Ahmed Hegazi
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already changing the way we work. For building engineers, it is impacting how we design, analyse, construct, operate and manage buildings now.
CIBSE’s objective is to support members as technology, regulation and professional practice evolves. With increasingly capable AI tools, our responsibility is to help our members to understand opportunities, recognise risks and use new tools in ways that uphold the standards of our profession.
That is the purpose of CIBSE’s new AI position statement. I have been pleased to see how much care and expertise has gone into its development. We wanted this to be something grounded in the realities of engineering practice, rather than a document produced in a vacuum.
Our AI Working Group brought together leading voices from across building engineering, digital engineering, academia, regulatory compliance and the wider built environment. Their perspectives helped us explore what AI can do today and what it could mean for engineering practice in the future.
AI is a powerful amplifier of engineering expertise
The developing statement was subject to robust peer review, including scrutiny through CIBSE’s Technical Policy Committee and engagement with the CIBSE Society of Digital Engineering.
The position statement focuses on opportunities. We believe engineers should be able to make use of AI tools where they can improve engineering outcomes, increase productivity, support innovation or help tackle problems. AI is a powerful amplifier of engineering expertise and has the potential to fuel a new era of innovation.
Importantly, the position statement places professional judgement firmly at its centre. Engineers remain responsible for the work they produce, whether or not AI has been involved. AI outputs should never be accepted passively; they need to be critically assessed, appropriately verified, and considered in the context of the particular engineering problem, project and level of risk.
That principle becomes particularly important as AI moves beyond generating information and begins to interact with other systems, retrieve information, use tools and take actions. The more consequential the task, the greater the need for appropriate human oversight, clear permissions, verification and accountability.
This is especially important in the context of the Building Safety Act and the work of the Building Safety Regulator. As the industry continues to strengthen its focus on competence, accountability and the management of building safety risks, there is an even greater need for professional engineering judgement to remain at the heart of decision-making. AI can support that judgement, but it cannot remove the engineer’s responsibility to understand, challenge and verify the information and recommendations on which safety-critical decisions depend.
The statement recognises that responsible AI use extends beyond the immediate technical output. Engineers need to consider issues including confidentiality and data protection, intellectual property, contractual obligations, legal responsibilities, insurance, ethics, environmental impact and the continuing development of engineering competence.
Importantly, we are not presenting the position statement as the final word. AI is developing too quickly for any responsible organisation to pretend that a single publication can settle every question. The capabilities, risks and professional implications will continue to evolve. We intend this statement to provide a foundation: a set of principles from which further guidance, resources and conversations can develop.
That means we want to hear from our members. If you are working on a project that is exploring how AI can be used responsibly in building engineering, or if you have experience that could help others understand the opportunities and challenges, please get in touch.
Finally, thank you to everyone who contributed – members of the AI Working Group, our reviewers, CIBSE’s Technical Policy Committee, the CIBSE Society of Digital Engineering, and all who shared their expertise. I would also like to acknowledge the contributions of Jon Belfield (AI Working Group chair) and Ben Arnold (software product manager), who have been indefatigable in their dedication to this project.
Leading building engineering means engaging with the technologies that will shape its future. AI is undoubtedly one of them. Our task now is to make sure that, as the technology develops, engineering judgement, professional responsibility and the pursuit of better buildings remain at the heart of how we use it. l
About the author
Ahmed Hegazi is head of knowledge and digital at CIBSE