STAR LETTER - The value of engineers

I was beginning to feel that I was the only person who still believes in the absolute value of early consultation as a professional engineer.

The success of a project requires a professional design team be involved from inception to advise the client of the technical options and pro's and con's relative to their aspirations. The team should also take that information and develop, in full consultation, a full briefing document, namely, the client's requirements.

I am frustrated as a technical director for an engineering consultancy, which, along with the majority of project managers and many other clients, insists on forcing all of this onto the tendering contractors. What might I ask are they tendering against?

Much of the despair levelled at the building services engineer who has to design such projects, is in fact the result of the lack of relevant professional advice at the conception phase of the project. It is therefore a direct result of the procurement path followed by those despairing of us.

I am reviewing my own situation with the hope of providing that early project development/consultation service in order that I, the design engineers and the client have a chance of job satisfaction, reasonable profit and success. Let us not fall into commercial oblivion or become professional pariahs because of the failures inflicted upon us by those who control, but do not understand. Let us get out there and teach them.

I would welcome any discussion with CIBSE committee members and would appreciate any help or advice offered in trying to promote and achieve this goal.