A building engineer is an expert in leveraging technology for the design, construction, assessment, and maintenance of the built environment, overseeing all phases from initial planning to a building's operational impact. This interdisciplinary role involves managing a building's entire life cycle, with expertise spanning energy efficiency, structural resilience (including earthquake and wind effects), HVAC, advanced materials, and sustainable building systems design. Often a licensed professional, they can lead whole-building design in collaboration with architects or specialize in mechanical, electrical, or structural aspects of building design.
Titles and duties vary globally; for instance, they are known as "architectural engineers" in Australia, while in Nigeria, a "builder" is a statutory registered professional affiliated with the Nigeria Institute of Building (NIOB) and Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) responsible for building production and management. Across Europe, building engineers are affiliated with the AEEBC (Association of European Experts in Building and Construction), and in Hong Kong, they can become Registered Professional Engineers (Building) through The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), highlighting their diverse yet critical global recognition.