AUE Conference 2014

University of Bradford was the setting for this year’s AUE Conference which was held from Wednesday 3rd to Friday 5th September.
The event was an overwhelming success.  

This year’s theme was Building a Self-Sustaining Future and more than 90 delegates attended a wide choice of plenary sessions (detailed below).  It was inspiring walking around the campus, seeing at first-hand how it has been made more ecologically and energy efficient.

Just as importantly, we enjoyed valuable face-to-face networking opportunities with the 50 exhibitors and each other throughout the three-day event.   We spent the first afternoon on engineering themed excursions to either the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, National Coal Mining Museum, Bradford Industrial Museum, National Media Museum of the Campus Biodiversity and Re:Centre Building Tour.  On Wednesday evening we enjoyed a traditional Bradford Curry, whereas the more formal Gala Drinks Reception and Gala Dinner took place on Thursday evening.

The Gala Dinner was held within the stunning Atrium of the University of Bradford.  We were entertained by Alexis Conran, TV Presenter and Actor, famous for his talents on BBC 3’s Real Hustle where he hoodwinks unsuspecting victims, also appearing on Watchdog where he keeps the public up-to-date with the latest scams and how to avoid them.  The dinner was also the setting for the presentation of three awards – the Harland Roberts Award for the best apprentice/trainee was awarded to Matthew Boylan of Leicester University, the Tom Bradley Award for the best member presentation at the conference went to Martyn Newton of University of East Anglia, and the John Hallett Award, was awarded to David Barratt of University of Edinburgh for outstanding contributions as Chair of the Scottish Region since 2008 and his initiatives with BSRIA and NEDeRS.  Hearty congratulations to them all.

Huge thanks go to Russell Smith of the University of Bradford and Assured Events for all their considerable efforts in creating a conference to remember.  A great deal of thought must have been put into providing for our every need.  

Our grateful thanks also to all our Sponsors and Exhibitors, without whose support the conference could not take place.

This year’s charities are Emmaus and leukaemia Research.  The total raised was £505.55.


The Conference concluded with a presentation by Keith Sims, inviting us to next year’s conference at the University of South Wales.  (Look in What’s On for more information and your chance to qualify for the limited early bird rate.)

Martin Christie (NW Regional Chair) has put together a report on the Conference which is available to download at the bottom of this page.

Conference presentations are available to download at the bottom of this page.

Plenary 1A

CHP – Mechanical Engineering

by Damian Shevloff, Sales Director, Cogenco

 
Plenary 1B

Lift Audit – Electrical Engineering

by Michael Bottomley, Regional Director, Lerch Bates


Plenary 1C: Bioliquids – The Underrated Renewable; a review of the cost/carbon savings possible using biofuels for heat (boilers) and power (generators)

by Andrew Monaghan, Commercial Director, UK Renewable Fuels


Plenary 2A:  The University Estate as a Teaching Resource

by Dr Haile-Selassie Rajamani, Senior Lecturer (Power Electronics and Systems), University of Bradford


Plenary 2B – Driving Down Energy Consumption Through Behaviour Change

by Professor Erik Bichard, Regeneration and Sustainable Development, University of Salford


Plenary 3: Building for Life: Achieving Better Construction and Lower Carbon in Practice

by Cal Bailey, Sustainability Director, NG Bailey


Plenary 4A: Wholesale Power Market Outlook

by David Wilks, Senior Trader, Drax


Plenary 4B: Can Biomass Gasification Combination Heat and Power be Made to Work?

by Martyn Newton, Head of Sustainability, Estates and Buildings Division, University of East Anglia


Plenary 5: Panel Debate; Why and How Should We Build a Self-Sustaining Future

by Cal Bailey; Dr Haile-Selassie Rajamani; Will Stewart and Clive Wilson


Plenary 6: Geothermal Energy; the Newcastle Experience

by Professor David Manning, Professor of Soil Science, Newcastle University


Plenary 7: Leadership in Challenging, Changing Times

by Paul McGee, ‘The SUMO Guy’