As the organisation has grown, whether purely by increasing membership, becoming more influential in government policy or developing career pathways, the overall aim to promote better understanding, application and use of building controls has always remained as the common motive in discussions, decisions and initiatives. In keeping with promoting a better understanding, the Technical Guides designed by the BCIA’s Technical Working Group provide a helpful, one stop shop to enable members to work more effectively and also to provide the necessary information to potential clients so they can become familiar with whatever systems they are having installed and what it will do for their buildings.

With rising energy costs and the Net-Zero by 2050 target moving closer every day, energy efficiency in buildings has never been more crucial. Consequently, the importance and impact of BEMS will continue to grow and the innovation behind them will continue to improve. To ensure a BEMS is as efficient as it can be it is important that it is planned, installed and maintained correctly. The BCIA’s Technical Guide on planning your building controls and building energy management system provides a simple breakdown of everything that needs to be considered when planning a BEMS.

The two-part document forms an essential checklist of questions about the building, such as whether it is a new-build or a refurbishment project, who the end users are and what they want the BEMS to achieve, the ongoing maintenance plan for the BEMS and how its data will be stored and used. By considering and answering these questions you can build up a robust outline of the requirements of your BEMS.

BCIA president Graeme Rees said: “Specifiers and building managers have a significant amount of energy under their control so it is important that they consider their objectives and examine their priorities. It should not be assumed that the BEMS will achieve these objectives, unless they have been discussed with the controls specialist. The questions in this document are designed to guide you towards a clear picture of what the BEMS needs to achieve, and any particular requirements you might have for a particular project.”

All Technical Guides can be downloaded from the “Resources” section of the BCIA website.