The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has announced the six companies that have been short-listed for this year’s CIBSE Employer of the Year Award.
The Award, which is sponsored by Daikin, Lochinvar and Ruskin Air Management, will be presented at the prestigious CIBSE Young Engineers' Awards event on Wednesday 9 October at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), London. The CIBSE ASHRAE Graduate of the Year competition will take place alongside the Employer's Award.

Entries were invited from small, medium and large building services employers and following a rigorous judging process two candidates have been selected in each category:

· Small employer: Avoca Consulting Engineers and Energy Excel
· Medium employer: Couch Perry Wilkes and Max Fordham
· Large employer: Grontmij and Hoare Lea

Chairman of Judges David Fitzpatrick said: 'We had a very difficult job reducing the list to just these six. The standard of submissions was very high and we were also delighted to see a number of companies taking part for the first time - including several international employers.

'I cannot think of anything that is more important to our industry than employers showing their wholehearted commitment to the recruitment, retention and development of young engineers,' added Mr Fitzpatrick, who is also chairman of CIBSE Patrons. 'So I would like to thank all the companies who took the trouble to enter and congratulate them all for investing in the talent that holds the key to all our futures.'

Also taking place will be the presentation of the IMechE Construction and Building Services Division Award and the annual ASHRAE Presidential Lecture given by the Society's president Bill Bahnfleth, who is visiting the event from America.

Anyone wishing to come along and see who wins the CIBSE Young Engineers' Awards on 9 October may do so free of charge. However, numbers at the event, which starts at 5.30pm and concludes with a hot buffet dinner, are strictly limited so anyone wishing to attend must reserve their place in advance by emailing: ngatter@cibse.org.