CIBSE Leadership team push the agenda for building safety and professional registration globally

During their recent tour to Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Australia, Kevin Mitchell , CIBSE President; Ruth Carter , CIBSE CEO; and Hywel Davies , CIBSE Chief Technical Officer met with members, government officials, and representatives from local professional engineering institutions. They had three priorities for their visit, to engage with members; to explore opportunities for supporting professional registration in non-UK regions; and to share knowledge, specifically in relation to building safety and the transition to net zero carbon.?

The team met with the New Zealand Green Building Council ( NZGBC ). CIBSE continues to collaborate with the Green Building Council all over the world, working alongside UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) to deliver the Net Zero Carbon Building Standard ( UK NZC Buildings Standard ). Kevin, Ruth, and Hywel also met with the Emirates Green Building Council at the end of last year. This has provided opportunities to share valuable information and updates around how CIBSE is supporting its members, and the building services engineering community more generally, in delivering net zero carbon for the built environment.?

They met with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau to discuss Professional Registration, highlighting CIBSE Membership as a signifier of competency around the world. Competency in engineering involves a combination of technical expertise, analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with others.?

Professional registration is a formal recognition of an engineer's qualifications, knowledge, and experience. It provides numerous benefits, including increased credibility and recognition within the industry. CIBSE is licenced to award professional registration alongside membership in the UK and is pursuing opportunities to do so in non-UK CIBSE regions.?

Registration demonstrates a commitment to continuing professional development (CPD), ensuring that engineers stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and practices. It also provides a framework for ethical and professional conduct, promoting accountability and maintaining high standards in the industry. It can also enhance an engineer's mobility, as it is often recognized across international borders, allowing engineers to work in different countries and expand their careers globally.?

CIBSE has applied to be able to accredit professional registration in Victoria, with plans to apply in New South Wales and Western Australia too.?

Building safety and competency are paramount, alongside the drive toward net zero carbon. Last year, CIBSE expanded its TM65 Embodied carbon calculation methodology so that it is now applicable outside of the UK. The first regionally specific version was created to provide detail of alternative assumptions when using the methodology to calculate the embodied carbon impact of building services equipment installed in Australia and New Zealand.?

In Australia, the team met with Romilly Madew, CEO of Engineers Australia and Evelyn Storey, former Board Member of The Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland (BPEQ). ?They discussed local challenges, the implementation of new building safety regulation, and opportunities relating to professional registration. ?

With the aim of engaging with members in the region, the team were welcomed at several technical events organised by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) ANZ Region Committee, during which Kevin provided updates around the #CIBSE125Challenges, which he set at the start of his presidency in celebration of CIBSE’s 125 year anniversary. Ruth provided an update on the strategic direction of the Institution and used the opportunity to learn how CIBSE can best serve and represent its non-UK members, making up a substantial 29% of CIBSE’s overall membership. Hywel Davies was able to provide valuable insight into the work that CIBSE has been doing around building safety, sharing knowledge and experience about the ongoing consultations for the Building Safety Act and relevant secondary legislation, along with the introduction of the new Building Safety Regulator in the UK.

Supporting CIBSE’s record of effective global collaboration, the team met with Trish Hyde, the new CEO of the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, and Heating ( AIRAH ). They were able to discuss the current consultation on professional registration for Western Australia, exploring opportunities for collaboration and the potential for CIBSE to support building services engineers in meeting enhanced CPD requirements in the region.?

Building services engineers are central to delivering a safer, healthier, and more sustainable build environment. Of the 195 countries in the world, CIBSE has members in 95. CIBSE’s is committed to ensuring that its voice and that of its members is being heard and felt around the world. In doing so, we can educate building owners, developers, and the public about the importance of sustainable building practices and achieving net-zero targets.