What was your inspiration for studying a Bachelor of Building Science?
I wanted to be an architect from a very young age. I really enjoyed graphic design, art, exploring technology and was fascinated by the design of buildings, how and why we build like we do and how buildings make people feel. After initially studying architecture I was guided into building science by a professor who was passionate about the subject. I was drawn to the building performance modelling part of the degree - co-creating and testing optimal design solutions across energy efficiency, thermal comfort, natural daylight, acoustic comfort and wind.
You initially worked as a building scientist - what triggered your deep dive into sustainability?
I was very fortunate that straight out of university I had the opportunity to work as a building scientist which involved real world building performance modelling. When the Green Star framework was introduced it gave the industry a better understanding of the value and benefits of my role. It also gave me the opportunity to lean more into holistic sustainability.
My personal values of inclusivity, future thinking and doing what is right - is why I enjoy the broader sustainability topics. Now I integrate sustainability into all our sectors at Mott MacDonald - water, energy, transport, buildings and environmental and society. I also look beyond sustainability to regenerative practice and design - to understand how we can motivate the industry to give back to nature.
What is the biggest challenge of inserting sustainable design principles and energy efficient outcomes into projects?
People - closely followed by policy, process and commitments. Sustainability and going beyond into regeneration requires a mindset change. People can underestimate how doing what we’ve done before will not necessarily get us to the best outcome. The best outcomes have always been when people are open to conversations and new ways of thinking.
Is there growing awareness of the need to deliver greener and better buildings and communities in Aotearoa?
When people who haven’t had a good night’s sleep due to cold and damp living conditions are heard – those personal experiences can help build awareness and mindfulness of the need to deliver a better built environment. When the previous government mandated to occupy green buildings this brought greater awareness both within and outside the industry. That combined with social pressure now means a growing number of organisations are becoming much clearer on their policies and commitment to delivering green buildings.
Is the regeneration of older building stock something we are not doing enough of in this country?
We need to rethink how we use older building stock. Adaptive reuse or finding a new purpose for a building that can provide value back to the community has typically involved the reuse of historic or heritage buildings. However we’re now seeing more opportunities for adaptive reuse of buildings from the 1970’s and 1980’s across the country. I have worked on projects where cost has been analysed on greenfield versus reusing a building. Typically reusing older building stock is a more affordable solution to meet the needs of the client. Repurposing instead of starting anew can unlock savings in time, cost and carbon emissions - if these assessments aren’t being considered we need to do more to bring this front of mind.
You’ve recently been a judge in the NZGBC’s Future Thinker of the Year 2024 awards – what was your biggest take-out?
It was exciting to see the ideas and work being done by the next generation of sustainability professionals and I was able to have some truly inspiring conversations. One of the things reinforced for me was that green buildings - and the wider sustainability practice - is a journey. Despite everyone starting at different points, the more we connect the faster we can get to where we are going.
What do you hope to see in the sustainability space in 2024?
The sustainability movement is growing and people are starting to look beyond what is mandated or the industry norm. I’d like to see the industry move beyond sustainability and into regeneration. Where our buildings become nature positive and our actions give back to the environment and communities. The uptake of the new Green Star tools will help facilitate this. It would be great to see more buildings achieving their net zero targets, being inclusive in design, improving wellbeing and encouraging people to move away from a reliance on cars.
Do you have a favourite green building or development here or anywhere else in the world?
My workplace! My team at Mott MacDonald has worked on some excellent green buildings including the Mason Brothers Building in Wynyard Quarter - home to our Tāmaki Makaurau office. It’s a 1920’s converted warehouse and has a Green Star 6-Star rating. As a sustainability professional it’s great to see my own organisation living by our shared values and choosing a home like this.