The one with the godmothers of green buildings.
The Future We Build, A Brave Ideas network affiliated show featuring Alex Edds
In this special episode, Alex Edds returns to his roots with two remarkable leaders who shaped the beginning of his sustainability journey. Julie Hirigoyen (former CEO of UK GBC, now advisor to investors and property companies) and Sarah Ratcliffe (CEO of Better Buildings Partnership) were co-directors of Upstream, the consultancy Alex joined back in 2006.
The Future We Build - Season 1, Episode 2
Together, they reflect on 20 years of progress in real estate sustainability, from the creative, pioneering early days to today’s systematized approaches.
The conversation explores the tension between compliance and creativity, why we’re still only measuring half the carbon picture, and the critical need for place-based collaboration.
Julie and Sarah share their perspectives on what’s needed from industry leadership, the power of grassroots action, and why reconnecting with our dependency on nature might be the mindset shift we need most.
Key timestamps
[00:01:42] -Where It All Started
[00:02:35] - The Creativity Paradox - did sustainability become less creative as it became more mainstream?
[00:04:26] - The last 20 years: Awareness to Embedding
[00:09:00] - The Decarbonization Machine and the missing 50%
[00:12:51] - Will single asset owners struggle to be resilient
[00:20:20] - The Role of Industry Bodies
[00:21:46] - Radical Collaboration
[00:27:18] - The Politicization Problem
[00:29:21] - The Role of Government Certainty
[00:29:35] - Where We Are Now: Progress or Backward?
[00:34:10] - Where Do We Go From Here?
[00:35:25] - Getting Leadership Back on Board
[00:38:10] - Collective Leadership
[00:40:00] - Grassroots Hope
[00:42:06] - If You Could Change One Thing
Organizations mentioned:
Upstream (now part of JLL)
What you’ll learn aboutOperational vs. embodied carbon
Whole life carbon assessment
Place-based collaboration
Adaptation and resilience
Community Interest Companies (CICs)
Planetary boundaries
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