Join our panel of experts.
Climate change is upon us. In the run up to COP26, this symposium aims to explore what this means for our Built Environment, and ultimately us. Calling upon a cross-section of the Construction Industry (from decision makers to delivery experts), we ask what the key challenges and opportunities are for reducing our impact on the planet in terms of Northern Irish Development.
Speakers
Dr Sarah Lappin, Head of Architecture – Queen’s University Belfast
Dr Lappin is the first woman to be appointed as Head of Architecture in the Queen’s University’s 55 year history. Dr Lappin, who trained at Columbia University in New York City and Princeton University, has taught history/theory, design and professional skills at Queen’s as well as being an active researcher. Dr Lappin is co-founder of the All-Ireland Architectural Research Group and is the past Chair of the Steering Group of the Architectural Humanities Research Association. From 2016-2019, Dr Lappin acted as the School of Natural and Built Environment’s Director of Post-graduate Education. She has won two Queen’s University Teaching Awards and is currently External Examiner at the Bartlett and Manchester Schools of Architecture. In 2019, the Queen’s School of Architecture declared a Climate Emergency and has been working to ensure Climate Action is considered in all modules across the school.
Jim Mulholland, Director – TODD
Jim is an Architect with over 17 years of experience working on a diverse range of project scales and typologies and now leads the education team across TODD Architect’s four studios. He is currently completing a two-year research project in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, KTP and Innovate UK which is focused on shared space and education design. In addition to this, Jim leads a diverse range of projects for private sector Clients which include Grade A office, multi-unit residential and BtR, student accommodation, industrial and adaptive re-use/conservation projects. Jim’s directorial responsibilities extend to developing the company’s response to climate change and leading the practice’s Dublin office, where he has been involved in its expansion over the past numbers of years. Outside of the practice Jim sits on the RSUA Procurement and Conservation committees, he has been an invited design critic and guest lecturer to undergraduate students at University of Ulster and Queen’s University Belfast and has been invited to speak at multiple conferences and webinars.
Patrick O’Gorman, Principal – Bywater Properties
Patrick is an owner of Bywater Properties; a privately owned UK property development and investment company. Patrick previously worked at CBRE for 10 years in both the London investment team and he headed up Central & Eastern European Capital Markets. Patrick lives in Belfast where Bywater have a number of investments and developments. The Bywater team are passionate about using innovation and design to reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment. This includes the development of Paradise; London’s largest carbon negative office building.
Conor Sreenan, Director of Strategy & Design – Grangegorman Development Agency
As one part of the diverse Agency team – and with a variety of development partners; advisors, design teams and building contractors – Conor supports the implementation of the c.30ha Grangegorman Masterplan for multiple project stakeholders. These stakeholders include the Health Service Executive, Technological University Dublin, the Department of Education and ultimately the existing and emerging communities within the Grangegorman neighbourhood. Prior to joining the Agency Conor led design teams in their delivery of award-winning building projects for a range of private and public sector clients, over a period of 15 years.
Lianne Taylor, Head of Environment – GRAHAM Group
Lianne is a practised Environmental and Sustainability professional with over 15 years’ experience and plays a key role in implementing and delivering the GRAHAM Environmental and Climate action strategies. She is a Chartered and Full member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), a Member of the Energy Institute (MEI) and is skilled in developing innovative solutions and influencing others toward positive change. Lianne possesses an excellent working knowledge of industry wide environmental standards and has helped GRAHAM to sustain a very successful record to date including leading the organisation to achieve a 30% reduction in CO2e emissions and obtaining a variety of industry awards.
Clare McKeown, Sustainable Development Manager – Belfast City Council
Clare has been at the forefront of climate policy implementation for almost 2 decades at both local and national level. As Senior Policy Advisor with the UK SD Commission in NI and subsequently Head of the Whitehall Team from 2005- 2012 she worked with Ministers and leading civil servants in both Whitehall and Stormont integrating environmental sustainability into government policy and processes. She also championed the adoption of environmental sustainability into the NI construction, energy, engineering, transport and industries and associated professional bodies. As result, she fostered a lasting strategic alliance among key business organisations to foster the growth of the low carbon economy. She now works within the Climate Team in Chief Executives Department of Belfast City Council leading on the energy transition in the city, which involves the establishment of new governance and political structures to manage the transition. These include the establishment of the Belfast Low Carbon Commission, Belfast Resilience and Sustainability Board and All Party Working Group on the Climate Crisis.