Over the past week I’ve had an insight into LifeProven and what it is they do here.

I initially connected with the ethos of LifeProven that felt uniquely optimistic in an ever changing world. In the world of development, moreover the world in general, we have a crisis mindset. We are in the midst of a climate crisis and anything we do now is damage control. Although it is true, we have a problem and we need a solution, the solution doesn’t have to be a plaster on a wound but rather water on a plant. We have a responsibility to our environment and those in it to grow as a collective. Last week I had the opportunity to join the team at LifeProven and see how they bring this concept to fruition.

I was tasked with summarising various reports and notes from Sofi and Adam. This turned out to be the ultimate crash course in the world of development. Having the chance to see how the team find information on their developments allowed me to understand what exactly we need to look for that makes a property environmentally and socially sustainable.

Taking this knowledge, I dove in the deep end of all things ESG. Before this week I had a vague idea of ESG and what it meant and why it’s important in the development world. I’m leaving this week with ideas on how to improve each umbrella factor under ESG for different properties- something that seemed completely out of my wheelhouse a week ago. Seeing the tangible change that can be made to a development when breaking down the environmental, social and governance components has been insurmountably encouraging to see in our changing world.

The highlight of this week has been the opportunity to listen to the podcasts LifeProven produce. I was tasked with listening to an episode and finding which topics talked about I was interested in and wanted to explore further. For someone not from a property or ESG background this seemed a daunting task at first. After listening to multiple episodes (I was hooked), I found myself brimming with feedback, questions and comments. One of the episodes I really connected with stressed that everyone- from the architect, to the engineer, to the insurer, to the landlord- has a property’s durability at heart. Each of these branches want a property that can withstand any risk, however in todays climate of constant technological advancement and climate change these entities also want a property that can evolve along with its society.

This week and the knowledge I have gained from it has been an invaluable experience as my interest in sustainable development has increased tenfold. I had a keen interest prior but seeing that it is possible to make a difference and then having the process broken down for you and the chance to participate in it is game changing. We have one earth and as much as we want to preserve we also need to progress. Finding sustainable, eco friendly and energy efficient ways to expand our earth is the only way forward.