Catch-Up
30 Sep 2025
Online
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Landscape Carbon Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work

Following the publication of the Landscape and Carbon report in March 2024, the Landscape Institute has been developing learning materials to help practitioners adopt a lower-carbon approach in their projects. This includes developing a Landscape Carbon Overlay for the Plan of Work, setting out low carbon actions that can be adopted at each stage of a landscape project.

The Landscape Carbon Overlay is complemented by detailed information and links relating to 5 Key Actions to achieve a low-carbon approach, and case studies illustrate how these actions can be put into practice. The learning materials are presented in a user-friendly format, following a step-by-step approach, and are suitable for landscape architects and other related professionals, as well as developers working to deliver lower carbon projects whilst ensuring quality and cost-effective outputs.

Learning outcomes,

Understand the importance of reducing the carbon footprint of landscape projects.
Understand the five key actions that will help reduce the carbon footprint of landscape projects.
Recognise the importance of reducing the carbon footprint at every stage of the process, as set out in the Plan of Works.

Speakers

Liz Nicholson

Liz Nicholson is Managing Director of Nicholsons, an environmental consultancy and contracting company, offering landscapes, forestry and ecology services. As a chartered environmentalist, Liz created elemental, a green design tool which supports landscape professionals to design with climate consciousness and an ehnanced focus on biodiversity, species resilience and societal benefit. The tool is sponsored and supported by reputable industry professionals, includng the Landscape Institute, and has been used as a supportive tool within the judging process of RHS show gardens. As a Senior Judge and RHS Councillor, Liz has seen elemental guide designers in making informed design decisions to reduce impacts and optimise benefits to climate and nature. Most recently, the audit saw emissions reduce by around 25 percent and continues to be embedded within the design process at Nicholsons as well as an educational tool for the wider industry.

Annie Buckle

Since completing a master’s in design in 2009, Annie has worked in a variety of land-based roles; maintenance labourer, garden designer, plant buyer, biosecurity management and even a researcher for TV garden make-overs!

Seven years ago, Annie decided to go back to education and develop her scientific knowledge of the natural world. This led to a second degree, in Biological Sciences, a Masters in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, and now a PhD, researching the human component of sustainable grassland and soil management within agriculture.

Annie is now using her professional and scholarly experience to develop Elemental, a brand-new green design tool kit.

Jo Phillips

Jo Phillips is a landscape architect and urban designer with almost thirty years’ experience of working on a broad range of environmental projects in both the public and private sector. Jo’s multi-disciplinary approach to projects is informed by her formal studies in ‘Climate Change Management’ and ‘Rewilding and Species Restoration’. Jo recently left private practice to set up her own consultancy, ‘nubuds’ with a focus on nature restoration, rewilding and regenerative farming with the aim of scaling up responses to climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as maximising biodiversity.