Graduate of the Year Helen Meutermans, with CIBSE President Fiona Cousins and ASHRAE President Dennis Knight
A spotlight was again shone on the brightest and best emerging talent in building services engineering at the CIBSE Young Engineers Awards (YEAs) 2024, held at BMA House in London.
The CIBSE ASHRAE Graduate of the Year award went to Helen Meutermans, a graduate mechanical engineer at AtkinsRéalis and alumna of the University of Sheffield. She captivated the audience with her compelling speech on how modern office environments must evolve to meet the needs of increasingly diverse occupants.
For the graduate award, the shortlisted contestants had to present on the theme of ‘What do you consider as the main implications for building performance of changing demographics, lifestyles, and the need to keep people safe, healthy and productive?’
It was the 34th running of the annual YEAs, which recognise exceptional young engineers, as well as the employers who nurture and support the next generation of industry leaders.
Taylor McLaughlin, Apprentice of the Year Level 3-4
This year’s event was hosted by Ewen Rose, director at McGowen Rose Associates, with prizes also presented to the best undergraduate and best apprentices at Level 3-4 and Level 5-7.
Karolina Prusicka, studying architectural engineering at the University of Sheffield, was named CIBSE Undergraduate of the Year 2024.
In the apprentice categories, Taylor McLaughlin, an HVAC service and maintenance engineer apprentice at CubicWorks, won the Level 3-4 award, while Dan Robins, a senior trainee at Aecom, claimed the Level 5-7 prize. These winners demonstrate how hands-on experience and technical expertise drive innovation within building services.
The awards event also featured a panel discussion, with early career engineers sharing their confidence and vision for the future.
Karolina Prusicka, CIBSE Undergraduate of the Year
Vision for the future
CIBSE CEO Ruth Carter led a panel discussion with early career engineers on the future of building services engineering and how it can achieve net zero goals.
Arup’s Lewis Turner highlighted how sustainability was driving his generation and that it was at the ‘heart of all the work we do’.
The variety of ideas in the industry was exciting Jess Sargent, a degree apprentice at AtkinsRéalis: ‘There’s such a broad range of solutions and innovation in our industry; it is really inspiring.’
Ruairi Devlin, engineering consultant at ESC, agreed, and drew attention to the critical role of engineers in achieving net zero: ‘Engineers have so much influence in design when it comes to energy performance and carbon emissions.’ He was optimistic about the future. ‘It’s never been so easy to network with people… we’re very lucky,’ he said.
Sargent also stressed the importance of collaboration, saying ‘we’re going to need to involve lots of different people at earlier stages to ensure that buildings have the ability to be flexible’.
Max McCone, vice-chair of CIBSE Global YEN and mechanical building services engineer at Mott MacDonald, highlighted the industry’s shift towards innovation and collaboration ‘We’re seeing many more fantastic new trends coming through in the industry,’ he said, before asking the more senior engineers in the audience: ‘What are you doing in your organisations to enable the young generation to contribute their ideas and take those forward into your projects?’
ASHRAE President Dennis Knight’s speech at the ceremony stressed the need to attract more talent to the field by promoting its rewarding career opportunities and impacts. ‘Lifelong learning has to be available to all of us, whether you’re a young engineer or a senior engineer,’ he said.
Dan Robins, Apprentice of the Year, Level 5-7
Knight had warm words for the finalists, saying they represented the next generation of leaders, thinkers and innovators in our field. ‘The future is in capable hands,’ he told the packed auditorium. ‘Thanks to each of you for being here; let’s celebrate your achievements, our industry’s achievements; and what we will do to solve the climate crisis and build better buildings for every human on this planet. We’ll do it together.’
CIBSE ASHRAE Graduate of the Year 2024:
1st place: Helen Meutermans won first place with a thought-provoking speech on the evolving requirements of modern office environments to keep people safe, healthy and productive. She believes the ‘one size fits all’ approach to designing buildings is outdated, as every occupant is unique, and focused on three often-overlooked groups: neurodivergent individuals, women going through menopause, and those experiencing mental health challenges.
She noted that noise sensitivity in neurodivergent people can make open-plan offices overwhelming, while women experiencing menopause may struggle with temperature control, leading to discomfort and reduced productivity. Designers should consider not only sustainability, but also comfort, Meutermans said, adding: ‘Why are we designing typical buildings when the typical person does not exist?’
She proposed cost-effective solutions, such as anti-glare lamps and biophilic design, and more advanced options, such as individual temperature control at desks. Her vision for the future includes offices where personal comfort is prioritised and tailored to users’ specific needs.
2nd place: Zoe Dickson, BMS project sales engineer at SSE Energy Solutions, took second place with a speech on the importance of building controls in shaping the future of smart buildings.
She emphasised how building controls are central to improving performance, safety and comfort in buildings, especially with the changing demographics and evolving needs of occupants. She also discussed the role of building management systems (BMS) in connecting systems such as lighting, air quality and occupancy, and how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are revolutionising the field.
In addition, Dickson highlighted challenges including an ageing workforce, lack of regulation, and the need for more awareness about the value of BMS. She urged industry leaders to prioritise building controls as a key way to improve building performance.
3rd place: Ikechukwu Umeokoli, a graduate mechanical engineer at AtkinsRéalis, came third with his speech on the impact of changing demographics and lifestyles on building performance. He highlighted how schools, among other sectors, are adapting to accommodate diverse cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds, and the growing trend for homeschooling, which has risen by 80% in the UK in the past five years.
He said: ‘Building performance is not just about sustainability and energy efficiency, but about meeting the needs of its occupants.’
Umeokoli proposed several solutions, including the use of acoustic panels to reduce distractions, smart thermostats for maintaining a comfortable environment, and proper ventilation to ensure good air quality.
The Young Engineers Awards also presented accolades for the best employers.