Improving the energy performance of buildings means understanding how they are designed, how they are used and whether they perform as expected. For Stuart, Director of Energy Services at Stroma Built Environment, helping clients connect these elements is what makes his work both challenging and rewarding.
With a background spanning construction, energy assessment certification and government policy, Stuart brings experience from different sides of the built environment sector. His motivation is straightforward: improving building sustainability to benefit the people who use them by reducing energy consumption, costs, and emissions.
A career shaped by an evolving industry
Stuart began his career in construction, working in the UK and Africa before returning to the UK in the late 1990s and taking a role with a well-known builders' merchant.
An unexpected approach in 2006 set him on a new path.
"I was approached out of the blue by Rob Coxon, one of Stroma's founders, about working with the then young Stroma in a business development role," he recalls.
That opportunity led to his involvement in establishing a certification division, including introducing energy assessment certification and engaging directly with government policy.
In late 2021, Stuart took the opportunity to return to Stroma Built Environment as Director of Energy Services. His understanding of legislation, regulations and the wider sustainability market helped him make the transition.
"I enjoy a fast-paced, evolving environment," he says. "Improving sustainability in buildings is the right thing to do."
Supporting clients throughout a building's life
Today, Stuart's team delivers a wide range of regulatory services for new construction, alongside growing demand for support with existing buildings and retrofit strategies.
Stroma Built Environment's complementary services include energy efficiency, acoustics, air quality, overheating assessments and daylight calculations. This breadth of expertise helps clients meet a project's different sustainability requirements, with support throughout a building's life.
The team regularly works on complex, large-scale projects, particularly in London, where planning requirements can demand building performance beyond the standards set by Building Regulations.
For Stuart, helping clients understand these requirements and find practical solutions is central to the role. Having worked through several iterations of Part L, the section of Building Regulations covering energy efficiency, he is familiar with the challenges that change brings.
That experience helps him put new requirements into perspective while supporting clients as they adapt.
Connecting expertise across Phenna Group
Stuart sees collaboration across Phenna Group's Built Environment Division as an important way to broaden the support available to clients.
The team has begun routinely working with other Group businesses to bring additional expertise into projects, including ecology services within its BREEAM offering, a framework for assessing building sustainability.
By connecting these capabilities, Stroma Built Environment can help clients address more of their project requirements through the wider Group's specialist knowledge.
Looking beyond design to actual performance
Looking ahead, Stuart believes that measuring how buildings perform will become increasingly important.
As buildings are designed to meet more demanding standards, a key question remains: are they performing as expected?
He sees particular value in measuring thermal performance, helping clients understand how effectively a building retains heat. He is also interested in applying new technology to analyse building performance more accurately and deliver greater value to clients.
For Stuart, the opportunity lies in using these developments to improve understanding and support better decisions.
The person behind the expertise
Asked what he enjoys most about his work, Stuart points to the sector's changing challenges and opportunities, alongside the team he works with.
Away from work, he has rediscovered his love of live music, particularly at the many small venues around Leeds. He also admits to a fondness for brown shoes.
And there is a musical achievement of his own in the mix: Stuart had a chart record in 1984.
"OK, number 130-odd, but…"
With a career built around an evolving industry and an enthusiasm for what comes next, his outlook remains simple: "There's always something new to consider!"
Explore our Built Environment expertise
Stroma Built Environment is part of Phenna Group's Built Environment Division, connecting clients with complementary specialist services to support building performance, safety and compliance.