Building Engineering Services Association

The association has undergone several name changes since it was initially founded in 1904. It was originally the National Association of Master Heating & Domestic Engineers and was intended to represent the commercial interests of engineering contractors rather than individual engineers, who, since 1897 had been able to join the Institution of Heating & Ventilating Engineers (today CIBSE).{{cite news|title=Born in controversy — Representing interests (1904 to 1929)|url=http://www.modbs.co.uk/news/archivestory.php/aid/67/Born_in_controversy__97_Representing_interests__1904_to_1929_.html|access-date=3 February 2016|work=Modern Building Services|date=1 June 2004}} Following a series of industrial disputes with employers, the contractors' body was established in January 1904, and held its first official meeting in March, and its first council meeting on 14 June 1904. Fourteen founder members were joined by six further companies at that meeting.

In 1927 it was renamed the National Association of Heating, Ventilating & Domestic Engineering Employers,{{cite news|last1=Judd|first1=Blane|title=Building for the future|url=http://www.modbs.co.uk/news/archivestory.php/aid/10269/Building_for_the_future.html|access-date=3 February 2016|work=Modern Building Services|date=1 March 2012}} which was instrumental in helping create the first industry training scheme for heating and ventilation engineers at Borough Polytechnic, now London South Bank University, in 1947.{{cite web|title=National College for Heating, Ventilating, Refrigeration and Fan Engineering|url=http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cats/46/6353.htm|website=Archives Hub|access-date=3 February 2016}}

In 1963, the association became the Heating and Ventilating Contractors' Association. In 2012, it had almost 1400 company members throughout the UK.[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/351683/43E_2012.pdf Form AR27: Annual return for an employers' association], dated 29 February 2012. Retrieved: 3 February 2016

It changed its name to the Building and Engineering Services Association (B&ES) on 1 March 2012.{{cite news|url=http://hvpmag.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/754/HVCA_membership_approves_name_change.html|title=HVCA Membership approves name change |work=Heating, Ventilation & Plumbing Magazine|date=14 December 2011|access-date=2015-06-06}} In January 2016, it amended its name slightly to the Building Engineering Services Association, dropping the ampersand from both its name and acronym (now BESA).{{cite news|url=http://www.coolingpost.com/uk-news/bes-becomes-besa/|title=B&ES becomes BESA |publisher=Cooling Post |access-date=2016-01-25}}

In September 2017, BESA announced it was restructuring its organisation with an increased focus on training, legal and commercial support. As a result, up to 12 staff were being consulted about redundancy.{{cite news|title=Jobs axed in trade association revamp|url=http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/jobs-axed-in-trade-association-revamp|access-date=27 September 2017|work=The Construction Index|date=27 September 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Prior|first1=Grant|title=BESA trade body cuts staff during restructure|url=http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/09/26/besa-trade-body-cuts-staff-during-restructure/|access-date=27 September 2017|work=Construction Enquirer|date=26 September 2017}}

Until November 2017, the BESA head office was in Hammersmith, West London. It moved to offices in an 'industry hub' in St Katharine Docks, near London's Tower Bridge on 6 November.{{cite news|title=BESA moves into "industry hub"|url=https://www.coolingpost.com/uk-news/besa-moves-industry-hub/|access-date=11 November 2017|work=Cooling Post|date=7 November 2017}}

As an employers' association,{{cite news|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-list-of-employers-associations-listed-and-unlisted/employers-associations-current-list-and-schedule|title=Public List of Employers Associations|publisher=UK Government|access-date=2016-01-25}} it negotiates benefits and conditions for employees in the sector in a National Agreement with Unite the Union.{{cite news|url=http://www.unitetheunion.org/uploaded/documents/hvacwageagreement20131411-6160.pdf|title=Wage Agreement|publisher=Unite the Union|access-date=2016-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220065938/http://www.unitetheunion.org/uploaded/documents/hvacwageagreement20131411-6160.pdf|archive-date=2016-12-20|url-status=dead}}

The BESA provides quality assurance services, promotes excellence and seeks to shape the commercial environment in which its members operate through representation and leadership; it has submitted written evidence to the UK Parliament on matters including industry training{{cite web|title=Written evidence submitted by the Heating and Ventilating Contractors' Association (HVCA), 10 February 2012|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmbis/83/83vw57.htm|website=Parliament.uk|access-date=3 February 2016}} and university skills provision,{{cite web|title=Engineering: turning ideas into reality - Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee - Memorandum 61 Submission from the Heating and Ventilating Contractors' Association (HVCA)|url=http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmdius/50/50we75.htm|website=Parliament UK|access-date=3 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203233156/http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmdius/50/50we75.htm|archive-date=3 February 2016|url-status=dead}} health and safety,{{cite web|title=Select Committee on Work and Pensions Written Evidence from HVCA (13 February 2004)|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmworpen/456/456we25.htm|website=Parliament UK|access-date=3 February 2016}} and energy and climate change.

It provides technical support services tailored to particular industry specialisms,{{cite news|url=http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/besa-boosts-technical-expertise|title=BESA Boosts Technical Expertise|publisher=The Construction Enquirer|access-date=2016-02-02}} which include: standards for ductwork (e.g. DSP DW/144, first published in 1997, and cited in Building Regulations){{cite web|title=DSP DW/144 Specification for sheet metal ductwork: low, medium and high pressure/velocity air systems (Appendix M revision 2002) (No longer current but cited in Building Regulations)|url=http://www.thenbs.com/PublicationIndex/documents/details?Pub=HVCA&DocId=201319|website=NBS|access-date=3 February 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://www.racplus.com/news/bes-release-dw/144/8673420.fullarticle|title=B&ES release DW/144|work=RAC (Refrigeration and Air Conditioning) Magazine|date=2 December 2014|access-date=2016-02-02}} and ductwork cleaning (e.g. B&ES TR/19), heating and plumbing services,{{cite news|url=http://www.hvnplus.co.uk/bes-supports-renewable-heat-skills-and-training/8683461.fullarticle|title=B&ES supports renewable heat skills and training|publisher=H&V News |access-date=2016-01-25}} refrigeration and air conditioning,{{cite news|url=http://www.ceilite.com/b_and_es.aspx|title=B&ES Specialist Groups|publisher=Ceilite Airconditioning Limited|access-date=2016-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120080206/http://www.ceilite.com/b_and_es.aspx|archive-date=2016-01-20|url-status=dead}} and service and facilities.{{cite news|url=http://www.cibse.org/knowledge/b-es/b-es-sfg20-standard-maintenance-specification-for|title=SFG20 Standard Maintenance Specification for Building Services (B&ES)|publisher=CIBSE|access-date=2016-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160211031102/http://www.cibse.org/knowledge/b-es/b-es-sfg20-standard-maintenance-specification-for|archive-date=2016-02-11|url-status=dead}}

Its members are subject to regular, third-party inspection and assessment to ensure technical and commercial competence.{{cite news|url=http://www.exovabmtrada.com/en-gb/certification/membership-schemes/building-and-engineering-services|title=Building & engineering services assessment|publisher=Exova BM Trada|access-date=2016-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201155455/http://www.exovabmtrada.com/en-gb/certification/membership-schemes/building-and-engineering-services|archive-date=2016-02-01|url-status=dead}}

The BESA was a member of the Specialist Engineering Contractors Group, which was represented on the Strategic Forum for Construction; in 2021, the SEC Group was superseded by an alliance of engineering services organisations, Actuate UK, with BESA a founder member.{{cite news |title=New umbrella for building services lobby |url=https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/new-umbrella-for-building-services-lobby |access-date=20 January 2021 |work=The Construction Index |date=20 January 2021}}{{cite news |title=Trade bodies launch new alliance |url=https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/trade-bodies-launch-new-alliance |access-date=11 February 2021 |work=The Construction Index |date=10 February 2021}} BESA also represents the views of its members as a trade association member of Build UK.{{cite news|url=http://builduk.org/members/|title=Members list|publisher=Build UK |access-date=2016-01-25}}

Internationally, the BESA is a member of GCP Europe, the European umbrella body for the HVACR and plumbing sectors,[http://gcpeurope.eu/members/ GCP Europe Members] (Website - accessed 2 Feb 2016) and of CEETB (European Technical Contractors Committee for the Construction Industry), which represents all engineering specialists across Europe's construction sector.[http://www.thebesa.com/about/ About BESA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129025620/http://www.thebesa.com/about/ |date=2016-01-29 }} (Website - accessed 1 March 2012)

The BESA has a number of subsidiary businesses which provide benefits and services to their members and businesses. These include:

• Welplan Ltd.,{{cite news|url=http://hvpmag.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/3707/Welplan_pensions_gains_independent_accreditation.html|title=Welplan pensions gains independent accreditation|publisher=HVP Magazine|access-date=2016-02-05}} a pension and employee benefit administrator
• Engineering Services Skillcard Ltd., which issues smart cards{{cite news|url=https://twitter.com/cscs/status/661914412090044416|title=Skillscard going smart|publisher=CSCS|access-date=2016-02-05}} certifying the competence levels of individuals{{cite news|url=http://www.heatingandventilating.net/b-es-member-employee-receives-smart-skillcard|title=B&ES Member receives first smart skillcard|publisher=Heating and Ventilation Review|access-date=2016-02-05}}
• REFCOM Ltd., a registration scheme for companies working with F-Gas refrigerants{{cite news|url=http://www.racplus.com/news/refcom-reassures-sector-over-new-f-gas-qualifications/8650816.fullarticlel|title=Refcom reassures sector over new F-Gas qualifications|publisher=RAC News|access-date=2016-02-05}}{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} as regulated by the F-gas Regulation (EC) No 842/2006[http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:161:0001:0011:EN:PDF F-gas Regulation (EC) No 842/2006]
• SFG20, issued by BESA Publications,{{cite news|url=http://www.cibse.org/knowledge/b-es/b-es-sfg20-standard-maintenance-specification-for|title=SFG20 Standard Maintenance Specification for Building Services (B&ES)|publisher=CIBSE|access-date=2016-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160211031102/http://www.cibse.org/knowledge/b-es/b-es-sfg20-standard-maintenance-specification-for|archive-date=2016-02-11|url-status=dead}} an online database of building maintenance standards and schedules initially created in 1990,BESA Publications Ltd., [https://www.sfg20.co.uk/what-is-sfg20/ What is SFG20?], accessed 22 January 2021 and
• BESA Academy, a training organisation formerly branded as BESA Training, and prior to that, BEST.{{cite news|url=http://www.coolingpost.com/uk-news/best-renamed-besa-training/|title=BEST renames as BESA Training|publisher=Cooling Post|access-date=2016-08-08}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Construction industry in the United Kingdom}}

• [http://www.thebesa.com/ BESA website]

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Category:Construction trade groups based in the United Kingdom

Category:Organizations established in 1904

Category:Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning