Sharon - at home in housing

Sharon Poots, Project Architect and Senior Project Manager with the Housing Executive is the creative and technical mind behind the energy and cost-efficient six two-bedroom, three-person newbuild units situated at the junction of Ballysillan Road and Sunningdale gardens in Belfast.

Sharon. a former Coleraine Grammar School student said, “I always loved art. I was interested in it from no age but I probably got my love of design, drawing and building from my dad. 

“My dad came from Castleroe but lived most of his working life in Coleraine. He was a mechanical engineer and a draughtsman who worked in Monsanto, Coleraine Cheese Factory and Coogan and Shackleton in the town throughout his career. 

“He also worked for Delorean and to an oil field company in Texas at one point.

“I always remember there being a drawing board in the house that my dad did working drawings on. Him and I used to draw together. 

“My appreciation of buildings and design also started very young. The first building I remember appreciating was Coleraine library c1969 and I have memories of going there as a four-year-old with my dad and being in awe of the design and craftsmanship around me.

“I used to sit on the radiator at the window happily drinking in the unique space while my dad chose his library books. He absolutely loved this building too.

“I used to dream of doing my own designs and getting them built someday.”

Very aware that construction is often considered a male-dominated industry Sharon insists that this never put her off pursuing architecture as a career.

Sharon, continues, “There’s no doubt there are still more males than females in the construction industry, however, whether someone employed within the construction industry is male or female is irrelevant to me. 

“To undertake the role of Architect/ Project manager takes a lot of interpersonal people skills like confidence, organizational skills and the ability to communicate well. It also requires being a team player. Every single building takes a dedicated team to build it. 

“Everyone involved in any build are skilled ‘people’ who I am trusting are good at their job and passionate about what they do. Our team for Sunningdale were excellent, from the Contractor and external consultants to a fantastic clerk of works who was my eyes and ears onsite when I wasn’t there.

“Construction aside, in the housing industry generally, we are seeing more females in senior management positions.

“Within the Housing Executive, for example, our Chief Executive, our Chair and many of our directors are female.”

Sharon said, “I am extremely grateful to the Housing Executive for giving me the opportunity to be part of this new build, a project which I hope will help to increase the supply of energy efficient social housing.

“Due to the modern method of construction used and the Passivhaus standards adhered to by this scheme the Housing Executive is definitely setting the industry standards for an energy efficient housing model that aims to help to reduce the risk of fuel poverty for the end users.

“I have worked for the Housing Executive for 12 years and appreciate the great learning experience and influence that can come with my current role. I was a Project Architect in the private sector for 10 years previously.

“The appeal of working with innovative systems and the thought of being able to influence the market while helping to improve the lives of social housing tenants drew me in.

“We have 85, 000 units of housing stock, which makes us the biggest social housing provider in Northern Ireland, one of the biggest in GB and ROI as well. The scale of that is immense and the learning from it as an employee is brilliant.

“I also can’t imagine having the same degree of job security anywhere else and the opportunities for personal and professional development are second to none. There is a perfect balance of working and learning.

“When I was younger, I knew the Housing Executive existed because some of my family members, including both my grannies, and a lot of my friends lived very happily and comfortably in Housing Executive properties. I certainly had no idea of the scale of the organization or the diverse range of work that they do.

“People probably still think we facilitate and maintain rather than deliver new build or large scale retrofit in the Housing Executive which is an understandable misconception. I am delighted to be part of the work we do that is making the news and therefore challenging this misconception.

“I would strongly encourage students to consider working here and particularly in technical roles, where we are sadly lacking. I think they would be surprised by the career progression that’s here for someone with a technical background. It really is a great place to work, learn and progress.”

From her childhood, through her student years and to the present day her work ethic fittingly aligned with the Housing Executive’s core values, one of which is, making a difference.

Sharon shares, “I am happy to have been part of the delivery of various projects throughout my career. private and social housing developments, Primary and Secondary Schools, a Transportation Centre and various large-scale developments in the commercial and hospitality sectors.

“The first thing I ever designed was when I was a student to provide an entrance lobby and disabled access as part of minor works to a FE college in Coleraine. I will never forget running up and down the ramp running my hand along those railings and feeling so content that they had fabricated them exactly to my details and design.

“Fast forward 20 years and that feeling was back as I watched the tenants moving into the Sunningdale homes, only this time, I had undertaken the responsibility for the entire works project management.

“I am happy to see the completion of the new build at Sunningdale not least because they are built using modern methods of construction and to Passivhaus standards, but because myself and my colleague and fellow Architect Caroline Best were responsible for getting Departmental and internal approval for it.

“It was a team effort involving the compilation of a feasibility study and two business cases required to secure approval from the Department for Communities and Department of Finance.

“This was years of work and the compilation of over 100 pages of information. 

“While the modern fabric and energy efficient design of this scheme is making the headlines what matters most to me is that houses I designed, were built and are now serving a purpose as family homes.

“That’s what the Housing Executive is all about at the end of the day, making people's lives better by providing those in need with safe, secure and comfortable homes.

“Our team built the houses, our tenants will make them homes.”