Building services engineers: why the demand for jobs that keep buildings ‘alive’ is high
Posted on: 18 November, 2025
By Linda Serck
The UK built environment faces stricter regulations on energy efficiency, safety and sustainability. As a result, the demand for skilled specialists in building services engineering is climbing sharply.
Building projects now depend on mechanical and electrical (M&E) engineers who can integrate advanced energy-efficient systems. These range from smart lighting and low-carbon heating to intelligent air-conditioning, heating and ventilation. Renewable-energy controls are also a focus.
These are all subject to increasingly stringent regulatory standards, such as the Future Homes Standard and the Building Safety Act.
The University of the Built Environment is launching a Level 4 Building Services Engineering Senior Technician Apprenticeship and CertHE.
Learn what makes them successful here and register your interest.
There is a surge in the need for digitally trained professionals in the sector, according to a specialist built environment recruitment agency.
A MostonRecruit spokesman said: “Engineers and technicians in building services are in high demand as UK regulations tighten. Modern building projects rely on M&E specialists who can integrate advanced technology while meeting strict safety and sustainability standards.”
The role at the heart of modern buildings
Building services engineers design, install, maintain and optimise the systems that make buildings functional and comfortable. This covers heating, cooling, lighting, lifts, drainage, fire-safety and power distribution.
They ensure buildings not only operate efficiently but also comply with new and updated regulations.
Building services engineers need green ambition
When it comes to sustainability and the environment, building services engineers are pivotal. They tackle carbon emissions, improve air quality and ensure building safety. It is no surprise, therefore, that these roles are in high demand.
EngineeringUK reports that vacancies for green engineering roles, including building services, have grown by 55% over the past five years.
The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) forecasts a 19% rise in the demand for engineers and technicians by 2030. This demand is driven by low-carbon infrastructure projects and major retrofit programmes.
Straddling engineering and environmental performance
With the UK’s net-zero targets, building services professionals are increasingly expected to bridge the gap between engineering and environmental performance.
Whether working on retrofits or new developments, they are frequently the ones interpreting Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), advising on heat-pump integration, and ensuring that whole-life carbon assessments shape design choices.
The shift towards performance-based regulation – where buildings must demonstrate how they actually operate, not just how they were designed – places even greater emphasis on skilled technicians who can monitor, diagnose and fine-tune systems over time.
This is creating new opportunities for technicians and engineers who understand both the technical and sustainability dimensions of the built environment.
A built environment career with purpose and potential
So, is building services engineering a good career? Absolutely. Salaries are competitive and career pathways are also broad.
There are plenty of building services design engineer roles in consultancies. Other roles include building services engineering technicians, energy assessors and sustainability consultants.
Adapting to a digital and sustainable future
The next generation of building services engineers will need to be comfortable with Building Information Modelling (BIM), data analytics and energy-performance modelling as much as with mechanical or electrical systems. This is so they can help design smarter, more efficient engineering solutions for a positive environmental impact.
The profession has changed to include a need for a digital-enabled workforce with environmental responsibility.
As well as BIM, they will need to harness technology including computer-aided design (CAD), Revit (used to design and model buildings and their components in 3D), and Building Energy Management System (BEMS) to design smarter, more efficient engineering solutions.
Building services engineers will play a defining role in shaping the low-carbon, high-performance buildings of the future. They keep our homes, schools, hospitals and workplaces not only safe and efficient, but truly sustainable.
The University of the Built Environment is launching a Level 4 Building Services Engineering Senior Technician Apprenticeship and CertHE.
Learn what makes them successful here and register your interest.
