Bringing Buildings Alive with CIBSE Ireland

Delivering mega healthcare infrastructure requires strategic multi-office alignment and resilient project leadership. Success in complex building services engineering depends on early site clearance, integrated multidisciplinary design, and adaptable project execution models. Navigating vast spatial scales and technical demands requires balancing clinical functionality with long-term engineering vision.Host Derek Mowlds welcomes Jack Quinn, Director at Arup, to discuss the delivery journey of the National Children’s Hospital in Dublin. Jack Quinn shares essential perspectives on leading multidisciplinary teams across major international offices.THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTManaging complex site clearance and utility tunnel diversions.Coordinating large engineering teams across multiple international offices.Integrating multidisciplinary design teams for complex healthcare facilities.Designing distributed plant rooms and spatial clinical stacking layout.Navigating mega project contracts and commissioning early access areas.GUEST DETAILSJack Quinn serves as Director at Arup, where he leads major building services and healthcare infrastructure initiatives. With over two decades of engineering experience, he has directed complex technical site clearance programmes, multi-office engineering teams, and large scale hospital delivery projects across Europe.Contact Jack: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jack-quinn-106b0542MORE INFORMATIONCIBSE (the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) is the professional body that exists to advance and promote the art, science and practice of building services engineering. Their mission is to invest in education and research, and to support their community of built environment professionals in their pursuit of excellence. Find out more: CIBSE WebsiteBringing Buildings Alive was produced by dustpod.io for CIBSE IrelandQUOTESI'm not naive enough to think that mega projects are never going to be without their challenges. - Jack QuinnWe're just trying to build a building here, you know, and that's the reality. - Jack QuinnWe like to do projects that add something good back to the world. -  Jack QuinnKEYWORDS#NationalChildren’sHospital#MegaProjectEngineeringDelivery#MultidisciplinaryHospitalDesign#BuildingServicesCommissioning

Ireland faces a critical infrastructure bottleneck where grid connection delays directly stall vital housing developments and industrial expansions. Unlocking private wire networks offers a direct bypass to these grid constraints, allowing localised renewable energy to power adjacent developments. This discussion explores the competing legislative bills, regulatory pathways via the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, and the engineering reality of decentralised power systems.Energy specialists Fergus Wheatley of SmartPower and Patrick Liddy of Managed Power join the platform to share expert insights on how Ireland can transition from a rigid state-controlled grid to a dynamic, resilient energy ecosystem.THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT- Defining private wires and current legal barriers in Ireland- Section 39 licensing obstacles under the ESB Regulation Act- Comparing the Barry Heneghan bill with the government scheme- Successful private wire frameworks across various European countries- Engineering safety, planning permission, and wayleave requirementsGUEST DETAILS Fergus Wheatley acts as a tireless champion for private wires legislation. He co-founded SmartPower, an energy procurement and consultancy business, where he applies his deep experience in commodity trading to the energy sector.Social Media: linkedin.com/in/ferguswheatleyWebsites:  smartpower.ie  & privatewires.ie  Patrick Liddy is the Electricity Markets Manager at Managed Power, he also serves as the Chief Executive Officer for The Demand Response Association of Ireland, where he facilitates greater renewable energy integration by helping grid customers provide vital flexibility.Social Media: linkedin.com/in/patrick-liddy-36559310 Website: managedpower.ie MORE INFORMATIONCIBSE (the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) is the professional body that exists to advance and promote the art, science and practice of building services engineering. Their mission is to invest in education and research, and to support their community of built environment professionals in their pursuit of excellence.  Find out more: CIBSE Website Bringing Buildings Alive was produced by dustpod.io for CIBSE Ireland QUOTES- The pace at which we want to build houses outstrips the ability of the ESB to get wires built. Allowing private industry to build these things would allow development to progress much faster. - Patrick Liddy- In 27 years, there's not been a single private wire licensed in Ireland. - Fergus Wheatley- So a private wire is a wire, and they are illegal in Ireland right now. - Patrick Liddy- If we get this legislation passed, it's up to the CRU then to say, all right, that's allowed. - Fergus WheatleyKEYWORDS  #PrivateWires#GridConstraints#ESBNetworks#BatteryStorageIntegration#PrivateWiresBill

Building a successful career in engineering often feels like navigating a maze without a map. Young professionals frequently struggle to reconcile their academic background with the practical demands of the construction industry. We explore how to embrace the variety of modern projects and why professional development does not have to be an overwhelming burden.We are joined by Max McCone, engineer at Mott MacDonald and past Global Chair for the CIBSE Young Engineers Network. Max shares his journey from initial career uncertainty to industry leadership, offering a refreshing look at how to build a career that remains both challenging and rewarding.THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTWhy engineering is the ultimate career for problem solversManaging the transition from university to full time workHow the CIBSE YEN network accelerates professional growthStrategies to simplify the chartership application processWhy soft skills often outweigh technical expertiseGUEST DETAILSMax McCone is an engineer at Mott MacDonald and the past Global Chair for the CIBSE Young Engineers Network. He has led the CIBSE YEN committee through periods of significant growth and was instrumental in connecting young professionals across different regions. Max is a chartered engineer known for his focus on digital transformation and collaborative leadership.MORE INFORMATIONCIBSE (the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) is the professional body that exists to advance and promote the art, science and practice of building services engineering. Their mission is to invest in education and research, and to support their community of built environment professionals in their pursuit of excellence. Find out more: CIBSE WebsiteBringing Buildings Alive was produced by dustpod.io for CIBSE IrelandQUOTESThere are so many people who are more than capable of being chartered engineers, and it is just one of those things of going. If you sit down, you do the report, you will be surprised by how many things that you will naturally have done. - Max McConeMentorship, you do not need to be exactly like someone, or you do not need to want to be exactly like someone for them to be able to be a really effective mentor for you. - Max McConePeople skills, and just being able to recognise that people in your career are people too, and you do not need to approach every meeting or every conference or thing like a business meeting. - Max McConeKEYWORDS #Engineering#CareerDevelopment#Chartership#YoungEngineerNetworking#BuildingServicesLeadership

Historically, buildings were designed for function, not for the 90% of time people spend inside them, leading to a critical health and performance gap in the built environment.The solution is a new focus on human health and wellbeing, moving beyond traditional green building certifications to create spaces that actively support occupants. This episode reveals the crucial distinctions between WELL and standards like LEED, provides tactical insights for MEP engineers, and explores the clear return on investment for clients.We are joined by Mona Duff, Director of EMEA Client Success at the International WELL Building Institute. Mona is a trusted colleague who was instrumental in bringing the WELL standard to Ireland and is the first WELL Accredited Professional in the country.THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTWELL is for people, LEED for planetIncreased ventilation raises productivityContinuous air quality monitoring benefitsWell certification provides accountabilityNew One WELL version for usersGUEST DETAILSMona is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of CIBSE, and a leading voice in sustainable and health-focused building design. As a technical team lead for the EMEA region at the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), she manages a multidisciplinary team to scale wellness-focused engineering solutions globally.With a career that began as a mechanical engineer at Arup specialising in advanced energy modelling for projects, Mona now drives the evolution of regional WELL requirements, with a particular focus on MEP features.A bilingual communicator, she spearheads business development across Ireland and Germany. Closer to home, Mona is a dedicated volunteer for CIBSE Ireland, consistently advocating for a resilient, planet-first built environment.Contact Mona: Email: [email protected] Website: www.wellcertified.com MORE INFORMATIONCIBSE (the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) is the professional body that exists to advance and promote the art, science and practice of building services engineering. Their mission is to invest in education and research, and to support their community of built environment professionals in their pursuit of excellence. Find out more: CIBSE WebsiteBringing Buildings Alive was produced by dustpod.io for CIBSE IrelandQUOTESThe environment just has such a profound impact on our health and wellbeing and our day to day life. - Mona DuffVery simply said, LEED is for the planet and WELL is for people. - Mona DuffHigher ventilation rates increase employee productivity anywhere from six and a half thousand to seven and a half thousand US dollars per person per year. - Mona DuffKEYWORDS #BuildingServices #HealthInBuildings #WELLStandard #IndoorAirQuality #WellbeingDesign

You can watch the full video episode of this conversation over on the CIBSE YouTube Channel.Lighting design is often reduced to basic illumination levels, ignoring the complex relationship between human perception, health, and the built environment. This narrow focus misses the opportunity to create spaces that truly support occupant well-being and productivity.This episode explores the critical shift from traditional illumination methods to modern, evidence-based lighting design. We discuss why a multidisciplinary approach is essential for high-performance buildings and how new metrics like Main Room Surface Excellence are changing how we define quality lighting.Professor Kevin Kelly, Emeritus at TU Dublin and past CIBSE President, joins us alongside Dr. James Duff, Associate Director at Arup, to break down the science of light. They discuss the urgent need to prioritize daylight and quality over sheer quantity, drawing on years of research to provide actionable insights for practitioners.THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTDefining the role of an independent lighting consultant.Shifting from illumination efficiency to illumination hierarchy.The impact of blue light and glazing on human health.Why modern standards often prevent bad, not good, outcomes.Designing lighting for biodiversity and perceived safety.GUESTS DETAILSProfessor Kevin Kelly is a Past President of SLL and CIBSE, a recipient of the CIBSE Gold Medal, and a Professor Emeritus at TU Dublin. He is a recognized authority on lighting research and education, having spent his career advancing the science and practice of lighting engineering.Dr. James Duff is an Associate Director at Arup and a leading expert in lighting design. With 17 years of experience, he specializes in the interaction between humans and daylight, focusing on design thinking and sensory exploration to create meaningful, high-performance environments.MORE INFORMATIONCIBSE (the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) is the professional body that exists to advance and promote the art, science and practice of building services engineering. Their mission is to invest in education and research, and to support their community of built environment professionals in their pursuit of excellence. Find out more: CIBSE WebsiteBringing Buildings Alive was produced by dustpod.io for CIBSE IrelandQUOTESEverything you see, you see, because it's illuminated, so you'll see nothing unless it's illuminated, whether it's by daylight or artificial light. - Kevin KellyLighting is interesting in that you get little fingerprint on very many things. - James DuffAt best, I think lighting is undervalued, and at worst, I think there's an indifference to lighting. - Kevin KellyIt's so common to hear there's 200 lux, there's 100 lux, that's 300 lux towards something that's a little bit more holistic. - James DuffKEYWORDS #LightingDesign#HumanCentric#BuildingServices#DaylightDesign#LightingResearch