Expertise

Simon Sturgis has over 30 years of experience as a built environment professional, initially as a practicing commercial and residential architect and for the last 14 years as an environmental specialist. His route to energy and carbon emissions reduction is therefore from an architectural rather than a building services background. This gives him a particular understanding of the environmental impacts of design, master planning, materials and construction. 

He has spent the last 10 years working on practical assessments of resource efficient, circular economic, and low carbon design for a wide variety of projects, for both new and existing buildings. He has particular experience of working on strategy and policy for large estates or portfolios, including improving environmental performance in conservation areas and for listed buildings.

Simon has extensive hands on experience in working closely with project teams to deliver low carbon and resource efficient projects.

Simon’s knowledge and experience has resulted in the leadership and authorship of the following:

• Greater London Authority Policy SI2 Detailed Guidance on Whole Life Carbon, 2020. This is mandatory guidance for the revised London Plan (co-author Cundall). The guidance is mandatory for all planning submissions for referable schemes.

• RICS Professional Statement: Whole Life Carbon assessment for the built environment, 2017. This is the central technical reference for the UK built environment and real estate sectors on carbon reduction. It is also gaining global recognition. (Co-Author Athina Papakosta). 

• RIBA Guidance: Embodied and Whole life carbon for Architects 2017. Introduction to carbon reduction for architects, clients, engineers.

• RIBA Plan of Work Sustainability Overlay and RIBA Awards Sustainability Criteria. These influential documents will assist architects and project teams to reduce construction and lifecycle carbon emissions.

• British Council for Offices Office Guide 2019: Whole Life carbon assessment for Offices Section.

• Targeting Zero – Embodied and Whole Life Carbon explained, RIBA Publications 2017.

• Redefining Zero (with G.Roberts) RICS Research Paper 2010.

• Numerous articles and essays on low carbon economics for ‘Building’ magazine, Architects Journal, RIBAJ, AD etc..

Simon was Sustainability Advisor to the RIBA Stirling Prize, and past Chair of the RIBA Sustainable Futures Group, and a member of the British Council for Offices Sustainability Group He is an advisor to the EU Commission, UKGBC, Green Construction Board, RICS, BRE, CIC, CIH, BSi and is an 'Architects Journal' Awards judge.

He is a regular speaker at international conferences; Ecobuild (London), COP24 (Katowice), IGBC (Singapore), WAF (Barcelona, Berlin), Living Future (Portland Oregon and Net Zero 2020), BCO, ULI, UKGBC etc.