A building physics engineer has predicted a series of major challenges will see his specialism become mainstream in the construction sector this year.
Rob Gill, MD of Leeds-based consultancy Yonder, said influences would include pressure to reduce or eliminate carbon emissions, soaring prices, and fierce competition to attract and retain quality staff.
He explained, “Building physics engineers offer professionals such as developers, development managers and investors substantial improvements to vital aspects of constructions’ internal and external performances, compared to their base concepts or previous results. These upgrades include in air movement, moisture control, thermal performance, ambient energy, light and acoustics.
“We work on buildings being planned, under construction or experiencing refurbishment, irrespective of whether they’re used in the public, commercial, third or residential sectors.|
Mr Gill said the benefits building physics engineers delivered included: reduced or abolished carbon emissions, embodied and operational; lower capital and operating costs, via routes such as minimised power consumption; greater internal comfort for occupants; and enhanced compliance with industry standards or regulation.
He added, “At Yonder, we summarise these key benefits as the four Cs – carbon, cost, comfort and compliance. I believe 2022 will provide powerful inducements under each heading for more property professionals to call on the services of ourselves and our competitors.”
Mr Gill said in the ‘carbon’ category, his organisation was already seeing enhanced market awareness of the need to cut emissions, following the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. “Outcomes from COP26 included that all UK publicly listed companies and financial institutions must by next year have published plans detailing how they’ll achieve net zero carbon emissions before 2050, which two-thirds of them currently lack,” he added. “This is bound to cause a ripple effect, with the organisations concerned increasing pressure to cut emissions on companies in their supply chains, including in the construction sector.”
