International Women in Engineering Day 2023
23 June 2023
International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) is a chance to celebrate the work undertaken by women in engineering. At QODA, we want to celebrate our female engineers and women who work in wider support roles.
“The Women in Engineering Society has worked tirelessly for over a hundred years to ensure equality for women in engineering. Today WES’ mission is to support women in engineering to fulfil their potential and support the engineering industry to be inclusive” – Women in Engineering Society 2023 About – International Women in Engineering Day (inwed.org.uk)
The theme of INWED this year is ‘Make Safety Seen’. At QODA, Safety is incredibly an incredibly important aspect of our role as Design Consultants, and we are very proud of the hard work and achievements of our female engineers.
Our Technical Director, Dr Sarah Price, recently wrote the newly released Research Report – EnerPHit and PAS 2035/2030. The report was written for the Passivhaus Trust and discussed PAS 2035/2030, which is a process for the retrofit of dwellings and does not set any energy targets to meet. You can read the report here: Guidance (passivhaustrust.org.uk). Sarah is also a Passivhaus Certifier. This accreditation comes from the Passive House Institute (PHI) and means that Sarah can now certify Passivhaus Buildings, EnerPHit retrofits, and Low Energy Buildings anywhere in the world on behalf of the Passive House Institute.
Maria Valkova, who is a Sustainability Engineer in our Bristol office, passed her Certified European Passive House Designer Training (CEPH) exam and is now officially a Passivhaus designer. As a Sustainability Engineer, Maria’s role is to collaborate with senior staff to ensure all schemes meet the client’s brief and expectations. She has experience in manufacturing engineering, a master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering, and a PhD in Multifunctional Materials. This multidisciplinary background allows her to adapt easily to briefs, as well as design team and client requirements. Her research training has imparted a rigorous approach to problem-solving and a dedication to excellence and innovation.
QODA Associate, Katie Clemence-Jackson, was appointed Technical Project Manager for the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard. The UK NZC Buildings Standard is a cross-industry initiative led and championed by key industry organisations BBP, BRE, the Carbon Trust, CIBSE, IStructE, LETI, RIBA, RICS, and UKGBC. It will enable the industry to robustly prove their built assets are net zero carbon and in line with our nation’s climate targets. “Taking on this role is a fantastic opportunity to help the industry decarbonise and meet our climate goals. I am looking forward to collaborating with a wide range of experts to facilitate consensus on the definition of Net Zero Carbon. Above all, I am excited to play my part in making it all happen.”
Our Sustainability Director, Susan Hone-Brookes, has worked within the construction sector for over 40 years. During that time, she has devised sustainable design strategies for some of the country’s leading companies. Susan previously spent six years on the board of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) as Vice President, where she took a lead role in updating the institution’s Sustainability Guide L:2020. She supports the Technology Group and ongoing board group work. Susan was on the steering group which helped formulate the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors ‘Whole life carbon assessment for the Built Environment’. She also led the Infrastructure Industry Innovation Partnership (i3P), which successfully developed a technology roadmap for the construction industry, which was a key part of securing the UK’s first ‘Construction Sector Deal’.
We are incredibly proud of the whole team and their achievements, which mean we can remain at the forefront of our field. The team is not only contributing to safety and wellbeing in our designs, but also leading the way forward as part of some exciting groups as well as writing important standards.