Hello, I’m Matthew and I am the current co-leader for sustainability for Gensler’s European region. I’m an architect with over a decade of experience in the construction industry. One of my real passions is talking about biobased materials and low impact design, this all started for me by watching a documentary called Agni Jata - fire born by Ray Meeker and then being fortunate enough to study at the inspirational Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT). Though this I then went on to building in biobased materials myself to increase my skills and understanding of these amazing materials. I have worked on a number of brilliant projects from schools to critical facilities and my skills have helped clients and colleagues to understand the practicalities of low impact design as well as to strengthen and develop schemes to have quality climate action goals. I have also worked as part of an advisory group with the West Midlands Combined Authority on their 2041 Circular Economy Routemap and I was nominated as the Future Face of Sustainability for Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce in 2021. I am also Living Future Accredited which has given me a strong understanding of the highly renown third party accreditation "Living Building Challenge."I am also proudly the president of the Birmingham Architectural Association, which lets me highlight all the amazing work that is happening in Birmingham and the West Midlands. It’s a real privilege to work along side some amazing professionals in our industry all with different passions about the future of the built environment.