Meet edie’s 30 Under 30 Class of 2020: Dominic Pybus, UK Parliament

Dominic has worked within UK Parliament for five years now

The future of business leadership starts right here. Last year, edie unveiled the second cohort of members of its 30 Under 30 initiative – a group of bright and ambitious rising sustainability and energy stars from across the UK.

After being nominated by their colleagues and impressing judges from Global Action Plan and the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (ICRS), this cohort of youthful visionaries now benefit from an unrivalled opportunity to connect with one another and co-develop solutions to some of the most pressing environmental and social challenges of our time.

In this weekly series, we will be sharing their stories and successes beyond the group, giving edie readers insight into the minds of those who will be leading the charge in creating the low-carbon, resource-efficient economies of the future.

This week, it’s the turn of Dominic Pybus, energy manager for UK Parliament. 

How I got to where I am now:

“When I initially went to the University of Chester between 2010 and 2013, undertaking a geography and natural hazard management degree, I did not originally see sustainability as a career path I wanted to follow. Instead, I was rather interested in going into flood management.

“During my second and third years, I undertook a module in sustainability which I did enjoy, but my brain was always leading to flood management as a career. When I was coming to the end of my undergraduate degree, I had completed a dissertation on flood hazard perception which made me hesitate a career in flood management and, when I struggled to find a job, I looked at what else I enjoyed studying during my time at university. Sustainability was the area I was drawn towards.

“Therefore, I stayed at the University of Chester for an additional year undertaking an MSc in sustainability for communities and business, with my final dissertation focusing on energy use in a retail setting for a chain of convenience stores in the North West of England. The next stage of my career was to work for Leicestershire County Council as a ‘Warm Homes Officer’, helping those suffering from fuel poverty to find ways to make their homes more energy-efficient, warmer and more comfortable with the help of grants that were available to them from local and national funding.

“After this contract ended, the position at UK Parliament opened up, initially as an energy advisor. After taking on more responsibilities, this led me to become the energy manager, with my key focus on helping UK Parliament reach it’s carbon and water targets set to April 2021, and now looking towards the future at what a net-zero UK Parliament will look like, and when we aim to achieve it.

“I have now worked at UK Parliament for the past five years, and I am looking forward to working on the many challenging projects we face in the future to improve our building stock and make them more environmentally friendly to reduce our total impact as an organisation.”

My biggest career achievement to date has been:

“Helping Parliament to achieve its carbon and water targets for April 2021.

“Whilst Covid-19 has had an impact, our carbon output is still well ahead of the target which was originally set alongside the rest of the Government Estate. We have been able to reduce our water consumption drastically over the past year, especially through our borehole cooling, thanks to works carried out to improve the reliability and efficiency of how borehole water is used.”

The biggest challenge I have encountered along the way is:

“Having to look at ways of reducing carbon and water in a series of Grade 1 and 2 listed buildings, especially on a UNESCO world heritage site. The amount of restrictions that are faced during these works can be monumental and being a part of that change can be exciting, but there are a lot of things we also cannot do, such as putting solar panels across all of the roofs.”

If I had to describe my generation in one word or phrase, I would say:

“Determined.”

A successful 2020-21 for me looks like:

“Getting more people to realise the challenges we face with the future impacts of climate change and getting them to discover the extent each individual impact can have, no matter how small. Upgrading equipment and buildings can have a huge impact on how we use energy and water.”

Outside of my career, I enjoy:

“Travelling and exploring new places and cultures, as well as cooking and cycling.”

My ‘Mission Possible’ message for business is:

“Sustainability is a key issue which affects every business out there, no matter how large or small.

“Looking at the impacts you make in decision-making processes can help save not only the environment but can also have a great impact on the bottom line of your business. Climate change is a challenge we are all facing and we can all work together to make the world a better place.”

My key piece of advice for any young professionals entering my industry today is:

“Never feel afraid to go for a job that sounds interesting to you.

“One of the key aspects of sustainability is we are all constantly learning new things relating to our work, and it is a never-ending cycle of doing better. Each person, no matter their experience, can bring new ideas to a business and have an impact on an organisation, no matter their background or education.”

The full Class of 2020 membership is detailed here. 

To stay in the loop for 2021 nominations for the 30 Under 30, email edieleaders@fav-house.com.

edie Staff