The Future of Sustainable Design with Kelly Alvarez Doran

In this episode of Urban Forecast, we sit down with Kelly Alvarez Doran, Co-founder and CEO of Half Climate Design, to discuss the crucial role of embodied carbon in architecture. Kelly shares insights from his career, from working in mining to leading sustainable projects in Rwanda, exploring the choices architects make and their far-reaching impact. We dive into why current regulations are stifling low-carbon construction, how embodied and operational carbon should be viewed together, and what needs to change to make truly sustainable building practices mainstream.


Key Takeaways

1. Embodied vs. Operational Carbon – It is not an either-or debate. Both must be considered over a building’s lifetime.
2. The Scale of Architectural Impact – A single design decision, such as a foundation for a residential project, can have the carbon equivalent of driving a car for 60 years.
3. Lessons from Rwanda – Working in a context where materials are expensive but labour is abundant offers a completely different design approach, freeing architects to be more innovative.
4. UK Regulations Are Holding Us Back – Post-Grenfell fire safety rules have inadvertently made it harder to use lower-carbon materials like timber, despite these materials not being involved in the disaster.
5. Architects' Agency in Sustainability – While building regulations are restrictive, architects still have influence over material choices, and even small decisions can make a difference.
6. The Role of Education – Training architects and builders to understand the full carbon impact of their decisions is crucial for real change.
7. The Future of Sustainable Building – Countries like Denmark have embraced whole-life carbon policies, setting an example for others to follow.
8. Rethinking Materials – The construction industry relies too heavily on high-carbon materials like aluminium when lower-impact alternatives exist.


Best Moments

1. "One design decision I made for a foundation had the same carbon impact as driving a car for 60 years."
2. "Once you see embodied carbon, it is hard to unsee it."
3. "The irony is that post-Grenfell regulations have made it harder to build with sustainable materials that were not even involved in the fire."
4. "Architects are like chefs who do not think about the slaughterhouse – we specify materials without truly considering where they come from or their impact."


VALUABLE RESOURCES

Ackroyd Lowrie - https://www.ackroydlowrie.com

Half Climate Design - https://halfclimatedesign.com/ 

Jon Ackroyd - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jonackroyd

Oliver Lowrie - https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-lowrie/?original_referer=&originalSubdomain=uk

ABOUT THE HOSTS

Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us.

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