CIBSE’s incoming president Nick Mead used his inaugural address, delivered at the Royal Academy of Engineering on 7th May, to outline the challenges faced by building services engineers in an age where energy and resource constraints are worsening while expectations of comfort are growing:

He said: 'Policy makers around the world face what is termed the ‘energy trilemma’ – the need to improve security of supply, reduce energy costs to consumers and businesses, and to reduce carbon emissions… meanwhile public expectations of the buildings they learn, work, live and play in are greater than ever and new technologies bring an increase in energy consumption.'

He stressed the role that building services engineers have in meeting these conflicting demands, owing to the large proportion (around 40-45% in developed economies) of energy use and carbon emissions caused by buildings services systems: 'So how do we ensure that buildings continue to improve? This must begin with our sector becoming joined up and giving the government good reason to believe that we are serious about delivering what our clients require.'

In addition, Mr Mead called for the industry to pull together and 'put its head above the parapet' by working collaboratively across the supply chain and considering the whole lifecycle of the building to deliver outstanding projects – avoiding short-term, siloed thinking. He called on the professional engineering institutions to drive this unified approach and give a clear lead to the industry.

Meanwhile, outgoing CIBSE president Peter Kinsella launched the new CIBSE Fellows Network, an active network of CIBSE Fellows, the most senior grade of membership. The network is designed to capitalise on the knowledge and skills of the Institution’s most skilled and experienced members in the development of industry guidance and to promote the ethos and benefits of CIBSE as a whole.

The Fellows Network will initially be chaired by Geoff Prudence, who also chairs the CIBSE FM Group. For more information about the specific aims and activities of the network, visit www.cibse.org/fellowsnetwork.

The Presidential Address followed the CIBSE agm at which Peter Kinsella handed over to Nick Mead as the new president, and the president elect and vice presidents took office.

The senior CIBSE officers are: president: Nick Mead CEng FCIBSE; president elect: John Field MCIBSE; immediate past president: Peter Kinsella FCIBSE; treasurer: Stuart MacPherson FCIBSE; vice president: Paddy Conaghan FCIBSE; vice president: Prof Tadj Oreszczyn FCIBSE; and vice president:Cathie Simpson CEng FCIBSE

Pictured above: CIBSE president Nick Mead (left) receives his jewel of office from outgoing president Peter Kinsella