Michael Pelken named Senior Associate at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Michael Pelken was recently invited to become a Senior Associate at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). CISL’s network of Senior Associates includes leading academics and expert practitioners who engage with CISL’s work though advisory or ambassadorial contributions. Senior Associates also advise on the strategic direction and contribute to the delivery of CISL’s executive programmes and business platforms.

This upcoming year, Michael will once again resume his post as tutor for the Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment (IDBE) Flagship Programme.

Michael Pelken at Birmingham Women and Children's Hospitals with the UK Green Building Council

P+ Consulting worked with the UK Green Building Council  over the last year to develop a new style of immersive learning as part of their flagship program. Michael Pelken led the interdisciplinary professional  workshop, Second Nature Live, an immersive learning experience aimed at teaching participants the process of resilient design by participating in a live sustainability project. Following training sessions in Birmingham, Michael chaired the final reviews at the Saint-Gobain Innovation Centre in London.

The workshop was designed as the final business case delivery to a team of professionals at the Birmingham Women and Children's hospitals  which included NHS Trust members on the judging panel. Participants were asked to propose a variety of holistic measures spanning from business models to organization and architecture to real building and construction dilemmas at the combined facility project of the hospitals. 

This integrated leaning experience, spearheaded by Michael Pelken received great reviews by participants and judges alike:

"The presentations of the teams in the second nature LIVE programme were varied and rich in content, I was surprised by the depth and breadth of what was covered, and for sure has inspired us in the Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust as we look ahead to the joint facility development"

- Graham Seager NHS Trust Estates Director

"Being part of Second Nature LIVE has been a great experience bringing different disciplines together into the class room and out on site to apply learning instantly. Having the capstone event to look forward to is a superb way to keep focus on the project and bring the best out of people and encourage collaborative working. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking to gain a wider understanding of sustainability and importantly how to make a case for it."

- Matthew Westwood, Mitsubishi Electric.

"I most enjoyed the sessions with Michael as it really got everyone thinking on a deeper/ more challenging level. it made me consider the big/ bold/ innovative ideas rather than feeling bounded by the typical constraints of delivering projects to NHS clients."

- Participant