The Importance of Biodiversity

In this episode of The Future of Sustainable Development Podcast, Dave Cummins explores biodiversity and why it matters in property development, reframing land as a living system rather than a blank canvas. He unpacks what biodiversity is, how development contributes to biodiversity loss, practical reasons the industry has been slow to change and examples of projects and cities that are embedding nature into the built environment. 

Why it’s important

Biodiversity underpins the systems we rely on, from clean water and stable climates to human health, and decisions made in development can either weaken or strengthen that web of life. This episode makes the case for making biodiversity the default in every project, not an optional extra, because when we design with biodiversity in mind, we do not just reduce harm, we regenerate. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:11

G'day, I'm Dave Cummins from Future Property Group. And welcome to the Future of Sustainable Development, the podcast where we explore the idea shaping tomorrow's built environment. Today we're exploring the importance of ventilation. What is it, why is it important, and how to embrace it. And when you hear the word ventilation, you might think of something technical, hidden in ducks above the ceilings, or an afterthought in a building plan. But ventilation isn't a background character. It's a lead actor in the story of human health, energy efficiency, and climate resilience. The air we breathe indoors, where we spend around 90% of our lives, affects how well we think, how quickly we heal, and how productive we are. And yet too often ventilation is either ignored, undervalued, or designed only to meet the bare minimum of code. So what exactly is ventilation? Put simply, it is the process of exchanging stale indoor air with fresh air from outside. Historically, ventilation was as simple as opening a window. In traditional architecture across the Middle East, India, and the Mediterranean, you'll find courtyards, wild towers, and cross ventilation buildings that keep spaces cool and the habitat without a watt of energy use. But with the advert of sealed glass towers in the 20th century, we swapped breezes for mechanical systems. And while those systems promised control, they also delivered poor indoor air quality, high energy bills and the dependence on fossil fueled HVAC systems. Science has been clear for decades. Ventilation matters. A groundbreaking study by Joseph Allen and colleagues in environmental health perspectives showed that poor indoor air quality caused by inadequate ventilation reduced cognitive functions by as much as 20%. Think about that. Your brain literally slows down when the air is stale. The Lancet Planetary Health reported that exposure to indoor air pollutants is linked to higher rates of respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, and premature death. Research in the Journal of Exposed Science and Environmental Epidemiology found that children in poorly ventilated classrooms had high rates of absenteeism and lower economy performance. The air we breathe indoors is not invisible. It is measurable and its impact is profound. Healthcare gives us one of the clearest demonstrations. Studies published in indoor air have shown that proper ventilation reduces transmission of airborne diseases from the common cold to influenza. During the COVID-19 pandemic, research and science confirmed that airborne transmission was one of the dominant routes and that increased ventilation cut infected wrists dramatically. In fact, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control recommended ventilation is one of the first line defenses, equal in importance to masks and distancing. When we ventilate well, we don't just make people feel more comfortable, we save lives. The workplace is equally striking. In one Harvard study known as COVID FX, researchers doubled the ventilation rates in offices and found that cognitive scores jumped by 101% compared to standard build-ins. Yes, you heard it right. Twice fresh air, twice the brain power. Another study in the Journal of Environmental Health reported that absenteeism in offices with higher ventilation rates drop by 35%. Employees who ignore ventilation are literally paying the price in lost productivity and sickly. And ventilation is a climate strategy too. The World Green Building Council reminds us that the built environment contributes to 39% of global carbon emissions. Poorly ventilated buildings often rely on heavy air conditioning used to offset discomfort, which drives up energy demand. But research in energy and building found that optimized natural ventilation can reduce cooling loads by 30% in temperature climbers. Similarly, mixed mode buildings, those that combine natural and mechanical ventilation, cut energy use by 50% compared to fully sealed, mechanically cooled towers. So why don't we embrace ventilation more? Part of it is cost. Developers often see advanced systems or larger operable windows as expensive extras. But a study in the Journal of Sustainable Real Estate showed that buildings with high indoor air quality ratings had higher rents and lower tenancy retention. The return is ideal, but short-term thinking still dominates. Another barrier is culture. For decades, progress was equaled with sealed glass boxes, skyscraper shimming and reflective facades, controlled climates achieved entirely through machines. But the World Economic Forum has highlighted that these buildings contribute to urban heat islands, worsening emissions, and often trap occupants in unhealthy air. We fell in love with the look while ignoring the lungs of the building. There's also lack of awareness. Even though there are projects around the world that have shown doubling of cognitive performance with better ventilation, most boardrooms still don't connect air changes per hour with balance sheets. Even though the Lancet reported that improved indoor air quality reduces disease burden, many building codes still aim for the lowest acceptable standard rather than an optimal one. Knowledge has not yet become practice. And finally, there are vested interests. Better ventilation means less resilience on mechanical cooling and fewer scales of energy intensive equipment. Research in building and environment showed that incorporating natural ventilation strategies can reduce annual energy bills by 20 to 60% during depending on climate. That disrupts revenue streams for industries that profit from energy consumption. But around the world, we're seeing hopeful examples. In Australia, the School of Design at the University of Melbourne use a mixed mode system that combines natural airflow with mechanical backup, reducing any demands by up to 50% compared to conventional design. In Singapore, there are hospitals that help integrate courtyards, gardens, and openable windows, creating a natural airflow that reduces mechanical cooling while improving patient recovery rates. In London, the Bloomberg headquarters achieved the world's highest beam rating partly through its advanced ventilation system that delivers fresh air directly to occupants with 35% less energy use than standard. So how do we embrace ventilation through better developments? First, design for air from the beginning. Place windows to allow cross breezes. Use atriums to shift and shafts to create stack ventilation incorporating courtyards and operable skylights. These are not new tricks, they are ancient wisdom backed by modern science. Second, measure the air. Install CO2 sensors and indoor air quality monitors. Invisible risks are becoming visible. Environmental Health Perspectives Journal show that CO2 levels above 1,000 parts per million in paired decision making. If a school or office sees those numbers climb, they can act immediately. Measurement drives accountability. Third, align finance with health. Sustainably linked loans increase reward developments that meet measurable indoor air quality standards. Investors want resilience, future-proof assets, and ventilation is part of that resilience. The Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment reported that buildings with a stronger health and sustainability certifications attract greener investors' demand and higher valuations. And finally, make it cultural. Just as we come to expect cleaner water from a tap, we should also come to expect cleaner, fresh air indoors. It should be non-negotiable. Architects, engineers, and developers need to tell a new story of progress where people thrive because buildings breathe easier. So what would happen if we built more developments with greater ventilation? Children would learn faster and have fewer sick days. Echoing findings from the Journal of Exposure Science. Workers would think more clearly and take fewer sick days. Patients in hospitals would recover quicker, and cities with lower energy use and emissions. And companies would simply feel better and would be aligned to the most human need, which is air, the most important and profound global need, which will also help with climate action. The take-home message is this ventilation is invisible, but its effects are everywhere. It helps shapes our health, our learning, and our productivity, and the planet's resilience. When we build environments that can breathe, we design buildings that care for people and for the earth. So the next time you step into a building, ask yourself if this is a place that helps me thrive or is it a place that helps suffocate potential? Because the future of sustainable development is in a sealed away. It's open, flowing, and breathable. Thank you for tuning in to the future of sustainable development. Join us next time as we uncover fresh research, new innovations, and best practices to build smarter, greener, and more resilient buildings. Until then, let's continue to build places that help heal the land and empower communities for tomorrow.