CIBSE Certification ltd, a wholly owned CIBSE subsidiary, stands out as a trusted certification body dedicated to supporting clients in achieving safe, net-zero, and better-performing buildings. With its profits reinvested into the charity to enhance the built environment, CIBSE Certification offers a unique blend of technical expertise and commitment to industry advancement. From UKAS-accredited management system certifications to being the sole provider of NABERS UK ratings and UKAS accredited and government-approved energy assessor schemes, CIBSE Certification is recognised as a leader in the field. Panos Balalas, CIBSE’s PR & Communications Manager, sat down with Kieran O'Brien, Director of Certification at CIBSE Certification ltd, to explore what sets CIBSE Certification apart and why it's the preferred choice for building services professionals and organisations.
Kieran, can you share the key reasons why CIBSE Certification is different from other certification bodies in the industry?
Our raison d’etre is to help achieve CIBSE’s vision of Net Zero, Safe, and better performing buildings via certification services within the built environment, and to help fund the charity through profits generated from our commercial activities. We are sector specialists offering certification services covering personnel, organisations, buildings and products for the built environment. We are unique in that we are the sole provider of services: NABERS UK, Embodied Carbon verification (ECV) based on CIBSE TM65, and the only UKAS Accredited Personnel Scheme for EPC assessors and DEC assessors. Our UKAS ISO 17021 accreditation covers ISO 9001, ISO14001, ISO45001, and ISO 50001 and while not unique, our auditors are sector experts and well versed in the particular demands facing organisations operating in this space.
What were the most significant developments in 2024 for CIBSE Certification ltd?
We launched the MSS register for Management system specialists to help support organisations using management of systems to improve their performance, and to manage regulatory obligations and minimise risks. In April, we took on the role of NABERS UK administrator with the scheme accepting new applications from July and and business has grown steadily with strong interest in training and assessor registration along with for Design for Performance agreements. We expanded our technical team and recruited a NABERS UK expert to manage the new business ensuring our reputation for technical expertise was maintained.
In July we launched our newest service, Embodied Carbon Verification (ECV) based on CIBSE TM65 which we piloted over the previous months. We issued 30+ certificates before year end for a range of products with Mitsubishi Electric, Crane Fluid Systems, Grundfos being early adopters of the scheme. In September, we received formal notification of the expansion of our UKAS accreditation to include ISO 45001 and now can offer accredited Certification to ISO 9001:15, ISO 14001:15, ISO 45001:18, and ISO 50001:18. UKAS completed a case study on our accreditation journey in November and this was published in early January 2025.
We have worked with British Land since 2017 and completed the certification of its Office and retail sites to ISO 14001/50001 in 2024. Our work with them has grown since taking on the role of NABERS UK administrator with British Land being one of the early advocates of NABERS UK. Our marketing team completed a case study on British Land in December and how it’s strategic goals have been enabled by using our management system certification services, using NABERS UK ratings at their York property and this is due for publication in February 2025.
How does being a wholly owned subsidiary of CIBSE, and reinvesting profits into the charity benefit clients and the broader built environment?
Our association with CIBSE, and clarity of purpose is important to clients, and generates confidence in our sector knowledge, and confirms our clear focus on using our certification expertise and profits to help achieve the Industry’s and CIBSE’s common vision. This is widely shared by ethical, and professional organisations, and gives added confidence in our services, and our selection as Certification partner to help achieve both Industry and organisational goals.
CIBSE Certification is recognised for its technical expertise. Could you elaborate on how this expertise is reflected in your certification services?
Our expertise comes from experience working in the industry, and this is recognised by our various accreditations and approvals e.g. UKAS, MHLGC, Australian Government (NABERS), Scottish Government. Our expertise is also recognised by the positive testimonials and repeat business from our customers which include AECOM, ARUP, British Land, Grundfos, Hoare Lee, Mitsubishi Electric and Sweco to name a few.
What role does accreditation/approval play in the value and credibility of CIBSE Certification's services?
It generates additional confidence in our technical capabilities, and as an independent and impartial Certification Body which can demonstrate compliance with various international and government standards. While our association with CIBSE is important for brand recognition and access to the latest Building Service guidelines, accreditation allows to demonstrate that our certification services can compete with larger competitors active across multiple industries.
CIBSE Certification is the sole provider of NABERS UK ratings and UKAS approved energy assessor schemes. Why are these distinctions significant for clients?
Again, our selection by NABERS as the Certification Body to take over from BRE as the administrator of NABERS UK helps reinforce our credibility as a key Certification Body active in the Built Environment. Our decision to seek UKAS accreditation for our Energy Assessor schemes over and above the required MHLGC approval was driven by confidence in our capabilities and a desire to highlight our technical competence and customer service particularly important for the non-domestic market.
Can you explain how management systems certifications, such as ISO 19001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 or ISO 50001, help organisations active in the built environment become more effective and meet regulatory obligations?
Management systems standards require organisations to identify business objectives, environmental, energy and environmental contractual and legal obligations, and to have effective systems in place to meet objects and demonstrate legal compliance. Our expertise in the sector, and auditor industry knowledge and familiarity with requirements ensures our certification services delivers real value to customers operating in the built environment.
With your focus on safe, net-zero, and better-performing buildings, how does CIBSE Certification support the industry’s journey towards achieving net-zero goals?
It does so through the provision of unique certification services dedicated to helping people, organisations, manufacturers and building owners demonstrate competence, and ensure effective systems are in place to achieve their goals. Furthermore, the funds we provide CIBSE allow it to build resources and networks to generate knowledge, and guidance etc to help Industry move towards Net Zero.
What kinds of organisations typically benefit from CIBSE Certification’s services, and could you highlight some of the key clients you’ve worked with?
Our customers are typically, engineering and energy consultancies, property and facility management organisations, and manufacturers with sizes ranging from sole proprietors to SMEs and large multinationals. Some of the better-known household names are British Land, Grundfos, Hoare Lee, Mitsubishi Electric and Sweco to name a few but with the expansion of our UKAS accreditation we expect our personnel scheme customers particularly from engineering and energy consultancies and property management organisations to also choose to use our management system certification services.
For organisations currently with management systems certified by other Certification Bodies, what would you say to encourage them to consider transitioning to CIBSE Certification?
Many users of our certification services may not be aware that we can offer a fulI suite of UKAS accredited integrated management system certification services. I would ask them to look at the expert service we currently provide through our personnel schemes, and to consider using our services for certification of their management systems.
In general, I would urge organisations to question how their corporate vision and financial, environmental, energy, quality, and safety goals, are reflected appropriately in their supplier approval process. Are these factors reflected in the process when choosing a Certification Body, or is it a process of sticking with the “devil you know”?
I have worked with many small and large Certification Bodies over the past 20+ years and am confident that CIBSE Certification has an incredibly competitive service for the built environment which cannot be matched for technical expertise, and customer service. Our focus is entirely on the sector, our profits are reinvested in our certification services or gift aided to charity, and our position in this market is truly unique.
Looking ahead, what are your goals and plans for CIBSE Certification in 2025, and how do you see it contributing to the evolution of the built environment?
CIBSE Certification is well known for its Personnel Certification services and its technical knowledge and support is recognised by many of the largest Engineering Consultancies in the sector. It’s selection as NABERS UK Administrator was widely welcomed by both Engineering Consultancies and by Property Organisations who know us as part of CIBSE. We are now recognised for our innovative new Embodied Carbon Verification services (ECV), and work is ongoing to better communicate our full range of management system certification services to our target market. We feel that with our origins and expertise in Building Services, with a full range of certification services, willingness to innovate and expand to meet industry needs, we are the Certification Body of choice for those organisations active within Building Services engineering.