Spotlight On... Lucy Ralph

24th August 2026

1. What aspect of REPAIR are you most involved in?

As I work for the development company responsible for constructing the building, I sit mainly within the Performance Thread, assisting with monitoring the building's systems and understanding how the building has been constructed.

2. What excites you most about this work?

It’s going to be exciting to gather actual evidence that we can compare with traditional systems, demonstrating how we can move towards a low-carbon future and showing that these approaches work and can be replicated. This evidence could help encourage others to take similar approaches, while also helping to change public perceptions of green infrastructure and build confidence in developments taking place across the city.

Facilitating change through education, alongside creating a sustainable product, is something I’m very passionate about. The human-engagement and educational elements of the whole project is something that really excites me. We’ll be communicating our findings to the public through engagement sessions, workshops and displays within the building, to enable and equip people to think and act differently on their own local level, and use the building and surrounding areas in a more considered way.

3. What does biophilic living mean to you?

Biophilic Living is a multi-layered approach to tackling the climate crisis. It recognises that by addressing environmental challenges, we can also begin to tackle wider social and economic issues. For me, the main word that describes it is community.

I think a big thing I always like to note as well is that we recognise there may have been mistakes or ways that things could have been differently, but at least we’ve taken the risk and tried!! And with the climate crisis being such a multi-faceted, systems issue, we need triers & risk takers. It is an inspiration.

4. Have your views on biophilic living changed since joining REPAIR?

The REPAIR project has only increased my confidence and excitement in the Biophilic Living project. The research is crucial to understanding what works, what doesn’t, and how we can continue to improve. It also gives us the evidence we need to communicate what is being achieved to people at multiple levels, from the public to industry and government, helping them to take their own actions and apply what we learn more widely.

5. What has been your most memorable REPAIR experience so far?

Probably the first in-person meeting in the glasshouse. Although the building wasn't finished at the time, it felt quite symbolic to be there at the start of the REPAIR journey.

Another highlight has been seeing the initial biodiversity data being gathered from the roofs. Seeing nature find a home almost as soon as the gardens were installed really demonstrates how easily we can integrate more green roofs into our cities and create urban environments where people and nature can live alongside one another.

6. What do you enjoy most about working in a transdisciplinary team?

Seeing and learning about how other people work, and taking on lots of little bits of different information from different professions, even just through casual conversations, has been lovely, and also very inspiring! I always feel a new sense of confidence / drive after any get together.

7. What are your hopes for the future of REPAIR?

I hope it can generate real interest from both the public and industry. It is such an innovative and exciting way of working, and I think the research and information being generated will inspire others and build confidence in the work being done in Swansea. Hopefully, what we learn here can then benefit and influence developments well beyond the city.

8. Tell us about a place in nature that is important to you and why.

This might sound a little cliché, but as someone who isn’t originally from Swansea, I feel incredibly lucky to have such easy access to so many beautiful beaches. Being there genuinely makes me feel grateful, and the wellbeing benefits of spending time in nature are undeniable.

My garden is another place that has become increasingly important to me. Since working on the project, I’ve gained so much knowledge about how to make the most of a green space, which has inspired me to try to transform my rather concrete garden – I rent, so the concrete definitely wasn’t my choice! – and do my bit to bring nature back into the city.

The view from my room also makes me very happy, so the fact that the Biome has such an amazing view makes me very happy too!