‘We’ve committed to a set of values at Price & Myers, and one of them is that every conversation starts with sustainability when it comes to our work. I’ve really bought into that.’
Luke is an engineer that is always seeking to question the status quo. He’s not one for conventional thinking or received wisdom. ‘I like to challenge the norms. Sometimes the more sustainable option is the one with less material in the structure, but sometimes it’s not,’ he explains. ‘I like to ask why do we do what we do? And how do we do it better?’
As a young student, Luke didn’t have his heart set on engineering or a career in the built environment. He describes himself as not ‘architecturally minded’ back then, although he was always interested in buildings. So, what was it that drew him to engineering? ‘I was good at maths and sciences, but the real moment was when we had to complete a team task at high school,’ Luke recounts. ‘We had to work as a team, and it really clicked with me. Working together to solve a problem.’ That spirit of collaboration is one that has stayed with him – it remains the most enjoyable part of his work – and his ability to collaborate successfully is one of his strengths. Luke completed a civil engineering degree that covered geotechnical engineering, highways, transport and traffic, as well as buildings. He found working with architects on building projects to be the most collaborative. He found his niche.
Luke’s extensive project portfolio contains just about every type of building typology there is – from cultural spaces like the National Portrait Gallery, healthcare and sciences buildings such as the Royal Sussex Community Hospital, education projects like the St Mary Magdalene All Through School, workplaces including Pennington Street Warehouse, and residential projects including the Net Zero redevelopment of Charlton House and Albany House. And pretty much everything in between. His experience has made him thoughtful about building use and what his projects are designed to do. ‘Understanding how a building is going to be used, and how it needs to respond to that use, can lead us to designing lower carbon projects,’ he explains. Luke’s particularly interested in the retention of structure where possible, advocating for retrofitting, refurbishment, and extension rather than demolition. ‘I like to really interrogate the brief and learn what it is the client wants to do with it. I’ve had cases where we’ve analysed the existing structure and, with a bit of effort and testing, been able to recommend additional floors be added to the roof. We can add value that the client may not have considered or thought feasible’. Ever the pragmatist, Luke nominates heritage projects as his favourite. ‘We have so much experience with listed buildings, and our approach overlaps with much that I believe in. A lot of what we talk about today in relation to historic buildings, Sam Price was advocating for a long time ago. Sam would say ‘it’s been standing there for over 200 years and is still in good condition - it’s not going anywhere’ and of course he’s right. We must be sensible about how we deal with buildings that have stood for centuries. We’ve got to do more with what we’ve got.’
Luke credits his early professional experiences in Australia with his ability to come to grips with a challenge quickly. His first job out of university was three years spent with a small practice, learning the ropes across a diverse range of projects and skills. ‘I was thrown in the deep end,’ he laughs. ‘It was a really good introduction to the profession and to the construction industry. I learned so much, so quickly – working with concrete, working with timber, getting to understand the fundamentals of the materials of building.’ He came to the UK with good experience for his age and found in Price & Myers an engineering practice with a similar approach to developing people. ‘Our graduates get a similar experience here. They are introduced to new ideas quickly. Each group in the practice may have a particular strength in one building type, but they all work on different building types. It not only makes them better structural and civil engineers, but also helps them understand the other consultants on a project. Our work doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Knowing what the key drivers are for each project is vital to producing better buildings.’
Every project conversation with Luke starts with sustainability, and he is excited by what the future holds. He’s not intimidated by the necessity of low-carbon design and construction. Rather, he’s relishing the challenges and possibilities it will open up for engineers and design teams. ‘Technology, including AI, will drive efficiencies. We must stay on top of that. Our young engineers have the most to teach us. At Price & Myers, we have a Computation Group that is doing great things to increase our capabilities, and our PANDA software is a great bit of kit for unlocking the benefits of key early decisions for carbon efficiency. It allows us to demonstrate the carbon savings, from often simple but key design changes, in real time. Change the grid, change the material, save half the carbon.’
What it all boils down to for Luke is ‘how do we do it better?’
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