Bringing Buildings Alive with CIBSE Ireland

Organisations risk their future if they delay implementing an artificial intelligence strategy. The failure to engage with AI is the biggest mistake a company can make in the current business landscape. The pace of change means that companies not adapting risk being left behind in just three years. This rapid evolution is not just a technological shift; it is a fundamental change to everybody’s role, everywhere, all at once.
In this episode, Paul Tighe and Maryrose Lyons discuss how to move businesses from non-users to adopters, focusing on end-to-end AI adoption, ethical considerations, and the emerging 'playbook' for success. They explore the necessity of starting the AI journey, mitigating risks like "Shadow AI," and looking ahead to the predicted rise of autonomous AI agents. They also share their favourite tools for engineering and learning.
Their guest is Maryrose Lyons, founder of the AI Institute. Maryrose is an expert in helping businesses transition to using AI, specialising in training and building solutions for the process-rich built environment sector.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
AI is everything everywhere all at once.
Productivity and quality enhancement guaranteed.
Shadow AI is biggest business risk.
Architects and mid-size firms are winning.
Agents are next phase of AI.
GUEST DETAILS
Maryrose Lyons is the Founder of the AI Institute, Ireland and the UK's specialist AI adoption partner for the built environment. She works directly with construction, engineering, and architecture firms to embed AI into the way their people work  - not just in theory, but in practice. To date, they've trained over 1,300 professionals across the sector, delivering measurable outcomes of 4+ hours saved per person per week. Maryrose combines deep expertise in human behaviour with hands-on technical implementation, helping firms move from AI curiosity to real competitive advantage.
PUBLIC CONTACT DETAILS:
Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryroselyons-aiadoption/
Company Website: weareaiinstitute.com/
MORE INFORMATION
CIBSE (the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) is the professional body that exists to advance and promote the art, science and practice of building services engineering. Their mission is to invest in education and research, and to support their community of built environment professionals in their pursuit of excellence. 
Find out more: CIBSE Website
Bringing Buildings Alive was produced by dustpod.io for CIBSE Ireland
QUOTES
Of your tribe of architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, construction architects are the most advanced in their use of AI. However, in company size, it's actually the mid size firms that are actually evolving and doing the best. - Maryrose Lyons
You have to start your AI journey with AI literacy for your staff - Maryrose Lyons
With AI, don't get hung up on what tool we are going to use? - Maryrose Lyons
KEYWORDS #AIAdoption #BuiltEnvironment #EngineeringAI #AIStrategy #AIAgent

The move to smart buildings represents a fundamental shift in the construction and engineering industry. The core challenge is understanding how to deliver intelligent assets that genuinely serve their occupants and owners over the long term, moving past the idea that a smart building is merely a collection of advanced products.
Success hinges on early, collaborative design, setting clear goals, and ensuring every disparate system can communicate effectively. This is the difference between a building that is 'smart' on paper and one that is intelligent in operation, with its true performance measured long after the ribbon is cut.
The conversation explores the practical side of smart building delivery, highlighting why the definition of a "smart building" must be a process focused on user needs and data-driven outcomes. It details the necessity of developing common language standards, known as ontologies, and how the role of the MEP consultant must evolve to embrace this cohesive, data-centric view. Host Stephen Weir from Hereworks is joined by David Hegarty, Associate Director and Smart Buildings Lead at Arup, who shares his decade of experience delivering intelligent projects across Europe and his vision for the future of the built environment.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Smart building is process, not product
Define use cases before technology
Early engagement is vital for value
Common data language (ontologies) is key
Building success measured post-completion
GUEST DETAILS
David Hegarty is an Associate Director and the Smart Buildings Lead at Arup. He specialises in integrated building systems, data science, and technology deployment in the built environment. David's experience spans delivering intelligent projects across Europe, focusing on the essential trifecta of value: building systems, technology, and people.
PUBLIC CONTACT DETAILS:
Social Media:
linkedin.com/in/david-hegarty-arup
MORE INFORMATION:
CIBSE (the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) is the professional body that exists to advance and promote the art, science and practice of building services engineering. Their mission is to invest in education and research, and to support their community of built environment professionals in their pursuit of excellence. 
Find out more: CIBSE Website
Bringing Buildings Alive was produced by dustpod.io for CIBSE Ireland
QUOTES
A smart building is a process and not a product. It's a process to ultimately result in a building or an asset that's enabled to make data driven decision making ultimately yields the client's best interest. - David Hegarty
The idea of a digital building, or smart or intelligent building is those things are thought about so early on in design that it becomes seamless. - David Hegarty
Ultimately, you need to ensure that we're not just creating and storing data for data's sake. So keep coming back to the why. It keeps coming back to the use case. - David Hegarty 
KEYWORDS
#SmartBuildings #MEPConsultant #BuildingServices #DataOntology #DigitalBuilding

The Irish heat sector faces a monumental challenge to decarbonise, requiring innovative solutions to meet ambitious climate action targets. This is especially true for buildings, which traditionally rely on high-carbon heating systems.
Discover how one extraordinary project is tackling this head-on by capturing unused heat from a data centre to supply low-carbon heating to a university campus, council offices, and 133 homes. This conversation details the technical ingenuity of the Tallaght District Heating Scheme, the essential public-private collaborations required, and the national policy that is now supporting the next wave of district heating networks across Ireland.
We are joined by John O'Shea, the Heat and Electricity Lead at Codema, Dublin's energy agency. John brings expertise in district energy, energy master-planning, holistic and integrated energy systems, and policy development.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Tallaght waste heat to low-carbon solution
Collaboration delivers key project value
Grid connection challenges and new rules
Anchor loads build feasible network
National funding and public awareness vital
GUEST DETAILS
John O'Shea is the Heat and Electricity Lead at Codema, the energy agency for Dublin. He specialises in district energy, energy master-planning, holistic and integrated energy systems, and policy development. John was instrumental in the delivery of the Tallaght District Heating Scheme, which uses waste heat from a data centre to supply low-carbon heating.

PUBLIC CONTACT DETAILS
https://www.codema.ie/about-us/contact-us/
Social Media:
linkedin.com/in/john-o-shea-47a906b8
MORE INFORMATION
CIBSE (the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) is the professional body that exists to advance and promote the art, science and practice of building services engineering. Their mission is to invest in education and research, and to support their community of built environment professionals in their pursuit of excellence. 
Find out more: CIBSE Website
Bringing Buildings Alive was produced by dustpod.io for CIBSE Ireland
QUOTES
When you're trying to do anything that hasn't been done before, there's probably a fear that might not work out, or why hasn't it been done before? Is there something we're missing? But I guess we've proven now that it can be done. - John O'Shea
Hat tip to South Dublin County Council for driving it as well. You know, we're there kind of as technical advisors and kind of providing advice along the way.  - John O'Shea
I think the changes that are coming down the line in terms of timed use connections and things like that will definitely be  a big consideration for us going forward. - John O'Shea
KEYWORDS
#DistrictHeating #TallaghtScheme #WasteHeat #Codema #ClimateAction

Bringing Buildings Alive, the new flagship podcast from CIBSE Ireland, is your monthly tactical briefing on the future of our profession. 
New episodes each month will give you;
The Technical Edge: Master the complexities of AI integration, next-gen heat pump technology, and the evolving WELL Building standards.
Market Intelligence: Stop wondering where the market is heading and hear directly what standards and design requirements are "coming down the line."
Legacy Perspective: Move beyond the immediate Revit model to discuss our responsibility for buildings that must perform for the next 50+ years.
Expert Access: Concise, high-level conversations with the specialists driving sustainability and smart building innovation.

Click ‘Follow’ now to catch the debut episodes and share why building services is the most exciting field in engineering today.