Huddersfield business leader appointed to senior role at sustainable building body
Chris Iredale joins as chief operating officer of the Association for Environment Conscious Building, as the organisation introduces a leadership structure to support the construction sector’s transition to a low-carbon built environment.
Iredale will lead operational development, governance, and organisational growth at the AECB while continuing to run Thriven, his fractional growth partner practice, under a dual fractional leadership model that enables senior leaders to remain active in industry alongside their executive roles. He will remain based in Huddersfield.
He joins newly appointed chief executive officer Ste Garlick, strategic and advisory lead for decarbonisation and retrofit at multidisciplinary design practice BDP, with the pair appointed following a competitive recruitment process.
The AECB said the new leadership structure is designed to ensure both executives remain closely connected to the day-to-day challenges facing the built environment while steering the organisation’s future direction.
Iredale brings more than 25 years’ experience across manufacturing, retail, construction, and professional services.
His career includes founding, scaling, and exiting businesses, helping grow a manufacturing company to more than £9m turnover, delivering 38% direct sales growth for a construction group and, most recently, operating at group level across multiple businesses within The Five Rise Group.
Garlick, an architect and sustainability specialist, joins from BDP, where he leads strategic decarbonisation and retrofit advisory work.
At the AECB, he will focus on strengthening collaboration across the organisation’s membership, building on its evidence-based approach to building performance and expanding its influence across the built environment.
The appointments mark the next stage in the AECB’s development as it continues to support professionals across the UK and Ireland in delivering more sustainable buildings.
Chris Herring, former Chair of the AECB and co-founder of the Passivhaus Trust, said: “Having been involved with the AECB and the Passivhaus Trust for many years, I’ve seen first-hand the value of bringing together people who are committed to improving building performance through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and evidence-based practice. I believe our role has never been more important.”
Commenting on his appointment, Iredale said: “I’ve spent my career helping ambitious, founder-led businesses build the operational backbone to match their ambition. What struck me about the AECB is that same potential – a genuinely purposeful organisation with a strong community behind it, ready for the same kind of disciplined growth.
“I’m looking forward to bringing that experience to supporting the AECB’s members and staff as we build on what’s already been achieved.”
Garlick said: “The transition to a sustainable and climate-resilient built environment is an opportunity to create healthier, more adaptable, and more equitable buildings and places.
“For more than 35 years, the AECB has been at the forefront of this mission. I’m looking forward to working with our members and partners to build on that legacy, strengthen collaboration across professions and sectors, and raise standards across the built environment.”
Founded in 1989, the AECB is an independent, not-for-profit network that has advanced sustainable building across the UK and Ireland, including helping to introduce Passivhaus to the UK and developing the CarbonLite certification.
It brings together more than 2,000 individual and corporate members from across the construction and design sectors, connecting research with practical application through technical guidance, training, certification, and a strong culture of collaboration.
