You know you’re meant to be a mechanical engineer if…

  • you like to tinker 
  • you fix things that don’t need fixing  
  • solving problems is what makes you get out of bed in the morning 
  • you love engines and machines 
  • you’re always asking ‘what if’ when faced with a challenge 
  • you search out new things to learn every day. 

The future of mechanical engineering is already here

Mechanical engineering has always evolved to meet human needs. It’s continuing to do just this by moving towards: 

  • a stronger lifecycle and sustainability focus 
  • innovation in improving energy efficiency, reducing the size of systems and lowering embodied carbon  
  • reduction in the ‘over-engineering’ of systems 
  • plants that are fully electric and use no fossil fuels 
  • automation and software improvements in building services
  • low-cost electronic sensors to monitor air quality 
  • greater use of energy modelling to make better and more informed equipment choices. 

What are some of the big issues that mechanical engineering can help fix?

Globally, mechanical engineers are focused on the same things – reducing fossil fuels, using better equipment and increasing the efficiency of systems. These are some of the big issues we’re tackling: 

  • Air quality – a healthy and well-ventilated building is now expected and mechanical engineers are finding creative ways to deliver on this. 
  • Reducing waste – by increasing the efficiency of a plant, and other systems, we can increase their lifecycle. Geothermal energy also offers significantly longer plant life, meaning lower embodied carbon for a project, alongside other benefits. 
  • Energy efficiency – interestingly, many innovations within mechanical engineering are returning to centuries old traditions like using a building’s orientation to maximise winter sun and minimise summer sun. We anticipate more of these traditions will be brought back into our everyday – like using the earth to heat or cool and natural ventilation.
  • Another important element of energy efficiency, and reduced operational costs, is the integration of smart technology and automation into building services systems.