CIBSE and BESA form alliance to deal with AI and building safety

Partnership will also collaborate on IAQ, retrofitting and heat networks

Ruth Carter and David Frise

CIBSE and the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) have agreed to work together on joint projects as part of a new alliance between the organisations.

The alliance will focus on delivery of the Building Safety Act, indoor air quality, retrofitting the UK’s existing building stock and the growth in heat networks.

BESA and CIBSE will also work together to understand the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) for the industry and its potential to improve productivity. In addition, they will provide more support for each other’s key events, including conferences, seminars and awards, while continuing to collaborate on technical guidance.

CIBSE chief executive Ruth Carter said: ‘The building services industry is in greater demand than ever before as it increasingly accounts for a much larger proportion of the value of construction and facilities management projects. Supply chains must be more closely aligned and the different professions more joined up to deliver the higher levels of digital sophistication and integrated design necessary to meet growing client demand and legislative scrutiny.’

BESA chief executive officer David Frise said: ‘The sheer scale of the technical, legislative and recruitment challenges now facing the industry calls for a concerted and joined-up approach on behalf of the whole sector.’

The relationship between the two organisations dates back to BESA’s foundation in 1904 by a group of leading engineers, many of whom were already members of the Institution of Heating and Ventilating Engineers, which became CIBSE in 1976.