Construction HVAC Site Engineer

About the Job

• Working as a building engineer requires not only the usual range of knowledge about HVAC systems, but also usually very specialized expertise in the individual combination of systems in the installation they serve, as well as detailed knowledge about the uses and requirements of the organizations that use it.

This also provides the other unique aspect of building engineer positions, which is that they are often hybrid roles for which HVAC operation is only one component. Depending on the size and purpose of the installation they work on, a building engineer might also be responsible for:

• Plumbing
• Electrical
• Lighting
• Access controls and security alarm systems
• Fire alarm and suppression systems
• Basic maintenance

Although these tasks don’t always have all the glamor of running around in a company van saving the day as a service technician, there are some big advantages: the work is regular, the scope is well-defined, and the hours are predictable. You may occasionally put in overtime, but for the most part the job involves staying ahead of the maintenance curve and fixing things before they become catastrophically broken.

• Engineering work is often shift work. Particularly in industrial and manufacturing settings, the building engineering department has to be staffed around the clock. This also serves to keep hours predictable, so you do not have to be on call like service technicians.
• Maintenance is the watchword of building engineers. They are charged with keeping up systems so breakdowns don’t happen.

Job Requirements

• HVAC is always good preparation for a career as a building engineer, but not usually a complete one. Because building engineers typically have such a wide range of responsibilities, you will often have to gain a great deal of practical knowledge through a variety of schooling and work experiences.
• An HVAC certificate or AA degree may qualify you to work on a boiler or cooling system, but engineer positions that only deal with those aspects of the job are rare.