Leader of the pack
Architect Jason Pomeroy was advocating sustainability even before it became a buzzword
SINCE HE WAS A CHILD, Jason Pomeroy was fascinated with nature. The UK-born, Singapore-based architect would watch the seasons change in his own backyard in London where he grew up, making wigwam tents out of old bedsheets and scrap wood for entertainment.
“That was my first introduction to architecture – a tent that provides the basic needs of a shelter,” says the founder of his eponymous Pomeroy Studio.
“Creating architecture that would balance a sense of delight and an appreciation for nature” is something he always wanted to do.
Fantastical buildings may be the raison d’etre for architects, but Pomeroy is all about pushing the envelope with a sustainable approach.
“It is the need to respond to issues relating to climate change, spatial depletion, cultural erosion, social mobility and technological advancements that I do what I do, even before sustainability became a buzzword,” he says.
Always thinking sustainability
Even back in his university student days, Pomeroy says he was already thinking about using locally sourced materials, incorporating natural light and ventilation, and embedding climate, spatial, cultural, social and technological parameters into his design.
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Not only is sustainable design deeply entrenched in the studio’s ethos, Pomeroy has also set up a research think tank on sustainability. Besides research, Pomeroy Academy also conducts courses on zero carbon development, vertical urban theory, smart and sustainable cities, modular construction, cultural sustainability and conservation.
Some firsts for the studio include B House, Singapore’s first carbon-neutral home, which generates more renewable energy through solar power than what its inhabitants consume annually. Then there is SaladStop! CapitaSpring, Singapore’s first net-zero F&B outlet where upcycled and recycled materials are incorporated into the design.
The studio is currently designing a high density, affordable mixed use development in flood-prone Dhaka and building zero carbon homes targeted at first-time homeowners in Bratislava.
Pomeroy is so well recognised for his green ethos that he has become the go-to architect for clients with the same objectives in mind.
Even governments are turning to him for his expertise. He was recently invited by the deputy prime minister of Slovakia to give a lecture to the country’s architects and urban planners on sustainability and urbanism.
“To be recognised within this field is important to me and to our studio because we are trying to lead by example,” says Pomeroy.
Back to basics
The biggest misconception that people have about sustainable design is that it is costly. “Sustainable design is costly only if the designer hasn’t gone back to basics,” says Pomeroy.
By that, he means that rather than think about sustainable design from the beginning, some designers choose to embellish a building with green features and systems later on, which only adds to the cost.
The studio practises what Pomeroy terms “evidence-based interdisciplinary sustainable design”.
As he explains: “We use science as a means to objectively quantify our design and creative assertions.”
Tests are done to see how different elements respond to a project, be it a building, city or landscape. “We are testing for passive responses, so that there will not be any superfluous additions that drive up costs,” says Pomeroy.
With the test results, the studio then puts forward design strategies that reduce waste, water and energy, which then allows them to make objective decisions around the clean and green technologies that can be applied to the project.
“From the get go, we are driving down costs, because we are applying this passive approach. And then there is incremental testing, honing and shaping of the product that would allow us to get to the final sustainable solution,” says Pomeroy.
His design approach also requires input from master planners, landscape architects, environmental consultants and engineers, with all parties working towards the same goal. And of course that also means having clients who want to embrace a greener future.
“That interdisciplinary approach is so important because you cannot get to a sustainable product unless you have a sustainable process in place,” says Pomeroy. “And that process of interdisciplinary input where you are all pulling together in the same direction, in itself is reducing waste of time, resources, and materials.”
In sync with Bentley’s Beyond100 strategy
Pomeroy’s strong beliefs resonate with luxury car maker Bentley’s approach to creating a sustainable future.
The company’s Beyond100 strategy paves the way for it to become the leading maker of luxury electric cars, with the intention of becoming climate neutral, end-to-end, from 2030.
As part of its green efforts, Bentley introduced solar panels to its production facility almost a decade ago. Today, up to 40 per cent of the factory’s electricity is powered by solar energy and the additional gas and electricity that is purchased is certified green.
It also uses hydrotreated vegetable oil as fuel instead of diesel for in-house logistics vehicles; recycles water thereby reducing the amount of water to produce each car by almost 60 per cent; and uses sustainably sourced materials, including leather.
Under its Five-in-Five plan, Bentley will be launching five all-electric Bentley vehicles, one each year from 2025, after which its entire product range will be electric.
For now, the luxury cars come in a hybrid version. The Flying Spur hybrid model comes with a 2.9 litre V6 engine with a powerful 100 kW electric motor that powers the car to a top speed of 285 km/h.
It also offers an intelligent navigation system with Predictive E-Mode, that allows it to automatically choose one of the car’s three driving modes – EV, Hybrid or Hold – to use at any point in the journey, to maximise efficiency.
A head-turner, the Flying Spur comes with crystal-style jewelled headlamps and polished chrome quad oval tailpipes.
“Electric vehicles are part and parcel of the greener future, and as with any technology, there is an element of natural progression,” says Pomeroy. “There will always be a constant need to evolve our mode of mobility. I’m excited to see what the next decade will have for us regarding electric mobility.”
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