Going Beyond Compliance
Raising Standards, Proving Competence, Delivering Better Buildings
This year’s conference programme challenges the industry to think beyond minimum requirements and pursue true excellence across the built environment. From strategic leadership discussions to practical technical insights, the agenda will help you strengthen competence, improve performance and future proof your business.
Go Beyond Compliance at the BESA Annual Conference and challenge the idea that minimum requirements are enough across five thought provoking theatres.
Explore our exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities to raise your brand’s profile. Collaborate with BESA, share your expertise and help shape a better future for the industry.
What to Expect at the BESA Annual Conference
Expert Speakers and Thought-Provoking Discussion: Delve into the latest industry insights and trends shared by seasoned professionals, sparking stimulating discussions that challenge perspectives and inspire growth.
Industry-Leading Exhibitors: Explore a diverse array of industry-leading exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge products, services, and solutions that are shaping the future of the industry
Meet the Keynote Speaker, Andrew Palmer
Andrew Palmer is Executive Editor at The Economist, where he helps oversee its B2B strategy and products.
He also writes the Bartleby column on the workplace and hosts the popular Boss Class leadership podcast, interviewing CEOs, economists, academics and business leaders about management, leadership, workplace trends and organisational performance.
Andrew joined The Economist as management correspondent in February 2007. He has since served as Britain editor, business affairs editor, head of the data team, Americas editor, finance editor and banking correspondent. He has also worked as digital editor, overseeing The Economist’s digital content.
Andrew is a management expert and highly sought after keynote speaker for corporate events.
Meet the Keynote Speaker, Dr Barbara Lane
Dr Barbara Lane explores what Beyond Compliance really means in practice, drawing on lessons from recent building safety failures. The keynote will examine how we move from minimum regulatory compliance to genuinely safer buildings through better design, competence across the supply chain, stronger safety cultures and shared accountability between clients, designers and contractors.
It will also consider the future challenges facing the industry as expectations around building safety continue to evolve.
What’s New at the BESA Annual Conference This Year?
Two Content Theatres
You asked for more practical, in depth learning opportunities. This year’s conference features two dedicated content theatres focused on the skills, knowledge and standards you need to deliver safer, more efficient buildings.
WorldSkills UK Theatre
The WorldSkills UK Theatre focuses on the practical skills and behaviours that underpin competent building services delivery. It is designed to support current practitioners and the next generation of talent, helping the industry build a resilient and future ready workforce.
The Annual Conference Is CPD Certified
The entire BESA Annual Conference is CPD certified, ensuring that the time you invest contributes directly to your professional development and helps you demonstrate competence, compliance and commitment to best practice.
Two CPD Theatres Sponsored by BESA Academy
We have also introduced two CPD theatres, bringing together leading trainers, technical specialists and regulatory experts to help you stay ahead of industry change
Explore Our New Theatre's
Theatre One | The Bigger Picture
Explore the bigger picture shaping the building engineering services industry. From business resilience, leadership and growth to building safety, regulation and the future of the built environment, Theatre One brings together influential voices to challenge thinking, spark debate and explore what it takes to build a safer, stronger and more successful industry.
Theatre Two | Technical
Get closer to the detail with insight into the technical standards, regulations and technologies shaping our industry. From compliance and building regulations to decarbonisation, AI and technical best practice, Theatre Two is designed to help delegates understand what’s changing, why it matters and how to put it into practice.
Two CPD Theatres
Build your knowledge and keep your professional development moving with focused CPD sessions covering the issues that matter most to today’s building services professionals.
Meet the Sponsors
Mitsubishi Electric, Headline Sponsor
Mitsubishi Electric returns as the proud Headline Sponsor of the BESA Annual Conference. The company is a market leader in solutions that heat, cool and ventilate our world.
As a major manufacturer of these pivotal technologies, Mitsubishi Electric understands the UK’s energy challenges and is committed to helping create a more sustainable built environment.
AIRO, Product Innovation Sponsor
AIRO is revolutionising ductwork compliance, fire risk mitigation and air quality monitoring with its globally patented AirCare sensor, the world’s first dust and grease deposit monitoring system.
AIRO returns as the Product Innovation Sponsor of the BESA Annual Conference.

Meet the Exhibitors
The BESA Annual Conference brings together leading manufacturers, suppliers and innovators from across the building engineering services sector. Meet them throughout the conference on 22 October at The Brewery, London to explore new solutions, make valuable connections and speak directly with industry specialists.
Be immersed in building engineering services
Frequently Asked Questions
The BESA Annual Conference 2026 will be held on 22 October 2026 at The Brewery, 52 Chiswell Street, London, EC1Y 4SD.
The BESA Annual Conference 2026 will be held at The Brewery, 52 Chiswell Street, London, EC1Y 4SD. The venue is easily accessible via the Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines, with Moorgate as the closest Tube station.
If you are travelling by train, these lines are accessible from both Euston and King’s Cross. From Euston, walk to Euston Square Tube station. At King’s Cross St Pancras, you can join the Underground without leaving the station.
The conference is designed for contractors, specifiers, engineers, manufacturers and other professionals working across the building engineering services sector.
Yes. The entire BESA Annual Conference is CPD certified, helping delegates contribute to their professional development while demonstrating competence and commitment to best practice.
We have two keynote speakers at the BESA Annual Conference 2026.
Our morning keynote speaker is Andrew Palmer, Executive Editor at The Economist.
Our afternoon keynote speaker is Dr Barbara Lane, Chair, Building Advisory Committee, Building Safety Regulator


















