In a wide-ranging and lively discussion we covered a lot of ground including the role of natural materials (including the movement towards fake natural materials), the measurement (or lack) of embodied carbon, and the general disconnection between the design and construction in the architectural profession.

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I'm very grateful to Matt for being such a charming guest speaker; his knowledge and understanding allowed us to dig deep into the topic rather than merely scratching the surface, and clearly generated a lot of engagement and interest among the capacity audience.

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One member of the audience, who works in education, asked for advice to pass onto her students for doing things the right way. My response was that the younger generation should engage with politics - as this is inherently a political issue which drives and affects architecture. Knowing that a new generation of architects will be joining the profession with an embedded understanding of sustainability and what that means for their industry is extremely encouraging.

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