Zero Ambitions Podcast
Zero Ambitions is a consultancy and weekly podcast about sustainability and the built environment.
We find interesting and experienced guests who know what they're talking about, usually to discuss how we navigate the complexity of decarbonisation and sustainability in the built environment and its many related sectors.
The success of the podcast has seen it grow into a consultancy, Zero Ambitions Partners. The consultancy works with blue chip clients, public sector institutions, and niche-market innovators that operate in the built environment, advising about the development and delivery of sustainability strategy and how it should be communicated.
Hosted by Jeff Colley (Passive House Plus), Dan Hyde (Everything is User Experience) and Alex Blondin (Everything is User Experience).
- Update frequency
- every 9 days
- Average duration
- 63 minutes
- Episodes
- 188
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
Retrofit, energy ratings, and improving Europe's energy performance, with Ciarán Cuffe MEP
With the EU closing in on a major revision to perhaps the single most important legislative driver for decarbonisation of buildings, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), we spoke to …
Passive house doesn't cost more to build, with Dr. Shane Colclough (UCD, Ulster University, Passive House Association of Ireland)
All new homes in Scotland are set to be built to a Scottish equivalent of the passive house standard, under plans announced by the government recently. But at what cost?
A recent article in Project S…
Industrialising retrofit: how do you say Energiesprong and what's it all about? With Ele and Emily from Energiesprong UK.
We sat down with Ele George and Emily Braham to talk about all things Energiesprong and how they're making things happen for other people in the retrofit industry. They don't have all the answers, bu…
Reflections of a Treehugger: talking green building with Lloyd Alter
For almost two decades transatlantic commentator Lloyd Alter has been the rarest of creatures: a popular writer of insightful articles about green building, mainly via the pioneering green living we…
What motivates retrofitters? With retrofit researcher Dr Kate Simpson (Imperial College)
We like Kate Simpson, a doctor and a Research Associate at the School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London.
It was a bit of a weird episode where the conversation didn't really go to plan a…
Lazy thinking and unsustainable myths: how expensive is low-carbon construction? A conversation with the authors of 'Building for 2050: low cost, low carbon homes' Alison Crompton (AECOM) and Tom Dollard (Pollard Thomas Edwards)
Insidious misconceptions, false myths, and the lazy thinking pervades the green building sector, we're not happy about it, and nor are the authors of 'Building for 2050 Low cost, low carbon homes'.
T…
More bridges than the River Clyde: unpicking the quality of a retrofit and RIP Paul Doran
Today we saw a LinkedIn post today that Dan wanted Jeff to explain to him; at the heart of it was an image of a retrofit job that looked lacking.
Sadly, the LinkedIn post came down but here's the art…
Hybrid heating: a place for fossil fuels alongside renewables? (Stephen Kelly, OYA Energy)
We had a contentious discussion last Friday about hybrid heating systems, a transition technology that could play a role in the decarbonisation of home heating.
Stephen Kelly of OYA Energy joined us f…
'Incompetence still reigns supreme' in energy ratings: DPE certification, EPCs, BERs, and a little bit of ESG
It's all about how 'incompetence still reigns supreme' as we meander recklessly from GDPR, to jaywalking, before getting into the substance of the podcast.
Mainly, we discuss DPE certification (the F…
New year, old us: looking back on 20 years in green building (Passive House Plus, Construct Ireland, and Everything is User Experience)
We'd arranged to have a post-Christmas catch-up about a few things and Alex suggested people might be interested in hearing about the genesis of Passive House Plus and its progenitor, Construct Irela…
Talking turkey: the perils of life in a passive house, with Ross Cremin (Cremin Surveying)
On the night before, the night before, Christmas, we spent the morning with Ross Cremin a QS with a lot of experience in passive house building [I know what I wrote – Dan].
Broadly, we talked about w…
Revealing opportunity with thermal imaging, a chat with Stewart Little of IRT Surveys
We spent a little time with Stewart Little, a former architect who's been working to support energy efficiency and retrofit in the built environment for more than 20 years.
With IRT Surveys he has le…
The man who said 'heat pumps are not the answer', with Ryan Philp (Daikin)
This week we're with Ryan Philp from heat pump manufacturer Daikin who caught our attention thanks to his article titled Heat Pumps Are Not The Answer.
In truth, he is a firm believer in heat pumps, j…
Meeting Muyiwa Oki, talking impact and sustainability with RIBA's incoming president
We were delighted to be able to have an early-doors chat with Architectural Manager and incoming RIBA president Muyiwa Oki.
As one might expect, it was very architecture heavy: we talked about the im…
Leading sustainability in Scottish architecture, with Chris Stewart, President of RIAS
Back in the summer Glasgow-based architect Chris Stewart became the new President of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS), so a chat with him was right up our street.
He has long …
BE-ST Fest 2022 - Ep05 - Funding the decarbonisation of the build environment, with Eddie McAvinchey (Scottish National Investment Bank)
In our last episode from BE-ST Fest 2022 Alex and Eddie McAvinchey (Scottish National Investment Bank) explore the funding stages available to companies, from concept to commercial scale, as well as …
BE-ST Fest 2022 - Ep04 - Disrupting the industry to achieve net zero, with Christina Gaiger (former RIAS President)
In episode four of our mini-series, the ZAP team and Christina Gaiger discuss the need for a shift in perception within the industry of the domestic market and how it must become more accessible in o…
BE-ST Fest 2022 - Ep03 - A contractor's perspective on the challenges holding back procurement, with Jennifer Phin (A.C. Whyte & Co.)
Episode three of our mini-series from BE-ST Fest 2022, where we spoke with Jennifer Phin, MD of energy-efficiency contractor A.C. Whyte & Co.
Following her appearance on the BE connected panel discu…
BE-ST Fest 2022 - Ep02 - Aiming for sustainability at speed and scale?
In ep two of our mini-series from BE-ST Fest 2022, fresh from the BE Inspired panel, we spoke with Ele George from Elevate, Catherine Cosgrove chair of the Scottish Ecological Design Association (SED…
BE-ST Fest 2022 - Ep01 - Net zero needs more ambition, with Chris Stark (CEO of the Climate Change Committee) and Stephen Good (BE-ST)
In this first BE-ST Fest 22 interview we spoke with Chris Stark, CEO of the Climate Change Committee (or Committee on Climate change, both names appear to be out there), and returning guest Stephen G…