Botanica Festival – Climate Change Panel

Climate change is changing the shape of Victoria, including impacting our cultural heritage.

By learning about these effects, we can take action to safeguard our irreplaceable heritage for future generations.

Protecting heritage is also a smart, sustainable way to reduce our environmental impact. Adapting, restoring and repurposing existing heritage places often uses fewer resources than new construction.

Policymakers, organisations and custodians must work together to share knowledge and make the most of opportunities to protect our shared heritage.

Join a panel of experts at the Botanica Festival as they explore what the changing climate means for heritage and discuss sustainable strategies for its protection.

Panellists

Ruth Redden (Moderator)
Architect & Heritage Consultant, RR Conservation Design 

Ruth Redden is a registered architect and heritage consultant, principal at NBRS and an alternate member of the Heritage Council Victoria. She has over 15years experience assisting clients with heritage planning and building conservation advice. During her time at the Heritage Council Ruth has assisted with heritage and climate change related projects, including heritage and climate change case studies, and the recently published Climate Action Plan. Ruth has completed 2 International Specialised Skills Institute fellowships with a focus on heritage and sustainability. She recently published a fellowship report on “Passive House as applied to heritage buildings. 

Samantha Westbrooke
Executive Manager, Conservation & Advocacy, National Trust of Australia (Victoria) 

Samantha Westbrooke is the Executive Manager of Conservation and Advocacy at the National Trust. She joined the Trust in her capacity as a Conservation Architect in 2014 and has worked in the Executive team since 2016. Samantha is a registered architect with over 25 years experience of working in the heritage industry with involvement in all aspects of professional heritage architecture services including work in State and Local Government as well as private practice. 

Tina Tam
Associate Principal, Lovell Chen 

Architect and certified Passive House designer Tina Tam works on the adaptive reuse, refurbishment and extension of buildings, particularly heritage buildings. Many of her projects are award-winning and significant, such as Melbourne’s Regent Theatre and the Old Quad redevelopment (University of Melbourne). As a designer, she is interested in the translation of design ideas into buildable solutions, co-ordinating all elements of the construction process for the best outcomes. Much of her work involves investigating existing structures. She looks for design responses that balance the modifications needed for new uses with respect for a building’s heritage significance, whatever the size of project. 

Peter Elliott
Adjunct Professor of Practice, Faculty of Art Design & Architecture, Monash University 

Peter Elliott is a Melbourne architect and recipient of the 2017 Gold Medal from the Australian Institute of Architects. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Practice at the Faculty of Art Design & Architecture at Monash University. In 2015 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Architecture by the University of Melbourne. He has a special interest in the design of the public realm and has lectured and written extensively on contemporary architecture and urban design. He has authored two books “Episodic Urbanism” in 2015 and An Unfinished Masterpiece” in 2022. The work of the practice has won more than 85 National and State architectural and industry awards. This includes an Order of Australia in 1987 for services to architecture (public housing); RAIA Victorian Architecture Medals for the Carlton Baths & Community Centre 1991, and the Parliament of Victoria Member’s Annexe 2019. 

This panel is proudly brought to you by the Heritage Council of Victoria, as part of the Australian Heritage Festival celebrations.