Edinburgh Sustainable Innovation ConferenceABSTRACT

20TH FEBRUARY 2017 DYNAMIC EARTH

THE BUCHANAN INSTITUTE

Formed in 2010, Global Thermostat (GT) is commercializing its advanced, multi-patented technology to transform Carbon Dioxide from a global liability into an immense profit center. Using its proven, break-through technology, GT economically captures and concentrates CO2, enabling its profitable re-use across multiple large & growing industries – reducing harmful emissions, and helping to close the global carbon cycle.

The Scottish Government’s ambition for a low carbon society dates back many years now. More recently the realisation that heating is a significant source of CO2 emissions is welcome. Heating can of course be achieved in various ways, but less well known is that, rather than burning fuel (be it gas or oil or biomass), heat can be harvested from a source using heatpumps. Heatpumps are basically refrigerators where as well as cooling one area the heat that is normally thrown away is used.

Drammen in Norway engaged Glasgow firm Star Renewable Energy (SRE) to harvest heat from their fjord and successfully deliver this at 90C to heat the city centre buildings.

Dave Pearson, Director, Star Renewable Energywww.neatpumps.com

Major Sponsors

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The Buchanan Institute

Panel Debate: Bioethics & Applications of Genetically Altered Human Embryos

Who are we: The Buchanan Institute

The Buchanan Institute is Scotland’s only stu-dent-led think tank, based within the University of Edinburgh. The organisation aims to fundamental-ly change how students engage with the public and political sphere. Traditional political engagement among young people has been restricted to protests and voting, now students can, through Buchanan, put forward their own alternatives. We provide stu-dents with the opportunities to engage in policies that tackle social and environmental issues to enact real change. We aim to change the conventional rhetoric that is associated with our generation, that these problems are too big for us to tackle. Through Buchanan students gain skills and contacts which can be translated into any future career they wish to pursue.

As a community of individuals with a shared goal we come from very different backgrounds both academically and personally. The nature of a policy based think-tank will inevitably draw in students of the humanities, however we bring in students with scientific, clinical and philosophical backgrounds

and help them to shape the world of tomorrow.

Our Perspectives - Grounded in Research

A student-led think tank brings together the rich diversity of talent at a university. It channels the energy, originality and drive of students to gener-ate ideas that span the academic and policy spec-trums. There are tens of thousands of students in Edinburgh who have great ideas and want to make a difference. Buchanan provides the platform to articulate their vision. Those who join the institute begin by identifying a particular policy area or problem they are interested in. They then embark on a strenuous research project to expand their knowledge about these issues as well as identify potential solutions.

Research groups are provided with academic men-tors who help them through this process and also collaborate with experts and third party stake-holders. After the research proposal is finished, the institute creates pathways by which these proposals are presented to MPs and submitted as calls for evidence. By allowing students to have their ideas heard by Scottish and UK lawmakers, we help them transform their ideas into real action. Through the Buchanan Institute, young people are taking an active role in creating policies for their future. Bu-chanan seeks to inspire new ideas and open up dialogue among students through its events, brainstorming sessions and research. Through initiatives such as matching project teams with academic mentors, Buchanan also draws upon the expertise of leading academics. The Buchanan Institute brings people together to think, learn, discuss, research, and gain invaluable experience. It is non-partisan, centred around evidence and open to everyone, and thus inspires dialogue that may otherwise not be heard.

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The Buchanan Institute

The Institute has hosted talks from world-re-nowned thinkers, such as Graciela Chichilnisky the US lead author of the Nobel Peace Prize co-win-ning IPCC and Mathis Wackernagel the interna-tional sustainability expert. We have produced research in collaboration with SSPS faculty and the Royal Society of the Arts, held conferences on policy areas such as drug reform and provided training to students with the help of the Scottish Parliament. Buchanan also aims to be an exemplar of staff-public-student collaboration. This academic year, the Academic Mentorship Scheme hit the ground running. and we have been contin-ually involved with groups across Scotland. There are projects ranging from tackling homelessness to climate change, all of which are paired with an academic mentor to give the student researchers support and guidance.

We currently have research projects looking at: Drug Policy Reform, Universal Basic Income, in-centivising Kidney Donation, the Brexit Aftermath and University Food Wastage. The Edinburgh Sus-tainable Innovation Conference will be the spark that ignites a new round of sustainability focused policies to complement these. Buchanan is part of a wider network of UK student think tanks, meet-ing for the first time in London at the UK Student Policy Symposium on April 26th.

Our Main Achievements

Founded in January 2014 at the University of Edinburgh, the Institute provides a platform for students to put forward their own solutions to the key policy challenges that today’s society faces. In its first three years, it has won EUSA Society of the Year 2015 and produced a wide range of events and research outputs.

Chief Joseph Tipanko: Gender Equality and Female Genital Mutilation in the Kenyan Maasai

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Speakers

Peter Emery, Chief Executive OfficerElectricity North West

Peter spent twenty years with Esso and ExxonMobil specialising in strategic planning and operational management. This included several roles in the UK and an overseas assignment in Corporate Planning with Exxon Company Inter-national and ten years spent in leadership positions in Refining & Supply cul-minating in the appointment to the position of Operations Manager at Fawley Refinery, with full responsibility for the operation of the UK’s largest refinery.

In 2004, he joined the Board of Drax Power Limited as Production Director, the owner of the largest power station in the UK. Peter played a leading role in converting Drax into a major renewable generator (including the development of biomass pelleting plants and export facilities in the USA) and was Chairman of Capture Power, the joint venture vehicle responsible for the development of the White Rose Carbon Capture and Storage Project. In 2016, he was appoint-ed as Chief Executive Officer of Electricity North West Limited, the business responsible for the electricity distribution network covering Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria.

Given his decades of experience Peter has a unique insight into the British electricity industry and will be sharing this with us. The nature of the energy in-dustry is changing at a rapid rate to meet growing climate demands; in order to meet these demands there are a number of challenges which we must overcome. This includes the ‘peak demand’ problem, the need to increase base energy pro-duction and the nature of energy transmission.

Jenny Hogan, Director of PolicyScottish Renewables

Jenny has been Director of Policy at Scottish Renewables, the voice of Scotland’s renewable energy industry, since 2010, and has worked in renewable energy and sustainable development for more than a decade.

She is one of two senior managers in the organisation, reporting to the Chief Ex-ecutive, and leads the five-strong policy and membership team in securing the optimal legislative, regulatory and fiscal framework for the growth of renewables and to lead thinking on the key challenges and opportunities for the sector.

Jenny will be speaking on the impact policy has on the renewables sector, particularly the Scottish Government’s recently published draft Energy Strategy and draft Climate Change Plan, as well as relevant UK policies such as the draft Industrial Strategy and advice to government from the Committee on Climate Change.

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Maurice Golden MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform

Maurice is a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Scottish Conservatives and was elected in 2016. He is Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Deputy Convenor of the Environment Committee and Deputy Chief Whip. Prior to being elected, Maurice led the Circular Economy Programme for Zero Waste Scotland having joined the organisation in 2011. He has fifteen years’ experience working in the waste and energy sectors, previously working for Ofgem and Consumer Focus. He is a Chartered Waste Manager and approved CIWM Waste Smart Trainer for the UK.

Maurice will be speaking on the circular opportunities for Scotland as well as the Zero Waste Agenda being put forth nationally. The transition to a circular econo-my is integral to the Scottish Government’s aim to achieve sustainable economic growth. Developing a strong circular economy will help protect Scotland against exposure to supply and resource risks as well as increasing our global resilience.

Jo Green, Chief Officer for Performance and Innovation Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Jo has over 25 years experience working in the environmental sector. She joined SEPA in 1999 and has held a number of senior operational and organisational roles, working in parallel in recent years in external roles in the social enterprise and voluntary sectors. She is currently Chair of AAI, a social enterprise that plac-es graduate talent into the public, private and third sectors. Prior to joining SEPA Jo spent 10 years in the private sector, including working internationally from a Scottish base in a major consultancy. She has also worked at Scottish Enterprise on economic regeneration and inward investment in Scotland.

We are delighted to welcome Jo speaking instead of Terry A’Hearn, she will be speaking on the engagement of business and commerce in sustainability under the lens of SEPA’s ‘One Planet Prosperity’ model.

Philip McMaster, Co-director World Sustainability Organisation

Beijing-based Philip McMaster, is the Canadian creator of the 3 Finger “Sustain-ability Symbol”, co-founder / Principal Researcher for the McMaster Institute for Sustainable Development in Commerce, co-founder of the Peace Plus One – World Sustainability Project, the World Sustainability Organization, Republic Of Conscience, Caring Currency and CHANGE WEDNESDAY.

Philip will talk about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and how, through his participation in the most important Climate Change conferenc-es around the world (COP21 / COP22), he sees "CHANGE WEDNESDAY" (the day every week we focus on Sustainability) and citizenship in the the LOHHAS

Speakers

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Eilidh Brunton, Group Recycling ConsultantVegware

Vegware is the only completely compostable packaging firm operating globally. Vegware specialises in the development, manufacture and distribution of envi-ronmental foodservice packaging along with providing full creative and environ-mental consultancy. Eilidh leads Vegware’s Environmental Team, advising clients how to divert their compostable foodservice packaging from landfill and leading sites through Vegware’s ‘5 Steps to Zero Waste’.

Eilidh will be doing a presentation which will be an overview of Vegware and how they support customers to roll out compostable packaging on site and go zero waste. She will include some case studies of specific customers Vegware has worked with.

Dave Pearson, DirectorStar Renewable Energy

A graduate from Strathclyde in Mechanical Engineering with Business Man-agement and European Studies and an MBA, Dave is also a board member of CeeD-Scotland a business to business knowledge sharing group with nearly 250 corporate members in Scotland.

Dave will be sharing the opportunities to introduce large scale heat pumps in Scotland with reference to the successful Drammen plant. Drammen in Norway engaged Glasgow firm Star Renewable Energy (SRE) to harvest heat from their fjord and deliver this at 90C to heat the city centre buildings.

Neil Kermode, Managing Director European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) Ltd

Neil was appointed in 2005 as Managing Director of EMEC. From the original 4-berth wave energy test site, Neil has overseen considerable growth throughout the company, which now features 6 wave berths, a 7-berth tidal energy test site, and two scale test sites for smaller scale device, component and technique testing. EMEC is also beginning work on energy storage and hydrogen to overcome grid inadequacies.

Neil is a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and Chartered Environmentalist. He has spoken on marine energy extensively in the UK and internationally and is a passionate advocate for a sustainable energy fu-ture; he will be sharing that passion at the ESIC.

Speakers

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An Artistic Climate,Ben Twist - Creative Carbon Scotland

How can the arts, screen and creative industries help those working outside the arts sector to address climate change and transition Scotland to a more sustain-able society? In this workshop, Creative Carbon Scotland Director, Ben Twist, will discuss the shift required to move us away from a culture of consumption, highlighting how the arts, screen and creative industries can be used to better influence and inform decision making. This session will be particularly useful to anyone working in other fields looking for more creative solutions to their wicked problems.

EnergyvilleJennifer Ramsay - Local Energy Scotland

You are a group of community members from Energyville, population 5,000. Your community group have delivered a few energy efficiency projects and are now looking to deliver a transformative local energy project. Using the examples given in the Challenge Fund case studies, you must devise a local energy project for the town. Elements of multiple projects may be combined, or you may wish to add other technology elements.

Consider the following questions:What local problem is the project seeking to solve? E.g. fuel poverty, unemployment etcWhat approach would you take?What are the key project risks and challenges? E.g. technical, contractual, financial, etc.What partners would you work with to deliver the project?Does your project proposal align with the Scottish Government’s Energy Strategy?What funding would be required to make your project happen

Heating Things Up,Neatpumps & Townrock Energy

The UK is finally entering the race to decarbonize heat, in last place among the European countries. There are several well established renewable heating tech-nologies, but with geographical dependencies for natural thermal resources, and decision making being driven by a balance between carbon, cost and security, implementing enough technologies fast enough is a major challenge. In this in-timate boardroom session, Dave and Dave will pitch their pioneering renewable heat solutions: large scale heat pumps and deep geothermal. It is up to the board to decide which technology is a better investment, and whether either has a chance

Workshops

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MORNING SESSIONS

Leading for a Low Carbon Future, Elizabeth Dirth - 2050 Climate Group

In this workshop Elizabeth Dirth, the current Chair and one of the founding mem-bers of the 2050 Climate Group, will discuss what ‘leading for the future’ looks like. She’ll showcase their innovative approach to tackle climate change and developing future leaders by equipping them with skills to inspire within their spheres of in-fluence, and thus lead the transformational change necessary to address climate change and achieve a low carbon society.. This workshop will help participants identify how they can be leaders in their fields. After all, today’s young leaders are the architects of the future and will be the decision makers in the country by 2050.

Sustainable Consumption,Jim Stout - BISON

BISON is a social enterprise based in Edinburgh providing motivation and radical transparency for citizen power at the checkout, driving corporate change for sus-tainable and ethical products. Jim Stout, co-founder of Bison and CEO of Scree-Tech, will be running a workshop on Bison’s vision for Radical Transparency of corporate behaviour as a means to motivate and enable consumers to improve corporate sustainability and ethical practices. They will be presenting their initial project promoting sustainable palm oil and looking for input around their future plans.

Community-led Local Energy Systems,Sandy Robinson - Scene Consulting

Scene, an Edinburgh based community renewables research and consultancy social enterprise, will be facilitating a local energy systems workshop. This work-shop will discuss innovative solutions and processes for the design and delivery of community energy in a post-subsidy system.

Thinking from the perspectives of communities, participants will be challenged to design their own local energy system within specific energy scenarios. These ideas will inform discussions surrounding the challenges faced by community energy in the UK, the technologies and approaches available to overcome these challenges, and the benefits local energy systems can bring to communities.

Workshops

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AFTERNOON SESSIONS

Policy Problems,The Buchanan Institute & Edinburgh University Students Association.

Sinéad and Vanessa from the Buchanan Institute will be running a brainstorming session together with EUSA’s sustainability coordinator, Davy Gray, and EUSA’s Vice President Services, Jenna Kelly. Learn a little bit more about the inner workings of The Buchanan Institute and sustainability policy as we pick apart themes and ideas from the day, dis-cussing how and where they can be put into action. We’ll be examining these themes and ideas through the lens of the ‘Buchanan method’, such as breaking down an idea into a multitude of institutional, local or national levels. Lastly, discover the crucial role policy brainstorms play in conceptualising a policy proposal.

The Circular Economy Butterfly,Aurora Sustainability Consultancy

Iain Findlay, joint founder and CEO of Aurora Sustainability, a consultancy firm based in Scotland, will explain the circular economy butterfly diagram. Iain, and co-founder Isabel-la, have recently returned from India, promoting Circular Economy strategy to state gov-ernments. A strong advocate for circular economy, his experience is rooted in a deep un-derstanding of sustainability strategies which he applies to public, private and educational sectors, an example being community garden projects. Iain also has a deep understanding of organic and urban agriculture and is a successful innovator in vertical food growing. Iain and Isabella will be taking us through the ‘Circular Economy Butterfly’ diagram often seen, looking at approaches and examples from Scotland.

What will we do now?Martin Valenti, 2020 Climate Group

Throughout the day at the conference we will have heard from leading speakers on chal-lenges and opportunities for Scotland to deliver on sustainability which is too often de-scribed as transformative actions for the future or the long term view. The questions con-sidered at the workshop are about the here and now and in particular what can be done now and how do I get involved? The workshop will facilitate active discussion around mobilising civic society to buy into actions and initiatives that are readily available.

THE BUCHANAN INSTITUTE

Workshops

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CLOSING PANEL DISCUSSION

Jamie Cooke, Head of RSA Scotland Isabella Guerrini De Claire, Director at Aurora Sustainability Consultancy

Jenny Hogan, Director of Policy at Scottish RenewablesFourth TBC

Moderated by Martin Valenti, Vice Chair of Scotland’s 2020 Climate Group

We will be welcoming speakers to come and talk a little about what they do themselves, followed by an intensive Q & A session. Throughout the day we will have taken note of what delegates and speakers have highlighted as key themes of interest and these will be explored further in an open discussion. To cap it off we will open the discussion to the floor for questions about the content covered and to get your input on what you think is the most pressing sustainability issue today. These will be discussed and action plans laid out to start working on a solution today! If you’re interested in continued involvement with any of this work as it progresses, speak to some of the Buchanan Institute team on the day.

FULL LIST OF EXHIBITORS:

Electric Bikes Scotland Project Elpis

BendifaAquaponics

Haky SacForestry Commission Carbon CO2de

EnactusSHRUB Co-opFood sharersNeat pumps

Green Grow MushroomsProduct Forge

MAD Caledonian ChallengeRe-made in Edinburgh/ The Edinburgh Remakery

NERC innovation programme and the ECCITownrock Energy

The Buchanan Institute

Start time

Event:

08:30 Registration09:10 Introduction09:20 Keynote: Peter Emery10:00 Neil Kermode 10:20 Dave Pearson 10:40 Eilidh Brunton 11:00 Q & A11:20 Comfort break11:40 Morning Workshop

Leading for a Low Carbon

Future - 2050 Climate Group

Sustainable Con-sumption - BISON

Energyville - Local Energy Scotland

Heating Things Up - Neatpumps & Townrock Energy

An Artistic Climate - Creative Carbon

Scotland

12:40 Lunch 13:40 Philip McMaster14:00 Jo Green14:20 Maurice Golden 14:40 Jenny Hogan 15:00 Q & A15:20 Comfort break15:40 Workshop

Policy Problems - The Buchanan Institute & Edinburgh University

Students Association

Challenges to Community Energy - Scene Consulting

What will we do now? - Martin

Valenti

Circular Economy in Scotland - Aurora Sustainability Con-

sulting16:40 Room turnover16:50 Panel Discussion

Schedule

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DISCLAIMER

Can all attendees please be aware that there will be photography on the day as well as live-streaming throughout the events taking place in the main Biosphere room. If you have any issues with this please make yourself known to the organisers and we will try to ensure you are excluded from all shots.

Product Forge - Livestreaming

Product Forge runs hackathons with a twist; we develop teams of entrepreneuri-ally minded designers, developers and industry specialists to build new products that tackle society's hardest challenges.

Participants use design thinking and digital technology to rapidly prototype their ideas, with support from mentors who have real world commercial experi-ence. We use proven techniques such as lean storyboarding in conjunction with bespoke canvas and other tools we have developed to work within an intense product focused hackathon.

Photography by: Stevie Powers Photography http://www.steviepowers.co.uk/

Travel to the venue and parking

Dietary information

Arrival

Workshop sign-up

Drinks reception

Dynamic Earth has an on-site car park with 120 spaces. The car park is located underneath the building and is accessed from Holyrood Gait which runs along the right hand side of the venue. Spaces are available on a first come first served basis and cannot be reserved in advance.

Standard charges for the car park are £3 for the first three hours and £1.50 per hour for the hours following. We do however encourage you to reach the venue by foot, public transport or bicycle. The venue is within a 15 minute walk or 5 minute drive from Edinburgh Waverley train station. Lothian bus routes 35 and 6 stop within a two minute walk from the venue.

A buffet-style full lunch will be provided to all delegates. Vegetarian and Vegan options are available. For any allergen information simply ask the Dynamic Earth serving staff.

Registration begins at 8:30 and presentations start at 9:10. Please arrive promptly.

Watch your inbox for a workshop sign-up sheet. There are limited places availa-ble in some sessions so book your place early to avoid disappointment, but there will be a sign-up sheet on the day at the registration desk.

From 18:00 onwards we will be moving to Hemma just around the corner for an informal drinks reception and networking opportunity. Sponsored by

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What you need to know

Our supporters

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Sponsors

THE BUCHANAN INSTITUTE

The Buchanan InstituteAcademy of Government21 George SquareEdinburghEH8 9LD

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