BFM April 2020

APRIL 2020 www.bfmmagazine.co.uk building & facilities facilities management management

INSIDE:

SECURITY & ACCESS CONTROL | BUILDING & REFURB | RECYCLING

Lift Maintenance: Why it’s important and saves you money…

see page 12

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On the cover: During these troubling times, please follow Government guidelines. Stay Home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives.

April 2020

BFM Team Business Development Director

James Scrivens james@abbeypublishing.co.uk Production

Sarah Daviner sarah@abbeypublishing.co.uk Accounts Manager

Katie Brehm accounts@abbeypublishing.co.uk

Contents News

4

FM provider Artic Building Services support NHS in battle with COVID-19

Health & Safety

12

Lift Maintenance: Why it’s important and saves you money

Cleaning & Hygiene

14

Jangro Celebrates Ruby Anniversary

Special Feature BFM is published digitally 10 times a year b ­ y Abbey Publishing Ltd. To receive a copy free of charge, contact our offices.

Tel: 01933 316931 Email: bfm@abbeypublishing.co.uk www.bfmmagazine.co.uk www.abbeypublishing.co.uk www.twitter.com/ BFM_Magazine

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Join the PSSA today

Flooring

20

New Altro Wood Adhesive Free Sets A High Standard At Special School

Washroom

22

Zoo’s all inclusive

Building & Refurbishment

24

Secondary glazing enriches Art Deco revival of Hatfield’s most iconic building

Some manufacturers and suppliers have made a contribution toward the cost of reproducing some photographs in this magazine.

All contents © Abbey Publishing Ltd 2017 ISSN: 1470-5281

Building & Facilities Management – April 2020

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News

FM provider Artic Building Services support NHS in battle with COVID-19 Facilities Management experts, Artic Building Services, are supporting the NHS in a bid to fight the Coronavirus. The company already provides FM to several NHS sites in London and the South East and are currently providing additional resource to their clinical teams and other key workers to cope with the additional pressure they are facing.

As many of their non-NHS sites have moved to closure or reactive cover only, they have an in-house engineer base able to deal with increased demand on critical sites.

As well as supporting the continuing repair and maintenance of hospital wards and essential services to back up clinical staff, Artic’s engineers will be supporting in maintaining electrical services and systems, air conditioning, heating and ventilation as well as building repairs.

In the effort to fight against Covid-19, Artic’s engineers will provide additional cover for staff who are unable to attend work through illness or selfisolation and will add to the existing numbers of engineering staff giving their support.

Artic are following strict guidance on each Trusts individual protocol. All engaged

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engineers are in possession of written authorisation from the NHS sites. They are following enhanced measures when on site and are all in possession of full PPE for their H&S, that of the site, patrons and the tasks to be undertaken.

Paul Lucas, Managing director says “I’ve been in the Facilities

Management Industry for 20 years and have never had to put such measures in place. I’m so proud of my team and the incredible job they are doing.”

To find out more about Artic, get in touch with us - / www.articbuildingservices. com/contact/

Building & Facilities Management – April 2020

News

BigChange honoured with Queen’s Award for Enterprise BigChange, the mobile workforce management technology company, has been awarded a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise, one of the highest official honours for companies in the UK. BigChange was recognised in the 2020 Innovation category for developing JobWatch, a mobile workforce management system that connects back office staff, mobile workers and customers, enabling users to automate manual processes, reduce paper usage and facilitate collaboration on the go.

When it launched in 2013, JobWatch was delivered as a cloud-based service and sold on a per-user basis. This reduced the cost and complexity of introducing the technology and made high-end mobile workforce tools accessible to organisations of all sizes for the first time. It is now used by 45,000 mobile workers and back-office personnel at 1,300 organisations globally.

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise celebrates businesses who excel at international trade, innovation or sustainable development. BigChange, which employs 167 people, will receive its award at a Buckingham

Palace reception later this year.

Martin Port, founder and CEO of BigChange, comments: “We are delighted to win such a prestigious award. This recognises the efforts of our people who have worked so hard to develop and deliver JobWatch, as well as the customers that inspire and use it everyday to grow and transform their own industries. We have global ambitions for BigChange and this honour will open doors for us around the world.”

Daniel Long, Managing Director of Clearabee, comments: “We’ve worked with BigChange since the early days

of Clearabee, and it remains a critical pillar in our technology strategy. BigChange is integrated into all parts of our business and saves us a tremendous amount of time. What we like most about the JobWatch platform is its versatility. BigChange continues to add new features and new functionality. It is continuously innovating and adding to the system.”

Michael Taylor, CEO of Contego Environmental Services, comments: “Contego started life in 2004 as a one-man-band specialising in bird control and has grown to become one of the largest national pest control businesses in the UK. BigChange has ensured our operations could keep up with that level of growth. We’ve used BigChange for several years now, and it has transformed our business.

It gives us complete visibility of our operations and allows us to manage our national workforce centrally from our base in County Durham.”

Email: info@bigchange.com Phone +44 (0)113 457 1000 www.bigchange.com

www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

News

5

News

CENTIEL’s UPS Now Enabled with Bluetooth Leading UPS manufacturer, CENTIEL has announced that its industry leading 4th generation, true modular UPS CumulusPowerTM known for its “9 nines” (99.9999999%) system availability, plus its stand-alone UPS PremiumTowerTM are now enabled with Bluetooth to allow usage information to be downloaded including status, alarm and event logs. The new Bluetooth device connects customers, data centre managers and engineers with their CENTIEL UPS system using a service app to enable them to monitor its performance more closely.

Gerado Lecuona, Co-founder and global sales director, CENTIEL confirms: “Designed for use on smartphones and tablets, CENTIEL’s app now allows technicians to connect

to customers’ uninterruptible power supplies via Bluetooth, to download historical data.

Data is then pushed from the UPS to the smart device through an intuitive interface.

This information is automatically organized into a file that can be either archived or shared through emails. For safety reasons, commands cannot be given to the UPS (it only reads).

The app also works at a module level for CumulusPowerTM. “We are committed to delivering greater efficiencies for our clients. Close, ease of monitoring of the UPS can ensure it is working optimally and availability is maximized and the new app offers a quick way to access important information about the UPS’ performance. CENTIEL’s app is the ideal choice for service providers who want to become less dependent on a wi-fi connection for data sharing and to alleviate the need to connect to the pc-based software tool.”

The app is currently available for Android phones with an update expected over the next few months for iOS users.

The app is easy to use and customers simply need to download and connect to the required system/module.

CumulusPowerTM has now been installed in datacenters and comms rooms in over 60 countries across five continents.

More than 50 MW of critical power loads are now protected with CumulusPowerTM in locations across the world including: the UK, Singapore, Australia, Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic and the Channel Islands.

PremiumTowerTM, is CENTIEL’s standalone UPS ideally suited to applications where facilities don’t want to compromise on quality while minimizing total cost of ownership is a significant factor.

For further information please see: www.centiel.com

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News

Building & Facilities Management – April 2020

Bring Method to the madness Make recycling a habit with a consistent Method System methodrecycling.com

News

JOHNSTONE’S TRADE LAUNCHES ‘ULTIMATE DEFENCE’ AGAINST WEAR AND TEAR ON INTERIOR TRIM Johnstone’s Trade today launches Aqua Guard, their most durable water based satin paint to date. This new, durable water based paint has been specifically designed to defend interior wood and metal surfaces against scratches, wear and tear and greasy finger marks in high traffic areas.

Interior wood and metal surfaces are often vulnerable to stains, scratches and grease in areas where the paint surface has softened, leaving surfaces open to regular redecorating and maintenance. However, with innovative Surface Protection technology, Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Guard creates a defensive barrier to ensure a long-lasting and premium finish. This unique

technology helps extend the maintenance cycle of a building, providing a highquality finish for longer and prolonging the time between redecoration.

David Baines, technical specification manager at PPG, explained: “We know that good design is about how the building makes occupants feel on a day to day basis, and this is becoming a bigger consideration for clients awarding tenders for projects.”

“Specifying coatings such as Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Guard, which will look clean and fresh for longer, will contribute to the overall long-term aesthetic of a building as well as reduce the lifetime cost of maintenance.”

Not only is Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Guard durable, it also has advanced application properties with excellent covering power and long-lasting whiteness.

The water based technology, with quick drying and low odour qualities, also means that end clients don’t have to worry about lingering paint smells.

The new product sits within the already well-established Aqua Water Based Collection from Johnstone’s Trade, which offers high-quality water based alternatives to traditional solvent based paints. Each product provides the application and feel of a solvent based product, while delivering the benefits of a water based coating.

Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Guard is now available on NBS Plus as well as the National BIM Library. For more information about Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Guard, head to your local Johnstone’s Decorating Centre or stockist or visit: www.johnstonestrade. com/aqua-guard

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News

Building & Facilities Management – April 2020

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News

Interserve to provide facilities management to COVID-19 NHS Nightingale North West Hospital Interserve Group Limited, the international support services, construction and equipment group, has been commissioned by the UK Government to provide facilities management services to the NHS Nightingale North West Hospital that will be treating COVID-19 patients.

Interserve is recruiting more than 200 people to deliver the contract.

The new hospital is one of several under development in the UK and is the second that Interserve will be supporting.

Interserve Construction is acting as the principal contractor on the NEC Nightingale Hospital in Birmingham and is due to finish the first phase of the critical NHS facility in an intense sevenday, around-the-clock building project in which they have already delivered 40,000 hours of work.

The NEC Nightingale will initially take 800 patients and will have full capacity for up to 4,000.

The NHS Nightingale North

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West Hospital is due to open on 12th April in Manchester.

As part of the deal, Interserve pledged to mobilise the full suite of FM services in ten days.

Interserve will be providing a range of facilities management services to the NHS Nightingale North West Hospital including: catering, cleaning, maintenance, portering, concierge and waste management services. Initially the facility will house around 500 beds, with the capacity to expand to 1,000, and will be used as a “step down” centre - so that intensive care beds at hospitals can be used for acute cases.

Ian Williamson, Project Lead for the NHS Nightingale North West Hospital, said: “NHS Nightingale Hospital North West will provide the highest possible standard of care for Covid-19 patients from across the whole region, and will free up capacity in our hospitals.

“The professionalism and commitment of the people who have come together from a

wide range of organisations has made it possible to build a new hospital in just a few weeks and we are all proud to be involved in helping the NHS to save lives.”

Martin Burholt, Managing Director for Interserve’s UK Communities and International FM business unit, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the NHS and the North West community with this vital healthcare service. Our expertise in providing crucial support services to front-line clinical operations has ensured we can mobilise the FM services swiftly and effectively.”

“Our facilities management teams continue to provide essential cleaning, maintenance, security and catering services to frontline operations across the UK. I am immensely proud of our colleagues for delivering exceptional services during these challenging times.” www.interserve.com

Building & Facilities Management – April 2020

23 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE. 12 MILES WALKED EVERY DAY. 500,000 FANS EVERY SEASON. 4 ACRES OF TRAINING PITCHES. 1 LAWN MOWER. STIHL LIFE. ƒ

When it comes to the challenge of looking after parks and pitches all year round, STIHL tackles it head on.

With a range of tools designed to maintain grounds to the highest and most professional standards. Not only does STIHL set the standard for quality, efficiency and reliability, our tools are also easy to maintain and offer superb parts availability. All of which adds up to minimum downtime and maximum performance.

Ed Mowe, Head Groundsman for Leicester Tigers, with the STIHL RM 655 RS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL STIHL DEALER. STIHL.CO.UK

Health & Safety

Lift Maintenance: Why it’s important and saves you money As lift consultants, we can’t stress enough how important it is to regularly maintain your lift. For both functioning and legal reasons, having a well-maintained lift doesn’t have to break the bank and can in fact be cost saving for you.

To shed some light on why lift maintenance is important, we caught up with David Pickering, Associate Director at ILECS. Starting as an apprentice, David has over 20 years’ experience within the industry. He was working as a senior engineer in Dublin before moving to consultancy in the UK in 2002. He has a Masters in Lift Engineering from the University of Northampton and is a member of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

HOW IMPORTANT IS LIFT MAINTENANCE FOR ENSURING A RELIABLE LIFT? I sometimes use the analogy of a car (or more specifically a taxi) when I am explaining lifts to clients. It is often easier to explain the functions of various lift components in a language more easily understood by most people.

Like a car, a lift generally features: • a motor (machine) • brakes • electronic controller

• user controls • doors Some of these are considered consumable items, which require replacing on a routine basis throughout the life of the equipment.

For example, tyres, oil and filters on a car, and rollers, oil and ropes on a lift.

Similarly with cars, lifts come in different designs, from a variety of manufacturers of differing levels of quality and reputation. And like with a car, we expect to be able to enter a lift, and immediately travel to our required destination simply, quickly and reliably.

Keeping to this analogy, a lift, throughout its life should require regular servicing, routine inspections (statutory or otherwise) and have a programme of planned preventative maintenance in place.

SO, THE FIRST PORT OF CALL FOR HAVING A RELIABLE LIFT IS TO ADOPT AN ONGOING MAINTENANCE PLAN? Essentially, yes. Although, having a programme of planned preventative maintenance in place does more than ensure your lift continues to function properly. It also covers important safety and regulatory issues that you are required to comply with. This is in order to satisfy your legal obligations as a building operator or owner.

Regulations can apply to residential blocks as well as office buildings, including: • the Health and Safety at Work Act • the Lift Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations • the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations And making sure that your lift is in a good and safe working order is essential to ensuring compliance.

HOW MUCH MAINTENANCE WILL MY LIFT REQUIRE? Just like a car, the extent of maintenance a lift requires will differ from lift to lift. It will depend upon several factors, including: • the quality of the original equipment • age • level of use • type of use In a similar operating environment, a well installed heavily engineered lift will generally require a lower level of preventative maintenance than a value engineered installation due to the more robust nature of its components. Similarly, as a lift becomes older and components become worn and aged, it is likely to require a little more attention than a new lift, in order to safeguard against failures and reliability issues.

A new electric traction lift can last for approximately 20 years. However, ensuring that it remains reliable for that length of time is down to a suitable level of maintenance being applied throughout its full operating life.

WHAT TYPES OF LIFT MAINTENANCE ARE THERE? Most lift maintenance contractors will offer a number of different maintenance packages.

Selecting a suitable plan from a contractor can often be difficult.

There are a wide variety of contract types to consider, each one with its own set of inclusions (and sometimes more importantly, exclusions). You will rarely find two contractors offering identical plans.

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Health & Safety

Building & Facilities Management – April 2020

Health & Safety The correct maintenance package can: • help to prevent future lift failures • ensure you comply with your legal obligations, and • be cost saving Choosing the most appropriate maintenance package for your lift can not only help to prevent future lift failures but can also save you considerably more than simply the difference between the cheapest and most expensive option.

WHAT’S THE BEST MAINTENANCE PACKAGE TO GET? At ILECS, we always recommend that you seek professional advice before selecting the maintenance plan for your lift. A lift consultant can: • evaluate your lift’s age and condition • establish the best maintenance option to save you money • keep your lift operating reliably, legally and safely

IS IT MORE COSTSAVING TO HAVE A BASIC MAINTENANCE PACKAGE? While a cheaper basic package may at first glance appear most attractive, this can often prove to be false economy. Charges for replacement parts, which may not be included within a basic package can increase the total cost way above that, which would have been paid for the mid or higher end policy. This is especially true if the lift to be maintained is of an age or state of wear, where components are likely to be reaching the end of their service life.

The situation can often be aggravated further due to an insufficient number of preventative maintenance visits offered under the basic contract.

Fewer maintenance visits can mean fewer opportunities to: • identify worn parts • adjust ageing components • prevent future failures

If your lift is at an age or state of wear where the components are likely to be reaching the end of their service life, it’s even more important to source a bespoke plan that covers your individual needs.

Get in touch for further advice on lift maintenance for your building, on 01206 399555, or via our website: https://www.liftconsultants.co.uk/

We manage your lifts, so you don’t have to...

From lift design and engineering, to administration support and lift management, it’s our job to provide expert advice and build impartial solutions designed to keep you moving.

Independent Lift & Escalator Consultants. Get in touch to discuss your requirements: w: www.liftconsultants.co.uk www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

t: 01206 399555

e: info@liftconsultants.co.uk Health & Safety

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Cleaning & Hygiene

Jangro Celebrates Ruby Anniversary 2020 marks forty years of success for independent janitorial and cleaning distributor, Jangro This year marks a milestone birthday for Jangro, the largest network of independent janitorial and cleaning distributors in the UK and Ireland, as the business celebrates forty years of success in the cleaning and FM industry.

The Jangro concept was founded in 1980 by Bryan Squires, now Jangro’s Honorary Life President, by drawing together five like-minded independent distributors. In the past four decades, Jangro has become a dynamic force in the cleaning supply industry.

Today it is the largest network of independent janitorial distributors in the UK and Ireland, with 46 strategically located distributors that provide national coverage with a local, fast and reliable delivery service.

Jangro truly appreciates the relationships it has built up

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Cleaning & Hygiene

and established over the past 40 years with its suppliers and members. Together, they regularly share best practice and ideas to ensure that Jangro continues to be a market leader providing quality products, innovation and unrivalled service throughout the group.

Joanne Gilliard, CEO at Jangro comments, ‘Jangro is 40 and still going strong! This is a huge achievement and we wouldn’t be where we are today without our brilliant suppliers and members. Our shared passion for quality, value, and innovation is just one of the reasons behind our success.

We value the relationships that have grown over the years and would like to say a massive thank you to the supply chain involved in the network.

‘At milestone moments such

as these, it’s great to look back to see where we have come from, but equally important to keep looking ahead. Our vision for the future is to continue building on our great customer offer, and to work with our industry colleagues to ensure our sector maintains its high standards.’

As well as supplying high quality products at consistent, competitive prices, Jangro offers its customers added value. One such example is the Jangro LMS (Learning Management Solution, its fully interactive, versatile, and awardwinning e-learning platform, to which each customer, and its staff has free access.

For more information visit www.jangro.net or call 01204 795 955.

Building & Facilities Management - April 2020

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CASE

STUDY ABOUT Trotters Traders are one of the largest independent hardware stores in Lincolnshire. Established in 2008, today they have 5 branches selling everything from gardening to DIY products.

Company Name Trotters Traders

Location

Branches throughout Lincolnshire

Services

Implementation of social distancing information and signage

THE SITUATION As hardware stores were featured on the government list of retail outlets essential to stay open and social distancing quickly becoming top of everyone’s mind.

Trotters wanted to make sure they were protecting their customers and staff as best they could during the coronavirus pandemic.

Working closely with Centurion for many years, Trotters approached Spectrum Industrial knowing their expertise in safety signage could help them with putting a signage program in place in their stores.

T: 01302 800273 E: Sales@spectrum-industrial.co.uk

www.spectrum-industrial.co.uk

On visiting the retailer, they had already placed tape markers on the floor. This was a great start and showed intentions towards best practice, but this make shift approach was not right, nor would it have lasted long. Using incorrect tape could end up creating both slip or trip hazards.

They had also placed a dot next to the counter which was too far away, meaning that when the customer stood on the dot to be served they could not reach the counter to pay. As we started to review the store we identified other issues such as racking / displays in the way creating narrow walk ways and lots of POS at the entrance causing bottlenecks.

Ple

as here wai t e

Ple a be se wa ser it to ved

THE SOLUTION Just putting a few signs on the floor to keep people two metres apart is not enough. The most important thing before starting to implement a way finding signage scheme is an assessment / audit of the premises as some re-design may be required.

Be

Be

soc

iall

soc

iall

ys

afe

ys

afe

tand se s Plea here

Starting at the counter area, we looked at the space as there were multiple serving staff at the counter at any one time.

We advised to move the till points to ensure the staff were two metres apart.

afe

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ocia

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Following this we then measured from the cashier to the customer side of the counter and placed a ‘Please stand here’ floor marker, with a second floor marker 2m from the first which said ‘Please wait here’. We then continued with a further 4 floor markers saying ‘Please keep 2m apart’ so that this started to form an orderly queue.

Whilst placing the floor markers, we relocated mobile displays and racking which would have restricted movement.

The shop operated a one way flow which is great for social distancing, however they had a problem with bottlenecks at the entrance of the shop, not good for social distancing. We understand that to a shop this is prime retail space, but it is important for social distancing that traffic keeps flowing. We advised to relocate and remove these displays and placed our audible social distance stand, which informs the customer as soon as they walk in, to stay socially safe, as well as adding a chevron floor sign system to show the customer which way the shop flows whilst encouraging the two metre distancing.

“

Please 2m* apkeep art 2m* / 6

ft

THE RESULT

Trotters were delighted with the installation service. Using our expertise ensured they could have a social distancing program in place that would grab attention, educate their shoppers and provide them with clear guidance to help keep both shoppers and staff stay as safe as possible.

“

T: 01302 800273 | E: Sales@spectrum-industrial.co.uk

www.spectrum-industrial.co.uk

Join the PSSA - Launching the Public Sector Sustainability Association The Public Sector Sustainability Association (PSSA) provides a professional association and network for all those working in the Public Sector who have a common interest in sustainability. The aim of the association is to bring together a wide group of people working across all areas of the Public Sector – to help educate, train, support and connect as we work towards a more sustainable future.

Never has there been a more pressing need and indeed, requirement for individuals and organisations to turn their attention to sustainability and take stock of their environmental impact on our world.

An increasing number of UK local authorities have declared a climate emergency. But having made this important step, what happens next? Well for many sustainability professionals working within these authorities, they simply do not know. Logically, the first step that can be taken is to develop a strategy to address

the challenge of the emergency they have declared. However there are a number of pitfalls and issues which can arise when doing so and there is a need for the individuals tasked with creating such a plan to be given the knowledge and support they need to do so.

Similar issues are faced by professionals working in the NHS (the health and care system in England is responsible for an estimated 4-5% of the country’s carbon footprint), Universities, Schools and of course central Government.

Through the PSSA we hope to

provide these individuals with the support, guidance and knowledge that will assist them and by extension, the entire country in tackling the climate emergency and recuding their organisations carbon footprint. The assocation will provide the latest news and developments, best practice, case studies, white papers, reports and guides to this aim.

There is no charge for membership to those working within the Public Sector and we are now open to new members.

If you are interested in joining, please visit our website where you will find more detailed information about the association and also a membership form to join. www.pssa.info

PSSAWARDS Public Sector Sustainability Awards Highlight your commitment to sustainability - become an environmental leader.

The purpose of the Public Sector Sustainability Awards is simple - to promote environmental leadership, to innovate and to inspire all those working in the Public Sector committed to reducing the carbon footprint of their organisation.

HOW TO ENTER: There is no qualifying criteria that needs to be satisfied in order to enter the awards. All we ask is that entrants send us up to 2000 words detailing the activities undertaken by them to reduce, by any means, the impact of their organisation on our environment. Please feel free to attach any images, graphs, charts etc to support your entry.

You can focus your entry on just one project or multiple schemes. You can enter as an individual or on behalf of your organisation, or both, as there are awards for both categories.

There is no charge for entry.

If you wish to enter, please complete the registration form at www.pssa.info/pssawards or download the form from the website, complete it and email it back to us. Your completed entry needs to be submitted by the 31st January 2020 and should include images and/or logos.

Please send your entries through to submissions@pssa.info.

If that is not possible, you can mail them to: PSS Awards, 42 Wymington Park, Rushden NN10 9JP

WILL YOU BE AMONG THE WINNERS IN 2020?

Flooring

New Altro Wood Adhesive Free Sets A High Standard At Special School Brand new Altro Wood adhesivefree safety flooring has been fitted in Kaimes Special School, in Edinburgh, setting a high standard for easy to fit, slip-resistant and homely surfaces for pupils and staff.

The installation of the new flooring was part of a wider refurbishment of the school by the City of Edinburgh Council, and integral to their drive to reduce sensory overload in primary and secondary schools by using ‘natural’ neutral colours and textures.

A spokesperson from the Interiors team at Edinburgh Council, says: “The biophilic design principles of bringing nature into schools have been proven to aid learning, promote calm and improve mood among pupils. Using a wood-effect flooring is a great way to create that atmosphere, and this is why we use Altro Wood adhesivefree— it’s a beautiful, homely and comfortable surface that also has very high slip resistance.

It ticks all the boxes for us.

“We worked closely with Altro

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flooring

on Kaimes Special School, and they recommended their new Altro Wood adhesive-free flooring for several reasons. Pupils at Kaimes all have complex emotional needs and creating a calm, comfortable space is very important. Reducing sensory overload and harsh colours is a vital part of this, and the existing floors were solid blues and greens, which were too overpowering visually. We know from using ranges from the Altro Wood collection in other schools that this surface can very effectively change the mood of a space with its neutral, warm and natural look.

“The adhesive-free element of the new flooring was also vital for this project, because the existing flooring had traces of asbestos in the adhesive. In other circumstances we would have had to lift the old flooring; a very costly and timeconsuming process. But we were able to lay the new Altro adhesivefree flooring straight on top of the old surface, which rendered the asbestos completely harmless. It was incredibly quick to fit as well,

going down in just a day, which hugely reduced disruption in the school. And of course there is no adhesive, so no lingering odours.”

New Altro Wood adhesive-free creates maximum impact with minimum downtime. Its 12 woodlook colour choices allow the creation of biophilic, stylish, or warm and homely aesthetics. It also coordinates with Altro’s other wood ranges.

With 14dB impact sound reduction, a 10-year guarantee and Altro’s one in a million slip-resistance reassurance, the flooring offers high levels of comfort underfoot, providing a safe, durable and decorative solution for busy spaces.

Using Altro’s award-winning adhesive-free installation method, it can be welded and walked on the same day, and at the end of its life can be removed easily, allowing it to be reused or recycled.

Using Altro adhesive-free floors, installation time can be halved, compared with a traditional adhered installation. It is ideal for busy public

Building & Facilities Management – April 2020

Flooring spaces, where disruption needs to be minimal, plus there are no associated adhesive odours.

The spokesperson from Edinburgh Council continues: “The new adhesive-free flooring was fitted in two spaces within the secondary parts of the school: the dining hall and ‘forum’ chill out space — a key area. Before the refit there was a blue vinyl floor and the space was too busy with colour and designs.

It didn’t have a ‘chill out’ vibe at all, and there were at times elements of unrest among the pupils.

“We did a huge amount of research to recreate the space as calm, restful, and somewhere pupils could go to recharge, choosing to either be by themselves in a private space, or play and interact with others.

“It is now a superb open plan space, de-cluttered, calm, with neutral colours, wood and other natural designs, and of course the new Altro Wood adhesivefree flooring plays a big part in that. We chose to use it in a large area within the school, so that we could continue the design and homely feel as far as possible.

“We are closely monitoring this project over time, but the early feedback is very positive.

It’s now a welcoming area where pupils can socialise and gather, it feels so much calmer and the aggression levels have really dropped. That is a huge success for us, and the new Altro flooring has already proven its worth, so we’ll definitely be using it in the future.

“But it’s not just the design side of the Altro Wood adhesive-free flooring that’s important; the practical advantages are also excellent, such as its durability. We sometimes use carpet in schools, but after five years or so it’s tired and in need of replacement. The Altro flooring is very tough and lasts for many years, so the cost benefit is huge. And of course the excellent slip resistance means it’s safe to use throughout a school, even in areas where there may be water spillages. It is so versatile, one finish suits all.”

The Edinburgh Council Interiors team also specified two other Altro

surfaces for Kaimes Special School. Altro Wood Comfort was fitted in the primary school classrooms, where pupils have high levels of behavioural problems. This 2.85mm thick option gives comfort underfoot and offers 14dB impact sound reduction, and has matching colour and design options with Altro Wood adhesivefree. Altro XpressLayTM adhesive-free flooring was also fitted in some corridors and circulation areas.

“We use Altro XpressLay a great deal in our refurbishments and new builds. Like the new Altro Wood adhesive-free it goes down so easily and quickly and can also be recycled, so it fits in with our sustainability principles too.”

Nick Burge, headmaster of Kaimes School, says: “The new wood-effect flooring in the dining room and forum looks fantastic, and it’s playing an important part in creating a space that is now warm, homely, calm and inviting.

“The previous blue flooring was far too dark, but this new surface has helped to create neutral tones, which is bringing significant benefits and our pupils remain regulated in a more sensory sympatric physical environment. Using the flooring in the dining and forum areas creates a continuous flow in the building, which is important for us as it means we can earmark areas where we know pupils will be less unsettled by strong colours and designs.

“The feedback from pupils, staff and visitors has been nothing but positive, and the flooring is proving practical too, easy to clean and it looks as good as it did when it was fitted six months ago.” www.altro.co.uk

Building & Facilities Management – November 2019

flooring

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Washroom

Zoo’s all inclusive Paignton Zoo’s commitment to being modern, inspiring and inclusive is reaching all areas- even the toilets- to enable everyone to enjoy one of Europe’s top 10 zoos.

Wild Planet Trust has opened a Changing Places assisted accessible toilet at Paignton Zoo, by the Island restaurant- the Zoo’s main catering outlet. The state-of-the-art toilet facility is part of a larger refurbishment programme at the Zoo, intended to reflect the Trust’s “modern, inspiring and inclusive outlook”.

Supplied and installed by Closomat, the Changing Places toilet features all the space and key equipment to enable anyone who needs help to deal with their intimate care to do so in an appropriate environment.

Without Changing Places, many disabled people cannot visit a venue, as they are unable to use standard wheelchair-accessible toilets(*).

The Changing Places toilet compliments a further facility already

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Washroom

in situ at the Trust’s sister venue, Newquay Zoo, also undertaken by Closomat, and Paignton Zoo’s other five conventional accessible WCs. “We aim to give our guests a good day out,” explained Adi Board, Paignton Zoo facilities manager.

“The Zoo has, throughout almost 100 years, been at the forefront of innovation and committed to operating at the best levels we can.

The refurbishment of the areas adjacent to the restaurant gave us an opportunity to upgrade and include a Changing Places toilet, so our accessibility provision is also to the highest standard possible. TripAdvisor has rated us as one of the top ten zoos in Europe: Changing Places will help enable even more people to enjoy and learn about the zoological and botanical diversity we offer.”

Under British Standards (BS8300:2018), it is best practice to provide a Changing Places toilet in addition to conventional accessible

facilities in buildings where the public spend time. The facility should be 12m2, and include at least a peninsular WC, washbasin (preferably height adjustable), adultsized height adjustable changing bench, full room cover ceiling track hoist and privacy screen. Since the concept was first developed over a decade ago, more than 1500 Changing Places have been opened across the country. Campaigners are lobbying Parliament to make such facilities a compulsory requirement in all major new pubic buildings.

Closomat has become the acknowledged leader in the design, supply, installation and subsequent maintenance of Changing Places; its website www.closomat.co.uk is now the ‘go to’ location for support information for all involved in the specification and build process, with NBS specifications, CAD blocks, white papers and guidance notes all available for free download.

Building & Facilities Management – April 2020

Washroom

Washroom Washroom achieves highest ever turnover in 2019 Last year, leading washroom designer and manufacturer, Washroom Washroom, enjoyed its eighteenth consecutive year of growth, achieving its biggest single year-on-year increase in turnover - up 30.5 percent on 2018’s previous record.

It was a hugely successful year for the whole Washroom Group, which comprises bespoke joinery company, Cre8 Joinery Solutions and its all-new turnkey division, WeIntegr8, as well as Washroom Washroom. For the first time, turnover from 2019 was split almost equally between both the washroom and joinery divisions, with the team carrying out more projects involving both joinery and washroom requirements in the last 12 months.

As well as completing more www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

projects than ever before, last year the company also undertook an extensive refurbishment programme to extend its factory and increase its in-house manufacturing capability by around 20 per cent. The new factory space is fully functional and the final touches are being put to the new office space, which once complete, will provide plenty of workspace to house 65 designers, project managers, and support staff with room to grow in the future.

Trevor Bowers, director at Washroom Washroom said: “We’re really proud of our inhouse manufacturing facility – it’s something which I believe sets us apart and allows us to provide a truly responsive and bespoke service to our clients. We’ve continually invested in our staff, factory equipment as well as our

range over the years and it’s this approach, I believe, that has driven our growth at the rate we’ve seen.

“Last year we worked more closely than ever with our joinery company, Cre8, and we completed some stunning projects together.

We’re aiming for an even bigger year this year and with new stateof-the-art machinery and a larger production facility, along with our newly launched turnkey solutions division, WeIntegr8, we’re well placed to take on even the most complex projects this year.”

To find out more about the range of products and services offered by Washroom Washroom, please visit www.washroom. co.uk, call 0800 999 8888 or email info@washroom.co.uk.

Washroom

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Building & Refurbishment

Secondary glazing enriches Art Deco revival of Hatfield’s most iconic building The Comet Hotel is located in Hertfordshire at the junction of the Barnet by-pass with St Albans Road close to the Selectaglaze office and factory.

Formerly known as the Ramada Hatfield, the Comet’s multimillion pound refurbishment which began in 2017 is now complete. A new three storey extension block, annexed to the rear of the hotel has added a further 52 rooms which reflects and enhances the silhouette of the heritage building.

This new extension is shared with a student residential development.

In addition, the hotel has also opened its own independent restaurant, ‘Element Bar & Kitchen’. A replica of the Comet Racer, mounted on a 20ft high pylon stands tall outside the hotel.

The hotel had retained the

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Building & Refurbishment

building’s original crittal sash windows but this did not provide the required level of noise insulation to a number of the guestrooms, restaurant and function spaces.

To remedy this, St Albans based Selectaglaze installed 104 secondary glazed units. The secondary windows were made bespoke to ensure the best fit and included four different systems, specific to the project’s needs. All units were finished in white to match with the original external windows.

The new secondary glazing to this Hatfield landmark will now help lower energy bills and afford the guests a good night sleep, along with those visiting the hotel guaranteed a pleasant experience.

Hotel refurbishments are

often fast track projects requiring close cooperation between client, contractor and specialists.

Selectaglaze has wide experience of working in buildings up to Grade I Listed and offers a technical advisory service and specification advice to ensure correct interface with other trades.

Founded in 1966, Royal Warrant Holder Selectaglaze is the leading secondary glazing specialist offering high performance noise insulation, improved building energy performance, environmental control and certified security.

For further information, please contact Selectaglaze on 01727 837271/e mail: enquiries@ selectaglaze.co.uk or visit: www.selectaglaze.co.uk

Building & Facilities Management – April 2020

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Energy Management

Companies on ‘emission’ to be sustainable The only zeros most business leaders or finance managers used to concern themselves with were the ones added to a long line of figures on a balance sheet.

However, mention the word zero nowadays and it’ll most likely be included in a conversation about sustainability.

This is not boardroom smoke and mirrors stuff, the mindshift can be seen in all business sectors as the world economy strives for a greener future.

And while the race to join countries such as Bhutan and Suriname – which are already carbon negative, absorbing more emissions through their forests than they produce – has still got a long way to run, there are plenty of examples to show the will is there.

Emission reduction is no flight of fancy Some classic blue sky thinking from budget airline, Ryanair, has seen them appoint their first director of sustainability, Thomas Fowler.

He is the man responsible for the company meeting its own target of reducing emissions per passenger per kilometre from 66g at the end of 2019 to 60g by 2030.

Following in its slipstream are Etihad Airways who have started to make long-haul flights free from single-use plastic.

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Energy Management

Fossil fuels are history Another company changing the narrative, this time in the financial world, is Blackrock, the world’s largest asset manager. Blackrock has already made strides on its stance to remove fossil fuels from its portfolio and is committed to embedding climate action into its investment decisions.

Elsewhere, the drinks are on BrewDog, in celebration of the trendy craft beer firm’s pledge to give customers an equity stake in the company if they recycle beer cans.

And Heineken-owned cider brand, Old Mout, have unveiled a new partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), aimed at uniting young consumers in a drive to protect natural habitats and save endangered species from extinction.

The green machine Figures released by BloombergNEF (BNEF) show that

there has been a large increase in new corporate sustainability commitments. Their Corporate Energy Market Outlook found that corporates purchased 19.5GW of clean power through power purchase agreements (PPAs) last year, up from 13.6GW in 2018 and more than triple the levels recorded in 2017.

Small steps to sustainability Of course, not all companies or organisations are big enough to warrant having a director of sustainability on their books or write open cheques to charitable causes, but there are plenty of small measures that can be easily implemented in an affordable way.

Energy Management has a new Net-Zero business model that helps clients reduce their carbon emissions. If you’d like to hear more about this, you can get in touch with us by email sales@ energymanagementltd. com or call 01225-867722.

Building & Facilities Management – April 2020

INTRODUCING THE CHOICE ENERGY FRAMEWORK (CEF) Promoting competition and choice in your search for Public Sector energy

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