RIBAJ Spec Design for Sustainability Webinar

Join us for this new RIBAJ Spec Design for Sustainability Webinar on 25th March from 9 am.

We will cover the latest products and materials and explore how collaboration between architects, consultants and manufacturers are helping create better designed, inspiring, award-winning, sustainable and future-proof architecture that acknowledges the environment.

Speakers: 

• Dr Marcella Ucci, Professor in Healthy and Sustainable Buildings, Deputy Director for Academic Operations, IEDE, The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources  (BSEER), UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering (IEDE), who will deliver an insightful presentation on design considerations for improving health and wellbeing, sustainability and reducing inequalities.

• Steve Wallis, Associate Director at dRMM, who will deliver a case study presentation on WorkStack, an engineered mass timber structure designed to be as efficient as possible, without excess of any kind.

• Ian Whittle, Associate Partner – or – Odette Valente, Project Architect, FaulknerBrown Architects, who will deliver a presentation on BIOS, Teesside University, a state-of-the-art laboratory and clinical skills facility awarded a BREEAM UK ‘Outstanding’ certification in sustainability.

• Alexis Butterfield, Partner – New Settlements, Pollard Thomas Edwards and Michael Mueller, Director, Alison Brooks Architects, who will deliver a joint presentation on Knights Park Housing Development, a net-zero carbon, high-density development of 249 homes designed as a sustainable neighbourhood.

This RIBAJ Spec Design for Sustainability webinar will be chaired by Jan-Carlos Kucharek, Deputy Editor, RIBAJ

This webinar is in association with  Oscar Acoustics, Michelmersh, and Thrislington Cubicles

Our speakers:

Jan-Carlos Kucharek Deputy editor RIBAJ & editor RIBAJ Spec

Jan-Carlos Kucharek is an architectural journalist and registered architect. He studied his part 1 at Canterbury College of Art and his architecture diploma at The Bartlett (UCL) and worked for five years at Foster + Partners. He took a part-time role at the RIBA Journal in 2004 and continued working freelance at Marks Barfield, Hudson Featherstone, David Morley and Fourthspace architects. He is the editor of RIBAJ Spec. 

Dr Marcella Ucci, Deputy Director of Academic Operations
Bartlett's UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering

Prof Marcella Ucci is Professor in Healthy and Sustainable Buildings at the Bartlett's UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, where she is Deputy Director of Academic Operations. She researches how buildings should be designed, upgraded and managed in order to support health and wellbeing, tackle inequalities and reduce environmental impacts. Her expertise includes building performance monitoring and modelling, evaluation of indoor air quality, active design, and community engagement. She is Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has led the development and launch of the MSc 'Health, Wellbeing and Sustainable Buildings', of which she was Course Director between 2017 and 2019. Prof Ucci is Vice-Chair of the UK Indoor Environments Group (UKIEG), and co-chairs the 'Health and Wellbeing' Working Group in the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). She is an Advisory Group member of the APPG Healthy Homes and Buildings.

Steve Wallis, Associate Director, dRMM

Steve joined dRMM in 2008 and has led some of the studio’s most influential residential projects, including Tustin Estate, the RIBA Stirling Prize-nominated Trafalgar Place as well as light industrial project WorkStack. As a project lead, he brings a confident ability to safeguard design concepts through complex logistical matters on projects of all scales.

Alexis Butterfield, Partner – New Settlements, Pollard Thomas Edwards

Alexis is PTE’s specialist partner in new settlements and champions intelligent design throughout the practice. His expertise lies in solving complex problems in the concept design and planning stages in residential led placemaking. 

With over two decades-worth of PTE projects behind him, Alexis has a deep understanding of the role sustainable placemaking plays in nurturing community identity, qualities embodied in the RIBA Award-winning The Avenue in Saffron Walden.

Alexis’ works extensively in the East of England and his most recent projects include Knights Park in Eddington, Cherry Hinton Design Code, Marleigh in Cambridge, Woodstock North in Oxford and the Cambridge Northern Neighbourhoods Design Code.

Away from PTE Alexis is a long serving member of the National Trust Historic Environment Advisory Group.

Michael Mueller, Director, Alison Brooks Architects

Michael Mueller, Director at Alison Brooks Architects, has led several award-winning and high-profile projects in the UK and internationally. His experience spans high-density residential developments, master planning, and higher education projects.

Michael played a key role in the Cadence courtyard towers within the Stirling Prize-nominated King’s Cross masterplan, delivering 163 residential units and retail spaces. He also led One Ashley Road, a major mixed-use residential development in Tottenham Hale, and the award-winning sustainable living quarter, Rubicon, in Cambridge, which won the 2024 Housing Design Award. His expertise extends to large-scale master planning, including a 740-acre regeneration scheme for the Peabody Trust, and the Kronach Higher Education Campus in Germany, featuring teaching spaces, student accommodation, and sports facilities.

Previously, as an Associate Partner at Foster + Partners, Michael managed an array of international projects, from arts and crafts museums to a 1km-long airport terminal extension. His work as Project Architect on Cohen Quadrangle, Exeter College Oxford, was recognised with a 2021 Civic Trust Award and 2018 World Architecture Festival accolade.