Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your career, and your role at Bellrock?
I've had quite a varied career so far. I started out as an apprentice in South Wales, working in the steelworks and other industrial sites. My initial training was as an electrician, but I went on to complete my HNC and HND in building services. Over the years, I’ve worked across multiple sectors, including petrochemicals, power stations, data centers, and the NHS.
I’ve been with Bellrock for three and a half years now, serving as the Engineering Performance Manager. In this role, I oversee operations from an M&E engineering perspective, with a focus on health and safety, compliance, and most importantly, driving our engineering strategy to meet client objectives.
One of the key projects I’ve been involved in is the Symphony model. It started as an idea and a baseline from Legal & General, and I’ve played a role in developing and expanding it as part of a team, working alongside Demand Logic and supply chain partners like NG Bailey, Smart, and Platinum. What began as a high-level strategy has evolved into something tangible, delivering real results while continuously improving and pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve.
What role does data-driven technology play in your day-to-day work, and how has the Demand Logic Platform supported your objectives?
Data-driven technology is at the core of what we do, especially through the Symphony Model. One of the key challenges we’ve tackled is balancing two seemingly opposing strategies, reducing energy consumption while maintaining high-quality office spaces. Traditionally, the assumption has been that creating a comfortable, premium workspace comes at the cost of higher energy use. However, over the past three years, we’ve consistently proven that’s not the case. By making small adjustments and continuously focusing on marginal gains, we’ve found that it’s possible to achieve both efficiency and comfort.
The Demand Logic platform plays a huge role in this. I use it daily to identify and implement small but impactful improvements. Beyond just highlighting opportunities for change, it also allows us to validate those changes, ensuring they deliver the intended benefits without negatively impacting the overall workplace environment. Ultimately, happy occupiers are at the heart of our strategy.
Scalability has been another key advantage. I now oversee 28 properties under the Symphony Model, covering a wide range of locations, from Scotland down to London. Each building has its own profile and challenges, so having a system that can adapt and provide meaningful insights at scale has been invaluable.
One of the things I really appreciate about the Demand Logic platform is its accessibility. Anyone within the portfolio, whether an FM with no technical background or a specialist engineer can use it effectively. The platform’s red-green system makes it easy to spot potential issues at a glance, while engineers can dive deeper into performance data to analyse equipment operation against its design.
Without this combination of real-time data and intuitive usability, we wouldn’t have been able to deliver Symphony as successfully as we have across the portfolio. The ability to both drill down into the details and maintain a clear, high-level overview has been instrumental in our success.
How has the Demand Logic Platform supported you in identifying discrepancies or updating changes on site?
When buildings are designed and fitted out, they’re based on a set of criteria. However, as we all know in the industry, the way a building actually operates can often vary significantly from its original design expectations. The key is identifying those discrepancies and outlying parameters, not just spotting them but also making adjustments and validating that those changes have had a positive impact.
That’s one of the core benefits of the Demand Logic platform for me. It allows me to pinpoint issues, implement fixes, and then verify that those changes have worked without causing unintended consequences elsewhere. Building systems are interconnected, so an adjustment in one area can sometimes create a problem in another. The ability to track and confirm that improvements are having the desired effect across the system has been invaluable.
The measurable benefits have been huge. In 2024 alone, we saved over 2 million kilowatt hours of operational energy, which is a massive achievement. And this isn’t just a one-time success, we saw similar savings in 2023 as well. The impact isn’t just immediate; it’s ongoing. As seasons change and occupier requirements evolve, we’re continuously identifying new opportunities to optimise performance. It’s all about marginal gains at scale, and the results speak for themselves.
How is smart building data transforming the role of engineering supervisors and performance managers?
Coming from an engineering background, I was the person on the tools fixing fan coil units and diagnosing faults on-site. Now, with smart building data, we can identify and resolve issues remotely, completely changing how we approach problem-solving. One of the features I use most in Demand Logic, and recommend to all engineers in our portfolio, is the Rogue Finder tool.
If an occupier reports that the temperature is off or that a space feels uncomfortable, our first instinct used to be to go to the floor or make adjustments on the BMS. Now, I encourage engineers to check Rogue Finder first. Instead of guessing, they can immediately see if a fan coil unit has a stuck valve or is operating when it shouldn't be. The data provides clear insights, and once you start correlating those findings with real-world problems, fault identification becomes much more intuitive. Engineers develop a sort of pattern recognition, "I’ve seen this before, I know what’s wrong", which allows them to take action faster, whether that means ordering a part or isolating a unit.
This shift is also breaking down traditional silos between different engineering disciplines. The days of "that’s a BMS issue, not my job" or "that’s an M&E problem, not mine" are fading. We’re seeing much more collaboration between field engineers and BMS specialists. A BMS engineer might flag a valve that appears to be opening and closing inconsistently and ask a field engineer to confirm the issue on-site. Likewise, an M&E engineer can challenge what the BMS is reporting, bringing their on-the-ground expertise into the equation.
In many ways, we’re returning to the way engineering used to be where diagnosing and fixing problems was a hands-on, collaborative effort rather than a case of passing issues between departments. Smart building data isn’t just making our work more efficient; it’s redefining engineering roles and encouraging a more holistic, team-based approach to building performance management.
What key insights or advice would you share with other Engineering Performance Supervisors who are looking to implement technologies like Demand Logic?
My number one piece of advice is don’t be afraid of using technology. The best way to get comfortable with platforms like Demand Logic is to use them regularly. The more you engage with the system, the better you’ll understand the insights it provides.
That said, it’s important to remember that data only tells part of the story. As engineers, our job is to take that data and connect it to real-world faults. Over time, as you match data patterns to physical issues on-site, you’ll develop a stronger intuition for diagnosing problems. The more you dive into the details, the sharper your skills become.
Another key piece of advice is to ask questions. There’s a tendency in engineering to hesitate before admitting we don’t understand something, but there’s real value in reaching out for clarification. One thing I’ve really appreciated in working with the team at Demand Logic is that support is always available, whether its guidance on how to navigate the platform or suggestions for what to investigate on-site.
Ultimately, whether you’re a field engineer or a performance manager, my advice is the same: just get stuck in. The more you explore the platform, the more confident and effective you’ll become in using it to drive real improvements.