Cath Hassell is an expert in sustainable water strategies and low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies, formed from a background of 17 years experience in the conventional plumbing industry and 18 years in environmental building. From 1998 – 2004 she worked at Construction Resources, designing and implementing rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling and solar technologies for domestic, commercial and industrial sites.

She set up ech2o consultants ltd in 2004, a company that works with local authorities, developers, housing associations, water companies, community groups, architects and engineers, at both a strategic and individual site level, to successfully incorporate sustainable water and low carbon solutions into the built environment. She was a founder member of the UK Rainwater Harvesting Association (UKRHA), and of SWIG (the Sustainable Water Industry Group) and was a director of the AECB (the Sustainable Building Association) for 7 years.

Fascinated by how we use water across different age-ranges, cultures and genders, Cath writes a regular column about water for Green Building Magazine, a water blog for the AECB, and a shower blog – a year of showering variously. She also regularly talks about technological and behaviour-change solutions to a wide range of audiences, in the UK and abroad, including 15,000 school pupils and counting.

For a light-hearted look at Cath’s progression through her career look at this presentation: From Sewers to Solar

We are environmental consultants providing technological and behavioural solutions that reduce the UK’s carbon footprint

ech2o consultants ltd work with local authorities, developers, housing associations, schools and colleges, water companies, community groups, architects and engineers, at both a strategic and individual site level, to successfully incorporate sustainable water and low carbon solutions into the built environment.

For new build developments we work from conception stage through to post occupancy evaluation and can offer BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes assessments. We work from single buildings to master planning, always ensuring attention to detail and the best environmental solution for any particular site.

For existing buildings we work with the owners or occupiers to reduce the carbon footprint of both the building and the people within it. We can also provide comprehensive audits of the building backed up by reports detailing improvements, the cost of various solutions, and the energy, water and carbon savings of any initiative. We work with the users in a series of fun and informative workshops to demonstrate easy behaviour changes they can make to lower their environmental impact.