AT chats to Gensler’s Juliette Morgan about the role large practices have to play in addressing the climate emergency.

What are you working on at the moment?
I’m working on a number of projects globally including supporting our Tokyo office on how to reduce lighting and power density in their designs; exploring biodiversity gain and decarbonised materials for critical facilities clients in Singapore; as well as on a new life sciences centre in the UK. Alongside client work, I have also been leading Gensler’s net zero 2030 goal, including investigating the carbon output of operating our offices in Europe. I am in conversation with suppliers on carbon offsetting, looking for nature-based solutions and ways we might be able to contribute to the planet’s health. I’m midway through an MA in Ecological Design Thinking, which is centered around designing with nature. Finally, I am preparing for upcoming events following MIPIM and the FT Climate Summit, including CREtech London and Proptech Europe.

Are large practices doing enough in terms of Climate Action and Sustainability?
With big power comes big responsibility and at Gensler, we’re on a mission to cut carbon emissions on our projects by 2030 through strategies like the Gensler Cities Climate Challenge (GC3). In January and February, we witnessed the hottest months on record and I think there is a difference between doing enough and doing things with the speed required to address the current climate emergency. We have a responsibility as architects and designers to consider our impact and how we can best design in a regenerative way, in the context of ecosystems. A healthy planet is one in which an interrelated set of systems flourish, and in order to flourish, we urgently and rapidly need to innovate and transform our strategies for the betterment of the planet.

What are the biggest challenges you face in trying to do your job?
One of the biggest challenges I face is complexity – that being said I’ve seen a huge appetite from clients to invest in sustainable designs for their projects. They are open to having a systems-approach to how their projects are designed with a focus on healthy planet and people principles. There has also been an increase in interest from investors, developers, occupiers and private families to deliver better outcomes. There is nowhere I go in the world where people aren’t talking about sustainability or aren’t wanting to make a change.

Juliette Morgan is an ESG Consultancy Director and a global leader in Gensler’s Climate Action & Sustainability practice. In her role of leading ESG Strategy for clients, she brings 20+ years of experience as a commercial real estate professional responsible for asset managing and developing millions of square feet across the U.S. and U.K.