What Are Building Services and How Can They Benefit Your Premises?
Whether you’re a business looking to maintain premises, or a building services engineer preparing for a new challenge, it’s important that you understand what the profession entails and how it can benefit your business. Building services is an engineering discipline that aims to achieve an efficient and comfortable indoor environment for staff whilst minimising environmental impact. It encompasses all the working components inside buildings, from the lighting to plumbing. It is also responsible for energy management systems.
Building services engineers are a vital part of the team behind any building construction project. They work collaboratively with architects to design the internal systems that bring a building to life. These include everything from air conditioning and acoustics, to lifts and escalators. They also have a significant role to play in the sustainability of a project, by ensuring that the building will meet BREEAM and other environmental standards.
The duties of a building services engineer are varied, and involve working with a number of different professionals such as architects, contractors, plumbers, electricians and surveyors. They also need to have good IT skills, as the majority of their work is now digital. A building services engineer will often have to be able to produce technical specifications and plans using CAD software. They will also be expected to be familiar with current legislation, and the regulations that affect the building’s construction and use. When you need Building Services, visit www.piggottandwhitfield.co.uk/mechanical-building-services/
In terms of the future, building services engineers will be expected to take on a greater role in driving sustainability. This may include advising clients on energy efficiency, demonstrating the benefits of renewable technologies and integrating sustainability into the initial design of a building.
Poorly-maintained buildings are not only unfit for purpose, they can be extremely expensive to run. Leaking roofs, windows and doors that let in water and cold air, or allow heat to escape will require a significant amount of additional energy to compensate for. This is not only bad for the health and productivity of a workplace, but also for the environment as the extra energy used can lead to increased carbon emissions.
Keeping maintenance schedules up to date is not only good for the environment, but can also cut repair costs and reduce waste materials by preventing problems from getting worse. The key is to look for a company that offers a holistic service that includes regular checks of the whole building, so that any issues are dealt with quickly before they get out of hand.