World Economic Forum in Davos: the impact of construction choices analyzed by four experts

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Tolullah Oni at the Sustainable Construction Talks on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 20, 2025.

Politics and economics
Inspiration
Reading time: 7 min 7 min
24/02/2025

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On January 20, 2025, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, the Sustainable Construction Observatory held a meeting with key players in the sector. The goal was to explore the role of construction in the face of major global challenges. Resource management, access to clean energy, equity and inclusion, well-being of the population – four experts shared their views on these topical challenges. Useful analysis when shaping a more resilient and healthier future.
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1
Tolullah Oni,
epidemiologist at the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, Founder & CEO of UrbanBetter.

“Putting health at the center of the built environment transition is a powerful lever for action.”

Tolullah Oni is an urban epidemiologist. Her research focuses on the impact of the urban environment on the health of populations. As founder and CEO of UrbanBetter, she is dedicated to improving health and climate resilience in cities. Tolullah Oni is also involved in international research programs such as Future Earth, and has presented her work at international forums such as the United Nations and the World Economic Forum.

2
Leslie Johnston,
founding CEO of the Laudes Foundation

“The transition must be rapid, massive, but above all beneficial for populations.”

Leslie Johnston is founding CEO of the Laudes Foundation, where she works to accelerate the transition to a green, fair and inclusive economy. With over 20 years of experience across business and philanthropy, Leslie Johnston is an influential voice in the promotion of a fair and inclusive economy. She currently serves on the boards of Impact Europe, Fashion for Good BV, Climate Resilience for All, Built by Nature, as well as University College London’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose Advisory Board.

3
Jon Creyts,
CEO of RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute)

“Sustainable construction offers us inspiring ways to access energy efficiency.”

Jon Creyts is an internationally recognized leader on global energy issues and climate change, and currently CEO of RMI (the Rocky Mountain Institute). Prior to joining RMI, he held a number of management positions, actively contributing to the implementation of solutions for the energy transition, notably at McKinsey & Company.

4
Patricia Ellen da Silva,
Managing Partner at Systemiq in Brazil

“We face a major challenge in reducing waste, but also a tremendous opportunity to improve our quality of life.”

Patricia Ellen da Silva, Managing Partner at Systemiq, is working to transform economic systems to position Brazil as an innovative and sustainable force. Formerly Secretary of Economic Development, Science and Technology for the State of São Paulo (Brazil), she has led major sustainability initiatives, including the Amazonia +10 program launched at COP 26. She is co-founder of Movimento Agora!, where she seeks to modernize public policy provision and management in Brazil to build a more humane and sustainable country.

Photo credits: © timorud

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