News analysis with BESA
strong finish to 2016 and a positive start to 2017. Almost nine out of 10 respondents to BESA’s latest State of Trade Survey (86%) said they expected their turnover to increase or stay the same in the first quarter of this year and 78% that their
Flying start to 2017 O
ptimism is high across the construction industry, as a whole, but particularly in the building engineering services sector after a
turnover increased or remained steady in the final quarter of last year. The survey, which is carried out in partnership with the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) and the Scottish electrical trade body SELECT, showed that businesses of all sizes were holding up well, but that it was very large companies (with turnover over £20m) that were doing best; with over
half seeing their turnover growing. This positive outlook was also reflected in the latest edition of the Economic & Construction Market Review produced by the construction market analysts Barbour ABI. It revealed that the value of new building contracts topped £6 billion in January – with particularly strong figures from the housebuilding sector.
PIVOTAL TIME FOR BUILDING SERVICES B
ESA’s new membership director Wayne Terry (pictured) is proud to take on his new role at such a “pivotal time for the profession”. The growth of digital and smart systems
combined with the drive for better whole life performance of buildings was changing the nature of building engineering work, he said. “BESA members are at the heart of this change
because they are the core of the building performance industry,” said Mr Terry, who was previously BESA’s head of business development. “A big part of my job will be to emphasise this fact and equip our members with the tools they need to thrive in the changing climate.” While it is important to continually look forward
and prepare for the future, he said BESA was also privileged to be able to draw on 113 years of history. “We have a close relationship with a large number of our members, but we want to reach out to others who do not engage so closely in Association events and start a wider conversation,” he added. “We will not lose sight of the amazing heritage of this organisation and will continue to draw on the deep reservoir of knowledge and experience built up by members and staff.” A growing emphasis on how buildings affect the health and productivity of their occupants is also revolutionising the way building engineering services are valued and increasing the importance of the work of contractors, according to BESA. This is a major opportunity for members who,
thanks to the Association’s independent third party Competence and Assessment Scheme (CAS), have already proved their technical and business credentials, which gives them the edge over non- member competitors, according to Wayne.
He brings a wealth of experience spanning over
40 years in the industry with a career built around compliance and certification. This means he is well placed to develop this core of competence that sits at the heart of BESA membership. Previously head of certification at the NICEIC,
Wayne has represented UK certification bodies at the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), and also on a number of ISO international standards committees. He has extensive knowledge of the gas, electrical and renewable energy markets, having hands-on experience carrying out electrical safety and energy audits in India and Product Certification in China. In his previous role with BESA, Wayne spearheaded the development of BESA’s service and maintenance tool SFG20 so that it now delivers tailored solutions for specialist market sectors, enabling building owners to achieve cost savings of up to 20%. One government department has also confirmed it
made cost savings of 28% on its very large maintenance costs as a result of using SFG20. The availability of huge amounts of building
performance data via digital technologies makes it easier for owners and managers to make informed decisions about building performance with emphasis on occupant health, comfort and productivity. Individual occupants and facilities managers are developing a greater understanding of how the indoor environment affects their quality of life. They can now have the ability to measure temperature, air quality, humidity and other comfort factors using low cost portable technologies linked to the Internet of Things . “Digital asset management and the emergence of
BIM are creating a more transparent and open world in building services and BESA must be nimble enough to help its members adapt and be at the forefront of this culture change,” said Wayne. “Supporting companies so they can deliver better whole life building performance is a key element of this new and exciting role. We must help members manage the transition as client expectations and digital technologies transform our market, but we must also broaden the conversation and reach out to potential new members operating in the wider building engineering services world and involve them in the multi-disciplinary BESA network,” he added. “BESA membership mirrors the evolving nature of supply chains, but it is essential that we keep pace by engaging with specialist firms from right across our marketplace.”
March 2017
www.heatingandventilating.net
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