Adrian Hurley takes leadership of BESA for 2024-25

Adrian Hurley C. Eng has been elected as the President of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) for 2024-25, as reported by BESA.

Hurley is the managing director of FP Hurley & Sons, a contractor founded by his grandfather 75 years ago.

He has been an active member of BESA since 2019 and previously served as Vice President.

At BESA’s AGM, Hurley expressed his pride in leading the Association during its 120th anniversary year.

He highlighted BESA’s history and its role in providing leadership and expertise to help members navigate future growth opportunities.

Hurley emphasised: “The Association will once again provide leadership, guidance, and expertise to ensure members seize the opportunities for growth and diversification that are essential to the future of our businesses and the people we employ.”

Urgent need for building retrofits in the UK

During the BESA President’s Lunch, Hurley spoke about the importance of commercial building retrofits and called on the government to prioritise this work.

He noted that many of the UK’s 30 million buildings urgently require upgrades, particularly to support the country’s net zero goals.

Hurley said: “The deployment of new technologies, like heat pumps, is exciting and progressive, but there is so much we could still do to improve the performance of what is already built and installed.”

Hurley also warned that the large-scale retrofitting and refurbishment work could face delays due to a shortage of skilled workers.

He suggested that a combination of innovation, digital technology, and better recruitment practices would be needed to meet the demands of this task.

Increasing diversity and improving training in the building sector

Hurley raised concerns about the low number of women entering the building engineering sector and the trend of many leaving the industry before reaching their full potential.

He stressed that BESA is committed to improving training, attracting new talent, and providing opportunities for individuals already in the industry to enhance their skills.

“BESA is relentlessly pursuing ways to improve training and attract new talent,” said Hurley.

He also announced that BESA would be restructuring its training and skills services, aiming to better support members in proving their technical and professional competence and compliance with industry standards and legislation.

Commitment to the Building Safety Act following the Grenfell Inquiry

Following the publication of the final report from the Grenfell Tower disaster public inquiry, Hurley urged BESA members and the wider industry to fully commit to the Building Safety Act.

He described the Act as “groundbreaking legislation that goes far beyond safety into every aspect of our work.”

Hurley reminded members that the Grenfell Inquiry had been highly critical of the construction industry, highlighting many systemic failings.

He also stressed that building safety must not come at the expense of performance, arguing that buildings should provide both safety and comfort.

Hurley added: “Buildings need to be comfortable and have good indoor air quality.

“They need temperature control, and healthy levels of natural lighting and space.”

Adrian Hurley appointed president of BESA, aims to tackle UK building safety and net zero goals: Summary

Adrian Hurley has been elected as President of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) for 2024-25.

Hurley, managing director of FP Hurley & Sons, aims to lead BESA through a period of growth, focusing on retrofitting existing buildings and supporting net zero targets.

He highlighted concerns about the shortage of skilled workers needed to complete building retrofits and called for better recruitment and innovation.

Hurley also addressed the need to increase diversity in the sector and improve training programs.

Following the Grenfell Inquiry, he urged the industry to fully commit to the Building Safety Act, stressing the importance of building safety alongside performance.