Overview
What is a Building Services Engineer?
Building Services Engineers are built environment professionals that design, install and maintain services such as acoustics, heating, lighting and power into buildings to enable them to work effectively. This function focuses on ensuring that buildings are safe, comfortable and sustainable.
Professionals that work in this area may be referred to by other, similar titles, such as Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Commercial Energy Assessor and Engineering Maintenance Technician.
How much do Building Services Engineers earn?
The average salary of a building services engineer is usually between £28,000 – £50,000 a year.
Skills
What’s required for the role?
- Strong communication skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Maths and numerical knowledge
- IT skills, such as visualisation and 3D modelling
- Data literacy
- Analytical thinking skills
- Attention to detail
- Project management
- The ability to work in a team
- Time management skills
- Organisation and planning skills
- Knowledge of building regulations and safety requirements
- Familiarity with engineering science and technology
Details
What does a Building Services Engineer do?
A professional in building service engineering will have a wide range of responsibilities, which may include:
What is the work environment like?
Building Services Engineers should expect to split their time between working in the office and working on-site. Some roles are more office-based than others, while due to the nature of the role, you could find yourself travelling to multiple different projects in quick succession.
Opportunities
Is building services engineering a good career?
Building services engineering is a challenging profession, but its emphasis on sustainability, creativity and people can make it a rewarding career path.
Experience and knowledge in this area is in high demand – not just in major cities in the UK but around the world, giving you the opportunity to work on a diverse range of projects.
Building services engineering spans across the built environment, meaning there are a few restrictions on the specific buildings you can end up working on. Depending on your focus and interests, you can work on the design of specific equipment through to the systems utilised throughout entire buildings like hospitals, factories and power stations.
It’s also a broad function in the construction industry – while it’s becoming more and more diverse, typically building services professionals specialise in one particular area. Some of these options include:
- Mechanical engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Energy engineering
- Air conditioning
- HVAC design
Become a Building Services Engineer
Who can work in building services engineering?
Anyone can launch a successful career in building services engineering, regardless of their background. At UCEM, students from across the world have undertaken their studies and forged rewarding and exciting careers in the built environment. Find out more about their experiences below:
How to become a Building Services Engineer
To enter the building services industry, you’ll typically need a degree in building services, an engineering degree or a similar, relevant qualification (of which both under and post-graduate routes are available). Degree apprenticeships are also a rising alternative, giving students the chance to obtain vital on-the-job experience alongside professional qualifications.
Many building services companies will seek applicants that are members of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) to further their credentials.
Along with obtaining degrees and pursuing memberships, online CPD courses in relevant subjects can strengthen your chances of employment, such as:
