The importance of building services
Building services are the systems installed in buildings to make them comfortable, functional, efficient and safe. They can include fire safety, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), lighting, plumbing, ICT (information and communications technology), and so on.
Building services play a central role in contributing to the design of a building, not only in terms of overall strategies and standards to be achieved, but also in façade engineering, the weights, sizes and location of major plant and equipment, the position of vertical service risers, routes for the distribution of horizontal services, drainage, energy sources, sustainability, and so on.
Building services engineers influence a building’s architecture and can have considerable influence on the sustainability and energy demand of a building, as well as the health and wellbeing of its occupants.
In an interview with Designing Buildings Wiki, BSRIA’s CEO Julia Evans explained the increasing importance of building services:
“Architects can design the most beautiful or complex building, but without building services being introduced effectively it's not going to work.
“It won't give Generation Z the kind of environment they expect - natural light, air conditioning which is not intrusive, clean air, and so on. The flexibility of buildings needs to be constantly at the forefront of the architect, builder and any other subcontractors' minds - they need to be thinking about what else the building might look like or be used for in the future.”
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on the changes via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.
A brief run down of changes intentions from April in an onwards.
Reslating an ancient water mill
A rare opportunity to record, study and repair early vernacular roofs.
CIOB Apprentice of the Year 2025/26
Construction apprentice from Lincoln Mia Owen wins this years title.
Insulation solutions with less waste for a circular economy
Rob Firman, Technical and Specification Manager, Polyfoam XPS explains.
Recycled waste plastic in construction
Hierarchy, prevention to disposal, plastic types and approaches.
UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard V1 published
Free-to-access technical standard to enable robust proof of a decarbonising built environment.