CIBSE Technical Symposium 2026 explores future of buildings
The CIBSE Technical Symposium 2026, one of CIBSE’s flagship events, took place at Loughborough University on 26th–27th March, uniting top industry experts, academics, policymakers and practitioners to explore how the built environment can be reshaped to prioritise wellbeing, inclusivity and sustainable performance.
Under the theme ‘Fit for 2050 – Redesigning Spaces for Wellbeing, Inclusivity, and Sustainable Performance’, the two-day Symposium provided a dynamic platform for sharing cutting-edge research, practical insights and bold ideas that will shape the next generation of building services engineering.
The Symposium covered a wide range of topics critical to the future of the built environment, including indoor air quality, ventilation, thermal performance, overheating mitigation, energy efficient retrofits, circularity in design, Net Zero pathways, AI and machine learning applications and the evolving role of engineers in an increasingly data-driven industry.
The two-day event reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation and a shift from compliance-driven design to performance-led, people-focused outcomes, highlighting the critical steps needed to prepare buildings and communities for a sustainable, resilient and inclusive future.
