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Q&A with sustainability champion, Alice Galvin

Alice has worked on a range of public realm projects in London encompassing urban parks and residential, leisure and retail schemes.

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What motivates you to be a Sustainable Champion?

As a landscape professional, it is within our code of conduct to protect, enhance and conserve the natural and built environment.

What do you see as the biggest challenge to delivering sustainable design within your role? How do you overcome challenges faced?

There is currently a clash between pushing for green infrastructure and it being perceived as a hazard and risk for building regulations. For example in London Local Plan 2021, green living walls are noted for their contribution towards the urban greening factors count, but building regulations would state this is a fire hazard on certain types of buildings. I therefore think building standards need to become more progressive with current demand and changing climates.

Can you talk about a recent project you have worked on where we have used nature or nature-based solutions to help tackle the climate challenge?

We are currently working with London Borough of Bexley Council to design a series of raingardens for the centre of a pedestrianised shopping area. Using the raingardens as a drainage strategy helps slow down the surface rainwater flowing through the space and helps to mitigate localised flooding.

What does living sustainably mean to you personally? Have you made any significant changes in your personal / home life?

I have shifted towards a plant based diet, and my main ways of travelling are cycling and walking. I’m more interested in smaller brands who put sustainability as one of their core values and I try hard to recycle where I can.

What good examples of sustainable innovations or initiatives from projects, on site or in offices have you seen?

I think we should move away from physically printing for draft reviews as so much waste comes from printing errors compared to just reviewing on the screens. I also think we could improve the lighting types within our design studios. For example reducing electricity output by switching to motion-sensitive lights in the corridors and toilets for areas which aren’t in continuous use.

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