BESA Conference Goes Digital
The BESA National Conference and Exhibition set to go ahead on November 4 and 5 will now be a digital event. The Association says that the decision to go online was made to embrace technology and move towards a virtual platform in response to the circumstances facing not just the air-con industry, but the world as a whole. Every industry has been thrown off in recent months, and heating and cooling is no exception to that.
The BESA Conference will build on the success of the daily webinars that keep people in the industry updated on business, commercial, and health and safety developments for the industry as the world gets to grips with COVID-19. The webinars proved to be a massive success, with over 20,000 people tuning in between March and August.
The association says that they are using the digital experience gained from these online webinars to deliver two days of the best business, industry, and technical content through a virtual conference. The webinars have given the association the experience they need to pull off something more significant, like the conference.
2020 has been a year of challenges for many individuals, businesses, and industries. It has never been more important to stay up to date with all of the latest advice and initiatives to ensure that you are staying safe and stand the best chance of recovering during – and after – the crisis. BESA believes this, and so want to make their conference open to as many people as possible.
The conference is set to see a range of discussion topics. Discussions will be held in a primary digital auditorium similar to the main hall of an in-person conference. There are also smaller seminars for other talks and discussions for people in the industry. Delegates at the event will have the option to “network” by visiting areas designated to meeting and connecting with others in the industry. There is also a virtual exhibition where the latest and greatest products will be on display.
BESA has put together an impressive collection of speakers for the event, including Rosamund Adoo Kissi-Debrah. She made headlines last year with her speech about the connection between clean air and child health – and is set to update the industry on how things have developed since then, as well as continue her fight to make buildings safe havens from the dangers of air pollution.
Other presentations include discussions on things such as the impact of government rebuilding plans, the Future of Cities, and the training and skills necessary to improve diversity in the industry and ensure more voices are heard.
These presentations are complemented by technical sessions looking at the latest developments in air conditioning, heating, indoor air quality, ventilation, digital systems, smoke control, ductwork, pipework, and more.
The conference will also have business seminars created to help companies understand how to best capitalize on the current economic recovery. BESA Clinics will also be held. These clinics offer advice and support for members of the commercial, legal, health and safety, and technical teams at the Association.
BESA says that most of this information is now available online, making it more challenging to attract people to a physical conference. Even so, people in the industry have always understood the value of “being in the room” and being around others to have meaningful discussions. There is information that can only be gleaned by talking to people directly and being present. Even if people can’t attend a physical meeting, or don’t want to, they can still get the same benefits from a virtual one.
This year has presented BESA with the chance to create a “hybrid” conference of sorts. The Association will replicate the aspects of a real-life meeting through a digital platform. The Associations says the event promises to be an amazing one and is sure to be a vital few days for the short-and-long-term future of the HVAC industry.
BESA has made the event free for attendees, but they will ask attendees to donate to their IT poverty fund. The fund aims to address the issues young people have with getting computers and laptops to learn the vital competencies and skills needed to become engineers.
BESA feel that the lockdown and home learning caused by the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted how serious the issue of IT poverty has become. Conference donations will go towards a project that aims to collect, repair, and refurbish and then distribute IT equipment to those in need in the industry.
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