Peter O’Connor has over two decades of experience spanning the energy, power, minerals and waste sectors, having worked on a diverse range of projects across Europe throughout his career. He combines technical expertise with a passion for mentoring early-career team members and delivering impactful projects that contribute to Ireland’s energy transition and sustainability goals.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I started off with passion and fascination with maps and geography. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but then I went to an open evening for a surveying course in Dublin. I always loved the idea of working outdoors rather than being stuck behind a desk. The course opened doors to travel across Europe, working on surveying different projects through Erasmus and similar summer schemes between third level institutes.

I started my career in a company that specialised in mineral surveying. From there, I began working on various projects, which gradually led me to focus on energy and power. I’ve certainly had my share of experiences in the field — many of which include challenging site and weather conditions.

Initially, I was directly involved with mineral exploration, management and extraction projects. This progressed to managing mineral waste, which eventually transitioned into commercial and industrial waste projects and nudged my career into the world of the circular economy. I’ve been directly involved in projects where we reduce waste, manage resources and harness energy, and now work on a range of thermal and renewable energy generation sector projects. It’s interesting to witness how interconnected these elements are in our industry, a true circular economy and the challenges that the modern world brings with it. Joining ArchTam was a perfect fit and the role allowed me to combine my expertise in energy and power sectors, with my ability to mentor early-career professionals while allowing me to become a trusted advisor for clients.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

One of the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on is the Kilroot Power Station project in Northern Ireland. The project kicked off shortly before the first coronavirus lockdown in 2020 and involved transitioning a coal-fired power station to gas, which required pre-application work for a gas pipeline connection and integrating advanced technology. It wasn’t without its challenges — lockdowns, social distance site visits and a challenging programme managing a large multi-disciplinary environmental team was part of the job — but seeing the project secure consent, constructed and go live was incredibly fulfilling and rewarding. The early-career team members were excited about the projects as well, because they knew that the client was invested, and they could see the full project lifecycle — design to consenting to construction through to implementation — be delivered in a relatively short period of time. Our team’s environmental expertise and robust Environmental Statement and support to the planning process ensured the project itself contributed to cleaner energy solutions in the region and is a great example of how our work can make a real difference.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Many of the projects I work on are large‑scale in nature, and as a result, their impact is both far‑reaching and undeniable. Our clients are deeply committed to strengthening energy security during a critical transitional period on the journey toward net zero. Being part of this work — especially at a time when the industry is navigating such complex challenges and ambitious sustainability goals — feels genuinely meaningful.

Knowing that our contributions help keep essential services running, support long‑term resilience, and ultimately play a role in keeping the lights on is incredibly rewarding. There is also a strong sense of purpose in recognising how this work supports wider economic growth, both by enabling the energy sector to operate efficiently and by helping create the conditions for future investment and innovation. The scale and significance of these projects make the work both motivating and fulfilling.

Share a piece of career advice.

My advice to anyone starting their career is to embrace opportunities and stay adaptable. It’s okay not to know exactly what you want to do early on so expose yourself to as many different experiences as possible and don’t pigeonhole yourself too soon. Never stop challenging yourself, always be open to adapt your skill set and keep your professional development forefront of your personal and professional goals. With that in mind, I encourage early-career team members to work towards relevant chartership and professional memberships early in their career. Listen to your peers, absorb as much knowledge as you can, and focus on building strong relationships.

I often encourage early‑career team members to talk to everyone. When you’re on a site visit, take the time to chat with — and really listen to — the people on site or in the office. These conversations help you understand exactly what stakeholders and clients need.

Our Impact Assessment team collaborates with a wide variety of clients and technical teams, and sometimes we’re the face of those teams on projects. Remember: the early‑career professionals of today are the leaders of tomorrow, and the connections you build now will be invaluable throughout your career.

The post People Spotlight: Meet Peter O’Connor  appeared first on Blog.

In this blog, Marc Colella, ArchTam Fellow, examines how digital innovation can help cities and portfolio owners accelerate their net-zero transition while safeguarding long-term value and livability.

What’s the urgency?

The built environment remains responsible for nearly 40 percent of global carbon emissions, making it both a major contributor to climate change and a crucial lever for mitigation. Although progress has been made — the sector’s carbon share has dropped from 39 to 37 percent in just five years, energy intensity is down 15 percent since 2010, and renewables now supply almost one-third of global electricity — the momentum remains uneven. High retrofit costs, regulatory complexity and rising investor expectations are placing pressure on portfolio owners to act decisively.

Key barriers to portfolio decarbonization

The pathway to portfolio decarbonization remains constrained by several persistent challenges, especially related to mobilizing technology. The four digital and systemic barriers that must be overcome to unlock large-scale transformation are:

1. Data fragmentation – Asset-level carbon and energy data is often trapped in silos across diverse geographies, sectors and standards.
2. Regulatory complexity – Over 40 national carbon regulations exist worldwide, each with distinct formats, verification processes and disclosure requirements that complicate cross-market alignment.
3. Scope 3 tracking – Indirect emissions, often forming the majority of a portfolio’s carbon footprint, remain largely untracked or inconsistently measured.
4. Technology infrastructure – Many organizations still rely on disconnected digital tools. Scaling a digital platform across markets with different cybersecurity and data laws is a significant undertaking.

Despite these challenges, the pace of digital evolution in the built environment offers reasons for optimism. Over the past decade, the industry has moved from static spreadsheets to predictive digital twins, and from manual compliance to AI-powered climate intelligence capable of optimizing investments in real time.

The next frontier is integration, which includes building scalable ecosystems that link data, technology and human insight. This approach allows for simulation, planning and action across entire portfolios, which then turns decarbonization from a fragmented exercise into a coordinated, data-driven strategy.

Portfolio Decarbonization Transformative Framework

To guide this transition, we’ve developed a Portfolio Decarbonization Transformative Framework, mapping five domains where digital transformation must occur simultaneously for decarbonization to reach its full potential. Each domain connects people, processes and technologies in one shared ecosystem, ensuring that every stakeholder from portfolio managers to facility operators can act on consistent, real-time insights.

The potential benefits are clear:

• 35 percent reduction in operational emissions.
• 40 percent higher return on investment (ROI) on capital works.
• 95 percent faster regulatory reporting.

The framework also underpins our pioneering work in Portfolio Carbon Capital Optimization, an approach that integrates financial and carbon intelligence to optimize investment decisions across complex asset portfolios.

Turning strategy into action: The role of digital twins

The Portfolio Carbon Capital Optimization Framework is a digital planning twin designed to optimize both carbon reduction and cost performance across entire asset portfolios. It unites a suite of analytical tools within a shared data ecosystem, enabling portfolio and facility managers to make coordinated, data-driven decisions. Using an optimization algorithm, it generates capital works programs that balance carbon reduction, cost efficiency, and compliance priorities.

By connecting users, tools and data across disciplines and systems through a centralized data lake, the platform delivers consistent, real-time insights across all assets, thus transforming strategy into actionable and financially defensible pathways toward net zero. Beyond portfolio management, it also serves as a model for how city-scale digital ecosystems can inform infrastructure planning, energy transitions and investment prioritization.

Advancing the decarbonization agenda

Accelerating decarbonization requires more than technology. It requires commitment, leadership and systems thinking. Resilient city-making is a collective endeavor, driven by the shared goal of achieving a net-zero, inclusive urban future.

So, what are some of the next steps the industry can take?

• Approach decarbonization as a portfolio-wide challenge, not an individual asset issue.
• Establish a digital framework that unifies data, personas and outcomes.
• Align capital programs with carbon optimization, prioritizing the execution of projects with the lowest returns to maximize overall impact.
• Adopt an open ecosystem approach — recognizing that no single technology or organization can deliver the full solution alone.

Our work alongside clients, governments and industry partners helps to turn climate goals into actionable pathways — helping shape cities that are not only decarbonized, but also equitable, connected and ready for the future.

The post Urgent acceleration on decarbonization strategies for resilient cities appeared first on Blog.

Jack Brunton is a chartered member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers, with over 16 years of experience within the industry. As Structural Sustainability Lead for ArchTam’s Buildings + Places Structures practice in the UK and Ireland, Jack is committed to embedding sustainability and resilience into our structural engineering service delivery.

Jack co-authored Eco.Zero Concept and Eco.Zero Measure, tools we use to reduce and monitor carbon in our designs. Eco.Zero Concept provides instant embodied carbon, design, material and cost data for varying building uses and structural frame typologies. Eco.Zero Measure assesses structural carbon in Revit models and has been mandated across the region, ensuring carbon monitoring and reporting across all projects with BIM models.

To drive cultural change across the practice, Jack has developed a comprehensive knowledge-sharing platform and launched systematic upskilling initiatives including monthly newsletters and standardized sustainability goals. His commitment to the field is underscored by his appointment to the IStructE Sustainability Panel.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

My path into structural engineering was shaped, in part, by family influence. My ancestor William Brunton was a Scottish engineer and inventor who became a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1826, just a few years after its formation. He made significant contributions to steam navigation (Google “Stem Horse locomotive”!) and developed important innovations in metal manufacturing and mining machinery.

More directly, my uncle Michael Norton instilled in me the importance of the work done by engineers and their benefit to the community. Michael is a civil engineer who served as chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers water panel and received the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire recognition for his services to the water industry and international trade.

Engineering runs in the family, stretching back nearly two centuries, and seeing how engineers contribute meaningfully to society helped guide my career choice. Combined with my strong interest in maths and physics, a passion for painting during my school years, an aptitude for problem solving, and a love for beautiful buildings, these influences all guided me toward a career in structural engineering.

What is your favourite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

Queen Mary School of Business and Management stands out to me. This was my first opportunity to put the theory I’d learnt whilst developing Eco.Zero Concept into practice on a real project.

The project involves civil and structural engineering design for a new seven-storey campus building and high-tech teaching space in central London. I led ArchTam’s delivery of services on the project, and we previously developed the scheme to RIBA Stage 4 technical design in 2019. Unfortunately, the project was refused planning permission based on the loss of locally listed building. When we were reappointed in 2021, we saw this as an opportunity to significantly reduce the embodied carbon of the structure and use the previous design as a baseline against which reductions could be measured.

The pause in project activity coincided with the development of Eco.Zero, and we’d gained valuable insights from key industry publications such as IStructE’s How to Calculate Embodied Carbon and company net zero training. We set a baseline against the previous design, then used Eco.Zero Concept to undertake optioneering studies of different frame arrangements and typologies, systematically identifying opportunities to reduce material volumes and associated embodied carbon across the structural frame.

The site presented significant challenges including London Underground Central Line tunnels, Regent’s Canal boundary and substantial level changes. Despite these constraints, we were able to achieve significant carbon reductions. We collaborated with the architect and facade engineer to identify appropriate column grids, changed vibration mitigation measures to remove twin basement slabs and retaining walls, optimised structural serviceability criteria and foundation arrangements, and wrote product stage carbon targets for concrete and rebar into the material specifications.

At the end of RIBA Stage 2, our revised assessment identified an embodied carbon intensity of 274 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per square meter, representing a 32 percent reduction against the baseline, equivalent to about 1,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent saved overall. Whilst I handed over control of this project when I moved into my new role, we have continued to monitor and reduce carbon into the latter stages.

The project is currently on site and due for completion in 2027.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Before moving into my role as Structural Sustainability Lead, I worked in our Healthcare & Science team. Delivering that sort of work is exceptionally gratifying as the benefit to communities is so immediately tangible.

One such project, the Radcliffe Primary Care Building for Oxford University, stands out as a good example of how adaptive reuse can deliver both environmental and community benefits.

Completed in 2016, the project involved the extension and retrofit of a Grade II listed building to provide accommodation for the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences. We retained 80 percent of the original 1911 fabric and structure whilst adding a new basement, three-storey atrium and new mezzanine floors hung from the existing structure.

Whilst it is a stunning building, what makes this project particularly meaningful is understanding the work that happens inside.  The Nuffield Department is the UK’s largest academic centre for primary care, leading research that reimagines healthcare delivery in general practice and community settings. In the past five years alone, its work has shaped clinical guidelines across multiple areas. From identifying effective COVID-19 treatments in the community and improving NHS approaches to weight management, to enabling early detection of serious illness in children and refining diagnostic pathways for diabetes, heart failure and hypertension, the work has also advanced stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation and influenced national policy on smoking cessation.

By adapting and reusing this heritage building, we preserved an important piece of Oxford’s architectural history and minimised embodied carbon whilst creating a fit-for-purpose facility for researchers who are improving healthcare outcomes for millions of people. The project was shortlisted for the IStructE Awards 2016.

Share a piece of career advice.

Mark Twain said, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Whilst that might be a cliché, I believe that to get the most out of your career, it’s important to find something that invigorates you and to make the changes necessary to pursue it.

Don’t wait for the perfect role to be handed to you. If you see a gap or an opportunity to make a difference, pursue it. My transition into this position wasn’t via a predetermined path. I recognised a need within our practice, identified the requirement for a Structural Sustainability Lead role and wrote my own job description. I’m grateful that ArchTam supported my vision, created the role and gave me the responsibility to facilitate change in the practice. 

It still feels like work, but it’s work that I’m very glad to be doing.

The post People Spotlight: Meet Jack Brunton appeared first on Blog.

David Cheshire is a director at ArchTam and leads a team of sustainability experts who provide advice on net zero, circular economy, low embodied carbon, building performance, and net positive, regenerative design. His team covers building assessments, including LEED, BREEAM, WELL, SKA, NABERS, embodied carbon assessments, the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard, and soft landings. David is the author of Building Revolutions, The Handbook to Building a Circular Economy and the newly released Regenerative by Design, which explores how buildings can have a positive impact on the planet, becoming an active part of the ecosystem. He has also authored the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) guide to sustainability and CIBSE TM54, a widely adopted industry standard for evaluating the operational energy performance of buildings at the design stage. 

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I grew up in the countryside, surrounded by nature, and I spent much of my time making dens and treehouses from scavenged materials. I think it was my upbringing and the growing awareness of global warming back in the late eighties that inspired me to become an environmentalist. I was also always fascinated by buildings, and so when I went to university all my building design assignments included natural ventilation with thermal mass and openable windows. I even drew red and blue arrows to illustrate the movement of hot and cold air in the design until a lecturer pointed out that drawing arrows didn’t mean the air would flow as I intended! It was a simple yet powerful insight. So, I decided to dive deeper and pursue a master’s degree in Energy and the Built Environment, where I learned all about heat transfer and modelled buildings in Tas — a tool that was then at the forefront of dynamic simulation.

My dream job was to become involved in environmentally conscious buildings and when I started working with Miles Attenborough in 1997, I knew I’d found the right career. Miles is still my boss nearly thirty years later.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

My favourite project has been working with the Greater London Authority (GLA) on implementing its circular economy policies. By lucky timing, I published my first book on applying the circular economy to the built environment a year before the GLA published its new draft London Plan.

The GLA introduced new policies on circular economy buildings into the draft London Plan and they asked whether they could include one of the key diagrams from my book. My diagram summarises the circular design principles, including prioritising retention of existing buildings, design for adaptability, and design for disassembly. The GLA adopted these design principles to assess the circular economy design of projects applying for planning permission.

Since then, I’ve had the good fortune to work with the GLA to implement its policies. I helped to pilot the draft circular economy guidance, refining and updating it for publication. I then assembled a team that produced the review templates, proformas and assessment tools to create an enforceable system.

It has been a real privilege to have shaped the implementation of such a ground-breaking policy. Prior to the introduction of the policies, the amount of waste arising from the demolition and construction of buildings remained largely unknown, and retention and refurbishment were not prioritised. When I was writing my book, the term circular economy was very much a niche subject, so it has been brilliant to be part of the rapid change that has happened in London.

The progress in implementing the policies is reported annually by the GLA. The reports demonstrate that applicants are considering how London’s existing buildings can be retained for the future and are delivering best practice and industry leading strategies.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

It has been very rewarding working on several new hospital projects, including Moorfields Eye Hospital, Hillingdon and the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital. All new hospitals must meet the National Health Service’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, and my team has been working to ensure that the buildings reduce their impact on the planet while providing essential healthcare services for the community.

In addition to cutting embodied carbon and operational energy use in the designs, we have emphasised the importance of learning from our projects already in operation. To support this, Richard Mann and I launched the EVOL^+VE initiative within ArchTam in 2019. The program encourages our engineers to revisit projects a year or more after completion to gather valuable feedback from the building operators and occupants, and to review the building performance against the design intent. We initially implemented EVOL^+VE on healthcare projects, where it has provided invaluable insights on how to make buildings work better for the people, planet and for the budget.

These valuable lessons learned have influenced new projects, including the use of 3D walkthroughs to demonstrate key building functions to operators and occupants, and designing out complexity to ensure comfort and ease of operation.

I have had the opportunity to apply these learnings as the Government Soft Landings Champion for the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital project. Soft Landings is all about ensuring a smooth transition from design to operation — fine-tuning the building to perform as intended. This approach includes ongoing support from designers and constructors after completion to resolve any early issues, and actively involves building occupants and operators in the design process to ensure that there is no gap between expectation and reality.

I had always been inspired by the potential for buildings to leave a positive impact on the planet. When I saw the idea of regenerative design start to take root in the UK, I decided to write my third book on the topic. The idea of regenerative design is to create a built environment that becomes an active part of the ecosystem, rather than one that takes from the planet. It recognises that the ecosystem is our life support system — without it we would have no fresh water, edible food and breathable air. Since it was published last year, I have been asked to present at numerous events and directly to many developers and architectural practices. From the feedback I’m getting, it’s proven highly popular and an inspiring topic for the whole design and construction community.

I’m passionate about helping avert the worst impacts of climate change. It’s an impossible task for one person, so I believe it’s essential to set out a vision for progress and encourage others to join in shaping the path forward. I hope my work will inspire at least one person to better align their design for a project with the natural world. We are, after all, all part of nature and utterly dependant on having a healthy ecosystem for our continued existence.

Share a piece of career advice.

Firstly, I think it’s crucial to find a good leader and mentor to work with, who respects you and is keen to develop your career and support you. Then I think you should try and work in an area that you are passionate about. I’ve been incredibly lucky to have found both a great place to work, a great line manager and an area of work that I’m passionate about.

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Pumped storage: Europe’s renewable battery

Europe increasingly relies on wind and solar power, but their intermittent nature brings significant challenges. A proven solution lies in pumped storage hydropower — a mature technology that effectively acts as a massive, rechargeable battery. PSH stores excess renewable energy by pumping water uphill, releasing it to generate electricity exactly when it’s needed, providing reliable, flexible power on demand.

Currently, Europe has around 55 gigawatts of pumped storage capacity. Yet, according to the Outlook, we must more than double this capacity by 2050 to reliably support the EU’s energy transition and achieve net zero (p. 24).

Tackling Europe’s ageing hydropower infrastructure

Europe faces an urgent infrastructure challenge: nearly 70 percent of our pumped storage facilities are over 40 years old. These ageing plants need significant modernisation to remain efficient and safe (p. 22). Upgrading existing facilities offers a practical, cost-effective, and rapid route to increasing renewable storage capacity compared to building entirely new plants.

This need for modernisation is also a chance to introduce digital technologies — such as artificial intelligence, more sophisticated predictive maintenance and improved remote monitoring — to boost operational efficiency and minimise down time.

Barriers to new pumped storage development

Despite strong support from developers and grid operators, Europe’s progress on new pumped storage hydropower projects remains slower than desired. High upfront investment — typically exceeding £1 billion per gigawatt of installed capacity — can discourage potential investors. Complex permitting processes, lengthy project timelines, construction risks, and limited availability of specialist contractors and equipment also hold back development.

The Outlook contrasts Europe’s slower pace with the rapid pumped storage growth seen in countries with centralised economies, such as China. However, positive policy changes are emerging. For instance, the UK’s introduction of a ‘cap and floor’ financial model seeks to strike a balance by giving investors greater certainty, while ensuring affordability for consumers and taxpayers.

Addressing these barriers will be crucial if Europe is to fully harness pumped storage’s potential for a secure, renewable energy future.

Sustainability is non-negotiable

The Outlook emphasises that Europe’s pumped storage expansion must prioritise sustainability. In a region where environmental regulations and public expectations are high, careful planning, rigorous environmental assessments, and meaningful engagement with local communities are crucial.

Digital innovation powering progress

Europe is uniquely placed to lead in hydropower digitalisation. The Outlook underscores the transformative impact of digital solutions on pumped storage facilities (p. 46). Digitalisation doesn’t just make pumped storage operations more efficient — it significantly reduces environmental impacts and operational costs.

The question is pace

Across Europe, the need for grid-scale storage is widely recognised. The challenge isn’t awareness — it’s action. Governments and energy providers understand that without substantial investment in pumped storage, the transition to a low-carbon energy system won’t be achievable or reliable. The real question now is how quickly we can deliver the infrastructure needed to support it.

At ArchTam, we’re committed to supporting this important transition. With our global expertise and local knowledge, combined with a focus on sustainability and innovation, we’re ready to help Europe accelerate the rollout of pumped storage.

Explore the full 2025 World Hydropower Outlook here.

The post Powering Europe’s net zero future: Why pumped storage hydropower is vital appeared first on Blog.

Sarah Falconer has over 25 years of experience in the environment field, specializing in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and consenting for large complex infrastructure projects. Sarah is passionate about net zero and working with our clients to help them achieve their decarbonization goals. Sarah is responsible for growth within the Energy sector across our Environment and Sustainability range of services. She leads complex energy consenting/EIA projects and develops long term client relationships.

What inspired you to join the industry?

Upon graduating, I embarked on a career in environmental consulting, where I quickly encountered a diverse array of projects and gained a wealth of experiences that the field has to offer. It was this diversity, along with working in partnership with our clients to help them to solve challenging problems, that I found so motivating, and still do. It is a pleasure to help clients to navigate their way through complex and evolving planning processes as well as finding innovative solutions to environmental impacts that result from new infrastructure projects. No two projects are ever the same, and there has never been a more exciting time to work in energy. The urgency and scale of the energy transition make this moment truly transformative.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

I recently led two consenting projects for new hydrogen power development projects. It’s been exciting to see new technologies moving into mainstream developments. Any novel technologies always pose new and challenging consenting risks that need to be considered fully to give regulators and stakeholders comfort and buy in to the projects and this was no exception on these projects. As Project Director, I took ultimate responsibility for delivering to client satisfaction and ensuring that as a project team we met all regulatory requirements. It has been really satisfying to see both projects successfully progress through the consenting process and to receive positive client feedback on our collaborative working.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Engaging with the local community is a critical aspect of any proposed new development. One of the rewarding parts of my role is working with ArchTam and clients to identify opportunities for creating value for communities within new proposed developments. This could include bringing local small and medium enterprises onto the project team, using our ArchTam volunteering days to support local initiatives, and supporting STEM training through local schools and bringing apprenticeships into the team. For example, we have recently been commissioned to deliver three large onshore wind farms for a renewable energy developer and as part of our submission we were proud to establish ten social value commitments which we will implement as the projects progress. These include the use of local supply chain, engagement with schools, colleges and universities, provision of support to local community energy groups and prioritizing local delivery.

Share a piece of career advice.

Be open and try to take every opportunity offered to you, even if it doesn’t seem like the obvious career step. We all learn from new experiences giving us the confidence to develop individual skills and careers further. Often, it is the unexpected opportunities that lead to the greatest rewards.

The post People Spotlight: Meet Sarah Falconer appeared first on Blog.

Whether it be adopting energy management technologies like smart grids or implementing innovative energy management systems and storage solutions, significant energy investments that drive operational, economic and environmental benefits will continue to shape Canada’s energy future. The challenge going forward however will be balancing environmental commitments with immediate economic priorities.

Shifting geopolitical landscapes

While looming U.S. tariffs are forcing Canada to rethink its export strategies with greater interest in traditional energy sectors like liquid natural gas, Prime Minister Mark Carney plans to implement numerous financial incentives to promote sustainable energy alternatives. This is good news for organizations working to achieve net-zero targets, but their success will ultimately hinge on effective implementation while also navigating economic and political uncertainty.

On the global stage, similar challenges exist. In this recent Utility Dive article by ArchTam’s Adrian Del Maestro, Resetting net zero: What next?, he cites a 2024 decrease in the growth rate of clean energy investment, particularly in emerging technologies like hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.  He also emphasizes the importance of grid modernization and the integration of renewable energy sources.

Embracing technology and innovative thinking

Even though today’s geopolitical landscape threatens collaboration and makes whole-systems thinking more difficult, we’re also experiencing incredible momentum for innovation. Organizations are embracing intrapreneurship to spark accelerated digitalization and a collective desire to create positive societal outcomes. What’s more, technologies that help store, transport and recover energy are transforming how we design, build, and operate today’s infrastructure and its supporting systems.

To align with these rapid technical advancements, we have reimagined how we work and lead in energy transition. Our Sustainable Legacies strategy not only defines the meaningful action needed within our organization, it outlines how we extend our deep technical expertise to best serve our clients.

Our global Water and Environment Advisory business led by Jill Hudkins is an example of where we bring together experts in digital water, asset transformation, strategic energy advisory, resilience planning, climate change mitigation, and ESG to solve our clients most pressing challenges. Their work supports high-growth needs in an increasingly resource-constrained world. Coupled with our world-class program management expertise, we’ve further elevated the value of technical excellence to meet the rapidly growing size, scale and complexity of today’s critical infrastructure.

For over two decades, we’ve helped evaluate and develop renewable energy systems — biomass, solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal — and continue to expand our capabilities in emerging areas like hydrogen, nuclear, and future fuels. Across Canada, we’re helping local partners upgrade aging grid systems, strengthen disaster resilience, and build new infrastructure to connect renewable sources to where power is needed most.

We also understand the significant role Indigenous communities play in energy transitions and are committed to implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Call to Action #92. This includes building respectful, long-term relationships; supporting equitable access to employment, training, and procurement; and advancing economic participation for Indigenous Peoples.

Our work with Henvey Inlet First Nation to deliver a 300-megawatt wind farm on their traditional territory is one such example. With approximately 15 percent of project staff coming from the Anishinabek Nation, we worked closely with the community on environmental assessments and workforce planning to ensure knowledge transfer on local ecosystems and species-at-risk. This project now delivers clean power to 100,000 homes annually.

Looking ahead, Canada’s energy future will be shaped by more than technology — it will be influenced by economic shifts, social and environmental priorities, and evolving public policy. By engaging with clients early and holistically, we evaluate regional opportunities, mitigate organizational risk, and build tailored roadmaps that drive enduring positive outcomes. We are transforming how we deliver — investing in AI, knowledge management, and digital tools that enhance how we work and maximize impact.

Ultimately the success of sustainable energy requires participation from everyone — regulators, industry, transmission companies, large-scale energy users, and public entities. It also demands an all-encompassing, systems-based approach that champions innovation, equity and collaboration. By integrating advisory services that are deeply rooted in technical expertise and a commitment to our Sustainable Legacies strategy, we are supporting communities across Canada and throughout the world in building a clean, resilient and inclusive energy future.

The post What lies ahead for Canada’s green energy sector? appeared first on Blog.

Victoria Watson leads ArchTam’s High-Performance Buildings team in California, overseeing sustainability consulting, high-performance and net zero building design, and energy simulation. With over 17 years’ experience working in both North America and Europe, she has spearheaded numerous net zero energy projects. Victoria partners with clients to realize their net-zero ambitions such as LEED Platinum, carbon neutrality, and resilience.

Tell us a bit about yourself – your role and career journey.

My journey into sustainability engineering was unexpected—I initially planned to attend medical school but soon realized my true career path lay elsewhere.

I didn’t realize it at the time but a key moment that led me to choose a career in engineering came when I was at high school and I heard a female engineer speak about her career. Her experiences of travel and innovation sparked my interest in engineering, though my real passion for it developed gradually over time. While studying engineering at the University of Manchester, I secured a six-month internship in ArchTam’s Advanced Design Group where I worked on performance-based design, renewable energy, and sustainability. This led to ArchTam sponsoring my last year of study and offering me a full-time position after graduation. That was 17 years ago!

My desire to grow led me to seek new opportunities and, through a timely connection, transitioned to ArchTam’s High-Performance Buildings team in Orange County, California, moving to the U.S. in 2013, where I now live with my husband and two children Noah and Sophie. Initially, I faced challenges adapting, but over the past decade, I’ve embraced them, growing into my current role as co-lead of ArchTam’s High-Performance Buildings and Communities Team in U.S. West.  Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with remarkable individuals on transformative projects, further solidifying my passion for sustainability engineering.

Talk to us about a sustainable design or high-performance building project that has impacted or been a major highlight of your career. How is it solving the challenges and issues our clients and communities are facing today?

So many exciting projects come to mind, but one that stands out is the Intuit Dome, the new home of the LA Clippers located in Inglewood, California. I led the high-performance and sustainable design analytics for this incredible new NBA arena. Venues like Intuit Dome present invaluable opportunities for honing new skills and pioneering innovative processes. A significant challenge faced by our clients today is the imperative to decarbonize their assets and operations. In response, the Intuit Dome is not merely aiming for excellence; it has set a new standard as the first LEED v4/4.1 Building Design and Construction (BD+C): New Construction (NC) sports arena in the world.

Notably, its 2-megawatt solar panel array and 11-megawatt hour battery storage system underscores not only the arena’s and client’s commitment to sustainability but also ensures resilience and reliability in its energy infrastructure. Moreover, the vision for Intuit Dome wasn’t just focused on environmental impact during its design phase; it was equally dedicated to sustainable operations, leveraging their zero-waste room to sort and reduce waste from events.

Being part of this endeavor has been immensely fulfilling, emphasizing the significance of sustainability in our work and local impact.

What are some key design principles that you take into consideration when creating sustainable, high-performance buildings? 

The ethos behind high performance building design champions a collaborative, process-driven approach aimed at crystallizing a project’s vision and establishing tangible performance benchmarks. Our role involves translating our clients’ definition of what performance means for a project into a performance-based approach leveraging our multidisciplinary integrated teams to track and meet performance goals.   

In recent years, there’s been a notable pivot from energy efficiency towards addressing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon footprint comprehensively. This includes scrutinizing embodied and operational carbon, integrating renewable energy solutions, and exploring avenues for carbon offsetting.

Looking ahead, I anticipate a heightened emphasis on waste management, occupant well-being, resilience, and optimizing building controls. It’s imperative to recognize that we’re not designing for today alone; we’re shaping the built environment for future generations. As such, we must continue to evolve our approach to meet the ever-changing needs and priorities of tomorrow.

As the global lead for ArchTam’s High Performance Buildings Technical Practice Group (TPG), I am very fortunate to work with amazing colleagues who remain committed to delving deeper into these critical areas, driving innovation, and staying at the forefront of sustainable building design.

The US and California in particular is facing a host of environmental issues, such as wildfires, flooding, earthquakes, and extreme heat. How are we embedding resilience into our designs and engineering to mitigate the impact of these issues? Can you give any examples?

Resilience encompasses the capacity to prepare for, withstand, recover from, and adapt to adverse circumstances successfully. In our approach to design and engineering, we view resilience through the lens of encouraging resilient communities. For example, we recently completed Integrated Energy Resource Plans for three campuses within the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), the largest community college system in the United States, catering to over 80 percent of students from underserved populations.

Central to these plans is the concept of a microgrid, leveraging innovative infrastructure that integrates renewable energy sources and battery energy storage systems to enable continuous operation of critical campus facilities, even in the face of extreme conditions or utility blackouts. For instance, during heatwaves or power outages, designated areas of the campus can function as cooling centers, providing essential relief to the community.

By prioritizing resilience in our designs and engineering solutions, we not only fortify the physical infrastructure of campuses but also strengthen the social fabric of the communities they serve, ensuring their ability to withstand and thrive in the face of adversity.

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Miriam Ozanne has a background in mechanical engineering and currently leads ArchTam’s Building Performance team. She established and now oversees this team, which is dedicated to achieving key building performance targets in operational buildings. While the majority of their work focuses on decarbonization and energy optimization, they also provide services aimed at broader wellbeing metrics, such as Indoor Air Quality.

Miriam’s role involves significant client engagement to understand their needs and tailor service offerings accordingly. She continuously liaises and collaborates internally with ArchTam’s multi-disciplinary teams. Clients highly value the team’s ability to provide integrated, multi-disciplinary services to address their building performance needs.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I was initially inspired to study mechanical engineering because of my love of Formula 1 as a teenager. However, after graduating, I chose to stay in London and start my career in Building Services. I was drawn to the construction industry by its diversity and the opportunity to collaborate with professionals from various backgrounds and disciplines throughout the entire project lifecycle.

I’m a very purpose driven person, and so applying my built environment design skills to locations beyond just the UK also inspired me to pursue a career in this field. Early in my career, as I honed my core building services skills in my graduate role, I already had the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to international development projects. As a member of PART (Palestine Regeneration Team), a voluntary network of architects, urban planners, academics and engineers based in the UK, I assembled multi-disciplinary engineering teams to support sustainable regeneration projects with NGOs in Palestine.

As my career progressed and I developed my project management skills, I later created the scope and secured the funding to develop renewable energy and recycled water strategies for schools in the Levant using two schools in Lebanon and Palestine as case studies. In addition, I secured research funding to develop a holistic masterplanning methodology to facilitate the planning and implementation of electricity mini-grid projects both in Palestine and in other emerging economies around the world.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

One of my recent favourite projects has been working on 20 Fenchurch Street, London (popularly known as the “Walkie Talkie”), where our team helped reduce the building’s operational energy consumption and plan the route to net zero. As project director, I really enjoyed collaborating with the engaged client and building management team to deliver the best outcomes.

When analysing the performance of buildings in use, the challenge often lies in the lack of data. However, in this case, the challenge was the abundance of data available. Our team developed a new tool to efficiently sort and sanitise the data, enabling us to identify significant energy saving opportunities. These included measures such as changing central plant operating set points and optimising plant sequencing which were simple to implement but required in-depth design knowledge and experience to understand the optimum balance between different systems. The building management team were already regularly reviewing plant schedules to minimise plant operation when the building was not in use. However, the in-depth data analysis helped us identify occurrences when main plant was still being triggered to run out of hours and variable speed controls were not working as expected, based on our understanding of building loads and external conditions. This also led to further savings opportunities.

Many of these measures have now been implemented, alongside other initiatives by the building management team, without requiring any investment in capital expenses. This contributed to a 10.6 percent reduction in gas consumption and a 5.3 percent reduction in electricity use in 2023, despite occupancy rising by more than a third over the same period. We recently reviewed the progress for 2024 and found that even greater energy savings have been achieved as the building management team continues to implement many of our recommendations. 

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

While much of our building performance work focuses on energy and carbon reduction to address the current climate crisis, I believe that true building performance encompasses a wide range of factors that affect not only the environment but, among other things, people’s health, wellbeing and overall experience within a space.

We explored this with a longstanding client while carrying out a building performance review several years after the refurbishment of their building which our MEP team designed. Alongside reviewing the energy performance, we monitored indoor air quality and measured the lighting performance in typical spaces around the office. It was particularly interesting how the indoor air quality monitoring gave insights into how occupants were using spaces as well as how the plant was operating in a level of detail not available from the electrical meter data. This enabled us to recommend changes to plant operation that balanced optimizing energy performance with enhanced indoor air quality, matched to space utilization and occupancy patterns.

Research suggests people in the UK spend 80-90 percent of their time indoors (homes, schools, workplaces, other public spaces and on transport) and so working to ensure these are healthy spaces that promote wellbeing and support occupants to thrive is critical.

Poor indoor air quality has been linked to sick building syndrome, reduced productivity, and impaired learning in schools. Indoor air pollution has increased in recent decades with the increased use of synthetic materials and greater focus on air tightness to reduce energy loss contributing to this. Improved air tightness in buildings is one example where driving energy efficiency can have knock on consequences for indoor air quality and occupant wellbeing, demonstrating the need to balance a wide variety of metrics to achieve true building performance.

I regularly talk to clients and others in the industry about the importance of maintaining a holistic perspective of building performance and aligning the positive impacts on occupants in buildings with wider considerations impacting building operators such as financial and business metrics.

Share a piece of career advice.

Celebrate the “now” and dream for the future! I am a very passionate and ambitious person, always pushing on to the next thing, and I believe this has helped me achieve a lot of the things I’m proud of in my career. However, sometimes I think I’m too busy looking ahead to what’s next to pause and reflect on where I’m at and what I’m doing in the present. The risk is I forget to appreciate and celebrate some of the smaller things along the way. As I go forward, I’m striving to get a better balance of valuing the present whilst still dreaming big for the future and I would encourage others to do the same!

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Pooja Sannamani is a sustainability expert with extensive experience in the buildings and infrastructure sector. With over 10 years of experience at ArchTam, Pooja has demonstrated expertise in a wide range of skills including project and client management, sustainability strategies, and certification and code compliance, and is involved in several high-profile projects in the United Kingdom and U.S. such as New Covent Garden Market, Thames Tideway Tunnel, San Francisco International Airport and Intuit Dome. Pooja’s commitment to excellence and leadership in managing complex projects has significantly contributed to ArchTam’s success and the sustainable development of communities.

Tell us a bit about yourself — your role and career journey.

I have always sought meaning in everything I do. After learning about the concept of sustainability in my second year of architectural school, I was immediately drawn to it as a career. I saw this as a real opportunity to design buildings that are not only esthetically pleasing but also conserve resources and make our world a better place.

My journey with ArchTam started 10 years ago as a graduate sustainability consultant in London. Five years later, I transitioned to our Orange County office in California and have recently relocated to San Francisco. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with talented colleagues across various business lines and geographies and broaden my technical and interpersonal skills.

In my current role, I collaborate with clients and project teams all over the world, developing sustainability goals and strategies, and then implementing them throughout the design, construction, and operational phases. I enjoy bringing positive impacts to the communities we serve and dream of a future where sustainability is not just seen as an add-on or a luxury but an essential and integral part of buildings and infrastructure.

Talk to us about a sustainable design or high-performance building project that has impacted or been a major highlight of your career. How did it solve the challenges and issues our client was facing?

A standout career highlight was leading efforts to support Intuit Dome, the new home of the LA Clippers, in achieving its LEED Platinum Certification, earning 92 points for the project.

The project’s complexity was multi-layered, including our client’s bold sustainability vision going beyond business as usual, the building’s substantial size of approximately one million square feet, navigating the dynamics of a large and diverse project team with numerous subcontractors, and adhering to a rapid project schedule with phased construction across the site, arena, and plaza buildings. 

To ensure that the client was able to meet their goals through such a layered and complex project, we provided support through the LEED submissions process. This included regular engagement with the client, design, and construction teams to identify deliverables, support their sustainability goals, and ensure compliance with regional building codes. Additionally, we managed submission efforts by ensuring that all documentation was complete and met the requirements for each LEED credit.

How do you approach sustainability integration in building design and construction processes, and what factors do you consider when evaluating the environmental impact of building projects?

Early involvement is critical when incorporating sustainability into design. Key decisions are made early in the design phase, offering a cost-effective opportunity to integrate sustainable practices. Increasingly, we work with our clients to establish a sustainability vision, embedding it as a core component in all projects. Once this vision is set, we collaborate with design teams from the programming stage and throughout the early design phases, ensuring that sustainability strategies are included in every technical aspect — architecture, MEP, civil, landscape, and more. We engage in brainstorming sessions to balance technical and sustainability goals, addressing challenges as they arise. Regular participation in design meetings and drawing reviews keeps sustainability at the forefront. During construction, we continue this collaborative approach, working directly with contractors to implement sustainability strategies.

Industry is increasingly considering the environmental impact of buildings beyond capital costs, focusing on whole life-cycle costs and impacts. The triple bottom line analysis, which evaluates environmental, social and financial impacts is gaining traction. This holistic approach is essential for the future of our planet, supported by codes, regulations, and federal grants. Additionally, there’s a growing focus on the impact of buildings on occupants and operators, prioritizing their needs, well-being, and experiences. This leads to environments that are not only functional and efficient but also enhance the quality of living for communities.

What are some of the emerging trends and technologies in sustainable building design and construction that you find particularly exciting or promising?

The sustainability landscape is evolving rapidly. Collectively we are moving towards:

• Resiliency: Climate change and extreme weather have caused a five-fold rise in natural disasters over the past 50 years, making resiliency crucial for buildings, infrastructure and communities. Investors and insurers now see the long-term value in sustainable design, motivating businesses to implement these measures.
• Circularity: This involves proactively eliminating waste from the pre-design stage, exploring reuse opportunities before opting for demolition and reconstruction, recognizing that one person’s waste can be another’s resource, and ultimately creating a zero-waste loop.
• Holistic thinking: Holistic thinking in building sustainability involves considering all aspects of a building’s lifecycle and its broader impact on the environment, society and economy. This approach goes beyond addressing individual elements in isolation and instead integrates them into a comprehensive strategy that ensures long-term sustainability.
• Focus on human health: Ultimately, the built environment is designed to meet human needs. There is growing awareness of the importance of designing spaces that enhance human health physically, mentally and socially, especially in the wake of the pandemic.

Overall, I have seen a shift in how sustainability is perceived over the past decade and that gives me hope for a brighter future.

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