Would I Encourage My Child to Become an Architect?

A few weeks ago, my partner asked me:

"If our child wanted to become an architect, would you encourage them?"

As an architect, educator and practice owner, I was surprised by my own answer.

Yes, I would absolutely encourage them to study architecture… but I'm not sure I would encourage them to follow the traditional route to becoming an architect.

That probably sounds unexpected coming from someone who has spent nearly two decades studying, teaching and practising architecture. I'm fiercely proud of being an architect. I value the creativity the profession demands, the breadth of knowledge it requires and the impact it can have on people's lives.

We talk a lot about energy efficiency in homes, and rightly so. Our articles on Air Source Heat Pumps and The Value of Insulation highlight how crucial it is to reduce the energy we use day-to-day – what we call 'operational carbon'. But there's a bigger picture: the hidden impact of your home, long before you even move in.

We’re delighted to be showcased as RIBA London’s Practice of the Month for April.

Last week saw the launch of our long term collaborative project with the University of Suffolk and BT, the ‘DigiTech Smart House’. We have been working with the Architecture students from the university for several years to design this ‘living laboratory’; a model for future house design using 50% less embodied carbon than most new-builds, and designed to be carbon-neutral for day-to-day living.

Many people have wanted to switch to renewable energy sources at home for a long time, as it’s critical to reducing our collective carbon emissions. Yet due to the technology being relatively new, it has remained expensive to do so.

With ongoing concerns about the increase in cost of living, particularly in relation to energy consumption, we are being contacted by lots of people to discuss how we can help them to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Here's a few insights that guide our thinking when we advise clients:

It all begins with an idea.