If you’ve just graduated (or did it few years ago) in a degree related to Building Performance, I have good news and bad news.

😀 You are getting into one of the fields with the greatest growth potential in the construction sector.

😬 You are getting into one of the most complex fields in the construction sector.

Why is it one of the fields with the greatest growth potential?

Basically, there’s still a lot to be done. We’ve only just begun to make real progress in real-life performance. Understanding “performance” as energy and carbon efficiency, overheating risk, thermal comfort, and condensation risk. And understanding “real-life” as measurable or observable performance in operation over the years.

And most of the progress so far has been made in new buildings, which are only a tiny fraction of the overall building stock. Many, if not most, existing buildings will need retrofitting in the coming years. And retrofitting is generally more challenging than new build, and requires a broader and more integrated set of skills.

So, with the right mindset, skillset, mentoring, and guidance, the opportunities for growth in this field can be almost limitless 🚀

But, why is it so complex?

Building Performance is a complex field within an already complex sector, the construction sector. And it is specially complex for graduates. Sorry… 😊

First of all, there aren’t any degrees that I’m aware of that truly prepare you for working in Building Performance. But even if you’ve completed a highly specialised master’s, theory is just theory. You only start facing the real challenges once you’re involved in real projects and have some responsibility.

And when you do, you’ll find that:

• Your software knowledge is too basic for real project challenges.
• You’ll need to do a lot more self-learning than you expected.
• The regulations or standards to apply in each case are far from being clear.
• It will take you years or very clear guidance to understand the role and expectations of the different parties in each type of project.
• It will take you even longer to know what assumptions you need to make to progress with projects where there isn’t enough information. And, yes, you’ll always have to make assumptions. In some projects, a lot of them.
• You’ll often have to deal with the frustration of other disciplines downplaying your work, especially if they sense your insecurity.
• Output data from Building Performance models can be complex to analyse and draw conclusions from. It needs an experienced eye to at least double check it (which is not always available).

And overcoming these “graduate” challenges will only put you in a better position to face the real challenges. The challenges we all face, no matter how experienced we are:

• Sustainability and building performance sound “sexy” to everyone in early-stage presentations, but less so when it comes to making difficult project decisions.
• The built environment is highly fragmented, and collaboration can be limited. So, you may often have to make decisions that shouldn’t be yours. Or deal with the consequences of decisions made by others without your input.
• The standards and regulations that apply to each project (and how strictly) are never entirely clear and tend to change frequently.
• If you get into operational energy modelling, few people truly understand what it involves. You’ll likely have to explain it in every design team meeting (and still get little feedback).
• Modelling software tools add new capabilities (and sometimes new bugs) every year, but finding the time to test them and integrate them into workflows can be challenging.
• Keeping up with new trends, tools, and developments in this rapidly evolving field can be a challenge as well. Staying connected and networking regularly is key, but easier said than done.

I hope I haven’t been too scary and somebody is still here 😅

Now, let’s get back to the opportunities and how I could help you across different areas and stages of your development.

If you’ve just finished your degree, chances are you’re full of doubts. Maybe feeling torn, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start.

If that’s not your case and your path already seems clear, that’s great, you’re one step ahead of most. However, don’t let your guard down. Keep an open mind and consider alternative routes. Things can evolve quickly in this field.

If it is your case, don’t worry too much, we’ve all been there. But keep in mid that your first job will be to get a clearer picture of the different options, the potential strengths and weaknesses of your background, your skill set, your interests, your motivations…

And to gain that clarity, what you need is a lot more information. And, even better than information, you need insights from someone who’s been in the sector for years.

Then, once you have a clearer path, my support can be even more valuable. From having your CV and cover letter reviewed and polished by someone who’s written a few (and read a few more from the point of view of the interviewer) to getting mentoring and upskilling support. You could be taking advantage of an opportunity many others (including me) would have wished for.

If you’ve already had your first graduate experience, you’re probably more aware now of both the complexities and the opportunities ahead. You likely have a clearer picture of the skills you need to develop further, but you might also be starting to see the limitations of the available options.

From limited on-the-job mentoring and guidance — if your managers don’t have the time or the specific experience themselves — to the lack of truly valuable external training options — since most available courses only cover the basics and don’t include ongoing support. It’s quite likely you won’t get the support you need to progress as you’d like.

I can provide that mentoring, specialised training, and ongoing technical coaching in several areas of Building Performance. And, what is sometimes even more important, help connect the dots between the different areas in this field. In the early years, it’s common to focus only on very specific aspects and miss the bigger-picture view, which is also important for career progression.

Once you’ve got a handle on the graduate skills, it’s time to start thinking about how you’d like your career to evolve.

Yes, the typical “Where do you see yourself in (whatever) years?”. It might feel like a slightly annoying question sometimes (it did to me) but it’s actually an important one. As a wise man said: “If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable”.

Therefore, it’s wise to dedicate some time and resources to thinking about your career direction. So, mentoring and guidance can be also very valuable at this stage. It could also be important to get trained (or at least get up to date) on new areas of your interest and emerging industry trends.

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 we could have a chat about potential support opportunities. However, I’ve put together a set of monthly subscription options to provide a clear path for anyone interested in tapping into my experience regularly. And it’s likely these will become the primary way to access my support in the future when my calendar gets busier.

If you are already working for a company and would like my support to go through them, 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.

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 you need it. Plus, having a monthly subscription can be the extra motivation you need to push your career progression.

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 for a single company.