President's Column June 2026

16/06/2025

Category: President's Column

Two years of changes

As this is my final column before handing over the baton to the next BCSA President, it is appropriate to reflect on the events and changes that have affected the steelwork construction industry during my two years in office.

In this column, I have tried to cover those subjects that have been at the centre of industry discussions and debates. These included the pros and cons of hybrid working, the steelwork contractor’s position within the supply chain, and more recently, the global tariff war that continues to affect the UK steel import and export markets. Although each of these matters merits their own discussion, they have been vastly overshadowed by three major shifts in the way we now think, plan and operate in our sector of the industry.

First, and like most of the historical (and often damaging) events that have shaped the evolution of the UK’s building regulations, the harsh lessons of the Grenfell fire tragedy directly led to the development and publication of the Building Safety Act of 2022, which has been described as the most fundamental reform of regulations across the entire construction sector. It not only changed the laws relating to the design and construction of buildings, it also introduced major provisions and liabilities relating to construction products. In addition, it reiterated the need to demonstrate competence and accountability, and has clearly reopened the debate about appropriate fire resistance periods. All of which we now need to incorporate into the way we plan and operate.

Second, the elevation of sustainability on to the global stage and the resulting roadmap to zero carbon buildings has transformed the way we design, procure and build our steel structures. However, the recent conflicting strategies at Tata’s steel production plant in Port Talbot and the sudden ‘government control’ of the British Steel plant in Scunthorpe, demonstrate that this roadmap is anything but clear and concise. We have collectively argued, as an industry, for some time that the embodied carbon limits currently being specified by clients and developers are all too often unachievable. At last, there are encouraging signs of a more balanced approach and understanding, and the BCSA has established its position at the forefront of this initiative.

Third, and unsurprisingly, I come to my favourite topic of black-box solutions and our over-reliance on design software. In my opinion (and this won’t be helped by the next generation of Eurocodes) we are slowly heading towards a situation where the only way to check a software design will be by using a different software package to verify the results. The question of how we incorporate AI into the industry is still an open one, and I am confident that it will offer major improvements to our planning and production procedures, but in relation to building designs, for now it remains an unsafe tool in inexperienced hands.

In closing, I believe that the BCSA is growing in strength as it continues to support its members through a combination of training courses, safety alerts, technical and contractual advice, and government lobbying. The SCCS accreditation services are rapidly expanding and Steel for Life continues to actively promote steel as the ‘material of choice’.

Despite the challenges we have collectively encountered, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as BCSA President and have been privileged to represent the Members over the past two years. I now intend to focus on providing continuity and support for the incoming President who will take up the position at the upcoming AGM on 17th June.

Gary Simmons,  BCSA President

Share