Like many engineers Sara McGowan is modest of her achievements.
At 29 she is already an associate with Arup and has recently been involved in one of London's most high profile projects, the Greater London Authority (GLA) headquarters on the south bank of the Thames. "I've been lucky, I've worked on good jobs and enjoy what I'm doing," she says.

Being involved on a building in the public eye makes a difference. "You are very aware of publicity and doing the GLA really highlighted just how little the public understands what building services engineering is, and what an energy efficient building is."

McGowan graduated seven years ago fromt he University of Strathclyde with a degree in architectural engineering. Like many school leavers she had no clear idea of what she wanted to do. "I was very good at art and physics which is a rather strange combination," she says and puts her choice of degree down to the expert advise of a guidance counsellor. The course allowed her to study architecture and engineering before deciding in the second year what to specialise in. "When I thought of buildings I thought of structural engineering, it never occurred to me that there was such a thing as building services engineering. It wasn't until I was at university and started doing classes in it that I thought I really enjoy this, this is definitely what I want to go into."

McGowan's passion for her work comes across in the first few minutes of talking with her: "I love engineering, the conceptual side, the designing, working with architects and solving problems; getting something that works for everybody." Although she believes the image of engineering is improving she still thinks more could be done to advertise it. "We don't go out there and sell it, so it is hardly surprising that people don't understand what it is that we are doing."

This explains McGowan's appearance on the BBC's 'Fifteen minute snapshots' programme, aired last month. "It was shown on a prime time slot of one am in the morning," she jokes. "But it is an educational thing that will go to careers services and schools to promote science and technology." The programme encourages school leavers that science based careers are interesting and fun by having young people in comparable jobs talking about what they do on a day-to-day basis. McGowan was shadowed by a tv crew at work and in meetings, following her on the tube and even at home.

"People have a tendency to think that the job is all about sizing ducts and pipes and that it will be rather boring and tedious when actually there is so much more to it. If you're creative and interested in design then services is a great way to be involved in buildings. You can have a huge influence on the form, shape and layout of buildings, on the facade and how it looks."

The degree at Strathclyde was multi-disciplinary, and this was one of the things which attracted McGowan to Arup where she works in a group made up of structural, mechanical, electrical and public health engineers. "I believe very strongly in integrated design rather than doing it in single disciplines." McGowan's personal interest lies in facade design and tuning facades so that they achieve what they are designed to do while making sure they are still true to the architectural concept.

Her current project is a business park in Hemel Hempstead with developer Stanhope. "We've just finished the first building which has a really cool external louvre system on the facade," she enthuses.

Having come such a long way in a short time what do the next five years have in store? "I can definitely see myself at Arup but I would also like to be more involved with the communications side, being out there talking to people, telling them about what we do."