Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Constructive Voices, the podcast for the construction people with news views and expert interviews.
[00:00:07] Speaker B: Hello and welcome to Constructive Voices. I'm Steve Randall and in this episode we're continuing our Focus on Females series. So let's hand over to Emma Nicholson.
[00:00:17] Speaker A: So, I'm a Principal sustainability project manager with a multidisciplinary consultancy that is involved in built environment in the UK. I am a chartered environmentalist. I am an Associate Fellow of the Women's Engineering Society and have previously been a board trustee with them. I am also the current EDI Specialist Interest Group Chair for the Women's Engineering Society. I have about over 23 years industry experience.
[00:00:46] Speaker C: Thank you, Emma. I am Zanan and I'm currently working in WSP UK as a Senior Energy and Sustainability consultant or engineer, and I work with clients across different industries to help them deliver net zero carbon buildings and support them throughout their project's lifecycle by education. I'm also a scientist. I did my PhD in renewable energy studies and I also come from Bangladesh, where I completed my undergrad studies. I'm also a certified data scientist, so I'm trying to work in the intersection of the built environment, sustainability and data science, and how we can make data driven decisions in our business decision making capacity.
[00:01:27] Speaker A: Zenan, it's such a pleasure to interview and thank you very much for sharing your time with us. You've done a PhD. Could you tell us a bit more about what that has entailed?
[00:01:36] Speaker C: Yeah, for my PhD, I did my PhD at University of Nottingham and I specialized in renewable energy systems, particularly for community energy systems. So I was looking at how can we use PV and battery storage to make the best of community energy. So if, let's say, one household cannot afford PV, but another household in the same area can afford PV and battery, how can we combine those two need for PV and then the financial aspect of it to ensure that the whole community can work together as a consumer, which actually means you're also producing and consuming at the same time? So I was looking at the benefits of integrating PV and battery storage system into the grid and how as a community, when you're consuming and producing energy, it impacts the kind of parameters of the network.
[00:02:29] Speaker A: Goodness me, that sounds really interesting. In terms of how you became an engineer, I would like to know what motivated you and also what topics did you study? What subjects did you study at school in order know when you went on to become a university undergraduate and then later on to do your PhD.
[00:02:50] Speaker C: Right? Yeah, I know that's a very interesting question. I'll start with the easier one, Emma. So I'm a person who likes to diversify, so I don't like limiting myself to one particular subject. So at school I had both business subjects like economics and accounting, as well as Stem subjects like chemistry and physics and maths. I like to think that you need to have both the skills to be able to truly leverage the most out of your career. But that's about the subjects that I had at school and college when it comes to what inspired me to be an engineer. So I grew up seeing my dad as my role model, and he is a civil engineer. So I saw him working with interesting tools and software. I remember he had this huge table with massive white papers. It had scribbles of buildings all over it and a ruler that was taller than me. And he also had like sketches on his computer and he had lots and lots of books. And all of this really fascinated me. And I even kind of would do pretend play when he was not looking.
And at the same time, at school, I was actually very good at science, particularly maths. So slowly I realized actually I loved the idea of building things from scratch and problem solving. And I think this is what led me to engineering.
[00:04:11] Speaker A: Goodness, that's brilliant. And I'm sure you will inspire many young people listening out there. You work, as I say, in the built environment in terms of driving net zero solutions for reducing carbon emissions. What does a typical day involve for you? Can you tell the audience a little bit more about your role within WSP, please?
[00:04:32] Speaker C: So at WSP, I sit within the property and buildings offering and I hold an advisory role. So as a senior energy and sustainability consultant, my day to day work can look different as I work on multiple projects at the same time for different clients. But my work is fully focused on identifying opportunities for clients to deliver net zero carbon and create a decarbonization roadmap for them. So this could include me looking at setting targets for our clients, for example, energy consumption target or embodied carbon targets, or conducting high level feasibility studies for PV and battery storage for a particular development or like more softer skills, which is writing rebustage reports, conducting workshop with clients to raise awareness about sustainability and conducting workshops with the design team. I also work on writing bid proposals for winning net zero and decarbonization projects, and I also do a bit of research and development internally for WSP.
[00:05:34] Speaker A: And would you be able to share a little bit more information either about the research that you're doing or possibly about technologies that you've been working with so far?
[00:05:44] Speaker C: Right, yeah, I can talk a little bit about the research that we're currently doing in internal WSP. So there are two parts to it. Again, like I said, I also come from a data science background. So we are trying to bring in that aspect of it into traditional engineering roles where we would typically use Excel for most of the things or like already inbuilt software that doesn't really learn a lot from previous data, but it sits on itself. You go in there and put a lot of information of the building and you create a model. But at WSP, our internal research development team, what we are trying to do is how can we use machine learning and data science to take it one notch up and make it even more interesting and automated and friendly for the clients and projects. So what we do is have a team of people who come from different kind of disciplines. It could be structural or civil or like myself, a general kind of renewable energy specialism. We gather together and we try to create softwares or tools within WSP that can be used to make decisions faster using previous project experience or just general subject matter expertise to help make decisions for the clients faster. So one quick example could be recently there has been a project where we're trying to understand how much of a building structure can be replaced with recycled steel. And instead of going and doing it manually and doing different trial and error, someone at WSP has actually developed a tool that can do it automatically and tell you at the end of the automated process that okay, this is how much of the structure you can replace with recycled steel. So these are like small kind of examples which we are trying to do in the research and development. Another example, very quickly, don't want to drag it on, that I can give you off, is we are trying to also benchmark and base nail our own carbon emission of project deliveries. So as us as a design team, how much have we been able to reduce our carbon emission in our design? So we are trying to create a tool that automates that process of taking all the projects we have done year on year and our impact in our design of reducing carbon emission in terms of both operational energy and embodied carbon.
[00:08:17] Speaker A: It sounds absolutely fascinating, Zenan, and it also seems that you're contributing to the circular economy with regards to the recycling of materials and products such as using recycled steel. I'd like to know what inspires you the most in your line of work.
[00:08:38] Speaker C: So I think being able to be part of the energy transition movement is what inspires me the most. But of course, also at the same time being able to kind of spread awareness about climate change and inform clients of the future of the Belt environment in terms of sustainability is what inspires me as well, because I get to help them to be future ready and impart my knowledge on my understanding of net zero and decarbonization and where it can be in the next five to ten years. So taking the client through that journey and embedding the sustainability aspect in every kind of project cycle is what really inspires me.
[00:09:16] Speaker A: I think that that is an excellent response in and so thanks very much for that. And how have you found it, being a woman in the field of engineering.
[00:09:24] Speaker C: I actually have had a very positive experience, Emma, in terms of attitude towards females in a male dominant industry. Like I mentioned before, back home, because I come from Bangladesh, where I did my undergrad, we actually had many females in our class, and our male counterparts and teachers were very respectful. And I think it was the same in the UK. Whilst not as many female peers in my course, but everyone was really indifferent to gender when it came to gaining knowledge, participation and project work. So I had a very good experience, and even at work, at least in my team, I've never felt I was not provided an opportunity because of my gender. But honestly, it could have been because I was blessed to have supportive people around me all the time. And in addition, I would like to note one thing. My role does not require me to go out in the field. So maybe there are different challenges associated with that. And I think this emphasizes on the fact that no two engineers look the same and not everyone is required to put a hard hat and work outside. There is a place for everyone from sitting at home and doing building information modeling to high level advisory, like what I'm doing right now.
[00:10:33] Speaker A: In terms of attracting young women into the industry and engineering as a field. Do you have any particular ideas or views on so?
[00:10:41] Speaker C: Yeah, so I would say, Emma, starting early during the formative years, I think that's really important because how each of us are brought up in our household and how the gender bias roles are passed on from one generation to another. I think it's really important that we eradicate that preconceived notion from a very early age. And it's not really about forcing people to be an engineer when they do not want to be an engineer. It's more about exposure and validation and telling them, look, this is also for you, and you can also do it. And I think, secondly, media representation, media representation matters a lot. And again, not just for gender, but also in terms of diversity. When I say this, it also relates to me because when I see someone like me being represented in the media, an immigrant, Muslim, as an engineer and a scientist, it makes me happy and tells me, you know what? It's possible I too, can overcome the challenges and break the glass ceiling like them. And lastly, I believe we need to look into the whys first before delving into the hows. And I'm sure there are lots of research around it, and no doubt about that, but I think it's really important we talk to women at different levels. So women who never thought of getting into engineering versus women who dropped out and all the way to the one who stopped working in this field altogether. We need to know what is it that kind of made them take that decision.
[00:12:05] Speaker A: Yes, indeed. And also, has there been a particular female that has inspired you in the engineering profession or as a scientist? You mentioned that your father was very inspirational and I just wondered if you also had a female who was inspirational too.
[00:12:21] Speaker C: Very good question, Emma. And this is, I think, where the sad part is. Growing up, I did not have a female role model. However, when I started working so in my early career professional stage, I started seeing lots and lots of female engineers. And I do have one person, actually two people in mind. One is Sharmly and she is someone like me. She comes from a South Asian background. She's an immigrant as well, and she is a brilliant engineer and she works for Energy System Catapult right now. And she has been my mentor last year. And another one is Kate. And Kate is our senior. She's our director at WSP and in my department, basically. And she is another brilliant, successful kind of engineer. And both of them have something in common. They embrace truly who they are. They are really true to themselves and are really kind people. And I realized in this industry that kindness can go a long way and luckily it comes easily to women. And that's where I think we can add a lot of value. If I may add, and I don't want to prolongate it too much, but recently I saw an article by Baringa, they're a consultancy who specializes in energy. They had this article out on the economics of kindness, how senior leadership can use kindness to make business decisions and to lead a team of people. And I think we women by nature, we are really good at being kind and we can take this to our advantage to advance in career.
[00:13:54] Speaker A: I think that's really refreshing to hear and also to develop those soft skills as well in terms of leadership and developing a person as well. We're both involved as members of the Women's Engineering Society and also the EDI Specialist Interest Group, what areas of diversity and inclusion interest you and what difference would you like to see improved in the industry?
[00:14:17] Speaker C: Thank you so much. I think that's a very important question and I really want my answer to be effective. As I mentioned before, for the gender representation, representation matters. I think the more we have discussions like this, podcast like this, I don't know interviews like this or even like articles on people who come from a diverse background. I think this helps a lot because there might be an engineer who is female and an immigrant like me from a BAME background, but I don't know her. I don't know her until and unless I see her on social media or on LinkedIn or on platforms like this. So to me, I think the most important thing I can do is introduce these people to us, have more exposure, make sure that representation is there.
[00:15:09] Speaker A: Zen and how would you like to see things changed ten years from now for women in engineering, the built environment?
[00:15:16] Speaker C: I don't want us to be surprised that I'm a female engineer. I want us to be referred to as just an engineer. And it should be a normal thing to be a female engineer or a female scientist. And we should be focused more on coming up with amazing innovations and creative solutions, regardless of gender and ethnicity and background.
[00:15:37] Speaker A: And you're also really pushing the sustainability agenda. On a similar vein, what would you like to see in future years from now in terms of improvements in sustainability within the built environment?
[00:15:50] Speaker C: One thing I have noticed whilst working on projects is that it's never on the top of the list. So I think putting it on top of your list and finding ways of removing the financial constraint of getting there is really key and instrumental to making sure sustainability is embedded in our decision. Oftentime working on projects, I see sustainability as an add on or a fluffy topic. It's never one of the priorities and we need to make it a priority. And unfortunately, the only way we can do is by having clear mandates or regulations. It has to be mandatory. So that's what I want to see. I want to see that in the coming years, sustainability becomes mandatory. It's not something that's secondary. And I think, like I mentioned before, we also need to think about the cost implications. How can we make it more accessible and affordable by the mass? Oftentimes I see clients backing out because they just don't have enough funding in the pot. How can we come together to make this to eradicate this problem and make sure that everyone has access to sustainability opportunities?
I think in the future, how we design buildings now, we cannot imagine designing buildings without structural input and HVAC design. Right? So in the future, sustainability should be equally important, where you cannot imagine designing buildings without any sustainability principles.
[00:17:20] Speaker A: Zenan you work, as we know, in the built environment, and it can be at times challenging, and also engineering can be challenging as you're kind of like resolving problems, working out solutions. Can you provide sort of an example of a challenge that you've overcome and what that might have entailed?
[00:17:41] Speaker C: Yeah, I think it's now. So I actually had a bit of a career change, not a massive change, but it's just the way I'm used to. So I used to be in academia and then I used to work on projects that was more software based and again more data driven. And then I made the shift to consulting and industry and I started working with core engineering design team. And I think that was a great shift for me in career in terms of how to communicate different ideas and the technical discussions as well, how to navigate around it. I think that has been the most challenging for me. I'm not used to sitting in a design team where people from different disciplines, structural, civil, facade, they're giving inputs and having to understand those technical bits and bobs. That has been the most challenging so far. And the way I try to kind of navigate around that is by asking questions. I think we should never shy away from asking questions, regardless of what our level is like. Whether you're a senior engineer or you're a director or you're a junior, does not matter. If we don't understand something, we should always go for it and ask it. If I don't ask it, I will not have that in my knowledge bucket.
[00:19:00] Speaker A: Okay, thanks very much again. Zenon in terms of work life balance, do you work flexible hours or do you work full time? Do you have any hobbies that you might like to kind of enjoy at the end of the day or on a weekend?
[00:19:16] Speaker C: Yeah, so I don't know whether I'm lucky or unlucky, but I live by myself, so I don't really have to balance a lot of things for my family because I live by myself. So I come back home and it's just me and myself, so I have all the time to myself as well. So I think whilst it's tough managing everything single handedly, I have it way easier than most of the people. And I have a very flexible working system as well. I work from home most of the time. My office is like 40 minutes walk away, so if I ever want to go, I have that option too. I can always go and work with my colleagues again. My land managers are pretty supportive, and if I'm having a bad day, they kind of understand and can resonate with all the mental health issues that comes with it. So in terms of flexible working, I think it has been really great so far for me in terms of extracurricular activities and my hobbies. I love volunteering Emma, so whenever I get an opportunity, I would sign up for anything that requires me to kind of contribute to something for either the society's betterment or for my self development.
I coin myself as a lifelong learner. I do a couple of things. I'm a teaching assistant at a data science bootcamp platform where I teach people or help support people in understanding the machine learning and data related problems.
I also mentor younger kids, and I'm also currently involved in reverse mentoring at my workplace, where being a junior member mentoring a senior member, and that has been really refreshing. And then I also work with the Energy European Youth Network. They are a not for profit organization and I work there for one of their task forces where I'm working on energy policies for youth. And currently we're focusing on energy poverty and how it impacts the youth in Europe. So I'm involved with all of these things and most of these things are quite nerdy. But besides these things, I think I enjoy doing a lot of interior design and handy stuff around the house, trying to be my creative self.
[00:21:29] Speaker A: Wow, you sound such a busy lady, Zenan. That has been so inspirational. I have really enjoyed listening to your answers and just getting some insight into your background as well, and your everyday life. Would you be able to share some last final thoughts, inspiring further young engineers, female engineers, and anyone else that is listening to this podcast?
[00:21:53] Speaker C: Thank you so much, Emma, for your kind words. And likewise, it has been incredibly wonderful talking to you. Can I start with a quote by Tony Robbins? It's not a very popular quote, but I really like this quote and I can really resonate with this. The only impossible journey is the one you never begin. And I truly believe in this. If you don't do it, you'll never know. So if you want to do something, just go for it. Do it. If you fail, at least you know that you're not good at it. But if you don't start it at all, you'll never know if you're good at it or bad at it. So I think my kind of I don't know whether it's advice or a mantra of life, just go for it, try it. And just by trying things, it can take you to different places.
[00:22:40] Speaker A: Brilliant. Thank you very much, Zenan.
[00:22:43] Speaker B: And that's all for this episode of Constructive Voices. Please take a moment to share it with others who may find it interesting. Follow or subscribe to get the latest episodes automatically on your favorite podcast app and rate and review the podcast if you can. You can also listen to the latest episode by saying Alexa play Constructive Voices.
[00:23:01] Speaker A: Podcast here's Constructive Voices here's the latest.
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