Welcome to The Futurebuild Podcast (audio channel), where we spotlight the drivers of positive impact in the built environment. Hosted by Martin Hurn, Futurebuild Event Director, each episode features inspiring conversations with leaders and innovators from across the industry. Join us as we explore how cutting-edge technologies, sustainable practices, and ground breaking projects are shaping a better future. Tune in to hear first hand stories of how these trailblazers are making a real difference in the built environment and beyond. Subscribe now to stay informed, inspired, and connected with the forefront of sustainable innovation.
Episodes
Aug 13, 2026
Aug 13, 2026
52 min
Retrofit doesn't have a technology problem. It has a systems problem. In this episode, we sit down with Emily Braham and Stéphanie Ah Tchou from Energiesprong UK and Transform-ER to explore how the retrofit sector can move beyond fragmented projects and deliver at scale.
From collaboration and industrialisation to resident engagement and systems thinking, this episode examines the practical changes needed to create a retrofit ecosystem that works for everyone.
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Jul 22, 2026
Jul 22, 2026
47 min
Demolition isn't always progress. In this episode, we sit down with Carmen Azevedo, architect, urban planner, and founder of Brussels-based practice ARCHICAZ, to talk about why restoration and adaptive reuse should sit at the heart of sustainable construction.
Drawing on major projects including the transformation of the Brussels Stock Exchange, Carmen explains why every existing building has a story worth continuing, how circular thinking can reduce waste without compromising quality, and why architects must challenge demolition-first thinking.
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Jul 1, 2026
Jul 1, 2026
59 min
Can procurement become one of the most powerful tools for delivering net zero? In this episode, we sit down with Oliver Mooney, Head of Category at Fusion21, about the challenges and opportunities facing the UK's retrofit sector.
From skills shortages and supply chain development to innovation, social value and long-term funding certainty, Oliver explores how procurement can move beyond a transactional process to become a strategic driver of better outcomes for communities, housing providers and the built environment.
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Jun 12, 2026
Jun 12, 2026
49 min
Architecture is at a turning point. From climate literacy and education reform to protecting the role of architects and rebuilding trust in the profession, few people are speaking more passionately about the future of architecture than Duncan Baker-Brown. In this episode, we sit down with Duncan Baker-Brown, founder of BakerBrown Studio and RIBA president candidate, for a candid conversation about the challenges facing architects today and the opportunities that lie ahead.
View Duncan's RIBA Election Presidential Page and follow Duncan and BakerBrown Studio on Instagram #DBB4RIBAPresident26
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Apr 30, 2026
Apr 30, 2026
52 min
What if one of construction’s biggest problems is actually one of its biggest opportunities? In this episode, we sit down with William Rundle, CEO and Founder at Nexus ReGen, to challenge how the industry thinks about surplus materials and why so much value is still being thrown away.
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Mar 6, 2026
Mar 6, 2026
58 min
Are you interested in exploring how innovation moves from idea to real-world impact? In this episode, we speak with Neil Appleton, Knowledge Transfer Manager at Innovate UK, about what innovation really means for the built environment and why collaboration is the key to making it stick. Neil shares practical insight into why good ideas often fail to scale and how collaboration, digital tools, circular economy thinking and regional supply chains can drive meaningful transformation.
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Feb 4, 2026
Feb 4, 2026
45 min
What if we stopped guessing how homes perform and actually tested them? In this episode, we speak with Professor William Swan, Director of Energy House Laboratories (EHL) at the University of Salford. The conversation explores what happens when homes are pushed to their limits inside one of Europe’s most advanced climate-controlled test environments, Energy House 2.0, and more.
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Jan 22, 2026
Jan 22, 2026
1 hr 4 min
What if the future of construction didn't start in a mega-factory, but on a farm? In this episode, we speak with Chloe Donovan, Founder and Managing Director of Natural Building Systems, and creator of Adept Modular; a plant-based, precision-engineered panel system designed to be produced locally and installed at scale. Chloe shares her journey from agriculture into construction, why many MMC models have struggled to deliver on their promise, and how a distributed network of regional micro-factories could unlock lower-carbon, healthier, and more resilient buildings.
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