Technology has been a key driver of change across many industries and in BMS it has certainly changed the landscape and potential for running a building.
But while the technology has changed at Setpoint we have the benefit of a level of consistency many other companies would be jealous of. That consistency comes with the experience and historic knowledge of our staff who have been with us since the beginning. They have grown and developed with the industry, have seen it all and give us a foundation of expertise that is unrivalled.
One of these gems is James Anderson, one of our Senior BMS Engineers in Christchurch. We want to take the opportunity to introduce to you one of our best and longest serving Setpoint staff members.
James started with Setpoint so long ago he can’t even remember the year, but we know it’s been close to 30 years.
“I was a qualified electrician doing general electrical work and then got into wiring mechanical systems for BMS while living in Australia. When I came back, I’d got a job doing mechanical installs through connections at a sports team and then met the directors of Setpoint. They offered me a job and the rest as they say is history,” says James.
30 years is a long time – why keep doing what you are doing?
“It was and still is an exciting field because you get to be more than just an electrician. You get to do more than lights and plugs. I started at the bottom with simple drawings and working with basic DOS based programmes, but technology has changed so much, so has the job.
“It’s been one of the best parts of the role – you never stop learning. There is always something new to understand and bring into our work and that keeps me fresh and interested. I love to be able to see the whole thing from the ground up. From the drawing to the wiring, to the commissioning, to the whole system working with the front end. It’s really satisfying.
“I’ve still got my electrical ticket. It’s still great to go out there and when you’ve got a problem on site to pull out the pliers and screwdriver to look at what is going on – like you used to do in the old days. It also means that when I’m working with the electrical contractors, who are doing what I used to do, I understand what they’re doing or need. That’s a big help to them and the clients.
Biggest change in BMS over the years
Technology has been the biggest driver of change according to James.
“The new technology gives the users a better interface and a better way of doing business with remote access to sites. Back in the day it was very limited but now you can get all the sites together communicating back to one central location.
“Buildings are also getting more complicated, so systems need to work harder but more importantly smarter. We need to know how it all works to provide the best solution and that all makes things more interesting.”
The best part of the job?
“It’s accomplishing something so the customer’s happy with what you’ve done. That is what drives me – customer satisfaction. You’ve gone in there, you’ve resolved issues for them, and they’re happy. To me that’s the part of the job I enjoy the most.
“ I think at Setpoint we offer a very good solution and good control system solutions that are always leading the technology world.”
What’s the biggest challenge now?
“The biggest challenge I think is often being the last on the list of services to be implemented when a new building is being completed. We often come in at the end when everything else is done and the time delays from other trades can mean we are under pressure to complete the installation.
“People don’t really understand what BMS all is about, when I am asked what we do, they have no idea what it means, or they think it’s all about controlling the heat pump. It is much more complicated but really all they need to know is we develop and install the systems that make your building work more efficiently and be more comfortable for those in it.
What’s the best thing about working for Setpoint?
While James is a self-confessed Cantabrian through and through who says he couldn’t even be shaken out of Christchurch, for him it has been the friends, family and work that has kept him at Setpoint.
“The culture and the team around me have been great, with others staying here as long as I have, we get to know each other and each other’s families. We are social and do things together all the time. It makes getting through things like the Christchurch earthquakes and Covid much easier because we have each other as support.”
At Setpoint we know how much it means to us to have people like James on our team and we are lucky to have a good group of long-standing members of our team. They make us who we are today. They all add to the breadth and depth of knowledge and experience that has stayed within Setpoint and that is part of the added value to us and our customers.
If you want someone like James working with you to make sure your BMS is working at its best – call us for a chat.
