UKREiiF 2024
Leeds UK | 21 - 23 May
AiDash brings Biodiversity Net Gain clarity to UKREiiF 2024!
Join us at the BNGAI by AiDash Pavilion in the new Dockside Zone.
Over the course of the three-day event, we will be hosting panel discussions, presentations, and activities to help you successfully navigate the new biodiversity net gain requirements.
Agenda
Dockside Zone | 11:00 – 11:45
How Developers Can Advance BNG to the Benefit of Wider Society.
Join this session to learn how improved net gain policies — such as allowing landholders to sell offsite units for BNG —not only serves landholders and developers, but also delivers social and economic benefits.
- Nick White, Principal Advisor, Net Gain, Natural England
- Lucy Collins, Head of Strategic Partnerships, AiDash
Dockside Zone | 12:00 – 13:00
Lunch & Learn: BNG Master Class for Developers.
Learn how to produce a biodiversity net gain plan and BNG metric calculation. Determine whether to use the Statutory Biodiversity Metric or the Small Sites Metric. Create the baseline habitat report, pre-development survey, and post-development plan and map. And plan for ongoing habitat monitoring and management.
- Lauren Weller, Senior Ecologist, AiDash
Dockside Zone | 13:15 – 14:00
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: How Government is Supporting a Place-Based approach to Net Zero.
Learn how government is supporting a place-based approach to net zero, with a focus on heat network zoning, and the support that government is providing to local authorities on net zero more generally. There will also be an overview of place-based heat network investment opportunities. Vital Energi, Leeds City Council, and Rise Homes will share their experiences of heat network zoning and connecting to a zone in practice.
- John Allison, Deputy Director, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Heat Networks Delivery
- Polly Cook, Chief Officer, Climate, Energy, and Green Spaces, Leeds City Council
- Nick Gosling, Chief Strategy Officer, Vital Energi Group of Companies
- Nigel Rawlings, Chief Executive Officer, Rise Homes
- Katherine Wright, Deputy Director, Local Net Zero, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Dockside Zone | 14:30 – 15:30
How Top Developers Meet New Biodiversity Requirements, and How You Can, Too.
Leading developers share how they’re proactively meeting BNG requirements through new technologies, integration of new solutions, and aligning plans with local conservation organisations to expand and champion biodiversity for their communities.
- Helen Nyul, Group Head of Biodiversity, Barratt Developments
- Alice Davidson, Group Sr. Planning Manager, Vistry Group
- Neil Beamsley , Group Head of Biodiversity, Bellway Homes
- Edward Lockhart, CEO, Future Homes Hub
Dockside Zone | 16:00 – 18:00
Whiskey Tasting.
BNG Master Class for Local Planning Authorities.
Examine how LPAs can navigate the review and approval process. From confirming that all documents have been submitted to checking metric calculations, examining habitat surveys, and reviewing plans to ensure BNG compliance, this class looks at where technology can help. Developers interested in how LPAs will review your applications are welcome to attend.- Lauren Weller, Senior Ecologist, AiDash
Highway Infrastructure Developer Tackles BNG With New Technologies.
With complex infrastructure work spanning highways, street lighting networks, and other civil engineering projects, find out how a major infrastructure company has made a commitment to address BNG ahead of UK requirements expected in 2025. Learn how they use satellite imagery and AI to map defined areas and land parcels and identify habitats to achieve BNG targets that exceed 10%.- Edward Godsiffe, Director of Sustainability, Milestone Infrastructure
- Stephen Marland, Product Strategy & Innovation, AiDash
Building Up Best Practices for Building Out BNG.
UK BNG regulations, effective February 12, now require developers and town planners alike to incorporate nature into their projects. Join us to consider all things BNG: how to build biodiversity into your site, when and where to find offsite BNG units, and where best practices can ease compliance.- Victoria Hills, Chief Executive, Royal Town Planning Institute
- Shashin Misra, VP EMEA, AiDash
BNG Master Class for Infrastructure Developers
BNG mandates are expected to extend to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects from late November 2025, but some LPAs and government groups already request 10% BNG. The sheer extent of infrastructure work means BNG assessment and planning can only be addressed with technology, so we take a deep dive into tech solutions that deliver at scale.- Edward Godsiffe, Director of Sustainability, Milestone Infrastructure
- Hannah Williams, Senior Ecologist, AiDash
How Can Natural Capital Be Measured and Used Sustainably?
Learn how a top global project management consultancy used climate technology and AI to ensure a leading water company meets Ofwat environmental goals. Measurement and evaluation of natural capital surrounding its operations help the utility plan for its sustainable use and resilience. See how timely, data-driven insights have allowed Affinity to unlock the environmental value of company landholdings.- Jonathan Nichols, Associate, Natural Capital, Environment Practice, AtkinsRéalis
- John Rumble, Sr. Asset Manager – Strategy and Policy, Affinity Water
- Morag Leopoldt, Customer Success, AiDash
Dockside Zone | 10:30 – 11:30
BNG Master Class for Developers.
Another chance to gain a full understanding of BNG compliance. Learn how to produce a biodiversity net gain plan and BNG metric calculation. Determine whether to use the Statutory Biodiversity Metric or the Small Sites Metric. Create the baseline habitat report, pre-development survey, and post-development plan and map. And plan for ongoing habitat monitoring and management.
- Alex Pelton, Biodiversity Coordinator, Barratt Developments PLC
- Hannah Williams, Senior Ecologist, AiDash
Dockside Zone | 12:00 – 13:00
Placemaking and BNG.
Understanding how the natural environment can deliver for a community is not a new consideration for organisations involved in placemaking, but the new Biodiversity Net Gain legislation provides new opportunities for this. What do these opportunities look like, and what does best practice look like in harnessing them?
- Jamie Quinn, Sustainability Director, Related Argent
- Lucy Collins, Head of Strategic Partnerships, AiDash
Meet our Pavilion Speakers
Alex Pelton
Biodiversity Coordinator
Alice Davidson
Group Sr. Planning Manager
Edward Godsiffe
Director of Sustainability
Edward Lockhart
CEO
Hannah Williams
Senior Ecologist
Helen Nyul
Group Head of Biodiversity
Jamie Quinn
SustainabilityDirector
John Allison
Deputy Director, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Jonathan Nichols
Associate – Natural CapitalEnvironment Practice
John Rumble
Sr. Asset ManagerStrategy & Policy
Katherine Wright
Deputy Director, Local Net Zero
Lauren Weller
SeniorEcologist
Lucy Collins
Head of Strategic Partnerships
Mahesh Kumar Bukka
Director
Morag Leopoldt
Customer Success
Neil Beamsley
Group Head of Biodiversity
Nick Gosling
Chief Strategy Officer
Nick White
Principal Advisor - Net Gain
Nigel Rawlings
Chief ExecutiveOfficer
Polly Cook
Chief Officer, Climate, Energy, and Green Spaces
Shashin Mishra
Vice PresidentEMEA
Stephen Marland
Product Strategy & Innovation
Victoria Hills
Chief Executive
A single point solution for all your BNG needs. Streamline your BNG application. Assess your development site, consolidate results, and create your BNG plan from a single dashboard.
