CIBSE appoints new president

Fiona Cousins has been appointed as the new President of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

Cousins, who holds several senior roles at Arup, brings extensive experience and a deep commitment to advancing sustainability and broadening the focus on building performance in the industry.

Cousins takes over the presidency from Adrian Catchpole, to whom she extends heartfelt thanks for his significant contributions, especially in promoting STEM Ambassadors in schools and the certified practice initiatives. These efforts will continue to be a priority for CIBSE under her leadership.

Cousins said of her appointment: “I am really excited about taking on the role of CIBSE President. These are volatile and complex times, and CIBSE has an enormous role in addressing the big challenges of our time: climate change, social inequity, and decreasing biodiversity. The breadth of impact of building services engineers, whether they be as lighting, vertical transportation, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, façade, or digital specialists, is such that we can and should be working towards addressing all of these issues.”

As the Americas Region Chair at Arup, Cousins has led numerous award-winning projects and has been recognised as a leading figure in the commercial real estate industry. Her vision for CIBSE includes building on the traditional view of building performance by putting more emphasis on occupant wellbeing, air quality, acoustic performance, and resilience to climate change.

She said: “Much of the work of building services engineers has been very sharply focused on energy use, where the relationship with climate change has long been clear. It’s time to broaden that view to put more emphasis on other things. We spend most of our lives indoors, and buildings can support our wellbeing through air quality, acoustic performance, lighting design, or environments that support biophilia.”

Cousins’ contributions to critical climate legislation and her advisory roles, including her appointment to the New York City Advisory Board for Local Law 97, further highlight her commitment to sustainability.

As the new President of CIBSE, Cousins aims to leverage her extensive experience to drive the institution’s mission forward, ensuring that building services engineers continue to lead the way in creating a sustainable and resilient built environment.