How engineering innovation is driving sustainability
01 May 2026 - Rohini Gupta
Behind every breakthrough in scientific research, there’s a hidden network of systems working quietly in the background. At ISIS, one of the most critical of these are the cooling systems. For one plant design engineer, Judith Cave, improving them has become an opportunity to drive real sustainability impact.
“There’s a huge amount of energy involved in making neutrons and muons, and not all of it can be used productively. A lot of it becomes waste heat, and if we don’t remove that effectively, it can affect how everything operates.” Working within a multidisciplinary team, she focuses on designing systems that not only keep operations stable but also reduce environmental impact.
Her journey into this role hasn’t been conventional. Originally trained as a chemical engineer, she spent time working in industries such as oil, nuclear and petrochemicals before stepping away from engineering to raise her family. She later retrained as a teacher, spending 13 years teaching science.
“I loved teaching, especially chemistry,” she says. “But eventually I found myself encouraging students to go into engineering and they asked me why I wasn’t doing it anymore.”
That question sparked a turning point. Three years ago, she returned to engineering, bringing with her not only technical knowledge but also strong communication and problem-solving skills developed through teaching.
Today, she is leading a major chiller modernisation project at ISIS: one of the largest projects she has worked on this role. Chillers are essential for removing excess heat and maintaining stable temperatures across the facility, but a few of the existing systems are ageing and inefficient.
“The current R80 chillers were designed for a larger capacity than we actually use now, which means they don’t operate as efficiently as they could.”
Replacing them involves far more than simply installing new equipment. It requires detailed design calculations, cost analysis, and careful coordination of installation work during limited shutdown periods.
“There’s a lot of planning involved making sure the equipment is on site, the teams are ready, and all the safety and risk assessments are in place,” she says.
Her work includes introducing variable speed drives onto pumps, allowing systems to adjust their energy use depending on demand. During quieter periods or shutdowns, systems can run at lower capacity, reducing unnecessary energy consumption.
Another major improvement has come from updating the refrigerants used. Older refrigerants have a high environmental impact, they are compared to carbon dioxide and given a global warming potential (GWP) value. By switching to newer alternatives, the environmental footprint can be significantly reduced.
“The old refrigerants had a GWP of around 1400,” she says. “The new ones we’re using are closer to 200, which is a big improvement.”
These changes also ensure compliance with evolving environmental regulations and help future-proof the facility.
The old refrigerants had a GWP of around 1400, she says. The new ones we’re using are closer to 200, which is a big improvement.
Judith
Beyond these upgrades, her role often involves reimagining how systems work altogether. In one project, she redesigned a cooling system to use water instead of air, resulting in both environmental benefits and cost reductions.
“Water is much more efficient at removing heat than air,” she explains. “And because we already had water systems nearby, it made sense to use that instead of installing a completely new air-based system.”
This kind of thinking, and finding smarter, more efficient solutions using existing resources is a key part of her approach to sustainable engineering.
Working on large-scale infrastructure comes with its challenges. One of the biggest is dealing with limited information about older systems.
“Some of the equipment has been here for decades, and we don’t always have the original documentation,” she says. “So, we have to collect data ourselves and figure out how the systems are actually performing.”
Timing is another critical factor. Installation work must often be completed during short shutdown windows, requiring precise coordination between multiple teams.
“It’s a lot about communication and planning making sure everything happens at the right time,” she adds.
Despite the technical nature of her role, she believes people are at the heart of what she does.
“I really enjoy working with different teams and managing projects,” she says. “My teaching background helps a lot with communication and explaining things clearly to make sure everyone is on the same page.”
Each day brings something different, from analysing data and designing systems to meeting contractors and reviewing project progress.
I really enjoy working with different teams and managing projects, she says. My teaching background helps a lot with communication and explaining things clearly to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Judith
Through her work, she is helping to create systems that are not only more efficient, but also more sustainable for the future.
“Sustainability isn’t always about spending more money,” she says. “Sometimes it’s about designing things better, so you use less energy and still get the same, or even better, performance.” Her story highlights how engineering innovation often behind the scenes plays a crucial role in reducing environmental impact and supporting world-class research.
