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BESA President calls for ‘crisis engineering’

The UK should look to its engineering community for solutions to many of the serious social and economic challenges it is facing, according to the President of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA).

In his presidential address to association members and guests, Rab Fletcher (pictured) said the building services sector had ‘a pivotal role’ to play in tackling the energy, climate change, cost of living, and building safety crises confronting the country. He said this year ‘would be very tough’ for the industry, but added that building engineers were ‘in a privileged position’, because they could make a difference and influence the future.

“These are big problems for the UK, but they are also opportunities for us to demonstrate the value of this industry and why our expertise matters,” he said. “BESA will continue to champion our role, drive improvements in technical and professional standards, and support training as we strive to create a workforce capable of rising to these challenges.”

Rab Fletcher, who is also Mechanical Services team manager at Fife Council, said there were ‘plenty of reasons to be optimistic despite the general economic gloom’. He cited the first ever World Ventilation Day, which BESA helped to organise last November, as an example of how the industry could help to drive social progress. He said: “We worked with 21 organisations, including professional bodies, universities, and environmental groups from across the UK, Europe, North America, and Australia, demonstrating how good ventilation can help to keep people safe from infectious diseases, improve sleep, and reduce mould and damp in buildings.”

He also paid tribute to the Honorary President of BESA’s Health & Well-being in Buildings group, Rosamund Adoo Kissi-Debrah, who has been campaigning for air quality and child health since the death of her daughter Ella in 2013, and received a CBE in the King’s New Year Honours for her services to public health. “She is a huge supporter of what we are trying to do about improving air quality in buildings,” said Rab Fletcher.

 

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Upcoming Events

The Fire Safety Event

NEC, Birmingham
25th - 27th April 2023

Facilities Show

ExCeL London
16th - 18th May

UHEI DUBLIN – CONFERENCE – IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IHEEM

Trinity College Dublin Conference Centre
16th - 17th May 2023

NAHFO Conference 2023

Crowne Plaza, Stratford-upon-Avon
5th - 7th June 2023

Healthcare Estates

Manchester Central
10th - 11th October 2023

Access the latest issue of Health Estate Journal on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Health Estate Journal app from your device's App store

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