BESA champions better indoor air with Ventilation Awareness event

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) will mark this year’s World Ventilation Day (WV8D) with a London-based event highlighting the latest strategies to improve indoor air quality across residential and commercial buildings.

Held annually on November 8, World Ventilation Day is a global awareness initiative that promotes the critical role of ventilation in creating healthier indoor environments. This year’s campaign, themed "Collabor8 to Ventil8 – Best Practices for All," is supported by a broad coalition of industry organisations, academic institutions, and environmental groups worldwide.

BESA will host its "Ventil8 Day Exchange" on November 6 at the Building Centre in London, ahead of the global celebration. The event will feature a full-day programme covering ventilation challenges in homes during the morning and commercial building solutions in the afternoon.

Key sponsors of the event include AIRO, S&P Ventilation, Swegon, IAQ Services, and Nuaire, with programming support from BEAMA and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

Focus on Practical Solutions

The event will open with a keynote from Garry Ratcliffe, CEO of a Kent-based multi-academy trust, who will share personal insights from a home rebuild project that integrated specialised ventilation for his children with complex disabilities. His talk will set the tone for a day of case studies, expert-led sessions, panel discussions, and practical advice aimed at professionals across the built environment sector.

AirRated CEO Francesca Brady, known for her work in indoor air quality benchmarking and listed on Forbes 30 Under 30, will lead a session focused on innovation in health-centric building design.

Adam Taylor, chair of BESA's Indoor Air Quality group, said the event aims to unite a wide range of stakeholders — from engineers and consultants to housing professionals and local authorities.

"This will be a day dedicated to fresh ideas, debate, and practical solutions around ventilation and indoor air quality," Taylor said. He also noted the growing urgency for effective strategies, citing climate-driven challenges such as prolonged heatwaves and damp winters.

Health and Climate Imperatives

According to the World Health Organization, poor indoor air quality is linked to 3.8 million premature deaths globally each year. In light of this, the WV8D campaign continues to push for wider adoption of ventilation practices that mitigate exposure to pollutants, control humidity, and improve occupant well-being.

Nathan Wood, head of the WV8D working group, emphasised the increased awareness of indoor air quality since the COVID-19 pandemic but pointed out the need for scalable and affordable solutions.

"Our challenge now is to make practical solutions more affordable and accessible to as many people as possible," Wood said.

The WV8D website offers free resources, including educational content on ventilation strategies, balancing energy efficiency with indoor comfort, and managing urban pollution and noise.

Recordings and outcomes from BESA’s Ventil8 Day Exchange will be shared online and via social media on November 8. Registration details and additional resources are available at www.theBESA.com.