Sir Ranulph Fiennes Bt OBE will be the guest speaker at BSRIA’s annual briefing and lunch at the Brewery, London, on 17th November.

This year’s event will look at the issue of performance and wellbeing beyond compliance and is entitled ‘Tomorrow’s challenges in today’s buildings’. It will explore the options of how technology and research can enable us to prepare and accommodate future needs both in the residential and commercial buildings of the future.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes is the first person to reach both North and South Poles by foot. He also made it into the record books by completing seven marathons on seven continents (including Antarctica) in seven days soon after receiving emergency heart surgery. Only then did he take up climbing, starting with the North Face of the Eiger. At the age of 65, at his third attempt, he became the oldest Briton to conquer Everest.

Among an incredible catalogue of adventures and extreme tests, he has recently undertaken The Coldest Journey, an attempt to cross Antarctica on foot during the southern winter where the temperature falls to minus 90°C. He was forced to withdraw when he suffered severe frostbite, but still claims that “if you are lucky enough to be able to walk around without a crutch, you might as well go for it”. It didn’t stop him from undertaking the hottest journey, the Marathon des Sables, and a 159 mile run over six days in temperatures over 50°c through the Sahara.

Chief executive of BSRIA, Julia Evans, said: “We are delighted that Sir Ranulph Fiennes has agreed to be BSRIA’s guest speaker at this prestigious event. We know that he is an excellent speaker – with lots to say and a wealth of both professional and personal expert experience – so our members and audience will be able to listen to an invigorating speech.”

Other speakers include: Tassos Kougionis, principal consultant – residential at BSRIA’s Sustainable Construction Group. The chair is Ant Wilson MBE, director – Sustainability & Advanced Design – Building Engineering at AECOM.

The lunch is at 13:00 and the event will close at 15.30. More detailed information on the event is available at www.bsria.co.uk