Building Brum

We are onsite at the Peddimore Birmingham development with Winvic Construction and Sunbelt Rentals. IM Properties are Birmingham City Councils development partner for Peddimore.On our latest episode we caught up with key members of the project team to talk about the role, impact and importance of social value within the construction industry. Focusing on how social value is there to support, grow and create positive change within communities. All three guests on our latest episode play a key role in the Peddimore project Rokneddin Shariat Policy and Governance Manager Birmingham City Council, Emma Rhymes Social Value Manager Winvic Construction and Jackie Cuthbert Social Impact Director Sunbelt Rentals UK & Ireland.The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital,  Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.Jackie Cuthbert, Social Impact Director, Sunbelt RentalsJackie and her team work closely with design teams and contractors to create, deliver and report on social value in local communities for customers and ultimate clients. With 25 years experience gained across multiple sectors, Jackie is passionate about transforming lives for local people, one job at a time. Sunbelt Rentals is committed to leading with ESG and its ‘Our Planet' programme is dedicated to supporting local residents, businesses and VCSEs in achieving their ambitions. This is achieved through innovative collaborations with customers, suppliers and VCSE partners with  environmental; skills, education and employment and social equality expertise. Rokneddin Shariat Policy and Governance Manager Birmingham City CouncilShariat is the Policy and Governance manager at Birmingham City Council's procurement service.  He has been leading the social value development at the Council since 2012 with a 3 year gap as an independent consultant.  Birmingham is one of the early adopters of Social Value considering the City's challenges around deprivation and the opportunities offered by the Commonwealth Games and HS2.  He has first hand experience of all 3 sectors, Private, Public and Third sector.  Previously, Shariat managed the publicly funded business support programmes at the Chamber of Commerce in Birmingham for 10 years.  Emma Rhymes is Social Value Manager for Winvic Construction Ltd Over the last two years, Emma has been working alongside the Peddimore Project Team and is responsible for supporting and implementing social value during the construction stage of the project. Emma uses her past experience of community engagement and CSR working for both construction sub-contractors and the charity sector to drive the social value agenda to leave a positive legacy in the local community. Emma is inspired daily by the positive stories she hears about the opportunities and impact being created through the project which include some of the innovative initiatives she has helped to create.

We catch up with Ash Wilson, Creative Director and Founder of Sculpt - an architectural interior design practice based in Digbeth. Exploring the journey of a design practice start-up we look at what it means to be an entrepreneur within the design world in the Midlands. We discuss the highs and lows of starting up a design business and amazing projects like The Roundhouse with the National Trust that help to define the practice, as well as repeat clients such as Digbeth Dining Club that are won through hard work and determination.  The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital,  Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK. 

All three of our special guests were recently nominated for the British Council for Offices (BCO) NextGen Rising Star Midlands Award. We are joined by Rosie Cotterill incoming Chair of the BCO NextGen Midlands Committee who plays an instrumental role in the planning and delivery of Birmingham's award-winning Paradise Development as a Director at Turley Alex Slatter BCO award winner is both the Chair of the British Council for Offices Next Gen Midlands and an associate at Associated Architects delivering both commercial and education projects, with considerable experience in the refurbishment and conversion of commercial buildings. Francesca Ghavami one of Glenn Howells Architects senior interior designers working on a macro master planning scale right down to the micro interior details on a selection of high-profile projects, including the RIBA-award-winning Moss House for University College Birmingham, Two Chamberlain Square and One Centenary Way at Paradise Birmingham.  All three guests share the same vision for building a better Birmingham and are working towards that goal, taking huge strides each year in making this vision a reality. The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital,  Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.Alexandra SlatterAlex joined Associated Architects in July 2017 as a Part II Graduate and qualified as an Architect in 2020. She was promoted to Associate in 2021.She undertook her architectural training at the University of Kent, the University of Liverpool, and Birmingham City University.Alex has worked across multiple sectors, predominantly on commercial and education projects. She has considerable experience in the refurbishment and conversion of commercial buildings, with extensive involvement in mixed-use commercial, residential and luxury residential developments.The current Chair of the British Council for Offices (BCO) NextGen Committee for Midlands and East Anglia; Alex has led BCO tours of numerous projects. She acts on behalf of Associated Architects on the RIBA Future Architects Mentoring Scheme and sits on the practice's CSR committee.Francesca GhavamiFrancesca is interested how spaces can affect how people behave and interact with each other and how good quality design can transform this experience.At Glenn Howells Architects, Francesca works on a macro master planning scale right down to the micro interior details on a selection of high-profile projects, including the RIBA-award-winning Moss House for University College Birmingham, Two Chamberlain Square and One Centenary Way at Paradise Birmingham, Port Loop and Kidbrooke, London.Francesca is committed to mentoring and sharing knowledge with the younger generation. She is a key member of our annual Summer School design review panel and leads interior design workshops to provide encouragement, advice and inspiration to the young participants. She hosts a work experience placement with Birmingham City University second-year students and has worked with the “I Can Be” charity to offer a career insight to girls at primary school.Before joining us, Francesca studied architecture at Oxford Brookes University and worked for a specialist workplace interior design practice.

We caught up with Matt Warren, Head of Digital Engineering and Integrated Solutions at Lendlease Europe to discuss the delivery of city centre regeneration projects and how advancements in technology are changing the ways in which teams collaborate and work together to drive positive change and regeneration.  We look back at work by Lendlease in Elephant and Castle, London and ahead to the upcoming Birmingham Smithfield redevelopment. With the advancements in technology being embraced and implemented across the construction sector in recent years,  we look at how this digital transformation seen within the construction industry has changed the way colleagues, project partners and clients deliver projects and collaborate together.The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital,  Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.Matt Warren Head of Digital Engineering and Integrated Solutions Lendlease Europe: Having worked within architectural practice since 2002 and with a BA(hons) & MA in Architecture complete, Matt decided to change direction to join one of the world's leading developers and contractors, focussing on delivering their integrated projects from inception through to completion. From the 2012 London Olympics, eco home firsts in zone 1 London, to major urban regeneration schemes throughout the UK, Matt has led design and digitisation innovations always with a focus on improving process and products.As Head of Digital Engineering for Lendlease's Integrated Solutions team in Europe, he and his team are focussed on supporting and leading Lendlease's digital transformations and innovations in design, development and delivery.

On our latest Building Brum podcast we have been joined by Simon Delahunty-Forrest Assistant Director of development planning and development at Birmingham City Council and Verity Barr Director at Cavendish Advocacy, part of the BECG. We caught up with Verity and Simon to discuss the future of Birmingham and what the Future City Plan means for the City and look at what it also means to developers and investors who are looking to relocate and establish themselves in the UK's second city following its recent global success at hosting the Commonwealth Games.The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital,  Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.About Simon Delahunty-Forrest Assistant Director of Development Planning and Development at Birmingham City Council: A 21st Century Public Servant, and Architect possessing strong, robust, professional and senior managerial leadership experience, delivering high quality outcomes for the citizens of Birmingham. Currently Acting Assistant Director for Development with responsibility for Planning Management, Enforcement, Planning Development, Development Policy, Enterprise Zone and City Design.Simon's substantive role as the Head of City Centre and Design within the Planning and Development service area for Birmingham City Council is strategic in promoting and delivering development that will help make Birmingham a place where people increasingly want to live, work, visit and invest contributing significantly to economic prosperity, job creation and to better quality of life, including improved social cohesion, equality and health.About Verity Barr Director Cavendish Advocacy: Verity is a director at Cavendish Advocacy, part of the BECG Group and leads the PR team.  She has 20 years' experience developing and delivering integrated strategic and creative communications campaigns that directly meet business objectives and deliver measurable results. A built environment specialist, she has worked across both the private and public sectors with organisations in the property, energy, infrastructure and construction industries, providing strategic counsel as well as devising and managing the delivery of creative marcomms and media-based campaigns.

In our latest episode, we are joined by our Building Brum partners and sponsors Solus. We caught up with Sustainability Manager Ken Graham and Area Sales Manager Lee Simmonds to look at the sustainability journey Solus are making as a UK tiling market leader and the wider journey being made by the tiling industry globally. We look at how the role of a product supplier has changed in years gone by and developed into a much more collaborative role working alongside contractors, architects, interior designers and developers to provide the best and most sustainable solution to a new or existing development. The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital,  Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.About Solus Sustainability Manager Kenneth Graham:Ken qualified as an Energy Consultant in the UK in 1986. In 1991, he emigrated to New Zealand and was recruited by the NZ Government to promote energy efficiency and conservation for homeowners and businesses throughout the country.  Ken travelled the world representing NZ at international conferences, gaining a broad understanding of the different approaches to efficient practice in many countries. Working in several other sectors including rubber tyre, plastics, cardboard, glass recycling; food waste management, and water management before gaining higher level sustainability management qualifications. These gave Ken the knowledge to bring all my experiences together; and how to create Sustainability Management Plans and Supplier Assessments.

As time ticks away to BCC's Net Zero by 2030 target we caught up with Rob Nield - leader of the Webb Yates Engineers Midlands office and chartered structural engineer – to talk about his approach to lowering embodied (or upfront) carbon which can be responsible for a significant portion of a building's carbon life cycle.We talked about their current portfolio and plans in the region, their approach to design and sustainability and how they are using innovative material systems coupled with extensive research and development to challenge the status quo in contemporary building design. The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital,  Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,000,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.Rob Nield, Associate Director - MEng (Hons) CEng MIStructE Rob is a Chartered Structural Engineer with over 17 years of experience on a wide range of projects, both in the UK and internationally. During this time, he has successfully led a number of multidisciplinary teams to deliver innovative and sustainable project solutions. His design experience covers structural steelwork, reinforced concrete, timber, masonry, glass, and post-tensioned stone.Starting his career at Arup in 2005 Rob joined Webb Yates Engineers' London office in 2012 delivering projects including Barrett's Grove – a Stirling Prize shortlisted residential development in Stoke Newington with a cross laminated timber structure; and Wimbledon College of Art – one of the first Timber Concrete Composite structures in the UK and winner of numerous sustainability awards.Relocating to the Midlands in 2015 he returned to Arup to deliver regionally significant projects including the design of HS2 Interchange Station in Solihull with it's organic timber roof, and One Centenary Way an innovative 16 storey exoskeleton building suspended over the Queensway tunnel.Rob rejoined Webb Yates Engineers in 2020 to lead the Midlands office and currently manages a varied portfolio of exciting projects across the UK and abroad.Having worked with numerous leading architects his expertise lies in the production of efficient, elegant and low carbon structural solutions as part of an overall holistic design. An in-depth understanding of the design process, ability to visually communicate high level ideas and fine attention to detail during the construction stage has led to Rob's track record in successfully delivering high quality and award winning projects.

We are joined by the team behind Creative Retail: Matt Pegg and Ed Purcell. Both are experts in commercial real estate across Birmingham and the UK. We will be looking at how the high street has changed over the past ten years and what needs to happen to boost, develop and take it forward in the decades in the come.The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital,  Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,000,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.Matt Pegg Investment DirectorMatt has worked in Commercial Real Estate for 15 years in both consultancy and client-side positions. Having acted for regional and national retailers in an agency capacity and as retail asset manager of LCP's £100m Provincial Portfolio, he is highly adept at identifying and implementing investment strategies across the full commercial property life cycle.Matt now advises private, regional and national clients such as Queensway Group, Midcounties Cooperative, Evolve Estates, Watkin Jones, Home Bargains, Lidl UK and WM Morrisons PLC.Ed Purcell Director Ed has been involved with the retail and leisure industry for over 13 years. He started his career at King Sturge before joining Cushman & Wakefield in 2011 as a member of the Midlands Retail Agency Team.Ed currently advises pension fund Landlords on Shopping Centre and High Street disposals, national retailers on the acquisition and disposal of shops, developers on Out of Town Warehousing schemes, and also independent landlords and retailers. 

This summer the British Council for Offices NextGen Midlands and Building Brum collaborated to present a special event, looking at the careers of industry and business leaders in Birmingham who are forging and shaping the UK's second City. Building Brum Programme Director Conor Nolan was  joined by Calthorpe Estates Masterplanning and Development Director Ralph Minott, Turley Senior Director and Head of Planning Midlands Angela Reeve and Associated Architects Director Stephen Townsend.  The evening looked at the paths that these three inspirational leaders have followed, how they have created a balance between work and life and if where they are today has followed the trajectory they set out at the start of the careers.This event was kindly sponsored by Solus Ceramics, Dline and The Senator Group.

Following on from our recent Building Brum roundtable event held with Careys and hosted by Cundall, we caught up with Careys Regional Director for the Midlands, Tom Wraight, to talk about what is being done in Birmingham to help tackle unemployment within the City.We find out more in today's podcast about the opportunities that our sector offers for those who are unemployed or looking for a career change and also, how the sector as a whole can support local communities, plus develop skills across the region by creating employment opportunities within developments across Birmingham and the Midlands.The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital,  Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 2,000,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.

This May we are joined by Francesca Wilkinson, Sustainability and Environmental Manager at Willmott Dixon. Francesca provides us with a unique insight into how the fuel crisis we are facing in society today is impacting the Net Zero agenda. We also look at how net-zero technology is being successfully implemented on projects across the country and the approach from the private sector in net zero and net zero ready buildings.The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.After graduating with an MSc in Environmental Management, Francesca joined Willmott Dixon in 2017 as a Sustainability intern. Completing the Management Trainee scheme, before being promoted to Assistant Environmental Manger and earlier this year to Environmental & Sustainability Manger.  She was drawn to the challenges of the construction industry- being one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions, resource depletion and pollution- due to the real opportunities to make a substantial difference. Her experience is wide ranging and has included a number of award-winning projects as well as being honoured with the G4C Future Leader 2020 Construction Excellence Award.  Particular expertise includes energy efficiency, carbon reduction and reducing the energy gap performance, helping Willmott Dixon create Brilliant Buildings and deliver on their ambition for all new buildings to achieve net zero operation carbon by 2030, and net zero embodied carbon by 2040. Francesca is a Practitioner Member of IEMA with Registered Environmental Practitioner most recently helping to development an Extended Resource Ownership Model for Circular Economy in the construction sector.

This April we are joined by Geoff Fawkes from Sunbelt Rentals, who are a key strategic partner and supporter of the Building Brum series. As the largest providers of equipment hire across the UK, Sunbelt Rentals are in the unique position of supplying and supporting a huge range of infrastructure projects both large and small across the country, helping to regenerate and transform cities nationwide. We are going to be taking a look at the steps being taken across these building sites to make the construction sector more sustainable.The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.

Digbeth has been on a journey of regeneration and transformation since Oval Real Estate acquired the Custard Factory, Fazely studios and numerous other sites back in 2017. In this month's Building Brum podcast we caught up with Oval's Head of Estates Jo Salmon who has been at the heart of the regeneration of Digbeth. Oval Real Estate is at forefront of the regeneration of Digbeth and redeveloping 42 acres of land between the HS2 Curzon Street station and High Street Deritend. We look at how the area has developed and grown over the past five years, reflecting on the journey taken by Oval and what needs to happen next in Digbeth to further its ongoing regeneration.The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.Jo Salmon— Head of Estates – Oval Real EstateJo combines her 20 years of extensive commercial real estate experience with her can do personal approach to help reinvigorate and reactivate the Digbeth estate. Having worked at Richard Ellis, and London & Cambridge Properties, Jo now runs the Oval office in Birmingham bringing energy to the property, marketing and events team ensuring it remains the beating heart of the creative quarter of the city.

We caught up with Broadway Malyan's Director of Urbanism Danny Crump to find out more about one of Birmingham's most ambitious masterplans, the public realm transformation of Snow Hill. Danny has been at the heart of this project since its inception back in 2015 and has been instrumental in enhancing this district. We look at how the area has transformed over the past seven years since the project begin and what it means to enhance a public realm in the heart of a major city.   The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK. Danny is a Chartered Landscape Architect with over 20 years of professional experience. He joined Broadway Malyan in 2011 and leads the Manchester Studio and UK Landscape Architecture team. He is a passionate placemaker establishing and leading Broadway Malyan's 'Place Team' providing value driven advocacy within the built environment for multi-sectoral clients.His experience is wide ranging and has included a number of award winning projects. Particular expertise includes city core regeneration and urban realm masterplanning, city street and space design and public squares and parks. He has also led and delivered a number of projects at university campuses across the UK.Danny's experience of working in urban centres was recognised recently with his appointed to MHCLG's HighStreet Task Force Expert/Mentor and Facilitator Panel.Most often working in a multidisciplinary environment,Danny has delivered a number of significant major projects.He is experienced in lead designer and consultant roleundertaking this position on the majority of commissions. He is experienced in site diagnosis techniques with a focus on urban data analytics, using this skill to inform the design process.

In today's episode, we are joined by Rupert Mayo who founded Knight R&D in 2016 following almost 10 years of consulting with KPMG in R&D tax relief and we de-mystify what exactly is R&D tax credits for companies big and small within the construction industry.Rupert Mayo founded Knight R&D Ltd (Knight) in 2016 following almost 10 years of consulting from KPMG in R&D tax relief. In 2021 Knight became part of K3 Capital Group PLC, a group of complementary professional services firms. A large proportion of the client base at Knight is in the construction industry, with companies ranging across all areas and fields of construction and including start-ups, more established small and medium-sized firms, all the way up to large listed construction, services and property groups.  The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.

Wolverhampton is undergoing huge transformation and regeneration with record levels of confidence in new projects. One such project, landmark office building i9 Wolverhampton is testament to this. Brought forward by ION Developments and the City Council, and designed by Glenn Howells Architects, we find out more about this brand-new destination for local, regional, and national organisations.We will be talking with the team behind this major development from Glenn Howells Architects: Partner Dav Bansal, Associate Fraser Godfrey and Senior Interior Designer Charlotte Gallen, which was won through a national design competition, forms an integral part of the wider Interchange redevelopment as well as thoughts on the future of office work and indeed the ambitions of the city of Wolverhampton. The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.

In our final podcast of 2021 we go back to where it all started and sit down with Danny Parmer, British Council for Offices Chair of the Midlands and East Anglia and Overbury Business Development Manager. We discuss Overbury's recent work on the fit-out of the Midlands BT Hub in the heart of Birmingham and look at continued demand for office space within the city center.  Danny also tells me more about the world-class British Council for Offices mentoring programme in the Midlands, the focus by the BCO  committee on Net Zero Carbon and the unique opportunities we have next year to showcase Birmingham during the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.

Akerlof Partners Jamie Hillier and Ellie Jenkins join us on the Building Brum podcast to discuss their work around Value-based decision making and modern methods of construction. We take a look at the construction industry and examine how we can increase economic growth, productivity whilst achieving better outcomes within the construction sector by increasing the implementation of modern methods of construction.We will also find out more about value-based decision-making from Ellie Jenkins; Industry lead for the Construction Innovation Hub Value Tool kit. The Tool kit is designed to drive better social, environmental and economic outcomes through value-based decision-making.The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.Jamie HillierAs a Partner at Akerlof, Jamie has supported many private sector multinationals and public sector organisations, including central government departments and trusts, in developing Modern Methods of Construction strategies. Formerly a Director for the UK's largest regional contractor, he wrote the “Choice Factory”, advocating the application of behavioural science to ensure the development of new technologies are integrated with an understanding of people and their behaviours. Jamie has worked closely with the Construction Innovation Hub's Platform and Value Toolkit projects to drive sector transformation. Jamie is a member of the Construction Playbook MMC Group and the Construction Leadership Council's Manufacturing Group. Most recently, Jamie contributed to the development of the Transforming Infrastructure Performance: Roadmap to 2030.Ellie JenkinsEllie Jenkins is a Partner at Akerlof, a market-leading consultancy that specialises in integrating Modern Methods of Construction to realise better social, environmental, and economic outcomes. With over 10 years of experience in social impact, community engagement and stakeholder management, Ellie has substantial experience of working with private and public sector clients to optimise outcomes. Experienced in balancing long-term strategic priorities with pragmatic solutions to maximise, measure and evaluate social value in the built environment; Ellie previously led the social impact and community team for a Tier 1 contractor. As the Industry Project Lead for the Value Toolkit, Ellie is responsible for guiding the project through its extensive industry pilot phase.

This November we see the launch of the COP26 summit bringing parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Alongside this, Building Brum, with Willmott Dixon, are hosting a panel debate featuring Birmingham City Council, Cundall, SCAPE and Collida in front of some 300 delegates from across the built environment to ask the Net Zero Carbon question: “What's Stopping Us?”.  Ahead of these landmark events, we caught up with Willmott Dixon's Chief Sustainability Officer, Julia Barrett, to discuss Willmott Dixon's Now or Never 2030 Sustainability Strategy. The contractor's ambitious net zero plans aim to see all of their new buildings and major refurb projects achieve net-zero operational carbon by 2030, and by 2040 be delivered with net-zero embodied carbon.The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.More about Julia Barrett Chief Sustainability Officer, Group Sustainability Willmott DixonAs the Chief Sustainability Officer, Julia leads on realising Willmott Dixon's 'purpose beyond profit' through the Group's sustainability strategy, Now or Never.Willmott Dixon has been net zero in its own operations since 2012 and great sustainability performance has saved the company millions of pounds in that time. As well as challenging the business to become zero-carbon without offsetting by 2030, Julia is passionate about creating added value for customers by delivering brilliant buildings that are net zero by design, future-climate ready and optimise user health and wellbeing. She encourages the opportunities for learning with and from supply chain partners as the business aims to deliver projects with net zero embodied carbon by 2040. Through its Building Lives ambitions and the Willmott Dixon Foundation, the company delivers high-impact social value that meets the needs of local communities and supports people facing barriers to work into good careers.

Daniel G Wilson, Development Manager at the award-winning House Builder Hill Group joins us on our Building Brum podcast. As a Development Manager working in the Eastern Residential team at Hill,  Daniel specialises in securing consent for sustainable developments that leave a positive lasting impact on communities. We will be finding out more from Daniel about the Hill Groups' approach to sustainable house building and learning why their work on the Agar Gove in London is being praised by the Mayor's office. With over 19,200 homes delivered to date,  we take a look at what it means to the Hill Group when comes to successfully building homes and creating communities.  The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK. About Daniel G Wilson Daniel G Wilson is a Development Manager working in the Eastern Residential team at Hill, where he specialises in securing consent for sustainable developments that leave a positive lasting impact on communities.Between 2016 and 2020 Dan served on the RTPI West Midlands Young Planner s Committee and was Chair in 2020. He was a Planning Aid England Volunteer, member of the RTPI West Midlands Regional Activities Committee and won the prestigious RTPI West Midlands Young Planner of the Year award in 2020. In 2021 Dan was highly commended in the National RTPI Young Planner of the Year Award.After completing a MSc at Cardiff University in 2013, Dan started his career as a Planning Officer in Local Government. He then moved to the private sector and worked as Planning Consultant for several years before being poached client side, where he was a Planning Manager at McCarthy and Stone. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Dan relocated to London to be closer to family and joined Hill. Dan is thrilled to be part of team Hill and is convinced that Hill's values and ethos align with his career ambitions and objectives.

Social Value Champions and Building Brum Construction Partners Careys join us on the Building Brum podcast to discuss their work across Birmingham and the Midlands. We explore the ongoing regeneration happening across the region from Perry Barr to Paradise Birmingham with Midlands Regional Director Tom Wraight. Tom introduces us to the vision set out by Careys "to be the most trusted and socially responsible construction company, that people are proud to work with" and how this will be achieved through the social value they bring to schemes across the country. We find out the social value impact Careys have already had within the region with the Birmingham teams already improving employability of young people, supporting the local supply chain and creating healthier communities. The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK. 

In our latest podcast we caught up with ICE West Midlands Regional Chair and WSP Associate Gbenga Oludotun to explore the opportunity Net Zero has to redefine infrastructure. Gbenga is a Chartered Civil Engineer and began his career in Birmingham, working on several assessment and design of highway structure schemes for Highways England and Birmingham City Council.  Currently an Associate with the Birmingham Bridges team at global consultants WSP, Gbenga has been responsible for the structures design delivery on the HS2 Phase 1 Enabling Works North contract and a project manager on the Highways England SPaTS framework. The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK. 

Capital & Centric Co-Founder Tim Heatley and the Leader for Stoke City Council Abi Brown caught up with  Building Brum's Conor Nolan to explore the regeneration of Stoke-on-Trent and one of its most exciting projects: The Goods Yard. We look at the vision for Stoke-on-Trent and how Stoke City Council is going to achieve this by working with award-winning developers like  Capital and Centric. The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK's leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 200,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK. About Tim Heatly: Tim trained as a lawyer and left law behind to found social impact developer Capital&Centric, he started out renovating a derelict house in his home town of Salford and he now invests over £2m a week on regeneration projects with a positive social impact. Tim is founder of Regeneration Brainery, an academy aimed at broadening diversity and inclusivity in property, each year it mentors over 100 young adults throughout the UK. He is the Chair and a founding trustee of the Greater Manchester Mayors Charity which has raised £3m in the past two years alone. Last year he featured on BBC2's ‘Manctopia' documentary about the property boom and his work on homelessness.Capital & Centric currently has five projects under construction in Manchester creating over 2000 homes from a £35m jenga inspired 275 bedroom hotel in Piccadilly East to Kampus, a £250m 550 home mixed use project. Recently Capital&Centric completed the Ducie St Warehouse to create a £80m apart hotel and co working space next to Piccadilly train station.  The total development pipeline in Greater Manchester alone is c£750m across 11 projects. Other projects outside Manchester include the the £55m Littlewoods Film Studios in Liverpool, the mixed use 300 home Eyewitness Works in Sheffield and the 200 home mixed use Goods Yard in Stoke on Trent among others.   About Abi Brown:  Abi Brown was first elected to Stoke-on-Trent City Council in 2010 and has been Leader of the Council since May 2019, holding the Corporate Resources, Strategy & Partnerships portfolio. Prior to 2019 she was Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Partnerships from May 2015. Abi enjoys leading big projects, and alongside her current role, leads and chairs on a wide variety of strategic programmes. She is Chairman of the Ceramic Valley Enterprise Zone Project Board, one of the most successful EZs in the country, and a project she has led since inception. Abi led Stoke-on-Trent's shortlisted bid to be UK City of Culture in 2021, as well as bringing the Poppies: Weeping Window to the city in 2018. 

Across the series we have heard from developers, architects and planners. In today's episode we are talking with our series supporter Solus and exploring their role as a supplier within the construction industry.  From the initial designs right through to the construction stage, supply is key to all stages of development. Download the latest #BuildingBrum episode with series partners Solus. We are joined by Lee Simmonds to take a look at what is happening across the city, with confidence in Birmingham booming and a domino effect of developments now taking place right across the region.Building Brum podcasts are kindly sponsored by ScanTech Digital, Solus and Sunbelt Rentals.For more information visit: https://www.buildingbrum.co.uk/partners

In the latest Building Brum episode we where joined by HS2 Lead Architect Hala Lloyd. Hala's an expert leading multi-disciplinary teams working on major ,complex transportation infrastructure projects such as the redevelopment of Birmingham New Street Station , Grand Central and Crossrail Farringdon Station. She took on her current role, in June 2017, as Lead Architect ( and HS2 Design Vision guardian) for the HS2 Phase 1 Midlands Stations at Curzon and Interchange . She is also one of the first cohort of HS2 Design Champions who graduated in Sept 2019 from this HS2 pilot initiative.We explore the key themes underpinning the much of the vision and legacy of HS2, from Sustainability and the aim for net zero. Discussing the comparison between the 2010 Gateway Project at New Street Station and the redevelopment of Curzon Street Station. Looking at how the role of the public influences the designs and legacy for these major and mega projects.Building Brum Podcasts are kindly sponsored by ScanTech Digital, Solus and Sunbelt Rentals.

Nick Gibb, Deputy Managing Director of Willmott Dixon in the Midlands spoke with us about their successes over the past decade and how it has led to business growth in the region and a reported annual turnover of over £200 million.We also take a look at the ambitious targets the contractor has set out in their recently launched “Now or Never” sustainability strategy. Focusing on the net zero milestones they have set out for 2030-2040 and discussing how they can be achieved with the digital advances taking place across the business and the recent launch of their integrated built environment platform – Collida.Find out more about Building Brum Construction Partners Willmott Dixon: Building Brum podcasts are sponsored and supported by ScanTech Digital & Solus 

Glenn Howells Architects Director Shauna Bradley discusses Port Loop and how offsite manufacturing and modern methods of construction have influenced and shaped the design and delivery of this project. We take a step back and examine the  Port Loop journey that started almost 10 years ago and consider how the impact this scheme has had on the construction and housing industry and how it has changed the sector's relationship with offsite manufacturing and modern methods of construction. 

Simon Delahunty-Forrest, Acting Assistant Director of Planning and Development for Birmingham City Council discussed the vision for Birmingham for the next 20 years. We look back at the Big City Plan, explore the changes and differences in direction between the 2010 Masterplan and 2021 Future City Plan. We also explore what the Future City Plan means for the region and its residents with the shift in gear signaling to the world that Birmingham is on the front foot with its plans for growth, regeneration and net-zero. The city is undergoing huge changes with the rise of tall buildings, HS2 and the Commonwealth Games. Let's take a look behind the Future City Plan and find out more from one of the key architects behind it.

With Phase One of the University of Birmingham's Capital Development Programme complete, we caught up with Director of Estates Trevor Payne to look at this first phase over the last six years. We discussed the University's investment within Birmingham City Centre with the redevelopment of the Municipal Bank and its transformation into the Exchange. We also talked about other recently completed and upcoming projects from the School of Engineering to the Health Innovation campus. 

In the latest Building Brum episode, we are joined by Birmingham businessperson Sunil Johal: Project Director, Property Developer and Restaurateur. Sunil will be telling us more about his in role steering the Argent ship to overcome the collapse of Carillion and save the multimillion pound One Chamberlin Square development. As well as the opportunity to become a property developer and join Detail 2020, an end to end property development and construction delivery.  Sunny Johal – Director at Detail Sunny Johal has vast experience across the real estate sector. He began his career on site as a labourer and went on to spend 4 years working in the construction trades. Since then, building 20 years' of industry experience, Sunny has made a name for himself in the West Midlands, winning the BCO NextGen Rising Star Award. Sunny led on the delivery of the first phases of Paradise Birmingham, including One Chamberlain Square, as Project Director for Argent. He is also a Director of BeFlow, the development management consultancy he founded in 2020 who is delivering One Centenary Way on the Paradise development on behalf of Argent, as well as a Director at Detail DMC. Sunny and the team at Detail currently delivering major development opportunities across the West Midlands. This includes Metro Lofts in West Bromwich, which is due to complete later this year, and is the first residential co-working space in the Black Country. In addition to his real estate expertise, Sunny is passionate about all thing's health and fitness. In October 2019 Sunny teamed up with his wife, Tara, to launch their healthy-living restaurant – Salad Box – located on Great Charles Street in Birmingham. 

HBD Director Simon Raiye discusses current HBD developments across Birmingham and the West Midlands with  Building Brum's Conor Nolan. From major city center projects to the  £100 million "Phoenix 10" development in Walsall. Download and hear from one of the region's biggest movers and shakers. For more information about Building Brum and our Partner's ScanTech Digital and Solus, please visit: https://www.buildingbrum.co.uk

Stephanie Eastwood Associate Director Avison Young │UK and Luke Hillson Design Director Barton Willmore sit down with Building Brum's Conor Nolan to discuss the future of Cities. In this podcast we will be taking a look at smart cities and discussing how cities around the world are evolving to meet changing demands and lifestyles. For more information about Building Brum and our Partner's ScanTech Digital and Solus. Please visit: https://www.buildingbrum.co.uk/

Join Building Brum Programme Director Conor Nolan as he catches up with Danny Parmer, Business Development Manager at Overbury and British Council for Offices Chair of the Midlands and East Anglia. Danny's outlook on the city is bold, is clear and it's positive. We are going to be discussing the greatness of Birmingham, from the perceptive of the office.  For more information about Building Brum partner's ScanTech Digital and Solus. Please visit: https://www.buildingbrum.co.uk/