The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) has announced the appointment of its new president Ken Maher, a leading architect and Professor of Practice in the Faculty of Built Environment at the University of NSW.
Professor Maher is a past chairman and current Fellow of multi-disciplinary architecture and design firm HASSELL, and a recipient of the Australian Institute of Architecture's highest accolade, the AIA Gold Medal, as well as the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects’ Australian Award for Landscape Architecture.
His long standing commitment to a sustainable future is evidenced through his role as a founding board member of the Green Building Council, and his commitment to the value of design excellence in the built environment has been recognised through several Sulman Medals and Sir Zelman Cohen awards for projects he led within HASSELL.
"I’m delighted and honoured to accept the presidency of ASBEC which is unique as the peak collaborative forum for organisations that champion sustainable, productive and resilient buildings, communities and cities.”Professor Maher said today.
"ASBEC’s current focus is on informing the future of cities and regions through understanding the role of resilience, developing a sustainable built environment framework, informing sustainable housing and infrastructure, as well as ensuring appropriate skills development – all crucial to a sustainable built environment for the future at a time when climate change is clearly having an increasing impact.”
"I look forward to working with the leaders in the built environment sector to deliver policy, research, dialogue and actions to improve the value of the places we inhabit.”
Professor Maher, replaces Tom Roper, and officially begins his role on February 3, 2015.