The 2nd Annual CIBSE UAE Building Services Awards 2021, digitally broadcast from Dubai on April 8, drew an audience of representatives from the construction and HVACR industries. Though COVID-19 confined the show to a virtual platform, the ceremony had a palpable energetic vibe to it.

The Awards exercise, held under the theme, ‘Designing with a Purpose’, received 40 nominations across five categories. In addition, eight universities participated in the student design competition, of which four were shortlisted. CIBSE UAE assembled a distinguished team of five judges from the CIBSE headquarters, in the United Kingdom, and industry experts from the region.

Following the grind of the evaluation process, CIBSE UAE hosted the ceremony, with an opening speech by Farah Naz, Chair, CIBSE UAE. “At CIBSE UAE, we acknowledge and support the measures adopted by the UAE’s health authorities to contain COVID-19,” she said. “Therefore, this is the first time we are holding a Virtual Awards Ceremony, and we truly appreciate your support.” Speaking of the event, Naz said: “Today is a very important day, as we celebrate our Second CIBSE UAE Awards Ceremony for the UAE Built[1]Environment and First Student Design Competition. As CIBSE, we seek to lead, inspire, champion and empower the present built-environment and the future generation. Todays’ award ceremony is a testimony to this cause.”

Imran Shaikh, Vice Chair, CIBSE UAE, addressing the audience, said: “The CIBSE UAE Awards recognise the people, products and the projects that demonstrate engineering excellence in the built-environment. They are the only awards that focus on actual, measured performance outcomes and not just design intent or performance specifications.”

By way of explaining the assessment set-up and process, he said: “The assessment set up and the process was created to select the winner based on their merit and achievements in the past year. A minimum threshold of 60% was set for each category to ensure that the entries shortlisted are quality entries and meet submission requirements. Some of the submissions did not meet the minimum threshold and, hence, were not considered in the shortlisting. In some categories, I would say, none of the entries met the threshold, and so those categories were disqualified altogether.”

Climate Control Middle East was Media Partner of the ceremony. Here, we present the event to you in pictures…

Members of the Jury:

• Tim Dwyer, Honorary Professor, UCL London, and Technical Editor CIBSE Journal
• Hywel Davies, Technical Director, CIBSE HQ
• Majd Fayyad, Technical Manager, Emirates Green Building Council
• Shajahan Sahabdeen, MEP Manager, Al Wasl Group
• Farhan Juratli, Project Manager, Nakheel

Graduate of the year, 2021

Winner: CZARINA COPIACO, BURO HAPPOLD

Runner-up:

OMAR DARWISH, GRFN CONSULTANTS

YOUNG ENGINEER OF THE YEAR, 2021

Winner: ANN ELEZABETH JOHNY, AURECON

Runner-up:

CHRISTIAN GLEN-JONES, BLACK AND WHITE ENGINEERING

ANSH SINGH, WSP MIDDLE EAST

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR 2021

Winner: POLYPIPE MIDDLE EAST

Runner-up:

GRUNDFOS MIDDLE EAST

CIBSE STUDENTS DESIGN COMPETITION 2021

Winner: BEYOND ZERO TEAM , MANIPAL UNIVERSITY, DUBAI

Runner-up:

HERIOT WATT UNIVERSITY, DUBAI

CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR 2021

Winner: WSP MIDDLE EAST

Runner-up: WME