Our experts

Air Environment scientists are recognised authorities in the air quality industry.

Andrew Balch
Andrew BalchDirector and Principal Consultant
Andrew Balch is the founder of Air Environment and a well-known air quality consultant with over twenty years’ experience in air quality consulting, including more than ten specialising in odour.

Andrew is a certified Air Quality Professional with leading industry body CASANZ, as well as the Deputy Chair of the CASANZ Odour Special Interest Group. He has presented and published multiple studies on air pollution management and is considered one of the foremost odour analysts in Australia.

“I really enjoyed working for the big names in environmental consulting, but I wanted to start a company that allowed me to do things differently. I wanted to make it responsive and agile and obsessed with high quality science. I’m pleased to say that Air Environment has managed to meet those goals,” says Andrew.

Over the course of his career, Andrew has designed and run all types of air quality assessments and studies, for a broad range of industrial sectors, government and community-based clients. Andrew’s goal is to deliver clear and honest scientific reports that stand up to robust scrutiny, are accessible to non-experts, and thoroughly answer the question posed by the clients – within schedule and budget.

Andrew’s diverse skills and experience enable him to understand the key air quality issues faced by businesses and how best to provide a solution that meets the expectations of the client, the environmental regulator and the community. His reputation for accuracy and integrity makes him well-trusted by all players.

His experience includes the monitoring of air quality and odour at the source and in the ambient air; gas sample laboratory analyses including odour testing by dynamic olfactometry; meteorological monitoring, modelling and data analysis; air and odour dispersion modelling and impact assessment; the assessment of regional climate and its variability; and the clear and concise reporting and communication of complex ideas and outcomes to all stakeholders.

Listen to Andrew as he discusses all things odour-related on ABC Radio.

Pushan Shah
Pushan ShahPrincipal Air Quality Consultant
Pushan is a Certified Air Quality Professional and chemical engineer with over 15 years of experience in the air quality research, industry, and government regulatory work environment.

As a President of the SA/NT branch of the Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand (CASANZ), Pushan is recognised as one of Australia’s leading air quality specialists.

Pushan is a new member of the Air Environment team, joining as a Principal Air Quality Consultant from July 2024. In a recent role at the South Australia’s Environment Protection Authority (EPA), Pushan was responsible for overseeing the monitoring and assessment of air quality from industrial sources (new developments and existing industries) and provided policy, planning and regulatory advice on an ongoing basis.

Pushan is passionate about delivering data driven, cost-effective and innovative solutions to prevent and reduce air pollution from industrial and urban emission sources. Throughout his career, he has engaged with a diverse range of stakeholders and communities to foster collaboration and drive positive air quality outcomes.

Pushan brings engineering principles and systems thinking, as well as his unique skills, insights and a national/global perspective to assessing each air quality issue. During his career, Pushan has provided expert reviews and specialist input and advice for numerous air quality impact assessment studies including projects where odour has been a key environmental concern/impact.

Pushan has also presented at many national and international conferences (research conferences, industry forums, community meetings and intergovernmental forums). Pushan has helped the EPA to regulate industries based on ‘risk based’ and ‘firm but fair’ approaches.

Dr Michael Power
Dr Michael PowerAssociate Air Quality Consultant
Dr Mike Power is a respected air modelling expert with significant experience in consulting and government regulation.

Prior to joining Air Environment, Mike was a Senior Environmental Consultant for GHD’s Air, Noise and Meteorology team, and before that had a fifteen year career with the Tasmanian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), culminating in the management of their Air Modelling Team. During his government career, Mike assessed the air quality aspects of more than one hundred industrial proposals, allowing him to offer a unique perspective on regulatory requirements. This experience is invaluable to our clients who rely on his expert air quality advice to manage their businesses and plan for future growth.

Throughout his career, Mike has closely worked with industry, as both an environmental regulator and consultant, in the fields of air quality, nuisance dust, odour, noise, and meteorological and climate assessment. Mike has a proven track record of resolving intractable environmental problems.

“I have enjoyed working in all aspects of air quality, both as a regulator and supporting industry. I see myself as someone who uses robust science and clear language to bridge both camps and bring people together to find a solution all parties are happy with.”
Mike has over twenty years’ experience in air quality, atmospheric dispersion modelling, noise, meteorology and environmental regulation. In 2001, Mike gained his doctorate in air pollution modelling, focusing on the atmospheric dispersion of industrial emissions and wood smoke throughout the Tamar Valley in northern Tasmania.

He also has significant knowledge and experience in the technical aspects of ambient air quality monitoring, having managed the EPA air monitoring network.

As an environmental consultant, Mike has successfully delivered a wide variety of projects such as environmental impact assessment studies of dust, odour and airborne contaminant dispersion, assessing odour emissions models, air quality policy development, technical review studies, and developing specialised modelling techniques and tools. Mike’s main areas of expertise include air quality and odour impact assessments, meteorological modelling and model performance evaluation, atmospheric dispersion modelling, air quality and meteorological monitoring network management and the development of air emission inventories.

Grady Platz
Grady PlatzAir Quality Consultant
Grady is an Air Quality Consultant and formally educated scientist and teacher.

Since joining Air Environment Grady has assisted in the design, calculation, modelling and writing of air odour and air quality impact assessments for government and commercial industries.

Talk with one of our scientists about your air quality issues

Susan Shyno John
Susan Shyno JohnAir Quality Consultant
Susan is an atmospheric scientist with a background in air quality and meteorological research.

Susan has recently completed her doctoral degree in Atmospheric Science from the University of Wollongong with a focus on the variability of atmospheric carbon monoxide in Australia.

Susan has significant knowledge and experience both in the technical and theoretical aspects of air quality and meteorological modelling. During her career at Air Environment, Susan has also specialised in odour measurement, impact assessment and consulting. She has managed Air Environment’s olfactometry laboratory in the Brisbane office, conducted odour sampling and testing surveys, performed impact assessments, and conducted ambient odour assessments including field ambient odour surveys.

Susan has successfully delivered air quality and odour impact assessment studies, ambient air monitoring programs, odour emission surveys, and ambient odour assessment studies for a range of industry sectors.

Erin Williams
Erin WilliamsBusiness Manager
Erin Williams is a highly skilled business manager and key strategist for the team.

Erin’s job is to make sure that everyone who has any interaction with Air Environment, as an employee, client or contractor, comes away from the experience completely satisfied. She works with the Air Environment scientists to ensure the organisation remains fresh, relevant, agile and an employer of choice.

Her expertise includes business strategy, client relationship management, stakeholder engagement, public relations and communications management. She has significant experience in small business administration and operations management, as well as project management and marketing. Erin’s professional career has included management consulting in the financial services industry and operating her own sales and consulting business in the food preparation industry.

Erin manages both the day to day operations and long-term strategy of the business. This encompasses client relationship management, business operations, administration and accounts, human resources, and information technology management.