Helionix Designs Team

The management work closely with a network of like-minded professionals and organisations with expertise in the fields of ecological design, property development, integrative health, community regeneration, leisure management, technology development and media and communications. All team members work freely across these specialisms.

Strategic Management, Integrative Health and Property Development:

Dr Nichol Clarke Strategic planning, Visioning, Integrative Health, Programme & Enterprise Development.
Nichol is the founder of Real-Health Ventures and The Health Coach Company and co-founder of Helionix Technologies Ltd. Nichol is a UK trained medical doctor, pioneering Integrative Health Specialist and entrepreneur, with an MBA from a leading European Business School.

Alistair Gould Networking, Communications, Visioning, Project & Enterprise Development.
Alistair is both a chartered surveyor and chartered environmentalist with experience across a range of business and voluntary sector activities. He has worked extensively on the introduction of new technologies and design methodologies in the construction industry. Alistair is co-founder with Nichol Clarke of Helionix Technologies Ltd (incorporating Helionix Designs).

Ecological and Architectural Design and Engineering:

Issy Benjamin Architectural Visioning & Design
Issy is an architect whose prolific work covers a broad span of projects, from small-scale development projects to the design and development of complete communities, encompassing the skills of interior design, landscape architecture and town planning. His approach reflects a rare mix of an environmentalist’s ‘sense of place’, an artist’s eye for natural and built form with an engineer’s practicality when assessing structural and economic viability. He continues to explore ‘outside the box’ radical ecological design solutions both in architecture and other design fields.
Practising under Levy, Benjamin and Partners, and later LBH architects, he designed a large number of hotels, housing schemes and apartments in Europe. In the 1970s he designed the traffic-free village of Prainha, Algarve, and subsequently became consultant architect to projects in France - Ville du Lac, Le Touquet, Malta, Cyprus, Holland, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Mallorca, Denmark, Japan and Pakistan.

Michael Ramage Low Carbon & Carbon positive Architectural & structural design
Michael’s field of architectural exploration has encompased extensive research into the designing and building of structural masonry spans exploring the use of traditional techniques and new materials, the combination yielding new ultra efficient low carbon and carbon positive construction methodologies.
Recent projects where he has collaborated in structural design include The Pines Calyx project in Dover, UK, and a new visitor and landscape interpretation centre at Mapungubwe National Park in South Africa. He has also held a fellowship in the engineering firm of Conzett Bronzini Gartmann AG, Chur, Switzerland and is currently a lecturer in Sustainable Structural Design in the Department of Architecture at Cambridge University.
Michael has led workshops on thin shell construction techniques at MIT, Boston and the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. In addition to an MArch from MIT, Michael has a B.A. in Geology from Carleton College. He held a Fulbright fellowship to Turkey in 1995-96, and was recently the recipient of MIT’s Marvin E. Goody award and a Boston Society of Architects research grant. He is a member of Sigma Xi, the scientific research society.

Michael Pawlyn Sustainable nature-inspired Architecture and Carbon Positive Design
Michael is one of the UK’s leading architects in the field of sustainable design From 1997 to 2007 he worked with Grimshaw and was instrumental in the design development of the Eden Project. He was responsible for leading the design of the Biomes and the recent phase of work at the project which included an Education Resources Centre and proposals for a third major climatic enclosure. He initiated an developed the Grimshaw environmental management system resulting, in December 2000, in the company the first firm of European architects to achieve certification to ISO14001.
Michael has recently been involved in feasibility work for a tidal energy centre in the UK and for a new form of large-scale offshore wind turbine. In 1999 he was one of five winners in ‘A Car-free London’ – an ideas competition for strategic solutions to the capital’s future transport needs and new possibilities for urban spaces. In 2006 he was appointed a Founder Member of the UK Green Building Council and in 2007 was elected as a committee member of ‘The Edge’, a think-tank dedicated to addressing important political, social and professional issues. Michael lectures widely on the subject of sustainable design in the UK and abroad.
Michael is working both as architectural design consultant for Helionix Designs whilst also establishing a new architectural practice ‘Exploration’. It is planned for the two practices to have an ongoing collaborative partnership with Helionix Designs specialising on carbon positive building design (particularly residential/leisure) and Exploration focusing on carbon positive ‘infrastructure projects’ in the field of renewable energy and largescale waste remediation.

John Prewer Architect, designer, innovator and inventor
John is of one of the UK’s most prolific and influential innovators in building technologies. His design/inventing activities are grouped under 5 headings - energy, food, information, shelter and transport and centre on the need to develop primary life support technologies that 'will make the world work for 100% of humanity in the shortest possible time without offence or disadvantage of anyone'. He is currently developing two types of low cost modular housing for high density urban applications.
Having trained with Buckminster Fuller, John pioneered modular (volumetric) construction in the UK in the mid 1970s and spent most of his professional life working on the design, development, manufacture and application of modular building methods and related technologies. John regularly lectures in the UK and overseas on the new technological building solutions necessary for building greener communities and cities. He is currently co-authoring a book about recent developments in science and technology and how their potentially revolutionary impact makes it possible for mankind to live in harmony with the world's ecosystems.

Philip Cooper Engineer (with Scott Wilson PLC)
Philip has a strong eye for optimum economic and sustainable engineered solutions in architecture based upon a deep interest in the design of architectural structures combined with formidable academic knowledge in classical engineering approaches applied to historic buildings. His career has spanned research and teaching at various Universities including Cambridge and Leeds University where he became Professor of Structural Design, sponsored by the Institution of Structural Engineers. He is Engineer to the Royal Academy of Arts in London and a member of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England. He was the founding director of Cameron Taylor’s Cambridge offices (Cameron Taylor merged with Scott Wilson in 2007) and his work as a consulting engineer combines university lecturing in structural design with practice in the design office. Philip’s work with Helionix Designs is, in particular, in leading Scott Wilson’s input within the EcoCities design advisory role.

Technology Development and Evaluation:

Jae Mather Sustainability co-ordinator / Evaluator
Jae is a highly knowledgeable and respected assessor of ‘sustainability’ in all its guises, both within the construction industry and the commercial world in general. He is uniquely skilled and experienced in guiding commercial organisations on the practical pathways necessary within the low carbon economy. In the field of construction and property development he is highly skilled in discerning the key technologies and methodologies that make a difference from the many others that are either economically or ecologically unviable or are simply ‘greenwash’.
Jae’s role involves in particular: a) Informing re. specific options for optimum intelligent sustainable solutions - at both 'scoping' and designing stages delivering best practice and best-fit sustainable solutions b) Communications (to third parties) of Real-Health sustainable integrity on developments - including discussions with Local Government etc. c) Introducing viable collaborative partnerships to enrich the viable sustainability mix on projects.
Jae has over ten years experience working in such areas as sustainable construction, renewable energy, waste management, recycling, carbon sequestration, pollution control, community development, sustainable transport, food production and funding for environmental industry enterprises. As the Eco-Enterprise Project Manager (2006-07) he was responsible for managing the UK side of an European Union Interreg project which supported the development and growth of companies offering environmental technologies, products or services in Kent, East Sussex and the Nord-Pas de Calais region of France. During this period he established the Kent Sustainable Construction Consortium which was amongst the first of its kind in the UK Jae has a unique depth of knowledge regarding the players within the environmental industry sector within Kent and networks extending throughout the UK & overseas.

Edmond Rube Specialist Technology Innovation, Research and Development
Edmond’s work in technology innovation starts from a strong grasp of current key principles and future possibilities across a very broad range of scientific enquiry combined with a deep understanding of the effect, positive or negative, that an innovation may have on the natural world. He applies this capability in a telling way by delivering swift and innovative solutions to engineering challenges, whether in the laboratory, workshop or on site. The outcome of his innovations is an elegant simplicity that will often reveal a factor 10 improvement in both commercial and ecological viability. He has extensive experience in working in a diverse range of scientific fields, from mechanical engineering to analytical research, A particular interest lies in the manipulation of materials to produce architectural structures displaying new properties, involving complex chemical processes. His developmental work has also encompassed sensors, purification media, electronic and optical devices.
Edmond has worked with a number of brilliant scientists including Tony Broad and Marcel Vogel. Tony Broad worked at the Cavendish laboratories, Rutherford Appleton laboratories and the M.R.C where he was a founder member. He worked with Max Perutz at the M.R.C, contributing to his winning the Nobel Prize for the mapping of the structure of haemoglobin by X-Ray crystallography. Edmond remains in regular contact with Tony. Marcel Vogel (now deceased) was a celebrated IBM scientist. Marcel, among other things, developed phosphors used in fluorescent lighting and television, and also the coating used for data storage on hard disks. He worked in a highly intuitive manner and Edmond’s work with him included various testing regimes to improve the taste and shelf life of wines, juices and water, using subtle quantum based approaches.

Angus Marland Water and waste remediation technologies specialist
Angus has worked for over 25 years in ecological design and education. In the 1980s he developed the first national exhibition on energy conservation and renewable energy in association with the then Department of Energy, Edinburgh University and commercial sponsors, and also the first major UK organic farming R&D project to be funded by the European Commission. In 1990 he set up Watershed Systems Ltd to transfer innovative natural wastewater treatment technologies from North America to the UK. Angus’s focus within Helionix Technologies has in particular been in developing water remediation systems for the agricultural, horticultural and environmental sectors. Angus works and lives in an ‘ecovillage’ where exploring innovative responses to the practical challenges of sustainable living are part of daily living.

Practical Sustainable Development & Education:

Steve Charter Sustainability trainer and educator; Sustainable partnership development
Steve focuses on the practicalities of achieving personal, local and regional sustainability. With specialisms in sustainable construction, sustainable lifestyles/sustainable living, and sustainable communities, as well as fostering naturally healthy lifestyles. A particular strength is Steve’s holistic view of sustainability issues; from strategic to household levels, supported by a depth of experience arising from 15 years work in this field, in public, private , not-for-profit and education sectors, from grass-roots to national policy.
Steve has extensive policy and project experience working with local government, NGO’s, business and individuals in developing effective sustainability projects and strategies. He has particular expertise in sustainable construction strategies/projects, sustainable living, sustainable communities and the relationship between health and sustainable lifestyles. He is a sustainability consultant, author, and permaculture tutor, was one of the UK’s first Agenda 21 coordinators (Leicester Environment City/environ 1993-95), and has subsequently worked both freelance and in the not-for-profit sector, notably on the establishment of the pioneering Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development (now Ecos Trust), where he wrote several practical guides to sustainable design and construction. Steve is currently a lead consultant on the SusCon project working with Kent County Council and a multi-sector partnership in Kent to establish a strategic approach to delivering many aspects of sustainable development, using iconic sustainable construction projects to strengthen learning and skills delivery, new enterprise and sustainable supply chain development, sustainable public procurement, sustainable product innovation and sustainable manufacturing capacity. In 2005/6 he also worked with Julian Brooks Associates on the sustainability strategy for Sherford - a community of 5000+ homes in Devon.

Jeremy Linden Landscape Architect & Designer, Sustainable Landscapes & Environmental Education.
Jeremy is a Landscape Architect and Urban Designer who has worked extensively for 22 years in projects ranging from large scale regeneration to small scale private landscapes. Jeremy’s focus has encompassed the sublety and individuality of landscape by encouraging an integrated approach to the environment. He has worked extensively with sustainable landscape and architectural design, ecology and the arts. Jeremy facilitates a visionary outlook and a practical approach to serve the environmental needs of the community. His communication and group working skills have enabled him to work co-operatively with multi -disciplinary teams. Jeremy runs a series of weekend workshops ‘Spirit of the Land’, which focus on healing the land and reconnection through an understanding of the human condition to a sense of direction and purpose.
His landscape architecture and educational work for Helionix Designs runs in conjunction with his own practice Earthscapes Design.

James Bellamy Practical Sustainability Training & Sustainable Living mentoring
James is a passionate advocate of practical sustainability in daily living. He has a depth of understanding in how ecosystems work and how mankind, as a community, can live in balance with his environment. James’s work is in guiding individuals and teams, whether construction workers, building design teams or a community workforce on the detailed elements of sustainable construction and practical applications in sustainable living. He has worked for over 10 years to bring the environment and people together through building projects, working in particular in natural areas in the UK, New Zealand and Africa.

Financial Management:

Puchka Sahay Direnzo Finance and Strategy Advisor
Puchka combines a financier’s brain in swiftly sifting out the wheat from the chaff when appraising the financial viability of project plans and investment opportunities with a grasp of the fast moving environmental technology sector. She brings 15 years experience in the finance and strategy ranging from serving as Vice President for the Commercial and Real Estate Banking division of ShoreBank (US’s leading development and environment bank) to most recently serving as Fund Consultant to launch BIGinvest, a specialist financier of social enterprises in the UK. In addition, Puchka is active in the international carbon markets providing consultancy services to buyers and sellers/project developers in both the certified and voluntary carbon emissions markets. Puchka provides consultancy services to the Helionix Designs team through the Finance, Environment and Development practice of Amariann Ltd. where she serves as Managing Director. Puchka holds a M.A. in Economics and Policy from Harvard and a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from the Claremont Colleges.

Marketing, Media and Communications:

Rod Macrae Media & Communications
Rod combines extensive experience across the media world with understanding the key issues and ‘hooks’ relevant for audience within the fast moving sustainability agenda. He has extensive consulting, and board level decision-making experience in media and communications issues and is a specialist in strategic communications, crisis management, and broadcast media. His previous roles include Communications Director at Greenpeace International . Formerly an Editor and TV News Correspondent for Reuters and GMTV, he has in-depth knowledge of business, consumer and international news. Originally trained as a radio broadcaster at the BBC, he edited Start the Week and reported and presented You & Yours on BBC Radio Four. On moving to ITV he worked for Frost on Sunday and Tyne Tees TV.