Member Lean In | Planetary Boundaries: Can we reassess material selection?
The built environment is increasingly shifting from a focus on “less harm” toward regenerative design - where buildings actively contribute to the health of people, ecosystems, and material cycles. This is the first in a three-part Lean In series exploring regenerative materials and the role of specification, research, and design decision-making in enabling this shift in practice. Across the series, speakers will examine how architects and designers can rethink material selection through the lenses of human health, carbon, circularity, and ecological regeneration. Part 1 reframes material selection through the lens of human and ecological health. It explores how everyday specifications impact indoor environments, supply chains, and ecosystems — and what it means to move beyond “low toxicity” toward regenerative materials that actively contribute to ecological and human wellbeing. Join Martha Lewis (Henning Larsen) and Nicola Smith (Living Future Oceania) as they discuss the evolving role of architects and designers in shaping healthier built environments, the opportunities and challenges of specifying healthier materials, and how regenerative thinking can reshape the way we understand sustainability in practice. Each session will prioritise practical insights and clear takeaways, enabling participants to apply learning directly to their projects and practice and to consider ‘What should I do differently on Monday morning?’.
Member Lean In | Planetary Boundaries: Can we reassess material selection?
Date: Thursday, 16 July 2026
Time: 12:30 pm start to 1:30 pm, VIC, NSW, ACT & TAS AEDST
12:00 pm start, SA
9:30 am start, WA
11:00 am start, NT
Location: Online Event via Zoom (Sessions are recorded to view at a later date on our YouTube channel). Sessions are recorded to view at a later date. You can receive notifications of when new lean-ins are available to view by subscribing to the Australian Institutes of Architect's YouTube channel here youtube@AusArchitects
This is a free educational Member Lean-In session. Registrations are capped at 1000 attendees so please register early to avoid disappointment.
Overview
Part 1 in the Sustainable Materials and Design: From Extraction to Regeneration series
The built environment is increasingly shifting from a focus on “less harm” toward regenerative design - where buildings actively contribute to the health of people, ecosystems, and material cycles.
This is the first in a three-part Lean In series exploring regenerative materials and the role of specification, research, and design decision-making in enabling this shift in practice. Across the series, speakers will examine how architects and designers can rethink material selection through the lenses of human health, carbon, circularity, and ecological regeneration.
Part 1 reframes material selection through the lens of human and ecological health. It explores how everyday specifications impact indoor environments, supply chains, and ecosystems — and what it means to move beyond “low toxicity” toward regenerative materials that actively contribute to ecological and human wellbeing.
Join Martha Lewis (Henning Larsen, Denmark) and Nicola Smith (Living Future Oceania) as they discuss the evolving role of architects and designers in shaping healthier built environments, the opportunities and challenges of specifying healthier materials, and how regenerative thinking can reshape the way we understand sustainability in practice.
Each session will prioritise practical insights and clear takeaways, enabling participants to apply learning directly to their projects and practice and to consider ‘What should I do differently on Monday morning?’.
Speakers
Martha Lewis, Henning Larsen, Denmark
Martha Lewis is Head of Materials at Henning Larsen, Denmark and a leading specialist in sustainability and material health. Her expertise centres on healthy, environmentally responsible architectural materials, balancing material health, environmental performance, cost, and design quality. Martha brings deep knowledge of circular principles, low-carbon strategies, and European regulatory frameworks, and has published several academic papers on the use of hazardous substances in Nordic building products. Accredited in DGNB, LEED, and WELL, she combines research-driven materials knowledge with practical delivery and regularly shares her expertise through educational initiatives such as Unboxing Carbon and Unboxing Chemicals.
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Nicola Smith, Living Future Oceania
Nicola Smith is a UK-Registered Architect with extensive experience working at a senior level in architectural and other built environment practices, and a Green Star Accredited Professional. Nicola has been the Technical Officer at Living Future Oceania since 2020, managing the Declare® program in Australia and working with the LFO Technical Working Group to help contextualise the Living Future programs to our region. Nicola is passionate about materials health and transparency, circularity and enabling positive change through regenerative design.
Moderators
Bonnie Herring, City of Melbourne and Hilary Duff, Kennedy Nolan Architects
Event Series Details
Sustainable Materials and Design: From Extraction to Regeneration Member Lean In series
Member Lean In Part 1 - Planetary Boundaries: Can we reassess material selection?
Speakers: Martha Lewis, Henning Larsen (pre-recorded), Nicole Smith, Living Future Oceania
16/07/2026, 12.30pm AEST, Online zoom event (Registrations open, follow link)
Member Lean In Part 2 - Evaluating Sustainable Materials and Building Systems
Speakers: Adam Kolsrud (Wardle), Lucy Marsland (Atelier Ten)
30/07/2026, 12.30pm AEST, Online zoom event (Event to follow, registrations open 23/06/2026)
Member Lean In Part 3 - Delivering Circularity, Reuse, and Regeneration in Practice
Bettina Robinson & Tim Brooks (Fieldwork), Richard Stokes and Cameron McIntosh (Arup)
13/08/2026, 12.30pm AEST, Online zoom event (Event to follow, registrations open 07/07/2026)