Our esteemed speakers at this year’s Sustainability Summit sessions

This year’s roster for the 2023 Sustainability Summit will see a suite of well-versed architectural professionals descending upon Sydney’s Allianz Stadium on the morning of 9 November in the lead up to the Sustainability Awards.

Each year the Sustainability Summit program endeavours to educate and provide insight to audience members deeply embedded within the design industry. Able to be viewed in person or online, the panels will cover an array of topics and issues, namely natural disasters, home efficiency, sport and infrastructure.

Register for your ticket here or read on to hear more about our speakers.

2022 Sustainability Summit

2023 Sustainability Summit Speaker Lineup

Proceedings will commence with a keynote address given by Cox Architecture’s Russell Lee, Director of the esteemed practice. Lee’s expertise lies in the realms of sports, leisure and hospitality projects, developed over 35 years. Involved heavily in the design of ‘Sus’ venue Allianz Stadium, Lee’s storied career and his experiences make him the ideal keynote candidate for 2023.

Immediately after Lee’s address, current Lifetime Achievement champion and decorated sustainability luminary Chris Nunn will discuss the expected rise to prominence of build-to-rent precincts in our metropolitan areas and the adoption of PassivHaus design principles to ensure the new builds do not place strain on the built environment.

The first session, ‘Why 10-Star Homes Will Become The Norm In Residential Design. But How To Get There?’ will feature a number of efficiency experts, including Flux Consultants Director Ché Wall; Clare Design Director Kerry Clare and ONE20 Group Architects Managing Director Adrian Light, who will moderate the panel. Bondor Metecno Executive General Manager Geoff Marsdon and ForestOne Australasian Sales Manager John Dalla Via will provide product expertise.

2022 Sustainability Summit

The second panel, ‘Sense & Sustainability – How 3 Women Changed Our Approach To Sustainability’ is fairly self-explanatory. IS architecture Founder Isley Sutherland; Fender Katsalidis Partner Nicky Drobis and Frasers Property Australia Sustainability Advisor Kate Nason will lend their collective insights to the in-person and online audience, while Yaara Plaves from Hames Sharley will tune in via video link. Electrolux Design Lead - Sustainability, Monica Mazioun will also sit in on the panel.

With Australia’s first Summer Olympics since Sydney 2000 on the horizon, ‘The Road To Brisbane 2032: Creating A Legacy Of Sustainability & Social Amenity In 21st Century Sports Infrastructure Design’ will see a number of experts convene to talk about all things sporting design. Ivana Simkovic, dwp Principal and sports expert; NH Architecture Director Hamish Lyon, Timber Queensland’s Clarissa Brandt (on behalf of WoodSolutions) and Holcim’s National Products & Services Manager Joshua Marks will take the stage for the panel, moderated by USYD Architecture Associate Professor Emma Heffernan.

2022 Sustainability Summit

11:30 session ‘The Rise Of New Multi-Residential Housing Models And How They're Changing The Way We Live’ speaks upon the current housing crisis and how communal living precincts are altering our residential built environment. City of Sydney Councillor and Sustainability Awards Ambassador HY William Chan will moderate a panel that features Davina Jackson (Independent), Lisa Sorrentino (City West Housing), Craig Baudin (Fender Katsalidis), Troy Creighton (Stormtech) and Kelly Watson (Knauf).

Biophilic design principles are a hallmark of contemporary architecture, but using plants as a power source? You bet. Moderated by University of Melbourne’s Chris Jensen, ‘How To Use Biophilia To Design Buildings That Generate Their Own Energy’ will feature sustainability experts Julieta Loya (Woods Bagot), Daniel Walker (Billi ANZ), Claire Martin (Oculus), Arup’s Miranda Snowdon and Sika Specification Consultant Karen Amery.

2022 Sustainability Summit

12:30 session ‘Creating Sustainable Outcomes, Wellness, And Performance By Using Industrial Design’ will explore the dynamic interplay between industrial design and sustainability, revealing how innovative choices, product life cycles, and a visionary concept called Cradle-to-Cradle can reshape our building and construction industry for a more eco-conscious future. Moderated by Tim Phillips (Tilt Industrial Design), the panel will include expert speakers Alisa Newey (Re:New Design), DECO’s Richard Hamber, Aidan Hill (Autex Acoustics) and Harriet Oswald (Grimshaw).

‘Designing For Resilience And Disaster Planning – Why Sustainability Now Also Means Being Prepared’ will touch on the very daunting future we face in our disaster zones. Resilience experts James Davidson (JDA Co), Kathryn Walker (Etex Australia, representing Siniat), Kate Cotter (Resilient Building Council, representing BlueScope), Llewellyn Regler (Network Architectural), Nigel Bell