Sustainability Graduate Spotlight - Lauren Hanlon
The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were introduced to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Businesses and organisations have a significant role to play in helping to achieving the SDGs. Their collective capacity has the power to implement the transformative change needed to meet the goals.
From reducing carbon emissions to adopting circular practices, the choices made by the business community have a profound impact on our cities, our communities, and the planet. Businesses have the power to lead by example - shaping more resilient urban environments and promoting responsible consumption and production.
In this edition of the Sustainability Graduate Spotlight we are focussing on SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 12 Responsible Consumption & Production and shining a spotlight on Lauren Hanlon, graduate of Spatial Planning & Environmental Management (TU835).
Lauren Hanlon
Lauren Hanlon is the Sustainability Officer with DublinTown, a Business Improvement District comprising of 2,500 business members, a large proportion of which are small-medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Lauren’s role is to support business members in the city in starting or progressing their sustainability journey by choosing more sustainable outcomes for their business. Lauren steers businesses toward solutions that deliver cost savings, cut carbon emissions, expand renewable energy use, and reduce waste. Lauren provides information sessions for the business community with organisations like the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland, Local Enterprise Offices and the Irish Green Building Council on decarbonising business supports and enabling commercial retrofitting.
Lauren is working on 3D Urban Modelling of the DublinTown District - a virtual representation of Dublin city centre buildings that uses real-time data to mirror its real-world counterpart’s behaviour, covering four different retrofit scenarios (shallow, medium, deep, and full renovation). This living model displays the potential opportunities for tenants (cost savings, carbon reduction, and better corporate image) – making their premises more comfortable, cheaper and climate friendly.
Educational Experience
Lauren always had a love of the natural environment and knew how global warming and climate change was negatively impacting the natural world.
Lauren says “I wanted to make a difference - identify the challenges and implement strategies to mitigate and adapt to them.”
Lauren chose to study Environmental Management which she felt would equip her with the skills she needed for a career to help her achieve these goals. Lauren was drawn to the aspect of the course that involved field trips saying that “getting out into the built environment and its environs first hand definitely improved my learning”. This real-world application of environmental management skills would stand to her in her future career.
Lauren has since been back as a guest speaker on the course to present to new students on the key learnings, skills, and opportunities in Environmental Management that have carried through into her career.
Applying new skills and knowledge
Lauren found that a module on ‘quality control’ stood to her in her work as it taught her to continuously improve and check the quality of her work in the ever-changing world of sustainability. This emphasis on quality raised her awareness of the importance of accuracy and relevancy in the work she produces. This is important in maintaining trust with stakeholders and in ensuring regulatory compliance.
Lauren found that two professional development skills learned from the course have been extremely valuable in her work, active listening and presentation skills. Lauren finds that by applying an active listening technique when dealing with stakeholders that it allows her to fully understand the task at hand and provide an appropriate response – furthering trust with the business community.
The course had many opportunities for teamwork and presentations which Lauren says grew her confidence. Lauren puts into practice daily what she learned around effective presentation skills such as how to successfully engage audiences, how to deliver concise and informed knowledge, all while preserving a positive presence.
What does #TUDublinSustainability mean to you?
Everyone interprets sustainability differently. To me #TUDublinSustainability means leaving no one behind generating long-term viability by balancing the social, environmental, and economic needs of an area, premise, or business. Support local, reduce environmental impact, and create a vibrant safe place that people in years to come can flourish in.