Congratulations to Gerard Keating on his chairmanship of another active and successful year for CIBSE RoI. We all know that success is not automatic, it requires work - most of which is in addition to the normal working day. So well done Gerard. I know you’ll be continuing your involvement with the committee over the coming year, which I’m sure you’ll enjoy as a past Chairman!

 Also, congratulations to the Committee again who continue to volunteer their time to maintain the success of CIBSE RoI. 

Thankfully we have a hard working committee of many talents, providing different perspectives:

• Consulting and Contracting perspectives reflecting the dual role of CIBSE in both design and Construction 
• Academic perspective promoting excellence in industry through education
• Experienced and Youthful perspectives

Not to mention the valued contributions of the past chairman who know what it takes to maintain the success of the region.

To those continuing their current roles on the committee, thanks for committing to another year and to those in new positions – Alan Duggan Vice Chairman, John Furlong - Treasurer, Keith Mellon Careers Officer thanks for accepting. I look forward to working with you all over the next year. 

To begin with, to re-affirm our role, I have taken an extract from the CIBSE HQ Five year plan (2008 – 2013) defining the role of Building Services Engineering and CIBSE: 

1. Building Services Engineering provides society with the engineering support to create the sustainable living and working environments which service our economies. 
2. CIBSE is an engineering institution which exists to support this overarching public interest through two primary areas of activity:

• Promoting competence in Building Services through education, training and registration of engineers.
• Delivering up-to-date knowledge of the practice of building services through its membership networks, publications and research.

As in past years, CIBSE RoI will continue to support the role of Building Services Engineering over the coming year.

Next I would like to outline the current context for Building Services Engineers and followed by the CPD focus for the coming year:

We are in changing times, both in economical and regulatory terms. We continue to face the uncertainty of the downturn in the economy and its impact on the Construction sector where many of our members find themselves unemployed having to re-think their future. 

We also have changes on the regulatory front driven by the interrelated challenges of Climate Change and Security of Energy supply: 

A sample of recent changes include:

• ESB Conditions governing micro-generation (Feb 2006)
• Building Energy Rating for dwellings (Jan 2007)
• Building Energy Rating for non-domestic dwellings ( 1 July 2008)
• Incentives for micro-generation to encourage the on-site generation of electricity in homes and farms across Ireland (Feb 2009)

Expected changes in the near future include:

• 2010 Edition of BR Part L for Domestic Buildings expected to reduce Energy consumption by 60% over 2005 BR Part L baseline (Current 2007 BR Part L is 40% reduction on 2005)
• 2010 Edition of BR Part L for Non domestic Buildings expected to follow similar path to domestic in reducing building’s energy consumption.

These changes are part of an emerging vision of the future:  

• Carbon Neutral Domestic Buildings 2013
• Carbon Neutral Non Domestic Buildings 2016-2019
• Carbon Neutral Buildings (2019 – EU Parliament have recently agreed revisions to the EPBD)
• Smart Electricity Grids – Paradigm shift from Centralised generation towards Distributed generation

The significant challenge for our industry, over the coming years is to create more energy efficient and sustainable buildings to meet both regulatory and Client requirements, not withstanding, the normal project constraints including architectural vision (form, fabric, orientation) and the budget. This requires rigorous interactions with the Architect at the concept stage to ensure their vision for the building and Client requirements are aligned with the regulatory constraints. 

Following on from this year’s Conference (entitled ‘Delivering Energy Efficient Buildings – The 2010 Objective’) we will continue to support the industry with these challenges over the coming year. Hence, the CPD programme will focus on the methods by which we can achieve the dual target of more energy efficient buildings together with regulatory compliance. 

Where appropriate and feasible the programme will include joint seminars with fellow institutions. Maintaining links and communication with fellow Institutions will remain an important activity over the coming year. I look forward to working with Niall Bourke and our Electrical Convenor to implement the programme. 

Now, I would like to outline other CIBSE RoI activities for the coming year.

Research:

The outgoing CIBSE President, Prof. Swaffield said in his presidential address last year, ‘If CIBSE is to become the recognised professional institution dealing with both the carbon and water aspects of climate-change response, we need to enhance our research involvement so that our input to the design process and our contribution to legislation and policy is based on research based foundations’. Indeed, I have heard this message before from our colleague and past chairman, Kevin Kelly. 

In this regard, I plan to work with Kevin to initiate and develop aspects of Building Services in Ireland that would be appropriate for research. As Kevin has said ‘It can just be about bringing rigour to what you are already doing in the company’ – So, we’d be glad to hear from any company or person wishing to collaborate with a third level institution on particular aspects of building services where evaluation (with appropriate rigour) of innovative design will enhance the Building Services Engineering input to the design.

Membership

Part of the overall Institution’s plan is to extend membership of CIBSE to all those engaged in the building services industry and also to encourage members to progress to the most appropriate grade of their membership. Hence to facilitate our members here, a Membership briefing session will be held in Sept / Oct (date to be confirmed) to assist Engineers on the path to Chartered status.

Careers / Young Engineers Network 

Keith Melon will taking over from John Furlong as Careers Officer. Keith will promote CIBSE in particular to young second level students and with graduates to encourage continued membership of CIBSE throughout their careers. He will also be our YEN representative charged with developing the Young Engineers Network for CIBSE in Ireland. 

Society of Light and Lighting (SLL)

Kevin Kelly and Keith Sunderland will continue to represent the SLL over the coming year. I look forward to the inaugural CIBSE / SLL Irish Lighter Competition Final in DIT, Bolton Street tomorrow evening 30^th April. Well done to the SLL organizers (Kevin, Keith and Co.) and all participants.

Sustainable Design Awards

Again, I look forward to the inaugural Sustainable Design Awards later this year - Abstracts are invited from practising engineers and companies by 31^st May 2009. 

Both this inaugural event and the CIBSE / SLL Irish Lighter Competition will help to promote competition and excellence within the industry.

Initiatives from last year:

We will be continuing with a number of initiatives started last year:

• a committee member to shadow present members in their current role to ensure all sectors are represented at every meeting.. 
• the sub-committee to monitor, review and report to the main committee on pertinent legislative issues
• Margaret Dolan to remain as our representative on the Buildings Directive committee.

Regions

Michael McNerny is to continue as the Regions Co-ordinator supporting our colleagues in Limerick, Cork and Waterford - Liam Kavanagh, Tadgh Hickey and Mervyn Doyle. Galway Region Rep position is still open and we hope to recruit some-one from this area in the near future – interested parties pls contact on CIBSE RoI Hon Secretary  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Golf and Christmas Lunch

The CIBSE Golf outing will take place on the 4^th September at Edmonstown Golf Club – thanks to Gerald O’Callaghan  for organizing. 

Derek Mowlds our Social Secretary will again be organizing the Christmas Lunch for 4^th December 2009. 

To conclude…….

It is estimated that buildings account for 50% of all carbon emissions. The Building Services Engineer plays a significant role in combating the challenges of Climate Change and Security of Energy supply by:

• influencing the architecture of a building, 
• engineering energy efficient systems, 
• providing the capability for Building Occupiers to monitor buildings 
• incorporating renewable energy where appropriate 

CIBSE will continue to support industry to combat these challenges.

Finally, I’m honoured to be elected CIBSE Chairman for the Republic of Ireland and look forward to representing the committee and the members in our region over the coming year. 

Go raibh maith agaibh. 3