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EVENT | YOUNG ENGINEERS AWARDS TRIPLE CROWN The winners of the CIBSE Young Engineers Awards demonstrated that the building services industry has the talent and drive to deliver the safe and sustainable buildings necessary to meet the challenge of climate change. Alex Smith reports F or the first time, three engineers have been crowned winners at the CIBSE Young Engineers Awards, which were held last month. Judges named FairHeats Lucy Sherburn as CIBSE ASHRAE Graduate Engineer of the Year for her excellent live online presentation on the challenges engineers will have to overcome to deliver sustainable and safe environments for future generations. The title of Apprentice of the Year (Degree Level 5-7) was awarded to Josie Cheeseman, while Harry Playfair won the corresponding award for Technician Level 3-4. This was the first time the CIBSE Apprentice award had been split into two categories, reflecting the increased interest in apprenticeships as a route to a career in building services engineering. In his speech before the presentations, CIBSE President Kevin Kelly praised the extra apprentice award. As a former apprentice, Im particularly interested in this competition, he said. Apprenticeships enable you to earn and learn, they increase diversity, and young people create a responsive dynamic in the workplace and fresh ideas. The entrants recorded a film that was judged by an expert panel before the ceremony. Entries were of a very high standard, according to CIBSE Board Member and judge Vince Arnold. It was warming for us, as judges, to find the passion and excitement and the fact that all the apprentices said how grateful they were to their employers and colleagues for giving them the practical experience that comes with an apprenticeship, he said. The first prize in each of the apprentice categories was 500, with the runners- From left: CIBSE ASHRAE Graduate of the Year Lucy Sherburn; Apprentice of the Year (Technician Level 3-4) Harry Playfair, and Apprentice of the Year (Degree Level 5-7) Josie Cheeseman up each receiving 300 and the third-placed finalists receiving 200. Sherburn was one of eight graduate engineers who presented live at the virtual event, which mirrored the format of the live event that took place before the pandemic, at iMechEs headquarters in London. Speaking without slides, Sherburn said that inertia was the greatest challenge engineers would have to overcome to deliver sustainable and safe environments. Climate change is challenging existing natural environments, but society is resisting transformation, she added. Social inertia was preventing engagement in sustainability, Sherburn continued, in part because low carbon technologies were too complex. That inertia in regulations meant standards and guides were out of date, while in the 20 November 2021 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE Nov21 pp20-21 Young Engineer winners.indd 20 22/10/2021 15:27