The construction industry – and the building engineering services sector – must continue to ensure that they remain entirely fit for purpose in today’s ever-changing business environment.
That was one of the key messages delivered by Bruce Bisset, president of the Building & Engineering Services Association, at this year's B&ES President's Luncheon.

'We must make sure that our businesses, and our industry, are fit for the challenges presented by the emergence of new technologies and the requirement for enhanced technical and managerial skills,' the president insisted.

'We must adapt to changing working practices - in particular, the use of Building Information Modelling, which will become mandatory on public sector contracts in less than three years' time.

'We must continue to review the shape and structure of the workforce, to ensure that it remains fully in line with the needs of our industry and our clients.

'We must play our full part in the implementation of the Industrial Strategy for Construction, which sets extremely challenging targets in terms of cost reduction, project timescales and the minimisation of greenhouse gas emissions.

'And we must do everything we can in every other area to assist Government in meeting its economic, commercial and environmental objectives.'

These objectives would be achieved by supplying advice, guidance and good counsel in the many areas in which B&ES and its members possess unrivalled expertise and experience. 'We shall make sure that the policies proposed are both practicable and enforceable - and we shall demonstrate that our Association, our membership and our sector always deliver on their promises,' said Mr Bisset.

As to the economic circumstances against which the sector is currently operating, he declared himself 'just a wee bit more optimistic than my recent predecessors'.

The signs of recovery were fragile and, in some cases, contradictory, he warned - but the fact remained that recent pronouncements had pointed to the possibility of increased construction output, if not by the end of this year, then certainly in the first half of 2014.

'Within building engineering services, we can realistically hope for an end to the stalling of the business opportunities that should have been generated by the low-carbon agenda and the commitment to a sustainable built environment, as well as by initiatives such as the Green Deal and the Renewable Heat Incentive,' said the president.

And, in the wider context, there was the promise of increasing confidence, increasing investment, increasing activity and increasing workload right across the board.

'Of course, we are aware that none of this will happen overnight,' the president concluded. 'Rather, it's going to be a long, slow haul.'

The B&ES President's Luncheon 2013 was held at One Great George Street, London SW1 - the headquarters of the Institution of Civil Engineers - on Thursday 5 September.