The digital construction and building services sector is increasingly shaped by international collaboration, research-driven innovation, and the urgent need to address climate resilience in the built environment. A recent example of this commitment came through the international lecture series of Professor Dejan Mumovic, CIBSE Board Member and leading authority on building performance in education.
Professor Mumovic’s tour across Australia, which included lectures and presentations in Sydney, Brisbane, and at major academic institutions, brought forward pioneering insights into indoor environmental quality, operational energy modelling, and the future of resilient school building design. His visit not only represented the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) on a global stage but also helped forge stronger ties between UK and Australian building services engineering communities.
Building resilience in school design
At the University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney, Professor Mumovic delivered lectures on the pressing issue of climate resilience in the education sector. His talks emphasised that resilience in school buildings must extend beyond withstanding physical climate stressors. Instead, buildings must actively foster environments that:
- Support student health and wellbeing
- Enhance cognitive performance and learning outcomes
- Balance mitigation, adaptation, and indoor environmental quality
The role of indoor environmental quality
Professor Mumovic explored the influence of air quality, thermal comfort, natural and artificial lighting, and acoustics on student performance. He stressed that optimising these factors is not only a design challenge but also a policy imperative for education and construction stakeholders worldwide.
The Modelling Platform for Schools (MPS)
A highlight of Professor Mumovic’s lectures was his presentation of the Modelling Platform for Schools (MPS), a pioneering automated framework that simulates all 23,000 schools in England.
This research initiative enables policymakers, designers, and engineers to:
- Assess the unintended consequences of climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
- Evaluate their impact on student performance and health outcomes.
- Create evidence-based roadmaps for future-ready, sustainable school design.
The five-year research roadmap presented by Professor Mumovic is set to advance how digital tools and building performance models inform global education infrastructure strategies.
Operational energy modelling and CIBSE TM54
In Brisbane, Professor Mumovic addressed the CIBSE ANZ Committee and delivered a session at the ARBSQLD Exhibition on the vital topic of operational energy performance.
Evaluating energy performance at the design stage
His presentation on CIBSE Technical Memorandum 54 (TM54): Evaluating Operational Energy Performance of Buildings at the Design Stage highlighted:
- The importance of accurate early-stage simulation for predicting real-world operational energy use.
- The need for robust building services design principles to avoid the “performance gap” between predicted and actual energy outcomes.
- How TM54 provides a structured, step-by-step methodology to ensure that modelling outputs remain relevant, reliable, and aligned with project energy performance targets.
With operational energy performance modelling becoming central to project briefs across the construction sector, TM54 is proving an essential tool for engineers, consultants, and policymakers aiming to deliver buildings that perform as intended.
Strengthening international collaboration and knowledge exchange
Professor Mumovic’s tour underlined the growing importance of cross-border collaboration in digital construction and building services engineering. Key outcomes included:
- Engagement with CIBSE Young Engineers Network ANZ, encouraging student membership and resource sharing.
- Opportunities for collaboration on NABERS Commitment Agreement modelling, including the use of CIBSE TM54 and microclimate data.
- Academic introductions that will strengthen CIBSE’s engagement with Australian universities and foster the next generation of engineers.
His Lunch and Learn session in Brisbane also provided a platform to discuss the future of building services education, addressing the skills and knowledge shifts needed to meet evolving industry demand.
Professor Dejan Mumovic’s lecture series in Australia reinforced the role of evidence-based research, digital modelling, and operational energy performance frameworks in shaping the future of building services engineering. By focusing on the resilience of school buildings, the importance of indoor environmental quality, and the practical application of CIBSE TM54, his work is helping drive the sector towards healthier, more sustainable, and higher-performing environments.
The visit also marked a significant step in strengthening international collaboration between CIBSE and global academic and professional communities. As the construction industry faces the twin challenges of climate change and digital transformation, these knowledge exchanges will remain essential for advancing best practice worldwide.
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