Concrete is the second most used material on earth, behind only water. For the first time in millennia, we need to consider how we manufacture and deliver this vital material for our cities and infrastructure in the face of climate change.
The lecture and panel will explore cutting edge research and companies deploying innovative solutions to deliver green cement and concrete. Followed by informal networking and drinks.
Panel
Moderator: Christian Hernandez Gallardo (Partner and Co-founder, 2150)
Christian has spent his career incubating, launching and scaling emerging technologies as an operator and investor. He has held leadership roles through the hyper growth phases of some of the world’s largest technology companies, notably as head of international business development at Facebook (Meta) and head of new markets at Google.
He started his career developing systems of intelligence in the early days of “big data.” He leverages this experience to partner with and support impactful climate solutions to thrive. Prior to co-founding 2150, Christian launched a transatlantic venture capital firm with over $1 billion in assets under management.
Christian holds a BA in Economics from Duke University and an MBA from The Wharton School and is a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum.
Dr Alalea Kia (Advanced Research Fellow, Imperial College London)
Alalea is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and a Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Associate Research Fellow in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Her research focuses on cleantech, mitigating damages from climate change, and the transformation of the construction sector towards net-zero. Her work encompasses urban challenges including flooding and drainage, additive manufacturing, durability of cement-based materials and the development of new low-carbon cementitious materials.
She was chosen as one of the ‘Top 50 Women in Engineering’ in 2022 by the Women’s Engineering Society, received the ‘Hawley Award for Engineering Innovation’ by the Worshipful Company of Engineers and Engineering Council, and the Imperial College London President’s Medal for Excellence in Research in 2023. In 2024, she was selected as a RAEng Young Engineer of the Year and received the Sir George MacFarlane Medal.
Buffy Price (Co-founder, CarbonRe)
Buffy Price is a co-founder of Carbon Re, an industrial AI spin-out from UCL and the University of Cambridge tackling carbon emissions in energy-intensive industries, starting with cement. Having helped build the company over the past 5 years, Buffy now leads Corporate Affairs, PR, Government Relations and Impact. Previously, Buffy worked at Element AI and Amnesty International, with a background in change management and complex global organisations.
Peter Runacres (Head of Urban Futures, Earls Court Development Company)
Peter is Head of Urban Futures at ECDC, joining in July 2022. He is responsible for ensuring the long-term resilience of the Earls Court masterplan and infrastructure design. His role centres around improving the integration of good design, purposeful technology and sustainability into the ECDC masterplan and buildings, from concept to operation.
Peter is a qualified architect by background, switching to property developer to have a greater positive impact in the urban environment. He has an extensive track record in innovative regeneration and development projects both in London and around the world.
Schedule
18.00-18.30: Arrive from 18.00 (Imperial Business School is on the South Kensington campus)
18.30-18:40: Welcome
18:40 – 1935: Panel Discussion
19:35 – 19:55: Audience Q&A
19.55-20.00: Closing remarks
20.00-21.00: Networking over refreshments
Register
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Getting here
The event will take place in ICBS LG100 – LGS Lecture Theatre at the Imperial Business School on Imperial’s South Kensington Campus. Signposting to the room will be available at Imperial’s Main Entrance off Exhibition Road.