Keynote Speakers
Karen Scrivener
Professor Karen Scrivener, a Professor at EPFL, has dedicated four decades to studying cement and concrete. Her professional journey, transitioning seamlessly between academia and industry, provides her with a distinctive perspective encompassing this captivating material’s scientific underpinnings and practical intricacies.
Central to her research is the imperative to reduce CO2 emissions associated with this vital substance. This commitment has resulted in the development of LC3 cement, a groundbreaking innovation capable of slashing CO2 emissions by up to 40%. Beyond her research contributions, Professor Scrivener holds influential roles in journal editing and spearheads think groups focused on sustainability, further solidifying her stature as one of the most influential figures in the field.
Peter Taylor
Professor Peter Taylor leads internationally recognized research at the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center. His high-impact work has resulted in the development of standard practices such as AASHTO PP 84: Developing Performance Engineered Concrete Pavement Mixtures. Additionally, his research has helped transportation agencies save millions of dollars by preventing premature failures in sawn joints and improving concrete proportioning tools for sustainable concrete mixtures.
Professor Taylor regularly presents at workshops, seminars, and conferences as an invited speaker. The information he presents about current research in concrete technology has a strong impact on the concrete pavement community in the United States and internationally.
Philippa Tumubweinee
Tumubweinee holds the following qualifications: DPhil, University of the Free State (2019), MArchProf, University of Pretoria (2007), and BAS, University of the Witwatersrand (2002).
Andy van den Dobbelsteen
At TU Delft, Andy teaches students how to design sustainable buildings and cities. He was ‘faculty advisor’ to three successful TU Delft Solar Decathlon teams and is responsible for the online course Zero-Energy Design, winner of the edX Online Prize 2020. His short film Energy Slaves, about energy use in Dutch households, won a Dutch ‘Oscar’ for commissioned films.
Together with his team, Andy has conducted many national and international research projects around energy transition, climate adaptation, circularity and other sustainability themes. He has sat on many boards, committees and juries. Andy delivers lectures, nationally and internationally, and he publishes a lot. In his private time, he writes thrillers.
Madhavi Latha Gali
Jochen Köhler
Dr. Köhler has played a key role in international standardization efforts, actively contributing to several committees, including the European standardization bodies for structural Eurocodes. He is involved in professional organizations such as the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE) and the International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib). Since 2023, he has served as the president of the Joint Committee on Structural Safety (JCSS), leading global efforts in the advancement of probabilistic safety assessment and structural design principles.
Vasant Matsagar
Manfred Braune
Manfred currently holds the position of Director: Environmental Sustainability at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where he leads the strategy and implementation of environmental sustainability across all spheres of the university since early 2019. He also serves as a non-executive director of Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) in a voluntary role since August 2020. Manfred’s background is as a professional engineer, having worked at WSP Group for over 10 years as a consulting engineer, where he then started and led WSP’s green building business for 3 years and then worked for the GBCSA for 10 years directing all technical and training related matters.
Magda Posani
Magda Posani is the Assistant Professor of Building Physics at Aalto University, department of Civil Engineering. She leads research at the intersection of building physics, the hygrothermal behaviour of building materials, and climate-neutral construction practices. Her research focuses on leveraging new-vernacular solutions to passively regulate indoor temperatures throughout the year, improving occupants’ comfort and well-being. She also works on the use of low-carbon hygroscopic materials to passively regulate indoor humidity levels. In this context, her research concentrates on the combination of additive manufacturing techniques with super-hygroscopic materials to develop building components optimized for passive humidity control. This is a critical area of research, as improper humidity levels indoors can negatively impact human health by triggering asthma and respiratory conditions, promoting the spread of viruses like influenza and SARS-CoV-2, and enabling the spread of mould, fungi, and mites. More information on these topics is available in her recent TEDx talk “How to build better buildings”. As a dedicated advocate for low-carbon construction practices, Magda’s expertise positions her as an emerging voice on how informed material choices can transform indoor spaces while contributing to global sustainability goals.