Western Automation remains committed to working with Sontay to ensure that innovative solutions such as the SORA LoRaWAN range are accessible to customers across the UK and beyond. By combining product innovation with technical support and market reach, we help our clients achieve smarter, more efficient, and more comfortable buildings. 

Keen to increase awareness and focus the industry’s efforts towards the provision of more opportunities for BEMS engineers to validate knowledge, expertise and skills, the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) recently hosted a discussion between some members of the Management Committee – with revalidation of competence one of the primary talking points.   

With the building controls sector facing additional scrutiny through a sharper legislative focus on skills and qualification verification, the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) has been tasked with developing a new competence revalidation system that benefits the individuals, employers and the industry as a whole – and is seeking input from professionals from across the built environment.

BCIA President Stacey Lucas explores why building energy management systems (BEMS) are a highly effective way of improving older building performance and how they could play a crucial role in retrofitting the UK’s current building stock.

During the second Skills Working Group meeting of 2025, which I had the privilege of chairing, it became clear that while we’ve made considerable progress, there remains important work to be done.

As one of the building automation sector’s leading drivers of better female representation, the Building Controls Industry Association’s (BCIA) Young Engineers Network (YEN) recently co-hosted the Together We Engineer event – a thought-provoking discussion on empowering women and the next generation.

The event featured more than four hours of networking, panel discussions, group activities, demonstrations of software and hardware platforms, and a building tour.

The building energy management systems (BEMS) sector, and the built environment as a whole, is currently facing a skills shortage. While the industry is doing everything it can to encourage new young professionals to take up careers in this highly rewarding and interesting world, we all have a major role to play in ensuring any new recruits, and any existing employees, are keen to continue in the sector for many years ahead.

BCIA’s latest market report finds the building energy management systems (BEMS) market saw an 8.4% quarter-on-quarter increase in Q1 2025

Taking place at ExCeL London on 15-16 October 2025, Smart Buildings Show is the UK’s only dedicated commercial smart buildings conference and exhibition.

As climate change accelerates, empowering the younger generation to drive real change, both for the built environment and the planet, has never been more important.