University of the Built Environment

What is our action plan for phasing out concrete? Mike interviews Martha Dillon, writer and policy researcher, about her research into the use of concrete in construction. Why do we continue to use a material we know is harmful and exploitative?

Listen to the podcast via: 

- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ucem/id1524980861

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Czk2mZlZmknjUZfwLmLTa

- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/universitycollegeofestatemanagement

The topics discussed in this episode include:

Is our sector doing enough to cater for people with accessibility needs?

Almost a quarter of the UK’s population have a disability, yet the buildings we live, work and play in are still far from accessible and inclusive in their design and operation.

To explore this topic further, Adrian Tagg, Lead for Building Surveying at the University of Reading, joins us for a two-part episode informed by his extensive research into built environment accessibility. 

Listen to the podcast via:

- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ucem/id1524980861 
...

Is our sector doing enough to cater for people with accessibility needs?

Almost a quarter of the UK’s population have a disability, yet the buildings we live, work and play in are still far from accessible and inclusive in their design and operation.

To explore this topic further, Adrian Tagg, Lead for Building Surveying at the University of Reading, joins us for a two-part episode informed by his extensive research into built environment accessibility. 

Listen to the podcast via:

- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ucem/id1524980861 
...

The built environment comprises a diverse and exciting range of sectors, but there is still a lack of representation at every level. We want this to change.

‘Be Part of the Change’ aims to celebrate the incredible success stories of our under-represented students, apprentices and alumni, as well as highlighting their challenges.

It’s also an opportunity to highlight the positive practices our employers are actioning within their organisations to inspire other companies in their approach.

The tenth episode of the Be Part of the Change podcast has been released in April...

For all the emphasis our sector places on shiny new tools and materials, we'll only be able to realise a sustainable built environment if we successfully engage one thing: people.

In the latest two-part feature of the BE Sustainable podcast, Mike Speight is joined by Jenny Davidson and Sheri-Leigh Miles, co-hosts of the Sustainability Sprints podcast. With their expertise they explore the challenges of embedding and operationalising sustainability at both an organisational level and across the sector as a whole, and how helping people identify what sustainability means to them is the key to driving change. 

For all the emphasis our sector places on shiny new tools and materials, we'll only be able to realise a sustainable built environment if we successfully engage one thing: people.

In the latest two-part feature of the BE Sustainable podcast, Mike Speight is joined by Jenny Davidson and Sheri-Leigh Miles, co-hosts of the Sustainability Sprints podcast. With their expertise they explore the challenges of embedding and operationalising sustainability at both an organisational level and across the sector as a whole, and how helping people identify what sustainability means to them is the key to driving change. 

The built environment comprises a diverse and exciting range of sectors, but there is still a lack of representation at every level. We want this to change.

‘Be Part of the Change’ is an awareness campaign with the purpose of celebrating the incredible success stories of our under-represented students, apprentices and alumni, as well as highlighting their challenges.

It’s also an opportunity to highlight the positive practices our employers are actioning within their organisations to inspire other companies in their approach.

In the ninth episode of our Be Part of the Ch...

In the third instalment of our three-part feature with Jason Ratcliffe, TedX Organiser, founder of The Home Health Expert and alumni of UCEM, we turn our attention to major challenge fuelling the wellbeing crisis in the built environment – the skills gap.

Together with our host, Mike Speight, the two explore how our sector can do a better job attracting more young people to professions like architecture, construction and real estate, and what the next generation should look for and expect from employers.

The topics discussed in this episode include:

- What do you se...

Do we understand the impact the built environment has on our physical and mental health? Jason Ratcliffe, TedX Organiser, founder of The Home Health Expert and alumni of UCEM, doesn’t think so.

For part two of our three-episode feature with Jason on the BE Sustainable Podcast, we take the previous episode’s topic of the built environment’s impact on wellbeing and explore it on a national scale. What does building well actually mean, and how can wellbeing be implemented through regulation into the building lifecycle?

The topics discussed in this episode include:

...

Do we understand the impact the built environment has on our physical and mental health? Jason Ratcliffe, TedX Organiser, founder of The Home Health Expert and alumni of UCEM, doesn’t think so.

In the first of this three-part feature of the BE Sustainable podcast, Jason joins our host, Mike Speight, to dive into the relationship between human health and the buildings we inhabit, and how this remaining unexplored is affecting our daily lives.

The topics discussed in this episode include:

- How is the built environment impacting our health and wellbeing?
...

The built environment comprises a diverse and exciting range of sectors, but there is still a lack of representation at every level. We want this to change.

‘Be Part of the Change’ is an awareness campaign with the purpose of celebrating the incredible success stories of our under-represented students, apprentices and alumni, as well as highlighting their challenges.

It’s also an opportunity to highlight the positive practices our employers are actioning within their organisations to inspire other companies in their approach.

The eighth episode of our Be Part of the Change...

Seven years on from the Grenfell Tower Fire that claimed 72 lives on 14 June 2017, the disappointing blame game that has arisen in the built environment has delivered one sobering home truth – the lack of accountability, leadership and responsibility in the sector. 

This latest, two-part feature of the BE Sustainable follows on from our previous conversation with UCEM’s Vice Chancellor Ashley Wheaton on the purpose of the built environment. This month, Mike Speight is joined by Dame Judith Hackitt and Marc Fleming, and together they dive deeper into how this lack of uniform identity is playing out in the i...

Seven years on from the Grenfell Tower Fire that claimed 72 lives on 14 June 2017, the disappointing blame game that has arisen in the built environment has delivered one sobering home truth – the lack of accountability, leadership and responsibility in the sector. 

This latest, two-part feature of the BE Sustainable follows on from our previous conversation with UCEM’s Vice Chancellor Ashley Wheaton on the purpose of the built environment. This month, Mike Speight is joined by Dame Judith Hackitt and Marc Fleming, and together they dive deeper into how this lack of uniform identity is playing out in the i...

Does the built environment actually understand and recognise its role in society?

Most professionals would point to their responsibilities and the role of their function in the building lifecycle when asked to define their purpose. But does this perception fail to consider our sector’s considerable impact on the lives of its inhabits and its role in the climate crisis?

In the latest episode of BE Sustainable, our host Mike Speight is joined by Ashley Wheaton, Vice Chancellor of UCEM. Together they dive into how some of the biggest challenges facing the sector, from sustainability to...

The built environment comprises a diverse and exciting range of sectors, but there is still a lack of representation at every level. We want this to change.

‘Be Part of the Change’ is an awareness campaign with the purpose of celebrating the incredible success stories of our under-represented students, apprentices and alumni, as well as highlighting their challenges.

It’s also an opportunity to highlight the positive practices our employers are actioning within their organisations to inspire other companies in their approach.

In the seventh episode of our Be Part of the Ch...

The built environment comprises a diverse and exciting range of sectors, but there is still a lack of representation at every level. We want this to change.

‘Be Part of the Change’ is an awareness campaign with the purpose of celebrating the incredible success stories of our under-represented students, apprentices and alumni, as well as highlighting their challenges.

It’s also an opportunity to highlight the positive practices our employers are actioning within their organisations to inspire other companies in their approach.

In the sixth episode of our Be Part of the Ch...

The built environment comprises a diverse and exciting range of sectors, but there is still a lack of representation at every level. We want this to change.

‘Be Part of the Change’ is an awareness campaign with the purpose of celebrating the incredible success stories of our under-represented students, apprentices and alumni, as well as highlighting their challenges.

It’s also an opportunity to highlight the positive practices our employers are actioning within their organisations to inspire other companies in their approach.

In the fifth episode of our Be Part of the Ch...

The built environment isn’t a sector typically associated with innovation, but as the pressure to address our role in the climate crisis grows, does this need to change?

In the latest episode of BE Sustainable, Professor Graeme Larsen returns to explore the challenge of bringing new innovations into the mainstream in our sector. From restriction and regulatory uncertainty to skills shortages and perceived risks, Graeme and our host, Mike Speight, dive into the barriers – and potential solutions – to our sector’s need to embrace, support and enable innovation.

Subscribe now via:

- Apple Po...

In this follow-up episode of BE Sustainable, our experts Dr Pippa Boyd and Dr Ankit Singh get into the nitty-gritty of turning circular economy concepts into reality within the built environment. 

From navigating the complexities of circular economy management to pioneering innovative business models, our guests discuss how standardisation, material passports, and even second-hand markets could be the answer the built environment needs. They also unpack the tricky question of regulation – who should be leading this change? And how can we ensure innovation in building design isn’t stifled along the way? 

Subscribe now via:
...

What if the buildings we live and work in could be designed to last forever? This episode of BE Sustainable explores the potential of the circular economy in the built environment. Joined by experts Dr Ankit Singh and Dr Pippa Boyd, they discuss how we can shift from the traditional "take, make, break" model to one where materials are reused, repurposed, and regenerated. 

Our guests highlight examples of this principle in practice, critically examine the role of material hierarchies and discuss the real challenges and benefits of implementing the concept of circular economy within the built environment. W...

The built environment comprises a diverse and exciting range of sectors, but there is still a lack of representation at every level. We want this to change.

‘Be Part of the Change’ is an awareness campaign with the purpose of celebrating the incredible success stories of our under-represented students, apprentices and alumni, as well as highlighting their challenges.

It’s also an opportunity to highlight the positive practices our employers are actioning within their organisations to inspire other companies in their approach.

In the fourth episode of our Be Part of the Ch...

In a world of endless possibilities, Marc Fleming and Fred Mills shift the conversation from what we could achieve to what we should. The Line in Saudi Arabia is one of the most interesting, polarising and ambitious urban projects of our time. It promises to revolutionise urban living whilst raising a multitude of questions and concerns for both construction and architecture enthusiasts.  

Our guests discuss the feasibility, sustainability, and ethical implications of this groundbreaking project. They delve into the historical roots of linear cities, examine the technological challenges, and explore the potential for such a...

Retrofitting is the art of breathing new life into existing buildings. It goes beyond simple maintenance and repair. In this episode of BE Sustainable, Dr James Ritson explores the ‘hot topic’ within the built environment in the last few years.  

With 80% of the buildings we’ll see in 2050 already standing, the urgency of retrofitting could not be any clearer. While policymakers view it as a silver bullet for energy efficiency and sustainability, the reality is far more complex.  

Join Dr Ritson as he discusses how the idea has been coveted as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, yet, the policies...

The built environment comprises a diverse and exciting range of sectors, but there is still a lack of representation at every level. We want this to change.

‘Be Part of the Change’ is an awareness campaign with the purpose of celebrating the incredible success stories of our under-represented students, apprentices and alumni, as well as highlighting their challenges.

It’s also an opportunity to highlight the positive practices our employers are actioning within their organisations to inspire other companies in their approach.

In the third episode of our Be Part of the Ch...

Is the Brundtland definition of sustainability useful in today’s complex landscape? Or is creating one universal definition of sustainability an impossible feat? 

In the first episode of BE Sustainable, our host Mike Speight is joined by guests Dr Graeme Larsen and Dr James Ritson. From global challenges to individual priorities, they explore the limitations of singular definitions of sustainability, and navigate the intricacies of the field in the built environment.  

Subscribe now via: 

- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ucem/id1524980861
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/s...

Is the Brundtland definition of sustainability useful in today’s complex landscape? Or is creating one universal definition of sustainability an impossible feat? 

In the first episode of BE Sustainable, our host Mike Speight is joined by guests Dr Graeme Larsen and Dr James Ritson. From global challenges to individual priorities, they explore the limitations of singular definitions of sustainability, and navigate the intricacies of the field in the built environment.  

Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. 

Guests
  

Dr Graeme Larsen  

The built environment comprises a diverse and exciting range of sectors, but there is still a lack of representation at every level. We want this to change.

‘Be Part of the Change’ is an awareness campaign with the purpose of celebrating the incredible success stories of our under-represented students, apprentices and alumni, as well as highlighting their challenges.

It’s also an opportunity to highlight the positive practices our employers are actioning within their organisations to inspire other companies in their approach.

In the second episode of our new Be Part of the...

The built environment comprises a diverse and exciting range of sectors, but there is still a lack of representation at every level. We want this to change.

'Be Part of the Change’ is an awareness campaign with the purpose of celebrating the incredible success stories of our under-represented students, apprentices and alumni, as well as highlighting their challenges.

It's also an opportunity to highlight the positive practices our employers are actioning within their organisations to inspire other companies in their approach.

In the opening episode of our new Be Pa...

What is the role of a quantity surveyor? What different roles are there in the profession? And what’s the best thing about working in quantity surveying? Fielding these questions, as well as discussing her programme and who it might benefit, is our BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying Programme Leader, Priti Lodhia. Listen to our seven-minute podcast, with UCEM PR and Social Media Manager, Andrew Belt, asking the questions

What, traditionally, has the role of a construction manager entailed? How is the role changing? What role does technology play in this? To answer these questions and more, including how our BSc (Hons) Construction Management programme can support you in your progression in the role, listen to our short podcast with UCEM BSc (Hons) Construction Management Programme Leader and Associate Dean – Sustainability, Dr Graeme Larsen. Listen to our podcast, with UCEM PR and Social Media Manager, Andrew Belt, asking the questions.

In the eighth episode of the Digging Deeper podcast, UCEM PR and social media manager, Andrew Belt, is joined by UCEM apprentices on the BSc (Hons) Building Control programme, Kate Andrews and Deborah Ferro. To learn more about their roles, the apprenticeship and what they love about working in building control, listen in to the podcast.

The diversity of an industry is a key consideration when deciding what kind of career you wish to pursue. This plays a part in how welcoming you would judge a workplace. As it’s National Careers Week, we wanted to explore diversity in the built environment and, with the help of three leaders in this space, we look at the topic in more detail in this podcast. This podcast seeks to ascertain how diverse the built environment is, why diversity matters and what can be done to create a diverse professional pool in th...

The final episode of our ‘history of LGBT spaces in London’ podcast series, launched to coincide with LGBT+ History Month this February, examines the recent decline in numbers of LGBTQ+ spaces in the capital. Part 1 of this episode sees our digital communications officer, Eliza White, provide an introduction and touch upon the myriad of reasons as to why the number of LGBTQ+ spaces in London is declining. Shaftesbury PLC chief executive, Brian Bickell, then joins UCEM PR and social media manager, Andrew Belt, to provide a real estate perspective on this decline, including what...

Episode 3 of our ‘history of LGBT spaces in London’ podcast series, launched to coincide with LGBT+ History Month this February, focuses on the area of Soho. Having looked at Vauxhall’s role as a hub for the LGBTQ+ community from the 18th century up until the present day in the previous episode, here, UCEM’s digital communications officer, Eliza White, turns her focus to Soho, debunking the perception of the area being ‘seedy’, sharing her research on the role it has played for the LGBTQ+ community over time and examining what role it might play i...

Episode 2 of our ‘history of LGBT spaces in London’ podcast series, launched to coincide with LGBT+ History Month this February, focuses on the district of Vauxhall. The episode is split into three parts, with UCEM’s digital communications officer, Eliza White, who came up with the idea for the series, sharing her research with UCEM PR and social media manager, Andrew Belt, in part 1 on Vauxhall’s role as a hub for the LGBTQ+ community from the 18th century up until the present day. Part 2 sees James Lindsay, the CEO and managing director...

To mark LGBT+ History Month this February, we are launching a four-part podcast series looking at the history of LGBT spaces in London. The brainchild of our digital communications officer, Eliza White, the series will examine a couple of case studies and end with a look at the role which LGBTQ+ spaces play today in the capital. In the first episode, Eliza comments on the educational role of the awareness month, explains the inspiration for the series and provides an insight into what’s to follow in the next three episodes.

Episode 11 of our ‘UCEM in conversation with…’ series sees UCEM'S Events and Communications Manager, Hannah Peck, talk to Jess Austen and Frankie Andrews from CBRE about all things apprenticeship. 
Jess was one of the first apprentices to study with UCEM so we wanted to ask her about her experience and what it's like now that she's graduated, got her APC and is working full-time with CBRE. Frankie is Associate Director – Talent, Learning and Development for CBRE and is responsible for managing their interns, grads and apprentices.

With the dust settling on COP26,  we are reflecting on the event and one of the questions posed in the media was whether the UK was the right choice of host. We got our building surveying programme leader, James Ritson, and CertHE programme leader, Hazel Lobo, to debate as to whether the UK was a good or bad host. James argued on behalf of the statement ‘the UK was a good host’ and Hazel argued in favour of the statement ‘the UK was a bad host’, with UCEM PR and social media manager, Andrew Belt, chairing the debate...

Episode 7 of Digging Deeper is all about networking. The built environment can be a daunting place to enter if you don't know where to start or who to approach for an introduction. It can also be hard to know how best to work your way up the career ladder once you're in it. We wanted to help you with some of these dilemmas so we invited four guests - Sarah Hayford, Will Kintish, Karen Rogers and Kelly Smith - onto our podcast to talk to us about their insights, tips and advice on networking.  Sarah Hayford is t...

Which stakeholder group holds the most responsibility for driving sustainability in the built environment? Is it legislators, investors, contractors or consumers? Four members of our academic team argued on behalf of each of the stakeholder groups to help answer these questions. Our CertHE programme leader, Hazel Lobo, argued on behalf of legislators; our real estate programme leader, David Hourihan, argued on behalf of investors; our building surveying programme leader, James Ritson, argued on behalf of contractors; and our tutor, Janet Hontoir, argued on behalf of consumers. UCEM PR and social media manager, Andrew Belt, chaired the 30-minute d...