Buildings and construction account for 15% of global freshwater use. By 2030, a 40% gap between supply and demand is predicted, with over half the world’s population potentially lacking safe drinking water by 2050. As water availability declines amid urban growth and climate change, reducing demand, replenishing groundwater, and enhancing urban resilience are crucial. This webinar will explore water’s role in sustainable buildings, impacting wellbeing, energy efficiency, and climate adaptation.
Chair: Munish Datta – Fellow, University of Cambridge, Chair, CULS ESG & Sustainability Forum, Senior Advisor, BNP Paribas REIM, Director of Sustainability, Specsavers Group
Munish is Director of Sustainability at Specsavers and advises BNP Paribas Real Estate IM. As a Fellow at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and Judge Business School, he has collaborated with leaders from over 50 global businesses and start-ups. Munish also serves as a NED and trustee for Bioregional, Rama Foundation and Stephen Perse Foundation. His past roles include Director at UK Green Building Council and Head of Sustainability at Marks & Spencer.
Panellists
Kelly Hewson – Fisher – Director, Head of Rural Research, Savills Rural
Kelly is a conscientious, professional leader with 20 years environment, food and water sector experience, and a practical farming background. She has excellent stakeholder engagement skills with an extensive network. Kelly has proven project management skills, developing and delivering successfully monitored projects.
Kelly leads a team of 10 researchers providing insight and thought leadership for the rural sector across the UK.
Bryony Thorpe-Brennan – Head of Water Resources, Efficiency and Development, Defra
George Warren – Integrated Water Manager at Anglian Water
George Warren is the Integrated Water Manager at Anglian Water where he looks to bring together water resources, wastewater and environmental planning to identify more holistic water management opportunities across the Anglian region. George is an Environmental Engineer with twenty years of sustainable water management experience having worked within consultancy (both in the UK and Australia), Local Government and now within a water utility. George is a multi-award winner for his previous SuDS work, an EA appointed member of the Anglian Great Ouse Regional Flood and Coastal Committee and a member of UDL’s Environmental Design Review Panel.
Andrew Day – Sustainability Director, The Hill Group
Andrew Day, Sustainability Director, is responsible for ensuring Hill’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy is future-ready to 2030. He leads commercially sound project sustainability innovations to support the growth and continued success of the business.
Andrew has a strong understanding of the public and third sectors and is active on numerous committees and forums including the National House Building Council (NHBC) Foundation Expert Panel, the Future Homes Sustainability Steering Committee, and specialist workstreams including Embodied Carbon, Place & Nature, Water and Valuation & Lending. He is also a member of the Cambridge City Leaders Climate Change Group.
Before joining The Hill Group in October 2022, he was Sustainability Director at Telford Homes for nearly 6-years, and at Countryside Properties for more than 16-years, culminating in the role of Divisional Board Director for Architecture and Design, and Group Sustainability Director.
Please register here: https://savills.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hPaSEgDdSyeOEULo6M-VWQ
