Brittany Harris
CEO and co-founder, Qualis Flow
Expertise
DigitalLocation
United KingdomMy highlights
Starting my own business to cut carbon from the construction industry
Joining the board of the Environment Agency
Becoming the youngest female Fellow of the ICE
A day in my life
The only consistency in my life as a CEO is variety.
I spend most of my day in meetings or calls with clients, collaborators, innovators, and pioneers that are ultimately trying to cut carbon out of construction.
Last week I spent three days in Leeds speaking and networking at the UK's Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF).
The week before I was in Sheffield for two days for board meetings with the Environment Agency.
Before that I was in the United States and Canada for three weeks, spearheading our international expansion and deploying Qflow on projects across three states.
There’s no typical day for me, but it’s that variety and challenge that gets me so excited every morning.
Civil engineers are vital on the journey to deliver this mission to build a more sustainable future.
Which individual project or person inspired you to become a civil engineer?
It wasn’t an individual, but more a series of fantastic connections, ideas and opportunities that led me to feel that civil engineering would be the most effective route for me to contribute to building a more sustainable future.
We asked Brittany…
I would recommend a career in civil engineering because…
I would recommend a career in civil engineering because it’s a brilliant opportunity to do something important and impactful for the world while satisfying our own needs for autonomy, mastery and purpose.
It’s a highly varied career that can set you up to follow many different avenues in your life as I’ve already found.
Complete this phrase: I’m a civil engineer, but I’m also…
I’m a civil engineer, but I’m also a trail runner, mountain biker, conservationist, surfer, and occasional classical singer.
What’s the biggest/most complex thing you’ve made out of Lego? How long did it take you?
Lego not so much, but in Knex, I used to make Ferris wheels, ships and all sorts.
What about being a civil engineer gets you out of bed each morning?
I love a problem to solve, and have a vision of a more sustainable, more equitable society. Civil engineers are vital on the journey to deliver this mission to build a more sustainable future.
What’s one great thing that you love about civil engineering that you didn’t know until you started working in the industry?
Just how diverse and creative so many of the people are in this industry.
Which civil engineering project (past or present) do you wish you’d worked on?
The re-build of London after the Great Fire… this would've been an amazing opportunity to rise from the ashes and build around people and the planet.
Name one civil engineering myth you’d like to bust.
That we all love concrete…
What are you doing to help address climate change?
My entire career has been focused on addressing climate change.
Qualis Flow was founded with the sole focus of decarbonising construction.
We focus on tracking and reducing material use and waste to cut down the huge embodied carbon footprint of our industry.
Has civil engineering helped you overcome any personal hurdles/difficulties?
Being a civil engineer has presented me with the opportunity to learn so much.
I've travelled around the world and worked in five different continents.
The problem-solving, communication and collaboration skills that you learn as a civil engineer serve you not only in your career but also in life in general.
I'm certain that civil engineering has helped me overcome innumerable hurdles through my life to date.
What do you value most about being an ICE member?
The access to a network of passionate and talented individuals and being able to share knowledge and debate key topics.
How has being a member helped your career?
Through credibility, network, support and learning.
Brittany's career path
- Masters of civil engineering, University of Bristol
- CEO and co-founder, Qualis Flow
- Enterprise Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
- Fellow of the ICE
Major projects and highlights
- Working in Hong Kong with Laing O Rourke on the South Island extension of the Mass Transit Railway (40m underground, excavating into pink granite, on a 24-hour site with a truly international team).
- Volunteering with Engineers Without Borders and EcoSwell in Lobitos, Peru to assess and design alternative sanitations solutions for a rural fishing community.
- Doing ground investigations for the new Everton Stadium in Liverpool.
- Assessing flood risk and different options for city scale developments in Saudi Arabia.
- Working on a water access project for a Massai community in Kenya as part of BuroHappold’s Share Our Skills.
- Starting my own business focused on decarbonising the construction industry, cutting waste and optimising material use.
- Joining the board of the Environment Agency.
