In the third episode of our Digital Climate series, podcast host PeterBarker talks to Passive House expert Tomas O’Leary, Director of MosArtArchitects and co-founder of the Passive House Academy.Tomas and his family live in Ireland’s very first Passive House, whichhe built in 2005 and in their discussions, Peter and Tomas talk aboutthe benefits of Passive House design and how it creates such high levelsof thermal efficiency.Tomas comments that more needs to be done from government to drivepolicy in new builds for improved environmental impact and safeguard thewellbeing of building inhabitants. The industry still has a lot to learnwhen it comes to energy efficiency, measuring output and minimisingenergy waste.

Episode #2 in our “Digital Climate” podcast series sees host Peter Barker talk with Melbourne based Claire Bowles, Associate and Regenerative Development Lead at i2C Architects.In this episode, Peter and Claire discuss how the drive towards sustainable buildings is significantly growing and this can be attributed to a number of key factors which are having a huge impact on the AEC industry, particularly over growing concerns for climate change and wastage of energy and resources.Claire is passionate about approaching the built environment as an opportunity to create positive buildings and places that act as educational, inspiring acupuncture points for a new way of living, being and working. She is a firm believer that we can all contribute and have a positive impact on our communities, society and wider natural environments. Which is why Claire said we need to consider all aspects of sustainability, not just zero carbon, taking biodiversity for example and learn lessons from projects which reconnect people with the natural world and their local communities.

This is the first in our “Digital Climate” podcast series hosted by BIM Academy Managing Director, Peter Barker.In this series Peter will cross continents for conversations with sustainability champions on the synergies between digital construction and climate change, what action is being taken right now and what plans need to be set in place for the future.In episode #1 Peter talks to Helen Goodland, Founding Principal and Head of Research and Innovation at Scius Advisory Inc. Helen also serves on Canada’s National Zero Waste Council’s Construction Taskforce and on the Board of CanBIM – Canada’s voice for the effective deployment of digital technologies and processes in the building and infrastructure industry.Speaking to Peter from Vancouver, Helen talks about the digital built environment in Canada and what positive steps have been taken within the construction industry for this region to tackle carbon emissions and reduce unnecessary waste.