Sustainability in the built environment
Blueprints for change
Urgently embracing sustainable solutions in the built environment is crucial in the fight against the climate and nature crisis. Approximately 40% of the world’s CO2 emissions stem from buildings, with roughly 75% coming from operational activities like heating and ventilation, and the remaining 25% from embodied emissions linked to manufacturing materials and construction.
The significance of real estate investors, developers, and occupiers cannot be overstated in expediting the decarbonisation of the built environment and achieving its net zero and nature goals. Shifting the current paradigm and harmonising profitability, sustainability, and societal well-being in the built environment is a complex task that demands a clear vision, strategic planning, and decisive action. It also entails recognising and addressing key risks and challenges along the way.
While the impact of the sector on our planet and society cannot be overlooked, it also presents a significant opportunity for organisations with clear plans and well articulated sustainability agendas to drive change in the industry and create a lasting, positive impact.
Building the future
In parallel to the growing expectations from shareholders and stakeholders, regulations and legislation will play a crucial role in supercharging the green push within the built environment
Simply Sustainable provides trusted expertise and experience to drive transformational change across your business and to make the built environment more sustainable:
- Supporting clients to measure their impact on the environment and society
- Understanding their sustainability-related risks
- Setting out clear strategies and aligning with the latest climate science
- Engaging stakeholders to be part of the change
- Reporting and compliance
Built environment case studies
Built environment insights
Meet our specialist consultants for built environment sustainability
Joaska Mischke
Director of Sustainability Solutions
As Director of Sustainability Solutions, Joaska leads Simply Sustainable’s specialist team in developing and delivering innovative sustainability solutions for clients across sectors. She oversees the team’s work to ensure every solution drives long-term value and creates measurable impact.
With expertise in strategy development, materiality, governance, and implementation, Joaska helps organisations embed sustainability into business models, decision-making, and culture. Her work spans the full sustainability spectrum, from regulatory alignment and reporting to purpose-led strategy execution, enabling clients to translate ambition into action.
Joaska holds an MSc in Management, Organisations and Governance from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She also holds diplomas in Design Thinking from IDEO, Business Sustainability Management from the University of Cambridge, and Sustainable Business Strategy from Harvard Business School. She is a GRI-certified sustainability professional and a registered Practitioner at the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP).
Henry Unwin
Director of Client Strategies
Henry has spent over 15 years working in sustainability, both as a consultant and in-house. For a decade, he led sustainability initiatives across regional government, international business, regenerative agriculture and retail.
A passionate advocate for the role of business in tackling the climate crisis, Henry has dedicated much of his career to driving progress in the food, farming, and retail sectors helping organisations turn ambition into action.
At Simply Sustainable, Henry leads the Client Strategies Team making sustainability work for our current and future clients. He brings a strategic, pragmatic approach to sustainability, balancing his passion for change with commercial insight.