Level 2 Pier 8/9, 23 Hickson Road Sydney
25 August
5.30-8 PM
Light refreshment provided
Vote
We need to mandate carbon limits to avoid (or stop) demolishing buildings
True, False or Don’t Know
Vote on one of the most important topics emerging for the built environment
True, False or Don’t Know
Embodied or upfront carbon is one of the biggest rising concerns for professionals in the built environment.
Whether you’re an architect, engineer, a developer or a consultant in this space you will know how volatile the mention of carbon is.
And how tearing down a building is increasingly seen as a social embarrassment – almost like smoking in public!
But is demolition always a bad idea?
There are professionals who say it might well take more carbon to keep a building standing. Or safe. Think of the fire issues associated with a lot of old buildings.
In the UK the London Plan stirred big headlines when new planning provisions around carbon limits made it very difficult to demolish famous department store, Marks and Spencer.
The argument is that the buildings are the ones we’ve got now.
Meanwhile, there’s an entire emerging industry working out how to measure it accurately and effectively.
Some of leading property companies have shadow carbon budgets to make sure they meet their publicly stated targets.
Governments are planning a national framework along these lines. And if government infrastructure developments leads the way through schools, hospitals and roads and bridges, you’ve got the potential for serious industry transformation.
The biggest question now is can these carbon caps be used to prevent demolition of existing buildings?
It it time to allocate carbon budgets to buildings?
This debate has already sparked a long tail of issues and discussions we are uncovering as we speak.
This next Big Debate we will execute strict precision timelines so we can contrast strategic goals with aspirations, facts and analysis.
Come and ask our expert panellists what you need to know. What will help in your work.
Vote before you hear the arguments
And after.
Will this Big Debate make you change your mind?
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Filomena Beshera
Development Manager – ESG and Innovation lead
Freecity
Bio
Filomena Beshara is the Development Manager – ESG and Innovation Lead at Freecity, where she drives integration of sustainable initiatives and emerging technologies across major development projects. Her role extends beyond environmental leadership to spearheading research, new methodologies, and forward?looking solutions that create long?term commercial, social, and environmental value.
Before joining Freecity, Filomena held senior sustainability roles where she helped shape industry practice through research collaborations, design?for?disassembly frameworks, and white papers on sustainable construction. She brings a multidisciplinary background spanning architecture, sustainability, and hands?on project delivery, supported by previous experience as a Project Manager contributing to high?rise and mid?rise developments through design coordination, contract management, construction phases, and BTR delivery.
Her professional achievements have been recognised through key industry honours, including being named a Finalist for the Property Council of Australia’s Future Leader of the Year (2025) and receiving IWBI’s Next Frontier of Design Award (2025). Filomena is a WELL Accredited Professional, a LEED Accredited Professional, a Certified Passive House Designer, and a Green Star Accredited Professional. She holds a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from Columbia University and a Master of Architecture from Politecnico di Milano.
Tristram Carfrae
Arup
Fellow
Bio
Tristram is a world leading structural designer. He has an unswerving commitment to designing better buildings that consume less resources, materials, energy, time, and money; yet give more pleasure.
He has been awarded IABSE’s International Award of Merit in Structural Engineering, the Gold Medal from Institution of Structural Engineers and the MacRobert Award from the Royal Academy of Engineering. In 2006 he was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry by the RSA.
He is known for challenging the status quo and has contributed to the design of dozens of award winning buildings, with some of the world’s best architects, over his 40+ years with the firm. He is currently helping to complete the design of Gaudi’s amazing church, Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. With over 250 architectural projects completed, and provision of advice on hundreds of retrofits, Light House has shown there is growing demand for smaller, smarter, sustainable, gas-free housing.
Despite only doing smaller, smarter sustainable homes, Light House projects have won numerous local and national architecture and housing awards
Jess Miller
Deputy Lord Mayor
City of Sydney
Bio
Councillor Jess Miller is the Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney. Her vision for Sydney is that it remains Australia’s pre-eminent City, with a reputation for liveability, innovation, fairness, and fun.
On Council, Jess is the Deputy Chair of the Transport, Heritage & Planning Committee, a member of the Cycling Advisory Panel and Nightlife & Co-Chair of the Creative Industries & Nighttime Industries Panel. Formerly a TEDxSydney curator, speaker and board member, she has also served on the board of the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre and currently sits on the National Art School board.
Jess has lived in the City of Sydney for 25 years in Alexandria and more recently with her family in Glebe, is a member of the Legacy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu team, a kickboxer and supporter of the Greater Western Sydney AFL team (and the Melbourne Demons.)
Jess speaks Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish and happily converses with her constituents in both.
Jeff Morgan
Principal
Hassell
Bio
Jeff is a Principal at Hassell and a commercial architect with 20 years of international and local experience across institutional, commercial, retail, serviced apartment and residential projects, He’s a valued champion of Hassell’s culture who creates an environment of learning and collaboration that inspires those around him to do their best work. He’s focused on achieving exceptional architectural outcomes while at the same time listening to peoples’ needs and inherently understanding what’s needed to achieve project success.
Jeff leads the charge on sustainability in the Sydney studio and contributes to Hassell’s global sustainability strategy and industry groups. He has an unwavering focus on embedding market-leading sustainable initiatives into his projects.