Panasonic announces UK judge for the 2014 PRO Awards

Panasonic has announced that David Frise, Chief Executive of the Association of Interior Specialists (AIS), will be the UK judge for the inaugural Panasonic PRO Awards which celebrates excellence in the design, specification, installation and commissioning of Panasonic heating and cooling systems.

David Frise was an M&E contractor for 25 years before branching out into renewable energy systems, firstly as an installer then as head of sustainability at the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES).

David is currently Chief Executive of the Association of Interior Specialists (AIS). The AIS is a trade association that represents companies involved in the manufacture, supply and installation of all aspects of interior fit-outs and refurbishments. Members are throughout the supply chain including main interior contractors, specialist fit-out contractors, manufacturers and distributors.

He is also a trustee of SummitSkills (the building services engineering Sector Skills Council) and a non-executive director of the National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies.

Commenting on the news, David said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the judging panel for the very first Panasonic PRO Awards. With a passion for sustainable design and renewable energy, I am looking forward to seeing the entries from across the UK.”

David joins an international judging panel which is made up of experts from across Europe covering areas of architecture, building services and the heating/cooling industry who will decide which projects demonstrate the most flair and innovation, as well as showcasing sustainable design, efficiency, cost effectiveness and aesthetics. Joining David Frise on the panel are:

Christian Pessey (France) is a prolific author covering subjects as diverse as homes and gardens, DIY, fishing, hunting and wines. He is most well-known for his best-selling books on DIY and home improvement.

Fabrizio Roscioli (Italy) became GM of Rome’s Hilton Garden Inn Claridge in 2011. Passionate about technological systems, he oversees a team of technicians who ensure the optimization of energy savings across the hotel group.

Norbert Otten (Germany) is an Associate Partner of Drees & Sommer, a leading German consultancy for construction and property projects, established in 1970. Otten specialises in energy management, sustainable construction and construction management.

Rafael Úrculo (Spain) is a founding partner of the engineering consultancy, Úrculo Ingenieros Consultores SA in Spain. His practice develops projects internationally for a wide variety of facilities, including hospitals, museums, universities, offices and auditoriums.

Liselott Larsson Kolessar (Nordic) is the Environmental Manager at White Arkitekter in Sweden. She is also the team manager for the 20 sustainability specialists in the office and the 10 project managers. Liselott has extensive experience in sustainability issues in construction and real estate industry.

Laurent Abadie is European Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of Panasonic Europe Ltd since April 2009.

Enrique Vilamitjana was appointed Managing Director of Panasonic Appliances Air Conditioning Europe Ltd (PAPAEU) in April 2010.

Jose Manuel Alves is the Senior European Marketing Manager at Panasonic Appliances Air Conditioning Europe Ltd (PAPAEU).

Deadline for Panasonic PRO Awards is 31 July 2014 and winners will be announced in Autumn 2014. Award entries are invited in the following categories:

• Best Residential Project (single dwelling)
• Best Residential Project (multi-dwelling)
• Best Residential Project (social housing)
• Best Commercial Air Conditioning Project
• Best Hotel Installation
• Best Retail Project
• Best Restaurant Project