The briefing meeting will be chaired by Gary Clark (Chair of RIBA Sustainable Futures Group), who will provide an update on the realigned 2030 Climate Challenge targets for 2025 and 2030 and the new data collection process.
The session will also feature short case studies from two different sized Chartered Practices, who will outline what they are doing within their practice in working towards meeting the targets of the challenge.
Case Study 1: Mina Hasman (RIBA, ARB, Leed AP BD+C, Well AP, BREEAM AP) - Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
Case Study 2: John Christophers (RIBA), Director - zero carbon house
Following the update and the case studies, there will be an open discussion where attendees will be encouraged to raise questions.
Chair: Gary Clark (RIBA, BREEAM, Leed AP) - HOK Regional Leader of Science and Technology & Chair of RIBA Sustainable Futures Group
Gary is the regional leader of the HOK’s Science + Technology practice covering the UK, Europe and the Middle East. Based in HOK’s London studio, he brings more than 30 years of experience designing high performance buildings across multiple sectors, with a focus on spaces that foster collaboration and engagement.
Gary understands the specialised needs of science and technology clients whose facilities must support research, learning, experimentation, and business operations while being both flexible and secure.
An authority on green design, Gary frequently advises the UK government on sustainable policy. As chair of the RIBA's Sustainable Futures Group, he has helped shape its official policy and guidance on energy efficient buildings and resilient design. He was also lead author of the RIBA Sustainable Outcomes Guide developed to support the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge, an initiative to encourage RIBA Chartered Practices to achieve net zero whole life carbon for all new and retrofitted buildings by 2030.
In addition to his current role as Honorary Professor of Sustainable Architecture at Queen’s University Belfast, Gary’s experience in academia includes teaching and research positions at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, the University of Cambridge, the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh, and Oxford Brookes University.
Case Study 1: Mina Hasman (RIBA, ARB, Leed AP BD+C, Well AP, BREEAM AP) - Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
Mina leads SOM's sustainability and wellbeing daily operations and long term vision for achieving excellence in practice. She has experience in a wide range of projects in Europe, the UK, the Middle East, and Asia bringing a greater understanding of the implications for sustainable and equitable design in different climatic, social, and regulatory contexts.
As a recognised expert in her field, Mina has been elected to and actively involved in the UKGBC's Board of Trustees, the RIBA Ethics and Sustainable Development Executive Leadership and the Sustainable Futures Expert Advisory Groups, UNEP/GlobalABC's COP26 Task Force (as the Commonwealth Association of Architects' Focal Point), Construction Industry Council's Climate Change Committee, World GBC's Whole Life Carbon Task Group, CIBSE Intelligent Buildings Group as Vice Chair and IWBI's Health Equity Advisory Group.
Mina regularly contributes to the wider climate change, sustainability and wellbeing debate in her role as a tutor at various academic institutions, as well as speaking appearances at many international events.
Case Study 2: John Christophers (RIBA), Director - zero carbon house
John is a client design and sustainability adviser/champion, architect, and consultant.
A pioneering green architect, John has worked both beyond and within Associated Architects on award-winning buildings, consultancy and urban regeneration. Through design, advice, teaching, and conferences he has always championed sustainability, winning the national RIBA Sustainability Award in 2005.
After architectural training in Nottingham, John joined Associated Architects, rising to Associate and Partner/Director in 2000. A cycle accident and convalescence 2004 refocussed his real passion - the intersection of design and sustainability.
In 2009, his own zero carbon house became UK’s first retrofit to Code 6 zero carbon standard, with RIBA and Civic Trust awards. The Times commented: “I’ve seen the future - and it’s in Birmingham.”
John has also worked on numerous local authority Passivhaus schemes across the Midlands as a client design/sustainability champion.
