President’s Blog - The building controls industry in 2024: A retrospective look back

As we approach the end of the year, thoughts inevitably turn to the future. However, it’s also very important that we all look back at the past 12 months and acknowledge our achievements.  

With a major focus on decarbonising buildings and environmental sustainability throughout the built environment, it’s an encouraging time for the building controls sector – much has been achieved, both by the BCIA and the sector as a whole.

As an organisation that represents and supports its members, it is thrilled to have seen steadily consistent growth being achieved by its member companies, as the recent MIS summary report highlights. Additionally, there has been an increased interest in careers in the industry, with positive in-flow and employee retention, whether that’s new entrants or skilled workers.

To enhance overall knowledge in the industry and encourage career progression, the BCIA and its training partners have delivered training courses to upskill hundreds of industry professionals. In fact, we saw the 245th apprentice join the Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) Controls Engineer Level 4 Apprenticeship.

Furthermore, the BCIA has also funded the development of an Experienced Worker Assessment, to provide a solution for those in the industry to be able to evidence their competency.

The BCIA, and the building controls sector as a whole, has also been working hard to attract the right talent with the right skills and attitude. However, there is still more that can be done to encourage more females and others from under-represented sectors to make their career in the industry. For the first time in the BCIA’s 32-year history, the association has females in important and visible leadership positions, with Jen Vickers joining me as the Vice-President.

With a keen focus on developing and enhancing the expertise and knowledge of all its members, the BCIA’s Working Groups have supported the delivery of the members’ portal and new website, helped developed a new guide for members that will be launched in January, launched the Experienced Worker Assessment, supported a best practice guide to Smart Schools for the DfE, in addition the Young Engineers Network delivered five events across the UK.

Membership has also continued to grow in 2024, with 37 new member companies joining during the year, now taking us to 190 member companies across all four nations of the UK. This year also saw the launch of our new members’ portal, an exclusive online space that enables us all to collaborate, start, or join discussions and access resources and news relevant to the industry.

Looking further ahead, we remain focused on delivering against the strategic priorities members agreed when developing our three-year corporate plan. In addition to increasing awareness and understanding of the benefits of building controls, we’ll also be implementing campaigns to highlight careers pathways in the industry and support knowledge and learning with intermediaries and specifiers.

Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention the 2025 BCIA Awards that will be taking place at the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham on Thursday 1st May. Entries for all categories close on 23rd January. So, if you know of someone that continues to deliver significant impact for the industry, please do recognise their work by nominating them.

We look forward to seeing many of you in the shortlist, perhaps even winning an award, and of course on the evening, enjoying this magnificent annual celebration of the very best people, products, and services in the building controls industry. Tickets and tables are also available, so don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to attend. The BCIA Awards 2025 looks set to be the biggest and best yet, so it won’t be one to miss!

It's been a thoroughly encouraging 2024 and next year looks set to be an even better one for the building controls sector. The BCIA looks forward to working with its members and other industry leaders to increase awareness of the importance of building controls, especially with the government’s net zero target of 2050 getting ever closer.

A huge thank you to all of our members for supporting the BCIA during 2024 and I wish you all best wishes for the festive period. Here’s to a safe and prosperous 2025 for one and all, too!