Our story began with a single engineer who could not understand why engineering was not more accessible to the construction team. The outputs we were taught to produce were 200 page reports, unreadable calculation packs, and drawings that left people saying "are you sure?".
Our philosophy is to cut the beurocracy. No rubbish. Just information that you, the Client, can understand. We write differently. Let us show you how it should be done.
Who actually reads these?
The Turning Point: As a young engineer, I didn't need to write all that many reports, but I did have to write calculation pacsk. I grew up in a time where if you couldn't put the whole calculation for a particular item on a single sheet of A4, it was too much. Then the 3D modelling software came along, which is a genuinly valuable tool for structural engineers. But Engineers got lazy and instead of writing out a calculation package which explains what is going on, they started to just "print-all" and what you got was a 200 page package of nonesense.
Never Again. This never bothered me until I started to grow as an engineer and I started to be responsoible for checking these calculations from our new graduate engineers. It was clear that they had not bothered to understand what they were doing. This is something that I promised myself - write the calculation package in a way that is easy to understand and follow.
Status Report: Rubbish Once I started to write reports more often, as is the way when you become more senior, I realised that the reports we were taught to write are all lacking something. Yes, you need to ensure that you are careful to avoid litigation. But I noticed there was no enjoyment in these reports. Why not? Engineering is like maths, but louder and more fun. Reading a structural engineer's report should be an engaging experience, not a chore.
Why are reports all so dull? The reports are all the same. A pdf which you just stare at and mindlessly scroll down the pages. Constantly having to scroll to the appendix to see photos or a reference, then remember where you were and scroll back up. We are in an age of choice. If you like the reports in a pdf format (which we are not against), then you should have the option to view them like that. If you prefer a more web-page style presentation, we've got you covered. Whatever the format, we want to make the reading experience just that little more accessible and easy to flick through.
Things we say out loud in the studio. They guide what we take on, how we deliver it, and what we won't compromise on.
If a reviewer can't find the assumption in one click, the calculation isn't finished. Every number on a CLEA dashboard has a chain of custody.
We model embodied CO₂ the same way we model loads — at every stage, against the live model. It's reported next to tonnage, not in an appendix.
Lean design before novel material. We size things accurately, not conservatively, and we tell you when a wall doesn't need to come down.
We want us all to spend as little time as possible on administrative tasks, and more time on creative and strategic work. Our system is designed to be as simple and intuitive as possible, so that you can focus on what matters most.
Fully accountable. No layers, no account managers. The engineer who designed your scheme is the engineer who answers the phone.
I'm a structural engineer with [X] years' experience across domestic, commercial and heritage work — from small extensions and alterations to large-scale frames at one of the largest consultancies in Europe. I founded CLEA to do that work in a way I always wished the industry did: clear, honest, and easy to follow.
Along the way I noticed the same pattern everywhere — brilliant engineering buried inside 200-page reports nobody reads. Clients couldn't follow it, contractors couldn't use it, and reviewers couldn't check it without a week of digging. I set out to change that, building tools and a way of working that put the calculations, drawings and decisions in the open where everyone on the project can see them.
Outside of engineering I [add a personal line or two here — interests, what got you into the profession, where you're based]. If you'd like to talk through a project, I answer my own emails — no forms, no gatekeepers.
The first step. Website launched, with clear goals for engineering and education.
The age of Choice. First backend report and calculation process created in code.
Substitution. I began to experiment with different ways of delivering projects, using a more reader-friendly approach. This has found me a collection of repeat Clients who value transparency and simplicity.
Corporate. I have worked for structural engineering consultancies ranging from small domestic engineers, to medium sized firms, to one of the largest in Europe. Each had their own strenths and weaknesses that I have learned from.
We answer our own emails. No forms, no qualifying questions — send a sketch, an address, or a paragraph, and one of the engineers above will reply.