Last month the Construction Leadership Council, led by CLC Co-Chair Mark Reynolds demonstrated its firm leadership and support, at the second industry event on Building Safety, hosted by the Building Safety Regulator [BSR].
Credit: Construction Leadership Council
Quote:
“The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) held its second industry conference in Birmingham this week [on 21stMay 2024]. The conference marked a major milestone for BSR as the new building safety regime was fully established in law last month [on 6th April 2024]. With over 1,300 delegates in attendance, the conference provided a platform for industry leaders, regulators and resident representatives to discuss the ongoing transformation of the building safety landscape. The conference showcased BSR’s resident-centric approach, with several sessions dedicated to industry accountability and empowering residents to ensure their voices are heard in building safety decisions which affect their homes”
Credit: Digital Twin Skills Academy CIC
Earlier this month, along with the rest of the world, our founder and CEO, Dr Bola Abisogun OBE, recognised and acknowledged the seventh (7th) anniversary [on the 14.06.24] of the Grenfell Tower tragedy; in many ways a completely unnecessary event, that took place on 14th June 2017 and cost seventy-two (72) people their lives.
A week later on the 21.06.24, held at the Central London Office of Turner & Townsend, a pivotal Board Meeting took place, where several milestones were both considered and created by the leadership team at the DTSA.
Hosted by our Chair, IJ Samuel, the Board Meeting ensued with deep discussions around our global strategy, but also spoke to the ‘domestic urgency’ here in the UK, given the ‘operational date’ of the 6th April 2024, for the implementation of the law itself.
Reflections by Board Members, were proffered in the presence of the following statements, captured at the recent and aforementioned conference, in Birmingham
Credit: Construction Industry Council
Sarah Newton, Chair of HSE and Philip White, HSE’s Chief Inspector of Buildings and Director of Building Safety Division opened the conference, highlighting BSR’s achievements and outlining its future priorities.
Sarah Newton said: “We are committed to putting residents at the heart of everything we do. At HSE, we understand that building safety is not just about regulation and compliance; it is about people – their lives, their homes, and their communities. The new building safety regime is designed to give residents a stronger voice and for industry to ensure that their homes are safe. Today gave those on the building safety frontlines the chance to share our knowledge and collaborate on solutions to translate the new regulatory framework into actionable steps, ensuring the safety of both existing and future buildings.”
Credit: Construction Leadership Council
Philip White said: “So much has happened in the last year, and at such pace – showing how much we can achieve together when we have a common goal. More than 12,000 buildings have been registered with the regulator and many of our conference delegates, along with others across the UK have already registered as building inspectors and demonstrated their competence. Building control professionals play a critical role in ensuring the safety and quality of our built environment – and above all, being regulated will raise industry standards and increase public trust.”
The conference was also addressed by Minister for Housing Lee Rowley who acknowledged the significant progress made during a time of 'great change' for the industry.
Exactly one month to the date of the Building Safety Conference, held on the 21st June 2024, the DTSA Board also acknowledged the appointment of NessaA Primus, as our new Deputy CEO. NessaA is the Founder of Primus Consulting Services CIC, an emerging grass-roots, community-focussed organisation, with a demonstrable commitment to the development of Young People; she offered the following statement:
“The learning and professional development programmes of learning, that we provide at the DTSA are more than just educational initiatives. We aspire to offer ‘educational lifelines’ that in turn create hope and tangible career opportunities for those who have been overlooked, underserved and remain underprivileged. This approach aligns perfectly with my own personal mission of promoting equity, diversity and inclusion across society. I believe that everyone, regardless of their socio-economic, cultural and/or educational background, should have the ‘unconditional’ chance to succeed and thrive, specifically in the emerging and exciting #ConTech sector [where ‘traditional’ construction fuses with data-driven technology and gamification solutions]. At the DTSA, and as an emerging #EdTech provider, our ‘people-focused’ approach, is what sets us apart, and will continue to do so in the future.
With over two decades, in Central Govt [at the Department for Works & Pensions] and by fostering an affordable, inclusive, supportive and immersive learning environment, we are not only driving innovation but also ensuring that our ‘positively disruptive’ progress, will benefit everyone that wants to enter and succeed, in the digital construction sector. We are actively curating pathways [including Apprenticeships] towards achievable and sustained economic-empowerment, that truly enables social-mobility, for all. Offered in a global context, our micro-credentials will unlock and deliver the kind of ‘sustainable’ social-impact that truly matters to me and will be representative of the much talked about ‘levelling-up’ agenda. I firmly believe that our people-centric strategy is the cornerstone of our success to date and will continue to guide our empathic approach, moving forward. By nurturing an equitable, diverse, inclusive and affordable ‘learning environment’, we will not only enhance our capacity to innovate, but do so, whilst setting a ‘new standard of learning’ for the global construction industry. As we move forward in this our second year of operation, I pledge to leverage my depth of experience and dedication, by working with EVERY individual learner, to further our mission. Together, we will demonstrate that technological advancement and social responsibility are not mutually-exclusive, but mutually-reinforcing.
Thank you for entrusting me with this responsibility, and unique career opportunity. I am eager to embark upon this journey with you all and to make a meaningful, sustainable and impactful difference in every corner of the globe where the DTSA chooses to Serve others. I am deeply honoured to accept the role of Deputy CEO at the Digital Twin Skills Academy, thank you.”
Credit: Digital Twin Skills Academy CIC
Our founder and Chief Excitement Officer, Dr Abisogun OBE, had this to say:
“The Building Safety Act received Royal Assent on the 28 April 2022, not too long after I completed my sabbatical at the University of Cambridge / Centre for Digital Built Britain. The introduction of such ‘ground-breaking’ reform(s) now giving residents and homeowners more rights, powers, and protections; fits well with the ambitions of our Academy. At the DTSA we are keen to adopt the ‘spirit of the Act’ and (akin to professional CPD) ensure that the UK construction sector [and everyone of the circa. 3million contributors working within it] observe ‘the Act’ by adopting a documented, evidence-based, process of continuous improvement.
We want the sector to embrace a ‘digital first’ approach, both as a way of life and, business as usual. However, it is patently obvious to many, that our biggest barrier, towards any form of meaningful and sustainable success, is our culture; it’s a people challenge. NessaA’s appointment, will ensure that as an organisation, we remain empathetic to all of our key stakeholder groups, with our ‘people-centric’ values firmly reflected in our mission, thus maintaining our competitive advantage. In all honesty, I am extremely humbled and frankly, we now have the best person in the sector, to help us achieve our lofty ambitions of a competent, ethnically diverse and truly representative 'digital' construction industry.”
DTSA Press Release dated: 23.06.24
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