Why top engineers say sprinklers could hold the key to safer buildings
Iain Hoey
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Experts to discuss sustainability and safety benefits of sprinklers at BAFSA event
The British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) has announced a free networking lunch and continuing professional development (CPD) seminar on Wednesday 6 November at the Forest of Arden Country Club and Hotel near Birmingham.
The event will bring together experts from academia and industry to discuss behaviour change, safety and sustainability in the context of automatic fire suppression systems.
BAFSA said the afternoon seminar will feature presentations from Professor Mike Leonard, Professor Jim Glockling and Professor Dale Kinnersley, followed by a panel discussion.
Key speakers to explore behaviour and design
Professor Mike Leonard, Chief Executive of Building Alliance CIC and Visiting Professor at Birmingham City University, will lead a session examining behaviour and cultural change within the construction sector.
Professor Leonard’s work focuses on collaboration and resilience in the built environment, including initiatives on the Future Homes Standard, overheating, indoor air quality and fire risk reduction.
Professors Jim Glockling and Dale Kinnersley will deliver a joint presentation on the role of automatic fire suppression systems in achieving safe and sustainable building design.
Professor Glockling is a Visiting Professor at the University of Central Lancashire and Principal Fire Protection Engineer with BMT.
He also chairs the British Standards Institution (BSI) committee FSH/16, which focuses on hazards to life from fire.
Professor Kinnersley, Principal Consultant at the Fire Protection Association (FPA), has more than 30 years of experience in suppression systems and inspection, and is a member of both the Institution of Fire Engineers and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
Panel to address communication and public understanding
The CPD event will conclude with a panel discussion on how the fire suppression industry can better communicate the safety and sustainability advantages of sprinkler systems.
The panel will include Alan Brinson, Executive Director of the European Fire Sprinkler Network, Richard Harrell, Chief Executive of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE), and Richard Cebreiro, Chair of the BAFSA Technical Committee.
BAFSA said places for the seminar are limited and encouraged members to register in advance through its online event portal.
Relevance for fire and safety professionals
The upcoming BAFSA seminar will be relevant to fire protection contractors, sprinkler system designers, and fire engineers involved in specifying or maintaining automatic fire suppression systems.
It also holds value for architects, building services engineers and construction professionals working to integrate safety and sustainability within modern building design.
For senior officers, training managers and compliance teams, the CPD focus provides an opportunity to update knowledge on fire suppression technologies and align practice with current research and regulatory expectations.
The event’s emphasis on communication and public understanding may also inform professionals engaged in fire-safety education and stakeholder liaison.
BAFSA to host free CPD seminar on sprinklers and sustainability: Summary
The British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) will host a free networking lunch and CPD seminar on Wednesday 6 November 2025 at the Forest of Arden Country Club and Hotel near Birmingham.
The event will feature Professor Mike Leonard, Professor Jim Glockling and Professor Dale Kinnersley, who will speak on construction culture, sustainability and automatic fire suppression systems.
A panel discussion will include Alan Brinson of the European Fire Sprinkler Network, Richard Harrell of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers and Richard Cebreiro of BAFSA.
The afternoon seminar aims to highlight the safety and sustainability benefits of sprinkler systems and explore how the industry can strengthen communication of these advantages.
Registration for the event is available through BAFSA’s official website, with places limited to members.