Where better than your own home country to start exploring something that is very close to one’s heart? And I believe to lots of people’s hearts when they start to think about it. At Constructive Voices, we’re not only exploring the obvious parts of the built environment.

“In fact, we’re digging a bit deeper. And connecting the people and their places together, because this is what it’s all about.” Jackie De Burca

How the environment affects us every single day with our health in mind, with how our daily activities are able to be conducted. There’s just a whole host of things that our environment brings to us or perhaps makes more difficult for us.

So tune in to Jackie De Burca as she speaks with Stephen Barrett. He’s the program manager for the Whole Life Carbon Programme at the Irish Green Building Council, and he is going to talk to us about Cobh, which is a picturesque Irish town just outside Cork.

Stephen has planted his roots there for the moment, and now he questions some aspects of the area, such as development.

Biodiversity transport and community pride and how this area Cobh and Cork in general can shape a more sustainable way forward. This episode touches on subjects such as underused train lines to cruise ship impacts, and the local lens that Stephen sees on global challenges.

“What struck me moving from the UK to Ireland is how undervalued Tidy Towns is—those people know their place better than anyone.” – Stephen Barrett on the untapped expertise within community-led groups

Stephen joined the

“We are past the point of return for trying to save traditional methods of building. We need to focus on what is performing now and deliver with confidence.”
— Will Frost

“We don’t just need to build faster — we need to build better. And that means solutions that are lighter, lower carbon, and actually deliver for people on the ground.” Will Frost

In this powerful and timely episode, Jackie De Burca sits down with Will Frost of Saint-Gobain Offsite Solutions to explore how modern methods of construction (MMC) – or as Will prefers, “optimised construction” – are helping address the UK’s urgent housing crisis.

With the UK government aiming to build 1.5 million homes in five years, Will explains why Category 2 panelised systems are gaining momentum over the struggling Category 1 volumetric builds – and how Saint-Gobain’s EnveoVent system is delivering results on the ground.

From solving the skills shortage, to navigating procurement hurdles, to reducing embodied carbon and embracing Future Homes Standard, this episode is packed with real-world examples, industry insights, and a human-centric approach to innovation.

When you think of the future, do you picture space—or water?

In this eye-opening episode, Jackie De Burca speaks with Peter Robbins, one of the world’s leading voices on the floating economy. From delivering fresh meals via jet skis to developing mega-scale coastal innovation projects in Korea and the US, Peter is building a blueprint for what he calls the next “mega-trend”: the floating economy.

More than a futuristic fantasy, this is a global movement gaining momentum across industries like logistics, hospitality, port infrastructure, energy, and even education. Learn how floating solutions are solving everything from workforce shortages to population crises, and how ports are being reimagined as launchpads—not limits.

Whether you're a policymaker, investor, engineer or just curious about where cities are headed, this episode dives deep into the possibilities of our water-bound future.

“We’re not just building floating solutions. We’re building the workforce, the policy awareness, and the investment appetite to support a floating future.” Peter Robbins

• The distinction between the floating economy and the blue/ocean economy

• Why nearshore logistics could transform coastal commerce

• How floating housing could solve affordability and flood resilience

• Case studies: Busan, Rotterdam, Brisbane, and beyond

• The urgent need to build a water-based workforce—starting in schools

• How the private sector, governments, and NGOs can work together to scale floating infrastructure

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Catherine Cleary, author, journalist, and the CEO & Co-founder of Pocket Forests. Having authored and co-authored 4 books and been a Restaurant Critic for the Irish Times for more than 10 years, Catherine has now turned her attention to nature, climate action and greening Ireland.

In 2020, Catherine embarked on two projects: one, to establish a social enterprise planting mini forests in community areas, and the other, to plant her own native woodland across 40 acres of land.

Pocket Forests is a social enterprise bringing nature into towns and cities around Ireland by creating pockets of native trees and shrubs within communities.

In this episode of the Constructive Voices podcast, we explore the work of Pocket Forests in the urban greening of Ireland and their role in reconnecting our communities with nature.

We also discuss Catherine’s personal journey in creating her own native woodland, The Forest Midwife documentary, and the attitudes of landowners towards planting forests.

“The forest is the root of all life; it is the womb that revives our biological instincts, that deepens our intelligence and increases our sensitivity as human beings”

Akira Miyawaki [1]

Although 80% of the country was once covered in forests,

“We are turning a waste stream into a carbon sink — that’s the real magic.”

️ Guest: Anna Haas, Business Development & Partnerships at Neustark
Topic Spotlight: Carbon Capture
️ Release Date: Tuesday 20th May 2025

In this powerful follow-up episode, Jackie De Burca sits down once again with Anna Haas from Swiss climate tech company Neustark.

If you thought concrete was the end of the story, think again. Anna explains how Neustark is turning demolition waste into a carbon sink — and why this matters now more than ever.

From CO₂ mineralisation and circular construction practices to global expansion and the nuances of regional policy, this episode dives deep into the tangible side of carbon removal. Anna brings clarity, passion, and pragmatism to one of the most pressing topics in the built environment.

Whether you’re in construction, sustainability, or just curious about where climate tech is headed, this conversation offers real-world insights and hopeful innovation.

“It’s one of the hardest things to explain: We’re not just avoiding emissions — we’re actually removing carbon from the atmosphere.”

• What You’ll Learn

  • How Neustark’s solution works: storing CO₂ in recycled concrete through...

In this insightful episode of Constructive Voices, Jackie De Burca sits down with Anna Haas from Neustark to explore the city she calls home—Zurich. Known for its efficient public transport, green infrastructure, and direct democracy, Zurich has long been a sustainability frontrunner. But how is it maintaining its reputation amid global competition?

Anna unpacks the urban planning, mobility strategies, carbon removal innovations, and deep-rooted community involvement that define Zurich’s approach to sustainable development. With firsthand insight into both public policy and grassroots action, Anna shows us why Zurich isn’t just following green trends—it’s setting them.

Often perceived as a pristine financial hub, Zurich is also quietly one of Europe’s most forward-thinking green cities.

Beneath its polished exterior lies a living lab of urban experimentation—where bicycle highways weave through the city, schoolchildren are raised on recycling habits, and carbon neutrality isn’t just a goal but a work in progress.

From lakefront green spaces to car-free infrastructure and community-driven pilots, Zurich integrates nature, governance, and innovation in a way few cities manage.

As Anna puts it,

“Pla...

“At the end of the day, we have limited resources. This issue isn’t going away—so dismantling sustainability programmes is a short-term decision with long-term consequences.”

“We’re trying to accelerate innovation by helping sustainable products get to market faster—and make sustainability a sales advantage, not a cost.” Kathleen Egan, CEO and Co-Founder of Ecomedes

In this episode of Constructive Voices, host Jackie De Burca is joined by Kathleen Egan, the dynamic and purpose-driven CEO of Ecomedes. This platform connects sustainability data to real business outcomes in the built environment.

Kathleen’s journey from Harvard MBA grad to serial entrepreneur to sustainability tech leader is compelling in itself—but it’s her mission to embed sustainability into every purchasing decision in construction that truly stands out.

What triggered her shift toward sustainability?
How does Ecomedes simplify compliance and empower sales teams with data?
Why is backing away from ESG investments short-sighted—even in politically uncertain times?

Kathleen doesn’t hold back in this engaging and deeply informative conversation.

“The only way to avoid greenwashing is through third-party certifications. Yes, they’re messy—but they’re necessary.”

“No one wants to deal with 100 certifiers, but everyone wants valid data. That’s where we come in.”

We’ve fought water for centuries, but maybe it’s time to live with it—and even on it.” – Rutger de Graaf

In this eye-opening episode of Constructive Voices, host Jackie De Burca speaks with visionary Dutch engineer Rutger de Graaf, co-founder of Blue21, about how floating urban developments can offer real, resilient solutions to the climate crisis.

“Floating developments aren’t just a backup plan for climate change; they’re innovation platforms for decentralised energy, housing, and community.” Rutger de Graaf

For over 18 years, Rutger has been leading the charge in designing, engineering, and implementing floating infrastructure in the Netherlands and beyond.

This episode delves deep (pun intended) into how floating neighbourhoods, ports, and even social housing could redefine our relationship with water—and why this isn’t science fiction but a rapidly emerging reality.

From Fight to Float: How Dutch engineering is shifting from battling water to embracing it—and how other coastal cities can follow.

️ Floating Cities 101: What they are, how they work, and how they’re being built today.

Innovation Meets Ecology: The hidden ecosystems growing beneath floating platforms, and why...