10 September 2025
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Powerful message: Garry Ratcliffe with his family
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) is supporting the fourth annual World Ventilation Day (WV8D) with an event showcasing the latest solutions for improving the health, well-being and productivity of all building occupants.
The global initiative (#WorldVentil8Day) is supported by industry bodies, universities and environmental groups and takes place on November 8 every year. It aims to raise awareness of the vital role played by ventilation in tackling issues like overheating, condensation, mould and damp in both residential and commercial buildings.
BESA’s Ventil8 Day Exchange at the Building Centre, London, will feature a full day programme focusing on residential ventilation and mould in the morning followed by an afternoon dedicated to commercial building solutions. It is sponsored by AIRO, S&P Ventilation, Swegon, IAQ Services and Nuaire and is being organised in partnership with industry bodies BEAMA and CIBSE.
The programme includes case studies, expert presentations, a panel debate and several practical take-aways. It will take place on November 6 with recordings and results amplified through social media and online on the day itself, which this year falls on a Saturday.
Garry Ratcliffe, the CEO of a multi-academy trust of nine primary schools in Kent, will open the event with his personal and moving story. Drawing on his experience with the BBC’s DIY SOS Big Build, which involved the demolition and rebuilding of his family home in just over a week, Garry will explore how installing a bespoke ventilation system has dramatically improved life for his children, three of whom have complex disabilities.
Other organisations worldwide will also be running events reflecting this year’s theme of Collabor8 to Ventil8 - best practices for all with the focus on providing practical solutions for facilities managers, building services engineers, local authorities, housing associations and others involved in the design and operation of buildings.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that exposure to poor indoor air quality (IAQ) is directly linked to 3.8 million premature deaths worldwide every year and the three previous World Ventil8 Days have featured practical demonstrations of how good ventilation can reduce exposure to air pollutants and infectious diseases, aid human productivity and improve sleep.
“I am delighted that BESA is once again taking a leading role in this fast-growing international celebration and showcase,” said Nathan Wood, who leads the World Ventilation Day working group.
“The role of ventilation came to the fore during and after the Covid-19 pandemic when the spread of infection was shown to increase rapidly in under-ventilated indoor spaces. Since then, more studies have shown how poor ventilation leads to serious health problems linked to mould, damp and high humidity.
“Awareness is higher than it has ever been, but our challenge now is to make practical solutions more affordable and accessible to as many people as possible,” added Wood.
The WV8D website includes a range of free resources including ‘top facts’ about the role of ventilation, and different methods that can be adapted depending on the age, design, location, and purpose of the building. It also explains how building operators can manage the complex trade-off between ventilation, energy consumption, climate change, urban pollution, noise, comfort and security.
For more information and to register for the BESA Ventil8 Day Exchange visit the website here.
