Ideal Commercial Heating is proud to have once again sponsored the prestigious Engineer of the Year category at the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Building Performance Awards (BPA) 2026, held on 5th March at the Park Plaza in London.
Recognised as one of the most respected events in the built environment calendar, the awards celebrate excellence in building performance, innovation and the people driving the industry forward. With a strong emphasis on measured performance and real-world outcomes, the awards continue to highlight the role of engineering in delivering more efficient, sustainable buildings.
This year’s Engineer of the Year award was presented by our very own Richard Brown, Head of Specification Sales, to Miriam Ozanne who, until recently, was Regional Director for AECOM’s Building Performance Group and has now become an Independent Building Performance Consultant operating under Ozanne Consulting.
Miriam was recognised by the judges for her outstanding contribution to improving building performance and helping clients decarbonise their estates. Through her work, she has developed practical, data-driven strategies that bridge the gap between design intent and in-use performance, delivering measurable energy and carbon savings across high-profile projects.
Her portfolio includes work with organisations such as the BBC, the Crown Estate and HMRC, where she has helped implement net zero roadmaps and optimise operational performance. At 20 Fenchurch Street in London, her team’s recommendations which were implemented by the building management team contributed to a 17% reduction in landlord energy consumption, while at BBC Scotland’s Pacific Quay headquarters she helped deliver a 95% reduction in heating and cooling carbon emissions.
Commenting on her win, Miriam said: “It’s amazing to win. I was happy just to be shortlisted! On a personal level, the process has been a nice opportunity to examine the arc of my career. It’s so easy to get caught up the present, that we rarely get an opportunity to reflect on our journey. In my case, I’ve had a diverse career, including voluntary work in the Middle East, I’ve worked client side and more recently I have been growing new types of services in the industry. I firmly believe we need to break down the divide between building designers and operators and work more collaboratively. So much of building a new vision and new services depends on a great team collaborating freely. In my work, I try to bring people together and I have a real appreciation of the people I work with. It’s not without its challenges, but this award provides a platform to push that agenda forward.”
Commenting on the win, Richard echoes this sentiment: “The standard of entries this year was exceptional, and Miriam’s work demonstrates exactly the kind of innovation and real-world impact these awards are designed to celebrate. Miriam’s emphasis on working collaboratively is something I am fully on board with. As our industry transitions towards low carbon heating and more complex system design, collaboration is more important than ever. By sharing knowledge and working more closely together, manufacturers, engineers and building operators can deliver better performing, more sustainable buildings.”
Miriam is also hoping this award could act as an inspiration for others: “I have found my approach and the new building performance services I’ve developed have particularly resonated with the more junior members in the industry. The younger generation really care about the impact of our buildings in the real world, not just on paper. They are passionate about having a positive impact. I’m hoping my winning this award will help inspire them.
“I also hope it demonstrates that you can progress your career even with a family, as I have. It’s great to see more women entering the industry, but they are still less likely to be found in senior roles, often because of the difficulties of balancing a family with career pressures. Of course, not everyone wants to take on these senior positions – it’s definitely a challenge – but it must be an option available to them. We need to show women that they can achieve this with the right support and flexible working. It hasn’t always been easy - I have two kids under five, so I have been building a family alongside building new teams! Moving to a freelance role is my next step and I am genuinely excited about the year ahead. I hope it will open up many new opportunities to have a wide-ranging impact in the industry, balanced with focusing on my family life.”
Ideal Commercial Heating has been a long-standing supporter of the CIBSE Building Performance Awards, recognising the critical role that engineers play in shaping a more sustainable built environment. By sponsoring the Engineer of the Year category, we continue to champion the individuals leading the way in building performance, energy efficiency and decarbonisation.
For more information on all the amazing winners at the CIBSE Building Performance Awards, visit https://www.cibse.org/events/cibse-awards/cibse-building-performance-awards-2026/2026-winners/