With net-zero deadlines looming and tougher regulations reshaping project delivery, the pressure on AEC professionals to deliver high-performing buildings has never been greater. Building performance modelling remains a vital tool in ensuring projects meet their full performance potential. However, its impact is often limited by a lack of skills, or indeed an under-appreciation of the value that performance modelling can bring when embedded throughout the building lifecycle.
In many cases, energy simulation is introduced too late in the design process and treated as a compliance exercise rather than a decision-making tool. This limits its impact, leading to redesigns, performance shortfalls and a growing gap between what buildings are predicted to achieve and how they actually perform. Other common issues, such as using basic calculations and rules of thumb, oversimplification of zones and schedules, and presenting outputs that clients struggle to understand or act on, run the risk of undermining trust in modelling outcomes and wastes valuable time and resources across project teams.
The case for upskilling
Industry surveys consistently highlight the need for digital upskilling across the AEC sector. According to a recent IES survey, more than half of senior AEC professionals believe that having the technology to understand how buildings perform in operation will be critical to decarbonising the built environment. However, we need to ensure that we are equipping the next generation of architects, engineers and consultants with the skills they need to effectively put this technology into practice.
In 2023, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) found that 77% of UK engineering employers believe they do not have the skills needed to be resilient to climate change, while 63% were concerned that the education system does not prepare UK graduates well for industry – particularly when it comes to digital skills and innovation.
These gaps matter. Without the right skills, and stronger modelling capability, project teams risk missing opportunities for optimisation, falling short of performance targets, and eroding client confidence. When it comes to building performance, upskilling isn’t just about technical accuracy – it’s about embedding modelling as a design driver, strengthening collaboration, and ensuring recommendations translate into real-world impact.
A practical resource
To support the next generation of practitioners, or indeed anyone in the industry looking to sharpen their skills, IES has developed the AEC Playbook for Better Building Performance – a free, six-part educational email course some of the typical delving into some of the typical challenges encountered when it comes to assessing building performance. Each short lesson explores some of the most common mistakes encountered when it comes to building performance modelling, and offers practical guidance on how these can be avoided.
The course is aimed at architects, engineers and sustainability consultants who want to integrate performance modelling earlier in the project lifecycle, improve communication with stakeholders, and deliver buildings that perform as intended. By breaking lessons into manageable, practical sessions, that can be worked through at the learner’s own pace, the playbook offers a flexible entry point for upskilling without taking practitioners away from live projects.
Shaping the next generation
Closing the digital skills gap will be critical if building services engineers are to meet client expectations and net-zero commitments. Resources such as The AEC Playbook for Better Building Performance offer a simple way to start bridging that gap – helping our industry move beyond compliance modelling and towards truly performance-led design.
Interested to learn more? Get started with The AEC Playbook for Better Building Performance for free here.