The Leading News & Information Service For The Facilities, Workplace & Built Environment Community

BESA President’s Lunch 2023

Rab Fletcher Calls for “Crisis Engineering” at BESA President’s Lunch
10 February 2023
 

The answer to many of the UK’s serious social and economic challenges could be solved by its engineering community, said the President of the Building Engineering Services Association.

In his presidential address to association members and guests at BESA’s President's Lunch, Rab Fletcher 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. 

 

Image

Picture: a photograph of Rab Fletcher speaking at London Scottish House. Image Credit: BESA

 

Rab Fletcher Calls for “Crisis Engineering” at BESA President’s Lunch

 

He said this year “would be very tough” for the industry but 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. 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 referred to 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. 

“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 said. 

 

Tribute to Ella’s Law

 

He also paid tribute to the Honorary President of BESA’s Health & Wellbeing in Buildings group Rosamund Adoo Kissi-Debrah who has been campaigning for air quality and child health since the tragic 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. 

He added that last year’s highly successful BESA National Conference was another example of why members of the ‘BESA community’ should all be optimistic about the future: “We bring our industry together – not just for the sake of it – but to create positive change,” he said. 

Picture: a photograph of Laurence Allen, Founder and CEO of ThisWeekinFM (left) and Clare Watson, Director of Marketing and Communications at BESA. Image Credit: BESA

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 10 February 2023

Share



Related Articles

Clean Air Day 2022 – The Business Case for Improved Air Quality

Clean Air Day is the UK's largest air pollution campaign, bringing together communities, businesses, schools and the health sector.   Watch the...

 Read Full Article
BESA Supports CIBSE's Pledge to Inspire New Generation of Engineers

The building services industry has been urged to rally behind new CIBSE President Kevin Mitchell’s campaign to inspire a new generation of engineers. Kevin, in...

 Read Full Article
BESA Calls for Compromise in Safety Insurance Row

Contractors and insurers must work together to ensure the rising cost of professional indemnity insurance does not undermine efforts to improve building safety, according...

 Read Full Article
WHO Updates Air Quality Guidelines for First Time Since 2005

The World Health Organisation has updated its official air quality guidelines, as air pollution remains one of the greatest environmental risks to health.  The...

 Read Full Article
Engineering Services Join Forces for Change in Built Environment 

Eight organisations in the built environment sector are forming an alliance to champion sustainable change in the industry. The new alliance brings together the...

 Read Full Article
Environment Bill Should Give Councils Air Quality Powers

Local councils should be given the legal authority to enforce higher standards of air quality in schools, public buildings and homes according to the Building Engineering...

 Read Full Article
BESA Highlights Importance of Spatial Awareness in Building Services

The Building Engineering Services Association has revealed best practice for allowing adequate spacing between building services in projects. In a technical bulletin...

 Read Full Article
BESA Wins Best Use of Technology Award

The Building Engineering Services Association has won the Best Use of Technology Award at the Trade Association Awards 2023 for its Ventilation Hygiene Elite...

 Read Full Article
BESA Criticises Lack of Diversity in Heating and Hot Water Industry

New research shows that 2 per cent of the heating and hot water industry sector’s workforce are women and only 5 per cent are from an ethnic minority...

 Read Full Article
Clean Heating Policies Improve Air Quality in Northern China

China’s centralised winter heating strategy has helped to prevent over 23,000 fewer premature deaths in 2021 than in 2015, a new study has revealed. From 2015 to...

 Read Full Article