Our people

Ashley Bateson

Director

I became interested in building design when I realised that the construction and operation of the property sector is responsible for a significant proportion of our environmental impact. I wanted to make a difference to how we use resources. As Head of Sustainability at Hoare Lea, I work with clients and architects to improve energy efficiency and achieve broader sustainability objectives.

A responsible future.

The ongoing development of our corporate responsibility strategy can have wide-reaching social and environmental benefits. There are many aspects to it: from crafting a strategic approach to how we support charities and building links to help improve the lives of underprivileged communities, to adopting more sustainable procurement policies and promoting science and engineering to the next generation.

A defining moment.

Recently, I worked on a research project that investigated the impact of building design on the health and wellbeing of occupants. The more I looked at the evidence, the more I realised that even if we design environmentally responsible and resource-efficient buildings, they will not perform as intended if they aren’t designed for the end users. When we put people’s needs at the centre of design, we can create buildings that accommodate healthy, happy and productive people.