Power Hours

In these fast-paced talks, from our ‘Power Hour’ events, we have a panel of speakers each with 8 minutes to present followed by a moderated panel discussion.We have a timer counting down from 1 hour and everything needs to be finished in that time!
Our past presentations can be found in the list below. These sessions are arranged by the Energy Performance Group Committee and feature special guests to present on a variety of topics.
To suggest an idea for a future presentation, either speak to the Committee members at the next meeting or email [email protected].
Past Presentations
Past Presentations in Detail
The electrification of buildings has been rising on the sustainability agenda in the past few years, one of the reasons is the decarbonisation of the electricity grid resulting in lower emissions than the gas grid. This has pushed the industry to look at ways that commercial buildings can electrify, and the effects this might have on the electricity grid.
We gathered three experts to talk on this subject including an overview of CIBSE’s TM 67, the importance of retrofitting with electrification in mind and the impact electrification could have on the electricity grid. There was also a panel discussion on questions submitted by the audience.
Speakers:
• Dr Tony Day, Energy Research Consultant, Tony Day
• Jennifer Elias, Principal Building Performance Engineer, AECOM
• Daniel Burke, SSE
There has been a growing demand in recent years for accurate operational energy predictions from initiatives such as Design for Performance and the push for net-zero carbon targets. This has pushed the industry to improve standardised approaches to energy performance calculations and reduce the performance gap.
In this Power Hour, three experts talk on this subject:
- Dr Nishesh Jain, UCL gives an ‘Overview of CIBSE TM61-64’
- Richard Tibenham, IES, provides ‘A software provider’s point of view’
- Dr Ruchi Choudhary, University of Cambridge gives a case study of ‘Digital twins in the built environment’
Dr Helen Gavin, Ricardo, hosted the event
You can see the slides used below:
Dr Nishesh Jain
Richard Tibenham
Dr Ruchi Choudhary
We gathered together experts in the field to talk on this subject. After each speaker set out their view, there was a question and answer session moderated by Helen Gavin (Ricardo).
Serene Esuroso, Carbon Trust: A brief overview of hydrogen for heating
Chris Train, CT Energy: Gas Goes Green: Decarbonising Heating
Ricard Lowes, Exeter University: Hydrogen for heat: the good the bad and the ugly
Heidi Genomi, Energy Advisory, Programme & Project Management, Arup: Hydrogen for Heating
Following a significant update to Part L buildings regulations that came into effect in June 2022, we invited EPG and YEPG members to join us as we took stock of the impact that these changes have had on the approach to building design.
We crafted a panel of speakers to offer perspectives from both a design and developer perspective and aim to give an overview of the updates to Part L and the impact this has had on design, whether it is challenging enough and whether there are any gaps. We discussed the developments of the Net Zero Carbon Building Standard and how this may address the potential shortcomings in regulation and ultimately drive regulation to be more ambitious.
The speakers were:
- Richard Tibenham, Business Development Manager at IES Environmental Solutions
- Samantha Carlsson, Senior Sustainability Manager at Derwent London
- Nektarios D. Gkanis, Senior Manager - Commercial Real Estate Lead at Carbon Trust
Energy prices have increased significantly in recent times and are projected to increase at unprecedented rates over the next few years. How can building service engineers be part of the solution? Should we be retrofitting existing properties, or demolishing homes and building to new regulations? And how can we make these solutions affordable for tenants as well as property owners / managers?
In this EPG Power Hour, four experts spoke on this subject:
• George Munson, Leeds City Council talks about “Leeds PIPES: Affordable Low Carbon District Heating. Surviving Market Volatility.”
• Brogan Watkins, Hoare Lea covers “Bryn Bragl: Pioneering Energy Positive Social Housing”
• Lisa Ann Pasquale, RetrofitWorks presents on the subject of “About PAS2035: Retrofit to relieve Fuel Poverty”
• Billy Cliffen, Turner & Townsend examines “Social Housing Retrofit”
Jake Attwood-Harris, Populo Living, Ricardo, hosted the event
CIBSE and LETI are now working together to produce a set of FAQs on the definitions, and we are running a survey about it, to make sure the definitions are applied consistently in as many real-life situations are possible, and that they deliver the right outcomes. CIBSE and LETI held an event on 8 November to hear people’s views on key questions on the meaning of Net Zero.
We gathered together experts in the field to talk on this subject. After each speaker set out their view, there was a question and answer session using questions posed by the live audience moderated by Helen Gavin (Ricardo).
Access the presentations:
Alastair Mumford, Devon City Council: Net Zero in Offices
Carl Brooks, CBRE: A Property Management Perspective on Net Zero
Debbie Hobbs, ISG: The Game & The Players?
Roger Macklin: CIBSE EPG Introduction
Simon Keen, Hogan Lovells: The Legal Perspective
Simon King, Mitie: Net Zero in Buildings Making it Happen
Access the presentations:
Antony Meanwell, Eon Energy: "Citigen Decarbonisation"
Bhav Patel, Vattenfall: "Performance of Heat Networks"
Henrietta Cooke, BEIS: "Low Carbon Heat Networks - Policy Environment"
Phil Jones, London South Bank University: "Heat Networks"