We are proud to celebrate Liam Kearns, Principal Mechanical Engineer in Cundall’s Sydney office, who has been named CIBSE ANZ Young Engineer of the Year 2026. The award celebrates emerging talent, professional achievement and the future of the industry.

The overarching theme of this year’s award was circular economy - paying it forward for the future generation. As part of his entry, Liam was tasked with selecting a current project typology and developing a strategy that embeds circular economy principles into its design, delivery or operation.

Liam focused his submission on the rapidly growing data centre sector, developing a strategy to reduce embodied carbon, extend asset life and retain value throughout the lifecycle of these complex facilities.

Commenting on Liam’s submission, the judges said: “Liam presents a highly credible circular-economy strategy for the rapidly growing critical-infrastructure sector. His focus on embodied-carbon benchmarking, adaptable data halls and second-life battery capacity demonstrates both technical sophistication and a strong practical understanding of where future value can be retained.”

Reflecting on his award win, Liam said “I am incredibly proud to receive this award and to be recognised by CIBSE. It is especially rewarding to receive this recognition from my peers across the industry.

Thanks to Cundall for the opportunities and experiences I have had to grow as an engineer and a person. From working on some of the most technically complex data centre projects across Europe and APAC to relocating internationally, a journey that started in Dublin has led to some unforgettable experiences.

These experiences have broadened my perspective and given me the opportunity to apply global best practice to new markets.”

Congratulations to Liam on this well-deserved recognition, and to all this year’s finalists.