INDUSTRY COMMENT
conversation: Building controls at the heart of better building performance
Leading the
The built environment is being asked to do several difficult things at once: cut energy use and carbon, control operating
costs, improve real-world performance, adopt more connected technologies and develop the skills needed to manage increasingly complex buildings
B
uilding controls sit across all of those challenges. They are no longer simply the technology behind heating, ventilation and cooling. Properly specified, commissioned and managed, BACS and BEMS provide the data, visibility and control needed to understand how a building is actually performing - and to act when performance drifts. That is the common thread running
through BCIA’s involvement in three major industry events this autumn, where the Association will help lead discussions spanning building performance, energy management, connectivity, decarbonisation and future skills.
From design intent to operational performance
At Smart Buildings Show on 14-15 October, BCIA will have a significant presence, chairing two panel discussions and a dedicated roundtable exploring some of the key challenges facing smart buildings today. BCIA Vice President Ron Purcell will chair Closing the Performance Gap: Why Buildings Underperform and How Intelligent Controls Can Fix It. The issue is familiar to owners and facilities teams: a building may satisfy its design assumptions yet consume more energy, cost more to operate or provide poorer conditions once occupied. There is rarely one simple cause. Control strategies, ventilation, commissioning, occupancy and operational management can all influence the outcome. Intelligent controls can help expose those problems, but only when the information they produce leads to corrective action.
That shift from collecting data to using it is becoming increasingly important as buildings also take a more active role in the energy system. BCIA’s Smart Buildings Show roundtable on consumer-led flexibility will examine how controls, energy management systems, heat pumps, solar and battery storage can help non-domestic buildings respond more intelligently to changing energy-system needs.
Energy, connectivity and decarbonisation are converging
The same themes continue at Facilities & Estates Management Live on 21 October, where Ron Purcell will chair a panel on energy management. For estates and facilities professionals, the question is no longer simply whether renewables or efficiency measures reduce carbon. Investment must also make operational and commercial sense. Controls provide the link between installed technology and measurable performance:
coordinating plant, identifying waste, supporting optimisation and giving decision-makers evidence on which to base further investment. At elementalLONDON at London Build on 25-26 November, BCIA will chair discussions on optimising connected buildings and decarbonising commercial buildings. These are closely related challenges. Greater connectivity creates opportunities for smarter operation, but the real value lies in how effectively technology and data are used to improve building performance.
Skills remain the critical enabler
Technology also changes the people requirement. At Smart Buildings Show, BCIA Young Engineers Network Chair Josh Steel will lead Who Will Engineer the Smart Buildings of Tomorrow?, exploring the blend of engineering knowledge, digital capability, communication and collaboration the next generation will need. That may be the most important thread of all. Better buildings depend on better technology, but also on people who can specify it properly, integrate it, interpret its data and keep optimising performance throughout the building lifecycle. Across all three events, BCIA’s role is to bring those perspectives together, connecting expertise from across the sector and ensuring building controls remain central to the conversation about better building performance. If you are attending this autumn, join the relevant discussions and help move the conversation from what smarter buildings could deliver to what they deliver in practice.
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Manufactured in the UK
Compatible with heat pumps
Five year warranty
CASPIAN | FAN CONVECTOR Caspian® -
providing heating comfort for your built environment
A single heating solution for a variety of applications - high, low or ceiling mounted installation
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- Available with Smart control to further improve efficiency and flexibility, with remote monitoring and control via an app
- New 750mm version available
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04/08/2026 09:02 4/8/26 11:27 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER OCTOBER 2026 11
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