OUTLOOK: Construction and the Climate - Greenwashing

In this episode of Construction and the Climate, Ruth and Camilla look back on the ten episodes in the series so far and draw out five key highlights for listeners.

In this episode Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating discuss greenwashing claims with Miles Lockwood. Miles is director of complaints and investigations at the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Miles joined the ASA in 2010 and is responsible for leading the complaints and investigations teams, dealing with over 30,000 complaints per year.This episode covers the ASA’s guidance on misleading environmental claims and what businesses should consider when making environmental claims, in particular when making claims in relation to carbon neutrality and net zero.

In this episode, Ruth Keating and Camilla ter Haar discuss greenwashing claims and how they relate to the construction sector. Camilla and Ruth discuss what can be done by the construction sector and those advising construction sector clients, on how to avoid greenwashing, without the need to greenhush.

In this episode Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating discuss ‘Constructing for the Climate – The Road to Net Zero’ with Victoria Burrows.Victoria is Director of Advancing Net Zero, World Green Building Council’s pioneering, global programme to accelerate total decarbonisation of the built environment. Victoria has a background in the sustainable development industry, ranging from client side advisory services, green building rating tool consultancy, and an on-site Head of Sustainability for a major international contractor. She has also co-authored the book ‘A Whole System Approach to High-Performance Green Buildings’.This episode discusses the tools, programmes and ideas that are paving the way to net zero.

In this episode Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating discuss ‘Contracting for the Climate – Sustainability and Responsibility’ with Tiong Teck Wee. Tiong Teck Wee is the Co-Head of the Sustainability & Responsible Business Practice and a Partner in the Commercial & Corporate Disputes Practice at The Wong Partnership in Singapore. His main areas of practice are in multijurisdictional, complex, high-value commercial and corporate disputes. Teck Wee has represented and acted for global private, public, and state-owned clients from various jurisdictions (such as Singapore, Malaysia, India, Japan, PRC and U.S.).This episode discusses environmental-related issues in Singapore and more generally in Asia.

In this episode Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating discuss ‘Building for the Future – Climate Change and the Built Environment’ with Stephen Hodder MBE. Stephen is a former RIBA President and established the CIC Climate Change Committee. He is also the Chairman of Hodder + Partners. The practice that he founded (Hodder Associates) received the most important award in British Architecture for a single building, the inaugural Stirling Prize for Architecture for the Centenary Building, University of Salford. Given 80% of buildings for 2050 exist today, there is not only an enormous challenge to upgrade current building stock, but also the need to consider in the first instance the re-purposing of existing fabric rather than demolish. This episode focuses on the importance of design and construction to achieving net zero.

In this episode Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating discuss ‘Building for the Future – Climate Change and Arbitration’ with Jessica Crow. Jessica is an independent arbitrator (Arbitra International) who specialises in Energy and Natural Resources, Climate Change and the Environment, General Commercial Disputes and Public International Law, based out of London and Washington DC. She has particular expertise in matters relating to the energy transition and the international climate change regime. This episode focusses on the trends in climate change and arbitration – with a particular focus on what these trends mean for our construction sector clients.

In this episode Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating discuss ‘Building for the Future’ with Joana Setzer Assistant Professorial Research Fellow at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). This episode focusses on the trends in climate litigation and in particular what these trends mean for our construction sector clients.

In this episode Camilla ter Haar and Ruth Keating discuss ‘Contracting for the Climate’ with Becky Annison of the Chancery Lane Project. This episode discusses some of the Chancery Lane Project’s model clauses and tips for lawyers on how these clauses can be implemented in contracts. As discussed in the podcast – contracting for the climate is today’s issue, not tomorrow’s problem.

In the third and final part of this this three-part mini series Joe-han Ho, Ruth Keating and Philippe Kuhn discuss the implications of the Witness Evidence Working Group’s proposals and how they might, or might not, work in practice. This part also provides 10 must-know points on the proposed reforms.