NewsBESA calls on next Government to take action on indoor air quality, healthy buildings

In the run up to the election, industry leaders have been calling far and wide for change from the next government. BESA Group, the UK’s leading trade association for building services engineering contractors, has set out a manifesto calling for action in the realm of healthy buildings.

In the next Parliament, BESA are calling on the next Government to:

1. Make indoor air pollution a Ministerial responsibility within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with a remit to work across Whitehall and in partnership with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Department of Health and Social Care.
2. Commit to amending the Environment Act or introducing landmark indoor air quality legislation to ensure there is a robust legal framework that mandates real-time monitoring of IAQ in public buildings and a requirement on the Minister responsible to provide an update in Parliament.
3. Establish a pilot programme to fund IAQ audits for state schools and NHS hospitals. Offer grants to implement recommended mitigations to bring the buildings up to acceptable standards.
4. Broaden support to households to support energy efficiency improvements that also aid good ventilation in homes and non-domestic buildings. Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery systems are a proven technology and should benefit from the VAT exemption for energy savings materials.

BESA has also urged young engineers to vote, pointing to driving key change that must happen in the industry. With an important roll to play in addressing the skills gap and tackling issues like indoor air quality, healthy buildings should not be forgotten in the uproar around the election.

“So, the next government has some big decisions to make that could have a direct impact on both our working and domestic lives as citizens of the UK, but if we don’t vote, we can’t really complain if the wrong people get elected and go on to make the wrong choices,” said BESA’s group digital marketing co-ordinator Curtis Armstrong.

“The next five years will be crucial for our country’s future, so let’s make sure the right people are in power to influence the journey towards lower carbon, and healthier and safer buildings.”

For a party-by-party breakdown of built environment pledges, dig into this guide on the general election from Content Coms, the team that resources all of our Work in Mind content.