David Hampton’s letter (Sustainability starts at home, BSj 1/08) has caused much delight here in Australia.

I, for one, particularly like the quaint old notion that hordes of British building services engineers are commuting to the antipodes on a regular basis to help the colonials out with a spot of quality engineering. What makes the letter even more remarkable is the inference that Australian organisations (or the Australian divisions of international companies) could not produce award-winning work without such help.

His closing remark raised the biggest smile: “Shipping the best the profession has to offer over to Australia and back will soon appear almost criminal.” The subtle link to a convict heritage is a masterstroke but, alas, Mr Hampton needs to travel more.

Australia boasts some of the best building services engineers in the world. Some have come from the UK, from Europe, Asia, the Americas. Some have made the long journey from New Zealand. Many are born and bred Australians.

Australia is a great place to live and work it is no wonder that “the best the profession has to offer” is here, and that the traffic in great engineers is almost all one way.

Steve Hennessy, director, Steensen Varming, Sydney

Source

Building Sustainable Design