We’re back with our Touch base with TeamBSE series, this year focusing on our leaders and national team.
Meet Brendon Newham, our ACT Director.
With BSE for 5 years after starting our Canberra office ‘Brendo’ as he’s affectionally known is an ACT native with 20 years of Canberra 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.
1. What is your background story?
After starting as a “photocopy boy” at a consultancy in the 90s, I then learnt CAD, then full drafting.
Even as a kid I wanted to be a drafter (not really knowing engineering), I asked for rulers and protractors for gifts even though I already had boxes of them! Covered technical drafting at college and architectural drafting. Eventually, I moved to a smallerconsultancy andd learned everything! In about 20 years I went from drafting to director. I knew I needed further knowledge and completed my Master of Building Services, which filled in the details I needed for proper multi-disciplinary coordination, collaboration and discussions. Over time I’ve delivered data centres, worked with high-end clients and delivered technical designs. When I joined BSE it was exciting to have a more national approach, being able to train my team, create a great work environment and develop an awesome new generation of engineers while working with clients outside of Canberra and help grow a national business.
2. Did you choose engineering, or did it choose you?
I absolutely chose it, it’s what I wanted to do as a kid. And over time, I’ve realised it also chose me. Being able to fix practical issues as well as leading people and teams. Taking the opportunity to learn when something doesn’t go exactly to plan, helps with future projects and challenges.
3. How do you feel service engineers add value to projects?
Engineers make buildings work, architects make it look good, and engineers make the functional aspects work, cost-effective and usable long term. They add so much value to the processes of design and construction, add order, ensure the essentials and necessities are covered, identify risks and provide quality coordination. Construction runs smoother, projects are more buildable while also being compliant!
4. What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Coming into the office and seeing our team. Meeting new people in the industry and keeping clients happy!
5. Pineapple on pizza: yes or no?
Yes, 100%
Jump over to our social profiles (links below) and tell us who you’d like to hear from next!