ACR Journal

CMYK / .ai CMYK / .ai CMYK / .ai acrjournal.uk 17 CONTROLS consider the amount of fresh air, the humidity, light levels, (including artificial vs. natural daylight) noise, smells and the new agenda topper... occupancy level! Where once owner occupiers were concerned about people density per square metre, it is now a case of space between people… per square metre. At the same time, we must not lose sight of the long-term aims of building controls as we look to reduce the energy wastage and carbon emissions from our built environment. We should use this time to simplify our buildings’ operation and change some attitudes towards ecient building management. Many buildings will have been left empty for some time and a good proportion of general oce spaces will still only be operating at a much reduced occupancy level. The current situation aside, the principles of automatic adjustment based upon demand has been at the heart of building control philosophies for years. Scaling a setpoint back or ramping a speed up based on a sensor measurement is exactly what building controls do. There is a common assumption, however, that a Building Energy Management System (BEMS) will magically take care of the running of a building, whether it’s occupied or not, and lockdown has exposed some of the disconnect between building control systems, occupation and comfort. Many unoccupied buildings still appeared as though they were fully open for business during lockdown because they still had all of their lights on. In contrast, building managers with secure remote connectivity in place were able to make immediate adjustments and scale everything back to a more stable pattern based on little or no occupancy. This underlines the need for greater engagement at all levels, between building controls specialists, facilities managers and landlords. Facilities managers with the ability to self-serve without the need to call on systems specialists were able to respond very quickly as they had the controls to put their building into setback modes or vacant modes easily. Clients without that level of integration had to call out dierent specialists in various disciplines. With an already heavy workload there were inevitably going to be delays in getting the required work scheduled. To achieve logical operation is one thing, to achieve that in a super-ecient way requires training, experience and the tools, software and equipment that deliver reliable and precise control of the mechanical and electrical systems within our buildings. Sustained success The industry is ever-evolving and the need for the existing pool of engineers to upskill and adapt is just as important as the training of young talent embarking on a career in building controls. The BCIA’s ambition is to ensure that the industry has access now, and in the future, to the skills and talent it needs for sustained success by helping to unlock opportunities across all areas of the industry. To help promote this ambition, and to commemorate its 30th anniversary, the BCIA has nominated 2021 as its Year of Training. The value of good training should not be understated, and the interruption brought about by COVID-19 has of course aected the education sector significantly. Last March, as we headed into lockdown for the first time, schools, colleges and training centres all over the UK were forced to close, including the BCIA’s own Training Centre in Peterborough. Fortunately, we were able to move all of our courses online very quickly, which allowed our aspiring engineers to continue with their development. Many BEMS companies carry out their own in-house training, which can provide huge benefits for both the trainer and the trainee. By shadowing their seniors, apprentices not only learn practical skills first-hand, they can also develop important relationships with their colleagues and clients. With the advancements in technology our school leavers have grown up with they are already well adapted to take advantage of the myriad innovations going into buildings to help them run more eciently in the 21st century. In some cases, they may have a better understanding of some of the technology than some of their older colleagues. But a mix of youth and experience can go a long way in moving a company forward, as the years of working knowledge matched with fresh ideas and a will to learn complement each other extremely well. As the BCIA continues to evolve, and new members bring fresh ideas, the next 30 years have the potential to be more eventful than the last. https://bcia.co.uk/