University of the Built Environment
University of the Built Environment (formerly known as UCEM) is the leading provider of supported online education for the built environment. Tune in for discussions about the real estate and construction industries, as well as insights into what it's like to study with UCEM and conversations with the institution's students, alumni, supporters and staff. Find out more at ube.ac.uk
University of the Built Environment
Episode 14: Why decarbonising office buildings is "critical" - with Dr Mary Pothitou and Dr Pippa Boyd
Office buildings account for a huge share of global carbon emissions - yet the pathway to decarbonisation is rarely straightforward. In this episode, we explore why tackling emissions from the workplace is one of the most urgent challenges facing real estate, and how organisations can turn strategy into action.
Our guest, Mary Pothitou, is a leading real estate sustainability expert and ESOS Lead Assessor with an Engineering Doctorate focused on small power use and working practices in office buildings. She has advised businesses across sectors - from data centres to telecoms - on how to save energy, drive sustainable practices, and decarbonise their operations.
Mary takes us inside the complex realities of decarbonising office space: the scale of the challenge, why a step-by-step approach is essential, and how different building types, materials, and user behaviours complicate the process. We also discuss the difficulties of applying standardised frameworks across diverse portfolios and the trade-offs organisations must weigh when deciding which properties to upgrade or retain.
Adding academic insight, Dr Pippa Boyd from the University of the Built Environment (UBE) joins the conversation, emphasising how sociotechnical issues and everyday behaviours shape outcomes. Together, they make the case for embedding decarbonisation into every conversation in real estate.