Opinion
Willing change
Our industry must not let the continuing recession prevent
it from taking the sustainability agenda forward, argues
CIBSE president Mike Simpson
take urgent steps to increase compliance in order to
I
t is now seven months since I became CIBSE
president, so has my view of the institution and realise the immediate energy and cost savings potential
the environment changed during that time? of these inspections. Only when we take real action
Well the answer has to be yes, in parts. The can we start to achieve quick and cheap cuts to overall
environment in which we operate is still as fi nancially emissions from lighting and buildings.
challenging as it was when I took up offi ce. Indeed, as There are many who predict that, when we emerge
I visit our own members and other institutions, there from the recession, building services will have a
is little optimism of ‘green shoots’ appearing in the new look: it will be focused firmly on the issues of
construction sector during 2010. climate change and working with new and emerging
Graduate recruitment seems to have dropped and technologies. The whole way projects are managed
we have to be careful we don’t build up a black hole may also be changed, with
of talent that will come back and bite us in years to engineers and contractors
come. It is important that we keep talent fl owing into being brought together with
There is now
the profession, fed by the universities. If these courses architects at the conception
stop because of lack of demand, it will be hard to get of a project, then able
a real will to
them started again. In the coming years the need for to contribute their own
tackle the challenges
properly trained and qualifi ed engineers will have to particular expertise to the
increase if we are to deliver on the climate change design and construction
of climate change. The
agenda. It has been encouraging to see our own Young process, ensuring only the
frustration is that the
Engineers Network thriving all over the country, and greenest ideas leave the
we should support them during their early days in the drawing board.
recession may put
profession. But while we have been
the breaks on change
Within the construction sector, CIBSE is highly very good at designing new
respected and recognised for the important role it has efficient buildings, the real
to play in tackling carbon emissions. In my Presidential challenge lies with the existing building stock, 70 per
Address back in May I urged the industry to rise to the cent of which will still be here in 2050. In particular,
double challenge of climate change and the recession, we must continue to find ways of delivering these
and this is still the case. Changing lifestyles and savings in older commercial and residential properties
greening the energy supply will of course be part of where the challenges are greater than with new build.
the mix of solutions if we are to make any headway At our own CIBSE headquarters (a Victorian house)
in reaching future carbon targets. Tackling the energy we have achieved signifi cant savings in energy from a
effi ciency of new buildings in the UK, and embracing number of traditional solutions. But we still need new
new lighting technology, is a win-win situation, as research to bring some of the theoretical solutions to
energy savings can pay back the capital investment. commercial reality.
But we must start now if we are to make any headway I believe there is now a real will to tackle these
in reaching these targets. challenges and a growing acceptance from the general
One frustration is the poor level of enforcement public that change is inevitable. The frustration is that
of the energy certification schemes and the lack of the economic climate may just put the brakes on and
enforcement of air conditioning inspections. Even as professionals charged with delivering the future we
when they are carried out, some reports are little more must not let that happen. ●
than ticked boxes. The missed opportunity of having
professional advice which, if acted on, will produce
Mike Simpson works for Philips Lighting as its technical
and design director
real savings, is lamentable. The government must
24 CIBSE Journal January 2010 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEjan10 pp24 opinion simpson.indd 24 17/12/09 16:09:31
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72