With a three-fold rise in demand compared to this time last year, which has in part been driven by Scotland’s legal commitment to achieve net zero carbon by 2045, seven new sustainability experts have joined Cundall’s Scottish practice.

Led by principal engineer Sophie Simpson, the Edinburgh-based team brings experience from all over the world, and specialises in building physics, certification and compliance, energy modelling and health and wellbeing, as well as ESG strategy and governance and net zero carbon design.

Commenting on why demand has spiked over the past 12 months, Sophie Simpson said: “The UN has acknowledged Scotland’s “inspiring level of ambition” with its world-leading legislation to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. These are legally binding targets, which means that despite the pandemic, we’ve seen demand for sustainability services skyrocket in the last year.

“Clients are increasingly asking for support to establish and realise net zero carbon aspirations, and it’s really exciting to see whole life carbon calculations and detailed energy modelling, above and beyond the requirements of ‘compliance’, become the norm on many of our projects.

“Further to this, there is increasing demand to better understand the influence of the built environment on our health and wellbeing, as the pandemic has emphasised the positive benefits associated with better air quality, access to green spaces and promotion of active travel.

“Cundall are leaders in net zero carbon design and wellbeing within the built environment, and this has attracted new expertise from all over the world, to enhance our sustainability offering from Edinburgh. I very much look forward to working with them and growing our reputation for sustainable leadership in Scotland.”

Having travelled from Canada, Australia, Mexico and Italy, as well as Scotland and the rest of the UK, the new members of the Edinburgh sustainability team include principal engineer, David Brown; senior engineers, Jordan Todd and Bernie Middleton; engineer, Alejandro Gomez Beltran; health and wellbeing consultant, Lucia Savastano; whole life carbon consultant, Stuart McHendry, and graduate engineer, Jennifer Williamson.

Cundall’s global sustainability team has grown from 71 people to over 110 in the last 12 months.