Three leading building services trade associations are working together on a major joint conference to address the challenges of designing, constructing and operating efficient buildings to meet clients' current and future needs.  

The Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA), Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), and the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) are linking up to organise and host The Building Services Summit 2016, which will take place at the British Library on Wednesday 23 November.

In addition, the event will include other supporting organisations such as the Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA).

The theme of the Summit will be the long-term operational efficiency of buildings. The associations are working together on an exciting format that will stimulate discussion and debate with the audience, with input from expert speakers, to tackle the challenges faced by building services engineering companies and their clients.

Head of the BCIA’s Marketing Working Group, Terry Sharp, is helping to coordinate the event. He said: “We are delighted that such well-known industry associations are putting their considerable weight behind the 2016 Summit. Working with the BESA last year gave us great reach into the industry and working with the ECA will greatly extend that reach and enhance our content and impact.”

ECA head of specialist groups, Steve Martin, said: “The Building Services Summit is set to be one of the sector’s pivotal events this year, bringing benefits to both clients and contractors. The ECA is delighted to be collaborating with the BCIA and the BESA on developing an engaging and interactive event which will put attendees right at the centre of the action.”

Problems linked to the ‘performance gap’ where buildings fail to meet the energy efficiency and carbon emissions targets envisaged by the design team are a key priority for the BESA, according to its technical director Tim Rook.

He said: “This event is extremely timely. Collaboration between different parts of the supply chain and the bodies that represent the key professions will be crucial to narrowing the performance gap, which will be under the spotlight during the Summit.”

He added that speakers would also consider the implications of minimum energy efficiency standards being imposed on all rented buildings from April 2018. “This will increase demand for our members’ expertise to upgrade services and improve the way buildings are operated and the services are controlled,” he concluded.