Heating and Ventilating

Forget climate change, for many of us survival will be the order of the day.
And I am talking both professionally and personally.

I was at the BSRIA conference recently and the great and the good of the industry were talking in terms of World War Two, where everyone pulled together.

The threat is greater than that of invasion by Hitler's army during 1940
and 1941.

We have to rethink what we do and how we live if we are to save the world.

I submit that saving the world will have to go on to the back burner while we save ourselves.

Our shops have already started the Boxing Day sales (in November?) and times are looking tough.

But, as Andrew Iveson in the Contractor Profile says, firms with rigour will survive and even prosper while those without could go under.

Eddie Gittoes, president of FETA, in his front page article in FETA Magazine - which comes with this issue - warns of the threats to survival as well as the opportunities which this recession offers.

He names the threats, and they will be of no surprise to any of us: increasing red tape, and legislation, carbon footprints, the need to reduce energy, sustainability etc.

But we could be talking our way into a recession.

Government work is still going strong. And, whether we can afford to pay for the Olympics or not, we have to stage them - and there are stadia to build and the infrastructure which surrounds them.

OK, there are going to be a lot more companies pitching for the work but, well, that's life.

Iveson goes on to say that developing his people is paramount, whether in a managerial sense or just to keep up with the legislation.

I suppose what I am saying is that there could be a bright future for building services if nobody panics and everyone keeps focused. I remain optimistic. Building services is in good shape.