Sustainability, certification facilitation and care of the planet are the headline acts in Tricia Love’s three-decade career in the green space.
25 years ago she established leading sustainable design practice, Tricia Love Consultants. She’s an advocate for Green Star, on the Living Future Oceania Board (non-profit regenerative design in Australasia), an auditor for the Living Future Institute’s global programmes and lectures in architectural technology.
Going back to the start, what motivated you to study engineering at Northumbria University?
Engineering is in my family. Back in the good old days of manual drafting I watched my Dad drawing and designing the most beautiful refrigeration systems on the kitchen table for UK supermarkets. They were works of art to me! I also had a curiosity for architecture and the combination saw me find my place with an honours degree in Building Services Engineering. Back then there were very few women in the field. Not an easy choice but I’m stubborn!
When did your advocacy for protecting the planet and green buildings come into play and why?
Way back at university actually. My degree taught me how we can embrace the laws of thermodynamics/thermofluids to store, transfer and upgrade energy to minimise primary energy consumption.
In my first job interview with Arups I was asked “How would you approach a project from the outset?” My response was - and still is - to work with the form and function of the building and the natural environment to minimise artificial building services systems. To work with nature and not against it. My upbringing in a strong faith community also plays into my innate desire to protect this one precious miracle we call Earth.
You came here in 1996 as a mechanical building services engineer with Arups. How has our built environment altered since you stepped off the plane?
The scale and quality of projects has increased. When I first arrived I’d come fresh from working on a refurb and extension of Manchester Airport. I remember being shocked at the quality of construction (services installs) and health and safety on site. Things have improved greatly since then I’m glad to say!
Back in the 90s sustainability was never expressly stated in a brief - it was something we integrated as part of our DNA within Arups. I’ve watched the evolution of the discipline of sustainability and ESG reporting here - it’s not been easy and it won’t be until we get some mandatory carbon reporting.
There’s so much work to do to bring all buildings in New Zealand up to a better standard. The biggest initiator of this change was the introduction of the NZGBC and the Green Star tool for sure.
What was the impetus for establishing your own consultancy?
TLC was created after I left Arups to focus on a Master in Sustainability. It was formed out of necessity and accident to be honest. I never did finish that Masters!
I originally provided mechanical and hydraulic services engineering but switched to being a wholly sustainability consultancy when raising my three kids. I wanted to balance being a stay at home mum with working on specific projects I knew could effect change in the NZ market or at least cause discussion. Consequently much of our TLC work since has been either New Zealand firsts or world firsts.
Are you witnessing growing interest in certification tools?
Definitely - driven largely by international tenants and their own ESG drivers. What’s great to see is the more holistic nature of client briefs. I love the field of biophilic design and the growing realisation that as a species we’ve become disconnected from nature. Programmes like Green Star, WELL and the Living Building Challenge are instrumental in bringing biophilic design, health and wellness back as key outcomes in a successful project.
Speaking technically I believe we’ll see a rise in Zero Carbon certifications. At the moment it’s largely the private sector driving positive change – I’d love to see more coming from central and local government.
There’s sometimes dialogue about the extra cost and complexity of certification – your thoughts?
I don’t believe certification is necessarily the answer to every project. Achieving sustainable outcomes that meet and exceed a client’s goals is non-negotiable but if having a certificate on the wall doesn’t add value to the business or occupants, I’m not going to push it. I’d rather the client invested the money into physical, health and wellness benefits.
That said, targeting a certificate does focus a team and contractor to ensure targets are met. I’ve experienced the gradual slide and drop off when there isn’t a hard goal at the end of it.
There’s definitely a cost to certification but it can be minimised if considered from the outset and whole of life ROIs are undertaken on significant assets eg. renewable power, active battery storage etc.
How would you pitch the importance of certification to a developer who’s tentative?
I always like to explore the organisational ESG commitments either for the developer themselves and/or their potential tenants. Certification has proven benefits for increased rental yield and decreased vacancy rates – but beyond that we’re now seeing international tenants looking at hard carbon and energy targets, health, wellness and D&I targets as part of their own ESG reporting.
Mandatory climate Scope 3 carbon emission reporting in Australia will hopefully filter across here - that will be significant for developers to manage and report on.
Do you see a case for Green Star to be mandatory in Aotearoa?
No, because there are other certification programmes available also and it depends on the project and the client. Green Star fits many boxes but not necessarily all. I do absolutely see a need and a case for mandatory energy assessments for new and existing building stock and mandatory carbon reporting at building or even resource consent stage.
We are falling well behind Europe, the UK and even Australia in this regard in my humble opinion.
On a daily basis what excites you most about your work?
So much! I think the most exciting thing is seeing a good idea scale and have impact. Also seeing those ‘outside of sustainability’ contributing to the cause and reaping the same benefits. I get a real kick out of feeling I’m ending my day contributing to something positive.
Your favourite green building here or overseas?
I’d have to go with my beloved Camp Glenorchy - The Headwaters - Living Building Challenge Petal certified - it’s a project so close to my heart.
It was the project of a lifetime to work on with a superb collaborative client and team. Paul Brainerd (American philanthropist: 1947 -2026) was a visionary client and I treasured every moment of the experience working with him.