Q Sustain: Engineering Sustainability and Social Value into the Built Environment

Imagine it’s 2050. After decades of climate transition and technological acceleration – what do you think our cities will look like? While the blueprint is yet to be defined, we know that innovative engineering consultants like Q Sustain will play a central role in shaping it. 

Based in our Renold Innovation Hub, Q Sustain is on a mission to deliver practical, evidence-based sustainability and project-delivery services for transport and buildings – from feasibility studies to ISO and ESG strategy support – so clients can meet net-zero goals while creating social value. In their vision of the future, rail and city infrastructure are net-zero, accessible and community-led, with sustainability embedded in every design, procurement and operation decision. 

“Our vision and mission is to help the built environment and our national new and existing infrastructure to decarbonise, become more resilient and inclusive, and increase in biodiversity and resource efficiency,” says Azhar Quaiyoom, Q Sustain’s Founder, Director and CEO. 

To learn more, we sat down with Q Sustain to explore their story, work, and perspective on everything from what makes the company unique to why Manchester is the right place to innovate and grow – plus much more. 

Read on to hear what they had to say. 

Where did the inspiration for Q Sustain come from?

Q Sustain: “Q Sustain grew from the frustration that technical decarbonisation advice was often disconnected from delivery and social value. We saw an opportunity to combine rigorous engineering analysis with pragmatic delivery, stakeholder engagement, and social impact – helping operators and councils move from ambition to action. Our background in rail, feasibility studies, and municipal bids showed us where focused, small teams can make outsized difference. 

“Our founder, Azhar, also took great inspiration from his late father who followed many sustainable practices and loved nature, after being brought up in Kenya, surrounded by nature and wildlife.” 

What makes the company unique?

Q Sustain: “We’re a small, agile, specialist team that blends hands-on engineering and energy analysis with bid-writing, ISO/ESG systems, and programme delivery. That mix – plus deep experience in rail stations/depot decarbonisation, solar PV route-to-market work, and social-value aligned submissions – enables us to create technically robust, procurement-ready packages that also score highly on deliverability and community benefit.”

What do you love most about being based at Sister?

Q Sustain: “Sister gives us an energising, collaborative base in Manchester alongside a community of like-minded firms. This gives us easy access to other purpose-driven founders and spaces that make client meetings feel friendly rather than corporate. It’s a small detail, but that human, creative atmosphere helps us stay connected to local networks and keeps our team energized. 

“The partnership with the University of Manchester also aligns with our links to research projects and guest lecturing we provide there. We want to do more with the University and hope Sister can help to expand our links with them.” 

What’s your vision for the future of the built environment in Manchester (and beyond)?

Q Sustain: “We envision a practical, staged transition to net-zero buildings and transport. This would involve more retrofit and whole-life thinking, integrated local energy systems, smarter passenger hubs, and a shift from one-off capital projects to long-term performance outcomes. 

“Cities should prioritise place-based solutions that reduce operational carbon, improve air quality, and deliver measurable social value for local communities.”

What role do you think emerging technologies – e.g. AI sensors and digital twins – play in making this a reality?

Q Sustain: “They are essential enablers. While sensors and AI will move us from periodic assessment to continuous performance management – detecting issues, optimising building controls, and validating retrofit outcomes – digital twins let stakeholders test scenarios, de-risk investments and demonstrate carbon savings before committing. 

“Together these tools make low-carbon outcomes more measurable, investable and scalable.”

How important is collaboration and partnership to what QSustain and others in the sector are trying to achieve? 

Q Sustain: “Collaboration is critical. Decarbonisation spans policy, design, operations and finance – no single firm can deliver it alone. Our work on frameworks and bids shows that public bodies, contractors, SMEs, and local communities must collaborate to align incentives, share risk, and secure the social value that makes projects transformational rather than transactional.”

What are QSustain’s biggest opportunities and challenges right now?

Q Sustain: “Opportunities: pipelines from frameworks (e.g., GMCA/TPSF-type opportunities), demand for station/depot decarbonisation work, and growing appetite for measurable social value – all let us scale impact through repeatable offerings. 

“As a small team, one of the challenges we face is capacity and how we grow with a solid confident stable pipeline of schemes – it’s crucial that we balance winning work with delivery. Other issues include competitive procurement environments and the complexity of measuring whole-life carbon and social outcomes consistently.”

What’s next for QSustain? How will the company evolve over the next year?

Q Sustain: “Now that we have a larger office, we’re looking to grow the team! 

“We’ll be continuing to deliver framework and tender work (Transport Professional Services/GMCA opportunities), broaden our delivery capability (more feasibility studies, ISO/ESG systems and implementation support), and productise repeatable services (e.g., retrofit feasibility packages and digital performance monitoring) so we can deliver faster and at scale. 

“We’re also focused on deepening local partnerships to increase social value impact.”

What makes Manchester the right place for QSustain to innovate and grow?

Q Sustain: “Manchester combines a strong transport and civic agenda, universities and research capability, and an active network of local authorities and operators investing in decarbonisation and social value.”

“That ecosystem – plus access to talented early-career engineers and sustainability professionals – makes it an ideal base to iterate, partner and scale practical solutions for the built environment.” 

“We also want to help decarbonise the two best-known football clubs!”

Thank you to the Q Sustain team for sharing your story with us – we look forward to supporting you in this journey!