Published 18 Mar 2025
S4. Ep 2. Talking with Ralph Horne & Louise Dorignon About the Unintended Consequences of Creating a Carbon-Neutral Built Environment
Hey, Legends! Welcome back to The Building Talks Podcast! In this episode, we’re diving into a fascinating and thought-provoking topic—Post Carbon Inclusion.
Our guests for this episode are Ralph Horne and Louise Dorignon from RMIT University in Melbourne. Ralph is the Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor at the College of Design and Social Context, while Louise serves as the Vice Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Together, along with others they’ve co-authored Post Carbon Inclusion (get your hands on a copy here), a book that explores the intersection of decarbonisation and inequality within the built environment.
This episode goes beyond the usual discussions of around project delivery, companies, design, Engineering or Architecture. Instead, we ask big-picture questions:
- How do we ensure decarbonisation is delivered equitably? 🌏
- What are the unintended consequences of creating a carbon-neutral built environment? 🚧
- How do renewable energy initiatives and housing solutions factor into the broader social impact of decarbonisation? 🏡
Key Takeaways:
✅ Understanding the unintended consequences of Decarbonisation within the built environment
✅ Urban experiments often reveal hidden challenges and unintended impacts.
✅ Inclusivity is critical for sustainable urban planning and housing solutions.
✅ Housing should be viewed as essential social infrastructure, not just a commodity.
✅ Australia has room to improve housing standards compared to global leaders.
✅ Collaboration and understanding local contexts are vital for successful sustainability initiatives.
📚 Want to explore these ideas further? Grab a copy of Post Carbon Inclusion on Amazon or at your favourite bookstore, or check out this article about the book and topic!
Hope you enjoy the podcast!
The views and information shared in this podcast are for general purposes only and do not constitute legal or professional advice. Neither the host nor the guests are providing specific guidance. Please seek professional advice before taking any action based on the content of this podcast.
Contact The Building Talks Podcast
Building Talks Podcast
Talking to professionals in construction, property development, architecture, and beyond.
