Marcus Hazelwood from the Clear Haze Exchange podcast recently sat down with Dr Anastasia Mylona, Technical Director at CIBSE, to discuss how building services engineering is shaping a sustainable future. The conversation covered key technical challenges, regulatory developments and innovations that are driving the sector forward.
Dr Mylona began by highlighting CIBSE’s role as a globally representative body for building services engineers. She emphasized the institution’s commitment to advancing technical knowledge, supporting professional development, and promoting sustainable practices across the built environment. This global perspective underpins CIBSE’s work in guiding engineers on complex challenges and emerging opportunities within the sector.
A major focus of the discussion was on Part O regulations, which aim to mitigate overheating risks in buildings, and the critical role of embodied carbon in reducing emissions. Dr Mylona stressed that understanding and managing embodied carbon is essential for achieving net zero goals and creating sustainable building outcomes. She also explored how artificial intelligence is transforming the engineering industry, from data analysis to innovative design approaches. While AI offers enormous potential, she noted that gaps in current regulations need to be addressed to ensure its effective and responsible implementation.
Sustainable cooling strategies were highlighted as a key priority for future buildings. Dr Mylona emphasized that climate adaptation requires effective communication to raise awareness and strong collaboration between industry and academia to enhance technical guidance. She also reflected on the value of professional development and the importance of empowering young engineers to contribute fresh ideas and solutions. Additionally, she shared insights into CIBSE’s achievements in developing carbon methodology and advancing knowledge resources such as weather data, which continue to support the sector’s evolution.
Looking ahead, Dr Mylona outlined future priorities, including net zero standards, sustainable refrigerant use, and the continued enhancement of technical guidance for building design. Her insights demonstrated how combining expertise, innovation, and collaboration is essential to addressing the challenges of climate change and driving sustainability within the built environment.
This conversation with Dr Anastasia Mylona underscores CIBSE’s role in leading the building services sector toward a sustainable and innovative future globally, highlighting the institution’s commitment to technical excellence, knowledge sharing and empowering the next generation of engineers.
Watch the full interview below: