Why the industry needs to work together now to address the issues of the future

Graeme is currently the UK & Ireland Digital Energy Marketing Manager for Schneider Electric and has been involved in the building controls industry for more than 30 years, after starting his career as a Project Engineer at Lidworth Ltd. He later moved on to Bristol Management Systems before spending 19 years at Trend Control Systems, where he worked his way up from Regional Field Services Manager to Marketing Director. Early in 2019 Graeme was elected on to the BCIA’s Management Committee and he will now use his years of experience gained in the industry to build on the BCIA’s position as a leading influence on standards, professionalism and innovation for its members.

Peter is the Founder and Director of Group Horizon, a specialist training provider developing and delivering apprenticeship programmes nationally for over 12 years. Group Horizon is delighted to be working in partnership with the BCIA to deliver the new BEMS Controls Engineer Apprenticeship. Having started his career as an engineering apprentice at 16, Peter is a passionate advocate of apprenticeships and the critical role of integrated skills development in achieving Net Zero. Peter has a First Class Honours Degree in Electrical & Mechanical Engineering, he completed the Cranfield University General Management Programme and is currently undertaking a Masters in Digital Analytics and Machine Learning at Newcastle University.

Jen has worked for Crown House Technologies which is part of Laing O’Rourke since 2015. She works within Enterprise Solutions who deliver specialist systems including BEMS and was originally appointed to oversee documentation nationally. More recently Jen has started to project manage the BEMS package on a number of projects. She is also involved in a number of BCIA projects as a volunteer, one of the most recent being the launch of the BCIA Young Engineers Network.

Wendy worked as a senior lecturer and dissertation mentor at Southampton Solent University for 27 years for a range of degree courses before co-founding InTandem Systems in 1997. As Commercial Director, Wendy has been responsible for business growth and has led the company to develop into a thriving BEMS specialist in the building services sector. Wendy’s passion is for training the next generation of Building Services Engineers something which has seen her spearhead the introduction of the BEMS Controls Engineer Apprenticeship for which she received the BCIA Outstanding Contribution of the Year Award in 2020. Wendy is also a T Level Ambassador and has, for many years been a training mentor for students undertaking placements at InTandem Systems, a role which culminated in being awarded the CIBSE Employer of the Year (small business and overall winner) in both 2017 and 2020. Wendy continues to Chair the BEMS Controls Engineer Apprenticeship Employer Group ensuring that the issue of skills remains at the top of the agenda for the building controls industry.

Andy has been with the JIB since 2012 and is experienced in a number of areas across the organisation and with the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS), which covers more than 175,000 valid card holders across the industry including building controls. Andy’s role as Head of Growth is focused on the strategic development of the ECS and includes a leading role in the sector to improve the coverage of the scheme, develop new digital systems and processes to enhance user value, raise competence standards and work for a safer built environment. Andy is on Working Group 2 for Installers as part of Dame Judith Hackitt’s review into competence following the tragedy at Grenfell, is Chair of a smart technology group for CSCS Partner Schemes covering more than 2 million card holders and acts as Secretary to an industry charity promoting skills development and further education.