Si Chen

Head of Sustainability

BSc (Hons), MSc, CEng, MCIBSE, Low Carbon Energy Assessor, WELL AP, LEED AP

Si Chen is an accomplished sustainability leader with over a decade of experience shaping low‑carbon, human‑centric design across global real estate portfolios. Prior to her role as Director of Sustainability at Agentia, she has held key roles at Foster + Partners and Sweco, where she led multidisciplinary engineering teams and advanced the integration of sustainability into architectural design at the highest level. Her work is defined by rigorous analytical methods, data‑driven decision‑making and a commitment to embedding environmental performance seamlessly into the design process.

Her academic foundation includes a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Imperial College London, specialising in Sustainable Business, Resource Management and Life Cycle Assessment, and a first‑class bachelor’s degree in Architectural Environment Engineering from the University of Nottingham. A Chartered Engineer with CIBSE, a certified Low Carbon Energy Assessor, and an accredited WELL AP and LEED AP, Si maintains an active engagement with emerging sustainability standards and technologies. Her experience spans the Middle East, UK, Europe, APAC and North America, covering commercial, aviation, residential, retail, education and industrial sectors. She is recognised for her ability to guide clients and design teams toward ambitious Net Zero Carbon outcomes while balancing cost, performance and long‑term value.

Work

Si has played a pivotal role in delivering some of the world’s most forward‑thinking sustainable developments. Her portfolio includes major international projects such as the 1.1 million m² Lusail Towers in Qatar, where she led the energy roadmap and secured a 5‑star GSAS rating, and over 20 Apple global flagship stores, for which she developed Net Zero Carbon pathways aligned with Apple’s ESG commitments. She has been central to pioneering Europe’s first Net Zero Energy aviation facility at the Centralny Port Komunikacyjny Airport in Warsaw, establishing sustainability KPIs and ensuring alignment with EU taxonomy requirements.

Her work on the 76‑storey Tower Z6 in Beijing delivered the client’s first triple‑certified asset under LEED, WELL and China 3‑Star, achieving a 40% reduction in operational carbon and setting a new benchmark for their future developments. She has led sustainability strategies for major cultural and commercial projects including the Riyadh Exhibition Convention Centre, Bloomberg’s London headquarters (achieving the highest BREEAM score for a major office building), and the King’s Cross Masterplan, where she developed energy scenarios to guide long‑term carbon and economic performance.

Si has also shaped sustainability outcomes for large‑scale masterplans such as Wood Wharf in London, achieving over 35% carbon reduction at planning stage, and has led Net Zero strategies for Oracle’s new Nashville headquarters. Her work on Shurayrah Island in the Red Sea — a fully renewable‑powered destination with offsite‑manufactured, low‑thermal‑mass resort structures — reflects her ability to deliver environmentally sensitive design at a regional scale. Recent high‑rise work includes Chapter London Bridge, a 39‑storey mixed‑use tower achieving BREEAM Excellent through integrated heat pump systems, rooftop PV and optimised mixed‑use load profiles.

Across all sectors, Si brings a rare combination of technical depth, strategic clarity and design sensitivity, enabling clients to adopt sustainability not as an add‑on but as a defining driver of performance, wellbeing and long‑term value.