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INDUSTRY COMMENT Supply and demand


the strict lockdowns from last year that prevented us from meeting with family over the festive period.


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BCIA President Terry Sharp applies his view on the ever­changing landscape of the COVID situation to the BEMS market


Whether or not you managed to avoid the latest Omicron outbreak is another matter, and if you didn’t I hope that you were not affected too seriously. It certainly did all feel a bit deja-vu in December as we watched every news bulletin through our fingers wondering if Christmas was about to be ‘cancelled’ again.


Something that was very apparent, however, was that as Omicron continued to spread people in general were very receptive to ways to help stop it. Not only did the Government ramp up the campaign for the booster jabs, the demand for rapid lateral flow tests increased dramatically, as it was widely recognised that a positive test would most likely mean self-isolation on Christmas Day.


Heart-breaking, yes, but safety for friends and family came first. Just a few months ago it was easy enough to order self-test kits from the Government website, but as I write


o, rightly or wrongly depending on your point of view, we managed to get through Christmas without anything like


this there are none available. It’s the law of supply and demand, and a classic example of how quickly things can change in a very short space of time.


A current necessity


An ever-changing landscape is something we are all very used to in the BEMS industry, none more so than in the last couple of years as many organisations have realised the buildings they usually occupy are perhaps not as energy efficient as they could be – by some distance! Add this to the drive towards Net Zero and suddenly things like smart buildings are no longer talked of as a futuristic fantasy but as a current necessity and BEMS are in very high demand.


According to a report by GMI Research, the Building Energy Management Systems Market is predicted to reach $8,412 million by 2027 at a CAGR of 12.70% during the forecast period.


The report states that ‘the significant factors contributing to the growth of the global building energy management systems market include the increasing awareness regarding the efficient use of energy at the corporate and government level, followed by the strong


BSEE


demand for these systems in commercial, industrial, and residential sectors across the globe.’ Fortunately, our industry is one that adapts well and its ongoing innovation is very much a part of what helps drive the demand for the new technology going into buildings, with the report also stating; ‘the continuous technological


advancement and rapid innovations in building energy management systems have amplified the possibilities of usage of BEMS, thus attracting many end-users to opt for these systems.’


We at the BCIA are also very aware of the need for the required skills to install and maintain modern building controls. The development, launch and demand for the BEMS Controls


Engineer Apprenticeship is a reflection of the increased need for skilled people in our industry and is one ‘strand’ of the work the BCIA and sector employers are undertaking to support sector businesses, as we also work to develop further the qualifications and training structures for experienced workers.


Finally, as my two-year tenure as BCIA President is coming to an end, this will be my last monthly column for BSEE. I hope you have found them interesting, informative and, on some levels, entertaining. It has been a pleasure to contribute to this magazine and I would like to thank you all for reading. Bye for now.


www.bcia.co.uk


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BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER FEBRUARY 2022 9

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