NEWS & APPOINTMENTS


BESA delivers better building manifesto to No.10


The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has presented a manifesto at 10 Downing Street outlining how the industry can help the government reach its goals of increasing housing supply, improving public services and meeting net zero targets.


Building Britain’s Future sets out a practical programme for the government to unlock the potential of the UK’s building engineering services sector so it can deliver safer, more sustainable and healthier buildings that support energy security and healthier communities. “Building engineering services are central to the government’s major growth ambitions,” said BESA President Anna Shephard, who presented the manifesto along with the Association’s chief executive David Frise, president-elect Nick Mead, and vice-president Paul Eagle.


“The systems the industry designs, installs, commissions and maintains determine whether buildings remain safe, healthy, comfortable, resilient and energy efficient throughout their lives,” added Shephard.


The BESA Manifesto lays out five priorities for the government: • Building safety — make competence count. Create a clear, proportionate and effective regulatory system in which competence can be demonstrated leading to safer buildings.


• A thriving business environment — give good businesses the confidence to grow. Fair payment, responsible procurement and long-term policy certainty can unlock investment, productivity and stronger supply chains.


• Skills, workforce and productivity — build the workforce Britain needs. Invest in apprenticeships, technical education, lifelong learning and the next generation of building engineering professionals.


• Energy security, net zero and retrofit — the cleanest energy is the energy we do not waste. Improve the performance of Britain’s buildings, accelerate retrofit and give industry the certainty to invest in a lower-carbon future.


• Healthy buildings — make buildings part of the solution. Better ventilation, indoor air quality and building performance can create healthier homes, schools, hospitals and workplaces.


BESA urged the government to work with the sector to turn these priorities into practical actions and ensure Britain’s buildings support economic, environmental and public health goals. “There is enormous, unrealised potential in building engineering services,” said Frise. “Our companies and our talented individuals are delivering some amazing cutting-edge projects, but we have so much more to offer.


“Given the right investment and business conditions our sector can help to drive economic growth, support higher levels of health and wellbeing, and provide fantastic job opportunities for present and future generations.”


Research highlights concerning trends in the UK trade


New industry research from test equipment specialists Martindale Electric reveals that only 55% of electrical professionals always follow the safe isolation procedure in full before starting work – despite 86% saying they are very familiar with it and 86% being extremely or very confident they know every step. This is a concerning statistic, given that safe isolation is the acknowledged cornerstone of electrical safety, and a rigorous process, yet electrical professionals are not always following the procedure in full.


The findings, based on a survey sent to tens of thousands of electrical contracting


professionals, were gathered to better understand real-world experiences of electrical safety, near misses and incident reporting across the industry every day.


That gap between knowledge/confidence and actual behaviour on site was particularly highlighted in the hundreds of comments made by those surveyed. Four clear themes emerged: • Time and client pressure– including expectations to keep circuits energised, avoid disruption and complete jobs quickly.


• Overconfidence and complacency– people assuming circuits are dead, believing they’re in control of the environment, or feeling the full process isn’t necessary every time.


• Operational constraints– such as other trades needing power, essential systems that can’t easily be interrupted, poor circuit identification and the requirements of fault-finding.


• Equipment, training and support– respondents highlighted the need for readily available lock-off/testing equipment, refresher training, sufficient time and backing from employers and clients.


“This discrepancy between knowing the safe isolation procedure and following it every time is where accidents happen,” says Steve Dunning, managing director of Martindale Electric. “Implemented properly and consistently, safe isolation prevents injury and saves lives; however, done poorly it can expose individuals and organisations to serious risk. We all have to work smarter and safer by ensuring it is carried out correctly, consistently, and in line with the Electricity at Work Regulations.” Fraser Herd, chair of the Electrical Safety Roundtable (ESR)


Workplace Group adds: “This important research highlights a concerning gap between awareness and consistent practice, so ESR supports Martindale’s focus on understanding the barriers that prevent this essential safety process from being followed every time. Safety must always be a priority when any electrical work is undertaken. We encourage workplace professionals to use these findings as a resource to further strengthen their knowledge of the safe isolation procedure.”


4 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER NOVEMBER 2026 BITZER UK appoints technical sales manager


BITZER UK has strengthened its industrial refrigeration expertise with the appointment of Harsha Batta as technical sales manager.


Bringing extensive international experience across industrial and commercial refrigeration projects, technical sales and business development, Harsha joins the team to support continued growth across key sectors including industrial refrigeration, HVAC and process cooling applications. Harsha has built his career working within the refrigeration and cooling industry across a range of technical and customer-facing roles. With experience spanning system design, equipment selection, project management and technical sales, he brings strong application knowledge and a solutions-focused approach to supporting customers, contractors and consultants.


Prior to joining BITZER UK, Harsha held senior technical sales and business development positions with companies including Kelvion and Carrier Commercial Refrigeration. Throughout his career, he has worked closely with a wide range of industrial refrigeration and cooling technologies including compressors, heat exchangers, pumps, condensers and industrial cooling systems from many of the industry’s leading manufacturers. In his new role, Harsha will focus on driving technical sales of high-efficiency


refrigeration and HVAC solutions, advising customers on optimised system design and supporting the delivery of energy-efficient, future-focused cooling solutions across industrial and commercial applications. He will also work closely with customers to support evolving refrigerant regulations, sustainability objectives and long-term system performance requirements. He said: “I’m looking forward to working closely with customers and colleagues,


strengthening relationships across the industry and supporting projects with efficient, reliable and sustainable refrigeration solutions.” Harsha will play a key role in supporting contractors, consultants and end users as BITZER continues to strengthen its presence across the UK industrial refrigeration market.


Read the latest at: www.bsee.co.uk Appointments


New permanent chief executive of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers


The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) has appointed Jo Passingham as its permanent Chief Executive, following a formal appointment process.


Jo has been serving as IMechE’s interim chief executive and has led a period of significant change, with a renewed focus on making the Institution more outward-facing and strengthening its voice on the issues that matter to engineers, industry and the wider economy. Under Jo’s stewardship, IMechE has increased its engagement with


Government and external stakeholders, while strengthening the profile of its policy and public affairs work. The Institution has also secured increased national visibility for its work, including coverage of its Formula Student programme on the BBC. Jo brings extensive experience of leading transformation across organisations including The Prince’s Trust, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Climate-KIC and Sitel. Her career has focused on organisational change, transformation and building stronger relationships with external stakeholders. She said: “I’m delighted to be taking on the role of chief executive on a permanent basis. Engineering has never been more important to the UK’s future, from skills and innovation to energy, infrastructure and industry. IMechE has a huge opportunity to make sure engineering expertise is heard where it matters. We need to be ambitious, outward-facing and focused on making a real difference, both for the profession and for the country. I’m looking forward to working with our members, Fellows, partners and colleagues to build on the progress we have already made.”


Baxi strengthens heat network team with new business development manager


Baxi has appointed Jonathon Hunter Hill as business development manager within its specialist heat network division, strengthening its support for customers across the heat network and multi- occupancy sectors.


Jonathon brings nearly 15 years’ mechanical engineering experience spanning low-carbon heat and ventilation, heat networks and energy centre strategy. He joins Baxi from SAV Systems, where he led to-market strategy for the energy centres team. In his new role, Jonathon will focus on developing new business and helping customers deliver effective, lower-carbon heat solutions for heat networks and multi- occupancy buildings.


Jonathon said: “I believe heat networks are one of the most effective routes to decarbonising heat at scale, while also supporting grid flexibility and energy security. It’s a view I explored in depth in my MBA research, and it’s why I’m committed to tackling fuel poverty and reducing the energy the UK uses for heat. I’m looking forward to joining Baxi and working with customers to deliver heat networks that perform as well in operation as they do on paper.”


Baxi’s in-house team of heat network experts design, support, manufacture and supply complete end-to-end solutions for your heat network. These include fully tested energy centres and thermal substations for low-carbon heat networks and heat interface units supported by remote monitoring and servicing.


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