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In this episode of the Brookbanks Podcast, Katie Glaze, our Director of Sustainability, is joined by Mark Standen of BRE and Pantelis Levantis of Ecoveritas to discuss climate change adaptation and what it means for the future of the built environment in the UK. The conversation explores how designers, developers and portfolio owners can respond to rising temperatures, changing weather patterns and evolving climate conditions, alongside practical measures that can improve building resilience and long-term performance.

Brookbanks Podcast Episode #21: Climate Change Action

Climate change is becoming an increasingly important consideration across the built environment.  As temperatures rise, weather patterns evolve and climate events become more frequent, designers, developers, and portfolio owners should be placing greater focus on how buildings can continue to perform effectively for the climate of today and the future.

In the latest episode of our Podcast, our Sustainability Director, Katie Glaze, is joined by two external guests, Mark Standen of BRE and Pantelis Levantis of Ecoveritas, to discuss climate change and what it means for the future of the built environment in the UK.

Drawing on experience from across the UK and Europe, they chat through how the industry could and should respond to changing environmental conditions as well as the practical measures that can help improve resilience, building performance and long-term value.

Designing for a Changing Climate

This episode focusses on how rising temperatures should be informing and influencing the way buildings are designed, operated and maintained across the UK.

Katie, Mark and Pantelis discuss how the industry’s long-standing focus on reducing heat loss and improving energy efficiency is should be shifting to also include overheating, thermal comfort and long-term climate resilience. With warmer summers becoming more frequent and extreme weather events becoming increasingly common, they share their perspectives on what this means for developers, designers, and portfolio owners.

The episode highlights several practical measures that can help improve building performance, including external shading, passive cooling strategies, ventilation approaches, thermal mass, solar control measures and retrofit opportunities for existing assets. Katie, Mark and Pantelis also chat through how adaptation strategies can differ depending on the building type, particularly where heritage, conservation or operational requirements influence what changes can be made.

Alongside these practical measures, they look at the role of BREEAM, Passive House and Part O in helping project teams consider future climate conditions and build resilience into developments from the very beginning. They also highlight the importance of understanding how buildings perform in real-world conditions and ensuring design decisions remain aligned with how buildings will be used and operated over time.

Planning for Long-term Resilience

Katie, Mark and Pantelis also explore how climate adaptation extends beyond individual buildings and into the wider built environment.

They cover how planning policy, development strategies and long-term portfolio management can help support resilience across communities, estates and infrastructure networks. They discuss why climate conditions should be considered earlier in decision-making, helping organisations create buildings and places that remain comfortable, efficient and operationally effective over the long term.

Drawing on their experience on developments across the UK and Europe, they share their perspectives on how climate adaptation should be influencing the future of developments, from residential and commercial through to education, healthcare and public sector settings.

Watch the Full Episode

Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel to hear Katie, Mark and Pantelis go into more detail about the potential measures that could be put in place for existing buildings, and what to consider during the design and planning phases.

Watch Episode #21 of the Brookbanks Podcast on our YouTube channel.

Sustainability Director

Katie Glaze

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