The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Fiona Cousins as its new President. Cousins, who currently holds several senior roles at Arup, brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to advancing sustainability and promoting building performance within the industry.
Cousins will be taking over the presidency from Adrian Catchpole, who she extends her heartfelt thanks to for his significant contributions, particularly in promoting STEM Ambassadors in schools and the certified practice initiatives. These efforts will continue to be a top priority for CIBSE under Cousins’ leadership.
“I am honored to take on the role of CIBSE President,” said Cousins. “These are challenging and complex times, and CIBSE has a crucial role to play in addressing the pressing issues of our time: climate change, social inequality, and declining biodiversity. Building services engineers have a broad impact, whether it be in lighting, vertical transportation, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, facade, or digital specialties, and we should be working towards addressing all of these issues.”
In her role as Americas Region Chair at Arup, Cousins has led numerous award-winning projects and has been recognized as a leader in the commercial real estate industry. Her vision for CIBSE includes expanding the traditional view of building performance to place greater emphasis on occupant well-being, air quality, acoustic performance, and resilience to climate change.
“Much of the work of building services engineers has been focused on energy use, where the relationship with climate change has been clear for a long time. It’s time to broaden that view and put more emphasis on other aspects. We spend most of our time indoors, and buildings can support our well-being through air quality, acoustic performance, lighting design, and environments that promote biophilia,” she emphasizes.
Cousins’ leadership at Arup’s Americas Region, which includes over 2,000 members across 16 offices, reflects her dedication to creating a sustainable and inclusive built environment. Her contributions to critical climate legislation and her advisory roles, including her appointment to the New York City Advisory Board for Local Law 97, further demonstrate her commitment to sustainability.
As the new President of CIBSE, Cousins plans to leverage her extensive experience to drive the institution’s mission forward, ensuring that building services engineers continue to lead the way in creating a sustainable and resilient built environment.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.