{"id":66633,"date":"2021-10-04T11:18:39","date_gmt":"2021-10-04T10:18:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/?p=66633"},"modified":"2022-04-19T12:05:13","modified_gmt":"2022-04-19T11:05:13","slug":"sustainable-development-the-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/pt-pt\/sustainable-development-the-debate\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainable Development \u2013 the debate"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"66633\" class=\"elementor elementor-66633\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6fe8184 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6fe8184\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6c88e37\" data-id=\"6c88e37\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3350805 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3350805\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"470\" src=\"https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SustainableDev-cover.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-66638\" alt=\"Sustainable Development Group\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SustainableDev-cover.png 700w, https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SustainableDev-cover-300x201.png 300w, https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SustainableDev-cover-600x403.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de49f71 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"de49f71\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Greta Thunberg was present in spirit if not in person for the latest British-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce (<a href=\"https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/\">BPCC<\/a>) brainstorming think-tank lunch. With COP26 just around the corner, the topic was <em>\u201cSustainable Development &#8211; are we taking it seriously enough or is it all just blah! blah! blah!?&#8221;<\/em> \u2013 a title dreamed up by participant Andrew Coutts of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ilm-group.com\/\">ILM<\/a> some weeks ago.<\/p><p>The young Swedish activist had taken to the Youth4Climate Summit stage in Milan a day before the BPCC Lisbon lunch, using a similar lexicon to lambast the \u201cempty promises\u201d of global leaders to address the climate emergency.<\/p><p>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/2021\/mar\/10\/governments-failing-fulfil-talk-green-covid-recovery-un-warns\">Build back better<\/a>. Blah, blah, blah. Green economy. Blah blah blah. Net zero by 2050. Blah, blah, blah,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/2021\/sep\/28\/blah-greta-thunberg-leaders-climate-crisis-co2-emissions\">Greta Thunberg said<\/a>. Either Andrew Coutts is moonlighting as Greta\u2019s speechwriter, or the point she was making is broadly in line with what the business community here in Portugal is already thinking.<\/p><p>And so began a discussion ranging from greenwashing to the high climatic cost of concrete and the need for new materials; the value of certification systems; the state of architectural education; and who should be driving change.<\/p><p>Rui Pedro Almeida the CEO of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moneris.pt\/?lang=en\">Moneris<\/a> and Chamber\u2019s Chairman, who kindly sponsored the lunch, started things off with reference to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/sustainable-development-goals\/\">SDGs<\/a>) and the rising importance to investors of Environmental, Social and corporate Governance (<a href=\"https:\/\/corporatefinanceinstitute.com\/resources\/knowledge\/other\/esg-environmental-social-governance\/\">ESG<\/a>).<\/p><p>\u201cIt\u2019s about prosperity, planet and people,\u201d Rui said, \u201cwithin the need for growth, which is of course what all of us are interested in.\u201d And he posed a question: \u201cwhich is the driving force in change: politics, consumers or capital markets?\u201d<\/p><p>Lu\u00eds Silva, founding partner at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pedrasilva.com\/\">Pedra Silva Architecture<\/a> began with an immediate answer: that the financial services markets are already pushing the process. \u201cGreen is no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have when investors ask for environmental compliance,\u201d he told the round-table get-together of developers, architects, designers and entrepreneurs from different sectors, but all with overlapping interests.<\/p><p>\u201cBanks are looking for and asking for compliance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breeam.com\/\">BREEAM<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usgbc.org\/help\/what-leed\">LEED<\/a> building rating systems,\u201d Lu\u00eds said, referring to the two internationally accepted codes that measure a building\u2019s environmental responsibility.<\/p><p>Mariana Morgado Pedrosa from <a href=\"https:\/\/architectyourhome.pt\/servicos\/consultoria-inicial\">Architect Your Home<\/a> is very much client-focussed and thinks there\u2019s a need to make people more aware of the various possibilities of sustainable design. She called our attention to the fact cork is one of the few materials which actually has a negative carbon footprint.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-49909bf elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"49909bf\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-7fffac1\" data-id=\"7fffac1\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-47307f3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"47307f3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2ba6a1c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2ba6a1c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"457\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SustainableDev-2.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-66636\" alt=\"Sustainable Development Lunch\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SustainableDev-2.png 457w, https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SustainableDev-2-300x263.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 457px) 100vw, 457px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e501226 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"e501226\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-3c0f1a4\" data-id=\"3c0f1a4\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-274ce59 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"274ce59\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Nuno Fideles from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.savills.pt\/servicos\/arquitetura\/sustentabilidade.aspx\">Savills<\/a> agreed this process needs to start at the beginning and that clients and developers cannot \u201cjust ask for a certificate at the end and think that\u2019s enough\u201d.\u00a0 Nuno explained that environmental sustainability in construction needs to be baked in from the beginning and raised the issue of bureaucratic hurdles hindering the speed of regulatory change while trying to keep up with new sustainability focussed projects.<\/p><p>A striking headline figure from Pedro Clarke, a partner with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.a-architecture.org\/people\">A+ Architects<\/a>, put the problem into stark context; \u201cAt least eight percent of global emissions caused by humans come from the cement industry alone,\u201d he explained, quoting a well-established and accepted figure that featured in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d41586-021-02612-5#ref-CR3\">a recent report in Nature magazine<\/a>. When you consider that the aviation industry accounts for only 2.5% of emissions, it\u2019s an eye-opening statistic. The answer is to either improve production methods or to look for alternatives.<\/p><p>As well as initiatives such as green concrete and <a href=\"https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/747736\">biocrete<\/a>, Pedro is focussing a lot of his current research on wood. He doesn\u2019t think the BREEAM and LEED guidelines are enough as he believes they are dated and not adapting quickly enough. Apologising for plugging his podcast series <a href=\"https:\/\/www.listennotes.com\/podcasts\/another-brick-in-the-wall-r\u00e1dio-antec\u00e2mara-Nj2JI5io1Xh\/\">\u201cAnother Brick in the Wall\u201d<\/a> which considers a new material each episode, Pedro said he believes wood is a solid, renewable alternative to concrete.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e159438 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e159438\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>He highlighted an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.build-in-wood.eu\/\">EU project for sustainable timber construction<\/a> and work that is being done around the world to explore new and more sustainable building materials. Imperial College London published a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imperial.ac.uk\/news\/221654\/best-ways-carbon-emissions-from-cement\/\">white paper<\/a> in June 2021 suggesting the use of alternative materials and carbon capture technologies is critical to decarbonising the cement industry.<\/p><p>But wood prices are going through the roof because of recent supply shortages caused by COVID-19 and other environmental impacts such as forest fires caused by extreme weather. It\u2019s something everyone building at the moment knows about and hopes that \u2013 like inflation \u2013 it will be a short-term problem. For example there are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2021\/06\/30\/lumber-prices-dive-more-than-40percent-in-june-biggest-monthly-drop-on-record.html\">some indications<\/a> that lumber prices are dropping in North America which has been the market driving price increases.<\/p><p>The discussion developed further with Cristina Amaral from Carlton International asking if bringing wood to Portugal from Scandinavia was a good solution, given the carbon footprint of the transport and whether the eucalyptus plantations can be replaced by something more suitable for the construction industry. Pedro Clarke responded that although eucalyptus grows fast and straight, the overall impact is negative because of the amount of water each tree needs, and that indigenous Portuguese pines are not ideally suited for construction.<\/p><p>Alastair Leithead from <a href=\"https:\/\/valleyofthestars.co.uk\/\">Vale das Estrelas<\/a> in Odemira \u2013 a former BBC foreign correspondent turned <a href=\"https:\/\/alastairleithead.substack.com\/\">off-grid pioneer<\/a> (and your humble scribe), explained he had cut down two hectares of eucalyptus for a new building project based around taipa from his own land \u2013 the old Roman method of construction using clay and soil. The advantage is not only sustainability, but the thermal advantage of 65cm thick walls keeping buildings cool in the summer and warm in the winter. However, this traditional form of building struggles with the regulatory frameworks around thermal insulation and earthquake protection.<\/p><p>Pedro said it was worth looking at more closely, but Alastair raised some of the challenges at the local town hall level, with rules and regulations at odds with some of the big picture aspirations for climate change. This highlights a mismatch between the new ideas and their implementation amid complex, layered bureaucracy.<\/p><p>Seyed Azin Roshan from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blackconcrete.pt\/\">Black Concrete<\/a> who has recently moved to Portugal from Dubai asked the crucial rhetorical question of whether wood could be used to build 30 story buildings \u2013 which of course it can\u2019t.\u00a0 This prompted Juliana Vale from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.julianavalestudio.com\/copy-of-servicos\">Juliana Vale Studio<\/a> to ask if indeed we need tall buildings, but Azin mounted a strong defence in favour of going high rather than wide when considering growing populations and the sustainability benefits of many people living and working above a smaller footprint.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-c990f49 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c990f49\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-50d26b8\" data-id=\"50d26b8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-488c053 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"488c053\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/martina-vrankar\/\">Martina Vranker<\/a> posed the question of whether cork can be used. The young Slovenian architect was on the penultimate day of her six-month business exchange as part of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.erasmus-entrepreneur.eu\">Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs<\/a> programme administered by the BPCC on behalf of the EU.\u00a0 Martina spent the fifth year of her architecture degree in Portugal and was back for hands-on experience and mentorship with a Portuguese Host Entrepreneur on how to successfully run her own business back home.<\/p><p>The Chamber has already overseen more than 35 similar exchanges between aspiring New Entrepreneurs from one European country with experienced mentoring Host Entrepreneurs in another European country. Fellow lunch participants, Pedro Clarke of A+ Architects and Xavier Beysecker from <a href=\"https:\/\/maisonamarande.com\/about\/\">Maison Amerande<\/a> have already participated as HEs in the programme. It\u2019s a reminder of how architecture in Portugal is highly regarded internationally and is one of the fastest growing sectors, highlighting the appetite for creativity in sustainable building.<\/p><p>Cork is indeed a valuable renewable material not just for insulation, which is one of its current main uses, but also in structures. Carlton International\u2019s Christina Amaral mentioned Amorim Cork and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amorimcork.com\/en\/media-center\/news\/latest-study-confirms-negative-carbon-footprint-for-amorim-cork-stoppers\/375\/\">their claim<\/a> that the <em>sobreiro<\/em> staple of the Alentejo landscape is one of the very few carbon negative materials.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-6bcbe76\" data-id=\"6bcbe76\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-583bdd0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"583bdd0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4509a06 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4509a06\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"457\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SustainableDev-1.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-66634\" alt=\"Sustainable Development EYE\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SustainableDev-1.png 457w, https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/SustainableDev-1-300x263.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 457px) 100vw, 457px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a231f41 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"a231f41\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b364d3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4b364d3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Pedro Clarke drew the table\u2019s attention to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.matthewbarnetthowland.com\/cork-house\">Matthew Barnett\u2019s Cork House<\/a> \u2013 a prizewinning display installation made from load-bearing cork showing what is possible with alternative building materials.<\/p><p>With an emphasis on sustainability in all sorts of business offerings, materials are becoming as important as concepts such as Andrew Coutts\u2019 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.chvandpartners.com\/page19830681.html\">Tavira Wellness Village<\/a> on which he worked with Catherine Hallahan of CHV &amp; Partners. The Irish Health, Wellness and Property Entrepreneur\u00a0\u2013 and connector who works between Portugal and the UK \u2013 believes there\u2019s a lot of room for change, and sited their own project which aims to encompass many of the social aspects for a harmonious community spirit where inhabitants feel in tune with the architect\u2019s ambitions.<\/p><p>Returning to the issue of who needs to be the driving force in bringing change, Xavier Beysecker brought this back to the clients and the education of those owners, developers, builders and investors who just don\u2019t know which alternatives to the likes of concrete are readily available.<\/p><p>Pedro Clarke blames university architecture courses worldwide for being stuck in old fashioned \u201cconcrete is king\u201c thinking, though Martina interjected that from her perspective practical, technical architectural teaching had indeed been at the core of her courses.<\/p><p>Phil Neate, founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/vistaverde.pt\/\">Vista Verde<\/a> which provides low-energy luxury LEDs and interior design, believes government legislation is vital in pushing for change, but that consumer demand will drive it, which means increasing awareness of the alternatives. When he started his LED lighting company 10 years ago \u201cpeople didn\u2019t care about the wattage per square meter,\u201d but that is now changing through regulations which set limits on energy use and put emphasis on efficiency. Countering what had been suggested earlier regarding the improbability of high-rise wooden constructions he sited the example of Sweden\u2019s 75 metre <a href=\"https:\/\/projects.archiexpo.com\/project-280033.html?token=9e54ddea6a4c225912ecac8d4d7539d8adb246f0#utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=insight&amp;utm_campaign=194-architectural-projects-28-09-2021&amp;utm_content=photo&amp;utm_term=PROJECT_highlight\">White Arkitekter building<\/a>.<\/p><p>Lu\u00eds Silva made the point that it\u2019s all about money \u2013 change will only come when there\u2019s a financial incentive, with Nuno Fideles from Savills speaking passionately about the challenges they had encountered and overcome. Rui Pedro Almeida pushed back, as he believes the Environmental, Social and corporate Governance (ESG) are now far more than just \u2018greenwashing.\u2019 He accepts there\u2019s been a lot of that about, but these are now real rules that will make companies sit up, take note\u2026and follow them.<\/p><p>As an architectural photographer and founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clearspacephotography.com\/about-1\">Clear Space Photography<\/a>, Ed Robinson sees a lot of change coming with the emphasis on sustainability and now feels inspired to build something for himself along similar lines.<\/p><p>A lively discussion rumbled well on into the afternoon and the BPCC CEO Chris Barton proudly announced that once again the Chamber had been able to bring together such an interesting and diverse group of people with varied perspectives in this latest in the series of brainstorming think-tank lunches.\u00a0 Within hours of the event, we received multiple messages from the participants expressing what an enriching experience it had been for them and urging us to organise more of the same. Chamber members are encouraged to suggest other (quirky) themes which impact on the evolving business world.<\/p><p>* As always, many thanks to Andrea Almeida and her impeccable hospitality team and Manuel Rosa da Silva, managing partner of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.santiagodealfama.com\/\">Santiago de Alfama Hotel<\/a> in Lisbon for providing the venue and a fantastic lunch.<\/p><p>* And thanks to <a href=\"https:\/\/alastairleithead.com\/\">Alastair Leithead<\/a> for writing up the findings. Alastair left his career as a BBC foreign correspondent and war correspondent last year to live in rural Alentejo, and blogs every week on being <a href=\"https:\/\/alastairleithead.substack.com\/\">Off-Grid and Ignorant in Portugal<\/a> \u2013 please follow his blog and help him spread the word as he and his wife Ana build an off-grid tourist lodge and develop a podcast about Portuguese wine.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A lively discussion on Sustainable Development in this latest in the series of brainstorming think-tank lunches.  <span class=\"entry-read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bpcc.pt\/pt-pt\/sustainable-development-the-debate\/\" class=\"cs-btn cs-btn-flat cs-btn-rounded cs-btn-xxs cs-btn-flat-accent\">Ler mais<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":66642,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.9 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - 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