INTERVIEWWITH...
JONATHANGRIMSHAW- CIBSE
C IBSE NI and CIBSE Ireland are part of a global network providing professional support and expertise to members working in partnership with other professional bodies, construction and engineering firms worldwide. CIBSE promotes the career of building services engineers by accrediting courses of study in further and higher education by approving work based training programmes and providing routes to full professional registration and membership, including Chartered Engineer, Incorporated Engineer and Engineering Technician. Once qualified, CIBSE offers a range of services, all focused on maintaining and enhancing professional excellence throughout a career Whether your field is energy efficiency, lighting, heating and ventilation, public health, commissioning or facilities management, membership of CIBSE can help support you on a day to day basis and help you develop professionally within the building services industry. PH: How do you see your role as Chair of CIBSE NI? What are your responsibilities? JG: This is my second spell as the Northern Ireland Regional Chairman of CIBSE. It was an honour to be asked to stand as chairman the first time, but it is even nicer second time around. The role has been somewhat curtailed during the current global pandemic but still entails the coordinating of a dedicated group of volunteers who act as our regional committee. The main responsibilities are in coordinating events and CPD seminars alongside our regional secretary and taking the time to publicise the Institute and try to engage with potential new members to continually grow the region.
“CIBSE can help support you on a day to day basis and help you develop professionally within the plumbing and heating industry.”
PH: When you hand over the Chair of CIBSE NI to another, what would you like people to say about what has been achieved? JG: As with my first answer, the global pandemic has greatly curtailed our activities as a region. It is my hope, with the current situation in mind, to hand over the region to a newly elected chairman as a thriving and active region of CIBSE. PH: How has Covid-19 impacted your business strategy? JG: It would be remiss not to consider the impact on the business of Covid-19. With the general turndown in the construction industry on both sides of the Irish Sea, AVS did see an initial curtailment in works. However, tendering never really stopped and in fact for an early period of the initial Lockdown it actually increased. When the construction sector took a second to evaluate things and reopen sites etc. it was relatively unscathed. This was bolstered by UK and Irish Government strategy of maintaining open sites. Projects that had initially been delayed in their start are now running and we have had zero contracts lost due to Covid-19. One of the biggest impacts throughout this pandemic has been the cost of transport, and in particular, flights. Pre-pandemic we would have used flights frequently, but that need has been replaced by the world of Team and Zoom meetings. Government investment strategy, both British and Irish to engineer recovery will provide opportunities for AVS going forward.
JoinCIBSENI If you are interested in finding out more about joining the Northern Ireland Region
committee or another CIBSE committee then please contact Jonathan Grimshaw at jgrimshaw@ductproducts.com Whether you’re starting out, have been working in the field for many years or already professionally registered with another engineering institution, the CIBSE range of membership grades means that there
is a level to suit everyone. For more information visit: www.cibse.org
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PLUMBING & HEATING MAGAZINE | 37
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