Page 6 - INDEX Autumn 2024

CHAIRMAN ’ S S A Y

OK, I’m in a bit of a conundrum. I’m having to write this in September, but you won’t be reading it until
after the AGM. So, I’m writing as Acting Chair, but might be wearing another hat by the time you read
it. Why am I writing as Acting Chair? It’s because your association has been lucky enough to recruit our
immediate past Chair, Neil Burdess, as our new CEO.

When Neil offered to take on the role, it was too good a chance to miss. His technical knowledge of all
things building services and his record of contribution to the CSA made him the ideal candidate. But it
did mean that he would have to resign as Chair part way through the year to take up the job, so here I am.

When you look at what the CSA has achieved in recent years there is no doubt that it is becoming a
resource of note not just for the members but also for the wider building services community – and even
for the entire construction world. Our links with CIBSE and BSRIA have never been stronger. We have
played a significant part in the preparation of the new CIBSE Code A and BSRIA BG49 and are continuing
that in the forthcoming CIBSE Code W. If you look, they all have the CSA logo on the front cover. We are
also forging links with organisations such as the BESA, the BCIA, FETA and others.

To reinforce that, we had an intense brainstorming session earlier in the summer and came up with a
list of things we need to do, not just to bring the CSA fully into the 21st century, but also to make it an
even bigger and better voice for you members. As part of that, one of the things that Neil will be doing
is talking to commissioning company principals and others on a one-to-one basis about what it is they
want the CSA to do for them. That’s because we at the centre of the association are only too aware of
the fact that our job is to represent the views of all members, not just our own. Please feel free to come
up with ideas of your own and let us know.

Let me change the subject and lighten the tone a little. As I write this, we already have dozens more
people signed up for the Awards evening than last year and it looks like it’s going to be a cracker. I do
hope you were one of those that came. If not, why not?

You will also have full details of the winners elsewhere in this issue. Their efforts and indeed the efforts
of all the finalists should be greatly applauded and the CSA congratulates every one of them. In case
you are wondering, no, I did not know who the winners were ahead of the Awards. There is only one
person who ever knows that information and its Andrew Castle of Touchwave Media who runs the event
for us.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the judges who gave up their time to read up on
and score the entries – the judges manual was well over two hundred pages! It was a particularly hard
task this year and many of the entries were not only of a very high quality, but were also so close that
some judges complained about splinters in a part of their anatomy from sitting on the fence! As I said, I
did not know who had won, but Andrew did let it slip that there were sometimes only a couple of marks
in it.

OK. A few other plaudits. As usual, Jo and Kate have done an outstanding job in administering the CSA
and Tony Anderson puts in so much effort on the technical front (quite frankly he scares me!). But let
us also remember those members who give freely of their (unpaid) time to support the Main, Executive,
Technical, Training and Marketing committees. I’m sure you will all join me in giving them a heartfelt
vote of thanks for their efforts.

Just a final thought. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

Keith Barker – CSA Chairman and owner of Tectonic Techniques Ltd