The event was expertly hosted by the charismatic Frazer Stokes, Founder of WasteBuild Zero and Commercial Director for the architecture portfolio at emap, who opened the evening introducing the renowned architect and circular economy advocate, Thomas Rau. Thomas painted a vivid picture of our world as a closed system and the circular economy being the route to enabling the infinite use of the ‘limited edition’ materials we all rely on in the built environment. Thomas left us with a deep sense of purpose and inspiration as he played us a well known piece of music backwards, inviting us all to think about the systems we are creating in reverse.
The Madaster platform was then introduced through a short film, offering a summary of its functionality. Andrea Charlson was then welcomed to the stage, the newly appointed Managing Director for the UK. With 15 years at the forefront of the UK’s circular economy space, Andrea presented her vision for Madaster in the UK as playing a pivitol role in enabling a circular built environment through providing the data to support collaboration across the sector. Andrea compelled the audience to become Pioneers with Madaster and help realise the vision of a world without waste.
Madaster then proudly introduced their very first UK pioneer, Drees & Sommer in collaboration with EPEA. This long-time collaborative partner across Europe, is now extending their impact to the UK. Simon Joe Portal, Sustainability Director for the UK team, shared his thoughts on this pioneering partnership and why Madaster was the perfect fit for them in the UK:
‘Without an effective cadaster every building – and consultant – stands alone. With one we drive the industry forward. We are committed to sharing our 40 years of knowledge with Madaster to help true circularity become a reality. I personally really look forward to doing this in the UK.’
As a tangible memento of this pioneering event, attendees received their copy of Thomas Rau’s ‘Material Matters’ book, serving as a lasting reminder of Madaster’s vision and, hopefully, a deeper understanding, renewed commitment, and a sense of ownership for sustainable, responsible, and circular construction practices.
The event marked a momentous occasion as Madaster encouraged UK companies and frontrunners to join them in their pioneering mission. A heartfelt thank you to all who attended and participated, with special acknowledgment to Frazer for guiding us through an eventful evening. If you’d like to learn more, please feel free to get in touch!
