Podcast | The People behind the Project

Episode 2 - Sustainability and Heritage Buildings: the UK and Australia

Welcome back to The People Behind the Project! In episode 2, 'Sustainability and Heritage Buildings: the UK and Australia', our Global ESG Lead Paul Edwards sits down with Jonah Balmford, Technical Director and Head of Carbon Advisory for the UK & Europe.

Jonah’s interest in sustainability began in his early childhood, sparked by curiosity about his father’s work as a professor of conservation science. This passion stuck and laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to promoting sustainability.

In this episode, Jonah gives us an inside look at his work at Clare College, Cambridge - one of the oldest colleges in the UK. He and Paul discuss the challenges and opportunities of integrating sustainability into heritage buildings and explore what it means to create structures that could stand for another 700 years.

They also swap stories about their international experiences, from speaking at global conferences in Dubai and Spain to learning how culture can shape the sustainability conversation.

On the lighter side, Jonah shares how he brings his sustainability mindset into everyday life as a new parent (here's to hand-me-downs) and an egg-centric fact you may not see coming!

That’s what’s on this episode of The People Behind the Project. 

Episode 1 - Carbon Chats

In our very first episode, David Wilkie chats with Gemma Wilson about their shared journey from New Zealand to Sydney and her inspiring career path in sustainability. The conversation traces her path from early studies in architecture, to taking the opportunity for an overseas experience in the UK, before taking a leap of faith and working in Dubai. She reflects on how these experiences shaped her perspective and ultimately led her from leading complex projects to focusing on sustainability and decarbonisation in the built environment—an area where she saw the potential to make a real, transformative impact.

Gemma and David take a deep dive into the world of carbon advisory and introduce TSA Riley’s innovative new tool, the 20-hour Open Carbon Service Pack. They have a heap of fun along the way, sharing a laugh over their most Aussie experiences. It's a lively, insightful start to the series—tune in and get to know the people behind the project!