Author: LEaD Blogger

  • The Case for Visible Infrastructure

    For municipalities facing pressure to maximize infrastructure investments, provide lifestyle amenities, and support sustainability, Greensboro offers a compelling case study in what happens when these goals are pursued simultaneously. 

    For decades, greenways were viewed primarily as recreational amenities—a nice addition to a park system proving residents a place to bike, gather, or take a weekend stroll. Today, however, cities are asking more of their public spaces: They want infrastructure that manages stormwater, supports climate resilience, encourages economic development, and helps residents move through their communities without relying exclusively on cars.

  • Why Polyaspartic is Replacing Epoxy for One-Day Garage Floors

    Why Polyaspartic is Replacing Epoxy for One-Day Garage Floors Polyaspartic garage floor coatings stand out for cold climates because they cure rapidly, often within hours, even at low temperatures where traditional epoxy struggles or fails to cure properly. This fast […]

    The post Why Polyaspartic is Replacing Epoxy for One-Day Garage Floors appeared first on Green Building Canada.

  • Eco-Conscious Moving for Canadian Homeowners

    Eco-Conscious Moving for Canadian Homeowners Moving is often associated with cardboard boxes, plastic wrap, discarded packing materials and multiple trips back and forth. Yet relocation also presents an opportunity to make more sustainable choices. From reducing waste and reusing packing […]

    The post Eco-Conscious Moving for Canadian Homeowners appeared first on Green Building Canada.

  • Beyond Upfront Carbon: Reassessing Steel Building Lifecycle Performance

    Beyond Upfront Carbon: Reassessing Steel Building Lifecycle Performance A Broader Lifecycle View That Includes Durability, Operational Performance and Recycling, Can Paint a Different Picture of Steel’s Environmental Impact Steel keeps losing the green building conversation because of where the analysis […]

    The post Beyond Upfront Carbon: Reassessing Steel Building Lifecycle Performance appeared first on Green Building Canada.

  • UKGBC responds to BNG Consultation on targeted exemptions for brownfield developments

    Biodiversity Net Gain is one of the most significant environmental reforms introduced in recent years, helping to ensure that development leaves nature in a measurably better state than before. At a time when the UK remains one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, maintaining the integrity of BNG is essential to restoring biodiversity, creating healthier places and providing greater certainty for industry and communities alike.

    Brownfield regeneration has an essential role to play in delivering homes and economic growth, but weakening BNG requirements risks creating a false choice between development and nature recovery. Government should continue to support brownfield development, while ensuring all new development contributes positively to the restoration of nature and the creation of better places.

    Read our full response here

    Biodiversity Net Gain – considering a targeted exemption for brownfield development Consultation Response
    Download218.29 Kb

    The post UKGBC responds to BNG Consultation on targeted exemptions for brownfield developments appeared first on UKGBC.

  • Temporary vs Permanent Storage Containers Compared

    Temporary vs. Permanent Storage Containers: Which Option is Best for You? Quick Answer The right choice depends on duration and access needs. For projects under three months, like moves or renovations, temporary storage containers deliver flexible, on-demand space without a […]

    The post Temporary vs Permanent Storage Containers Compared appeared first on Green Building Canada.

  • What Can and Can’t Be Saved after A House Fire: The Honest Truth

    What Can and Can’t Be Saved after A House Fire: The Honest Truth Once you are permitted back in after the fire, a full raft of changes will need to be made to your home. You’ll have to deal with […]

    The post What Can and Can’t Be Saved after A House Fire: The Honest Truth appeared first on Green Building Canada.

  • Where Are All Those Shut-Offs?! Be Ready Before Disaster Strikes

    Where Are All Those Shut-Offs?! Be Ready Before Disaster Strikes In this weekly Q&A column, retired builder/building inspector Cam Allen answers readers’ home renovation questions. Have a question? Enter it in the form below. A question from a reader who […]

    The post Where Are All Those Shut-Offs?! Be Ready Before Disaster Strikes appeared first on Green Building Canada.

  • A 328-Foot 3D Printer, Nuclear-Powered AI, and the Fight Over America’s Data Centers

    What do giant 3D printers, nuclear reactors, data centers, wildfire-ready communities, and home energy rebates have in common? They’re all part of a rapidly changing housing landscape that builders can no longer ignore. 

  • How Tailored ESG Training Helped Newmark Build Confidence Across Its UK Service Lines

    This was the best CPD i’ve done in the 10 years i’ve been here.”

    Phil Weller, Partner, Building Consultancy and Lease Exit

    That was the feedback from one participant after a series of tailored ESG training workshops delivered across Newmark’s UK service lines.

    Our sustainability Foundations for Real Estate courses are aimed at businesses working across the built environment who wish to improve and refresh foundational sustainability knowledge across their organisation and provide the support and space for individuals to reflect on their role and scope for action. They offer a clear, practical overview of sustainability in the context of real estate, setting out the case for action from a scientific, regulatory and business perspective.

    More information on our Tailored Learning & Leadership Training. 

    The Importance of ESG

    Newmark is a leading commercial real estate adviser with a significant UK presence, providing services across areas including capital markets, leasing, planning and valuation.

    As sustainability becomes an increasingly important part of the real estate conversation, Newmark wanted to build knowledge, confidence and capability across its teams – helping people understand the issues, their relevance to the industry, and the role they can play in delivering better outcomes for clients.

    With sustainability and ESG rising rapidly up the agenda in the built environment for clients, lenders and consultants, upskilling Newmark’s UK service lines had become important for the business.

     

    The Training

    The aim was to build a broad and practical knowledge base across teams, so people felt better equipped to engage with the topic in their day-to-day roles.

    Working closely with the Newmark team, we developed four workshops tailored to different parts of the business – Occupier Solutions, Corporate Property Management, Planning and Development, Building Consultancy and Lease Exit and Valuations.

    Together, They Were Designed To

    Demystify key sustainability concepts in the built environment.

    Explore their relevance to the real estate industry, including client and policy drivers.

    Provide deeper dives into topics most relevant to different service lines.

    Show how sustainability related to participants’ own roles and their ability to support better outcomes.

    Build confidence and fluency in discussing sustainability with clients.

    the sessions didn’t just build knowledge, they gave colleagues the confidence to have more informed, credible conversations with clients and to start embedding sustainability into their day-to-day work.”

    Lea Vavrik, head of esg, europe & UK, who comissioned the series

    UKGBC translated complex sustainability topics into practical, role-specific insights for our teams.”

    Lea Vavrik, Head of ESG, Europe & UK

    As with all UKGBC training, the workshops were designed to be engaging, practical and participative, creating space for delegates to ask questions, test ideas and unpack the complexities of sustainability and ESG in a way that felt relevant to their work.

    They were all expertly run by our in-house facilitation team and supported by our technical team, who provided valuable insights into ESG, climate mitigation, risk and climate resilience.

    Across the sessions, we explored topics including sustainability drives, climate risk and adaptation, certifications across the sector, green leases and more – helping teams build both understanding and confidence in an area that is becoming increasingly central to the future of real estate.

    The Outcome

    Through each workshop, we saw teams develop and understand their agency for sustainability. Through all the sessions, people were able to appreciate the drivers for clients and the wider sector, and to link those through to their day-to-day work.

    And we saw hoe teams realised that they can be proactive in developing their service offers to include sustainability more explicitly; that they can be confident in asking questions of clients and pushing for more sustainable outcomes.

    Finally we watched as teams and people who work for the same organisation made connections and build partnership – and for us, that alone was a great outcome!

    If you’re interested in our service lines training, get in touch with our learning team for a discovery call. We’d love to co-create an offering tailored to your specific needs and ambitions.

    The post How Tailored ESG Training Helped Newmark Build Confidence Across Its UK Service Lines appeared first on UKGBC.