NZGBC announce Future Thinker of the Year
From left to right: Meredith Dale (last year’s winner), Kim Mi Yeoh, Megan Burfoot, Jasmine Fletcher and this year’s recipient Eloise Blewden.
Eloise Blewden gave her presentation at Mott MacDonald’s Auckland office.
The annual award, run by the New Zealand Green Building Council, acknowledges a student or young professional who demonstrates environmental knowledge and leadership and recognises their passion for greener, better buildings.
This year’s award winner is Eloise Blewden, a fourth-year Master of Architecture student at Victoria University of Wellington.
Eloise Blewden together with fellow finalists Megan Burfoot, Jasmine Fletcher, and Kim Mi Yeoh, each presented their vision for Aotearoa at the awards evening held on the 26th of May at Mott MacDonald’s Auckland office, in the 6 Green Star-rated Mason Bros building.
Sponsored by Mott MacDonald and Warren and Mahoney, the award forms part of a calendar of events put on by the NZGBC’s Future Thinker network for students and young professionals.
“For the fourth year in a row, we have been inspired by a talented group of people with passion and vision to champion change. This year’s finalists showcased diverse experience and big ideas for building understanding and action on climate change, including digital technology, nature-based solutions and regenerative outcomes,”
- Warner Brunton, Mott MacDonald’s Advisory Sector Lead, New Zealand.
Joining Warner Brunton and Fiona Short (Associate Principal and Group Lead of Sustainability at Warren and Mahoney) on the judging panel were Sam Archer, NZGBC’s Director of Market Transformation, and 2021 Future Thinker of the Year Meredith Dale.
As the Future Thinker of the Year, Blewden will have the chance to present and participate in numerous events and speaking engagements, including the upcoming Sustainable Housing Summit.
As a passionate learner, environmentalist and green building enthusiast, Blewden says the industry can foster change holistically by focusing on education, which in turn will foster inter-generational change.
Blewden recently undertook a summer research project with WSP and Victoria University, focusing on carbon-neutral schools. Through this research project, they developed a package for schools to support them in calculating carbon emissions and in reducing their environmental impact. “Schools are a great place to start as they are at the centre of our communities,” said Blewden.
You can view Eloise’s application video below:
The NZGBC was founded in July 2005 by 31 progressive companies and in 2006 became the sixth member of the World Green Building Council. To find out more or to become a member go to www.nzgbc.org.nz
