i2C Welcomes Claire Bowles as Sustainability Lead

Claire Bowles recently joined the team as i2C’s Sustainability Lead. She discusses her move from Leeds to Melbourne, her environmental passions and new role.

What brought you to Melbourne? 

Love I suppose – my husband got the opportunity to work in Melbourne and we thought it would be a great opportunity for us as a family unit.

What is your professional background?

I’m a professional project and marketing manager with experience in construction contracting and higher education . When the recession hit the UK in 2006 I took a senior lecturing position at Leeds Metropolitan University . I founded a construction innovation centre in 2007 and was fortunate to work across all construction disciplines advocating BIM , sustainability and equality in construction.

Where would you like to see sustainability in the Built Environment go?

I am passionate about The Living Building Challenge and approaching our Built Environment as an opportunity to create positive, regenerative buildings that act as educational, inspiring reminders of how we can all impact society and communities positively.

What excited you about your role as i2C’s Sustainability Lead?

I’m excited to be leading  the initiative at i2C, an organisation where human centric design is at the core of their ethos. The future of retail is exciting as retail destinations become opportunities for community building, place making and environmental education. People on average spend up to 90% of their days inside buildings, so it is imperative that these buildings enable users opportunities to connect with nature, be active and productive. It’s no longer about reducing footprints – but rather about producing positive hand-prints and designing for positive impacts on our society and our environment.

Work aside, what else do you love to do?

I love travelling, experiencing new cultures, natural beauty and meeting inspiring people. My husband and I are adventurers, we love taking the kids to explore new parts of the world. We love Africa and most recently spent a couple of weeks in NT which was fab. I’m a practicing Yogi, I like to run, I love languages and live music.