Mike Smith made honorary member of BSRIA
20th March 2019UK: BSRIA engineering director Mike Smith has been made an honorary member of the association he joined more than 30 years ago.
This is only the 11th time this honour has been awarded in BSRIA’s 64-year history. The award recognises an extraordinary contribution to the association and the independent promotion of best practice in the building services industry.
Mike joined BSRIA in September 1988 to run the company’s maintenance centre, which at the time had two research contracts and no staff. Over the next 12 years he built a large team concentrating on three main themes – improving maintenance management, improving the efficiency of air conditioning refrigeration systems and improving construction productivity.
Under the government’s Partners in Innovation scheme in the late 1990s, Mike was responsible for the delivery on 56 separate research projects. This co-authored work produced well over 40 of BSRIA world renowned publications including the early versions of BG 6, the commissioning guides, the only large-scale performance trials of VRF equipment and guides about offsite construction and business focused maintenance.
At the 1999 AGM, Mike was elected to the BSRIA board a position he retains to this day.
Mike’s technical career has also spanned senior roles outside BSRIA. His research achievements for the industry as a whole have also driven his own personal contribution to CIBSE. As a long-term member of the knowledge management committee, Mike has ensured vital consistency between CIBSE publications and BSRIA’s research.
In October 2010, Mike was awarded the CIBSE Silver medal and in April 2016, Mike was also made an honorary fellow of CIBSE in recognition of his contribution to CIBSE and industry. He is a fellow of the Institute of Refrigeration and for many years was on its technical committee. He is a board member of ACRIB, and has been an ASHRAE member for over 25 years, contributing to its technical committees and handbooks.
“Mike is highly respected by everyone associated with BSRIA as is demonstrated by his nomination for this award by his peers from across the industry at the BSRIA Board,” said BSRIA chief executive Julia Evans.