On 1 June, the Slovenian Chamber of Engineers organised the “Engineers of the Future Day 2026” event at the Cankarjev dom Club. Žiga Mežnar, a graduate of the Master’s programme at the University of Ljubljana’s Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, received the dr. Peter Novak Award for the best Master’s thesis in mechanical and industrial engineering.
Photo: IZS
The award-winning Master’s thesis, titled “Optimisation of Electricity Demand Based on Electricity Prices on Day-Ahead Market”, was written under the supervision of prof. dr. Mihael Sekavčnik. For his Master’s thesis, he examined ways to optimise electricity consumption based on day-ahead market prices. The research addresses the current challenges of energy efficiency, offering solutions for the smarter management of electricity consumption — one of the key issues in the modern energy transition.
“This award is well-deserved recognition of Žiga’s dedicated and independent research. He addressed an extremely relevant topic, as energy efficiency is becoming one of the key challenges facing modern society. Such achievements confirm that our students are successfully tackling the most pressing issues in energy development,” emphasised his mentor, prof. dr. Mihael Sekavčnik.
“Engineering solutions directly impact the quality of spaces, energy efficiency and technological development in society. The award-winning master’s theses demonstrate that young engineers are already offering thoughtful, professional and practical solutions to development challenges,” emphasised mag. Črtomir Remec, President of the Slovenian Chamber of Engineers. “In doing so, they confirm that we are building the future of development on knowledge, mentorship, and professional integrity.”
Photo: IZS
The dr. Peter Novak Award, presented by the Slovenian Chamber of Engineers, recognises the best master’s theses in civil engineering, energy, electrical engineering, geodesy and geoinformatics. The award highlights the importance of engineering expertise in ensuring the safe, efficient and technologically advanced development of society. The award aims to promote excellence and innovation among young engineers, as well as recognising research achievements that contribute to advancing the engineering profession.
We sincerely congratulate Žiga Mežnar on this outstanding achievement!