Dr Aleksandra Przydrozna – Innovation in Retrofitting Future-ready Sustainable Buildings

Описание: Doing the Opposite x Proptech Connect is a mini-series ahead of Europe’s largest real estate tech event. In this episode Jeff Dewing speaks to Dr Aleksandra Przydrozna, Global Retrofit Integration Lead at MACE. Aleksandra leads multidisciplinary teams to help clients’ buildings become more sustainable in a notoriously change-resistant industry!

One of the biggest hurdles in the sustainable building conversation is often cost, but Aleksandra's pragmatic approach cuts through this barrier. Rather than overwhelming clients with ambitious targets, she begins with optimisation that can deliver 20-30% utility bill reductions with minimal investment. This creates the "light bulb moment" that opens doors to deeper conversations about building performance, climate risk, and future-readiness. Her method emphasises education, long-term thinking, and realistic ROI calculations that transform sustainability from perceived cost to strategic investment.

Aleksandra 's strategy for retrofitting extends beyond carbon reduction numbers to creating truly "future-ready" buildings that won't need revisiting before 2050. Furthermore, she's proudly nurturing the next generation of sustainable building leaders, setting up internal research projects and mentoring opportunities that develop both technical expertise and innovative thinking. “It’s a team sport. It’s not about being individual with your ideas” she says.

Aleksandra will be speaking at Proptech Connect Europe. We will see you there!! InterContinental London – The O2 | 3rd – 4th September 2025

Hosted by Jeff Dewing

0:00 Introduction
1:44 From Art and Ballet to Engineering
3:15 Journey to UK and Academic Background
5:44 Disrupting Real Estate Through Pragmatic Solutions
9:40 Breaking the Short-Term Cost Mindset
15:58 What Success Looks Like in Retrofit
20:19 Leadership Philosophy and Team Building
22:59 Proptech's Elephant in the Room
25:32 Advice for Aspiring Disruptors