What is a Building Services Engineer?

A Building Services Engineer is involved in the design, installation and maintenance of services to buildings, including mechanical, electrical and electronic services. The Building Services Engineer can form part of the team of professionals involved in construction projects and works closely with other engineers, architects and quantity surveyors.

Building Services engineering is concerned with the design, installation, operation, monitoring and maintenance of the mechanical and electrical systems and equipment necessary to ensure the efficient operation of modern buildings.

The Mechanical Engineering systems in a building will include heating, air conditioning, refrigeration energy management, ventilation, fire fighting, water and gas supplies and pollution control. Buildings may also need compressed air, lifts, escalators and acoustic systems together with environmental control and industrial piping.

The Electrical Engineering systems in a building will include lighting, power supplies, security and fire alarms, communications, information systems, building management systems and building-transportation systems.

As well as providing heating, lighting, electrical power and water supplies in buildings, today building services involves the installation of a wide range of high-technology engineering systems capable of providing the energy efficient controlled environment, data and communication networks and special services necessary for the operation of modern buildings.

Projects which require building services engineers include manufacturing facilities for the electronics, pharmaceutical and medical-device industries. Other areas include industrial or commercial developments, shopping complexes, theatres, office blocks, leisure and sporting facilities, schools and colleges, public buildings.

In what areas do Building Services Engineer work?

• Designers with consulting engineers
• Construction project managers
• Materials acquisition
• Site supervision
• Facilities management - to a wide range of industrial and commercial buildings, particularly in the area of industrial facilities involving clean room manufacturing.