Yesterday morning, a breakfast briefing was held to celebrate the new partnership between BAM UK & Ireland and the Eden Project.
Building Better Healthcare was in attendance at the launch of the collaboration, which has been established to put nature recovery at the heart of construction.
“Together, we aim to spark bold action, shift mindsets, and lead the industry toward a nature-inclusive future,” said John Wilkinson, COO of BAM UK & Ireland. “We don’t pretend to have all the answers to nature loss, but with the Eden Project and our clients, we want to bring this important issue to the top of the agenda.”
Held at The Hickman in Whitechapel, the event showcased how industry and environmental expertise can join forces to reshape the built environment.
TV presenter Michaela Strachan opened the session by drawing on her career in wildlife conservation.
She highlighted threats facing ecosystems, from coral bleaching in the Maldives to wildfires, and shared examples of how natural systems, such as termite mounds, can inspire sustainable design and building practices.
“Environmental sustainability is a noble cause but it’s difficult to get people to embrace it unless they understand it,” said Wilkinson.
Collaboration in action
The briefing featured a panel discussion with Wilkinson, Dan James, Development Director at the Eden Project, Zebrina Hanly (BAM Environmental Sustainability Director), Strachan, and Jim Dixon, conservationist and Times columnist.
The discussion explored how collaboration, innovation and leadership can transform construction into a force for ecological good.
James explained how Eden will support BAM in embedding biodiversity into projects, sparking innovation and demonstrating what’s possible when business and environmental vision align.
Wilkinson, who joined BAM in 2020 after holding leadership positions at Kier and Laing O’Rourke, told Building Better Healthcare that the partnership will focus on projects that maximise health, wellbeing, and biodiversity outcomes, including hospitals, schools, and BAM’s own estate.
“The aim is to integrate nature by design through healing gardens and green spaces that support patient recovery, create outdoor learning environments, and establish biodiverse areas for children and communities,” he said.
BAM also plans to enhance offices, depots, and sites with nature-rich breakout spaces to improve the daily work experience for colleagues.
“We are already collaborating closely with the NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, where we will work with Eden to put nature at the heart of one of their hospital developments,” Wilkinson added. “The designs will help bring staff and patients closer to nature while also providing greener spaces for the public. We look forward to sharing more information about this exciting project in the coming weeks.”
The BAM–Eden partnership illustrates how construction can become a driver of biodiversity and ecological resilience.
As the collaboration develops, it promises to inspire more projects that balance people, nature, and the built environment, demonstrating that sustainability and industry success are not mutually exclusive.