If you’ve been working in the Building Performance field or have been in close contact with it for several years, you know how complex it can be. Technical information is scattered across countless sources: standards, regulations, certification schemes, software documentation, forums, FAQs… In the end, everyone ends up with their own interpretation of how things should be done, without much of a solid foundation.

And who really has the time (or sometimes the motivation) to do proper research and stay on top of the latest developments in this ever-evolving field? Experienced professionals often end up just attending a handful of events or webinars that barely scratch the surface of technical and non-technical challenges (when they aren’t little more than disguised sales pitches).

If you ask software or certification providers, they’ll likely just direct you to overpriced training courses that cover only the basics and don’t include ongoing support for later questions (which I consider the most important part of any training). Or they might offer technical coaching sessions at prices only a few can afford for limited projects and tasks.

All this makes quality assurance quite difficult and uncertain. And can often lead to waste of time, loss of productivity and ,ultimately, lack of profitability of services related to Building Performance.

And that’s just the beginning of the complexity in this sector. We also face the problem that we usually end up working in silos, without a fluent exchange of information between different disciplines, project stakeholders… even between colleagues working in different areas!

It’s quite common that experienced professionals working mostly on commercial buildings know little about residential analyses. That HVAC specialists don’t know much about how different constructions perform, or the other way around. Or that teams usually working in design stages don’t know about problems usually found at construction and handover stages, or how buildings are operated and used in real life.

Specialisation may have productivity advantages if well structured, but without an additional bigger-picture view it can also lead to incomprehension between the parties, missing the purpose of the models and analyses, and (from the point of view of experienced professionals) to frustration and demotivation.

Does any of the above sound familiar? Are you experiencing any (or most) of these challenges?

If you’re not, congratulations! You’re very lucky.

If you are, don’t worry, it’s very normal. I’ve been myself (and still am) in your shoes.

Then, are these easy problems to solve? No, definitely not! And I’m not claiming (and never will) to be the bearer of perfect solutions.

But I believe there are things we can do to put ourselves in a better position. And supporting each other is probably a very good place to start.

Have you ever wondered how much time you could have saved (for your company or for yourself) just by having a second pair of eyes look at a problem when you got stuck? Sometimes a simple tip or insight can save you hours, or even days, of research or software struggles.

Or by having better structured workflows, quality review processes, templates, or automated tools?

Are there any areas of Building Performance that you feel you’ve never had proper training or support to develop further?

We could discuss your specific needs in more detail, and this might evolve as I develop my business, but below is the list of services I have in mind that could help experienced professionals working in Building Performance and other related disciplines.

Training

I can provide specialised software training in IES Virtual Environment, including ApacheHVAC and the most commonly used modules.

I can also provide training on thermal bridge calculations, particularly using THERM (2D) and HEAT3 (3D) software. As well as on interstitial condensation analysis using the simplified method (BuildDeskU or similar) and, to a more limited extent, dynamic assessments with WUFI.

However, my offer of training is not limited to software skills, I can also provide training on how and when it’s better to use different modelling approaches, on project strategies, getting good inputs, quality checks, output reviews, communication of results, use of templates, etc.

Technical coaching

Training sessions are great and are necessary. However, they’re only a starting point for developing any skills. In my view, ongoing support is even more important, as real doubts and questions arise once you start working on real-life projects.

And progress in developing new skills and gaining expertise can be much faster and more efficient with specialised, dedicated support than through self-learning or waiting for a senior colleague to have time for that. I can provide that technical coaching support.

Peer reviewing

The quality of energy models for predicting operational energy is intended to be enhanced in schemes like NABERS UK Design for Performance and the latest version of BREEAM UK (V7) by requiring or encouraging peer/third-party reviews of models.

This is due to the higher complexity and uncertainty inherent in operational energy models compared to standard models, and the elevated likelihood of errors. However, any type of modelling, especially for large or important projects, can benefit from having an external, fresh pair of eyes reviewing it.

Workflow improvement

It’s often the case that the performance issues in our services aren’t really about technical skills or capacity, but about not having an efficient workflow in place. And struggling to find the time or drive to improve it internally.

It’s also often very helpful to have an external point of view when trying to improve processes, since we can become blind to inefficiencies or habits that have become part of our routine.

Quality Assurance

QA procedures are sometimes disregarded or not given enough attention in some areas of Building Performance. I’ve too often seen even very experienced professionals disregarding or giving up on quality for different reasons. However, ensuring quality can bring important benefits to you:

• It can actually save time by avoiding the need to re-do work.
• It has a positive effect on how you are perceived as a professional.
• It can give you access to better projects.
• It can reduce frustration and increase motivation (and even improve your mood!)

I could help with the following:

• Clarify the regulations, standards or methods to apply.
• Fill training or information gaps.
• Review results in complex projects.
• Create a structured QA procedure.

Technical research

Are you up to date with the latest standards, methodologies, technologies, and trends? If you needed to carry out some research, whether to confirm you are updated, to explore solutions for a specific project, or to move into a new area of work, would you have the resources or time to do it yourself?

I’ll leave this question open, but I’d bet many professionals and companies don’t. And, as a result, they struggle to keep up in the fast-evolving Building Performance sector.

At this point, you might no longer be wondering whether I can help you, but how you can access my support!

For now, I’m keeping it flexible and prefer to have a conversation to discuss potential support opportunities. However, I have created a set of monthly subscription options to provide a clear path for anyone interested in tapping into my experience regularly. These may become the primary way to access my support in the future when my calendar gets busier.

If you work as an employee and don’t handle purchase decisions, I’d be happy to speak with your director or manager to discuss the opportunities and answer any questions they might have.

I believe they can offer a good balance of commitment and certainty for both sides, without the need for long-term contracts or the constant (and tiring) process of quoting one-off services.

For you — It offers reliability through direct access to a senior professional with over 10 years’ experience in these areas, without the need to worry about where to find support when challenges arise. Plus, having a monthly subscription can be the extra motivation you need to progress your career or polish your services further.

For me — It provides a degree of income stability, allowing me to maintain and further develop this model. And, ultimately, help more people than I could as an employee or contractor for a single company or a handful of them.