Climate Crisis Focus Group

Our focus of Sharing, Influencing and Networking supports the ambitions of our themes, clubs and forums.

Greater sharing, with aligned partnerships are planned, we have a series of ambitious themes which focus on challenging issues.

Working as part of a wider group with greater networking with our piers creates greater influencing.

Our sub-group works to discuss and highlight sustainable opportunities, projects and ideas across the region as well as the challenges we face as an industry. 

Our virtual meetings this year have each featured a guest speaker.  We often have lively and informal Q&A sessions, and find our members passionate about sustainability in the built environment across the area. 

Our speakers this year have included Lydia Dutton, Senior Director, Regional ESG and Sustainability at CBRE, Joanna Whitehead, Service Manager at Somerset Council,  Ben Delap of the Construction Skills Hub at Truro and Penwith College and Sustainable Construction Advisory Panel (SCAP) lead,   and Jane Fowles, director of Novell Tullett landscape architects.   We have already lined up an interesting list of speakers  to keep the momentum going. 

The CESW Climate Action Award this year had an array of project entries from newbuild net zero award winning buildings, to smaller scale residential developments.  It was interesting to see that the region is clearly seeking to make sustainable and future-proof changes, and to upskill and learn in order construct in a more climate friendly and carbon efficient way.

Our sub-group publication entitled “Net Zero in the South West – Drive the Change”  was published in May 2024 and received excellent feedback.  The group is actively driving sustainable change across the region and we are grateful to the contributors to this publication for bringing differing perspectives on this crucial topic for the sector.  Constructing Excellence is helping to lead the way in influencing, enabling and innovating in this area.

nsokolov@thrings.com

Natalia is a partner in the Construction and Engineering team at Thrings LLP, specialising in non-contentious work. Natalia has a particular interest in the renewable and sustainable energy, and has experience in drafting and negotiation of construction documents for on-shore wind, biogas and solar projects in the UK as well as more recently the construction of EV and vertical farming facilities.

She has broad experience of drafting and negotiating construction contracts (including NEC, EPC, JCT, FIDIC), professional consultant appointments, collateral warranties, bonds and guarantees for developers, employers, funders, consultants and contractors.

Her project experience is diverse, including retail, student accommodation, fit-out, refurbishment, new-build and renewable energy projects. Natalia also provides construction due diligence in real estate acquisition and disposals, and corporate transactions.

She advises on the construction aspects of facility agreements, framework agreements and call-off orders, agreements for lease and procurement routes and joint ventures. Natalia was Chair of the South West branch of the Association of Women in Property for 2015 to 2016. She is a member of Constructing Excellence (South West) Branch and leads the Climate Focus Group.