 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Get Sust!
CAREERS SUPPLEMENT
 |
For more careers items, including practice profiles, see Get Sust February 2006 |
Practice profile - Faber Maunsell
Passionate people wanted... and not just on Valentine's Day
A typical way to research potential employers is to check out their websites, but sometimes the cold hard format of words and pictures just doesn’t do the organisation justice. That’s certainly the case with Faber Maunsell, the building, transportation and environmental engineering consultancy which, the website says “provides technical excellence across the full service spectrum, from strategic consultancy at the highest level to practical design, implementation and asset management”.
Talk to Faber Maunsell Director, Ant Wilson, though, and the passion to “really make a difference” will knock your socks off!
“We have sustainability specialists spread right across our 34 UK office,” says Wilson. “People want to get involved with the softer, greener side of engineering, and we have opportunities across the board because being ‘green’ is no longer an optional extra - it permeates all sorts of projects, from major environmental impact assessments to the details of specialist fire, acoustics and lighting applications.
“We like to work in an holistic way, to get in at the very start of the project, where you can really make a difference to the project’s environmental impact. And it’s paying off - our Sustainable Development Group is growing in leaps and bounds.”
Not all the company’s sustainability specialists come from traditional M&E backgrounds. The company is as interested in working with keen gap-year students as fully qualified engineers. But the factor all must have in common, says Wilson, is passion.
“Sustainability is about technical skills, its true, but communications skills and diplomacy are just as important,” he says. “If they have a real passion to make a difference, we’re willing to go the extra distance to help them through their career.”
The company’s Structured Training Excellence Programme (STEP) targets teenagers who show commitment, aptitude and enthusiasm, offering them day-release study support, or help and placements through university; while its undergraduate and graduate training programmes offer a more traditional financial and placement options.
The company is currently seeking up to 50 people to join the STEP programme, and has opportunities for up to 200 graduates.
Learn more:
 |
• | Check out the details at www.fabermaunsell.com - applications always welcome, not just on February 14th! |
| © Melanie Thompson 2007 |  |
Environmental engineering gets on the building services agenda
Multi-disciplinary building services consultancy ACDP, based in Maidenhead, Berkshire, is seeing a growing interest in the sustainability agenda among its clients, and Anita Purser has recently joined the organisation in the new role of environmental engineer to support its more conventional building services portfolio, and therefore improve its services to clients.
“My initial interest in renewable energy and sustainable design came though a year in industry placement in the renewable energy department at PowerGen, which I took as part of my degree in electronic and electrical engineering,” explains Anita. “After focusing on energy efficiency while working for a water company I moved to ACDP in September 2006.
“I find being an environmental engineer with ACDP a challenging and interesting role because it involves working with and providing support to all aspects of building services. This means that my engineering knowledge is constantly expanding. For example, one day I can be focusing on grey water systems and the next day providing information about energy-efficient lighting and controls.
“A key part of my role is keeping up to date on the new sustainable and energy-efficient technologies that are available, and which applications they are viable for.
“Projects I’ve been involved with include a design for a renewable energy system to provide power and hot water for a retail store. This was particularly interesting for me to see the range of renewable energy products on the market, and understanding the technology behind them. Other projects includeutilising natural ventilation to reduce cooling loads and increasing the amount of natural light allowed to enter a building in order to reduce electricity usage.
“In the future I see my role as an environmental engineer becoming increasingly important as people become more aware of the changes to our environment that building development causes, along with tighter government regulations to encourage low carbon development,” says Anita.
Employing over 60 staff, ACDP works in all sectors of the construction industry with many blue chip clients.
“With over 70% repeat business, we pride ourselves on the high level of service we offer our clients,” says MD Nick Mead. “With a rapidly changing industry, we are keen to maintain a high level of knowledge in the practice and actively work with CIBSE, BSRIA and ACE to offer a high level of CPD to our staff, who can then enjoy exciting and varied careers.”
Learn more:
|
• | For more information of opportunities at ACDP please visit www.acdp.co.uk or call Nick Mead on 01628 413000. |
|
Practice profile: White Young and Green
Putting the “social” into the science of sustainability
Putting the “social” into the science of sustainability – White Young and Green is a multi-disciplinary consultancy on a mission to tackle all aspects of the s-word. Get Sust talks to the head of its new Sustainability Bureau...
Think of sustainable construction, and odds are that you’ll immediately have a mental picture of a particularly building that you’ve admired. It might be relatively conventional in design, or could be quite radical; it might have the added extras we’ve come to expect, such as external solar shading, micro-turbines, solar panels or even a “green” roof. But what you won’t see in your mind’s eye are all the other factors that have contributed to making the place sustainable - in particular the “social” aspects of sustainability.
“Sustainability cuts across everything,” says Clare Shuttleworth, head of WYG’s Sustainability Bureau. “There is a lot of confusion about which options are the most sustainable - what’s economically sustainable; what’s best for employment; and what’s best for the environment. At the start of 2006 we set up our Sustainability Bureau to help our clients find the answers to these questions.”
Twelve months on, and the Bureau is proving very effective. “We’ve looked at all sorts of issues, from helping a client to set up a Corporate Social Responsibility system - CSR - to joining up the construction process by reviewing another clients waste, energy and procurement policies,” says Shuttleworth. “We also been working to help a client reduce the environmental impact of its supply chain.”
WYG’s core expertise - in engineering, environmental, planning and management services - is crucial to the success of its Sustainability Bureau. “We talk to the client to gain an understanding of their aims, then we can draw upon expertise from across the company to focus on the detail,” she adds.
One such specialised team is Building Physics, led by Richard Wheal. Wheal’s current interests are zero carbon technologies, and how they might best be deployed in construction projects ranging from 50-acre developments to an extension to an existing school. But like many of WGY’s 2400 employees, he brings more to the table than straightforward physics. For instance, while at Nottingham University his interest in natural ventilation led him into a study the potential to neutralise the notorious “hospital super bug” MRSA by shining ultra-violet light on titanium dioxide to liberate oxidising electrons which slowly breakdown the bug.
These days, his work is a little more conventional. For example, at the Eco-centre in Cockermouth, Cumbria, he advised on the various renewable energy technologies that were to be deployed, and how they might best work together. The proposed strategy combined a wind turbine to generate power, and active and passive solar heating that incorporates earth-tube technology to harness stored energy from below and around the building.
“The key thing about working for WYG is its multi-disciplinary nature,” says Wheal. “You have an opportunity to be exposed to everything from M&E to transport - everything.” Indeed, the company’s graduate programme places particular emphasis on this, offering new recruits the chance to investigate related disciplines. “We’re also happy to discuss possibilities with people who are passionate about sustainability, and might be interested in our apprenticeship scheme,” he adds.
Clare Shuttleworth, a graduate in environmental management and marketing, echos Wheal’s sentiments. “We’re looking for new recruits who have a broad understanding of the sustainability agenda, who are enthusiastic, but most importantly, who are willing to be flexible.”
WYG’s stated aim is ‘To be leaders in the built, natural and social environment’. The good news is that it takes the “social” issues as seriously as the rest, not just in supporting its clients, but in it’s day-to-day business, by placing a clear emphasis on personal development and achieving a sensible work-life balance.
Learn more:
|
• | Find out more at www.wyg.com. |
|
• | WYG’s Sustainability Bureau has published case studies of recent projects, including the Eco-centre, Cockermouth, at http://www.wyg.com/sustainabilitybureau/index.htm. |
| © Melanie Thompson 2007 | |
CIBSE careers factsheets
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has published a series of new fact-sheets, aimed at students and graduates. These ‘Make a Difference fact-sheets’ promote the benefits of working within the industry and provide clear guidance on how to get a foot on the building services career ladder.
They make a clear statement to young people about the power of building services engineers to rise to the challenge of climate change through energy efficient design, installation and maintenance, as well as through technologies for waste, water and drainage.
Future factsheets will cover craft and technician career pathways and routes into the profession for mature entrants. Ongoing career initiatives within the Institution include a role model section on the CIBSE website and the development of the Young Engineers Group.
Learn more:
|
• | Download the fact-sheets from www.cibse.org, where you can also view careers case studies of four young CIBSE members. |
|
Looking for a new challenge?
Then check out www.acre-resources.co.uk.
Acre is a specialist recruitment consultancy focused on the environment, CSR, sustainability and climate change sectors.
Acre says that as well as helping to bring together clients and candidates in the sustainability sector, it tries hard to work in the most sustainable way we can. All of our CO2 emissions are offset through the Climate Care programme, helping to reduce our impact on global warming; and percentage of our income is also donated to various environmental and humanitarian charities.
Current vacancies include:
- Director - Environmental Engineering
- Sustainable Buildings Consultant
- Senior Consultant - Sustainability / BREEAM
- Principal Environmental / Sustainability Consultant
- Sustainable Design Consultant / BREEAM Assessor.
|
