Mark Bjornsgaard and his co-founder saw an opportunity to turn waste into wealth. "What's that tub of massage oil in a home-brew bucket?" asked a day one investor. "It's free heat," was the reply that marked the beginning of an energy revolution.

In this compelling discussion, Elena Lambros uncovers how Mark's venture capital experience and a chance to impress a major utility company led to the birth of Deep Green. Initially viewed with scepticism, the company's technology harnesses the excessive heat generated by data centres and repurposes it to heat community swimming pools, providing both environmental and financial benefits.

Mark Bjornsgaard and his co-founder saw an opportunity to turn waste into wealth. "What's that tub of massage oil in a home-brew bucket?" asked a day one investor. "It's free heat," was the reply that marked the beginning of an energy revolution.
In this compelling discussion, Elena Lambros uncovers how Mark's venture capital experience and a chance to impress a major utility company led to the birth of Deep Green. Initially viewed with scepticism, the company's technology harnesses the excessive heat generated by data centres and repurposes it to heat community swimming pools, providing both environmental and financial benefits.

Sustainability is an issue that affects us all, but how can we take steps to provoke meaningful change and make a lasting impact on environmental, social and governance issues across the globe? We explore the intersection of business value with business values for a more prosperous and sustainable future.

Sustainability is an issue that affects us all, but how can we take steps to provoke meaningful change and make a lasting impact on environmental, social and governance issues across the globe? We explore the intersection of business value with business values for a more prosperous and sustainable future.

Join us for our first podcast series, ESG Matters @ Ashurst as we go searching for answers and providing practical advice to help you address the challenges facing your organisation.

ESG Matters @ Ashurst Podcast

ESG Matters @ Ashurst

A night at the pub led to the accidental yet revolutionary inception of Deep Green, a venture co-founder Mark Bjornsgaard believes can change the world.

Game Changers and Transition Makers: Repurposing data centre heat for social good

Host Elena Lambros is joined by Robert de Burgh-Day, an innovative entrepreneur who transitioned from a diverse background into founding and becoming the CEO of Brightspace. Brightspace enhances building efficiency with an AI-driven HVAC ecosystem that optimises energy use and improves air quality for commercial applications.

Robert's diverse experiences in business, initially as an electrician, paved the way for Brightspace's creation and need. By identifying the evolution of the post-pandemic office space, Robert's clean technology ensures energy efficiency in buildings designed for less than constant occupancy.

Discover the nuts and bolts of Brightspace's system, which includes deploying wireless edge IoT products throughout buildings. These devices monitor real-time occupancy and air quality, providing targeted HVAC services without compromising privacy. Throughout the episode, Robert highlights the support and inspiration from peers in the climate tech community, emphasising the importance of platforms that connect innovators and support from industry leaders.

Host Elena Lambros is joined by Robert de Burgh-Day, an innovative entrepreneur who transitioned from a diverse background into founding and becoming the CEO of Brightspace. Brightspace enhances building efficiency with an AI-driven HVAC ecosystem that optimises energy use and improves air quality for commercial applications.
Robert's diverse experiences in business, initially as an electrician, paved the way for Brightspace's creation and need. By identifying the evolution of the post-pandemic office space, Robert's clean technology ensures energy efficiency in buildings designed for less than constant occupancy.
Discover the nuts and bolts of Brightspace's system, which includes deploying wireless edge IoT products throughout buildings. These devices monitor real-time occupancy and air quality, providing targeted HVAC services without compromising privacy. Throughout the episode, Robert highlights the support and inspiration from peers in the climate tech community, emphasising the importance of platforms that connect innovators and support from industry leaders.

Focused initially on air quality, Brightspace, a tech firm has its eyes firmly set on how it can solve broader ESG impacts.

Game Changers and Transition Makers: How A.I is shaping the future of sustainable buildings

Elena Lambros learns how Nikhil Chouguley's early experience in the Himalayas deeply influenced his path towards creating Sustopia, an ecosystem of blockchain, AI, and eventually quantum computing which are increasingly being harnessed to navigate financial investments to facilitate sustainable decision making.

In this wide-ranging conversation Nikhil discusses how we are on the cusp of a 'Green Industrial Revolution 4.0', driven by a younger generation of investors who value sustainability over short-term profits, a point that Sustopia aims to harness, guiding capital towards technologies and ventures that can shape a sustainable future.

Elena Lambros learns how Nikhil Chouguley's early experience in the Himalayas deeply influenced his path towards creating Sustopia, an ecosystem of blockchain, AI, and eventually quantum computing which are increasingly being harnessed to navigate financial investments to facilitate sustainable decision making. In this wide-ranging conversation Nikhil discusses how we are on the cusp of a 'Green Industrial Revolution 4.0', driven by a younger generation of investors who value sustainability over short-term profits, a point that Sustopia aims to harness, guiding capital towards technologies and ventures that can shape a sustainable future.

From a Mowgli-like childhood to a trailblazer in ESG, Nikhil Chouguley’s unique journey has lead him to ask: Are we, as investors, truly aware of the impact our money has on the world?

Game Changers and Transition Makers: Utopian thinking for sustainable development

There’s nothing ordinary about the events that Chris Pensa creates for corporate clients, and his personal story is nothing short of extraordinary. In this episode, Ashurst’s Elena Lambros hears how this former competitive figure skater carved out a career that combines creativity and sustainability in numerous ways.

Chris takes us back to 2005 and his early career at Sotheby’s, where he became the first person to catalogue artwork by Banksy (then an unknown street artist). From there, Chris explains how his personal and professional passions guided him towards where he is today, curating bespoke events for clients in the financial, legal and tech sectors that frequently inspire participants to reconsider how they can boost their ESG strategies.

In this wide-ranging discussion, Chris discusses the power of individuals and businesses to make a positive contribution to the environment and he emphasises the creative potential within everyone. He also discusses the importance of raising inquisitive children, how cold-water swimming keeps him productive, and how lockdown prompted him to create and livestream rollerblading tours of London street art.

Listen back to the complete Game Changers series – featuring an array of inspiring change makers – by subscribing to ESG Matters @ Ashurst on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

There’s nothing ordinary about <a href="https://www.pensaevents.co.uk/">the events that Chris Pensa creates for corporate clients</a>, and his personal story is nothing short of extraordinary. In this episode, Ashurst’s Elena Lambros hears how this former competitive figure skater carved out a career that combines creativity and sustainability in numerous ways.
Chris takes us back to 2005 and his early career at Sotheby’s, where he became the first person to catalogue artwork by Banksy (then an unknown street artist). From there, Chris explains how his personal and professional passions guided him towards where he is today, curating bespoke events for clients in the financial, legal and tech sectors that frequently inspire participants to reconsider how they can boost their ESG strategies.
In this wide-ranging discussion, Chris discusses the power of individuals and businesses to make a positive contribution to the environment and he emphasises the creative potential within everyone. He also discusses the importance of raising inquisitive children, how cold-water swimming keeps him productive, and how lockdown prompted him to create and livestream <a href="http://www.thehouseofgraffiti.co.uk/">rollerblading tours of London street art</a>.
Listen back to the complete Game Changers series – featuring an array of inspiring change makers – by subscribing to ESG Matters @ Ashurst on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

From street art to roller blading. From rewilding projects to CO2-absorbing paint. Chris Pensa shares his colourful personal and professional journey towards a better, greener future.

Game Changers and Transition Makers: Repurposing data centre heat for social good

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