Michael Buckley, chartered architect

Solar Architecture & Envaluation is my practice. Having worked for various architectural practices over the past 30 years, always centred on low energy and passive solar design, I work in my own practice, again focused on designing for climate.

This was particularly relevant when I was working in the tropics. Daylight, sunlight, natural ventilation and spaciousness are where a design starts.

I also worked for a decade at the Building Research Establishment, writing guidance for architects and engineers on energy efficiency and passive solar design.

I have a further interest in what makes a 'nice' place to be, and like to analyse and assess the quality of buildings, villages or towns using an environmental assessment I have developed.

An architect is an ideas person as well as a designer, so I have also designed, or been involved in designing, other environmental projects and concepts. As a laterally thinking ideas person I contribute ideas to businesses in various areas, and write or edit technical documents for others.

Although there was much interest in 'green' buildings from architects, engineers and planners, there was not much information about them. So in 1989 I organised a conference on the subject at the RIBA, under the auspices of the London Energy Group, of which I was a member. I arranged the sponsorship and the speakers and booked the RIBA; over 400 architects and engineers came.