Grand Designs star to talk at Yorkshire sustainability event
A prestigious line-up is being unveiled for the Yorkshire Sustainability Festival 2024 and among it is sustainability guru Kevin McCloud.
He will be taking to the speaker stage at The Yorkshire Sustainability Conference later this year to share his knowledge and passion around sustainable construction and design.
Kevin, who has presented Grand Designs since its launch in 1999, is passionate about sustainable architecture.
In a recent Channel 4 documentary, The Great Climate Fight, he and co-hosts Mary Portas and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall made clear that the UK Government has a step-by-step plan to fight climate change, provided by the Climate Change Committee, but it is choosing not to follow it.
With bills rising for everyone as the cost-of-living crisis continues, Kevin advocates for the importance of better standards for new builds which will not only make them more sustainable but will help owner and tenants save money on gas and electricity bills.
He makes the point that it is becoming clear that not only is the transition to a sustainable future vital for the planet but it’s vital for ordinary working people too.
Kevin has received an MBE for services to sustainable design and energy-saving property refurbishment and is passionate about making his living space planet friendly. Festival organisers say this wealth of knowledge and sheer passion for change should inspire businesses and attendees at the Sustainability Conference.
Building on the success of Yorkshire Sustainability Week in 2023, the Yorkshire Sustainability Festival has evolved and expanded for 2024. This year the series of events is set to be bigger and better, with events being planned in North, East, South and West Yorkshire.
The two-week run of events starts on June 10, 2024, and will include The Yorkshire Sustainability Conference on June 18 and 19 with headline speaker Kevin McCloud attending day two of the event at Cloth Hall Court, Leeds, focusing on Future Cities.
Day one of the conference will be focused around a circular economy with subjects including manufacturing, SME support, economy and finance and waste. The headline speaker will be announced shortly but expect a household name in the world of retail and sustainability.
Key sponsors and supporters of the event to date include: Leeds City Council, Alrose Productions, Beyondly, boxxe, Imageco and Severfield.
Kate Hutchinson, founder of Yorkshire Sustainability Festival and The Sustainability Conference, said: “We are delighted to have Kevin McCloud joining us on our Future Cities Conference day. “We are bringing together leaders from the public, private and third sectors all passionate and committed to building a sustainable future for Yorkshire at YSF24.
“Kevin’s knowledge and passion for sustainability in the built environment will no doubt inspire our regional leaders to work together with our business community to build a truly sustainable Yorkshire.”
The festival offers a range of events to help organisations reduce their carbon emissions, improve their sustainability, and create new business opportunities in the green economy; from roundtable sustainability symposiums to fringe events. Businesses are also invited to organise their own fringe events.