Announcing The Fifth Estate Emerald Awards 2023 – our first.
These awards are for the people we’ve notice in 2023 who’ve helped break down the barriers for sustainability so that the rest of us can scale the challenges with greater ease. We’ve chosen these green stars informally, in-house and from a totally personal and impressionistic perspective. They are the people who have helped spark the change and optimism that give us all a boost.
In alphabetical order:
Tim Forcey, My Efficient Electric Home
My Efficient Electric Home
For having a big impact on the grass roots people he marvellously influences every day to “stop burning anything” and go all electric. His Facebook group My Efficient Electric Home has over 100,000 members and now he’s writing a book to broaden his reach even further.
Jeremy McLeod
Founder of Breathe Architects and Nightingale Housing
For disrupting the entire notion of affordable and sustainable housing.
Jeremy impressed us to our core when we first came across his incredible work that is now part of the known universe for most people interested in this sector and is evidence that the untried is possible and wonderful. And it’s catchy- we notice Jeremy keeps popping up in ever more influential circles.
Monica Richter
Monica Richter, project director Materials & Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (MECLA) and WWF and recently appointed chair of the external advisory group to the Urban Transformations Research Centre at Western Sydney University
For her indefatigable steady and determined work to influence the property and materials industry in of the most difficult sectors of the transition, reducing embodied carbon of materials. In just over two years MECLA has grown from an idea to a strong force in industry and government.
Francesca Muskovic
National policy director, Property Council of Australia
For breaking down countless barriers in her work to influence government, industry and everyone she comes into contact with so we can reach our net zero and sustainability goals in the built environment. And for taking her new baby to Dubai where she took part in COP 28 so her daughter would know “her mum was working, making a small contribution alongside so many others, to preserve our beautiful home for her and generations to come.”
Zoe Whitton
managing director, Pollination
For helping to position ESG and now the nature positive movement as lodestars in the corporate world and capital markets, which hold enormous power to shift the dial.
Zoe also wins our attention for her professionalism, generosity, and collaborative spirit and because wherever she goes there’s always a line of people waiting to talk to her when she gets off stage.