The things I know - Iain Fraser, Associate partner, Environmental Perspectives

Planning, 15 May 2009

Knowledge of and interest in building modelling from my environmental engineering degree at the University of Strathclyde. Joe Clarke was course director and his passion ran through it.

- What attracted you to planning?

An interest in how buildings work and their ability to positively change people's lives through their design.

- What did you learn in your first job?

A placement at Hoare Lea consulting engineers was more of a learning curve than any class at university.

- What skills have you had to learn over your career?

I started as a mechanical engineer but moved to environmental work, so I had to learn how to practically integrate low and zero carbon technologies. Natural inquisitiveness makes me seek out skills.

- What or who have been the biggest influences on your career?

Paddy Conaghan and Ashley Bateson at Hoare Lea. There are too few people like Conaghan, while Bateson provided a vision to help the firm produce better buildings.

- What is your career highlight?

Flying over St Paul's and the Land Securities Development at One New Change - much to my environmental shame - at a stage of construction where I could see the cores that we had designed two years previously.

- What have you learned outside work that has influenced you?

Running the Reykjavik and Edinburgh marathons. Training for the events helped me refocus on my career goals and set about achieving them.

- What further skills do you aim to obtain or develop?

Environmental impact assessment project management. Away from work, I fancy a go at a triathlon - a shorter distance to start with to see how much I enjoy it.

- How important is it to keep abreast of developments in allied professions?

It's vital. As the sustainability of construction evolves in the coming years, we will see a more holistic approach to development and less isolation of individual consultants.