Global engineering consultancy appoints sustainability expert Jordan Kirrane as the property and construction industries aspire to a net zero carbon future.
SYDNEY: HDR | Hurley Palmer Flatt Group is expanding its team with a dedicated sustainability expert as property developers and the construction industry ramp up their environmental commitments.
Jordan Kirrane, Associate Director – Sustainability Lead (Asia Pacific) joins the team of engineers in HDR | Hurley Palmer Flatt Group’s Sydney office, having relocated from the firm’s London headquarters.
His appointment means the architecture and engineering consultancy can now offer building developers and construction businesses an integrated engineering service, incorporating building services, civil engineering and sustainability.
Garry Wall, Regional Director, HDR | Hurley Palmer Flatt Group said: “Our clients have been giving increasing focus to their sustainability goals, and Jordan’s appointment means they can now turn to us for a holistic suite of services and advice with regards to their engineering and sustainability requirements.
“Everyone’s looking to each other for answers as businesses grapple with how to progress their projects in a COVID-19 world, particularly with restricted budgets. With Jordan joining our deep pool of experts in Australia, as well as across our global network of offices, HDR | Hurley Palmer Flatt is now set up to provide that advice and services fast and efficiently on the ground in Australia.”
Jordan is an energy and sustainability professional with 12 years’ experience working in the built environment, including high profile mixed-use developments, master planning projects, university buildings, retail and data centres in the UK and internationally.
He is highly experienced in co-ordinating energy and sustainability assessments for developments, including BREEAM AP, WELL AP, LEED AP, GREENSTAR AP green certification, as well as energy and sustainability modelling.
Jordan said: “I’m thrilled to be part of such a well-regarded and forward-thinking business at HDR | Hurley Palmer Flatt, and, having engaged with many of our global clients, I’m heartened to see that despite the economic upheaval, delivering on their carbon commitments has remained firmly on their agendas.
“Buildings account for 40 percent of global carbon emissions and investors, designers and developers are increasingly aware of the need to address this as they aspire to net zero emissions. We’re positioned to support them achieve this.”
Jordan adds that ‘whole-life’ building analysis is coming to the forefront of the property and construction industries, driven by climate change, social awareness and the need for net carbon zero buildings – a response to the Kyoto Protocol and 2015 Paris Agreement.
As such, there is increasing demand for carbon profiling across buildings and portfolios. This can include not just the operational carbon output of a building, but also the carbon embodied in building materials, transport, waste, procurement, and more.
Jordan said the adaptability of buildings is also expected to gain traction in a post-COVID-19 world.
“We’ve seen warehouses turned into homes and offices, and retail centres to warehouses in the past, and given sections of the real estate sector have been turned on their head throughout this pandemic, making buildings truly adaptable will be the key to making them sustainable.”
HDR | Hurley Palmer Flatt’s sustainability service in Australia complements the firm’s extensive sustainability expertise, including resiliency services, design for health and wellness, damage assessment and grant management.