AUE Conference 2024

This year’s AUE Conference took place at University of Surrey, between 4th and 6th September.  The theme was Engineering Technology, Efficiencies and Innovations for Tomorrow’s Estate.

                                         

 

Attendees including delegates, retirees and spouses totalled 82.  Topics of plenary sessions ranged from Net-Carbon Zero with Smart Technologies, the Future of Maintenance, Legionella Control and CIBSE Guide M.  There was also a choice of workshops to attend from Sustainability in Lighting, Digital Twins, Transformer Decarbonisation and more.  (Full details and pdfs below).  The sessions were held throughout all of Thursday and also Friday morning.

 

Our accommodation was on the hillside in University Court (some of us enjoyed hearing the nearby trains!).  YourVision Events and university staff were on hand to ensure the conference ran smoothly.  We all met over breakfast in the aptly named Hillside Restaurant. There was ample parking for those of us who chose to drive to the conference and there was a shuttle service laid on from the nearby Guildford train station.

 

Exhibitors and delegates attended Wednesday afternoon's excursions which included visits to Silent Pool Gin Distillery and Albury Vineyard, Brooklands Aviation and Motoring Museum or Loseley Park.  The official opening of the Trade Exhibition was held at the end of the day in the Austin Pearce Building, whereafter we enjoyed an informal Welcome Dinner by the lake.

 

The whole conference was an excellent opportunity for delegates and exhibitors to network face-to-face and many mutually beneficial contacts were made. 

The plenary sessions were hosted by Kate Bellingham (nice to welcome her back!)

                                         

 

The more formal Gala Drinks Reception and Gala Dinner took place on Thursday evening within the stunning Guildford Cathedral.  Our Gala Dinner Speaker was Bonita Norris.  Two awards were presented during the dinner – the Harland Roberts Award best apprentice/trainee/improver was presented to Kevin Cameron of University of Edinburgh and the John Hallett Award was presented to Jeni Stevenson for her outstanding support of the AUE over the past 18 years initially as South West Regional Chair and then National Vice Chair leading to National Chair since 2020.  Many congratulations to them both.

 

We must extend a huge “thank you” to Nik Smith and Brian Hunter of University of Surrey, the Conference Sub-Group and YourVision Events for organising such a lively conference.

                                   

 

As always, we are indebted to our Sponsors and Exhibitors, without whom the conference could not take place.  Please click here for contact details/profiles.

 

Charity

This year the AUE are proud to be supporting the St Helier and Surrey Kidney Patients Association (SHSKPA).  To help raise funds, a special fundraiser game was organised for the Gala Dinner “Heads or Tails”.  Attendees at this year’s AUE Conference donated a total of £1,065 to this worthwhile cause.

 

 

The conference provides an excellent opportunity to catch up with colleagues new and old, where you will get to meet in person the people that you have seen on a Virtual CPD session or that you correspond with via JISCMail.  There is always someone to help you with a problem you might be facing, or better still, you can offer to help another member with a problem they might be facing.

 

The AGM held on the Thursday is a crucial opportunity for all full members to come together and contribute to the future of the AUE.  Participation in the AGM is not only your right but essential to the growth of the AUE, ensuring we represent the diverse views and interests of our entire membership.

 

The Conference concluded with a presentation by Sam Heppell, inviting us to the 2025 AUE Conference at University of Northumbria between 3rd and 5th September 2025.  (Look out on the Home page of the website for more information and your chance to qualify for the limited early bird rate.)  See you there! 

 

Slideshow

 

Video highlights of Conference 2024

 

PLENARY SESSIONS (pdfs are attached below)

Plenary Session 1: A bright future for net-carbon zero with smart technologies

by Prof S Ravi P Silva, Director of the Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) and Head of NanoElectronics Centre, University of Surrey

 

Plenary Session 2: The Future of Maintenance - Challenge or Opportunity

by Greg Markham BEng(Hons) CEng FIHEEM MIET MIWFM, Estates and Assets Director, Serco Health

 

Plenary Session 3: Legionella Control, Contemporary Challenges for Contractors & Operators

by John Mee MWMSOC, Risk Assessment Technical Manager, SMS Environmental and Michael Crook MSc, CEO, SMS Environmental

 

Plenary Session 4: CIBSE Guide M and the future of buildings

by David Stevens, Vice President, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)

 

Plenary Session 5: Let's Get Physical

by Fran Scott, Scientist, Engineer and Presenter

 

 

Workshop Session 1A: Using the IoT/Smart Buildings to increase operational efficiency: Carbon, Cost & Compliance

by Gareth Chaplin, Head of Energy and SUstainability, Prefect Controls

 

Workshop Session 1B: The Role of Performance Digital Twins in Achieving Net-Zero Campus Estates

by Erik Archer, Associate Director, IES Ltd

 

Workshop Session 1C: Improving Sustainability on Campus through Connected Lighting

by Andy Etherton, Strategic Solutions Manager for Campus, Urbis Schreder

 

Workshop Session 2A: Sustainability in Lighting

by Graeme Shaw, Technical Director UK & Ireland, Zumbotel Group

 

Workshop Session 2B: The use of LoRaWAN wireless technology to deliver extensive, up to 30%, energy and carbon savings, and wellbeing improvements in existing, especially listed, buildings

by Steve Loughney, Technical Direct

 

Workshop Session 2C: Transformer Decarbonisation: Life Cycle Assessment Study

by Aya Alfawaris, Head of Group Marketing & Sustainability, Wilson Power Solutions