Come and join us

Something new and rather wonderful has happened to the building services industry in the UK in recent years. For a long time, the humble services engineer has been considered a poor relation in the built environment and construction sector. Hardly the Isambard Kingdom Brunel of the genre, more the odd-job man in the background. But that was then.

Today, there are forces at work that are contriving to turn our role into a rather more prominent one. Legislation, climate change, energy supply and conservation are just a few of the factors having a profound effect on the traditional role of the building services engineer. To be fair, Latham and Egan provided the catalyst for a greater recognition of the role of the services engineer in the professional supply chain. But ever closer involvement is being asked of us. Services engineers are required to take on board the design and coordination of engineering services, implement revised building regulations, and adhere to the government’s drive to deliver sustainable development.

So this is an important time for the industry. But have we fully grasped this? As the professional landscape continues to shift, we must now be far more proactive about encouraging a new generation of building services engineers to emerge who can rise to the challenges and really cement our role. It’s a great opportunity for future services engineers to become real leaders in the construction industry.

New regulatory imperatives mean the fabric and engineering services of a building must be assessed together to ensure the impact of the whole building meets the required standards. Services engineers must be at the forefront of the design team, introducing innovative solutions to achieve optimum performance – and with the minimum impact on the environment. Clients and architects rely on sophisticated analysis and advice to produce innovative and cost-effective solutions.

But much more needs to be done to shake off the old reputation, not least to draw good new recruits into the industry who can catapult us to the head of projects. To do this, the professional institutions need to go back to school. After all, how many science teachers understand what we do? Initiatives such as the New Engineering Fellowship Scheme, where teachers are given placements in industry to gain an understanding of what the industry can offer, should be nurtured and promoted.

We must encourage a new generation of building services engineers to emerge who can rise to the challenges

The CIBSE Patrons Group should work in this area, too. Traditionally, the profession has tended to be media-shy, allowing others to take credit for our work. This must change – we have to inform the general public about what we do.

It’s true many universities are offering courses on thermal modelling and low-carbon and renewable technologies. But these tend to be postgraduate courses producing academics rather than practical engineers. More effort must go into improving building services engineering courses, which need a greater focus on skills such as management and communication. Too many graduates lack the confidence that comes with the ability to express their ideas. We need to get more involved with students, and foster and facilitate potential high-flyers.

Engineering services in modern buildings account for up to 80% of the total construction value and represent a major part of the whole investment. And with a recent survey by Hayes showing that services engineers earn as much as, if not more than, fully qualified architects, the rewards are certainly there for the taking. It is our job to let students know this.

The services engineer of the future will need to understand how the physics of buildings work, and how to integrate fabric and engineering services to minimise environmental impact. They will need to understand how best to use natural resources and incorporate renewable energies into building design. They will need to display leadership and management qualities and be good communicators, something we have had a poor reputation for in the past. We must work harder to attract the best people for the job. Then it really will be “goodbye oily rag”, and “hello to the building physicist”.