In December 1946 a small group of people held an inaugural meeting in Blackburn, Lancashire, their aim being to form a body comprising representatives from all sectors of the building industry and allied professionals.

The name agreed for the new organisation was the Faculty of Building (fob), its primary objective being to provide business interaction and development within the industry, including the provision of information in the form of technical publications and papers to members. 

 Membership was based on expertise and technical qualification. During the next 50 years the fob grew to be a national organisation, representing a wide range of disciplines in the construction sector.  Through social events and professional training, the fob enabled contacts to be made and strengthened.

As the construction industry continued to develop and integrate with a wider range of industries and professionals, the fob’s remit gradually changed from its original purpose, including that as a “learned society”, focusing increasingly as a multi-disciplinary networking organisation such that in 2007 the decision was taken to re-brand as the Forum for the Built Environment and be known as fbe.

Today the Faculty of Building, trading as Forum for the Built Environment (fbe) is the UK’s leading independent built environment networking organisation, connecting people from across the construction and related industries and sectors.