show.BE-ST Fest 2020Energiesprong in the UKRetrofit ReimaginedEnergiesprong in a day  That 2040 documentaryThe West London Alliance, the public sector partnership between seven West London local authorities of Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, and Hounslow. **SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.Join the AECB Join ACANSubscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)Email Alex and Dan about websites, branding, and communications (zap@eiux.agency; Everything is User Experience)**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**