AEE’s Inaugural Technical Summit in London: A Convergence of Energy Excellence

AEE proudly hosted our first Technical Summit in London, England, on April 22, 2024. The event coincided with Earth Day and reaffirmed AEE’s commitment to energy efficiency, sustainability, and professional development.

The Summit began with a Keynote address from Bill Kent, Executive Director at AEE, and Josh Oxby, Energy Advisor, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST).

Kit Oung, Principal Consultant at OurWorld Solutions, then discussed the utilization of ISO 50001 as an alternative to ESOS compliance. Kit highlighted that 73% of global emissions can be removed using existing technologies, emphasizing building managers’ role in this emission reduction.

Lee Brownsword, Associate Director – Industrial and Environmental Policy at Ceramics UK, provided an overview of the sustainability challenges and opportunities faced by the UK ceramics manufacturing industry.

Following a networking lunch, Dr. Ruth Kerrigan, COO at Integrated Environmental Solutions Ltd, addressed the challenges in decarbonizing buildings, which produce 40% of global GHG emissions. Dr. Kerrigan highlighted the need for actionable plans and technology integration to help close the efficiency performance gap. 

The day’s final session included a panel moderated by Chris Foster, Associate Director – Sustainability, Turner & Townsend. Panelists Saeideh Kirby, Executive Director of Sustainable Operations EMEA at JLL, and Tom Ascough, Managing Director of Symphony Energy, discussed several challenges and solutions to decarbonization.

The day ended with a ceremony to celebrate the successful reactivation of the AEE UK Chapter and present Vilnis Vesma with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to Energy Engineering and AEE.

The first AEE Technical Summit was a resounding success, uniting industry leaders and energy professionals to discuss the future of sustainable energy. Through innovative sessions and meaningful networking, attendees gained valuable insights and strategies to advance sustainable energy practices and decarbonization efforts in the UK and around the world.

This article was originally published on April 26, 2024.