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 Cedar Capital Group is 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 term for the same occupation may vary depending on the country. In United States of America, these individuals are called architectural engineers which have been adapted by different construction companies around the world. In Tokyo, Japan and Singapore, the role is called building services engineer, of course in their own languages respectively.
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.
