Your next project could be together with these people
At COWI, we design and develop the world of tomorrow. Whether you work with buildings, green energy, bridges or urban landscapes, you are part of shaping a sustainable world. A liveable world. With our extended expertise in green solutions and sustainability, it is our special responsibility to accelerate the green transition. Below, you can meet some of the people already on board – we would love to see you join!
If you want to make a real difference in the green transition, this is the place to be
Gitte Gylling Hammershøj Olsen, Green Transition and Sustainability Director, COWI in Denmark
The buildings industry accounts for 40 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions. That is a very high number, and when working with buildings, we simply have a responsibility to do everything we can to reduce our negative impact on the planet.
Because we work with large-scale building projects, we have an exceptional opportunity to do something. In my opinion, it’s not just an opportunity, but our obligation.
At COWI, we have turned this obligation into a number of specific actions that we work with on all projects. Every single project has a dedicated sustainability lead and we carry out CO₂ calculations on every single project.
Furthermore, we only work with customers that are ambitious and really want to create progress in the green transition. We look for a match in values and ambitions and work closely together with our customers and other partners to find the solutions that move us in the right direction.
From a professional point of view, I think COWI is an exciting workplace when it comes to sustainability because of the way we are organised. We have a dual operating system where you are both part of your department or division and part of a professional community across the organisation. That way, we make sure we share knowledge and experience across boundaries, projects and specialist areas. That’s quite unique and one of the things that helps us make a real difference.
A unique match in values
Uffe Jensen, Senior Project Director, Large Projects, Buildings and Industry
Unique might be a worn-out term, but I think this really is unique. Working on these projects with a client like LEGO Group is an opportunity to experience a perfect match in values and ambitions. We're aiming to build something that hasn’t been done before, and we both know how difficult it is. That it requires constant learning and numerous iterations and really close teamwork between many stakeholders internationally.
We are designing large production facilities and large offices for a sustainable future. That means exploring and literally inventing how to make very big and complex carbon-neutral buildings and utility systems. It means executing fossil-out projects using brand new technology that constantly challenges the current way we do architectural and engineering design services. We are using our experience and professionalism in a more challenging and more satisfying way than I have ever tried before.
Working like this is extremely motivating. We work with the client in the deepest sense. Everything is based on common values and a common interest in succeeding. In reaching the goal. We know this isn’t easy, that we probably won’t get it right the first time, but then we build on our newfound experiences and get it right. LEGO Group is a very demanding client, but because we share the same values and ambitions, it becomes extremely motivating and helps us develop for the benefit of the projects, our people and our customers.
There is a strong culture of helpfulness and collaboration in the company DNA
Francesca Destefano, Head of Section, Project Management, Buildings
Variety is what I really like about working in COWI. If you are a curious person, this is the place where you can get to work on a broad range of projects.
Our organisation is characterised by a high degree of collaboration between departments and business units. When we start a new project, we look for the right persons to fill the different roles. Staffing for projects is dynamic and fluid and centres on what is right for that particular customer and project. This allows our colleagues to be able to work on different type of projects, no matter which department you’re in. Airports, hospitals, industrial developments, infrastructure, iconic buildings – you name it.
In the company DNA, there is a strong culture of helpfulness and collaboration. We have critical mass and colleagues specialised in every field imaginable. Formal training is important for our professional development, as well as having the possibility to sit together with very experienced colleagues, getting their mentoring and support during your everyday work. You’re never on your own at COWI.
We have a number of ongoing projects that I find exciting. For instance, helping big customers optimising their energy consumption as part of driving their green transition. Let’s just say that's a very relevant process in the current energy crisis.
We also have big projects for critical infrastructure like water plants – a lot of them are very worn down and in need of renovation. These are highly complex projects where you have to balance many different considerations. You can’t just shut down the water supply to a city; you have to aim for creating greener and more sustainable solutions and, of course, you must build something that can last the next 100 years or longer.