By Katie Rose
JUNG UK and KNX UK hosted a unique blend of pampering and powerful conversation to honour women in the smart building sector. From navigating site culture to inspiring the next generation, these industry leaders are breaking the bias and redefining construction.
Nestled in a 1730’s alleyway, the JUNG UK showroom sits in the heart of Clerkenwell, a London district with the highest concentration of design showrooms and architects in Europe. Within a sleek black exterior, the showroom is a lightbox of connection, offering smart products, advice and events for architects, interior designers, specialist planners and home owners.
In honour of International Women’s Day (8 March), JUNG UK Technical Project Manager, Nikita Thompson, teamed up with KNX UK to host a special event for women working in the smart buildings sector.
From the moment I stepped through the door, it was clear that the event had been beautifully designed. Female luminaries beamed from postcards scattered around the showroom, alongside ‘Break the Bias’ cupcakes.
Tracy Palazzo-Barnes, Business Manager of KNX UK, gave me a warm welcome, and told me that Nikita, one of two female systems integrators amongst 50 members, had just been appointed Vice President. Craig Suff, JUNG UK Account Manager, played butler as we were treated to drinks, lunch and a relaxing treatment from masseuse Kaylea.
Facing bad behaviour
In this supportive environment, it was not long before the lively conversation turned to the construction site experience, where ‘a good level of banter’ is essential for everyone, regardless of gender. Not all banter however is female-friendly, such as being told “This is why we shouldn’t have women on site.” Negative comments, a lack of appropriate female facilities and unpredictable work hours which conflict with family routines, may explain why women often move quickly out of engineer and installer roles into management. Hair-raising stories followed about narrow escapes from threatening male behaviour and dilemmas about whether to report harassment and risk losing work contracts.
You have to see it to be it
The absence of female colleagues can be discouraging, and everyone agreed that more needs to be done to present technical roles as viable careers for girls at school. The assumption that ‘girls don’t want to do grubby jobs,’ can lead to missed opportunities and misrepresents roles such as controls engineers, who enter a site when most of the ‘grubby’ work is done. Many of the women described arriving in their roles ‘by accident’ or via family connection, rather than as a career pathway.
Once in role, women find they have to work harder to prove themselves. As one of the women put it, “They will assume you’re a bit of fluff with a credit card to buy drinks and introduce you to the more important people, but their faces change once you show your experience.”
Despite the challenges, the room buzzed with enthusiasm about work projects. “I love tech, and the beauty of things we see, and the power behind it,” effused Paulina Marcyzkiewicz, Contracts Managers at Silent Gliss. Elizabeth Sonubi, Architect Technologist at E2 Architects, specialises in heritage and conservation projects such as Greenham Lodge, which bears the tyre marks of General Eisenhower’s 4×4 jeep, after he drove it upstairs full of drunk soldiers the night before D-Day, managing only three steps. Every building has a story, and both she and Interior Designer Jenny Luck described the unseen emotional labour of supporting clients through project timelines.
Reaching out to the next generation
As more tradespeople are due to retire than are currently training, offering young people routes into work is a priority for Omobola Odutayo MBE, Group Recruitment and Events Coordinator for London at Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Working with initiatives such as Black Professionals in Construction, she coordinates events where vulnerable groups can learn about recruitment processes, and hear from successful professionals who have overcome difficulties, fostering a ‘can do’ attitude.
Kimmy Sparks is certainly sparking interest in representation, connectivity and inspiration for the next generation. Whilst working as an administrator at an electrical company during a gap year, when she expressed interest in training, she was told, “Don’t be ridiculous, you’re a woman.” Expecting her to fail, her boss promised to give her tools if she passed, which she did. Having initially felt scared to ask for help, she has now ‘flipped the script,’ and built a thriving community on Instagram and WhatsApp, where tradeswomen can ask questions and share experiences. Kimmy reported growing recognition of complementary skills onsite, with men seeking her advice and handiwork on finer details. She specialises in working with vulnerable groups, including religious spaces or women’s shelters, who require a female professional.
I left with a beautiful, technical goodie bag, equipped with a screwdriver, face masks and the knowledge that smart women are forging the future.
Katie Rose is the Assistant Editor at KNXtoday magazine.
