Balesh Baleshan is a highly qualified member of committees within the glass and loading structure sectors. At the 2022 Standards Awards, his contributions toward glazing and fixing glass will be recognised with the Emerging Leader Award. As an active member of the Standards Australia community, Dr Balesh is helping to bridge the gap between academic and industry practice.

‍Dr Balesh is currently employed by Meinhardt, one of the largest independent engineering consultancies in the world. He has extensive experience in the field of façade and structural engineering, having previously worked for G. James Glass and Aluminium.

Dr Balesh’s journey with Standards Australia began when he became a member of Standards Australia’s NEXTgen program. NEXTgen is a professional development program that works with emerging industry and technical experts to give them exposure to standardisation processes. As an extremely qualified individual, both through education and experience, he has contributed immensely to the standardisation of glazing and fixing glass and loading on structures.

“The NEXTgen program was extremely beneficial for me. It allowed me to get an insider look at standards and their development and gave me the chance to make connections I use to this day. I am still regularly in contact with my mentor Adam Stingemore, who has truly helped me see the human value of standards and their role in society”, explained Dr Balesh.

Following the NEXTgen program, Dr Balesh became a committee member for BD-006 - General Design Requirements and Loading on Structures and BD-007 - Glazing and Fixing of Glass. Dr Balesh is actively involved in the world of standards; currently working on the latest developments of AS/NZS 1170.2:2021 ‘Structural design actions, Part 2: Wind actions’ and AS 1288:2021 ‘Glass in buildings - Selection and installation’ by BD-006 and BD-00 7, respectively.

As a part of these committees, Dr Balesh has played a significant role in the process of updating glazing standards and eliminating blemishes. This update has provided more comprehensive data to determine the minimum requirements for the safe design of glass and has had a positive impact on the façade industry, with a more accurate design approach to public safety. It is one of his outstanding contributions to the glazing industry lately.

These are some of the many reasons Dr Balesh is being awarded the Emerging Leader Award.

“I was incredibly happy to hear I was being recognised with this award. It feels like I’ve gone on an exciting journey with standards over the past couple of years, the development and published standards are reward enough for my work, but this award is the ‘cherry on top’ of the experience so far. Standards are incredibly important for all sectors, and we must continue to develop minimum requirements and guidelines to ensure safety and consumer confidence,” explained Dr Balesh.

“I was originally paired with Balesh as part of the NEXTgen program. It’s been wonderful to see his progression since then and the many contributions he’s made to standards and Standards Australia. I am thrilled he’s being recognised and acknowledged with the Emerging Leader Award. And I look forward to seeing how Balesh continues to positively impact standards and his industry over the coming years,” said Adam Stingemore, General Manager Engagement and Communications.