Simple Works is committed to being a force for good and we hold ourselves accountable to this. Projects that have a positive community impact are our focus and we seek collaborators and clients who share our values. Every year we donate 1% of our total sales to charitable causes.
Our Work
1. We have a specific focus on public projects and projects accessible to many and not just the few.
Our clients to date include London Community Land Trust, The National Trust, Angel Yard Co-Housing, NW3 Community Land Trust, Greenlight Trust Charity and councils including Swindon, Epping Forest, Basildon, Haringey, Newham, Barnet and Barking and Dagenham.
2. We advocate for retention and refurbishment as a first port-of-call when there are existing structures on site.
Approximately 60% of our turnover in the year ending 2023 was from refurbishment projects, and we’re looking to increase this.
3. Where retention is not possible, we advocate for reuse on site. Our Research agenda has a specific focus on Regenerative Design (see Research).
4. We advocate for increasing the area of buildings above ground rather than below, based on the demonstrable significant carbon price paid for constructing basements and other subterranean structures.
5. We track and calculate the embodied carbon on all of our projects and use this to both inform key decision on projects, and best inform future practice and works.
Our Research
1. We have a dedicated Research Agenda focused on Regenerative Design principles.
This includes two projects with the European-wide Circular Construction in Regenerative Cities (CIRCuIT) programme funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme.
2. We publicise and share our research and to date have published in ‘The Structural Engineer’, and ‘Innovation in Construction’.
Our Practice and Staff
1. We focus on well-considered planning and resourcing to ensure working hours are appropriate
2. We provide mental health training to staff and quarterly staff check-ins to support staff reach their goals
3. We never hire unpaid staff on internships or otherwise
Our Profession
1. An industry with equal opportunities is paramount to ensuring an equitable built environment.
We have 50% female representation within our Directors and Founding Leadership. We aim to maintain 50% female representation, also below Director level; currently we are at 60%.
2. We co-founded the Social Enterprise Scale Rule to widen participation within the construction industry
3. We co-founded the group unstructured which advocates for gender equity in the Built Environment
4. We co-founded Sekforde Sessions to provide a platform for structural engineers to challenge the status-quo
5. We teach at many Universities with a focus on ethical, sustainable and creative structural engineering design