CIBSE leads from the front

CIBSE, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, is positioning itself as the prime source of expertise for sustainable buildings. The institution’s president David Hughes, told members and their guests at the recent annual dinner in London, ‘We intend to build towards this aspiration by harnessing the expertise of our members to raise competence across the industry.’ Among recent initiatives is the launch of a major training scheme, which has been so warmly welcomed by the industry that it achieved a substantial surplus in its first year. In addition, CIBSE has acquired another training provider, Mid Career College, so as to be able to do more for the industry — especially those parts of it which do not recognise building services as a specialism. The year has also seen more people attending CIBSE events then ever before. Sales of publications also grew by a third, with the popular ‘Knowledge series’ and valuable guidance of the Technical Manuals boosting sales. ‘Could it be,’ asked David Hughes, ‘that CIBSE, by taking the lead, is enabling engineers to recognise their own potential, to do what they know they have the ability to do? To lead teams to successful, sustainable solutions — solutions which the world is crying out for?’ Sowing the seeds for meeting future needs for competence is the register of low-carbon consultants that CIBSE has set up with the help of the Carbon Trust. It aims to build up a body of people who can not only meet the minimum requirements of Part L but also go beyond then to ensure that buildings really are ‘better’ and that working towards sustainability becomes a desire as well as an obligation.

Related links:

• www.cibse.org