The two-day conference, which was held online for the first time and attracted over 1,000 registrations, was addressed by more than 60 speakers and panellists - many of whom focussed on the growing public awareness of the industry's efforts to protect the health and wellbeing of building occupants. For example, BESA members were urged to recognise their potential role as "physicians of the future" by an international authority on virus transmission. A range of other speakers highlighted the importance of mechanical ventilation systems in dealing with the UK's multiple health and wellbeing problems - not just the immediate virus threat, but in the longer term too. The safety of people in buildings was another hot topic with keynote speaker Dame Judith Hackitt once again reminding the industry of its responsibilities ahead of the publication of the draft Building Safety Bill. She also appealed to the industry's better nature by asking business leaders to reflect on the "shameful legacy of regulatory failure" that had left people "stuck in apartments that have become like prisons" due to poor quality work and safety breaches.
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