CIBSE YEN NSW x CIOB | Aspirational Engineers Networking Event

We’re excited to announce a special collaborative event between CIBSE Young Engineers Network (YEN) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). This joint panel discussion will bring together professionals from across the built environment to explore career journeys, challenges, and insights from some of the leading engineers in our industry.

About the Organisers

CIBSE YEN (Young Engineers Network) is a community within the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers that supports early-career professionals through networking, knowledge sharing, and professional development.

CIOB, the Chartered Institute of Building, represents professionals who work within the built environment, promoting the science and practice of building and construction for the benefit of society.

What to Expect

Join us for an inspiring panel discussion featuring three accomplished professionals in the building and services engineering industry, who will share their career journeys—highlighting the successes, challenges, and pivotal moments that shaped their paths.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to take the next step in your career, this is a great opportunity to gain valuable advice and hear firsthand experiences from those at the forefront of the industry.

Highlights of the evening include:

• Insightful panel discussion on careers in the building industry
• Live Q&A with the panellists
• Networking opportunities with peers and professionals across disciplines

Meet the Panel

Our panellists are senior professionals from a range of organisations, all of whom are passionate about delivering sustainable and effective engineering and construction solutions.

• Sarah McLaughlin (Group Manager & Senior Mechanical Engineer, Northrop Consulting Engineers)

Sarah McLaughlin is a Senior Mechanical Engineer at Northrop Consulting Engineers, where she leads the mechanical team and delivers building services design across a wide range of sectors ranging from education and healthcare to commercial and community spaces. She thrives on complex projects, whether it’s electrifying a heritage-listed building or designing central plant systems for large mixed-use developments. For Sarah, the most rewarding part is bringing disciplines together, solving tricky problems, and seeing it all come to life on site.

Alongside her technical work, Sarah is a passionate advocate for creating a more inclusive construction industry. She mentors younger engineers and actively promotes greater visibility and support for girls in STEM. Her goal is to help build an industry where girls feel inspired, included, and excited to grow their careers.

• Anna Davis (Senior Manager - Green Star Technical Delivery, Green Building Council Australia)

Anna is a Senior Manager at the Green Building Council Australia with a focus in Green Star technical delivery. With over 15 years of international experience in sustainability consulting and building physics, Anna is a highly skilled analyst known for delivering world-leading outcomes across diverse building sectors. Anna was among the first WELL Accredited Professionals in Australia and is passionate about holistic, sustainable design that leaves a lasting legacy.

Her expertise spans passive and mechanical design optimisation, dynamic thermal modelling software development, and integrating circular economy principles into building design. Having worked on high-profile projects across Australia, the UK, the Middle East, and the Americas, Anna brings deep insight into both new and existing buildings, including commercial offices, hospitals, and shopping centres. Her background in psychology and the built environment further informs a human-centred approach to sustainability, with a growing focus on occupant wellbeing and ethical supply chains.

• Janine Pickering (NSW/ACT Building Services Team Lead, Arup)

Janine is a NSW/ACT Building Services Team Lead with over two decades of experience across Arup’s global offices in Sydney, London, New York, and Singapore. Beginning her career as an Arup Scholar in 2003, Janine has evolved from a skilled mechanical engineer into a holistic design manager, delivering architecturally integrated and sustainable solutions across a wide range of sectors.

Her portfolio includes high-rise offices, cultural institutions, educational facilities, performance spaces, and large-scale refurbishments. Janine is passionate about collaborative design and has worked closely with renowned architects to realise innovative and impactful built environments. As NSW/ACT Building Services Team Leader, she now oversees the development and wellbeing of a team of over 80 professionals, championing both technical excellence and community engagement within the industry.

• Alistair Lunn (Executive Director, Transport for NSW)

Alistair Lunn is the Executive Director Regional Road Network Maintenance within Transport For NSW. Alistair has nearly 30 years’ experience in the Road Maintenance and Construction across regional NSW. Leading a team of over 2000 transport employees and even more contractors and council partners Alistair is accountable for the maintenance and delivery of capital improvements across over 20000km of the state road network and delivering the budget of over $1.5Billion. Alistair is a leader recognised for building a strong culture of safety and collaboration across Transport for NSW.

Based in Regional NSW Alistair has a passion for regional employment and retention of skills in regional NSW. Another strong passion that has driven Alistair career is a drive to reduce the regional road toll recognising the impact that road trauma has on team in Transport of NSW, as well as communities.

CIBSE Event Behavioural Policy

CIBSE wants all attendees to feel welcome and included at our events. We ask attendees to keep in mind that they are within a professional environment when at CIBSE events and they are expected to always demonstrate professional behaviour modelling high standards of ethical conduct, honesty and integrity to protect the reputation and standing of CIBSE. CIBSE will not tolerate or allow any discriminatory or disrespectful behaviours by any person during CIBSE events, including bullying, harassment or sexist, racist, or exclusionary comments or jokes at our events. Where alcohol is provided, attendees are expected to know their limits and drink responsibly. The provision of alcohol should not be taken as an endorsement by CIBSE for attendees to drink excessively nor for any resulting improper conduct or activity.

By registering for this event, you agree to abide by the CIBSE Event Behavioural Policy.

CIBSE Privacy Notice

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers ('CIBSE') is committed to protecting your privacy, and takes its responsibilities regarding the security of members' and customers' information very seriously. For the purpose of registering you for this event and providing you with further information in relation to this event we will process your personal data within our customer database. On the basis of legitimate interest we may use your data to inform you of similar events in the future and to promote services, activities and commercial objectives that are designed to support the science, art and practice of building services engineering . For more information about how we process any personal information that we collect about you, how you can instruct us if you prefer to limit the use of that information and procedures that we have in place to safeguard your privacy please view our privacy notice.