In this episode we are joined by Nick Mead, Technical Director at Laing O'Rourke and Chair of the BESA Building Safety Act Advisory Group.

He discusses the transformative impact of the Building Safety Act on the construction industry, emphasising the importance of compliance, collaboration and cultural change. Nick shares insights on navigating new regulations and the industry's future.

The episode also introduces BESA's "Play it Safe" guide, designed to simplify what everyone’s roles and responsibilities are for complying with the Act.

Join us as we discuss the critical issue of indoor air quality (IAQ) and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) with Dr. Phil Webb, Chief Executive of Health & Wellbeing 360 and a seasoned healthcare professional and industry representative for the Promoting Awareness of Air Pollution Delivery Group for the Welsh Government. Discover why indoor air quality is a major health concern, surpassing even the impacts of cancer and heart disease.

In this episode, Dr. Webb sheds light on:

• The staggering statistics on air quality-related deaths.
• The role of engineers in solving indoor air quality issues.
• Innovative technologies and systems to improve air quality.
• The importance of monitoring and maintaining air quality in buildings.
• How good air quality can enhance productivity and well-being in workplaces.

Tune in to learn how better indoor environments can lead to healthier, happier lives and why it's crucial for employers, building owners, and policymakers to take action now.

In this episode, the spotlight is on Remi Suzan, the newly appointed Managing Director of Gratte Brothers Limited, a family-owned UK building services company that has flourished since its founding in 1946. With a turnover of over £250 million, Gratte Brothers thrives on repeat business and a commitment to innovation. Remi emphasises the significance of offsite construction in boosting efficiency and quality while addressing skills shortages. He also discusses the evolving impact of the Building Safety Act and the challenges of implementing BIM in the industry. From operational improvements to strategic leadership, Suzan's insights paint a dynamic picture of Gratte Brothers' journey and future in the building engineering sector.

In this episode, David Frise, Chief Executive for BESA, chats with Lorna Stimpson, Chief Executive at LABC, about the Building Safety Act and its impact on the construction industry.

Lorna discusses her background in building control and emphasises the importance of cultural change, competence, and putting safety first. They explore the significance of the Building Safety Act, the need for behavioural change and the responsibilities of duty holders in ensuring compliance.

Fiona Cousins, CIBSE president and Arup leader, discusses her engineering journey, emphasising the need for broader problem definitions in building services, beyond cost and efficiency, to include carbon reduction, biodiversity, and social value. 

She highlights how evolving client demands for decarbonisation and carbon neutrality shape the industry. She stresses integrating safety, climate change, and societal impacts into design goals to prevent issues like those revealed by the Grenfell Report. She also advocates for better building operation and AI tools to optimise energy efficiency, emphasising whole-life value over short-term cost in creating sustainable, functional buildings.

In this episode of "Behind the Built Environment," David Frise interviews Dr. Jo Jolly, Director of Environment and Innovation at Ofwat. Jo discusses her journey from geophysics and hydrogeology to her current role, emphasizing her commitment to achieving the best outcomes for the environment and society. She highlights the urgent need to transform infrastructure performance using data analytics and innovative approaches.

Jo advocates for proactive collaboration between water specialists and building engineers to enhance water management and HVAC systems, improving water and energy efficiency. She also discusses the importance of using data to measure and improve project performance, stressing psychological safety within teams to encourage transparency and prevent issues from being overlooked.

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, BESA Chief Executive David Frise talks with Steven Boyd, a property and infrastructure expert with over 30 years’ experience, including leading roles with the Government Property Agency and the British Army. They explore key challenges facing the built environment, from the implementation of the Building Safety Act to tackling fragmented data management and inefficiencies across construction and operations.

Steven shares insights on integrating lifecycle data to improve decision-making, reduce waste, and achieve sustainability goals, including net-zero carbon emissions. He advocates for bridging the gap between construction and maintenance, emphasising the importance of digital tools and offsite assembly in driving innovation. The conversation also highlights opportunities to streamline regulations, enhance collaboration, and prioritise refurbishment for existing buildings.

BESA Chief Executive David Frise speaks with Charles Begley, Chief Executive of the London Property Alliance, about the future of London’s built environment.

They discuss economic growth, sustainability, and the need for public-private partnerships.

Charles highlights how flexible planning policies could generate £100 billion in additional GVA by 2045.

The conversation explores skills shortages, the rise of retrofit projects, and the growing role of investors in sustainable development.

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, BESA’s David Frise speaks with Suzannah Nichol, Chief Executive of Build UK, about her career journey and the organisation’s impact over the past decade. They explore Build UK’s role in improving payment practices, introducing the Common Assessment Standard, and tackling industry-wide issues like productivity, skills shortages, and cultural change. Suzannah shares insights on the Building Safety Act, the importance of collaboration, and embracing innovation and AI. She highlights the success of the Open Doors initiative and emphasises the need for the sector to modernise, reduce duplication, and unite around shared goals.

In this episode, BESA CEO David Frise speaks with Amos Simbo OBE, founder of the BPIC Network and Winway Group, about improving diversity in construction. Amos shares his career journey and explains why representation, inclusion, and access are vital for attracting and retaining talent from ethnic minority backgrounds. He introduces BPIC’s mission to support inclusive workplaces and its upcoming Skills Academy. The key message: inclusion benefits everyone and leads to innovation, better business outcomes, and stronger industry culture. For companies of all sizes, authenticity matters—don’t fake it, make it real. Inclusion isn’t a trend—it’s good business.

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, BESA Chief Executive David Frise speaks with Amanda Long, Chief Executive of Construction Product Information Ltd (CPI), about the critical role of accurate, transparent construction product data. Amanda discusses the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI), a post-Grenfell initiative designed to drive cultural and behavioural change in the way manufacturers provide information. Drawing on her background in ethical business and consumer protection, Amanda highlights the importance of leadership, accountability, and continuous improvement—especially in an industry long reliant on checklists over responsibility. The conversation also explores the challenges SMEs face, the impact of legislation, and why product claims must match real-world performance. Amanda makes a passionate case for industry-wide commitment to safer, more reliable buildings, where every product decision contributes to public trust and safety. Find out more at www.cpicode.org.uk

In this first episode of the Behind the Built Environment Podcast Extra, BESA Chief Executive David Frise speaks with Peter Apps, Deputy Editor of Inside Housing and author of Show Me the Bodies, about the legacy and lessons of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

Peter reflects on six years of covering the inquiry, exploring its impact on the construction sector, the ongoing culture of minimal compliance, and the urgent need for meaningful reform. He discusses the inquiry's findings, missed opportunities for accountability, and the critical role of leadership, enforcement, and ethical responsibility in ensuring building safety.

Drawing on his extensive reporting, Peter stresses that cultural change must go beyond regulations—starting with clients and driven by individuals committed to doing the right thing.

For those looking to understand and respond effectively to the post-Grenfell regulatory landscape, visit the BESA Building Safety Act Hub. It offers essential guidance, resources, and updates to help professionals and organisations navigate their responsibilities under the new legislation and lead the way in a safer, more accountable built environment.

In this special episode marking World Refrigeration Day, host David Frise, Chief Executive of BESA, speaks with Dr Catarina Marques, a leading UK expert in refrigeration engineering. The discussion highlights the critical yet often overlooked role of refrigeration in modern society.

Dr Marques shares insights from her 15+ years of experience across food service cooling, Net Zero innovation, and integrated energy systems.

The conversation emphasises the urgent need to prioritise sustainable refrigeration in the built environment and recognise the sector’s vital contribution to achieving Net Zero targets.

In this episode, host David Frise, Chief Executive of BESA, speaks with Mike Talbot, CTO of SFG20, about the growing role of AI in building maintenance and compliance.

Mike shares how the Grenfell tragedy inspired his move into the built environment, leading efforts to apply AI, IoT, and predictive analytics to streamline maintenance scheduling, automate asset management, and support regulatory compliance.

The conversation explores both the opportunities—such as sensor-driven diagnostics, digital twins, and upskilling via natural language AI—and the risks, including hallucinations, ethical missteps, and overreliance on flawed data.

Mike stresses that while AI can dramatically boost efficiency, expert human oversight is essential in compliance-critical areas. Used responsibly, AI offers huge potential to modernise building maintenance—delivering safer, smarter outcomes across the built environment.

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, BESA Chief Executive David Frise speaks with Paul Wilkinson, Vice Chair of NIMA, about the shift from Building Information Modelling (BIM) to broader information management across the built environment.

Paul explains how NIMA evolved to support a more inclusive, long-term approach to managing data across the lifecycle of built assets. He highlights the importance of the golden thread, interoperability, and whole-life asset thinking—key to improving safety, compliance, and performance.

Emphasising that digital transformation is driven more by culture and people than technology, Paul calls for clearer communication, industry-wide collaboration, and trusted data as the foundation for future innovations like AI and digital twins.

Success, he says, will mean seamless data flow from construction through to asset management by 2030.

BESA Chief Executive David Frise sits down with Mark Robinson, CEO of SCAPE, to explore how smarter procurement can transform the built environment.

From his journey as a Sheffield YTS apprentice to leading one of the UK’s most influential public sector procurement authorities, Mark shares candid insights on driving social value, achieving net zero, tackling the skills gap, and embracing AI.

Discover why he believes standardisation could unlock huge efficiencies, how SCAPE balances commercial innovation with public responsibility, and why he remains optimistic about the construction industry’s future—despite being a Sheffield Wednesday fan.

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, BESA Chief Executive David Frise speaks with Dan Williams, Managing Director of Skanska UK’s building services division, SRW, about the shifting dynamics of the construction and facilities management market.

Dan reflects on his journey from student engineer to MD and shares how agility, technical expertise, and long-term customer relationships are helping Skanska navigate uncertainty. He highlights the challenges of attracting new talent, the growing role of digital tools and modular construction, and why sustainability, delivery certainty, and whole-life value will define the industry’s next decade.

BESA Chief Executive David Frise sits down with Fiona Graham, Chief Operating Officer at Family Business UK, to unpack what recent inheritance tax reforms mean for family-owned firms. From her journey in public affairs to leading the national body championing these enterprises, Fiona shares candid insights on succession, governance, and giving family businesses a stronger voice in policy debates.

She explains why the government’s changes to business property relief could put long-standing firms at risk, why specialist advice is now essential, and how planning early can protect continuity. Despite her pessimism about policy shifts, Fiona remains optimistic about the resilience, creativity, and future growth of family businesses across the UK.

In this episode, host David Frise, Chief Executive of BESA, speaks with Ian McCall, Managing Director of Alba Facility Services, a Glasgow-based FM company pioneering a four-day working week with no loss of pay. The conversation explores how this bold shift has improved productivity, staff wellbeing, and retention, while also enhancing sustainability and client service.

Ian shares how Alba partnered with Strathclyde University to turn what began as a pilot into a model for modern workplace culture. He discusses the challenges of change management, the importance of communication, and the surprising benefits—such as childcare savings—that have emerged along the way.

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, BESA Chief Executive David Frise speaks with Professor Noble Francis, Economics Director at the Construction Products Association, about the forces shaping the future of UK construction.

Noble shares insights from the CPA’s latest forecasts and explains why construction is facing a “capacity crisis” driven by skills shortages, market uncertainty, and fragmented business models. He discusses the growing influence of AI investment, the long-term outlook for infrastructure and retrofit, and the structural reforms needed to improve productivity across the sector.

From bond markets and government policy to the realities of net zero and ESG, this episode offers a clear-eyed economic perspective on where the industry is heading and what it will take to build resilience and sustainable growth.

In 2023, contractor Andrew Blunsdon was charged with two counts of bribery following Operation Truman, the investigation into how contracts were awarded on E On energy projects between 2011 and 2015. The case centred on favours to key E On figures: an air-conditioning unit for a flower shop run by Marc Baker, and payments routed through a subcontractor that ultimately benefited a consultancy linked to Matthew Hayward.

This episode looks beyond the charges to the impact of a justice process that spanned 15 years: interviews in 2016, charges in 2023, sentencing in 2025, and a Proceeds of Crime hearing still ahead in 2026. In that time, Andrew’s business collapsed, his pension disappeared, and the emotional cost fell heavily on his family.

This isn’t about re-running a trial. It’s about understanding how a contractor with no criminal intent can become entangled in a criminal case—and what every professional in the built environment needs to learn from it.

If you’ve ever thought, “Just help the client out; I’ll ask questions later,” this is the episode you cannot afford to miss.

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, BESA Chief Executive David Frise is joined by Jon Vanstone, Chair of the Industry Competence Committee, to unpack what competence really means in a post-Grenfell world. John explains why compliance alone is no longer enough, highlighting gaps in behaviour, culture and client understanding that continue to undermine safety. The discussion explores the evolving role of the Building Safety Regulator, lessons from Gateway 2, and why proof of competence matters more than experience or assumptions.

Listeners can also download BESA’s Building Safety Act Industry Report 2025, which reveals industry attitudes, competence gaps and practical insights to help businesses prepare for regulatory change.

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, BESA Chief Executive David Frise speaks with Paul Ruddick, Chair of Reds10, about why industrialised construction must move from ambition to execution if the sector is to thrive.

Paul reflects on Reds10’s journey from a bedroom start-up to a £200m, debt-free business and explains why many modular firms fail by scaling too fast without fixing process, design and culture. He shares his perspective on fragmentation in construction, the role of digital tools and AI, and why vertically integrated models are key to improving productivity and quality.

From government procurement and planning delays to standardisation, diversification and decarbonisation, this episode offers a candid, experience-led view on what it will take for offsite construction — and the wider industry — to deliver sustainable growth and real transformation.

The Building Safety Act has transformed client responsibilities across construction, but is the industry truly ready?

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, BESA ChiefExecutive David Frise speaks with Lilly Gallafent of CAST Consultancy about what the Building Safety Act means in practice for clients, contractors and consultants navigating Gateway 2 and Gateway 3.

They examine how the Building Safety Act is reshaping procurement, early contractor engagement and design development, and why client accountability can no longer be passed down the supply chain.

The discussion explores the role of the Building Safety Regulator, the risks emerging as Gateway 3 approvals approach, and whether the sector is confusing compliance paperwork with genuine quality.

This episode covers:

• Client responsibilities under the Building Safety Act
• The impact of Gateway 2 on procurement and design
• Gateway 3 risks and evidence requirements
• Competence and compliance across the supply chain
• Why culture change remains the biggest barrier to safer buildings

The Building Safety Act is the most significant change tobuilding regulations in a generation.

With Gateway 2 approvals increasing scrutiny and Gateway 3 set to test whether projects have truly been built as designed, this discussion highlights what client responsibility now looks like in practice and why culture change, not just compliance, will determine whether reform succeeds.

If you are a client commissioning building work, downloadBESA’s practical Client’s Guide to the Building Safety Act and understand exactly what your legal duties are: https://www.thebesa.com/clients-guide-building-safety-act

Behind The Built Environment is the official podcast of BESA(Building Engineering Services Association). We dive into the regulations, challenges, and innovations shaping the future of UK construction and HVAC.

https://www.thebesa.com/behind-the-built-environment

#BuildingSafetyAct #Gateway2 #Gateway3 #BuildingRegulator #ConstructionIndustry#BuildingRegulations

Most construction problems are created before a project even reaches site.

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, BESA Chief Executive David Frise speaks with Beth West, founder and director of Navigate Advisory and former Chief Executive of East West Railway Company, about why construction projects fail at the earliest stages.

Drawing on experience across HS2, Thames Tideway, Transport for London and East West Rail, Beth explains how poor client capability, weak project definition and misaligned incentives drive cost escalation and inefficiency across the UK built environment.

Rather than focusing on delivery alone, this episode examines the decisions that shape outcomes long before construction begins. It challenges the assumption that building is always the answer, explores the risks of uncontrolled design development, and highlights how procurement models, culture and lack of trust continue to limit performance across the industry.

This episode explores:

• Why construction projects fail due to poor early decision making
• The role of the client in defining scope, outcomes and value
• Why building is not always the right solution
• How procurement models limit innovation and productivity
• The impact of complexity and uncontrolled design development on cost
• How trust, culture and data transparency shape project outcomes

From housing policy and infrastructure delivery to procurement reform and the Building Safety Act, this is a practical discussion about how early decisions shape outcomes across the UK built environment. It also raises fundamental questions about capacity, skills and whether the industry is solving the right problems in the first place.

If you work in construction, infrastructure, building services engineering or public sector procurement, this episode is a direct and practical examination of why the industry keeps repeating the same mistakes and what it would take to stop.

Behind The Built Environment is the official podcast of BESA (Building Engineering Services Association). We dive into the regulations, challenges, and innovations shaping the future of UK construction and HVAC.

https://www.thebesa.com/behind-the-built-environment

#UKConstruction #ConstructionIndustry #ProjectManagement #Procurement #BuildingSafetyAct

Competence under the Building Safety Act is often misunderstood, with serious consequences for mistakes. In this episode of Behind the Built Environment Extra, BESA Chief Executive David Frise speaks with Kizzy Augustin, Partner at Mishcon de Reya, about what genuine competence looks like under the Act and why the industry's current approach to evidencing it falls short.Kizzy outlines the four pillars of competence under the Act: skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours, and explains why behaviours are the hardest yet most essential to evidence. She also addresses the uncomfortable reality of gaslighting in the competence market, where some training providers claim only their course makes you compliant, and sets out how clients and contractors should respond.This episode covers:• What competence really means under the Building Safety Act• Why a certificate alone is never sufficient evidence• The difference between individual competence and organisational capability• How to use PAS 8671 and PAS 8672 correctly and avoid common misuses• Gaslighting in the competence market and how to challenge it• The risks posed by proposed changes to apprenticeship end-point assessments• Three questions every client or main contractor should ask before appointing a specialist contractor.If you are appointing contractors or being appointed, this episode sets out exactly what the Building Safety Act expects and how to evidence it. Download BESA's practical Client's Guide to the Building Safety Act and get clear on your legal duties: https://www.thebesa.com/clients-guide-building-safety-actBehind The Built Environment is the official podcast of BESA (Building Engineering Services Association). We dive into the regulations, challenges, and innovations shaping the future of UK construction and HVAC.https://www.thebesa.com/behind-the-built-environment

Refrigeration and cooling underpin almost everything modern life depends on, yet the sector remains largely invisible to the public, policymakers and even many of the organisations that rely on it.

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, David Frise, Chief Executive of BESA, speaks with Stephen Gill, technical advisor to REFCOM, past president of the Institute of Refrigeration and founder of World Refrigeration Day.

Stephen brings decades of experience across engineering, contracting, design consultancy, policy and international advisory work. The conversation explores why a sector central to food security, healthcare, data, communications, and comfort continues to undervalue itself, and what that means as major regulatory and technical changes approach.

This episode covers:

• Why refrigeration and cooling remain hidden in plain sight despite underpinning daily life
• The case for treating cooling as critical national infrastructure
• The HFC phase-down and the risk of divergence between the UK and the EU
• The difference between competence and basic compliance, and why both matter
• How contractors should advise clients on ageing equipment and asset risk
• Conscious inclusion and making space for neurodiverse talent
• Dyslexia, disclosure and the gap between education and the workplace

As the UK moves towards a steeper HFC phase-down, contractors and clients face complex decisions on equipment, refrigerants and long-term asset risk. Poor information, weak asset registers and outdated assumptions could leave many exposed to avoidable cost and disruption.

The discussion sets out how the sector can move beyond minimum compliance towards genuine competence, trusted advice and greater confidence in the value it brings to society.

Construction is good at delivering projects. Too often, it starts before asking whether it is solving the right problem.

In this episode of Behind the Built Environment, BESA Chief Executive David Frise speaks with Mark Enzer, former Chief Technical Officer at Mott MacDonald and former head of the UK National Digital Twin Programme, about why construction needs to rethink value, data and outcomes.

Mark argues that the built environment cannot achieve better outcomes by improving delivery alone. To create greater value, the industry needs to examine how decisions are made, how organisations work together, and how data is used throughout the full life of an asset.

Rather than focusing solely on digital tools, this episode examines the thinking that needs to change before technology can make a meaningful difference. It explores why systems thinking, digital twins and AI are only useful when they support clearer outcomes, better decisions and more joined-up ways of working.

This episode explores:

• What systems thinking means in the built environment
• Why cost control is different from value creation
• How siloed organisations and disconnected data limit progress
• The role of digital twins in making better decisions faster
• Why collaboration needs stronger outcome-based incentives
• How AI could support systems thinking, and where the risks sit

From infrastructure delivery and net zero to procurement, resilience and digital transformation, this is a practical discussion about why the built environment needs to start with outcomes before it starts with delivery.

If you work in construction, infrastructure, building services engineering or public sector procurement, this episode offers a direct and practical examination of how the industry can move beyond cost, packages and projects and start solving the right problems.