This year’s APS National Conference will return to a face-to-face format, focusing on effective collaboration across project teams, with Dame Judith Hackitt delivering the keynote address.
APS is delighted to announce that Dame Judith Hackitt will deliver a keynote address at the APS National Conference 2026, marking a major moment in the return of the flagship event to a face-to-face format.
A defining force in building safety reform, Dame Judith’s ongoing impact on regulation, competence and accountability makes her the fitting keynote speaker for this year’s theme: Beyond Compliance: When regulation is only the starting point. Her address will set the tone for a conference focused on how the industry moves from meeting regulatory requirements to demonstrating leadership, culture change and high-quality outcomes across the built environment.
Taking place on Wednesday 9 September at Aston University in Birmingham, the event marks APS’ first in-person national conference in several years. After a period of successful online delivery, the return to the room offers members a valuable opportunity to engage directly with regulators, policy makers, industry leaders and peers, and to reconnect through discussion, debate and shared learning.
The programme
The conference will open with a welcome from APS President Mark Snelling, who will frame the day’s discussions around the role of compliance, its limitations and the increasing importance of professional practice.
Across the morning programme, delegates will explore how organisations can build capability, culture and competence beyond minimum standards. Sessions will consider how competence is demonstrated and managed in practice, the role of values-led safety leadership, and the importance of effective collaboration and shared responsibility across project teams.
Further sessions will focus on the CDM post implementation review, providing insight into how roles and responsibilities are evolving within the wider building safety regime. Information management will also feature prominently, examining how digital, accurate and intelligent information can move beyond compliance to support assurance, accountability and better decisionmaking across the building lifecycle.
Post-Grenfell developments
Delivered at the heart of the programme, Dame Judith’s keynote will reflect on post-Grenfell developments, regulatory expectations and the professional responsibility to commit to a high-quality built environment.
Her perspective provides a timely challenge to the sector: to embed competence, accountability and professional values as the foundation of practice, not the exception.
The remainder of the afternoon programme builds on this theme, with sessions on fire safety competence and statutory requirements, the future direction of building control reform, and a panel discussion exploring post-Grenfell developments across the four UK nations, bringing together perspectives from senior policy makers in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Ticket sales are now open, and with limited capacity at Aston University and strong demand anticipated following the announcement of Dame Judith as keynote speaker, members are encouraged to book early to secure their place.
The APS National Conference 2026 promises a timely, practical and thought-provoking day, exploring how the industry is redefining success, not just complying with regulation, but leading with competence, accountability and confidence.
The APS National Conference 2026 takes place at Aston University, Birmingham, on Wednesday 9 September. For more information head to www.aps.org.uk/aps-national-conference-2026
