Over the past two years, the engineering sector has repeatedly discussed the same question: will artificial intelligence replace HVAC designers?

The answers tend to be very categorical. Some are certain that AI will design buildings independently within a few years. Others are convinced this will never happen.

I think both positions oversimplify the situation.

What a designer actually does

Let’s start with a simple question: what exactly does an HVAC designer do?

If you look at a typical project, much of the work consists of fairly predictable tasks:

  • equipment selection
  • load calculations
  • compiling specifications
  • preparing documentation
  • producing drawings
  • checking compliance with standards

This is precisely the kind of work that lends itself to automation. And artificial intelligence has real potential here.

Where engineering begins

But there is another side to the profession. And it is much more interesting.

Imagine a shopping centre. The client asks:

Which is better for this building: VRF or a chiller?

At first glance, this is a technical question. In reality, it is not. To answer it properly, you need to understand:

  • the operating model
  • the development plans for the property
  • the tenant mix
  • the operations team’s staffing capabilities
  • the owner’s investment strategy
  • the acceptable risks

Sometimes the right answer depends not on cooling capacity, but on the property’s business model.

This is where real engineering begins.

AI will change the work, but not the essence of the profession

In my view, AI will not replace good designers in the coming years. But it will profoundly change their work.

Perhaps in a few years, engineers will no longer spend days preparing drawings. They will not compile specifications manually, search for standard details or carry out hundreds of routine tasks.

The system will do all of that. But the main question will remain: what problem are we actually solving?

And this is where the engineer’s role may become even more important than it is today.

Design is gradually moving away from producing drawings. It is becoming a process of making decisions.

Drawings or understanding

I think the market will split into two groups in the coming years.

The first will sell drawings. The second will sell understanding.

And if that happens, artificial intelligence really will replace many designers. But not because it has become smarter than people.

Rather, because part of the market has spent years selling documentation preparation instead of engineering thinking.

The right question about the future

So the question about the future is not:

Will AI replace HVAC designers?

I think a better question is:

Will AI replace those who sell drawings?

Drawings? Most likely, yes.

But the ability to understand a property’s business, risks, operation and future may remain the most valuable part of the profession for a very long time.

What to check in an AI-assisted design

Clients should ask not only for drawings, but also for a brief design rationale. It should enable another engineer to retrace the reasoning behind the choices.

  • Input data: which areas, operating modes, loads and requirements are confirmed, and which remain assumptions.
  • Alternatives: why the selected system suits the building’s operation and what would change that choice.
  • Verification: who checked the calculations, regulatory requirements, equipment selection and coordination with other disciplines.
  • Handover: which operating modes, limitations and acceptance criteria will be provided to the operations team.

These questions should be recorded in the developer’s technical brief from the outset. The tool used to prepare documentation does not change responsibility for a verified engineering solution.