Meet our new Future Green Leader: James Cahill, Mirvac

27 Mar 2018

At Green Cities 2018, we crowned our next Future Green Leader. Introducing Mirvac ESD Engineer, James Cahill, who will lead our rising sustainability stars through a host of events and initiatives at the helm of the GBCA’s Future Green Leader program.

What’s your role at Mirvac?

I’m working as an ESD Engineer at our Australian Technology Park project, a commercial, mixed-use development in central Sydney. Thanks to the scale of the project, there’s lots happening from a sustainability perspective, so my role has been very diverse. 

Currently, I’m looking after our Green Star submissions and solar PV solution, running sustainability education workshops, and researching further opportunities for advancing innovation and sustainability throughout the precinct.

What made you want to embark on a career in sustainability?

Al Gore. I was a very impressionable young lad when I saw An Inconvenient Truth for the first time, so the climate change story naturally resonated with me. Throw in a shameless love of Grand Designs and here I am, working very happily in the sustainable built environment sector. 

What’s been the most rewarding aspect so far?

Meeting like-minded people. I’ve found that no two professionals are alike in this space, so any opportunity to meet new people and learn from their experiences is a good one. 

What about the most challenging?

Convincing others that sustainability makes good business sense.

How does it feel to be awarded Future Green Leader of the Year?

Totally overwhelming. Being named FGL of the Year was one thing, but the response from my colleagues, my peers and the GBCA was even more humbling. It goes to show we all work in a very supportive and tight-knit industry.

What are you most looking forward to while being Future Green Leader?

Getting a FGL podcast up and running - stay tuned!

What advice do you have for other aspiring sustainability superstars?

Read. We’re working in a very dynamic, fast-moving sector. The only way I can keep up is by reading as much as I can, as often as I can. A daily dose of The Fifth Estate is a good place to start!