In 1973 Graef became a member of the board of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London, and founded and chaired its Architectural Forum. He also became a part-time tutor at the Architectural Association. In 1975 he was appointed to the Development Control Review of Planning Law, chaired by George Dobry, and he chaired the Sub-Group on Public Involvement in Planning. He promoted the early publication of planning officers' recommendations for approval or refusal of applications before the meeting, which is now standard practice. He was also on the three-man Inquiry into Control of Demolition. In 1976 he was made a member of the board of London Transport. He subsequently co-designed the London Bus Map with Andrew Holmes. His BBC film, "Is this the Way to Save a City?" co-directed by Mike Dibb for "Omnibus", delayed the redevelopment of Cardiff. Together with Simon Jenkins, he made a film for "Arena" which revealed that a Grade II listed building was demolished every day during Save Britain's Heritage Year. In 2015 he was part of the four-person Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Commission on the Future of Housing, chaired by John Banham. In the subsequent RIBA report "Building the Homes and Communities Britain Needs" he wrote the chapter on design. In 2016 he was made an Honorary Fellow of RIBA.