Interview Atkins CEO
eir
W
His own message to the institutions is: “You guys
Simon
are designing and building the built environment for
the future – are you going to tell me that’s going to fail
as well? No you’re not, because you’re good enough to
be part of that solution.
“But do you know how to get there? If you say you
do know, then you’re wrong. If you say you’re part of
the solution and are going to find out, then you’re a
player. And the government is asking you to solve that
problem. It’s your bit of the pie.”
Clarke believes that not all members of the
institutions are sufficiently taking forward the green
agenda. “Not all my staff in Atkins are there yet either,”
he adds. “But where we are today is significantly more
forward than a year ago.”
But can building services professionals make a
difference if politicians and policymakers aren’t
Clarke: engaging with clients > includes involving manufacturers and products early moving fast enough to cut emissions? Clarke argues
“on a carbon agenda” on, rather than leaving it to the contractor to find, for that the world still lacks a “coherent roadmap” to get us
example, a boiler that ends up being different from to the goal of an 80 per cent cut in emissions by 2050,
the one planned. but he believes that there is a “deep intent” among
“To get to where we need to be on the carbon footprint governments that there will be such a roadmap.
of a project is really quite complex,” Clarke concedes. At present, one key hindrance to progress is
“We need engineers designing things out, rather than technology – we do not know which technology will
putting in more mechanicals, more plumbing, more
Keith Clarke wiring.”
But, I ask, will architects, famed for their loftiness,
CV
The idea that professionals wait
permit such an intrusion of engineers into the early
stages of design? Clarke, himself a chartered architect,
for the client to say what it wants is
Career: CEO of Atkins
agrees that the building services engineer needs a
never going to get you where you
since 2003. Joined from
Skanska where he was
bigger voice within the building team, but he insists
want to be. If professionals can’t
executive vice-president
that carbon-critical design depends on its acceptance
responsible for its
by every member of the team, whether they are the
help clients, then shame on us.
activities in the UK,
Poland, Czech Republic,
architect, the structural engineer, cost consultant or
India and China. Prior
M&E engineer. be most effective in helping to cut carbon. However,
to Skanska, held various
“Unless all members understand CCD as a he adds: “Today we don’t need to know what works.
management roles
fundamental part of their question, you’re not going to The solutions might all fail, and then get reinvented.
for Kvaerner, Trafalgar
House and Olympia
get it integrated into the team. CCD is part of making What matters is someone saying, ‘I’m building X, and
& York. Has worked in
the normal business deal with this design question. this is my carbon budget’.”
Asia, India and Europe,
We’re not going to get there in one step, but CCD has Right now for Atkins this means that, for everything
and spent 10 years in
the US as an architect
to be the ultimate goal.” it designs, it engages with the client on a carbon
with the New York City
And Clarke is certainly not in favour of a team agenda, says Clarke. As as an evangelist for change,
Public Development
having a green champion: “This again means the M&E he can’t be accused of not trying to put his own back
Corporation.
engineer turning up later, to be told what to do – that’s yard in order. But he has a great deal more hard graft
Activities: Chairman of the
UK Construction Industry
not right.” Introducing integrated design cannot be ahead of him to help turn the concept of carbon-critical
Council (CIC). Advisory
about following the client either, Clarke insists. It’s design into a reality. And he’s clearly not afraid of hard
board member of the Built
about taking the initiative as a profession. graft – he has the bandage to prove it. l
Environment Innovation
Centre at Imperial College,
“The idea that professionals wait for the client to say
London. A member
what it wants is never going to get you where you want
of the Supporters at
to be. If we [as professionals] can’t help clients, shame
Large Group for Open
House. Patron of the
on us,” he says.
Environmental Industries
But Clarke is quick to add that he has seen a huge
Commission.
change in professional bodies in recent years, with
Education: The 57-year-old institutions “stepping up to the plate in a way that’s
was born in Brixton, south
deeply encouraging”. But what messages should
London, and educated
at Brighton Polytechnic
institutions send out?
and the Pratt Institute, Clarke is certain about what he doesn’t want to hear:
Brooklyn, New York,
“Don’t tell me it’s about people insulating their homes;
becoming a chartered
architect.
don’t tell me it’s about China not building coal-fired
power stations; don’t tell me it’s about other people.” Atkins is Europe’s largest multidisciplinary consultancy
34 CIBSE Journal June 2009
www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEjun09 pp30-32,34 interview.indd 34 29/5/09 12:22:34
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