CIBSE Certification launches new scheme to assess competency of management system specialists
CIBSE Certification has introduced an innovative scheme designed to assess the competency of individuals offering specialist services in management systems. Recognising the significant challenges faced by organisations and consultants within the Built Environment, particularly in the fields of decarbonisation, net zero initiatives and compliance with the Building Safety Act, this new scheme is a timely and essential resource. Kieran O’Brien, Director of CIBSE Certification, commented on the launch: “This scheme should help organisations easily find suitable resources, as they deal with increasing costs, skills shortages and competency of staff and suppliers. Consultants can also utilise the scheme register to demonstrate their capabilities and engage with potential customers”. CIBSE Certification has a long-standing history of managing accredited schemes and registers, including the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme, Low Carbon Consultants, Display Energy Certificates, and Energy Performance Certificates since 2007. Additionally, CIBSE offers management system certification to ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 and 50001 standards. The newly launched Management System Specialist scheme will include a register of certified individuals, providing vital support for organisations and consultants as they collaborate to tackle industry-wide challenges. For more information on joining the register, visit: https://www.cibsecertification.co.uk/personnel-certification-schemes/management-system-specialist/ To find a competent supplier, visit: https://www.cibsecertification.co.uk/online-register/search-for-an-assessor-or-specialist/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CIBSE unveils “Building Performance Reimagined” project: Pioneering a future-focused approach to building engineering
CIBSE has launched a groundbreaking initiative titled Building Performance Reimagined, a visionary project aimed at transforming the landscape of building engineering and sustainability. Commissioned by CIBSE and researched by Arup, the Building Performance Reimagined project diverges from conventional engineering paradigms. Rather than focusing solely on system sizing, maintenance or controls, the initiative takes a holistic, future-oriented perspective on building performance. At its core, Building Performance Reimagined seeks to redefine the parameters of traditional engineering practices and equip CIBSE members with the tools to meet future challenges head-on. The project explores the dynamic and evolving nature of building performance, going beyond energy efficiency and carbon reduction to consider broader forms of value within the built environment. The theme of “Building Performance Reimagined” was also central to the Presidential Address of CIBSE’s new President, Fiona Cousins. In her address, President Cousins emphasised the importance of embracing future-focused approaches and reimagining building performance to meet evolving societal and environmental needs. The report introduces four pivotal performance metrics designed to guide the industry towards enhanced health and resilience: Variety: Optimising building services to promote space efficiency, adaptability and user diversity. Readiness: Enhancing building services to anticipate and mitigate risks, ensuring resilience against unforeseen threats. Connectedness: Integrating building services with local and wider systems, enhancing responsiveness to the environment and its contents. Emergence: Enabling building services to contribute positively over time, learning and adapting as structures age. Building Performance Reimagined expands the role of building services engineers beyond traditional boundaries. Engineers are now tasked with enhancing all aspects of life within and around buildings, fostering biodiversity, promoting social equity through design decisions and influencing urban contexts to harmonise with local and city infrastructures. CIBSE invites industry professionals to embark on this transformative journey, leveraging futures and systems thinking methodologies to anticipate evolving needs, explore potential futures, and identify opportunities to shape a sustainable built environment. This forward-thinking approach aims to redefine “high performance” in buildings by emphasising collective social value and multi-species stakeholder interests. The Building Performance Reimagined report is available for free download at https://www.cibse.org/policy-insight/key-policy-areas/building-performance-reimagined. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
IWFM calls on next UK Government to act on four key WFM areas
Ahead of this week’s UK election, we’ve highlighted four key areas the next Government needs to act on to ‘stimulate and sustain’ the national workplace and facilities management (WFM) profession and sector. The ‘Priorities for the next Government: 2024 general election manifesto’ publication highlights the challenges faced by the next Government, including economic malaise, decarbonising the country’s infrastructure and habits, investing in education and health, all in a challenging and persistent negative fiscal environment. The publication also details how WFM is a major contributor to the UK economy; for instance, outsourced sector/service providers represent about 5% of all UK enterprises, of which 250 key WFM enterprises had a turnover of £50 million or more each. Drawing on recent research, IWFM’s Market Outlook Survey 2024 report, five major priorities emerged for our members: 1. Focus on growing the economy 2. Develop a coherent plan to achieve net zero 3. Reduce uncertainly around government policy 4. Provide support to people to help with the cost of living 5. Develop an overarching skills strategy / make it easier to recruit talent from outside the UK / encourage staff back to offices in town centres / reduce business taxes. We identified four key areas to realise these priorities, all of which are cross cutting to a degree: skills; sustainability; building safety; information management, data and technology. Our Head of Policy & Research, Sofie Hooper, said, ‘Along with the UK at large, WFM as a profession and sector are facing seismic challenges which threaten their prospects. However, their contribution represents a huge source of value across broad areas: increasing organisational productivity and providing workplace wellbeing, delivering net zero and mitigating climate change across our buildings, delivering safe homes and providing the right information to the right people at the right time. ‘Fortunately, actionable steps can be taken to address immediate issues and get match fit for future conditions. IWFM calls on the next UK Government to act on this publication and the many resources we’ve created to enhance our sector and profession.’ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
BSA highlights sprinkler knowledge gaps at UKREIFF
The Business Sprinkler Alliance (BSA) was delighted to attend and host a stand at the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) on the 20-22nd May. While the event provided an opportunity to engage with a diverse group of attendees, it also revealed continued gaps in knowledge about sprinkler systems among real estate professionals. The conference held at the Royal Armouries Leeds & Leeds Dock featured expert panels discussing sustainable and transformational investment in the built environment. Tom Roche, Secretary of the Business Sprinkler Alliance, was one of over 12,000 built environment professionals attending and lent his insight into the discussions, stressing the importance of business resilience and safeguarding commercial premises from the outset. The forum featured a series of sessions on a range of topics including the Building Safety Act, with Dame Judith Hackitt as a panellist in one. It was evident that significant effort and interest is still being directed towards remediation work. It was interesting to note the role that sprinklers were viewed as a tool to mitigate risk. Like so much of the changing regulatory environment there were repeated concerns raised by developers about the lack of clarity in the new regulatory regime. The obvious outcome being delays in programme approvals with consequent deadline and project financing cost. A surprising element was the undercurrent of struggles with true collaboration among stakeholders. The wrapper to this appeared to be the sharing of knowledge and the need to foster and grow trust between all parties; developers, consultants, financiers, lawyers and insurers. On that topic one of the most surprising findings was the number of visitors to the stand across these stakeholder groups who admitted to discussing or making decisions about sprinklers without truly comprehending their benefits or how they operate. “We have known for a while that the knowledge gap surrounding sprinklers existed. What was surprising was that this gap persisted with those who actively claimed to be involved in decisions about their provision,” said Tom Roche. “It’s concerning that such critical safety measures are being debated without a fundamental understanding of their capabilities and effectiveness.” The BSA also noted a lack of awareness regarding the provision of sprinklers under regulatory guidance. Many attendees naturally expected the hotels they stayed in and even the large exhibition spaces would be provided with sprinklers. They expressed shock upon learning that they often lack sprinkler systems, despite the number of people within them. Another strong stream within the forum was on sustainability. A lot of focus and attention was focused towards schemes that measure the sustainability of projects. It sounded like a new form of accounting where all elements of carbon involved in the construction, operation and decommissioning of a project were weighed and measured. Given the need to address the sustainability challenge it was striking to see this attention and the number of people with a passion for this subject. The case for the re-use of buildings and materials was very strong. What was striking to the BSA was again that that “shock” events like fire and damage to projects were not part of the thinking. Unfortunately, the potential for damage from a fire during the 50 year life of a building was not something that could be found in these programmes. One wonders if we are missing an opportunity or whether the “accounting” has a gap. On this note another element that came as a surprise was the discussion on compartmentalising large warehouses to avoid sprinkler requirements. According to consultants at the forum, some clients are still pursuing this approach to avoid installing sprinklers in new warehouses, despite the obvious fire risks associated with such massive buildings. “After the recent large fire in Cannock, it was troubling to learn that some developers may be actively seeking ways to engineer out sprinklers,” added Tom Roche. “The scale of these buildings means that they are outside the scope of regulatory guidance and need real fire engineering solutions to ensure they are truly sustainable and do not endanger lives but also preserve valuable assets and investments at risk.” Despite these concerning findings, the three-day event provided an opportunity for the BSA to educate attendees on the multitude of benefits sprinklers provide for life safety, asset protection and environmental protection, and address misconceptions. By exposing the gaps in regulatory guidance and highlighting the consequences of neglecting fire safety measures, the BSA hopes to inspire a more informed and responsible approach to sprinkler installation across UK business buildings. For more information about the Business Sprinkler Alliance visit www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CIBSE launches innovative educational game for pupils, the CIBSE Flush Challenge, to inspire future engineers
CIBSE is excited to announce the launch of the CIBSE Flush Challenge, a unique educational game designed to engage pupils aged 9 to 11 in the fascinating world of building services engineering. The CIBSE Flush Challenge is part of CIBSE’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of engineers and addressing the skills gap in the industry. As part of this initiative, which is partly sponsored by CIBSE Patrons, CIBSE STEM Ambassadors will utilise this innovative game during their educational outreach activities at schools, aiming to spark interest and curiosity about building services engineering among young minds. Each participating team of pupils will receive a specially curated kit, featuring a 3D-printed model of toilet and pipes. The challenge involves assembling a functional flush system that efficiently uses water to flush a small raisin down the toilet. This engaging activity not only introduces children to the fundamental concepts of building services engineering but also instils the importance of water conservation and environmental responsibility. Key features of the CIBSE Flush Challenge: Dan Costelloe, CIBSE Chair of the Talent Pipeline and Apprenticeships Panel, expressed his enthusiasm about the CIBSE Flush Challenge, saying, “During the creation of the Flush Challenge we wanted to come up with an activity what would combine building services engineering, sustainability and teamwork. We believe that by making learning fun and interactive, we can capture the imagination of young individuals and show them the exciting possibilities within the world of building services engineering, maybe even inspiring some of them to become our engineers of the future. The CIBSE Flush Challenge not only nurtures essential skills but also infuses a sense of environmental responsibility.” CIBSE encourages schools and educators to participate in this initiative, providing students with a unique and enjoyable introduction to the world of engineering. For more information about the CIBSE Flush Challenge and how to get involved, visit CIBSE Flush Challenge. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The BCIA celebrates the successful completion of its inaugural Inspired Leaders Programme
The Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) held a celebration lunch on 23rd May to commemorate the completion of its first BCIA Inspired Leaders programme. The initiative, started in February 2024 and developed in partnership with Inspired Leadership Solutions, was aimed at developing existing and future leaders in the BEMS industry. The event saw the first 14 selected delegates come together, along with BCIA President Stacey Lucas and former President Graeme Rees, who oversaw the development of the programme during his tenure. Led by Michael Holbrow, a professional coach, mentor, and facilitator who has spent more than three decades in the building controls industry, the programme was the result of a training gap identified during the development of the BCIA’s corporate plan. During this, it was discovered that people development and leadership training was suffering due to the pace of the market. In fact, it was found that often companies would be struggling to recruit and not able to set time aside to concentrate on people development. The 16-week programme comprised of six modules that were designed to change the way in which individuals in the BEMS sector might approach situations, whether that’s how they lead teams and client projects or understand the benefits of self-leadership. As a result of the industry-centric leadership training programme, the delegates were able to truly grasp and understand the challenges and opportunities of leading within the BEMS industry. BCIA President Stacey Lucas was delighted with the success of the programme, saying: “The delegates really sank their teeth into the programme and have taken so much out of it. Michael was a brilliant coach and really helped those taking part to embrace the potential for leadership roles in the building controls sector and understand how to overcome any challenges along the way. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals