The global view

What makes us part of an international organisation? Well, there is CIBSE's relatively recent appointment of an international vice-president. But that alone does not make us global. However, I'll tell you what does - the fundamentals of our science transcend all borders. We are one of the most informed professions on the global impact of our work. And the companies we work for are increasingly trading in an international arena.

So I think it is time that, as members of an "international" institution, we start to change the way we think, and our organisation starts to change the way it acts. After all, one fifth of our institution's membership is outside the UK. In fact CIBSE membership is spread across 80 different countries.

Sure, we will still need to focus on local issues and our immediate commercial environment. But acting locally is not the primary role of an international organisation - or even the members that selflessly volunteer their time to serve on it. It is there to focus on wider issues.

Well-placed to make an impact

Our organisation is in a unique position to provide international leadership in our profession's ever-increasing importance within the building industry. In fact, I cannot think of any institution that is in a better place to make a significant impact by thinking and acting globally. There are some very honourable organisations trying to save the planet, but as an organisation CIBSE can provide the knowledge, training and guidance to deliver sustainability in the built environment like no other organisation. And we shouldn't be under any misapprehension about our international role - if we don't help solve things globally, it's curtains for that quaint little Cornish village just the same as it is for that idyllic Fijian archipelago.

But let me be clear: this is not about promoting an international standardisation of design. The "International" architectural movement led by Le Corbusier has already proved this approach is flawed. So we should not be thinking in terms of standard building designs, sealed and conditioned to the same temperature everywhere around the world. Instead, our designs must be responsive to local conditions and each region must look to local techniques and local materials for an intelligent solution. That is why we as individuals still need to think globally yet act at regional level.

Acting locally is not the primary function of an international organisation, or its members. It is there to focus on wider issues

The recent international initiatives by CIBSE are to be welcomed by all members, and especially those classed as "overseas" members. However, they do not go far enough if our organisation is to have a global impact. I suggest we need to look at things in an entirely different way. We need to change our mindset (as William McDonough puts it in his excellent book, Cradle to Cradle) from a "less bad" approach to a "good" one. So rather than designing buildings and products so they have less of an environmental impact, we should be thinking in terms of design that is beneficial to the environment.

This commitment would make the difference between being part of an establishment that simply operates in a number of countries to being part of a more ambitious international organisation. Of course, the institution will need to change to reflect its new role and there will have to be some cultural and procedural changes throughout the organisation.

But why bother to change anything, you ask, when most individual members' needs are well served at the moment? Well, think about the benefits. You could be part of an international, professional organisation with a truly global view - just imagine the kudos of membership, the impact on our ability to attract people to the industry, the opportunity to open political doors, the increased publication sales and the international transportability of our expertise.

What we need now are some global champions to "internationalise" our organisation so that as individuals we can take advantage of the unique and exciting opportunity we currently have. Each of us, and CIBSE in all its guises, now need to start to think globally so that we can start to act globally.

Dan Mackenzie is a director of engineering consultants Steensen Varming.and chairman of CIBSE's Australia and New Zealand region.