CIBSE President Fiona Cousins Discusses Future of Building Services Engineering in Podcast Interview
CIBSE’s President, Fiona Cousins, recently shared her insights on the future of building services engineering in an episode of “Behind the Built Environment,” a podcast hosted by BESA’s CEO, David Frise. The engaging interview, which took place on Thursday, October 31, 2024, highlighted the critical need for a broader perspective in building services engineering, with a focus on carbon reduction, biodiversity, and social value.
During the podcast, Fiona emphasised the importance of incorporating these aspects into the core of building services engineering, beyond just cost and efficiency. She also discussed the evolving demands of clients for decarbonisation and carbon neutrality, and the need for professionals to integrate safety, climate change, and societal impacts into their design goals. This approach aims to prevent issues like those revealed in the Grenfell Report and ensure responsible and sustainable growth in the sector.
Fiona stated, “Building services engineers have the potential to create safer and more sustainable buildings if they adopt a broader perspective.” She challenged the engineering community to “lift their eyes to the horizon” and consider social needs, biodiversity, and embodied carbon in their work.
Reflecting on her career, Fiona noted that the definition of “good” has significantly changed over the years, with decarbonisation becoming a key focus for clients. In her role as CIBSE President, Fiona has called for a “reimagining” of building performance, which she believes will unlock the full potential of building services engineers to address vital social issues, such as health, wellbeing, and productivity.
Throughout the interview, Fiona stressed the need for collaboration between BESA and CIBSE to enhance public understanding of the positive impact building services engineering has on people’s lives. “We need people to understand more about what enables them to live their best lives while in buildings,” she remarked. “More value needs to be attached to good buildings – those that provide comfort, mitigate climate change, and support health and wellbeing.”
Fiona concluded by emphasising the crucial role building services engineers play in ensuring proper ventilation, safety, and comfort in the spaces people inhabit, and how these aspects should be valued more than they have been in the past.
To watch the full interview, please visit https://www.cibse.org/news-and-policy/cibse-blog/cibse-president-fiona-cousins-discusses-the-future-of-building-services-engineering-in-podcast-interview.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.