In this uplifting edition of the Constructive Voices Good News podcast in less than six minutes, we bring you a short, sharp burst of positive stories from the built environment — with a dash of conservation inspiration.

A New Way To Look at Sustainability: Neurosustainability

We open with a fascinating concept that’s as much about protecting our minds as it is about protecting the planet — neurosustainability. Host Jackie De Burca speaks with Mohamed Hesham Khalil, whose pioneering research at the University of Cambridge explores how the built environment affects our brain health, mental wellbeing, and cognitive performance.

“That shift… from experiencing the built environment in a specific way and then going back was an alert to start seeing this relationship between the built environment and the human brain.” — Mohamed Hesham Khalil

Discover how architecture, neuroscience, and nature intersect — and why this matters more than ever post-lockdown.

Greening Ireland: Pocket Forests

Next, volunteer reporter Sarah Austin speaks with Catherine Cleary, co-founder of Pocket Forests, about transforming small urban spaces into thriving native woodlands. With over 125 sites planted — from car-parking-space-sized micro-forests to half–tennis-court plots — these dense plantings are changing soil health, biodiversity, and community connections.

“We’re planting much younger trees… much more closely together… the result is that they create this microclimate very quickly.” — Catherine Cleary

For the full deep dive, check out our special episode Greening Ireland from Pocket Forests to Native Woodlands on our website.

Catherine Cleary and Ashe Conrad-Jones, Founders of Pocket Forests.
Image courtesy of Pocket Forests

Ireland’s Retrofitting Momentum

We round things off with encouraging retrofitting news: in early 2025, Ireland saw 11,910 home energy upgrades supported through government grants — a 2% rise from the previous year.

These upgrades avoided 15,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, reinforcing Ireland’s national push toward energy efficiency and climate action.

Bookmark this page to check for the podcast episode that deep dives into this topic with Dr. Ciaran Byrne, the Director of National Retrofit at Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).