Fiona Cousins

A year ago, global engineering and architecture consultancy Arup tapped a veteran mechanical engineer and sustainability consultant to lead its North American operations — Fiona Cousins. With 35 years under her belt at the London-based firm, she most recently led the climate services and sustainability teams for the Americas. 

Her focus is on lowering building emissions — via energy-efficient heating and cooling systems and more airtight facades — and on reducing embodied carbon by designing with sustainably manufactured building materials. She oversees a 1,900-person team of engineers, designers, consultants and planners.

She’s worked on projects like the U.S. embassy in London, the California College of the Arts, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, and the Fulton Street Transit Center in Manhattan’s Financial District. She holds a degree in engineering from the University of Cambridge, and spent much of her career doing HVAC design and sustainability work.

Since 2019, she has served on New York City’s advisory board for Local Law 97, helping hammer out the regulations for the city’s flagship carbon emissions reduction law that will start taking effect — fines included — in 2024. Previously, she led the New York sustainability and mechanical engineering teams, and chaired the U.S. Green Building Council’s New York chapter. 

“We’re always looking to expand our capabilities and pursue mission-driven, positive work within the AEC industry,” Cousins said when she took on her role last year. “As markets change, we will continue to push for more sustainable outcomes on all our work by incorporating and relying on digital solutions.”