Why working with smart buildings is a great career

Want to work with smart buildings that think for themselves?

Smart buildings aren’t a futuristic concept anymore.

They’re automated.
The estate is continually monitored in real time.
They optimise energy use automatically.
They predict faults before systems get a chance to fail.
They play a pivotal role in drastically reducing carbon and operating costs.

And behind all that intelligence?

Building energy management systems (BEMS), advanced energy and analytics platforms and talented BEMS engineers bring all the components of smart buildings together.

If you’re considering an engineering career and want something technically challenging, future-focused and genuinely impactful, BEMS is one of the strongest – yet often overlooked – options.

Why BEMS Is a smart career choice

Buildings are responsible for around 20% of UK carbon emissions and roughly 40% of global energy consumption. Every organisation — from hospitals to universities to commercial estates — is looking to reduce energy use, meet net zero targets and cut costs.

It starts with intelligent control

A modern BEMS can influence up to 80% of a building’s energy usage. HVAC alone can account for around 40% — and smart optimisation can significantly reduce that.

But today, BEMS is no longer just about setting temperatures and time schedules. It’s about:

Real-time energy analytics
Automated performance optimisation
Fault Detection & Diagnostics (FDD)
Smart occupancy-based control
Predictive maintenance
Integration with solar PV and battery storage
Load shifting to avoid peak energy costs
Grid interaction and energy procurement strategy

This is controls engineering, data analytics and sustainability rolled into one.

It’s hands-on
It’s technical
It’s evolving fast
And demand is only increasing!

The industry’s best-kept secret

Many engineers gravitate toward the obvious sectors. Meanwhile, BEMS and smart energy optimisation quietly sit at the centre of the UK’s net zero strategy.

Here’s the reality:

75% of the buildings that will exist in 2050 are already built.
They need upgrading, optimising and retrofitting.
Energy costs aren’t going down.
Carbon emissions legislation is tightening.

This isn’t a trend, it’s long-term structural demand. For engineers, following a career in smart buildings means job security, progression and relevance for decades to come.

Why build a career at Kendra?

Choosing the right sector matters and choosing the right company determines how far you go in it.

At Kendra, we operate at the forefront of smart building optimisation. Through high-performance BEMS, PROActiv Analytics and our newly expanded PROActiv Energy services, we go beyond traditional controls work.

Our engineers gain exposure to:

Advanced fault diagnostics
Estate-wide energy analytics
BEMS installation and building optimisation
Solar PV and battery integration
Behind-the-meter optimisation
Energy procurement (fixed and flex contracts)
Energy bill forensics
Net zero and carbon reduction strategy

We’re not standing still. We’ve strengthened our in-house energy expertise and expanded PROActiv Energy to deliver a broader, more strategic service nationwide. That means bigger projects, wider skillsets and stronger career pathways.