We are thrilled to be launching this new series to get to know TeamBSE better!
As we navigate our way around the BSE offices, we start in Canberra, celebrating 3 years in operation today and chat to Brendon Newham who has been our ACT Regional Manager since opening. ‘Brendo’ as he’s affectionally known is an ACT native with 20 years Canberra region engineering and project experience. An Electrical Engineer, with a Building Services Master’s, Brendon takes delights in every aspect of a project, ensuring all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed, with outstanding results for our clients and project partners.
Q&A –
1. What excites you about your area of engineering?
Engineering has always excited me, the problem solving, communication required and ability to guide a team successfully. The practicality of building services as a form of engineering always amazes me, due to the strength of impact on users of a space. Power for everyday activities business and personal activities, adjustable climate control for workers, automation from one level of a building to another, control integration and potential for energy reduction and water saving measures. The opportunities for the sector, people who take the risk to change the way projects are delivered with outstanding results!
2. How do services engineers add value to projects?
While the value isn’t always visible, the impact can be huge! Our constant challenge is often communicating this value. If it’s done right, you won’t see it or think about it. Only if it’s done badly or incorrectly, that is where a project will incur additional and negative costs or time delays!
Our designs make a space usable, liveable, workable. Lighting and power, comfort control and air quality, bathroom and kitchen facilities, fire prevention and emergency response apparatus.
A reliable services engineer will provide a cost-effective solution which takes into sccount legislative requirements, applicable standards, user experience all while considering lifetime and operational costs, not just supply and install costs. There is always a cheaper product available, but our job is to provide the expertise and guidance on why the cheapest isn’t always the best. Giving our project partners, client and end user an appropriate and robust outcome.
3. Did you choose the property/ construction industry as an intentional career choice, or did it choose you?
I completely chose it, from a young age, sketching areas on an Etch-A-Sketch and dreaming of it being built! As a Canberra local from Kambah High school I loved art and drawing, which progressed into technical drawing, then embracing CAD when it became widely available. From very early in my career, I spent time learning from builders and designers to understand how buildings came together, ensuring my approach was always design to build rather than just pretty lines. ‘Buildability’ might be a phrase commonly thrown around at design or construction meetings, but it is the core of how I started my career and how I will continue to approach projects!
To end on a lighter note, we’re asking all our team the most controversial question of recent time:
4. Pineapple on pizza?
Yes!
150% Yes.
Pineapple, ham, pepperoni, chilli & double cheese (parmesan on top of sauce, then toppings and mozzarella on top of everything. AMAZING….