BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING - PART 1

Have you ever wondered why there are so many people in a construction site? And how come there seems to be more people in control with so many functions when they only have to build a single building? Shouldn’t it only be the leader and the workers? Well, we might as well change our perception on that since we are about to introduce to you one of the most important occupation in a construction site: the Building Services Engineer.

Building services engineers are responsible for the design, installation, operation and monitoring of the mechanical, electrical and public health systems required for the safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly operation of modern buildings.

The scope of this job is wide. Building services engineering comprises mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and plumbing or public health (MEP) engineering, all of which are further sub-divided into the following:

• ·Communication lines, telephones and IT networks (ICT)
• ·Energy supply - gas, electricity and renewable sources
• ·Escalators and lifts
• ·Fire detection and protection
• ·Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
• ·Lightning protection
• ·Low voltage (LV) systems, distribution boards and switchgear
• ·Natural lighting and artificial lighting, and building facades
• ·Security and alarm systems
• ·Ventilation and refrigeration
• ·Water, drainage and plumbing

Building services engineers influence the architecture of a building and play a significant role on the sustainability and energy demand of a building. Within building services engineering, new roles are emerging. Building services engineers play a significant role in combating climate change. As such, a typical building services engineer has a wide-ranging career path:

• Design: designing layouts and requirements for building services for residential or commercial developments.

• Construction: supervising the construction of the building services, commissioning systems and ongoing maintenance and operation of services

• .Environmental: developing new energy saving methods for construction, designing new and improved energy conservation systems for buildings.

• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC): specializing in the design, development, construction and operation of HVAC systems.

• Electrical technology: specializing in the design and development of electrical systems required for safe and energy sustaining operation of buildings and ensures that they are not using fraud materials for the safety of a project.

In a nutshell, Building services Engineers provide Building users with the following:

1. A safe home and workplace free of fire hazards (Fire)
2. A comfortable and healthy indoor environment with good lighting (Electricity), efficient air-conditioning and ventilation (Ventilation)
3. A living environment with efficient transportation, telecommunications and automation systems including for example lifts, escalators, telephone services and building automation system. (Electricity)
4. A living environment with power supply (Electricity), water supply and drainage facilities (Water) for occupant

We will bring you more information on Building services Engineering with regards to new developments in the industry, career opportunities, what to expect in future with regards to Building services and as many information on the same. Read, Learn and Share.