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Programme
For 2022 we again brought together a mix of speakers from large and small organisations in the public, private and third sector looking at all aspects of Sustainability and Climate Change including Energy, Transport, the Circular Economy , Construction, Finance and more. Looking at both the Challenges and the Solutions. With the aim being for participants to have the opportunity to network, share knowledge and hear from some great speakers.
Unfortunately our Keynote Speaker Jo Jo Mehta couldn’t be at the event in person due to a last minute changes however she did record an inspiring piece which can be found on the ‘Presentations’ tab below
Jojo Mehta Co-Founder and Executive Director Stop Ecocide International
‘Recognising ecocide: legal parameters to frame strategic positive change’
Jojo co-founded Stop Ecocide in 2017, alongside barrister and legal pioneer the late Polly Higgins, to support the establishment of ecocide as a crime at the International Criminal Court.
As key spokesperson and Executive Director of Stop Ecocide International, Jojo has overseen the remarkable growth of the movement (teams in 15 countries, websites in 9 languages) while coordinating between legal developments, diplomatic traction and public narrative.
For the full programme and the presentations see the tabs below
Exhibitors
Kier Construction, United Living Property Services , EnTRESS, Wates Living Space , RSA, David Middleton Books, Coventry and Birmingham Solar Mapping, Soltherm/Surefire, whg and University of Birmingham
As well as honouring David’s memory and providing a forum for those interested in sustainability we were also delighted to donate £6,093 to WaterAid
You can find out more at www.wateraid.org’
The David Middleton Sustainability Conference is supporting WaterAid to honour David’s tireless work on Sustainability. WaterAid aims to change lives with clean water. David recognised this vital issue with one of his novels highlighting the serious impact of Climate Change on Water Supply (The Acionna Projects )
If you wish to get involved as a Sponsor or Exhibitor at the 2023 conference please do get in touch
jacqui.staunton@climate-change-solutions.co.uk
Presentations
Please click on the speaker name to access the presentation
Programme
08:15am onwards Registration , Refreshments and Exhibition
09:00am Welcome
Professor Martin Freer Birmingham Energy Institute University of Birmingham
Jasson Longhurst Chair UKBCSD
‘A Tribute to David’
Keynote Speaker
Jojo Mehta Co-Founder and Executive Director
Stop Ecocide International
‘Recognising ecocide: legal parameters to frame strategic positive change’
Announcement of the Winner of the
David Middleton Sustainability Award
Paul Dockerill Director of Energy and Programme Management whg
‘Sustainability in Social Housing’
Ben Williams Head of Zero Carbon Retrofit Wates Property Services
Darren Snaith Director of Net Zero Soltherm/ Surefire
Anna Bright Chief Executive Sustainability West Midlands (SWM)
‘Sustainability West Midlands – Success Stories from the Region’
Nathan Quintanilla Firefly Films
10:45 – 11:15 Break
Professor Rashid Gatrad OBE Consultant Paediatrician & Founder WASUP ( World Against Single Use Plastic ) and the David Middleton Sustainability Award Winner 2021
‘For the sake of our children – globally’
Matt Howells Technical Decarbonisation Manager Kier Places
‘Kier – Sustainable Retrofit’
Nat Ortiz Senior Designer RSA
‘Design for Life’
Andy Merrin Innovation & Decarbonisation Director United Living Property Services Ltd
‘Whole House Retrofit – Lessons Learned and Next Steps’
Adam Smith CEO Surplus 2 Purpose / Founder Real Junk Food Project ( virtual)
‘Let’s REALLY Feed the World’
Mike Leonard CEO Building Alliance
‘Future Homes Research Centre’
Professor Martin Freer Birmingham Energy Institute University of Birmingham
‘Tyseley Energy Park’
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch , Exhibition and Networking
In the afternoon we have the following Discussion Groups
Facilitated by Chris Crean Regional Campaigner Friends of the Earth
Mossen Randeree Senior Project Coordinator Birmingham Energy Institute
‘Education’
Debbie Ward Director CEC/Cirklo/EnTRESS
‘Circularity’
Clare Ollerenshaw Associate Director Accelar /CEC
‘Net Zero Carbon Journey’
Jon Bloomfield Honorary Research Fellow University of Birmingham
‘Building the Broad Alliances for Climate Change’
Beate Pesian Director Worksmith
‘How to get Green Jobs’
David Smith Head of Business Partnerships SEC
‘Sustainable Housing’
Katie Jepson Environmental Behaviour Change Project Officer WMCA & Matthew Griffin Environmental Project Officer WMCA
‘Free Carbon Literacy training as a post Commonwealth Games legacy’
Nancy Toure Solar Consultant 4 Rays Solar
‘Opportunities for Roof Top Solar’
Birmingham Energy Institute – University of Birmingham
Birmingham Energy Institute (BEI) is developing and applying technological innovation, original thinking and new ways of working to create sustainable energy solutions and support the regional, national and global transition to a zero carbon energy system.
We are driving change in the way we deliver, consume and think about energy. Bringing together interdisciplinary research from across the University of Birmingham and working with government, industry and international partners our research is solving societal issues and addressing energy challenges.
ATETA, the European Regional Development Funded SME support programme from the Birmingham Energy Institute is helping organisations overcome obstacles and unlock business opportunities. Since its launch in 2017 it has offered advice and support to more than 160 businesses.
ATETA promotes research and innovation in the adoption of low carbon energy technologies for SME’s active in the Black Country, Coventry, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership Areas.
Website: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/energy/research/ateta.aspx
Contact: Dr Emily Prestwood, Development Manager, Birmingham Energy Institute
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/energy/index.aspx
Email: Evelyn Phoenix, ATETA Business Engagement Officer e.phoenix@bham.ac.uk
Sureena Sohal, ATETA Project Manager
Kier Places
We understand the fundamental role retrofitting the UK’s homes and buildings plays in reducing carbon, and we’re here to help our clients achieve their sustainability targets.
At Kier we call it Sustainable Retrofit – providing tailored solutions to help local authorities, housing associations and businesses with their carbon reduction strategies.
https://www.kier.co.uk/expertise/construction/sustainable-retrofit/
RSA
The RSA, the royal society for arts, manufactures and commerce. We’re committed to a future that works for everyone. A future where we can all participate in its creation.
The RSA has been at the forefront of significant social impact for over 260 years. Our proven change process, rigorous research, innovative ideas platforms and diverse global community of over 30,000 problem-solvers, deliver solutions for lasting change.
One of our current key areas of work is around regenerative futures, which focuses on facing the challenges of climate change, inequality and environmental degradation, we know to simply sustain is not enough. We want to see a world where people and communities harness their potential to be sources of health and regeneration for all life on earth.
Because people and planetary needs are intertwined, our problem solving should be too. We need to regenerate.
Soltherm External Insulations/Surefire Management Services
Soltherm are producers of the highest quality EWI and thermal insulation systems in the world. We have been manufacturing products in house on the most advanced production line in Europe for more than 25 years.
We are engineering led with a R&D department unique to the EWI industry. With an ongoing commitment to innovation and improvement we have produced a fully certified A1 fire rated system and have a 75 year approved system to name but a few.
SMS procurement services are designed to bring genuine efficiencies to work programmes without sacrificing the level of choice and compliance you expect. SMS provide a robust framework and consultancy services to deliver excellent quality retrofit work across the UK.
SMS offer a full turnkey package from writing and submitting any bids to delivering the works. Working with homeowners and local authorities to make their homes warmer and smarter whilst improving energy efficiency.
Tyseley Energy Park
Tyseley Energy Park is committed to delivering low and zero carbon power, transport, heat, waste and recycling solutions for a greener, cleaner, healthier Birmingham.
Harnessing the vision, passion and innovation of industry, academics, local government and located on the site of a 300 year old business, TEP is focused on:
- generating low and zero carbon energy and fuels from waste
- producing low and zero carbon transport fuels including Hydrogen, Electric charging, Biogas and Bio Diesel / GTL
- innovating clean technology business through direct access to world class, research, testing and laboratory facilities at the University of Birmingham’s Energy Innovation Centre
- leading the low carbon heating agenda via the National Centre for the Decarbonisation of Heat
- incubating companies/technologies through the Energy Incubation Hub that will shape the future of:
- fuel cell and hydrogen production
- smart grids
- decarbonisation of heating and cooling
- and recycling critical materials, e.g. rare earth metals
- influencing and shaping regional policy to support clean growth and driving change
TEP’s legacy will be one that: sees greater engagement with and increased employment in low carbon industries. Stimulating innovation, demonstrating new technologies and creating commercially viable energy system solutions that positively contribute to local communities and the citizens of Birmingham’s whilst reducing CO2 emissions by 2030.
United Living
United Living are place makers, driven by our strong company values that focus on delivering our customers’ expectations, addressing their challenges and leaving behind a positive legacy. We provide the essential services to the owners and operators of critical UK property and infrastructure assets, creating the communities where people want to live, work and play.
Delivered through our three complementary businesses, we keep our customers at the heart of everything we do and create green spaces that promote safe and inclusive environments for the generation of today and in the future.
Our scale gives us the ability to accept big challenges and build mutually beneficial partnerships, whilst thinking locally, working with our customers to deliver services and infrastructure that will stand the test of time. Our purpose is about making progress, safely, towards a sustainable future for our people, our communities and our business – it’s the United Living way
Tel: 01322 665522
Email: info@unitedliving.co.uk
Wates Living Space
Wates Living Space is one of the leading providers of strategic asset management solutions, delivering planned and responsive maintenance, fire safety works and zero carbon retrofitting services to local authority and housing associations across the UK.
As a trusted partner of over 60 social housing providers, we maintain in excess of 500,000 homes every year and have completed fire safety and cladding improvements to more than 200 tower blocks.
We are leaders in the zero-carbon retrofitting of social housing and in June 2022, we launched Wates Retrofit, our PAS2035 compliant, end-to-end, whole-house retrofit service to support social housing landlords in meeting the Government’s target for all social housing to achieve an EPC C and above by 2030.
To date, we have completed or are in the process of delivering over 1,400 properties to EPC C or above for client’s customers across the country
www.wates.co.uk
whg
We are privileged to provide affordable homes, quality services and support to people across the Midlands. Climate change will inevitably become an even more pressing issue as the world heats up so the commitment to significantly reduce our impact is vital as homes have a major impact on the environment – this is particularly pertinent to our older homes. Our portfolio of corporate and communal property, fleet and grey fleet also has a significant environmental impact as a result of the need to consume energy and fuel. We have made a commitment to develop a road map to achieve carbon neutral status.
We also see the importance of maintaining the ISO14001 Environmental Management Standard as a bench march for overseeing organisational compliance with all applicable legislation and monitoring the progress being made to achieve our environmental objectives. We are delighted to continue with our active support and sponsorship with the conference.
Birmingham City University
Birmingham City University (BCU) has close to 27,000 students from over 100 different countries, creating a diverse place to study and research in the heart of Birmingham.
Our focus on practice-based learning and applied research supports the transition to net zero and sustainability.
Our industry-based research includes:
- Developing systems for biofuels, understanding bioresources and developing the bioeconomy, including biomethane as a transition fuel.
- Transforming the Building Life Cycle by working with construction businesses and housing developers on reducing embedded carbon in materials, life-cycle-analysis
Using Data Analytics and AI to develop smarter retrofit tools and modelling energy data. The Ecrofit ERDF project particularly works with 90 SMEs to improve data analytics skills for building energy assessors and engineers and drive innovation in companies through research collaborations
https://www.bcu.ac.uk/business
Birmingham Energy Institute – University of Birmingham
Birmingham Energy Institute (BEI) is developing and applying technological innovation, original thinking and new ways of working to create sustainable energy solutions and support the regional, national and global transition to a zero carbon energy system.
We are driving change in the way we deliver, consume and think about energy. Bringing together interdisciplinary research from across the University of Birmingham and working with government, industry and international partners our research is solving societal issues and addressing energy challenges.
ATETA, the European Regional Development Funded SME support programme from the Birmingham Energy Institute is helping organisations overcome obstacles and unlock business opportunities. Since its launch in 2017 it has offered advice and support to more than 160 businesses.
ATETA promotes research and innovation in the adoption of low carbon energy technologies for SME’s active in the Black Country, Coventry, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership Areas.
Website: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/energy/research/ateta.aspx
Contact: Dr Emily Prestwood, Development Manager, Birmingham Energy Institute
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/energy/index.aspx
Email: Evelyn Phoenix, ATETA Business Engagement Officer e.phoenix@bham.ac.uk
Sureena Sohal, ATETA Project Manager
David Middleton Books
Why David wrote his 4 novels? In the widely acclaimed documentary film by Leonardo DiCaprio, “Before the Flood”, both former President Obama and the late astronaut Dr Piers Sellers said there is a dire need to inform and educate the public about climate change
Before he retired as CEO of the UK branch of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and of the Midlands Environmental Business Club, the UK Midlands’ major business network on sustainable development, David spent nearly 25 years trying to promote the subject of climate change amongst other key challenges confronting our species.
Having retired, he found a new vehicle to promote his feelings and concerns about the issues facing our planet. He turned to writing Bond-like thrillers with a different sustainability theme running through each one . They are a weave of truth and fiction. Please support his lifetime efforts
EnTRESS (Environmental Technologies & Resource Efficiency Support Service)
Providing fully funded (free) business support through the European Regional Development Funding to eligible SMEs within the Black Country and Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire LEP regions, drawing on a pool of academic knowledge and research from across the University of Wolverhampton.
Team specialisms include renewable energy, the circular economy, carbon footprinting, building physics and behavior change. Support can include environmental assessments, sustainable marketing, energy efficiency audits or assistance with the adoption of circular economy/net zero practices all targeted at improving your bottom line.
Access to technical equipment including a Matterport Pro 2 camera, FLIR thermal imaging camera, One Click LCA software, Tiny Tag Energy Logger, Spectis Touch Flicker Light Meter and air compression system leak detector
https://www.wlv.ac.uk/business-services/funding-and-support/entress/
Kier Places
We understand the fundamental role retrofitting the UK’s homes and buildings plays in reducing carbon, and we’re here to help our clients achieve their sustainability targets.
At Kier we call it Sustainable Retrofit – providing tailored solutions to help local authorities, housing associations and businesses with their carbon reduction strategies.
https://www.kier.co.uk/expertise/construction/sustainable-retrofit/
REPC
Established in 2003, Repc Ltd is a social enterprise that specialises in repurposing IT equipment for reuse in communities across the UK, reducing digital poverty and protecting the environment by preventing unwanted electronic equipment from ending in landfill.We collect unwanted IT from government departments, business, and organisations, providing secure data wiping, certification, and audit reporting before repurposing the equipment for reuse by our most vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals.Digital poverty existed before COVID19, and it will exist after the pandemic. However, lockdowns helped to expose the severity of the problem, particular among deprived communities. In response, Repc are now working with more partners to provide more IT resources to wider range of social needs, including tackling loneliness and isolation among the elderly, veterans, people with disabilities, students from disadvantaged backgrounds seeking further/higher education or wanting to improve their chances of employment.You can find out more about our services or become a donor on our website: www.repcltd.co.uk
RSA
The RSA, the royal society for arts, manufactures and commerce. We’re committed to a future that works for everyone. A future where we can all participate in its creation.
The RSA has been at the forefront of significant social impact for over 260 years. Our proven change process, rigorous research, innovative ideas platforms and diverse global community of over 30,000 problem-solvers, deliver solutions for lasting change.
One of our current key areas of work is around regenerative futures, which focuses on facing the challenges of climate change, inequality and environmental degradation, we know to simply sustain is not enough. We want to see a world where people and communities harness their potential to be sources of health and regeneration for all life on earth.
Because people and planetary needs are intertwined, our problem solving should be too. We need to regenerate.
Soltherm External Insulations Ltd/Surefire Management Services LTD
Soltherm are producers of the highest quality EWI and thermal insulation systems in the world. We have been manufacturing products in house on the most advanced production line in Europe for more than 25 years.
We are engineering led with a R&D department unique to the EWI industry. With an ongoing commitment to innovation and improvement we have produced a fully certified A1 fire rated system and have a 75 year approved system to name but a few.
SMS procurement services are designed to bring genuine efficiencies to work programmes without sacrificing the level of choice and compliance you expect. SMS provide a robust framework and consultancy services to deliver excellent quality retrofit work across the UK.
SMS offer a full turnkey package from writing and submitting any bids to delivering the works. Working with homeowners and local authorities to make their homes warmer and smarter whilst improving energy efficiency.
United Living
United Living are place makers, driven by our strong company values that focus on delivering our customers’ expectations, addressing their challenges and leaving behind a positive legacy. We provide the essential services to the owners and operators of critical UK property and infrastructure assets, creating the communities where people want to live, work and play.
Delivered through our three complementary businesses, we keep our customers at the heart of everything we do and create green spaces that promote safe and inclusive environments for the generation of today and in the future.
Our scale gives us the ability to accept big challenges and build mutually beneficial partnerships, whilst thinking locally, working with our customers to deliver services and infrastructure that will stand the test of time. Our purpose is about making progress, safely, towards a sustainable future for our people, our communities and our business – it’s the United Living way
Tel: 01322 665522
Email: info@unitedliving.co.uk
Wates Living Space
Wates Living Space is one of the leading providers of strategic asset management solutions, delivering planned and responsive maintenance, fire safety works and zero carbon retrofitting services to local authority and housing associations across the UK.
As a trusted partner of over 60 social housing providers, we maintain in excess of 500,000 homes every year and have completed fire safety and cladding improvements to more than 200 tower blocks.
We are leaders in the zero-carbon retrofitting of social housing and in June 2022, we launched Wates Retrofit, our PAS2035 compliant, end-to-end, whole-house retrofit service to support social housing landlords in meeting the Government’s target for all social housing to achieve an EPC C and above by 2030.
To date, we have completed or are in the process of delivering over 1,400 properties to EPC C or above for client’s customers across the country
www.wates.co.uk
whg
We are privileged to provide affordable homes, quality services and support to people across the Midlands. Climate change will inevitably become an even more pressing issue as the world heats up so the commitment to significantly reduce our impact is vital as homes have a major impact on the environment – this is particularly pertinent to our older homes. Our portfolio of corporate and communal property, fleet and grey fleet also has a significant environmental impact as a result of the need to consume energy and fuel. We have made a commitment to develop a road map to achieve carbon neutral status.
We also see the importance of maintaining the ISO14001 Environmental Management Standard as a bench march for overseeing organisational compliance with all applicable legislation and monitoring the progress being made to achieve our environmental objectives. We are delighted to continue with our active support and sponsorship with the conference.
David Middleton Sustainability Award
David Middleton sadly passed away in May 2020. David was a stalwart supporter of the Sustainability movement for many years. He helped launch the Midlands Environmental Business Club in 1991 and was also the CEO of the UK Branch of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Even after retiring in 2013 David continued to demonstrate his enormous enthusiasm and passion for Sustainability including setting up and running the annual Sustainability conference in Birmingham and writing a series of 4 fast moving adventure stories with central themes based on various elements of sustainable development.
David’s colleagues and friends in the sustainability industry, together with his family, established this award in his memory. The David Middleton Sustainability Award will be presented to recognise and encourage similar passion, enthusiasm, and outstanding commitment to sustainable development.
The David Middleton Sustainability Award is given to an individual who has either developed practical solutions or an innovative product or delivered a sustainability programme within their organisation or has brought people together in a collaborative way to deliver sustainability. The award is open to individuals working in organisations of any size in the UK.
The Winner of the 2022 David Middleton Sustainability Award is
Agnes Czako
Co-founder and CEO Air Ex Technologies
Agnes is the Co – Founder and CEO of a London based technology start up AirEx, an innovative company whose product helps reduce heat demand whilst managing moisture in homes. Commercially launched in 2020 with 5000 already deployed in homes across the country , helping 800 fuel poor families reduce their fuel bills and reducing emissions by 4,500 tCO2 . A well deserved winner
‘The Winner of the Award gets the opportunity to speak at the following years event so we are looking forward to Welcoming Agnes Czako to the 2023 event
The Runners Up were
Jennifer Carless
‘The International Plastic Queen’ – a tireless campaigner for WASUP – she has contributed immensely to the growth, progress and development of WASUP both here in the UK and internationally ( WASUP for those that don’t know stands for World Against Single Use Plastic ) Working with schools in the UK and internationally particularly in Pakistan
Lorraine Finch
Lorraine Co-founded the ICON Sustainability Network whose mission it is to represent and support the practice and profession of conservation by encouraging sustainable practices in cultural heritage and support the global endeavor to reduce biodiversity loss and reach net zero by 2030. Lorraine has delivered online webinars, promoted collaboration via the Sustainability Schools programme and masterminded the first Sustainability Network Twitter conference creating 75.6K impressions on Twitter
Dr Emily Prestwood
Emily has led a project to engage with 10 communities across Birmingham to assess the potential for heat decarbonization and retrofit programmes. This work created the foundation for a Net Zero Neighbourhood application to provide low carbon heating solutions for a 300 home pilot programme. Emily has also led the River Cole project which aims to open up green spaces to the communities in the area.
Mossen Randeree
Mossen has, on behalf of the Birmingham Energy Institute and Tyseley Energy park engaged with local businesses , schools, community groups , and mosques to deepen their understanding of low carbon , net zero and energy transition. He has delivered events with over 1000 participants in total and ran ‘COPtober’ which saw 1000+ school children learn about energy and climate change in the run up to COP 26
The awards were made by the project advisory group of the David Middleton Sustainability Conference.
David Middleton – The Background
David Middleton was given the opportunity, at the age of 20, to become a news reporter on the weekly local newspaper, the Walsall Observer. He spent a few years in local newspapers and radio before becoming a motor sport photo journalist. Via time in commercial PR he moved into the world of exhibitions and conferences which took him across Europe, Japan and the USA. In 1988 he had his ‘green epiphany’ standing on a bridge in Pittsburgh. In 1991 he helped launch the Midlands Environmental Business Club (M.E.B.C.), a business group dedicated to the subject of sustainable development. He was it’s CEO and was Secretary General of TURF – The Urban Renewal Foundation . He also later added the role of CEO of the UK branch of the World Business Council for Sustainable Developments to his activities.
He retired from those responsibilities in 2013 and then become involved in various projects including the annul Sustainability conferenece. In August 2017 he was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce.
In ‘retirement’ he also starting writing fast moving adventure stories with the central themes based on various elements of sustainable development in the hope this might be an effective vehicle by which to carry important messages to as wide an audience as possible. Titled
The Final Shah Mat
The Acionna Projects
The Hwang Solution
Cobalt!
David sadly passed away in May 2020 , he will be sorely missed by his family, friends and all those in the sustainability movement
Car Parking
Please note although there is onsite parking available it is not guaranteed due to the nature of the estate. If the Tally Ho car park is full, please park in the MAC pay and display car park ( Cannon Hill Park ) which is within walking distance of the venue with both pay by phone & cash. To access the MAC exit the Tally Ho and turn right into Bristol Road. Turn right at the traffic lights and turn second right into the MAC car park. Drive to the end. On the right is a small gate which leads into the Tally Ho car park, and then it is just a short walk to the venue.
Entrance to the actual conference is via the glass doors with a plaque for the Lord Knights Suite. Please do not enter via the doors badged Conference centre which leads to their reception and offices.
Postcode
The postcode is B5 7RN
Travelling to the event
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