Honeywell is working with Leeds Beckett University to provide students at its school of building environment, engineering and commuting with access to industry knowledge and experience. The custom scheme was initiated by Lucy Hind, senior lecturer, facilities management, who wanted to add real-world sector expertise to the syllabus.
“We’re working with Honeywell to create an educational series of presentations, interviews and events focused on building innovation, energy, sustainability and analytics to help our students who don’t have a traditional technical background grow their understanding of building management systems,” said Hind. “The incorporation of experience-based insights into our curriculum enables us to provide practical know-how to back-up university-based theoretical learning.”
The programme is designed to support people who do not have a facilities management background by helping furnish them with the appropriate skills and an understanding of the digital backbone that building management systems (BMS) provide today’s buildings. The UK faces a digital skills shortage, according to the Learning & Work Institute. The Honeywell and Leeds programme is designed to help address this by providing students with insights and training on next generation BMS as well as professional networking development. It’s designed to give students not only the best start for their careers but also reinforce the wider facilities management sector and the future of enhanced building operations.
“Being able to take a detailed look at your building and see how it’s performing is increasingly important due to the growing demand for improved digitisation, enhanced energy management and the need to deliver healthier environments,” said Massimo Ferrari, European direct sales leader, Honeywell Building Technologies. “A good BMS is the eyes and ears of a facilities manager. The Honeywell team’s extensive expertise in can help students better prepare themselves for the challenges ahead.”
The curriculum series includes topics such as the basics of a BMS, how a BMS can help with energy management and how a BMS can help optimise planned maintenance.