Senior Building Services Engineers

UNEP’s Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch (PCDMB)

Location: Home and field based

Type of contract: Individual Contract

Languages required: English essential. Knowledge of French would be an asset

Application deadline: 15 July 2013

Duration: From 2 – 12 weeks depending on assignment

Introduction

PCDMB is looking to add experienced building services engineers to its roster of experts to be contracted on short-term assignments aimed at ‘greening’ of the UN peacekeeping operations. The consultants should have a minimum of 7 years of professional experience within the sustainable design and construction sector, with particular emphasis on design and commissioning of building services.

Project Details

Under its Disasters and Conflicts Programme, UNEP has been providing technical assistance to UN Departments of Field Support and Peacekeeping (DFS and DPKO) since 2006. This assistance included development of policy and guidelines, environmental and technical assessments, training and implementation of pilot projects in the field.

In the coming months, the nature of this assistance will increasingly shift from policy and pilot work towards the implementation of more complex projects in the field at all stages of a UN peacekeeping mission’s lifecycle, from early planning, design and construction of bases/camps to operation and closure. Hence, the need to expand our support network of technical experts.

The projects will focus but not be limited to energy, water and waste management. Typical projects may include:

- Detailed design of complex HVAC systems including but not limited to evaporative, absorption, air-source, ground-source and traditional systems
- Detailed design of passive ventilation systems
- Renewable and low-carbon technology feasibility study
- Feasibility and design of waste to energy plant
- Thermal and daylight building physics modelling
- Development of a metering strategy and a Building Management System (BMS)
- Training

These and other similar projects may be implemented in any DPKO-led and DFS-supported peace operation. Currently, there are 16 operations across four continents with over 110,000 personnel. Majority of peacekeeping camps are in locations with poor and damaged infrastructure, extreme weather conditions, extensive environmental degradation and complex security and political climate. 

Qualifications, Experience and Competencies

Minimum requirements:

• At least 7 years of relevant working experience, with increasing levels of seniority and responsibility over time
• Degree in Building Services, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
• Extensive experience of feasibility, design, construction, commissioning and operation of renewable and low-carbon technologies including but not limited to large and small-scale photovoltaics, solar thermal, combined heat and power (CHP), wind, air and ground source heat-pumps, evaporative cooling, absorption cooling and/or passive ventilation
• Experience of commissioning and operation of large-scale diesel powered generators
• Experience of energy metering and BMS
• Extensive experience of ‘green building’ practices including but not limited to passive design strategies, controls, energy efficiency, lighting and natural ventilation
• Experience of building physics modelling
• Fluency in oral and written English
• Outstanding report writing skills

Desirable:

• Knowledge of French language is desirable and knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
• Experience of working in post-conflict and/or post-disaster sectors
• Experience of large scale ‘off-grid’ developments.
• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in engineering, environmental engineering, applied environmental technology, or a related field

Remuneration

To be negotiated – with reference to UN rates based on the TOR and consultant experience.

How to Apply

Candidates should respond by email in the first instance to ivan.blazevic@unep.org, providing a copy of their CV and a cover letter, 2 references and confirmation of availability for short term assignments over the next 12 months. Deadline for submissions: 15th July 2013. All submissions will be assessed immediately after this deadline and UNEP will only contact the shortlisted candidates.