[6] In January 2016, it amended its name slightly to the Building Engineering Services Association, dropping the ampersand from both its name and acronym (now BESA).

[7] In September 2017, BESA announced it was restructuring its organisation with an increased focus on training, legal and commercial support.

[10] As an employers' association,[11] it negotiates benefits and conditions for employees in the sector in a National Agreement with Unite the Union.

[12] The BESA provides quality assurance services, promotes excellence and seeks to shape the commercial environment in which its members operate through representation and leadership; it has submitted written evidence to the UK Parliament on matters including industry training[13] and university skills provision,[14] health and safety,[15] and energy and climate change.

[25] Internationally, the BESA is a member of GCP Europe, the European umbrella body for the HVACR and plumbing sectors,[26] and of CEETB (European Technical Contractors Committee for the Construction Industry), which represents all engineering specialists across Europe's construction sector.