Manchester Climate Ready Annual Event 2026
November 10th | The Whitworth
Our homes are at the heart of all our lives.
They also play an essential role in supporting our city to tackle and adapt to a changing climate, representing one of the biggest challenges, and opportunities, our city faces.
Our homes are responsible for two-thirds of our city’s direct (energy-related) greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, recent heat waves and flooding events have highlighted their increasing vulnerability to a changing climate. But improving our homes also supports people’s health, has the potential to create new jobs, and increases our energy security.
If we are to achieve our zero carbon goals, and protect the places we call home, we must accelerate and increase the scale and ambition of our action.
This event will bring together experts, key stakeholders and community representatives from across the city to explore:
How we create homes and neighbourhoods that are healthier, more affordable, zero carbon and resilient to a changing climate, and how we turn that ambition into action across Manchester.
Expert insights
We’ll hear from a diverse range of speakers sharing their views on the future of Manchester’s homes.
Interactive sessions
We’ll come together to share our valuable insights and learn from one another.
Networking
We’ll strengethen our existing relationships, and identify new opportunities to work together.
Next steps
We’ll commit to turning our conversations into real-world action by identifying our priorities and influence.
Speakers
Prof Duncan Ivison
President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of Manchester-
Professor Duncan Ivison, FAHA FRSN, is President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester. He holds degrees from McGill University, in Montréal, where he grew up, and the London School of Economics. Before joining Manchester, he spent more than 20 years at the University of Sydney, and has extensive experience in academic leadership, including roles as Dean and Deputy Vice Chancellor. A distinguished political and moral philosopher, he's received numerous awards and held visiting positions at prestigious institutions worldwide. Duncan is passionate about public engagement and building partnerships between universities, communities, industry, and governments.
Mike Wilton
Chair, Manchester Climate Ready
Sam Nicholson
Director, Manchester Climate Ready-
Sam is the Director of Manchester Climate Ready, a network of stakeholders in the public, private and charitable sectors collaborating with local people to create a city where climate action improves lives, drives prosperity and restores nature.
She has over 25 years’ experience in the sustainability field and is passionate about the positive role that cities can play in tackling the climate crisis.
Championing the value of collaborative working, she has a proven track record in delivering award-winning, impactful services that reduce carbon emissions, deliver social and economic benefits, and build resilience to our changing climate.
Suzy Jones
Director of the Future, Urban Splash -
Suzy Jones is Director of the Future for Urban Splash. Alongside her colleagues on the Executive Board, Suzy is responsible for steering the success of the Urban Splash group. Using foresight, future visioning and an implicit understanding of the Urban Splash brand, Suzy develops shareholder ambitions into deliverable strategy, drives innovation and delivers the business into a resilient and unique market position that ensures continued success.
Suzy is known in the built environment for her approach to future facing strategic thinking, environmental social and governance expertise and applied research & innovation using live demonstrators and event-based engagement.
As the first Director of RIBA North, the Royal Institute of British Architects facility on the Liverpool Waterfront, Suzy establish a centre for research and innovation providing access to new knowledge and learning for the RIBA membership and other built environment professionals and the public. Whilst running RIBA North Suzy’s primary focus was the impact of Anthropocene change and the ways in which the profession could mitigate and adapt to changing planetary systems, through design.
Rebecca Heron
Strategic Director of Growth and Development, Manchester City Council-
Becca Heron is the Strategic Director of Growth and Development at Manchester City Council and has a key role in the delivery of the ambitions set out in the Our Manchester strategy, building on the successes of the last two decades to drive inclusive growth that will ensure the city continues to be one of the most exciting destinations in Europe to live, work and play.
Formerly Director of Economy and Skills at Wigan Council, Becca’s career has included a number of different public sector roles, including previous positions within both Manchester City Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
During her time with the GMCA, Becca led on a series of high-profile and complex initiatives, including the development of 2014 Devolution Agreement. At Wigan, she took on the economic development and regeneration brief, playing a pivotal role in bringing key sites forward for development and kickstarting the redevelopment of Wigan town centre.
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Low Carbon Tech Evangelist, Tech CEO, Angel Investor & Author and most recently Jim established Octopus as the biggest Heat Pump supplier in the UK, from Zero to a 400 strong Able to Pay sales team in just 30 Months and he leads on taking their Innovative Zero Bills Homes andTenant Power Tariffs to market and decarbonisnig Heat via the Octopus Cosy Heat Pump.
Low Carbon Director, Octopus EnergyJim Bennett
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Ryan is the Executive Director for Built Environment, Transport and Communities at the Green Finance Institute, leading GFI's global work on mobilising investment into decarbonisation and electrification across these areas. As well as previously leading the Built Environment Programme, Ryan used to lead the GFI team advising the UK Government on implementing the UK Green Taxonomy, through the Green Technical Advisory Group (GTAG) and the Land, Nature and Adapted Systems (LNAS) advisory group. Before joining the Institute, Ryan worked in investment banking at Cantor Fitzgerald and Jefferies, specialising in infrastructure and renewable energy.
Alongside his role at GFI, Ryan is an Associate Fellow at IPPR North, working on devolution policy, regional economic growth and climate action. Ryan was previously a Local Councillor in Westminster City Council, serving as the Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology, Culture and Air Quality until early 2026, and was also the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Tatton in the 2024 General Election. He is also on the Boards of a charity supporting vulnerable people in the North West and the Labour Climate and Environment Forum (LCEF).Before joining the Institute, Ryan worked in investment banking at Cantor Fitzgerald and Jefferies, specialising in infrastructure and renewable energy.
Executive Director – Built Environment, Transport & Communities
Green Finance InstituteRyan Jude
Louise Marix Evans
Director, Quantum Strategy and Technology-
Louise is a director of Quantum Strategy & Technology and a climate change consultant with over 24 years specialising in local action, with a focus on local authorities and their relationship to community, national and regional governance. Her focus is on translating strategy and policy into workable implementation for delivering Net Zero and climate adaptation.
During 2020 she was a Senior Advisor to the Climate Change Committee, focusing on local delivery of the sixth carbon budget. She researched and wrote Local Authorities and the Sixth Carbon Budget published alongside the Sixth Carbon Budget in December 2020. In 2022 she returned to support the CCC’s Climate Conversation visits to ten local areas and wrote the report Climate Conversation: Delivering a Net Zero, Climate Resilient UK which accompanied the CCC’s Progress Report to Parliament. Her most recent report for the CCC was Local Authorities and the Seventh Carbon Budget.
Head of Carbon Budgets, Climate Change CommitteeEsther Harris
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Esther is Head of the Carbon Budgets team and has been at the Climate Change Committee (CCC) since 2023. Her team led on the production of the CCC’s mitigation reports, including the Seventh Carbon Budget, and annual progress reports, such as 2026’s Progress in Reducing Emissions report to UK Parliament. Esther previously led the CCC's analysis for the residential buildings sector, including developing models to analyse the route to Net Zero for residential buildings. Prior to joining the CCC, Esther worked in several roles across local and central government focused on energy efficiency, fuel poverty, and buildings decarbonisation.
Amy House
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Amy is a chartered environmentalist with two decades experience working with the businesses at the heart of the net zero transition.
Amy has a unique understanding of the supply chain and advocates for the sector with buyers, local decision makers and national policy makers. Amy and her team have established Green Economy to improve the competitiveness of the supply chain, to overcome the market failures that prevent uptake of low carbon technology and to promote the businesses playing a key role in delivering the UK’s net zero ambition.
Director, Green Economy
Daniel Dickinson
Programme and Policy Lead - Low Carbon, GMCA-
Daniel Dickinson is Programme and Policy Lead for Low Carbon at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, leading the development and delivery of policies, programmes and partnerships that support Greater Manchester’s transition to net zero. He works across local government, industry and national stakeholders to turn strategic ambitions into practical action, spanning retrofit, clean heat, local energy infrastructure and innovation. Daniel provides leadership on complex projects, stakeholder engagement and programme development, helping shape and deliver Greater Manchester’s environmental priorities. Previously, he was the founding Development Lead at the Energy Innovation Agency, delivering pioneering decarbonisation projects across public, private and industrial sectors.
Charlotte Vale
Membership and Quality Manager, Good Landlord Charter
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Charlotte is the Membership and Quality Manager for the Greater Manchester Good Landlord Charter. Through this role, she supports and recognises landlords who are committed to going above and beyond the legal minimum.
Charlotte brings expertise from a career in housing support and legal aid charities. Her practical knowledge of the housing sector and rights-based approach has empowered both tenants and landlords to navigate complex systems.
Before moving to the housing sector Charlotte was an educator with experience in state and independent secondary schools in Europe and Asia and is currently a member of the Greater Manchester Equality Alliance which works with Local Infrastructure Organisations and VCFSE organisations to gather intelligence and develop strategies for inclusion.
Scott Murray
Head of Asset Management and Sustainability, Southway Housing Trust-
Scott is a senior leader in asset management and sustainability with over 25 years’ experience across the built environment and housing sectors. He has a strong track record of leading large, multi-disciplinary services spanning asset management, repairs and maintenance, compliance, building safety and environmental sustainability.
Scott has held director-level roles within housing organisations, where he has led strategic asset management programmes, secured and delivered Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund investment, and driven improvements in regulatory compliance, building safety and customer outcomes.
He brings deep technical knowledge alongside strategic leadership capability, with particular expertise in retrofit, EPC improvement planning, health and safety governance, and long-term asset strategy. Scott also contributes at governance level, having served as an independent board member and audit and risk committee member within the housing sector.
His career is underpinned by a commitment to improving homes, services and communities, with a focus on delivering positive social and environmental impact.
Programme
Welcome
13:00-13:15
Introduction from Manchester Climate Ready Chair, Mike Wilton.
Welcome from The University of Manchester President, Duncan Ivison, reflecting on the University’s role in supporting Manchester’s transition to a zero carbon, climate resilient city.
President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of ManchesterProf. Duncan Ivison
Mike Wilton
Chair, Manchester Climate Ready One year on - progress against MCR: The Plan
13:15-13:25
A look back over the last 12-months since Manchester Climate Ready: The Plan 2025-2030 was published, highlighting progress to date and what The Plan tells us about the future of Manchester’s homes.
Samantha Nicholson
Director, Manchester Climate ReadyCelebrating success interactive session
13:25-13:40
An opportunity to speak with and hear from other delegates about our city’s progress and succesful climate work from the last year.
Our future homes panel discussion
13:40-14:20
What will Manchester’s homes will look like in the future? We’ll be asking our expert panelists to explore how our homes, neighbourhoods and communities could evolve over the next decade, and share the opportunities created by new ideas, innovation, policy and investment.
Rebecca Heron
Ryan Jude
Strategic Director, Manchester City CouncilExecutive Director, Green Finance Institute
Director, Quantum Strategy and TechnologyLouise Marix Evans
Jim Bennett
Low Carbon Director, Octopus EnergyNetworking break
14:20-14:45
National perspectives
14:45-15:05
Esther Harris, Interim Head of Carbon Budgets at the Climate Change Committee will share insights on housing retrofit and climate adaptation, drawing on national evidence and wider UK experience.
Head of Carbon Budgets, Climate Change CommitteeEsther Harris
Lightning talks
15:05-15:25
Bringing different voices from across the retrofit system together to highlight what is happening right now, and the challenges of delivering retrofit.
Head of Asset Management and Sustainability, Southway Housing TrustCharlotte Vale
Membership and Quality Manager, Good Landlord Charter
Scott Murray
Programme and Policy Lead - Low Carbon, GMCAAmy House
Director, Green EconomyDan Dickinson
Interactive workshop
15:25-16:10
Where do we have influence and opportunities to accelerate retrofit in Manchester through collaboration.
Closing reflections and commitments
16:10-16:30
Optional pre-event sustainability tour
Explore sustainability at The University of Manchester
10:30-12:00
Start the day with a behind-the-scenes look at sustainability in practice across The University of Manchester campus.
This guided tour will showcase projects and places demonstrating how one of Manchester’s major institutions is responding to the climate challenge through its buildings, estate and wider sustainability activity.
It is an opportunity to see practical examples first-hand, hear from those delivering them and meet other attendees before the main event begins.
Get in touch
This event is for members of Manchester Climate Ready, local stakeholders and community groups. If you haven’t recieved an invitation to this event directly, you still may be able to join. Email our team.