An interview with Scott Crane, Architectural Technician

Since joining the practice in 2012, Scott Crane has become a key part of the Wincer Kievenaar team, achieving First Class Honours in his architectural technology degree while working full-time. As an Architectural Technician with a strong focus on thermal modelling and energy efficiency, Scott brings a meticulous, data-driven approach to every project he’s involved in.

We spoke to Scott about his career evolution over the last decade, the benefits of balancing real-world experience with academic study, and how his technical expertise is helping us design more energy-efficient and cost-effective buildings for our clients. 

Please introduce yourself

Hi, my name is Scott Crane, I’m an Architectural Technician and I joined the practice in October 2012. Outside of work, I enjoy playing 5-a-side football, running, 3D printing, DIY, darts, board games, and a good game of poker.

You completed your First Class Honours while working full-time at the practice. How did having real-world project experience at Wincer Kievenaar change the way you approached your university studies?

Working while studying was priceless. Having the real-world hands-on experience of everything I was learning really helped a lot. Studying with books, lectures and case studies can only take you so far, and getting to use that knowledge made it much easier for all the information to stick. Being able to apply the things I learnt in university on the job and vice versa benefited me in real-world projects and university projects. 

Having real-world project experience during my studies helped me better design my university projects with the end user in mind, which was particularly helpful during my final project presentation. We hosted an open public exhibition in the university entrance hall throughout the afternoon, where visitors and lecturers came to ask questions about the project. This is where my real-world project experience helped, as we are always challenging our design ideas in practice to achieve our best output.

How has your role evolved from when you first joined us in 2012 to now?

When I first started at Wincer Kievenaar, I did not have any previous experience in the construction industry. However, I always wanted to work in architecture, and I have always taken an interest in how things work.

Initially, I started as an assistant to others, tracing drawings, finishing sketches other people had drawn and learning how everything was done from the ground up, every process. There was a lot of information to take in at the start.

Now I am running projects from start to finish, through all RIBA Stages 0-7. From initial concept design to the technical detailing, all the way to the final handover to the client.

As a specialist in thermal modelling, how do these technical deep dives improve the daily life of someone living in a home you’ve helped design?

Thermal bridging is a massive component in the construction of every single building. Most people understand that heat is lost through the external envelope of the building, however it is becoming more apparent that most of the heat losses occur at the building junctions. For example, where the walls meet the roof, around windows, building corners, etc. 

Being trained to be able to carry out thermal bridge calculations enables us to calculate these losses and prevent unwanted heat losses. The main benefit of this knowledge is that we can design thermal bridges in the early design stage, removing the need for further thermal calculations for these areas. This enables all of Wincer Kievenaar’s designs to benefit from my bespoke training at all stages. I can review a detail at an early stage and highlight risks and thermal bridges early, improving overall client comfort and reducing heat loss and condensation risks.

With energy bills and sustainability at the top of everyone’s mind, how does Wincer Kievenaar’s ability to do in-house heat loss calculations give clients an advantage they might not get elsewhere?

Wincer Kievenaar has significant in-house knowledge and expertise regarding energy efficiency, specifically in:

• SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure)
• Thermal Bridging
• Passive House

Although not every project will be designed to passive house standards or full thermal bridge calculations, this knowledge is shared throughout the office and helps improve all of our projects. This is key in helping reduce heat loss, improve our clients’ comfort and building use, and help reduce energy bills across all of our projects.

As a specialist in MMC, why do you think moving toward more offsite factory-built structures and modular components is so important for the future of residential design in the UK?

The industry is trending towards more off-site fabrication because using factory-controlled environments is a significant benefit in ensuring quality and reducing waste. However, this does come with some disadvantages versus more traditional construction methods. Because components are built off-site, it limits your ability to make changes on-the-fly, and standardising components can limit flexibility if it isn’t managed properly.

That is why getting the initial brief right is so essential. It isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, and this knowledge is shared throughout the office so we can support both traditional construction and MMC routes equally. To make MMC work, you just have to invest the time up front to get everything correct and agreed upon before fabrication starts. Front-loading that design process is what removes the risks, and it is key to unlocking the faster construction times that MMC can offer.

With your professional interest in energy performance and technical analysis, what do you see as the most effective design choices for reducing a building’s carbon footprint?

The built environment and construction sector are one of the largest components in the government’s plans to reach Net Zero carbon emission targets. The construction industry is responsible for approximately 25% of the UK’s carbon emissions. Therefore, this is a key target area where we can reduce emissions. 

For the New-Build sector, material choice can make a big difference and reduce the embodied carbon of a building. Choosing sustainable materials such as timber and recycled insulation can make a big impact.

For both existing and new buildings, the way they are used day to day and how much energy they consume is really important. Improving energy efficiency, like adding insulation or heat recovery systems, can help reduce the energy demand of the building. On top of that, adding renewable energy sources such as PV panels can reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and lower carbon emissions even further. 

Combined, these changes can make a huge difference to the buildings’ overall carbon footprint.

You’ve already achieved a First Class degree; as you look ahead, what is the next big technical challenge or specialised skill you’re eager to master?

I am always looking to improve my knowledge. Since university, I have completed training in thermal bridging calculations, giving me the skills to further improve the efficiency of buildings.

I am currently training to carry out Part O overheating calculations to improve the daily comfort of buildings for homeowners by creating an overheating mitigation strategy.

Both of these lead onto my next goal, to be trained to complete Home Energy Models (HEM) to the new Future Homes Standards being brought in by the government later this year.

A team dedicated to sustainable builds

We are committed to the three core strands of sustainability in planning: environmental, social, and economic. When it comes to the environmental strand,  we put work into ensuring our builds are designed to minimise the impact of climate change while conserving natural resources for future generations. 

We’ve carefully built this team to include specialist roles, such as Architectural Technicians like Scott, with the expertise needed to ensure sustainability is at the root of every Wincer Kievenaar project.