School of the Built Environment Research Library

Report for an external body

Subject Group: Sustainable Development

Full Reference: Underwood, C., & Giddings, R. (2009) ‘A Research Study on HongKong’s Building Services Engineering Profession: A Review of the Building ServicesEngineering Profession in the United Kingdom’. Report carried out by NorthumbriaUniversity on behalf of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.

Please scroll down to read a copy of the report.

A Review of the Building Services Engineering Profession in the United Kingdom

A Research Study on Hong Kong’s Building Services Engineering Profession

Professor Chris Underwood Professor Bob Giddings

School of the Built Environment Northumbria University

March 2009

3

Executive Summary 4

Introduction 6

Evidence gathering 7

A historical perspective 8

Europe’s engineering professions 12

The UK’s engineering professions 14

The UK’s building services profession 15

Current roles, competences and qualifications 16

A perspective from the UK Engineering Council 18

Perspectives from the building services institutions 20

A perspective from the Institution of Structural Engineers 22

A perspective from the Royal Institute of British Architects 22

A perspective from the Chartered Institute of Building 24

Future challenges 26

Opportunities 27

Emerging patterns of professional engagement 29

Licensing of product 34

Brand and protection of title 35

Conclusions 36

Appendix 38

Acknowledgements 39

References 40

Cont

ents

4

The work presented here exploresthe standing of building servicesengineers among the UK engineeringprofessions and their relationshipswith other built environmentprofessions. It seeks to identifycurrent roles, competences, trainingneeds, challenges and opportunitiesfor the future development of theprofession. Particular considerationwill be given to the potential forbuilding services engineers’ outputsto be licensed under acts ofparliament as well as the desirabilityof re-branding the profession andgiving legal protection of title.

Evidence and data have beengathered from numerous sourcesincluding industry surveys andreports, a practitioner survey and interviews with leadingrepresentatives of professionalinstitutions.

Building services engineers form a young profession and the

most recent of the recogniseddisciplines to establish itself in the built environment family. Historical intimidation by the largeestablished engineering institutionshas largely subsided as theythemselves develop fledglinginterests in the built environment,energy and sustainability. In spite of these interests, the dominant voice for UK building servicesengineers continues to be theChartered Institution of BuildingServices Engineers (CIBSE).Numbers of registered buildingservices engineers are increasing at a time when total registrations of engineers in the UK andthroughout the developed worldhave been in decline. UK practice is characterised by just twospecialist streams: mechanical andelectrical. Mechanical specialistsoutnumber electrical by 2:1. There isno evidence to suggest that otherspecialisms will emerge in theforeseeable future.

There is unanimity among

engineers and other built

environment professions that the key

focus for building services specialists

lies in energy and sustainability.

Building services engineers regard

the professional relationship they

have with architects as the most

important one of all and architects

place greatest value on engineers

who can develop concepts;

communicate ideas; and have

confidence in their solutions.

However the fragmentation arising

from the mechanical and electrical

specialisms together with the small

but growing involvements of other

professional institutions – in

particular the Institute of Mechanical

Engineers (IMechE) and Institution

of Engineering and Technology

(IET), are viewed as a challenge

to the profession by other built

environment disciplines. An early

involvement in projects with

contributions on energy and

Executive SummaryA review of the building services engineering profession in the United Kingdom is considered in thisdocument. It provides supporting information for a comprehensive study into the profession inHong Kong which is being conducted by Hong Kong Polytechnic University on behalf of the HongKong Institution of Engineers. The overall aim of the work is to investigate mechanisms for raisingthe profile of building services engineers in Hong Kong.

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sustainability is seen by other

disciplines as opportunities for the

profession to ‘raise its game’.

Recent growth in multidisciplinary

consulting practices along with an

increasing number of projects

delivered through integrated teams

and partnering amplify the potential

for early project involvement and

influence by building services

engineers. However traditional

services such as the production of

drawings and feasibility studies are

viewed as most important tasks by

consulting engineers; whereas

planning and site management

remain most important among

contractors. It is therefore clear that

building services engineers must

focus on the key skills and attributes

of innovation, communication of

ideas and robustness of solutions in

order to gain influence within

the increasingly integrated built

environment team.

Recruitment and retention of building

services engineers continues to be a

problem among most employers and

many of the larger multidisciplinary

practices are now seeking graduate

employees from disciplines other

than building services and, in some

cases, other than in any branch

of engineering. Indeed, this practice

is endorsed by the architecture

profession who see it as a way of

increasing the scope and influence

of building services. There is also

considerable scope for female

recruitment with just 3% of registered

UK engineering appointments

occupied by women.

In the wider context of society, energy

and environment have come firmly

into the public gaze in the UK giving

building services engineers the best

opportunity for decades to clearly

define their crucial role in this

important sector. This is essential,

because it is clear that the public

understanding of the function of a

role, as well as their understanding of

its importance, is crucial in profile-

raising. A more defined and respected

role within the built environment

team as well as clearer public

understanding of the function of the

profession will have considerable

impacts in status-raising.

None of the evidence gathered in this

study points to a desire for building

services engineers to be licensed

as approved agents under specific

acts of parliament or related statutory

measures. There is also no

evidence of a desire by the profession

to re-brand ‘building services’

although the architecture profession

is in favour of it. The legal protection

of the generic title ‘engineer’ is

unlikely to happen in the UK in the

forseeable future.

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The status and esteem enjoyed byany profession is influenced by atleast four factors:

SalarySource and level of qualificationsPublic understanding of the rolePublic perception of the importance of the role

Professional institutions are anecessity as they offer codes ofconduct as well as recognition ofeach discipline. The high levelinstitutions advance their respectiveprofessions by demonstrating benefitto society and promoting excellencein the profession. As theorganisation of projects has becomemore complex, and the identity of theclient more difficult to define, thepublic seems to have greaterappreciation for professionals whocan view situations more broadlythan just immediate commercialrequirements.

This study addresses the role ofbuilding services engineers in theUnited Kingdom in support of amuch larger study into strategies forraising the status of the profession inHong Kong. It was commissioned bythe Department of Building ServicesEngineering at the Hong KongPolytechnic University who havebeen, in turn, commissioned by theHong Kong Institution of Engineers(HKIE). The historical ties betweenHong Kong and the United Kingdom,and the influence that these tieshave had in evolving the professionin Hong Kong, forms the foundation

behind the work presented here. It isstressed that this study makes nopretence at resolving the issue ofstatus-raising for building servicesengineers in the UK, but is insteadfocused on examining features of theprofession’s current standing and itsexpected trajectory over the comingyears as a means of informing theparent Hong Kong study.

Accordingly, six objectives havebeen set:

a) To review the standing ofbuilding services engineersin the wider context of theUK’s engineeringprofessions

b) To establish current andevolving professionalrelationships betweenbuilding services engineersand other built environmentdisciplines

c) To review current roles,competences and trainingneeds for the profession

d) To explore futureopportunities andchallenges for buildingservices engineersincluding new methods ofprofessional engagement

e) To establish whether thereis a case for the licensingof building services output

f) To establish whether thereis a case for the rebrandingand protection of theprofessional title

Introduction

Evidence to address these objectiveshas been gathered using acombination of four sources:

Previously published work (i.e. review of the literature)Practitioner surveyProfessional institutionsurveySelected, previouslyunpublished data, suppliedby the UK Engineering Council (ECUK)

Most of the previously publishedwork of relevance to the studyobjectives has been obtained fromthe professional institutions’websites, particularly CharteredInstitution of Building ServicesEngineers (CIBSE), EngineeringCouncil UK (ECUK) and the RoyalInstitute of British Architects (RIBA),government websites and industrialassociations such as theConstruction Industry Council andthe Building Services Research andInformation Association.

A focused practitioner survey was conducted among a small number of leading building services firms.The following question themes were adopted:

Methods of engagement(procurement and feeterms)CompetencesQualifications and training needsStaff recruitment and retentionRebranding ‘building services’ and protection of title ‘engineer’Relationships with otherdisciplinesLicensing

A questionnaire was directed at arelatively small group (25) of leadingconsulting engineering andcontracting firms (with a biastowards the former) with a target ofachieving a response of around 50%.A total of 11 responses wereobtained representing a return of44%. The results were segregatedinto single-discipline consultingengineers specialising in buildingservices only (Group 1); multiple-discipline consulting engineersoffering building services plus atleast one other mainstreamconsulting service (Group 2) andcontractors specialising in buildingservices only (Group 3).

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Evidence gathering

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The professional institution surveywas directed at leaders of the mainprofessional institutions with aninterest in, or relationship with,building services. A semi-structuredinterview method was used witheither face-to-face contact ortelephone interviews. Six professionalinstitutions participated in the survey:

Engineering Council UK(ECUK), forming theumbrella group for all UKengineering professionsChartered Intitution ofBuilding Services Engineers(CIBSE), the main buildingservices professionalinstitution in the UKThe Institution ofMechanical Engineers(IMechE), having asignificant building services divisionThe Institution ofStructural Engineers(IStructE), representing the only other significantengineering disciplinewithin built environmentRoyal Institute of BritishArchitects (RIBA), a keystakeholder institutionChartered Institute ofBuilding (CIOB), animportant stakeholderinstitution

The following main questionthemes were explored:

Institution statisticsPerceived impact, profile and opportunities forbuilding services engineersSkills and trainingdeficienciesLicensingIdentity, title, andprotection of title

In the following sections, thestudy objectives are dealt with bydrawing on information from the various sources.

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In the UK, the 19th Century was thegreat period when most professionalactivity became established. TheInstitute of Civil Engineers wasfounded in 1818, the Royal Instituteof British Architects in 1834, theSociety of Builders also in 1834(Institute in 1884), the Institution ofMechanical Engineers in 1847, theInstitute of Surveyors in 1868 and,somewhat later, the Institution ofHeating and Ventilating Engineers in1898. Some fledgling professionalswere trying to emancipatethemselves from noble patronage,others were attempting todistinguish themselves as artists;but most were aiming to make adistinction between profession andtrade. By the end of the century, allthe major associations had beenestablished and professionalism asit is understood today became anaccepted principle (Carr-Saundersand Wilson, 1933). The professionalhad achieved the status of expert andthe relationship with the client wasdominated by it. Throughout most ofthe 19th and 20th centuries, clientswere laypeople who did notunderstand the design andconstruction of buildings. It wastherefore in the long-term interest ofevery professional to ensure that thepublic received only efficientservices from his colleagues. Theassociations tried to protect thebuyer by guaranteeing thecompetence and integrity of theirmembers (Kaye, 1960). A profession

was defined as an occupationpossessing skilled intellectualtechniques, a voluntary associationand a code of conduct. Non-professional occupations may haveassociations, training schemes andtests of competence; but they do nothave, for they do not need to have,codes of conduct.

The mission, vision, aims andobjectives of the Royal Institute ofBritish Architects (RIBA) areinteresting in that there is nomention of a client. The mission is to advance architecture bydemonstrating benefit to society andpromoting excellence in theprofession. The vision is to be achampion for architecture and for abetter environment. The RoyalCharter Supplemental (1971) statesthat the objects of the Royal Instituteare the advancement of Architectureand ‘the promotion of theacquirement of knowledge of theArts and Sciences connectedtherewith’ (RIBA, 2007a). This stanceof benefit to the public, builtenvironment and the profession hascaused some friction with clients asdefined by the person ororganisation that funds a buildingproject. However, as it became lessclear as to who exactly is funding thework; the architects’ position ofsupporting the public good, began tofind favour with society. It alsoopened up some far-reachingdebates on a range of people who

might be considered to be the client.

Together with their central role from

inception to completion of a project

support for the public interest has

enabled architects to be appreciated

as high quality professionals by the

public and the construction industry.

Media attention on the Royal

Institute’s portfolio of prizes

enhances this position. There are

more than twelve categories of

awards. The final stages of the

Stirling Prize for the Institute’s

Building of the Year are broadcast on

national television. The programme

includes an exposition of the

shortlisted buildings, together with

the judges’ decision and award to

the winners. The Royal Gold Medal is

advertised as one of the world’s most

prestigious architectural prizes to a

practice or individual. The Honorary

Fellowship awards spread interest

even wider. They recognise the

diversity of influence on architecture.

All fellows are leaders in their

own fields, and each has a track

record of achievement that provides

inspiration for architects and

all other built environment

professionals. These are presented

at a prestigious event (http://www

.architecture.com/WhatsOn/Awards

Ceremonies/Events/). Media and

society are attracted by style and a

visible product that, in most cases,

is understandable and usable by

the public.

A historical perspective

It is argued that the public and theconstruction industry recognisearchitects by the letters RIBA, i.e.members of the Royal Institute ofBritish Architects, but this is not thedefinition of an architect. In 1938, theArchitects Registration Act ensuredthat nobody can describe themselvesas an architect unless they appear onthe register. It should be noted thatParliament only grants registrationto professions whose services areurgent and indispensable. It becameknown as protection of title. Anybodymay design and supervise theconstruction of buildings, providedthey avoid using the term architect.This has led to a long-running debateabout protection of title and theextent of its worth without protectionof function. In the European Union,the function of the Architect isprotected to a greater or lesser extentin all countries, with the exception ofthe British Isles, the Netherlands andScandinavia. In countries where it isa legal requirement that an architectis appointed for a building project, itis noticeable that state control ofconstruction is weaker. It appears tobe the case that in those countries(such as France, Spain andGermany) the State effectivelyprivatises the responsibility toensure that the design andimplementation of the project will betechnically adequate, relying on

competent professionals to performtheir tasks rather than for the Stateto meticulously recheck andrecalculate submissions that havebeen made to a public body. Theprocess of submitting BuildingRegulation applications to UK localcouncils, irrespective of whether acompetent professional has beenemployed or not, inclines to theapproach that the State shouldalways take responsibility and checkthat work is done properly ratherthan rely on a professional personpaid from private rather than frompublic funds. In addition, it isperhaps worth observing that inthose parts of continental Europewhere the Architect’s function isprotected, the Architect appears tobe even more respected by society(Shrimplin 2007).

The Architects Registration Councilfor the United Kingdom (ARCUK)became established following the1938 Act. It comprised approximately50 architects, of which about 30 weremembers of the RIBA and 20 werenon-members, known as theunattached. The entire Council waselected by the profession. TheConservative government of the1980s introduced a substantialamount of deregulation in theprofessions, industry and publicservices. There were attacks on the

traditional procurement system andprofessional fee scales. It signalledan opportunity for other builtenvironment professionals to lobbygovernment to remove protection oftitle. The Architects Act 1997followed, but it did not favour the deregulators. ARCUK wasdisbanded but replaced by theArchitects Registration Board (ARB),which is a much smaller group.However, the most significantchange is that only seven membersof the Board are elected architects,whereas eight are non-architectsappointed by the Privy Council. Thepurpose of the Board is an extendedfunction to protect the consumer aswell as safeguarding the reputationof architects (http://www.arb.org.uk).This is not cosmetic and hasgenerated some conflict betweenARB and the RIBA, which has stillnot been resolved.

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The Society of Builders had alsobeen established in 1834; becomingan incorporated Institute only fiftyyears later. Since the beginning ofthe 20th Century, this institute hasfaced a number of challenges inmaintaining a separation betweenits members and the trade. Atvarious times, groups of membershave attempted to move towards theInstitution of Civil Engineers, one ofthe oldest professional institutes.Yet, this has not been popular withmost members. The reasons are nottotally clear but loss of identity andthe decline of civil engineering in theUK, have been cited. The Institutegained strength from a Royal Charterin 1980 coinciding with an attempt topresent itself as an umbrellaorganisation for professionals in thebuilt environment. However, thechanges were too subtle. The titlechange from ‘builders’ to ‘building’has been overlooked by most people,and the Chartered Institute hasnever been able to impact upon thepublic in the way that the RIBA hasachieved. By the end of the 20th Century, the Chartered Instituteof Building (CIOB) was eitherunknown publicly or associated with national and internationalbuilding contractors. This is amisrepresentation – albeitunintentional. By 2007, the CIOB hadformal reciprocal agreements withthe RIBA and the Chartered Instituteof Architectural Technologists(CIAT); and had absorbed theArchitects and Surveyors Institute(ASI) into its Faculty of Architectureand Surveying. Of the currentmembership, only 50% have reported

that they actually work in buildingcontracting. Yet, arguably, moresignificant has been the Institute’sresponse to the Royal Charter andthe Charity Commissioners. Theobjectives, as stated in the RoyalCharter are:

The promotion for thepublic benefit of thescience and practice ofbuilding

The advancement of publiceducation in the said science and practice including all necessaryresearch and publicationof the results of suchresearch

(http://www.ciob.org.uk/about/roy-alcharter)

As the deputy chief executive put it:‘As you can see, we do not exist for

the benefit of our members’. Whilethe Royal Charter leads the way, the Charity Commissioners arebecoming more active in determiningthe effective performance of charities.Thus the CIOB is redefining itsgovernance and offering moredemonstrable evidence of its actionsfor the public benefit. In recent yearsthe CIOB has served theconstruction industry well. It is nowinvolved in more public campaigns.It is developing a series of policystatements for the public benefit. Ithas also introduced a number ofinternational ambassadors andspokespersons on specific topics. Inaddition, the innovation andresearch awards are growing in sizeand stature. These are trulyinternational with a high proportionof winners from overseas. Adifference in emphasis is observedin a non-charity chartered institutionsuch as the Royal Institute ofChartered Surveyors (RICS), whichpromotes the profession of thesurveyor for the public advantage.

Much of the day-to-day work of thePrivy Council is concerned with theaffairs of chartered bodies – the 400or so institutions, charities andcompanies who are incorporated byRoyal Charter. It also has animportant part to play in the ten UKstatutory regulatory bodies, mostlyin health care, but including theArchitects Registration Board(http://www.privy-zouncil.org.uk/output/). In countries without amonarchy, such as Ireland, charteredstatus and regulation have to beachieved by specific acts ofparliament. For example, TheInstitution of Civil Engineers ofIreland (Charter Amendment) Act,1969 (http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/) states that chartered membersshall have the right to describethemselves as chartered engineers.Effectively, this becomes a mirror ofthe situation in the UK. However, acompletely new venture has been theIrish Building Control Bill2007(http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/News/MainBody,15984,en.htm)part of which provides for titles ofArchitect, Quantity Surveyor andBuilding Surveyor to be protected.The relevant registers are beingadministered by the Royal Instituteof Architects of Ireland (RIAI)founded 1839 (http://www.riai.ie),and the Society of Chartered

Surveyors (SCS) (http://www.scs.ie/)which became a separate entity fromthe Royal Institution of CharteredSurveyors (RICS) in 1993. Both theConstruction Industry Council, wholobbied for the Bill, and the Irishgovernment were keen to keep thenumber of protected titles to aminimum – just for reasons ofmanagement and enforcement.Whether or not they decided on thethree most applicable titles can bedebated but it is noticeable that noengineers are included. As well asadvantages, there are disadvantagesin the engineers operating as asingle group. Only a proportion ofthem are built environmentprofessionals. There was also somescepticism as to whether the Billwould ever be enacted and these twofactors meant that the engineersdistanced themselves from theprocess until the latter stages. Bythis time, the government was notparticularly responsive to addingfurther professionals to the protectedtitles. It would not accept the generictitle of Engineer for protection, asthere are too many interpretations;and to separate the builtenvironment engineers was seen astoo complicated and too late in thedevelopment of the Act. Thegovernment therefore declinedbelated attempts by the engineers tobecome involved.

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The Chartered Institution of BuildingServices Engineers’ (CIBSE) rootscan be traced back to the Institutionof Heating and Ventilating Engineers(IHVE) which formed in 1898. Thetitle Building Services Engineer wasestablished with the granting of theprofession’s Royal Charter in 1976. Ina recent interview (Building ServicesJournal, 2007a, p. 48), AndrewRamsay, the chief executive of ECUK, described building servicesengineers as having been‘downtrodden historically’ due to thedominance of the ‘big 3’ institutions(the then Institution of ElectricalEngineers (now the Institution ofEngineering and Technology (IET)),the Institution of Civil Engineers(ICE) and the Institution ofMechanical Engineers (IMechE)). In1947, the IHVE’s application to thePrivy Council for a Royal Charter was

blocked by these 3 institutions. Thiswent on until 1976 when the then Department of Environmentintervened and a Royal Charter wasgranted. Even then, as a compromiseto the ‘big 3’, the title ‘Engineer’ wasomitted (CIBS), but was includedwhen CIBSE joined the newlyestablished Engineering Council in1982, among the first tranche ofprofessional institutions. Thus, justas engineers struggle to achieve thestatus in society that they feel theydeserve today, building servicesengineers have historically struggledto achieve the status and recognitionthey felt they deserved among theirkindred professions. It took theformation of the Engineering Councilat the recommendation of the 1979Finniston report, and CIBSE’smembership of it, to change that forthe better.

Key points…

Key built environmentprofessions, including thethen Heating andVentilating Engineers, established themselves inthe 19th CenturyOf these professions, only architects enjoy protectionof title through an act ofparliament, but this doesnot extend to protection of functionBuilding services is one ofthe youngest of the variousbuilt environmentprofessions, becomingproperly established in theUK with the granting of a Royal Charter in 1976Initially, building servicesengineers were seen as a‘poor relation’ by severaldominant engineeringprofessions and thisresulted in a compromise inthe choice of title for theprofession

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The single voice for all engineeringprofessions in Europe is FédérationEuropéenne d'Associations Nation-ales d'Ingénieurs; EuropeanFederation of National EngineeringAssociations (FEANI) (http://www.feani.org/). FEANI represents theinterests of 29 European countries(mainly, but not restricted to, EU)registered or ‘declared’ engineers –some 3.5m professional engineers.Its aim is to ‘affirm and develop theprofessional identity of engineers’ inEurope and, through the professionaltitle, ‘European Engineer’ (EUR ING),to facilitate mutual recognition ofengineering qualifications in Europe.Membership of FEANI comprises anational FEANI committee in eachmember country. In the UK thenational committee is establishedthrough ECUK whose 280,000declared engineers and techniciansare themselves members of one or more of the 36 professionalinstitutions licensed by ECUK (seeAppendix for further details). Otherexamples are: Germany – FEANInational committee representedthrough Deutscher VerbandTechnisch-Wissenschaftlicher (DVT)who in turn represent 54 professionalassociations with 250,000 registeredengineers.

France – FEANI national committeerepresented by Conseil National desIngenieurs et Scientifiques de France(CNISF) who in turn represent 140 professional associations with160,000 registered engineers. Italy –Consiglio Nazionale Ingegneri (CNI)

with 190,000 declared engineersoperating under the Italian Ministryof Justice.

Engineering professions across theworld are managed and regulated ina variety of different ways (Hamilton,2000) ranging from those having asingle powerful central body createdby an act of parliament (e.g. Greece,Italy, Portugal) to those having anumber of professional bodies withno central governing body (e.gVerein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI) inGermany). The UK, with its non-governmental coordinating bodyECUK acting as an umbrella body for36 professional institutions, liessomewhere in between.

The Washington accord was signedin 1989 by the UK, Ireland, USA,Canada, New Zealand, Australia,South Africa and Hong Kong forgingan agreement to recognise eachothers engineers. Since 1989, Japanand Singapore have joined, Germanyand Malaysia are intending to takepart, and China and India haveindicated a desire to join. This doesnot mean recognition – merely thatthe qualifications held by aregistered engineer from a signatoryto the Accord will be considered byother signatories.

In 1999, the Bologna accord, signedby European Union ministers ofeducation, aimed at making Europethe ‘most competitive and dynamicknowledge-based economy in theworld’. A key objective is the

Europe’s engineering professions

15

formation of a single Europeanhigher education ‘area’ by 2010aimed at making Europe anattractive target for non-Europeansto engage in higher education aswell as to create mobility amongmember states. A key sub-objectiveis the harmonisation of Europe’sdegrees in 2 uniform ‘cycles’ (i.e.Bachelor and Masters degrees).Already we are seeing the impact ofBologna evidenced by the growingnumber of non-UK universitiesoffering degrees in English and, inGermany, the growing introduction ofBachelor degree awards alongsidethe more usual Diploma awards inthe recently formed universities of applied sciences (formerlyhochshules and fachochshules). Thespirit and intent of Bologna has beenunreservedly supported by FEANI(FEANI, 2003) from the viewpoint ofharmonising engineering educationacross Europe.

Besides the generic role of FEANI,the European umbrella groupFederation of European Heating andAir Conditioning Associations(REHVA ) formed in 1963 andcurrently represents the interests ofapprox 110,000 ‘building engineers’in 30 European countries through amembership structure composed ofEuropean institutions representingthe interests of specialist engineers(including the UK for which CIBSE is a REHVA member). Its mission is to develop and disseminateeconomical, energy efficient andhealthy technology for mechanicalservices of buildings’. Thus it ismainly a learned society whosepurpose is to support research,technical know-how and knowledge-sharing and dissemination amongmember states. It organises theClima-2000 series of internationalconferences.

Key points…

The regulation ofengineering professionsacross Europe is piecemeal– ranging from specificacts of parliament in somecountries to theestablishment of non-governmental umbrellabodies such as theEngineering Council in the UKIncreasingly, the European umbrella body forengineering professions,Fédération Européenned'Associations Nationalesd'Ingénieurs (FEANI), isbecoming influential as asingle voice for Europe’sengineersThe late 20th CenturyBologna and Washingtonaccords have establishedthe first tentative steps for the recognition of qualifications and, thus,professional mobilitybetween countries

The Engineering Council, ECUK, is theumbrella institution for most of the UKprofessional institutions representingthe engineering professions (ECUK,2003). It is governed by a board whosemembership includes representationfrom each of the member institutions.Currently, there are 36 memberinstitutions.

ECUK maintains the register of all chartered engineers, incorporatedengineers and engineeringtechnicians in the UK. ‘UK-SPEC’(UK-SPEC, 2005) governs thestandard of professional engineers in the UK by maintaining a register of professional engineers andtechnicians. Chartered Engineers(designated ‘CEng’) are characterisedby their ability to develop appropriatesolutions to engineering problems,using new or existing technologies,through innovation, creativity andchange’. Incorporated Engineers(designated ‘IEng’) are ‘characterisedby their ability to act as exponents oftoday’s technology through creativityand innovation’. There is also aregistration grade for engineeringtechnicians (designated ‘EngTech’).ECUK is governed by a board madeup of a membership of the current 36 UK engineering institutionsrepresented. Details of theseprofessional institutions, includingthe most recently availableregistered membership numbers canbe found in Table A.1, in the Appendix.

In 2001, the Engineering TechnologyBoard (ETB) was formed following areview by the then chairman ofECUK, Dr Robert Hawley. The ETBwas formed with the vision:

To become an authoritative voicefor engineering and technology,integrated seamlessly with scienceand mathematics, and facilitator ofa skilled, innovative workforce"

The formation of the ETB as the UK’s ‘voice for engineering andtechnology’ enabled the ECUK tofocus on its central role ofmaintaining the Engineers Register.

16

The

UK’s

engi

neer

ing

prof

essi

ons

17

The Chartered Institution of BuildingServices Engineers (CIBSE) hassignificant prominence amongEuropean professional institutions ofits kind, its 18,417 currentmembership dwarfing all kindredEuropean institutions. However, thereis a tendency in Europe for muchlarger generic engineeringprofessional institutions. Forexample, the Association of GermanEngineers (VDI) is the largestengineering professional associationin Western Europe with 132,000members in that region. It has a corerole of promoting the advancement oftechnology including the educationaldevelopment and continuingprofessional development of itsmembers. However, it also representsengineers in society through itsProfessional Division whichaddresses 11 specific areas of activityfocused on ‘the engineer inprofessional life and society’ (VDI,2007). Evidently, these largerinstitutions enjoy both the resourcesand presence to have a real impact on society’s awareness of them as well as understanding theircollective roles.

When last reported comprehensivelyin 2003 (CIC, 2003), there were 23,500professional firms in the UKconstruction sector employing a totalof 225,000 built environmentprofessionals (38% of which are fullmembers of professional institutions)and generating £12.3bn of fee incomeannually. 77% of these firms operatedout of a single office, with 23% ofthem based in single person practicesand 81% employing less than 10people. Architecture accounted for22% of this business volume,engineering (including civilengineering) 30% and surveying 16%.Significantly, 45% of fee income isearned by multidisciplinary practices.Of the 30% engineering services

income, 15% is earned by buildingservices engineers with a further 5%on fire engineering.

The value of the building servicesindustry in the UK when lastcomprehensively reviewed in 2004(King and Samuelsson-Brown, 2004)was £21.5bn with a total employmentof 400,000 people. It comprised112,500 companies which included a‘very large number’ of single person companies. The companiesbreakdown was: 106,119 (contracting);2,700 (design and consulting); 4,507(equipment supply). Based on 2003figures, building services contractingrepresented 21% of total constructionoutput in the UK.

CIBSE members holding full CEngregistrations amounted to 2.51% of the total UK registrants in 2002.This increased to 2.96% in 2006representing an increase of 15.1% inCIBSE CEng registrants whilst, overthe same period, the total number ofECUK registrants declined by 2.47%more or less in line with the declineexperienced in other developedcountries. At present, CIBSE ranks as8th largest engineering professionalinstitution in the UK in terms of CEngregistrants behind IET, IMechE, ICE,IStructE, IChemE, BCS and IOM3 (*).In 2006, 900 CIBSE members helddual membership with the IMechE,648 with the IET, 329 with the EI (*) and 476 with all other professional institutions. Thesemultiple membership numbers havenot changed significantly over thepast 5 years. There were 314 FEANIregistrants among CIBSE membersamounting to about 2.5% of overallUK FEANI registrants in 2006. Acrossall CIBSE registration grades on theECUK register, 73.4% were at theCEng grade in 2006 (up from 70.5% in2002) whilst the percentage for allECUK registrants was about

78%. Significantly among builtenvironment engineers, the growth inCIBSE registered engineers over thepast 5 years has taken place whilstthe registered membership of theIStructE has remained more or lessstatic over the same period.

* See Table A.1, in the Appendix forthe full titles.

Key points…

There are 36 recognised engineering professions in the UK most of which have members registered as chartered andincorporated engineersThe Engineering Council maintains the UK registerof engineers with some 242,530 full registrants currently of which 78% are charteredCIBSE is 8th largest of the UK engineeringprofessional institutionsand currently has anaverage growth rate in chartered engineers of 3.8% per year against a decline of just under 1% per year for all professionsDuring this period ofgrowth, registered membership of structural engineers in IStructE has remained more or lessstatic

The UK’s building services profession

18

According to a survey conducted bythe Construction Industry Council(CIC, 2004), 80% of firms experience‘skills problems’ within their existingworkforces. 65% experienced‘significant difficulties’ in recruitingstaff with appropriate skills (a higherproportion of these in engineeringand a lower proportion inarchitecture).

Firms appear to have particularproblems with technical and practicalskills. Technical, problem-solving,literacy and professional IT skillsproblems were more pronouncedamong smaller firms whereasmanagement, client handling,communication and general IT skillsproblems were more pronouncedamong larger firms (CIC, 2004). Thelack of mathematical ability has beenidentified as the biggest constraint onengineering (Building ServicesJournal, (2007a), p. 48).

Only 25% of firms have documentedrecruitment and retention strategies.35% of firms fund training that isprovided by their professionalinstitutions and 50% of firms use ‘onthe job’ training (CIC, 2004). Manycited cost of training as an issue (aswell as loss of time by those involved).

‘Traditional’ competences of designteam liaison; tender drawingproduction and feasibility studieswere rated most highly by buildingservices design practitioners whereasproject planning and managerialaspects were highlighted as most important by contractors.Significantly, no other competenceswere identified by the respondents ofthis survey suggesting the ‘traditionaltasks’ put to the survey participantsremain key. A significant proportion ofconsulting engineer respondents tothis survey identified modelling and

simulation tools as a desirable areafor training and re-skilling. Thedominant qualification amongconsulting engineers is the honoursdegree though there are growinginstances of masters degreeswhereas, among contractors, thereis evidence of a lower level ofqualifications. Among consultingengineers, 20-33% hold CEngqualifications through CIBSEwhereas, among contractors, thefigure is considerably lower.

Increasingly, opportunities arepresenting themselves for buildingservices engineers (and otherprofessions) to accredit themselvesas ‘competent persons’ for thepurpose of conducting a specificdefined task. Boushear (2001) definesa competent person as ‘a person who,by reason of their theoretical andpractical training or actual experienceor both, is competent to perform thetask or function…..and is authorised[to do so]’. An extension is acompetent enterprise; a business(with one or more employees)employing one or more competentpersons. For example, self-certification of Building Regulationscompliance in the UK can be carriedout by the competent person(s) in acompetent enterprise (otherwise thiscompliance work would require to beundertaken by the body responsiblewhich would be a local authority).Competent persons must be certifiedby a certification body. The mostcommonly mentioned currentexample of this is the (regulated)approval of design work conducted toPart L of the UK Building Regulations.CIBSE’s ‘Low Carbon EnergyAssessor’ scheme forms one ofseveral certifying bodies for thispurpose (CIBSE Certification, 2008).In Europe, FEANI (2005) gives acontribution to the debate about

statements of competence (i.e.‘competent persons’), includingexpectations of competence amongFEANI registrants and methods ofmaintaining competence.

Key points…

A majority of construction firms experience skillsproblems in both existing staff as well as deficienciesin newly-recruited staffAmong building servicesfirms, ‘traditional’ designand contracting taskscontinue to be covetedthough simulationmodelling skills are mostfrequently identified as adesirable area for trainingThe honours degree is the most common qualification among building services consulting firms where 20-33% of engineers hold a chartered registration; qualification levels appear to be lower amongcontracting firmsThere is increasingopportunity to engage in work regulated in support of acts of parliament by certified ‘competentpersons’ though theseopportunities will not berestricted to qualifiedbuilding services engineers

Current roles, competencesand qualifications

19

The following represents the viewsexpressed by a senior officer of theEngineering Council of the UnitedKingdom.

The 36 professional institutionsin the ECUK ‘family’ are likely toremain static now due togovernment pressure to avoidrecognition of new engineeringinstitutions though there are anumber of other institutions‘waiting in the wings’ (up to 14currently). Many of the smallerinstitutions use their ECUKregistrations to gain credibility.

Overall female membershipstands at approximately 3%.Membership in all categories hasbeen in decline for some timereflecting a worldwide patternamong registered engineeringprofessions. There is someevidence that some IEngmembers did not complete anintended pathway to CEng.

UK engineers generate a netincome for the UK; there is asurplus of exports in servicesover imports on UK-originatedengineering work of some £2bn.

FEANI has begun to beincreasingly influential due tostrong pressure from theEuropean Commission. However,many of the professionalinstitutions in Europe are alignedto university alumni causingsome resistance to change (e.g.strong pressure from Europe forthe UK to adopt their longerdiploma study durations i.e. 5-6years as opposed to 4 years in theUK). There is no reason to expectthat the engineering professionsacross Europe will change or re-align.

Only an extremely smallproportion of UK institutionshave licensing authority. There islittle evidence that this hasincreased their standing thoughthey are very small institutions inany case. For example, membersof the Panel of ReservoirEngineers (within the Institutionof Civil Engineers) are legallyempowered to approve reservoirdesigns. There are also someexamples within the Institution ofEngineering and Technology(formerly the Institution ofElectrical Engineers) in fieldssuch as railway signalling inwhich certain registeredspecialists have quasi-legalpowers (though not undergovernment legislation). TheIMechE is currently consideringseeking statutory recognition forits chartered engineers but thereis no real evidence that thiswould enhance the status ofengineers in the UK.

Protection of the title ‘engineer’is unlikely in the UK partlybecause the government isanxious to resist red tape. Also,engineers cover a broad range ofdisciplines unlike other protectedprofessions (such as architects)and this would make it difficult toregulate. ECUK actually pursuesa small number of cases throughthe courts involving thefraudulent use of its registeredtitles (typically 2 or 3 each year).

A perspective from the Engineering

Council of the United Kingdom

20

There is evidence that othercountries that have gone down thisroute have not seen anyimprovement in the status of theirengineers. For example, NewZealand introduced its CharteredEngineers Act of 2002 giving alegally-protected entitlement to use the designatory letters ‘CPEng’and, in Australia, the NationalProfessional Engineers Register wasintroduced about 10 years ago. Only approximately 20% achievedregistered status in Australia; theeffect of both of these registers hasbeen to help regulate CPD training.Canada has legally protected thetitle ‘engineer’ although the percapita number of registeredengineers and technicians inCanada is little different to the UK.

The title ‘building servicesengineer’ originated as acompromise for the award of aRoyal Charter. There is likely tobe unease in certain quartersabout changing it (if it weredesired to change it) because itwas approved for use bygovernment in the first place.

The status of engineerscompared with other professionsis complex. For example, medicaldoctors are ‘monopolised’ underthe National Health Servicewhereas anybody can employ anengineer. Status in otherprofessions (such as in law)becomes elevated when there isstatutory control of function but,in the case of engineers, nobodyhas ever been able to defineexactly what an engineer doespartly because engineering is soprofessionally diffuse.

Sustainable development issuesrepresent real opportunities formany of the engineeringprofessions and, in particular, forbuilding services engineers.

Mergers between institutions(and, hence, professions) tendonly to occur when one of thembegins to fail. IET formed fromthe IEE with a view to getting a‘broader church’ although theyhave failed to attract otherinstitutions to join them and thissituation is not expected tochange in the years ahead.

Key points…

It seems reasonable toexpect that a highrepresentation by women inengineering would have abeneficial effect on statusof the profession and yetfemale engineers account for just 3% of the UK totalThe extent of licensing of output among the UK’s engineering professions is negligible and there is little evidence that itsintroduction would haveany beneficial impact onthe status of theprofessions hereThe protection of title ‘engineer’ is unlikely ever to happen in the UKThe specific title ‘building services engineer’ was granted by Royal Charter;re-branding the professionwould therefore be difficult The standing of engineersin society is hampered bythe difficulty in clearlydefining a recognisablesingle function for theprofession

21

The following represents the views

expressed by a senior officer of The

Chartered Insitution of Building

Services Engineers (CIBSE).

CIBSE has 18,417 members in total.

All are building services engineers,

the ratio of mechanical to electrical

specialists being approximately 2:1.

Currently, 11,249 CIBSE members are

not registered with ECUK.

Besides ‘normal’ qualifying routes(i.e. accredited university degreeprogrammes), applications formembership can be consideredvia individual case procedure: adetailed qualification profile isreviewed and a top-up is required(i.e. preparation of a TechnicalReport).

Skills deficiencies requiringtraining among CIBSE membersare considered to lie in energyefficient design and operation of buildings, and in life cycleanalysis methods. The emphasishere is placed on the broadercontext of building servicesengineers becoming moreinvolved in the operational phaseof buildings. There are alsoopportunities with the forth-coming introduction of EnergyPerformance Certificates underthe European Commission’sEnergy Performance of BuildingDirective (EPBD).

Clear routes to qualification are

defined for engineers of any

background. However the

Technical Report route gives

applicants some difficulty

because of the need to write

about first principles. Alternatives

have not yet been identified.

Because only 5% of CIBSE

current members come from an

accredited building services

degree course, CIBSE plan to

introduce bridging training for

graduates entering the

profession from other disciplines.

Regarding licensing powers,

CIBSE is not in favour of

unnecessary legislation. The

view was expressed that it would

be better to ‘give teeth’ to the

existing Building Regulations

than to introduce new legislation.

There is already a newly emerging

and regulated role in energy

assessors who have responsibility

to approve Building Regulations

compliances.

However, accredited energy

assessors are not required to be

chartered engineers and may

therefore come from a variety of

professions. CIBSE favour the

‘broad church’ concept of a

building services engineer’s role,

rather than specific specialism.

CIBSE did not express a strongview on the protection of the title‘engineer’ and questioned thenecessity of a change in thespecific title ‘building servicesengineer’.

The following represents the views ofsenior officer from the Constructionand Building Services division of theInstitute of Mechanical Engineers(IMechE).

The Construction and BuildingServices division has about 5,500members registered. It is thoughtthat the majority will bepractising as building servicesengineers. They will all beChartered since the IMechE hasonly very recently offeredapplications for membership atother grades.

A key role of Construction andBuilding Services members isconsidered to make buildingsinhabitable. In the past this wasoften to deal with and solvearchitectural/construction pref-erences, such as curtain wallingand glazing, giving an acceptableworking environment. Morerecently, a major role in reducingenergy consumption by buildingshas emerged.

In future, an ever-increasing rolein the design of the buildingenvelope, with the “ducts, pipesand wires” assuming lesssignificance.

Perspectives from the buildingservices institutions

22

Building services engineers tendnot to get the recognition theydeserve, but it is difficult to seewhat can be done about it. It islargely a matter of publicity and,as the role slowly shifts asdescribed above, there is scopefor making it more appealing toschool leavers and, especially,engineering undergraduates.

It is expected that buildingservices engineers will enjoy amuch higher profile within thedesign team in future to rival thatof the structural engineer and anequal, or possibly greater, rolethan the architect.

Building services engineers aregenerally well skilled for the workthey do and there are no obviousareas requiring additionalspecialist training. Existingqualifying routes to CEng/IEngare adequate and salaries haverecently caught up to what nowmight be regarded as fair.

The issue of granting licensingpowers to building servicesengineers is difficult as the role

differs between designer,contractor, manufacturer, andcommissioning specialist. It istherefore doubtful these powerscould be satisfactorily introducedfor the benefit of all.

Legal protection of the generictitle ‘engineer’ is justifiable but isunlikely to happen now. Howeveras the role of the buildingservices engineer changes thereis a need to reconsider thespecific title although the term“engineer” must be retained.One serious difficulty is that thepublic do not know what abuilding services engineer doeswhereas for structural engineersit is self-evident.

Building Services Engineers accountfor proximately 13% of current totalIMechE membership. Around 900CIBSE members also have dualmembership of the IMechE – some16% of the IMechE Construction andBuilding Services Division member-ship, a figure that has remainedmore or less static for the past 5 years.

Key points…

There are 23,000 building services engineers in theUK holding membership ofeither CIBSE or the IMechEOnly a little over half ofthese are registered withECUKJust 5% of CIBSE members come from an accreditedUK building services degreeprogrammeBoth CIBSE and IMechEagree that ‘energyefficiency’ forms the singlemost important focus forthe work building servicesengineers doCIBSE Sees a future role forincreased involvement inthe operational phase ofbuildings (i.e. facilitiesmanagement)There is little appetite forlicensing powers forbuilding services engineersThere appears to be little prospect of protection oftitle ‘engineer’ and re-branding the specific title‘building services engineer’will be difficult due to the definition ofalternative function

23

Although considered important bymost of the consulting engineerrespondents to the practitionersurvey, the professional relationshipwith structural engineers was ratedslightly less important than that of construction project managersoverall. The following representsthe views of a senior officer of theInstituion of Structural Engineers(IStructE).

Key points…

The relationship betweenservices engineers andstructural engineers hasalways been excellent and, essentially, complimentary.It is not expected that thisposition, or the individualroles, will change in theforeseeable futureProtection of title ‘engineer’would be highly desirablebut it will never be achievedin the UKThe IStructE stronglybelieves that the grantingof licensing powers is animportant step in improvingthe status of engineers asevidenced by the powersalready vested in structuralengineers in Hong Kong, for example

A perspective fromthe Institution ofStructural Engineers

24

Nearly all respondents of thepractitioner survey considered theworking relationship they have withthe architecture profession as ‘vital’.There appears to be little evidencethat a shift in attitude towards thisposition is likely for the foreseeablefuture at least. By some margin, thisrepresents the most importantprofessional relationship for buildingservices engineers. The followingrepresents the views of the RoyalInstitution of British ArchitectsPractice Committee.

The focus is on energy andsustainability – building servicesconsultants must be able tomake client presentations in away that the clients willunderstand. This is a huge issueas the capital cost can besignificant. So, they need to bepart of the integrated designsolution and take the clientthrough the stages and costs

High quality environmentalengineers need to be involvedfrom day one of any project. Theyneed to consider the qualitativeimpact of environmental design,and be creative to generate astrategy that will deliver the bestdesign solution. A holistic view isrequired – integration withstructure and envelope isessential. The front-end work isbecoming more demanding withenergy assessments andsustainability evaluations. The

worst situations are whereclients minimise risk of expenseif the project does not proceed bynot employing building servicesengineers at the beginning; andwhere subcontractors detail theinstallation. The performanceapproach (i.e. contractor design)is generally not satisfactory. The services engineers need to be paid for front-end work, and clients have to accept this approach. A payment system based on the quantity of machinery that can beinserted into a building iscounterproductive.

Even development control isleading to an enhanced role forservices engineers. Originallydevelopment control was aboutland use. In the late 20th Century,economic issues such as jobcreation were added. Now it isenergy assessment andsustainability. There arerequirements to show how muchbetter a proposed building willperform, compared with theminimum standards of theBuilding Regulations. It is notuncommon to receive conditionsfor approval that involve energytargets and sustainabilityprovisions. Development Controlexpect a sustainability statementas part of the documentation. InLondon at least 10% of energymust be from renewable sources.

A pe

rspe

ctive

from

the

Roya

lIn

stitu

te o

f Br

itish

Arc

hite

cts

25

Building services engineers orenvironmental engineers needthree primary skills – strategicapproach (concepts etc.) abilityto communicate ideas andconfidence that any ideas will notfail later. Project co-ordination isa major issue, so a detailedservice of design and co-ordination is important. There isalso an ever increasing numberof specialist reports required. Theservices engineers need to bemore creative, and offeralternative technologies forreducing carbon levels.

A forward thinking practice isimportant – with qualityindividuals and track record -among the best practices thatdemonstrate these attributes are:Max Fordham, Buro Happold,Atelier 10, Fulcrum, XC02, FaberMaunsell, Hoare Lea; andyounger firms such as KingShaw, Ernest Griffith and BattleMcCarthy.

Britain seems to have the lead inEurope – there are often requestsfrom Europe to nominatepractices.

Highly intelligent people areessential, and not necessarilyengineers – there needs to be anopening-up of the rigidengineering qualification system.

The above point was discussedwith a senior building servicespractitioner working for aprominent firm of consultingengineers in London. Thepractitioner confirmed that theyare looking to widen the scope of

those who can be employed anddo not actively recruit frombuilding services degrees. Ascience background continues tobe important – mostly physicists,some mathematicians – as wellas a range of engineers. Thispractice is now consideringproject management andhumanities graduates for projectadministration.

Key points…

Energy and sustainabilityare considered to be thekey foci for buildingservices engineersRe-branding ‘buildingservices’ would help –‘environmental engineering’was suggested by thearchitectsAttributes of developingconcepts; communicatingideas; and havingconfidence in solutions arequalities that architectsvalue most in buildingservices engineersUK building servicesengineers are wellrespected in EuropeRecruitment from a broaderrange of graduates withless rigidity for engineeringqualifications would help tobroaden the scope of the building services profession

26

Three respondents in the practitionersurvey rated the professionalrelationship they had withconstruction project mangers as‘vital’ and all but one of theremaining respondents rated it as‘important’. The views of theChartered Institute of Building(CIOB) on the professional impact ofbuilding services engineers werethus obtained by discussing keyissues with the Deputy ChiefExecutive. The results aresummarised in the following.

Like most other professionalinstitutions in the builtenvironment, members of CIBSEhave the protection of charteredstatus. These are of coursevoluntary associations butmisrepresentation can beprosecuted by the TradingStandards Office. Statutoryrights enjoyed by the architectscarry much greater powers formisuse of the title.

Building services is perceived asthe junior partner of builtenvironment professions, butthere are excellent salaries due tothe shortage of graduates.

Competition with mechanicaland electrical engineers is seenas a confusing situation. TheInstitution of Engineering andTechnology (IET) is mainlycomposed of former members ofthe Institution of ElectricalEngineers (IEE). Obviously, it hasmembers from a range ofindustries, and even though thereare no specific references tobuilding services in theInstitution’s structure, somemembers are interested inintelligent and green building

with high level technologies. TheIMechE has a distinct andorganised Construction andBuilding Services Division, whichis focussing its attention onenergy usage and climatechange. The American Society ofHeating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers(ASHRAE) is viewed as a strong international organisation.Nevertheless, it all adds to apicture of fragmentation. Thusbuilding services engineers canbe found in variety of professionalorganisations; and at the veryleast there is a divide betweenmechanical and electrical.In addition, some of theseprofessional institutions are onlypartially interested in the builtenvironment.

Only CIBSE is fully dedicated to the built environment. Yet, it is a small institution; and size is important in raising profiles because money fromsubscriptions is required.

The immediate opportunity forraising the profile of buildingservices engineers is throughearly involvement in projects –with contributions on energy andsustainability; as well as national/ international debates onclimate change. Unfortunately,this is becoming a very crowdedprofessional niche.

The Built Environment TechnologiesNetwork (BETNET) group in the IETfocuses its attention on ‘electricalinstallation technology’. Many IETmembers practice as electricalbuilding services engineers.Currently, 648 CIBSE members holddual membership with the IET.

Key points…

There is a perception thatbuilding services engineershave lower recognitionamong built environmentprofessions in spite ofexcellent salaries andopportunitiesThe fragmentation arisingfrom electrical andmechanical specialisms aswell as from the ‘dabbling’by other mainstreamprofessional institutions inbuilding services-relatedactivity needs to beaddressedThe relatively small size ofthe profession makes itvulnerableAgain, energy andsustainability form key fociand an early involvement inprojects would help to raisethe profile of buildingservices engineers

A perspective from the Chartered Institute of Building

27

The key challenge to the futuresuccess of the profession is its abilityto recruit and retain sufficientnumbers of well qualified and skilledstaff. A majority of consultingengineers currently experiencedifficulty in recruiting and retainingstaff with building servicesqualifications in the UK and there issome evidence that there aredifficulties in recruiting engineerswith other qualifications for traininginto building services. According toCIBSE, just 5% of current memberscome from accredited buildingservices degree programmesprompting the need to consider top-up training and qualifications forgraduates in other disciplines.However, a gradual decline innumbers of UK school leaversentering engineering degreeprogrammes challenges this notion.The decline in engineering graduateoutput is not confined to the UK. InEurope, FEANI reports a 15-yearrelative decline in engineeringgraduate output and outlines a seriesof initiatives to arrest this problem(FEANI, 2007). Among them is a planto create an awareness of thepositive contributions to society byengineers and technologists – notingthat engineers in developingcountries enjoy higher status thanthose in developed countries due towhat is termed ‘technologicalsaturation and fatigue’ in developedcountries.

A recent salary survey (BuildingServices Journal, 2007b, p. 63)suggests that the salaries on offer toyounger people entering theprofession are not as competitive asthose at the top of the profession. It

suggests that employers will paywhatever is needed to getexperienced people in at the topwhilst trying to entice young peoplein at the bottom based on the overallbenefits package and theopportunities provided by the roleitself. However chronic shortages of young graduates coming intomany engineering professions,including building services, remain.In response, the EngineeringTechnology Board intend to launcha £20M campaign in 2008 runningthrough to 2012 to raise the profile ofall engineering professions in the UK(Building Services Journal, 2007c, p.44). The purpose will be to attractmore talented people and women inparticular, as well as to inspire youngpeople to study maths and science at school.

Hamilton (2000) has pointed out thatthe UK compares favourably onsalaries earned by engineeringgraduates in relation to otherdisciplines; whilst recognising thatstatus for engineers in the UK lagsbehind many other countries. Threeof the eleven practitioners surveyedagreed that a better publicperception of what building servicesengineers do is important in status-raising. This information adds toevidence reported elsewhere in thisstudy for a need to engage withsociety in a campaign to highlightthe key professional function ofenergy and sustainability as a meansto status-raising. As the publicattention is drawn increasingly to climate change and theenvironment, the current timing forthis is highly propitious.

An increased participation inbuilding services by women wouldhelp to elevate status andrecognition of the profession. Just3% of ECUK-registered engineers inthe UK are women. Amongconstruction professionals, thesituation is little better with 92% of allstaff employed by engineers andquantity surveyors in 2003 beingmale (CIC, 2003) – a bias that had notimproved between 1995 and 2003.The proportion of femalepractitioners was found to besignificantly better for architects andplanners – professions that enjoyconsiderably higher status thanbuilding services (CIC, 2003).

Future challenges

28

Numerous opportunities presentthemselves for the development offuture professional services andspecialisms by building servicesengineers. Many of these emergefrom energy and carbon-relatedissues within the sustainabilityagenda.

CIBSE identifies current issues of sustainability; climate change and globalisation as matters of engagement in promotingcompetence and knowledge (i.e.strategic objective 4 of 6; CIBSEStrategic Plan 2006-10).

In October 2003, The LondonBorough of Merton became the firstlocal authority in the UK to introducea specific policy for the use ofdirectly-embedded renewable energyin new non-residential developments(The Merton Rule Policy Briefing,2006), stating…

“All new non-residential developmentabove a threshold of 1000m2 will beexpected to incorporate renewableenergy production equipment toprovide at least 10% of predictedenergy requirements”

Since then, a number of other localauthorities have launched similarpolicy statements.

Proposals for a UK Green BuildingCouncil (UKGBC) modelled on the USA Green Building Council have been made(Building ServicesJournal, 2007d, p. 61) . The latter wasset up in 1995 with a register for LEED (Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design) – accreditedassessors. The UKGBC‘s mission is…

“To rationalise the plethora of initiatives and policies onsustainable design and createa clear set guidelines agreed bygreen bodies, government andthose involved in construction”

The Building Research Establishmentis included among the membership –it evidently sees the UKGBC as ameans of increasing the uptake anduse of its Environmental AssessmentMethod (BREEAM).

The European Commission’s EnergyPerformance of Buildings Directive(EPBD) requires that member statesintroduce legally-binding carbonemission targets for new andrefurbished building designs as well as certification of existingbuildings (Communities and LocalGovernment, 2008). The first of thesewas introduced in the UK in April2006 in the form of revisions to PartsL1A, L1B, L2A and L2B of the BuildingRegulations*. Accredited energyassessors are required to ‘sign-off’designs carried out to these

standards. The main vehicle fordesign assurance under these revisedregulations is a tool called SBEM(Simplified Building Energy Model)developed by the UK BuildingResearch Establishment for thespecial purpose of building regulationcompliance checks.

Besides design measures for new andrefurbished buildings, accreditedenergy assessors will be required toprovide a variety of certificationschemes, to be rolled out between2008 and 2011 under the EPBD. Thereare three main schemes: EnergyPerformance Certificates (recordinghow efficient a building is on a scaleof ‘A’ (very efficient) to ‘G’ (very inefficient); Display EnergyCertificates (to be displayed at alltimes in large public buildings orinstitutional buildings providing apublic service to a large number of people) and air conditioninginspections for the purpose ofassessing the efficiency, sizing andreplacement of plant, to be carried outat intervals of not less than 5 years.The domestic version of thisassessment system, in the form ofHome Information Packs (HIPS)which are required to have an energystatement. These have already beenpartially rolled out in the UK and figures recently released byLearnDirect show that the mostrequested change of job from 900,000enquiries in 2007 was that ofdomestic energy assessor (Observer,2008) confirming the rising publicawareness, and importance theyattach to, energy efficiency.

Various UKAS**- registered organ-isations (Building Services Journal,2006a, p. 79) are developingaccredited energy assessor schemes,an example of which is CIBSECertification Ltd’s ‘Low CarbonEnergy Assessor’ scheme (CIBSECertification, 2008).

Oppo

rtun

ities

29

Until recently, fire safety legislationin the UK has been piecemeal and evolved mainly in response tospecific fires. However a new riskassessment-based fire safety orderwas enacted in 2005 (RegulatoryReform (Fire Safety) Order 2005).This, coupled with a renewedinterest in tall building constructionin the UK is expected to see some renewed interest in fire safety engineering. Nonetheless, anincreasing involvement in fireengineering and an interest in atangible fire engineering specialismby mainstream building servicesengineers seems remote. There is aseparate Institution of Fire Engineersin the UK whose members are mostlikely to vigorously pursue anyincreased opportunities in this area.

Likewise, the Institution of Plumbingand Heating Engineering caters for the public health specialism. The total number of registered(CEng/IEng) members of thisinstitution and the Fire Engineersamounts to just 4.1% of CIBSEmembership.

A majority of consulting engineersidentified ‘[simulation] ‘modelling’and related tools as a specificcurrent training need, givingevidence of the desire to gainexpertise in these areas for futurecompetitiveness (Appendix 3;practitioner survey). Sophisticatedtools for life cycle planning, designand management of buildings arenow a reality and current work isfocused on integrating these tools ina way that lends them to widespreaduse at all levels of the practitionercommunity (e.g. Hew et al. (2001),Augenbroe (2002), Bouchlaghem etal. (2005)).

Key points…

There is a need tocampaign for increasednumbers of school-leaversto enter engineeringdegree programmes as well as for new trainingpackages aimed atgraduates in otherdisciplines There is a need to increasethe number of women inengineering (currentlystanding at just 3% of ECUKregistrants)Current timeliness tocampaign on behalf of the key energy andenvironmentresponsibilities of buildingservices engineers as theseissues increase in publicawareness perception andimportanceNew and emergingopportunities as certifiedenergy assessors forbuilding services (andother) professionals areapparent Practitioners appear to beincreasingly aware of theneed for training and skillsin modelling and simulationmethods

* Building Regulations 2000(2006 Ed) Part L1A(Conservation of Fuel andPower for New Dwellings); PartL1B (Conservation of Fuel andPower in Existing Dwellings);Part L2A (Conservation of Fueland Power in New BuildingOther then Dwellings); Part 2B(Conservation of Fuel andPower in Existing BuildingsOther than Dwellings) (London:Office of the Deputy PrimeMinister)

** United Kingdom Accreditation Service

30

Research into workplace design hasshown that the focus to date hasbeen on environmental quantities –temperature, ventilation, lluminance,sound, etc. These now have gooddesign guidance criteria and thetargets are generally achieved inpractice (Thomas, Giddings andLittle 2006). These performanceattributes are viewed as baselinerequirements and only attractcomment on occasions where theguidelines are not achieved. One ofthe difficulties is that buildingservices engineers’ outputs are notvisible, and therefore cannot beshown to others in order to stimulatedebate. Moreover, it is the creation ofamenity attributes such asatmosphere, ambience, characteretc., which are associated with high-level professional activity and status.One option is that building servicesengineers could operate at theinterface with interior design todemonstrate how environmentalquantities can be used to generate

environmental qualities. Many of theissues can be summarised in figure 1.

Opportunities for building servicesengineers to communicate theirproduct are likely to arise from thedevelopments that have taken placein alternative methods ofconstruction procurement. Theseopportunities will be about makingthe product more transparent to awider audience than the projectdelivery team. Constructionprocurement methods in the UK canbe essentially classified in threegroups:

client-led designcontractor-led designcontractor financed

The first group includes TraditionalProcurement, in which the design isprovided by independent consultantsin direct contract with the client. A separate contract for the

construction is placed with abuilding contractor, who then sub-lets elements of the work. Selectionof the contractor is normally bycompetitive tender from a pre-selected list. The advantages are thatthe design can be completed anddocumented before it is sent totenderers for pricing. It also enablesthe design team to be established inthe early stages of the project.However, towards the end of the 20thCentury, this procurement methodstarted to be criticised. It wasconsidered that the pre-constructionperiod was excessive; and it was notdelivering projects on time andwithin budget. Egan’s (1998)assertion that building projectscould be delivered on time, with acost reduction of 30%, withoutreduction in quality – suggested thatTraditional Procurement had becomeoutdated. Other criticisms, such aslack of single point responsibility,and a management structure thatdiffered from the contractualarrangements added to the call forchange. Alternative methods aresummarised in figure 2.

Management Contracting grew outof clients’ desire to reduce their riskand contractors’ intent to createmore of a development role forthemselves. In addition, the growingtrend for building contractors to sub-let all of the work, resulted in aprocurement role for them that waslimited to project management(Hughes et al. 2006). This was thebeginning of the architect anddesign team’s reducing influence asa perception of equality betweendesigners and the managementcontractor was promoted.

Emerging patterns of professional engagement

Figure 1. Giddings and Holness 1996

31

In Construction Management, thecontractor even shed responsibilityfor the trade contractors, each ofwhich has a direct contract with theclient. This arrangement, devised forexperienced clients, created aconstruction manager who was morelike a consultant than a contractor.

Further clamour to speed the processand reduce costs producedcontractor-led design. A procurementsystem known as Design and Buildor Design and Construct, wasintended for simple buildings withrelatively low design content.Unfortunately, this intention hasbecome overlooked and somecomplex buildings have beenmistakenly procured by thistechnique. The design team isreduced to the level of subcontractorswhile a main contractor occupies thecentral role and interacts directlywith the client. Although this may beappropriate for simple repetitivebuildings, there have been seriouslyflawed outcomes on moresophisticated projects.

In order to avoid these failings, avariation known as Novated Designand Build was introduced. The

principle is that the client and the design team lead the pre-construction phase. When the maincontractor becomes involved, thedesign team acts as anothersubcontractor. The intention was thatthe design should be fully resolvedbefore construction commences,after which the design team shouldbe available to advise the contractor.However, often in practice, theintroduction of the main contractor tothe leading role and interacting withthe client has resulted in proposalsfor increased buildability. These arepresented to the client as cost-savingmeasures, but to the usurped designteam, they are perceived asimpoverishing the design.

In contractor financed procurement,such as Design Build FinanceOperate; Private Finance Initiative;and Public Private Partnership – eventhe authority of the client is reduced.The central role is occupied by the funder developer operatororganisation. The design team,contractors, suppliers, serviceproviders and users, are all effectivelysub-contractors. This procurementmethod is for public sector projectsin the context of reduced public

sector expenditure. The site andfuture occupiers are usually providedby the client – after which the funderdeveloper operator has full control fora period of up to 30 years. The onlycontrol on behalf of the public is the output specification provided bythe client. In practice, specificationclauses have too often beengeneralised in nature and open tonegotiation. In these circumstances,design quality has been low on thefunder developer operator agenda, in order to guarantee profitability(Masterman 2004).

Traditional routes to buildingprocurement are characterised by, a)large number of people needing tocommunicate directly with the client,b) complexity, c) contracts won onprice rather than added-value and, d)complex and ineffective supplychains. A potential remedy to manyof these complex issues lies in theconcept of the integrated team(Holley et al., 2005). The integratedteam idea requires that all suppliersin a supply chain for a given client orproject form a single body of contactwith the client. It is expected that thepartnership would subsequently goon to work (albeit with flexibility –some players may not be needed oncertain projects whereas other mayneed to come in ad hoc) on otherprojects and by working togetherwith a collective focus on addingvalue, the team expects to foster longterm customer loyalty.

Sir John Egan stipulated that 20% of construction business should be delivered through the use ofintegrated teams by the end of 2004,rising to 50% by the end of 2007. TheStrategic Forum for Construction ismonitoring progress towards these,and other, strategic industry targets(Accelerating Change, 2002).

Figure 2.

32

Once the integrated supply chainteam is established with openness,trust and a willingness to regard allproblems as mutual, the integratedteam can move on to a logical nextstep; partnering. This involves analliance between the client and theintegrated team built on mutualobjectives with agreed mechanismsfor dispute resolution and ongoingservice improvement to deliver a project (‘project partnering’) or a series of projects (‘strategicpartnering’), (Samuelsson-Brown,2002). The proportion of work bymultidisciplinary firms increasedsignificantly between 1996 and 2002(CIC, 2003); a development likely toincrease the integrated team ethos.17% of all construction work in 2003was procured through partnering(CIC, 2003) although the lowestparticipation in partnering is amongsurveying, planning and architecturalfirms where negotiation forms thedominant method of procurement(multidisciplinary firms partner onthe highest proportion of projects).This suggests that Sir John Egan’starget for integrated teams (anessential component of partnering) isbeing met.

A consistently greater satisfaction byclients with the quality of installationthan with design in building serviceswork has been reported (King and Samuelsson-Brown, 2004).Furthermore, UK building servicesoften cost more than in othercountries due to a combination of onerous client expectations and over-design leading to theproposition of introducing valueengineering methods in design i.e.seeking alternative and, potentially,lower cost solutions without

sacrificing functional imperatives(Hayden and Parsloe 1996). Littleevidence that such methods havetaken root can, however, be found.

Since the early 1980s, competitionhas become the overwhelming ethosin commercial activity. It was initiallythe Monopolies Commission thatpublicly questioned the practice ofprofession-wide standard chargesfor services (Nicholson 2003). Fee bidding now applies to allprofessionals, and the concept of feescales has been abandoned. Forexample, the section of the StandardAgreement for the appointment of anArchitect (S-Con-07-A) (RIBA 2007b)is typical of recent professionalpractice. It sets out a range ofoptions for fee calculation includingpercentage of construction cost,lump sums, time charges and thenew 'value-added' concept of fees. It also highlights the fact that feesare a matter of calculation andnegotiation based on the services to be provided, the procurementmethod, the programme and thecost, type and complexity of theproject. All consulting engineerssurveyed reported a wide diversity offee-setting methods although no onedominant method was apparent.However, most identified competitionas the underlying ethos in thevarious methods of fee-setting theyexperienced.

Key points…

A wide variety ofconstruction procurementmethods has emergedduring the past 15 yearsand, significantly, most ofthem have an integratedteam ethos and partneringin commonThese engagementmethods offeropportunities for buildingservices engineers to bothbecome involved earlier inthe construction processas well as to communicatetheir product to a muchwider audience, both ofwhich will help to raise the profile of servicesengineers among theirpeersA perception of bettersatisfaction withinstallation than withdesign among clients canbe addressed throughthese methodsA variety of fee-settingmethods has emergedduring this period but mostof them have an element of competitive bidding incommon – a majordeparture from thehistorical method of usingagreed fee scales

33

Legislation in the UK is expressedthrough acts of parliament. In recenttimes acts have included provisionfor regulations or orders to be madewithin an act. As an example, the Building Regulations form astatutory instrument under theBuilding Act of 1984. Regulationshave the same force of law as actsbut are limited by the act underwhich they were enacted. Orders canbe defined to govern when thevarious stages of an act come into force. Regulations often refer to British Standards or Codes of Practice as a means of conforming with the regulations. Acomprehensive review of legislationinfluencing building services can befound in Pennycook (2007).

In the UK, none of the builtenvironment professions are licensedwith statutory powers andresponsibilities. Only in their duty to the client do they undertakeapplications to statutory authorities.They advise about the implications of statutory requirements, and the information that must besubmitted for consents by theauthorities – including variousBuilding Regulations; DevelopmentControl; Party Wall and DisabilityDiscrimination legislation; HousingGrants, Construction andRegeneration Act 1996; the LatePayment of Commercial Debts

(Interest) Act 1988; and the

Construction (Design and Manag-

ement) Regulations 2007. In spite of

this provision, the 2007 Corporate

Manslaughter Act makes it more likely

that prosecutions will come about as a

result of failings in issues concerning

public health and safety (Building

Services Journal, 2007e, p. 27).

Hamilton (2000) pointed out that a

common view on enhancing the

standing of engineers is through a

system of licensing and the

protection of the title ‘Engineer’. He

argued that where medical and

vetinary practitioners have been

licensed, they have not necessarily

enjoyed enhanced status. In Japan

and America, certain engineering

technology activities have also been

licensed, but they too report little

improvement in status.

A clear majority of the practitioners

surveyed in this study were not in

favour of giving licensing powers

dealing with specific aspects of

legislation to building services

engineers. This view was supported

by interviews conducted with CIBSE

and ECUK officials, although the

IStructE is in favour, based partly on

experience with structural engineers

in Hong Kong.

Licensing of product

34

Periodically, the question of the title‘Building Services Engineer’ arises.Many in higher education, forexample, feel that a change to amore intuitive title would help toalleviate the misunderstanding ofthe role of building servicesengineers that appears to contributeto student recruitment difficulties.Others have argued for change inorder to reflect a gradual re-alignment in professional duties asnew emphases emerge from theregulatory environment (e.g. UKBuilding Regulations) – see forexample Building Services Journal(2006b), p. 3; Building ServicesJournal (2007f), p. 21. However, a

clear majority of the practitionerssurveyed in this study were not infavour of a change in professionaltitle.Table 1 gives a limited internationalcomparison of engineer, technologistand technician registrations inseveral countries that havepreviously had close historical andcultural ties with the UK. OnlyCanada has legal protection over thegeneric title ‘engineer’ and, althoughit has a greater number of engineersthan in other countries, the ratio oftechnicians and technologists is nodifferent. This suggests that legalprotection of title has little perceivedimpact on status.

Table 1: International comparison ofengineer, technologist and technicianregistration

UK

Ire

SA

NZ

HK

AUS

Can

a) Engineers

188,701

15,177

14,727

5,250

11,568

47,555

160,000

b) Technologists

40,466

2,468

2,944

125

1,713

708

29,991

c) Technicians

13,363

781

3,099

230

0

2,831

9,899

Engineers per 1000 population

3.10

3.70

0.33

1.28

1.65

2.33

4.79

Ratio a:b

5:1

6:1

5:1

40:1

7:1

67:1

5:1

Ratio a:c

14:1

19:1

5:1

22:1

-

16:1

16:1

Key: UK: ECUK

Ire: Engineers Ireland (EI) SA: Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) NZ: Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) HK: Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) AUS: Institution of Engineers Australia (IEAUST) Can: Canadian Council for Professional Engineers (CCPE)

Canadian Council for Technicians and Technologists (CCTT)

Brand and protection of title

35

Key points…

None of the UK builtenvironment professionsand a negligible number of engineering professionscurrently have licensingpowers under acts ofparliament for theirproductsA majority of buildingservices practitionerssurveyed in this study isnot in favour of havinglicensing powers – acollective view that isendorsed by CIBSEA majority of buildingservices engineerssurveyed in this study isnot favour of a change tothe title ‘Building ServicesEngineer’An internationalcomparison suggests thatlegal protection of the title‘Engineer’ has little impactin status-raising for theprofession

36

A review of the building servicesengineering profession in theUnited Kingdom has been carriedout with a view to exploring:

The standing of buildingservices engineers in thewider context of the UK’sengineering professionsProfessional relationshipsbetween building servicesengineers and other builtenvironment disciplinesCurrent roles, competencesand training needsFuture challenges andopportunitiesLicensing of outputsRebranding and protectionof title

Building services engineers form ayoung profession, being one of thelast of the mainstream builtenvironment professions to establishitself at the end of the 19th Century,and not receiving the recognitionaccorded by Royal Charter until 1976.The growth in diversity among UKengineering professions, and acorresponding decline in influenceby some, added to economic growthin the built environment sector, haveall contributed to building servicesestablishing itself in a recognisedand respected niche today after aperiod of being historically‘downtrodden’ by some of thedominant engineering professions.The average annual growth rate forthe past 5 years in registeredbuilding services engineers is 3.8%per year, which compares with adecline of just under 1% in allregistered UK engineers – essentiallyfollowing a developed-world trend.

This growth has taken place whilstthe number of registered structuralengineers (the other mainstreamengineering profession in the builtenvironment) has remained more orless static. Both the IMechE and IEThave special interest groups forbuilding services and builtenvironment but they are relativelysmall compared with the dominantand focused membership of buildingservices engineers within CIBSE andthe professional engineeringlandscape in the UK is not expectedto change in the foreseeable future.

Building services engineers continueto regard the professionalrelationship they have with architectsas the most important one althoughthey also place high importance onthe professional relationship theyhave with construction projectmanagers with an important but lessvital emphasis on a range of otherbuilt environment professions.Architects in turn place greatestvalue on building services engineerswho can develop concepts;communicate ideas; and haveconfidence in their solutions. Theyplace value on the contribution theycan make in issues concerningenergy and sustainability andconsider that re-branding theprofession would help to raise itsprofile (‘environmental engineering’was suggested) together withrecruitment from a wider range ofgraduate types – not necessarilyfrom the ‘rigid’ engineeringqualifications system. Constructionmanagers raised fragmentationarising from the mechanical andelectrical specialisms within buildingservices together with the small butgrowing involvements of otherprofessional institutions – inparticular the IMechE and IET. Thereis almost unanimity among built

Conc

lusi

ons

37

environment professionals that there is an immediate opportunity for raising the profile of buildingservices engineers through earlyinvolvement in projects – withcontributions on energy andsustainability; as well as national/international debates on climatechange. Unfortunately, this maybecome a crowded professionalniche.

There is broad unanimity that thefocus of building services engineersis, and should continue to be, energyand sustainability. Less is mentionedby stakeholders about servicesdesign although traditional tasks,such as the production of drawingsand feasibility studies, are viewed asmost important by consultingengineers whereas planning and sitemanagement remain key tasksamong contractors. Significantly,energy modelling and its relatedtools are viewed as an importanttraining priority for the future bysome engineers. The honours degreecontinues to be the most commonqualification and 20-33% ofengineers in consulting companiessurveyed are registered at CEng,although contractors tend to be lesswell qualified. Although there isconsiderable emerging opportunityfor accredited ‘competent persons’such as energy assessors, to engagein compliance auditing for new andemerging Building Regulations,many of these opportunities arelikely to be taken up by professionalsoutside the engineering arena. It istherefore clear that building servicesengineers must focus on the keyskills and attributes of innovation;communication of ideas androbustness of solutions to prosperwith increasing influence within theincreasingly integrated builtenvironment team. Mechanical andelectrical services form the only twoestablished and recognised

specialisms in UK practice with mechanical specialistsoutnumbering electrical by a ratio of2:1. There is no reason to expect awider range of specialisms toemerge in the foreseeable future.

Recruitment and retention ofbuilding services engineerscontinues to be a problem amongmost employers. It is likely that a re-positioning in emphasis away fromthe ‘rigidity’ of the engineeringqualification system mentionedpreviously may actually be underwayas many of the larger multi-disciplinary practices quitedeliberately seek graduate employeesfrom disciplines other than buildingservices and, in some cases, otherthan in any branch of engineering.Bridging courses for traininggraduates from non-engineeringbackgrounds are already beingconsidered by CIBSE among others.Increasing the recruitment ofwomen, who currently form just 3%of registered engineers in the UKand fare little better among builtenvironment professions other thanin architecture and planning, wouldhelp to raise the status of aprofession considered to be a ‘maleclosed shop’.

Among consulting firms, theproportion of work delivered bymultidisciplinary firms has beenincreasing sharply during the last 10years. This has helped to bring aboutintegrated team working which liesat the heart of partnering. It offerssignificant opportunity for buildingservices engineers to leave behindtheir, historically perceived, juniorpartner role by operating at the heart of the integrated team with innovation, well-communicatedideas and robust solution delivery.

Energy and sustainability have come

firmly into the public gaze in the UK

giving building services engineers

the best opportunity for decades to

clearly define their crucial role in this

important sector. A more defined and

respected role within the built

environment team as well as clearer

public understanding of the function

of the profession will have

considerable impact in status-

raising.

None of the evidence gathered in this

study suggests that there is any

appetite for giving licensing powers

to building services engineers to

practice as approved agents under

specific acts of parliament or related

regulations or orders. There is some

evidence that those professions that

have licensed powers (including a

very small number of engineers in

specific disciplines in the UK) have

not enjoyed an increase in status as

a result.

The introduction of protection of the

generic title ‘Engineer’ in the UK

appears to be extremely unlikely. The

difficulty in clearly defining the

function of engineers in a collective

sense remains a key obstacle in this

matter. In addition, government

resistance to further ‘red tape’. In

spite of the architecture profession’s

view regarding the re-branding of

‘building services’, there appears to

be little desire for this among

engineering practitioners and

professional institutions alike.

Practitioners are wary over loss of

identity among the built environment

professions and the Chartered

Institute of Building Services

Engineers (CIBSE) is are wary of

changing a title that has been

granted by Royal Charter.

38

Appendix

Institution Title Registered Members

Abbr. Full title CEng IEng EngTech IET

Institution of Engineering and Technology

55,012

19,001

4,945

IMechE Institution of Mechanical Engineers 40,958 117 0 ICE Institution of Civil Engineers 39,200 2,956 406 IStructE Institution of Structural Engineers 11,882 1,250 0 IChemE Institution of Chemical Engineers 10,612 72 0 BCS British Computer Society 7,677 233 0 IOM3 Institution of Materials, Minerals and Mining 7,419 791 90 CIBSE Chartered Institution of Building Services

Engineers 6,210 1,580 665

IMarEST Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology

6,089 2,351 290

RAeS Royal Aeronautical Society 4,989 1,307 414 IHT Institution of Highways and Transportation 3,849 547 0 CIWEM Chartered Institution of Water and

Environmental Management 2,707 442 12

EI Energy Institute 2,693 203 14 RINA Royal Institution of Naval Architects 2,117 136 28 IGEM Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers 2,053 615 283 InstMC Institute of Measurement and Control 1,597 588 57 IoP Institute of Physics 1,415 0 0 TWI The Welding Institute 555 291 608 INucE Institution of Nuclear Engineers 436 168 12 SoE Society of Operations Engineers 416 3,364 2,470 IED Institution of Engineering Designers 387 1,514 167 IHEEM Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate

Management 381 630 124

IoA Institute of Acoustics 303 23 0 IAgrE Institution of Agricultural Engineers 200 264 113 IPEM Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine 187 29 2 IFE Institution of Fire Engineers 186 22 65 BInsNDT British Institute of Non-destructive Testing 151 324 134 ICME Institute of Cast Metal Engineers 138 127 26 ILE Institution of Lighting Engineers 127 448 80 IRSE Institution of Railway Signals Engineers 12 27 21 SEE Society of Environmental Engineers 12 11 3 IWO Institution of Water Officers 10 335 34 IHIE Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers 0 1,599 223 IPHE Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering 0 113 1,064 IMI Institute of the Motor Industry 0 0 1,026

TABLE A1

UK engineering institutions with registered members (Based on records dated 31st December 2006)

39

The authors are grateful to the HongKong Institution of Engineers whoinitiated and funded this work.

Certain statistical data in the sectionentitled ‘The UK’s building servicesprofession’ and all data in tables 1and A1 were supplied by the UnitedKingdom Engineering Council. Theauthors are grateful for permission toreproduce these data.

Acknowledgements

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12T_

03/0

9

The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers