Rethinking Materials. Redefining Construction.

Prof Michael H. Ramage

CEO & Co-founder, Cambridge Transformation Labs 

Director, Centre for Natural Material Innovation

Professor of Architecture and Engineering, Cambridge University

Meet our headline speaker: Prof Michael H. Ramage

Professor Michael H. Ramage is a global leader in natural material innovation and sustainable architecture. He directs the Centre for Natural Material Innovation at the University of Cambridge, where he is Professor of Architecture and Engineering. A Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Chartered Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers, and founding partner of Light Earth Designs, Prof Ramage brings a unique multidisciplinary background spanning geology, archaeology, architecture, and structural design.

At the Specifier Summit 2025, Prof Ramage will speak to this year’s theme: Rethinking Materials. Redefining Construction. His keynote will explore how modern methods of construction (MMC) and material innovation—particularly engineered timber—can drive the shift toward low-carbon, high-performance buildings.

With the construction sector contributing nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, Prof Ramage advocates for a future built with renewable, regenerative materials. Engineered timber represents the first major structural breakthrough in over a century—enabling larger, faster, and more sustainable construction. By turning to materials we can grow, we can design a built environment that works with nature, not against it.