June 2011 - Parsons Brinckerhoff

Roundtable
“As an engineering
firm, we tend to focus
on the problems.
We often forget to
celebrate the good
solutions.”
Caroline Holmstrom
“Sustainability is
evolving and will
continue to evolve.
We don’t necessarily
know all the technical
innovations that are
going to lead us to a
future that is lower
carbon, less resource
intensive, healthier,
more equitable, and
creates happy, healthy
communities.”
Kathryn Vowles
Kathryn Vowles
Yes, definitely. We often talk internally about how we can test ideas internationally
and get ideas internationally. That’s of tremendous value.
Colin Chung
I agree. I think we need to do better marketing our sustainability qualifications. Such
marketing works both internally and externally. It educates the staff outside of PB’s
sustainability circles and it also educates our clients who may only know PB as a
transportation or buildings firm. We have done some good work, but it’s only certain
people who know about it and the wider audience within PB is not aware of what
we’ve done. We need to put it out there, and say, “This is what we’ve done. This is
what we’re doing,” as part of the PB communications chain.
Caroline Holmstrom
Going back to developing a global strategy together, I think we’ve got to develop a
global sustainability roadmap now. We need to be cognizant of it and hold ourselves
to it. If we can develop a strategy that talks to sustainability globally at PB and if we
can start thinking like-mindedly about broad categories of approach, I think we’ll end
up in a really good place.
Moderator
What is hindering the growth of sustainable practices in your respective regions? What are
some examples of global innovations that can inspire sustainability in other regions of the
world?
Caroline Holmstrom
Early on, we visited a university graduate program and we spoke to the students
about sustainability in a broad sense in a three-hour session. We told them incredible
sustainability success stories; there are always fantastic new stories out there to make
it look easy. As an engineering firm, we tend to focus on the problems. We often
forget to celebrate the good solutions.
Kathryn Vowles
There are lots of different innovations in different parts of the world and there are
just as many reasons why they don’t necessarily get transferred. Clients may not be
willing to take on the risk of doing something a bit different. But there is an awful lot
of inspiration out there and it’s important to get the right messages to the right place.
Colin Chung
As you know, in Asia, our sustainability focus has been primarily on energy
management and efficiency. It’s mostly been part of the building sector—individual
buildings with certain developers and some governments taking the lead. I believe a
combination of public demand and legislation is needed to get sustainable practices
more widely adopted in Asia.
Moderator
In the realm of where we are in terms of sustainability and where we want to be, where do you
see us? What is our future potential and what needs to change to get us there?
Kathryn Vowles
Sustainability is evolving and will continue to evolve. We don’t necessarily know
all the technical innovations that are going to lead us to a future that is lower
carbon, less resource intensive, healthier, more equitable, and creates happy, healthy
communities. We don’t know all the solutions yet but we’re on that journey and we
EFR Discourse on the Global Sustainability Initiative | 11