Bio-Based Materials: The Next Big Trend in Construction Sustainability

How can a trained architect influence global sustainability efforts through the built environment & real estate? In this episode of TiE Talks, we have Joelle Chen, a professional with over two decades of experience in stakeholder engagement and ecosystem development. Joelle shares her journey of leveraging architecture for sustainable practices in the construction industry, which is known for its substantial carbon footprint. We delve into her innovative approaches to reducing operational and embodied carbon, her advocacy for using sustainable materials, and the cutting-edge strategies being implemented to revolutionize building designs. Join us as Joelle explains how these efforts not only mitigate environmental impact but also aim to enhance community well-being!

Discussion Points: Bio-Based Materials

• What does sustainability really mean in today’s real estate industry? Joelle discusses the significant role of the built environment in global carbon emissions and the potential for radical transformation through sustainable practices.
• How are buildings contributing to carbon emissions? Joelle breaks down the concepts of operational and embodied carbon, explaining the impact of materials like concrete and steel.
• Can green steel revolutionize the construction industry? A dive into Joelle’s work on green steel, discussing its environmental benefits and its potential to reshape the construction industry’s approach to sustainability.
• What innovative technologies are emerging in sustainable building? Joelle highlights new technologies and methods in building construction that reduce carbon footprints and improve energy efficiency.
• How can passive design principles be more widely applied? Exploring the advantages of passive design in reducing the energy demands of buildings and improving comfort levels through natural means.
• What is the future of sustainability in real estate? Joelle shares her vision for the future, including the role of regenerative design and the potential for buildings to actively benefit the environment and community.

Our Guest: Joelle Chen

Joelle Chen is a sustainability advocate in built environment & real estate, with a proven track record for strategic partnerships and winning work.

She wants developing processes to support decision-useful disclosures for investors, sustainability strategies for new developments, and decarbonisation of construction, focusing on real reductions, not reporting for reporting’s sake. 

She is fluent in board-level engagements and enjoys making sense of the complexity surrounding sustainable buildings and cities today.

Manisha Seewal

Manisha is the President of the world’s second fastest-growing PR agency – Redhill, where she focuses on doubling down their existing strong foothold in the Southeast Asia market while supporting the ongoing global expansion efforts in the USA, UK, Australia, and the Middle East. 

Before that, she was at eBay Australia (Sydney) as the CMO of Gumtree, Carsguide and Autotrader brands. One of her career highlights is being the first Group CMO of Carro where she led all aspects of growth marketing in 4 countries in Southeast Asia – Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. This includes Digital, Social, SEO, SEM, Brand, PR, Reputation, Research, and Creative, and drive growth metrics like Traffic, CPL, CAC, NPS, Customer acquisition + retention strategies.

Rebecca Martin

As the Head of Strategy at Elevandi, a non-profit organisation established by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Rebecca plays a pivotal role in fostering an open dialogue between the public and private sectors, to bridge the gap between these sectors and to advance FinTech and the digital economy. Rebecca curates the Singapore FinTech Festival programme as its Head of Programming, bringing to the festival the brightest minds in the industry such as Bill Gates, Sundar Pichai (Alphabet), Satya Nadella (Microsoft), former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (NZ), Marc Benioff (Salesforce), Ben Horowitz (a16z), and Balaji Srinivasan. Rebecca also leads the programming for other Elevandi initiatives such as the Point Zero Forum and Inclusive FinTech Fourm.

In addition to her role at Elevandi and the Singapore FinTech Festival, Rebecca is also a Charter Member at TiE, and has previously served as a Strategic Advisory Council Member at ASEAN Financial Innovation Network (AFIN) and as Senior Executive Officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Rebecca also previously held roles at organisations such as Money20/20, Pioneers.io, and Founders Forum.