As 2030 draws nearer, we are in constant need to make better and greener decisions in our daily lives and be aware of the role our businesses play in keeping the planet healthy. Sustainability isn’t just a catchphrase, it’s a necessity, and leaders in the field who are making the big changes toward a greener future are coming together once again to help us understand what innovations are on the horizon and how we can begin to make a greater difference.

To continue this necessary conversation about our collective futures, the IPBN will hold its third annual Sustainability Conference on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIP) in Lisbon in which keynote presentations will be delivered from a group of sustainability experts from various sectors followed by a tour of the Hub Criativo do Beato’s new Innovation Hub. H.E. Ralph Victory, the Irish Ambassador to Portugal has graciously agreed to give opening remarks to all who attend, followed by Claudia Coelho, Partner at PwC Portugal who will begin the event with a presentation on sustainable investments and initiatives from the firm.

Open to all

In conjunction with the IPBN conference's official partners Enterprise Ireland, Heritage Hotels, KRA Renewables, and Konceptness, the IPBN is thrilled to offer both its members and non-members the chance to take an in-depth look at some of the initiatives, innovations, and investments guided by last year’s COP26 event in Glasgow. The talks will include the transition to clean energy, the development and delivery of communication and energy networks, and perhaps most importantly, how organizations can become empowered to develop solutions that support and contribute to the UN Security Council’s goals, and more.

The IPBN will also be looking at the effects of sustainable practices in building and construction trends, how energy efficiency is playing a role, and how renovation and retrofitting in residential and commercial buildings can help offset the effects of climate change while tackling the ongoing housing crisis on a global scale. The IPBN thanks its Executive sponsors AGreen Full Cycle Building Management Portugal and Dense Air for their continued support of the network and their unyielding energy toward building a sustainable future on a day-to-day basis.

In an effort to capture the big picture, Chair of the IPBN Aoife Healy will lead a discussion on the topic of Innovation on a grand scale with Natalie Samovich, Co-Founder & Innovation Strategy Lead of the Resilient Group and Member of the Steering Board of the Alliance for IoT Innovation, Marc Kellett, Founder & CEO at Keltech IoT, Carolina Almeida Cruz, Co-Founder & CEO of C-More beyond the Obvious & Portuguese Tech Award Winner 2021 in the category Sustainability & Climate Change Activism, and Lee Hodder, Director of Strategy & Sustainability for GALP.

In a further discussion on sustainable innovation in the building industry, IPBN Board Member Susan Cabeceiras, Founder & CEO of Konceptness will moderate a panel discussion with Laura McMahon, Sustainability Consultant at Lawler Consulting Ireland, Krystyna Rawicz, Managing Director of KRA Renewables Ireland & Portugal, Pedro Barata, Business Development Director of AGREEN Full Cycle Building Management Portugal, and representatives from Enterprise Ireland.

In the afternoon, we have organized an exclusive tour of the Hub Criativo do Beato (HCB), the new Innovation Hub in Lisbon with Start-up Lisboa. The HCB is the home of a vibrant, inspiring, and innovative group of entrepreneurs from all over the world! Attendees can expect an in-depth introduction to the HCB Living Lab, whose mission is the promotion of the efficient management of resources, with a particular focus on accelerating the transition to a sustainable and circular economy.

The conference is open to IPBN members and non-members and is free of charge. Registration is open here.

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