Events
Our upcoming events and conferences for BESA members.
Read MoreBESA specialist groups set the standards that shape building engineering services and to contribute to the strategic development of the Association.
Read MoreFrom commercial insurance to employee benefits, or training requirements to the latest legislative updates, we’ve got you covered – and all at preferential member rates.
Read MoreMembership means more services to add value to your business and to help you make the most of the opportunities in the marketplace.
Read MoreAs a BESA member, you automatically qualify to apply for FREE Trustmark status, helping you to win domestic work.
Read MoreThe BESA Competence Assessment Scheme provides independent accreditation of our members’ technical competence and commercial capability.
Read MoreFrom commercial insurance to employee benefits, or training requirements to the latest legislative updates, we’ve got you covered – and all at preferential member rates.
Read MoreThe BESA provides practical assistance to its members in managing, developing and training their workforce and in establishing terms and conditions of employment.
Read MoreIn its role as an employers’ organisation, the BESA is responsible for ensuring the relevance to members’ needs of collective agreements with the sector’s recognised trade union.
Read MoreThe BESA is committed to ensuring that its members are fully compliant with all relevant health and safety legislation, and that they remain up-to-date with current industry best practice.
Read MoreBESA has been providing best-in-class technical guidance and standards to the building engineering services sector for over 100 years.
Read MoreThe BESA technical team is on-hand to give expert advice, guidance and practical support that address key technical issues as well as deliver access to standards, specifications and guides to good practice.
Read MoreTechnical bulletins provide the most up-to-date and relevant industry information and technical advice, ensuring that our members continue to operate as leaders within the industry.
Read MoreCertification and registration enable the demonstration of best practice to end users, as well as enabling you to remain compliant.
Read MoreAs a BESA member you have access to expert support from our experienced and knowledgeable legal & commercial team.
Read MoreIt is crucial that employers understand and manage the wide range of regulatory requirements and obligations they must comply with.
Read MoreContracts can be a minefield. Ensuring your company's contracts are managed efficiently can save your business not just time, but money too.
Read MoreDebts, disputes and payment issues can cause a real impact on your business' cash flow meaning the right advice and guidance can be essential.
Read MoreAs a business owner, protecting and de-risking your business from threats is essential and having plans and processes in place along with a support network is key.
Read MoreBESA has been providing best-in-class technical guidance and standards to the building engineering services sector for over 100 years.
Read MoreLatest news on the initiatives and activities being undertaken by the BESA in support of its members and the building engineering services sector.
Read MoreBESA Training has provided training and apprenticeships for the building engineering services sector and its employers for over 25 years.
Read MoreAs a BESA member you have access to expert support from our experienced and knowledgeable legal & commercial team.
Read MoreIt is crucial that employers understand and manage the wide range of regulatory requirements and obligations they must comply with.
Read MoreContracts can be a minefield. Ensuring your company's contracts are managed efficiently can save your business not just time, but money too.
Read MoreIt is crucial that employers understand and manage the wide range of regulatory requirements and obligations they must comply with.
Read MoreBESA Connect is a scheme helping those who don't have the digital equipment at home to assist them in completing their training or apprenticeship.
Read MoreUse our interactive Find A BESA Member facility to take advantage of the high competence and health and safety standards to which our members adhere.
Read MoreConstruction is a complex process. It therefore requires significant expertise to deliver the building engineering services that buildings demand.
Read MoreThe BESA Book is an annual industry directory published on behalf of the Building Engineering Services Association by Open Box Publishing.
Read MoreBringing together early career technical personnel working in our sector to learn about the industry and new technology, collaborate
Read MoreBrowse the organisations which are members of the BESA affiliation scheme.
Read MoreLatest news on the initiatives and activities being undertaken by the BESA in support of its members and the building engineering services sector.
Read MoreUp-to-date comment and thought leadership on key industry issues from our expert team.
Read MoreUp-to-date information on a range of events of interest and relevance to building engineering services contractors, attendance at many of which are free of charge.
Read MoreIt is crucial that employers understand and manage the wide range of regulatory requirements and obligations they must comply with.
Read MoreIt is crucial that employers understand and manage the wide range of regulatory requirements and obligations they must comply with.
Read MoreIt is crucial that employers understand and manage the wide range of regulatory requirements and obligations they must comply with.
Read MoreIt is crucial that employers understand and manage the wide range of regulatory requirements and obligations they must comply with.
Read MoreJoin us for a full programme of technical content, including an exhibition featuring innovative technical solutions.
Read MoreYour BESA magazine is an exciting new member's magazine offering valuable guidance and updates on technical, training, skills and education along with other association and industry related news.
Read MoreSign up to receive our regular e-newsletters where you will find all the latest BESA and industry news and events in your inbox.
Read MoreThe podcast that delves deeper into the unique challenges faced by the construction and building engineering services industry.
Read MoreThe BESA helps shape the building engineering services industry, progressing key issues and keeping on top of consultations
Read MoreA dedicated area to help raise awareness on the key issues surrounding the current lack of diversity, promoting the business benefits of a diverse workforce and sharing best practice case studies and actionable resources.
Read MoreA dedicated area to help raise awareness of mental health wellbeing in the building engineering services sector, providing practical resources and tools to help companies address this important issue in their workplace
Read MoreA dedicated area to help raise awareness of the importance of indoor air quality, the conditions of air inside buildings and how our sector can work together to make buildings safe havens.
Read MoreA dedicated area to focus on how we in the building engineering services sector can learn from and improve following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Read MoreA dedicated area highlighting BESA's efforts to address the issue of retentions in the built environment.
Read MoreA dedicated area with resources and guidance for members affected by the Carillion collapse, as well as information on late payment reform.
Read MoreWednesday, November 11, 2020
At the 2020 Building Awards, many things were different – no glitzy black-tie do, no champagne and no dodgy dancing – but there was also a new award specifically in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new ‘Proud to Help’ Award was introduced to recognise the work of organisations who had gone above and beyond during the pandemic. At BESA we were delighted to be shortlisted alongside a number of other companies in the construction sector for this honour (Barratt Developments, BDP, D2i Management, Fit Out UK, Gripple, Interserve Construction, J3, Laing O’Rourke, NG Bailey, Nuaire, Places for People and Wates)
At 4 pm sharp on the 3rd November, the day before the BESA Virtual Conference, we tuned in to find out if we had won. Building Magazine decided that all finalists deserved the accolade so, in an unprecedented twist, we were all made joint winners. It just goes to show that as an industry we really can rise to the challenge when we need to; be agile and innovative – and work as a team.
SO why were we joint winners for this new award? Well when the pandemic hit in March, BESA quickly became the industry’s ‘anchor’. We swiftly pivoted and focussed all our attention to supporting not just our members, but the whole sector during this difficult time.
BESA staff were all committed to providing succinct and timely guidance. We carried out the research so business leaders and technical leads had quick access to the information they needed to focus on managing the crisis. With all colleagues working from home, we focussed all attention on identifying and summarising what the sector needed to know. Our advice teams took thousands of calls from concerned individuals and businesses seeking support and guidance.
Easy to follow guides, templates and explainers were developed swiftly and issued via a dedicated COVID-19 website area. Hundreds of pieces of published guidance, FAQ’s, latest news and information were made freely available to the whole industry.
A special committee of health & safety experts was assembled to tackle additional detailed guidelines for HVAC contractors to enable them to work safely on site. Our specialist groups came together to review and issue guidance and best practice for ventilation and on how to safely mothball and recommission buildings.
We also hosted daily webinars delivering crucial updates on everything from the business implications of lockdown to the government’s furlough scheme and the new site operating restrictions. We interviewed government ministers; healthcare experts; Dame Judith Hackitt and other sector leaders as well as scientific and technical experts who were able to reassure and inform busy business leaders. BESA seized the initiative attracting over 16,000 registrants and 12,000 attendees to the webinars during the height of the pandemic.
We also collaborated with BESA affiliate members to provide ‘Lockdown Learning’: a series of free CPDs for furloughed workers accessed live and on-demand. In addition, a dedicated Facebook Group was set up as support for industry workers who had been furloughed. This was managed in their own time by furloughed staff members and tackled financial advice, mental health and general well-being and support.
Our slogan became: ‘If you want essential services, you need building services’ as the vital role of heating, ventilation, refrigeration and air conditioning – particularly in healthcare buildings and supermarkets – became increasingly apparent at the height of the pandemic. We showcased the great work being done by our sector and championed this on social media and in the press.
The need for building services contractors to get access to cash to keep their businesses afloat became a personal crusade for BESA’s CEO, David Frise, as he campaigned for the release of £4.5bn worth of retentions.
The organisation also supported the sector financially in as many small ways as it could despite the fact that membership organisations often don’t have deep pockets themselves. BESA made its ‘mothballing and reactivation of buildings’ software (SFG30) freely available to members because, as a business, we felt it was just the right thing to do. The business also made applying for or renewing a SKILLcard free for those affected by redundancy to help individuals in this difficult time.
An unexpected outcome from this dedicated push at sector support has been a flood of new members. The trend across most membership organisations has been a downward one for many years, BESA it would seem, are bucking the trend, with more enquiries during the pandemic than across a normal full year.
The dedicated approach BESA demonstrated to support the sector has proved the value of membership and shown that together we are stronger.
As our CEO likes to say: “You can’t google this sh#t”. The pandemic has raised the profile of our expert advice and shown the value of the support an organisation like BESA offers.
It can be a lonely business, running a business – BESA’s daily crusade to reach out to businesses and individuals during the crisis made it that little bit less lonely and easier to survive.
The feedback from members and the sector has been incredible, below are just some of the comments we have received from members and non-members alike:
Thursday, March 4, 2021
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Wednesday, March 3, 2021
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Monday, March 1, 2021
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