Bhumika Mistry

Senior Technical Coordinator, NZGBC

Bhumika Mistry is part of the Green Star team, helping projects achieve their sustainability targets while also developing new standards to continually challenge the construction industry to strive for more environmentally friendly buildings.  She previously worked as an Architectural Designer primarily focusing on building consent documentation.

Bhumika has a Bachelor of Architectural Studies and a Master of Architecture Professional from the University of Auckland. Bhumika’s Architectural thesis ‘Visible Morality’ focused on challenging the notion of commodification and exchange through theoretical discourse of western state-capitalism and power relations.

Jo Woods

Director of Sustainability, Revolve Energy

Jo provides sustainability consultancy services to clients across Aotearoa.  She enjoys the collaborative nature of this work and the opportunity to work with others to create innovative solutions.  Jo has worked with clients to develop thermal comfort and energy strategies that will help reduce carbon emissions and provide resilience for building occupants and owners against the changing climate. 

Jo has been working with Green Star, either as a GSAP, Assessor, energy and thermal comfort modeller or advisor within rating tool development, since 2007.  Her extensive experience has provided her with a good understanding of how rating tools can provide a framework and common language to assist clients with achieving their sustainability goals and catalyse positive transformation in the industry.

James Hughes

Technical Director, Tonkin & Taylor

James has a 20-year career in the infrastructure and environmental sectors, and leads T+T’s climate change and resilience advisory practice. His career to date has also spanned work within infrastructure planning and design, risk management and sustainability. James led the ‘Built Environment’ domain of NZ’s first National Climate Change Risk Assessment, and was part of MfE’s Climate Change Adaptation Technical Working Group during 2018. He has also been part of the Deep South Science Challenge, and in 2021 he led the development of MfE’s ‘Guide to local climate change risk assessments’. He has been involved with a large number of climate change risk assessments for regional and district Councils, as well as for the private sector – and recently he has also been researching and applying scenario planning methodologies as part of the Climate Related Disclosure regime in NZ.  

Paul Himberger

Sustainability & Research Manager, Landcom

Paul has been embedding climate resilience across the property and infrastructure sectors both in Australia and internationally for over 15 years. He is a Sustainability & Research Manager at Landcom enabling carbon neutral, zero waste, water positive and net positive biodiversity outcomes across its portfolio of assets.

He’s been responsible for driving Landcom’s organisational response under the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures for both physical and transition risks and is now leading Landcom’s response to the new Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards and to the recommendations provided by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures.

Zara Balador

Senior Sustainability Consultant at WSP

Zara is a seasoned senior sustainability consultant at WSP with more than 12 years of experience in both industry and academia. She holds a Postdoctoral Degree and a PhD in Sustainable Architecture, as well as a master’s degree in Energy & Architecture. Zara is also a GSAP, a Homestar auditor, and a competent LCA practitioner.

She is passionate about sustainability and climate change; and has been teaching, working and publishing in the area of building science, sustainable architecture, life cycle assessment, building waste management, climate adaptation plan and building energy performance since 2012.

Sam Parsons

Climate Change Specialist at Boffa Miskell

Sam is a climate change adaptation specialist with experience in climate change impact assessment, dynamic adaptation planning, and delivery across New Zealand Government and the private sector. Sam has experience in the development and application of innovative climate change risk assessment approaches, collaborative adaptation plans, and resilience strategy, with particular expertise in assessing climate change interactions and responses within the natural environment and resources.

With a strong background in practical climate change adaptation and environmental management, Sam advocates a strong Nature-based Solutions approach in the delivery of sustainable and resilient places and spaces.