Recognising the increasing percentage of engineering tasks being conducted in a purely digital environment, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has launched the Society of Digital Engineering (SDE). 

The Society will provide a community for accreditation, training and career advancement for all engineers working digitally across building services and its supply chain, including clients.  

CIBSE has taken the lead in developing support, guidance and specific tools for digital engineers. The most notable recent example was the development, with NG Bailey, of the BIMHawk online tool to automate the transfer of Product Data Templates into BIM platforms.

This experience illustrated the number of engineering professionals involved not only in building services but also product design, facilities management, and information control, whose common experience lies in their shared understanding of working in a digital environment.

For this group of people – which will include both new entrants and experienced engineers recognising the importance of digital technology for their future career – there is currently no obvious route to recognition of their specialised knowledge or association to provide continuous knowledge sharing, support and career advancement. SDE is designed to meet this need.

Entry to SDE requires applicants to be measured against competence criteria that have been mapped against both CIBSE and the Engineering Council UK requirements. This has been drafted for full membership, as well as for EngTEch and IEng up to CEng status, ensuring that SDE can deliver career progression through the SDE grades, leading to MCIBSE and EC Registration.

CIBSE president, Peter Y Wong, commented: “The formation of the Society of Digital Engineering demonstrates the importance of digital technology in the building services sector and the commitment of CIBSE to develop the art and science of digital engineering.”

Summarising the rationale behind the formation of the Society, Les Copeland, commercial director, Property and Buildings at WSP and chair of CIBSE Digital Steering Group, added: “This is a significant step in CIBSE’s work with industry on digital engineering and is the culmination of many years work by the CIBSE Digital Steering Group. It will provide a home for digital engineers to network, share and create best practice and find sources of information, training and peer groups.”