Opinion
Complementary skill
Consultancies must develop the role of ‘operational
engineer’ to help ensure that commercial buildings
are run effectively, says Roger Smith
I
was one of the first building services graduates in operational engineer and a new-build designer
the country to enter the profession at the beginning are to do with custom and practice, professional
of the 1970s. Engineering was then a broad subject relationships, user expectations and client priorities,
that attracted many young people. There appeared to rather than technical understanding. By working in an
be little discrimination between management, costing, organisation such as Hoare Lea, where engineering is
design, construction or maintenance engineering. the core business, the operational engineer will be at
Design was just one of several modules you encountered the forefront of legislation and innovation, and have
along the path to becoming a chartered engineer. access to specialist advice and assistance.
However, by the end of the 1970s it was a different Our objective at Hoare Lea is to train operational
story – we had project managers and the engineer engineers so that they develop skills specific to working
was consigned to a box labelled ‘designer’. This was in the facilities management
supported by the professional institutions which made sector. This will enable them
design the ‘route one’ to professional engineering to understand the client’s
Our aim isn’t to
qualifications. business and how their skills
This focus on design has led to skill shortages in can support it. Our aim is not turn engineers
other areas of the building services industry. Certainly to turn engineers into facilities
into facilities managers
there is a shortage of engineers who understand the managers – it is to assist
practical ways in which buildings and their systems engineers in the development but to develop a set of
function and need to be managed. There is also a of a set of complementary
complementary
lack of people able to take care of the engineering skills.
systems in buildings, run them efficiently, diagnose The operational engineer’s FM skills
breakdowns and make informed decisions relating to advice to facilities managers
change. and contractors will play a key role in ensuring
This has been recognised by CIBSE. In July 2008, commercial buildings are maintained and operated
Geoff Prudence, CIBSE Facilities Management effectively – by, for example, offering advice regarding
Group chairman, commented: ‘Operational services the management and reduction of energy consumption
engineers will be most sought after in an industry and CO2 emissions, as well as advising on the design
IPD SCHEME
already beset by skills shortages.’ He recognised that: integrity of tenants’ alterations. In so doing, the Hoare Lea has developed
‘CIBSE should develop a path for building services operational engineer will assist in managing the
its Initial Professional
engineers to move into engineering operational financial risk to the property manager and landlord.
Development scheme to
include a number of specific
management.’ (See Building Services Journal, July It is therefore crucial that the industry addresses
competence modules related
2008). the skills shortage in this area by providing schemes
to operational engineering.
Operational engineer is now the accepted term similar to Hoare Lea’s. Recently approved by CIBSE,
for those who provide technical advice regarding By taking steps to ensure that we have enough
this facilitates a route to
how to run and maintain engineering systems, operational engineers, with the appropriate
CEng and IEng through
operational engineering.
meet performance commitments and expectations, qualifications, training and experience, we can better
Hoare Lea says the scheme
comply with legislation, deal with change, manage serve our clients’ business needs and, by improving
provides candidates with
information and undertake forward planning. These performance, contribute to reducing the energy training, professional
professionals are to be found providing feedback consumption of the UK’s existing building stock. l
development and experience
into the design process, planning for aftercare and
that will enable an engineer
successfully to undertake
handover management, and measuring energy for
Roger Smith is partner of Hoare Lea and principal of its the role of an operational
lower-carbon buildings.
engineering management group engineer at an appropriate
The differences in the skills required in an level. www.hoarelea.com
24 CIBSE Journal February 2010 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEfeb10 pp24 opinion.indd 24 29/1/10 14:29:32
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