BFM June 2022

JUNE 2022 www.bfmmagazine.co.uk building & facilities management

BUILDING & REFURBISHMENT | CLEANING & HYGIENE | HVAC

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INSIDE:

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Vector Symbol Library Going Toward Mobile

see page 14

Go beyond building automation Delivering on the true meaning of IIoT- from buildings to infrastructure The ILC 2050 BI industrial Niagara controller offers I/O modularity, integrated security and a flexible software-licensing model. This makes the controller ideal for the most demanding applications including buildings, infrastructure and data centres.

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June 2022

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

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Contents News

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Powering on Together

Health & Safety

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Valuable Lessons in Fire and Life Safety Design

Cleaning & Hygiene

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

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TASKI launches the all new ULTIMAXX range of smart scrubber drier cleaning machines

HVAC

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Weatherite cools with Condair ME

Building & Refurbishment

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Gilberts rolls out discreet way to address fit-out needs

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Powering on Together

YorPower appoint a new, but very familiar, Managing Director

YorPower and PPSPower – both highly respected names in the generator and UPS industry – have always operated as separate entities, despite being part of the same group.

PPSPower is best known for providing reliable maintenance solutions for both generators and UPS units. YorPower operates nationally and internationally to manufacture, install and commission generators to provide back-up and prime power solutions for its wide-ranging customers.

The two companies are now reorganising their business structure and premises to offer a far more efficient service which aims to capitalise on the steady growth both have experienced in recent years. The prospect is exciting both for existing customers and potential new customers looking for reliable back-up power solutions of any kind. And that could be anyone in the UK or overseas!

Stephen Peal, formerly the Managing Director of PPSPower, is now Group Managing Director of the YorPower, PPSPower, Glenace and Generator Warehouse businesses. “This reorganisation is a logical step in the group’s progression. We will start to operate as a much more unified entity, with all areas of our business working together to offer complete generator and UPS solutions for all customers in all sectors, wherever they are located globally,” he explains.

“The different parts of the business have always done a great job and have become highly respected within very niche areas. YorPower may be known to certain customers as a manufacturer and exporter of generators, while PPSPower can be relied upon for its maintenance expertise in the UK by customers as diverse as the National Grid, NHS, police 4

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forces, sports stadia and various water authorities, generally supported through facilities management companies.

“The common thread that runs throughout the different areas is our partnership approach: we work collaboratively with our customers to understand exactly what they need so that we can deliver a solution that exceeds their expectations.

Now we are applying that same approach within our group of companies. All our staff, from CEO to apprentice, will be part of the one family approach to exceptional service.”

YorPower Director Ian Thompson backed up Stephen’s words: “As an integrated group, we will have much greater resilience and unity. I am really excited at the prospect of being able to capitalise on the tremendous planning expertise of PPSPower throughout the rest of the business.

“Our whole culture will improve dramatically by all being part of one family. All the skills we had working in different pockets of our companies will now be pooled.

It will transform our efficiency, the way we work and the service we deliver to our customers.”

Tony Brimble remains as Group CEO helping to ensure first-rate customer

excellence, focusing on growth, acquisitions and the very best in business efficiencies.

What is emergency back-up power?

Emergency back-up power is a thriving industry. Most organisations are built around 24/7 service. Even a momentary break in power can be disastrous.

For healthcare providers, lives can literally depend on a reliable supply of continuous power.

Most emergency power systems are based on diesel generators, but these can take a few seconds to kick in.

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) units are an additional method of ensuring continuous uninterrupted power for businesses, which is crucial for critical environments What is the export market like today?

The desire for UK manufactured and assembled equipment is still extremely sought-after and the export market is going from strength to strength. “With grid infrastructure across Asia and Africa being incredibly unreliable, more and more clients are looking to YorPower for reliable back-up power solutions,” explained YorPower’s Export Manager, Jordan Kincaid.

Building & Facilities Management

CHSA members and guests raise approximately £5,000 for Grief Encounter Thanks to the generosity of its members and their guests, the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA) raised approximately £5,000 at the Association’s Annual Gala Ball for Grief Encounter.

Grief Encounter supports bereaved children and their families to help alleviate the pain caused by the death of someone close.

The sum raised adds to the £20,000 the CHSA has already raised for Grief Encounter.

Contributions of all sizes being valuable to Grief Encounter, the funds are being put to good use.

- £50 pays for a one-toone counselling session - £100 provides a grief kit for a bereaved family - £500 pays for a bereaved family to attend a residential weekend - £1,000 pays for a dedicated trauma specialist to conduct an initial response for one

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week with a school following the death of a student - £3,000 pays for a family fun day for up to 80 bereaved children and their families The CHSA’s Gala Ball took place in May at the Staverton Park Estate and Golf Club.

David Garcia, Vice President of the CHSA and the driving force behind the Gala Ball, said: “We were delighted to host the Gala Ball again after the pause of the pandemic. Bringing together our members and their guests, it was a wonderful highlight event.

The evening was packed with brilliant entertainment, including ‘The Singing Waiters’, table magicians and the live band, CHOICE. “Putting something back is at the heart of our ethos. A huge thank you to all our members and guests who contributed on the night and to our sponsors who made

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the whole event possible!”

Around 45,000 children experience the death of a parent or sibling in the UK every year, with an additional 10,000 children having experienced bereavement as a direct result of Covid-19 in 2021.

Bereavement is devastating at any age, but for a child it is life-changing. Grief Encounter offers a lifeline, providing free, immediate, one-to-one support that help children and young people with the confusion, fear and loneliness they often feel following the death of someone close. www.chsa.co.uk

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Increased commitment to innovation aims to open new doors for Union Industries Union Industries, the Leeds-based manufacturer of high-speed industrial doors, is ramping up its focus on innovation with a £200,000 commitment to develop new technologies.

Announced at its recent AGM, the employee-owned company has placed innovation at the core of its growth strategy and is growing its Research and Development (R&D) department as it develops new industrial door solutions.

The company produces a range of fast-acting internal and external roller doors, which are used in locations such as mega distribution and customer fulfilment centres and in sectors such as fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), food, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and warehousing.

With plans to double its team of dedicated

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innovation engineers to four in the next 12 months, Union Industries is both responding to the changing requirements of its customers as well as embarking on R&D programmes to drive technology change.

Having already developed the “Green Door” concept which uses energy reduction technologies to operate in a more cost-efficient manner, and a system that enables its doors to send real-time status updates to its maintenance teams, Union is now pursuing automation innovations to aid customers developing facilities with minimal workforce requirements.

To support the development

of new door technologies, Union Industries has benefited from the government’s R&D tax relief scheme, which alongside investing its profits into innovation, has enabled the company to increase its commitment to R&D. In the last year Union Industries has reclaimed £50,000 in R&D tax credits.

Andrew Lane, Managing Director of Union Industries, said: “Covid had a unique impact on innovation for many companies and it is now time to start pushing the boundaries again. While science pulled out all the stops to create vaccines in double-quick time, much of business was only focused on the immediacy of traversing the pandemic.

“We have driven innovation within the business, but the introduction and now growth of a dedicated R&D department is bearing fruit for our products, what we are able to offer our customers, and create what will be required in the future.

With an increased budget and more people in the team, we are confident we can remain at the forefront of our industry.

“R&D is such a unique area of a business as some of the projects we embark on never come to fruition.

As a Managing Director with a vision, it’s my role to have the trust of colleagues, particularly in an employeeowned company such as ours, to let us explore what is possible. The availability of tax relief is really important too as it helps drive innovation in SMEs, which are the lifeblood of the British economy. www.unionindustries.co.uk” Building & Facilities Management

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IRT Surveys appoints Lisa Cairns as Business Development Manager Thermal imaging survey company IRT Surveys is pleased to announce the appointment of Lisa Cairns as Business Development Manager.

Cairns has a wealth of experience in data aggregation and monitoring, software, and IoT solutions for the Energy, Renewable Energy and construction sector, specifically in small-scale renewable energy systems, wind and weather monitoring, smart home energy saving solutions, and cloudbased live data monitoring and analysis. She most recently worked as Commercial Director at Windcrane, a product developed by Logic Energy Ltd. In her new role Cairns, who has a proven track record of commercialisation and product development of IoT/SaaS data products and services within the private, public and energy sectors, will be responsible for all business development

and marketing activities at IRT Surveys. In addition, she will work closely with the technical team to develop a customer led data solution whilst assisting the senior management team with the company’s growth strategy.

Commenting on her appointment, Stewart Little, CEO of IRT Surveys, said: “We are delighted to welcome Lisa to the team. She has a wealth of energy sector expertise and hands-on experience, and we believe her skillset and insight will unlock significant value for our company.”

IRT Surveys is experiencing a period of strong growth amidst the ever-growing need for energy saving technologies.

Cairns said: “I am thrilled to be joining the team during this exciting time. The company’s DREam platform is truly making a difference in improving the energy efficiency of homes and, more importantly, takes the guesswork out of the net zero

target process for social housing providers. I look forward to being part of the business and helping the team reach new goals.”

For more information about IRT Surveys visit: http://irtsurveys.co.uk/

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 goal of the PSSA is to assist in improving the sustainability of the built environment - by transforming the way it is planned, designed, constructed and maintained.

For more information on joining, please visit www.pssa.info 8

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Building & Facilities Management

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Cleanology goes national in major new expansion drive Award-winning commercial cleaning contractor Cleanology is bringing its sustainable and ethical approach from London, to the rest of the country.

After 20 years servicing the capital, and nearly 10 years in Manchester, Cleanology is forging ahead with new hubs across the Midlands, Scotland and the South-West. Now working in 14 cities across the UK, national clients include a well-known electric vehicle manufacturer and a number of leading national chains.

To mark the national launch, Cleanology has commissioned an HGV to be specially branded in its iconic green & blue flag logo. Speaking at the launch, CEO Dominic Ponniah said: “We are excited that this branded HGV will be travelling to every part of the country at the same time as we expand our business across the UK. While our base has always been London, we’ve been delivering contracts in Manchester for almost 10 years and now have offices in Manchester and Leeds. The launch of our national service is a natural expansion which will make our future growth plans possible. This year, we have already grown by 50%. We aim to double our turnover in the next three years to £30m; going national is part of that journey.”

In just the past 12 months, Cleanology has expanded from its London and Manchester hubs, to 12 additional towns and cities, including Banbury, Bedford, Bicester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Exeter,

Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Reading and Southampton. A further dozen locations will be launched over the next year.

Ponniah described the move as a fresh offering for commercial contract cleaning in the regions. He said: “Cleanology is large enough to cope, but small enough to care. We are known for our award-winning sustainable projects – some of which have helped us to save 28,000 plastic bottles every year – and, in 2021, we won a Living Wage Champion Award from the Living Wage Foundation.

We are looking forward to bringing innovation and green cleaning to a wider audience.”

Clients have also welcomed the move. Katy Tennant, Director of UK Operations

at Clockwise, said: “We use Cleanology at a number of Clockwise locations throughout the country. Their ‘clean green’ approach, using chemical free cleaning; their attention to detail, and their ethics are just a few of the many reasons why we chose them. The Cleanology team have become an extension of our own building teams and our members rave about their service.”

The national launch ties in with Cleanology’s 20th anniversary celebrations.

Festivities were delayed in 2020 due to Covid, but in April this year, a number of Cleanology clients and staff attended a glittering black-tie dinner at Tower Bridge to celebrate. https://cleanology.com/ services/office-cleaning/

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BEHIND EVERY SUCCESSFUL BUILDING…

…IS A PTSG SPECIALIST With 2,300 specialists working within five business divisions across 47 UK offices, PTSG is the nation’s leading provider of specialist services to the construction and FM sectors.

At the Royal Armouries, Leeds, we carried out Legionella risk assessments and water hygiene monitoring. We are proud to be a vital part of some truly outstanding buildings, old and new.

ptsg.co.uk | 01977 668771 | info@ptsg.co.uk | @ptsg_ltd

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APT SKIDATA to demonstrate digital transformation in parking at Parkex 2022 APT SKIDATA, the UK’s leading parking solution provider, will demonstrate the digital transformation of parking at Parkex, including live demonstrations of a customer journey.

Visitors to the stand will be treated to the full customer experience including how to book a parking space in advance with APT SKIDATA’s digital pay feature that allows customers to manage their entire journey online.

They will also experience how to enter and exit a site through the use of its ANPR verification technology that allows customers to save time spent in queues. The technology can be easily integrated into its Digital Payments solution that

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gives customers the option of paying before, during or after parking to suit their needs.

For car park owners and operators, APT SKIDATA will also be displaying its Analytics, Management, and Control software that provides comprehensive performance data and monitoring services.

An electric vehicle (EV) charging post will also be on the stand, and the team will be on hand to give advice on how to EV charging can be added to their sites and integrated with their existing parking systems.

Additionally, APT SKIDATA will be previewing its Digital Ticketing technology, which integrates digital passes into mobile devices for easier access and provides a cost-

effective solution that prevents fraud, eliminates ticket handling costs, and increases convenience and speed.

Steve Murphy, Managing Director of APT SKIDATA, says it is an ideal opportunity to connect with visitors at Parkex through live demonstrations of its digital transformation journey: “All solutions on display at Parkex this year highlight APT SKIDATA’s fastgrowing digital transformation, demonstrating what the typical customer can expect to see in the future and the solutions we are already providing.”

APT SKIDATA’s portfolio of smart technologies and solutions will be on display at stand F002.

Building & Facilities Management

Register Now!

4-5 October 2022. Manchester Central.

The No.1 Event in the UK for Health Estates, Engineering and Facilities Professionals Healthcare Estates® is a unique event that consists of the prestigious IHEEM Annual Conference, Awards Dinner and the UK’s largest trade exhibition for the sector.

Build innovative and productive partnerships in asset management, integrate efficient patient-centred environments by collaborating with the right people, find inspiration, and foster aspirational attitudes.

Visit www.healthcare-estates.com Pete Sellars, IHEEM CEO said “Our aim is to make our flagship event as inclusive as possible both for our members and everyone from the healthcare efm community who has worked tirelessly to meet the challenges of the past two years. This revised pricing structure will undoubtedly encourage increased delegate attendance at our conference and exhibition. I am delighted that we have the opportunity to return to a live event this year and I look forward to meeting many of you in person at Manchester Central.”

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Vector Symbol Library Going Toward Mobile With technology in our world advancing every day, it has become increasingly important that industries continue to adapt and embrace the conveniences modern technology provides. Over the year the conversation in the building controls industry has been trending towards the advancement and adaption of mobile capabilities in building control systems and the platforms they operate on. Therefore, QA Graphics created the Vector Symbol Library for your BMS controls.

This library is comprised of graphics that can be formatted to fit screens of all size. The library has hundreds of SVGS and animation files which will help you build more detailed graphics that are easily scalable for a mobile device without pixelization of the graphics. Technology has led the industry to expect a higher quality and more creative visual representation even when you are on the move with your mobile device. In this day and age, you should expect to be able to access your building management system from wherever you are.

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This trend means your graphics need to be optimized for mobile support and adaptive to any device type without pixelization.

QA Graphics Vector Symbol Library improves ease of use for facility managers, allowing you to be in the field with your mobile device to view your BMS graphics and then back in an office projecting the same graphic onto a much larger screen.

The Vector Symbol Library gives users access to high-end graphics and animations that realistically represent the mechanical systems of a building. QA Graphics took the time to make the Vector Library graphics of a higher quality than similar libraries in the industry.

This gives the clients graphics that will easily scale to any size of device you use, without pixelization or degradation. QA Graphics custom designed SVG and animation symbols include boilers, chillers, dampers, filters, piping, fans, cooling towers, generators, valves, ductwork, coils, and more including: • Hundreds of SVGS and animation files

• Use on a mobile device or larger without pixelization or degradation of the graphics • Pre-assembled damper configurations • Symbols for energy efficient equipment • Preconfigured terminal air units • Datacenter graphics • Represent mechanical control drawings in a schematic or graphical view The technological advancement of mobile capability in this industry will continue to develop. QA Graphics has stayed on pace with this trend. Continuing to adapt with technological advancements is their priority, as you can see with the release of the Vector Symbol Library Niagara module, which is an extension update for the existing Vector Symbol Library. The module will effortlessly integrate within the software, allowing N4 users to easily implement QA Graphics’ Vector Symbol Library and it is free of charge to those who purchase the Vector Symbol Library. In addition, QA Graphics

Building & Facilities Management

News is also offering companies a free test module to try within their Niagara system beforehand.

While the new Vector Symbol Library module is for the Tridium’s N4 software only, the files can be delivered for almost any control system, not just Niagara.

It also offers a competitive advantage in the BMS industry, delivering more appealing and realistic graphics than typically provided with BMS software.

As a Building Operator or Facility Manager, you know the details of each HVAC, lighting, security, or water management system in your building. As these building systems become more sophisticated, building operators require higher quality building management graphics that move with them.

One of the top three areas that managers and owners use to evaluate when looking at building management system graphic packages is their responsiveness to various screen sizes., providing end-users with access to high-

end graphics and animations that more realistically represent the mechanical systems in place on any device without pixilation.

The Vector Symbol Library allows you to be in the field with your mobile device to view your BMS graphics without degradation of the graphics. Graphic libraries are an area that many owners consider critical when evaluating building management systems. Users want to be able to access their building management system from wherever they are and that is possible with QA Graphics’ Vector Symbol Library. Almost any system graphic can be created, static or animated, as our symbol library is compatible with

all major mechanical systems.

To learn more about the Vector Library and how it can aide in your advancement towards mobile capability. Call 515.965.3403 or visit https://www.qagraphics. com/bas-symbol-library-2.

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Speak to us today to find out more.

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WPS demonstrates benefits of new open and adaptive parking solution at Parkex At Parkex 2022, the team at WPS, a leading specialist in parking management solutions, will be showcasing how an open and adaptive approach to parking can maximise legacy investment, further enhance the customer journey, and create a pathway to future technologies.

Central to the approach is WPS’ cloud-based platform that enables the integration of existing and new equipment (both its own and third-party systems) and software, to deliver the optimal consumer journey for operators and end users.

The platform is powered by WPS’ parking management system – ParkID – an easy-touse, cloud-based solution that provides real-time visibility of all parking functions. It is supported

by WPS Marketplace, an evergrowing range of approved partners, that can be deployed quickly and easily to offer a flexible, scalable, and more economical approach to parking management. With this new approach, WPS is reducing the need to replace functioning proprietary equipment, whilst improving both the parking and operator experience by integrating new functionality

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as and when it becomes available.

To help visualise the offering, the WPS team will be using a case study demonstration on its stand, describing how the approach has supported the Netherlands’ Fletcher hotel group in delivering a customer-centric, and inherently scalable parking solution. The hotel group acquired hotels with legacy parking systems from different vendors, which were unable to cater for hotel’s wide variety of customer journeys. Each of these legacy systems had a limited set of functionalities which required vendor specific support. This meant there was no central contact when maintenance was required. Following Covid-19, it sought to standardise its parking solution within a limited budget, but still prioritising customer experience. The case study will demonstrate

how WPS’ new approach has integrated legacy systems from multiple vendors, and even within small sites, enabled the capabilities of complex parking management systems.

In a session titled ‘Improve your customer journeys without replacing your parking hardware’, Jesse Heitlager, Technology Director, WPS Parking, will be presenting at Parkex’s Showcase Theatre to discuss how this approach will impact the way the industry operates: “At WPS, we are focused on creating a seamless parking platform that provides partners, operators, and the end user with an efficient and effective service.

We are looking to the future and meeting advancements in mobility solutions that help create better places to live, work and travel – with efficient and sustainable parking a vital part of that,” he says.

“This open and adaptive approach is inherently hardware interoperable, thus putting an end to replacing perfectly functioning proprietary equipment – a vital benefit to so many businesses and organisations as we move forward out the Pandemic.” https://www.wpsparking.com Building & Facilities Management

10 ways music can improve your wellbeing Music is one of the best stress busters out there and from reducing stress levels to influencing our mood, we’ve compiled a list of 10 ways music could benefit wellbeing in the workplace.

No matter what your business you want it to run smoothly, be this assigning workloads, managing partnerships or setting out your budget.

But running a successful business is about more than just your day to day operations. It’s about providing an excellent service for your customers or clients. It’s also about encouraging teamwork and supporting collaboration; but most of all, it’s about keeping your workforce focused whilst safeguarding their well-being.

Many of us choose to listen to music in our day to day lives as it has the potential to make us feel more positive and upbeat. Listening to music at work could have a similar effect.

Playing music in the workplace could help to create a more upbeat and energetic environment and could help to keep staff positive, engaged and support with mental health and well-being.

Make music the soundtrack to your business with TheMusicLicence.

0808 134 8364 8am – 6pm, Monday – Friday

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Health & Safety

Valuable Lessons in Fire and Life Safety Design Under guidance from the Architects Registration Board, architectural students are set for a change in curriculum. Karen Trigg of Allegion UK explores this decision and why industry collaboration is central to improving fire safety education and paving the way to a safer future.

In an evolving construction industry, the approach to building design is ever shifting. Yet, as the complexity of projects intensifies, safety and sustainability remain fundamental areas of focus, and according to architects, have been the most common of issues presented to them over this past five-year period.

In response, the Architects Registration Board (ARB) - as the professional regulator responsible for setting the standards for architect registration - in late 2021, posed significant changes to architectural training and educational guidelines. The new guidance, published by the ARB and sanctioned by the reformed Building Safety Bill, is considered a way of modernizing the teachings of architectural schools and will address the key challenges and opportunities facing the sector

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by introducing revised module guidelines on ‘Fire and Life Safety’ and ‘Sustainability’.

Under the new ‘Fire and Life Safety’ guidelines, the expanding architecture curriculum will examine: The science of fire, smoke generation and spread Design principles to minimise the risk of smoke and fire Means of escape in case of fire and the appropriate access to buildings and facilities for emergency services The significance of product specification to fire safety and performance as part of a construction system Protecting building users from hazards during use and maintenance Fire safety is paramount to

a building’s success but is a complex subject with a variety of layers, as is defined by these modules. However, following the call for the revised curriculum, both future and present professionals must collectively recognize its importance, and through better education and collaboration, aim to deliver a fire safe infrastructure, with higher levels of quality and building performance.

Better by design

Between the reformed Building Safety Bill and the Fire Safety Act 2021, fire safety has been a subject of increased scrutiny over the past few years.

Evidently, occupant safety must always remain the top priority throughout any construction project, regardless of its size or scope. Fire and life safety

Building & Facilities Management

Health & Safety design plays an integral role in this, not only as a compliance obligation but as a practice that can improve project output.

As a result, and as outlined by the ARB, every architect must be educated on the basics of fire safety and its role in building design, keeping in mind the latest codes, regulations and hardware required for a project.

One area to consider under the revised curriculum’s ‘means of escape’ is the required number of fire door exits per room and per floor. Fire doors are often the first line of defense against fire and thus are meticulously tested to British Standards BS 476: Part 22 or BS EN 1634-1 to certify their resistance to fire for a minimum of 30 minutes (FD30) or 60 minutes (FD60).

As a project moves through to specification, decision makers must also identify the required door hardware - which are designed to facilitate the compartmentation of smoke and fire and so must comply with UK Construction Products Regulations. Specification is critical when a project’s materials are being considered and can be the difference in a building failing to meet its functional and necessary safety standards.

Inadequately specified door furniture can result in blueprints and specifications changing at a later stage of the project to comply with the correct standards, adding preventable time and costs to development.

By understanding the role of fire safety from the earliest stage, and in this case, the functional aspects of fire doors and their hardware, professionals can deliver better projects with enhanced safety and performance.

Project collaboration

The onus to deliver fire safe buildings doesn’t lie solely with architects, however.

Although architects are the only professional body that has a statutory obligation to partake in Continuing Professional Development (CPD), industry wide education is crucial if we are to maintain the necessary www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

standards associated with fire safety. Fire safety is an expansive subject that touches many areas of a building’s lifecycle, from the design stage right through to maintenance, and the ARB’s newly formed curriculum serves as a reminder to all professionals on what they must remain educated on.

To assist industry education and collaboration, today’s associations, professional bodies and manufacturers are supporting all professionals to ensure there’s a greater understanding towards these key themes. Hardware manufacturers for example, as part of the Building Safety Bill’s Golden Thread of Information regulatory framework, are providing more detailed product information in the form of comprehensive product datasheets, installation guides and training portals. In doing so, manufacturers are offering greater transparency on product performance and testing, improving product discoverability and traceability.

Accordingly, it’s imperative for industry professionals to remain informed on hardware options and the role they play in fire safety, as this collaborative approach can lead to better and more consistent design choices that continue to deliver on fire safety post-project delivery.

Wellbeing, accessibility and performance will always

remain unremitting themes in our built environment. At a time where information is at our fingertips, professionals across the supply chain possess a real opportunity to develop a sustained education on these key themes, and through improved collaboration, can reform the project delivery process in a bid to deliver true fire safety.

How Allegion UK can Help

Allegion UK has a wealth of resources to help professionals undertake product selection, installation and maintenance checks on fire doors and hardware. For information on product selection and installation, please speak to our experts or head to our download centre for technical fitting instructions.

For post-installation support, Allegion’s simple toolkit provides information and tips on detecting potential faulty doors and poor installation, a guide to the EN classification system and a safety checklist. There’s also an option to order a free door gap tester or download Allegion’s general guide to service and maintenance for free. Allegion also offers RIBA approved CPD presentations, covering a range of topics from the role of door hardware in life safety and safe escape to accessible design (BS 8300) to meet building regulations under Approved Document M. Health & Safety

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Cleaning & Hygiene

TASKI launches the all new ULTIMAXX range of smart scrubber drier cleaning machines Driven by smart and intelligent technological advances, the ULTIMAXX 1900 scrubber is the first model of the range and sets a new benchmark for walk behind scrubber driers. Ultraefficiency, smart technology and intelligent predictive service solutions ensures your machine is never out of the game.

TASKI R&D engineers have bolstered every scrubber drier function and every component to optimise efficiency, performance and reliability. ULTIMAXX incorporates the latest intelligent technologies to reduce time, energy, water, chemical and consumable consumption.

The 2022 ULTIMAXX 1900 sees a 30% improvement in battery autonomy and 40% more water autonomy compared with the previous swingo model based on highly efficient smart components. Ground-breaking

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Cleaning & Hygiene

design and components deliver outstanding reliability and robustness to drive down your operating and whole life costs.

Impressive flexibility combined with a new level of modularity allows you to customise the machine A new selection of flexible cleaning processes thanks to state of the art technologies The revolutionary IntelliTrail 2.0 remote component management is game changing. Highlighting maintenance requirements before they disrupt operations, and providing support through remote service and software updates, fleet management has never been so efficient.

In developing the ULTIMATE in intelligent technologies and smart design TASKI has secured several patents to deliver a never seen before mix of performance,

reliability and longevity for outstanding cost of ownership.

TASKI’s best in class two-way communication GPS telemetry means you have 24/7 oversight and TASKI service teams can predict and intervene remotely.

Reducing services, preventing breakdowns, avoiding downtime and eliminating downtime costs, leaves you with more time to focus on your core business.

Marcel Muller, Global Marketing Director Floorcare Machines at TASKI said, “There is a new world now for businesses and for customers. The businesses that want to succeed in the world we are emerging into need to demonstrably match their actions with customer expectations.”

“When it comes to cleanliness, efficiency and smartness ULTIMAXX does that and does it in many different ways, for different places, tackling many

Building & Facilities Management

Cleaning & Hygiene different cleaning challenges.

With selectable brush decks, patented innovations and IntelliTrail 2.0 remote insights, the ULTIMAXX range is a gateway to a new level of cleaning.”

“The advancements made

by ULTIMAXX are impressive, even by TASKI standards. As a company built on a rich heritage of innovation, we are always striving to deliver the best. ULTIMAXX is going to create not just a wave of newer, cleaner places but also lead the charge for better cleaning machines across the industry.

Also, learnings gained during the pandemic have found their way into the machine with inclusions such as HEPA filtration and antibacterial materials. A full range of ULTIMATE machines, that are completely modular, will set a new standard for the industry” Learn more about TASKI’s smart technologies; The suite of smart technologies is known as TASKI Intelligent Solutions and brings a breakthrough in cleaning machine ownership.

IntelliTouch – interactive touchscreen to access management information and guidance. Includes menus such as machine status, intuitive integrated adjustment controls, video tutorials and help menus to empower the operator to be truly efficient.

IntelliZone – a unique set of programmes to set cleaning parameters. Set water, chemical dosing and brush pressure at the touch of a button.

IntelliKey – smart NFC technology to control user access rights to pre-defined settings and programmes. From absolute simplicity through to truly empowering the user.

IntelliTrail – the ultimate in connectivity with next generation GPS telemetry and a digital ecosystem. Combines proven fleet management capabilities with new remote machine management functions to facilitate remote diagnostics and predictive service suggestions.

Truly empowering organizations to achieve measurable and transparent productivity improvements for an ULTIMATE www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

customer experience.

IntelliTrail 2.0 Remote – connects the IntelliTouch digital dashboard and IntelliTrail to facilitate two-way communications and requests for service, assistance and other functions, totally remote, 24/7.

IntelliAnalytics - your own consultant and fleet manager right at your fingertips! Designed to give you easy guidance and suggestions on how to improve your machine fleet. Shows under/over usage, misuse and charging behaviours. Illustrates approximate savings estimations to help you prioritize and realize savings. Fleet management analytics made simple.

IntelliScrub – a set of modular scrub decks for all floor care applications. Choose from single, double, twin cylinder and orbital as well as our unique Twister deck – only from TASKI. The new IntelliScrub feature allows you to dynamically adjust the brush pressure, extending battery operation time by more than 40%. If the full brush pressure is not needed for light dirt levels, brushing pressure or the electronic brush unit version can be modified at the push of a button. This simple and quick feature is available as standard with all ULTIMAXX walk-behind scrubbers and still delivers better cleaning results than the market average.

IntelliFlow – measured water flow that’s fast. Speed dependent solution supply through the patented IntelliFlow system ensures the right amount of cleaning solution is used on the floor. Up to 50% savings on cleaning solution costs. A standard feature on powered models.

IntelliDose+ – accurate chemical dilution control linked to IntelliFlow for 100% accuracy.

High-precision IntelliFlow and chemical pumps ensure efficient dosing. Dosing setting include full lock or specific pre-defined doses sizes that can be combined with cleaning methods set for areas using IntelliZone via the IntelliTouch user interface.

IntelliBac – anti-microbial water tank. Uses special materials

with anti-bacterial properties within the plastic tank and around the machine. This special material significantly reduces bacterial and fungus growth on surfaces. This is essential where the highest hygiene standards are needed, such as within a healthcare setting.

IntelliPower – latest generation of long-life lithium battery and chargers. Fast Charging - 2hrs not 10hrs. Partial charges will not damage the batteries. Greater lifespan 2000-2500 cycles.

Maintenance-free. More Range.

25% savings on machine + battery TCO. Less frequent replacements means less engineer visits delivering big savings for you.

TASKI whisper technology– ultra efficient and patented airflow and quiet vacuum motors for low sound activity. Matched with HEPA filters this is a great solution for all public spaces.

HEPA Filters- hospital grade vacuum filtration. 99.95% of all particles larger than 0.3 μm (micron) are retained. Captures particles and pollutants such as pollen, even microorganisms such as bacterial and fungal spores. Critical for healthcare environments or highdensity public spaces.

Aquastop - saves time with secure remote tank filling and auto shutoff. Multi-tasking has never been so easy. Click a standard hose fitting and the tanks fills and stops automatically.

IntelliPredict - state-of-theart technology, connecting and controlling all key electronic components such as motors, pumps and chargers. Combines IntelliTrail 2.0 and two-way communication, to facilitate lowcost remote service and software updates with minimum downtime.

Potential risk items are predicted and a need for intervention flagged. A step change from reactive to proactive, reducing downtime. Keeping the machine in a state of constant readiness.

ULTIMAXX Is much more than the sum of these amazing new intelligent technologies.

TASKI ULTIMAXX is the future for scrubber drier floor cleaning.

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Cleaning & Hygiene

Jangro shows support for The Trussell Trust Jangro, the largest network of independent janitorial and cleaning distributors in the UK and Ireland, is proud to announce that it is supporting The Trussell Trust as its chosen charity this year. All 47 members in its network have started collecting foods and other essentials and have been dropping them off to their local food banks across the country.

As well as organising food collections, Jangro will also be donating any monies raised from fundraising events throughout the year, such as its regular supplier and member days. So far, the Jangro membership has

already raised over £3,000.

The Trussell Trust is a worthy charity that supports a nationwide network of food banks. Together they provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty.

Jangro shares its vision for a UK without the need for food banks; for a just, compassionate future, where no one should have to use one to get by.

Jo Gilliard, CEO at Jangro, comments, ‘At Jangro, we take our social responsibility seriously and believe in giving back to the communities in which we operate. At a time when the true cost of living

is soaring, we hope our contributions will help families get by that little bit easier.’

Last year, Jangro achieved its fundraising goal, raising a huge £100,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support to help them support people living with cancer.

To support Jangro’s fundraising efforts for The Trussell Trust or track its progress, visit its Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving. com/fundraising/jangrott.

For more information about The Trussell Trust, visit www. trusselltrust.org and to find out more about Jangro, visit www.jangro.net.

For information on joining the Public Sector Sustainability Association, please visit www.pssa.info

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Cleaning & Hygiene

Building & Facilities Management

Cleaning & Hygiene

Benefits of professional flood damage cleaning in sports facilities ICE Cleaning is a specialist flood damage cleaning company with years of experience in the field. They can effectively treat and remove contaminated water, tackling the issue at its source.

In this article, the experts discuss the benefits of professional flood damage cleaning in sports facilities to enable businesses to get their operations back to full capacity.

Minimising disruption to everyday activities If you have experienced flooding in your sports facility, it could have widespread disruption on daily activities. For instance, the gym and sports ground could be deemed inaccessible if they are full of water.

Luckily, professional cleaning companies can provide emergency services to deal with any water damage, both indoors and outdoors. At ICE Cleaning, the specialists use a variety of equipment to dry out the water and handle the issue efficiently.

With a risk assessment being carried out before work begins, the teams will know what tools are suitable for the job, and how to achieve the best results for your individual situation.

Protect visitors’ health Following flooding, other issues such as mould can quickly develop. In the right circumstances, this fungus forms within 24-48 hours and spreads rapidly throughout the environment, decomposing organic matter to help it thrive. www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

This, as well as dangers associated with contaminated water, will be a priority to prevent for facility managers.

ICE Cleaning are specialist mould remediation cleaners, able to significantly improve the air quality in your premises and return it to a safe environment.

Should visitors become ill from visiting your site, you will quickly lose customers.

This could call into question your business reputation in the wider sports community and make it more difficult to attract visitors in the future.

Limit damage to building and equipment Acting quickly to remove flood damage will help to limit any harm caused to the building or equipment. The structural integrity of your premises can come into question if damage is severe enough too.

Sports equipment is often costly to remove, but if you call the professionals promptly when you have been hit by a

flood, you may be able to save some of the machinery. For instance, if the water damage is due to a leak, then the cleaning experts will deal with it in a time-efficient manner.

Being proactive in this situation can mean more significant repairs are not needed because the damage has had minimal chance to spread. Additionally, this will reduce the downtime you suffer as a result of this problem.

It’s important to remember that flood damage may also result in potential fire risks from electrical hazards.

The consequences of a fire outbreak can be grave, and could result in the collapse of small businesses who may not be able to afford the cost of repair work.

For more information on the services provided

by ICE Cleaning, take a look at their website.

Cleaning & Hygiene

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HVAC

Weatherite cools with Condair ME

The Condair ME evaporative humidifier is helping Weatherite reduce cooling system energy consumption for its data centre and telecoms clients by up to 80%. Condair’s evaporative humidifier is providing adiabatic cooling in Weatherite’s innovative Adtec-D free air cooling unit. The Condair ME boosts the cooling capacity of the system, allowing the Adtec-D to fully replace the need for mechanical cooling in some applications.

The Adtec-D is a selfcontained, modular cooling system that can be located either inside or outside of a building. In data hall or telecom environments, for most of the year it operates in free air cooling mode and uses the outside air alone to cool the internal environment. However, when the outside temperature rises to around 20°C, the Adtec-D switches to adiabatic cooling mode. The incoming air is then passed through the Condair ME, which evaporates water into the fresh air stream, cooling it by up to a further 12°C. By combining free air and evaporative cooling, Weatherite’s Adtec-D has recently been able to fully replace DX mechanical cooling across more than 800 switchgear rooms for a leading UK telecoms provider. A total of around 1,500 Adtec-D units have been deployed in the project to date. A single legacy 30kW DX and free air cooling unit was consuming around 71,000kWh annually to maintain the required internal temperature, operating 24/7. The replacement 30kW Adtec-D cooling unit consumes just 14,000kWh to meet the same annual cooling load.

This resulted in an 80% energy saving for the client, which is a significant 83.3MWh annual saving in electricity across the UK-wide retrofit project.

Andy Lewis, Technical Manager at Weatherite commented, “The Adtec-D is an ideal retrofit solution for telco or DC clients who wish to take advantage of free air cooling rather than continuing to operate DX chillers. Available in modules 24

HVAC

that can provide from 15 to 80kW of sensible cooling, the Adtec-D will typically operate with an energy efficiency ratio greater than 15, even at peak outputs. The evaporative cooling technology, supplied

by Condair, ensures the Adtec-D can maintain the allowable ASHRAE conditions, even during the warmer months in a European climate without the reliance on F-gas refrigerants.”

“Weatherite only uses the highest quality components in its HVAC solutions, and this includes Condair’s evaporative humidifier.

It certainly delivered on our specific requirements for operation, control and hygiene management, and we’ve been very pleased with the support offered by Condair in connection with this successful project.” Andy concludes.

Dave Marshall-George, UK Sales Director at Condair, commented, “It’s a privilege to partner with Weatherite on such an innovative product that is helping the UK’s telecommunications sector meet its energy and sustainability objectives. As well as offering the most comprehensive range of humidifiers on the market, Condair has the ability to work with OEMs to create customised solutions. The evaporative humidifier incorporated into Weatherite’s Adtec-D is based on our standard Condair ME, but with some modifications to meet the project requirements.

This project is an example of how Condair can develop innovative and flexible

solutions for its customers.”

Weatherite is a leading UK manufacturer of made-tomeasure HVAC equipment, based out of the West Midlands.

Operating for over 50 years, the company provides a range of AHUs, heat recovery systems, packaged rooftop equipment and air cooled chillers.

The Condair Group is the world’s leading specialist in humidity control and evaporative cooling, with energy efficient, hygienic and innovative technologies for commercial, industrial and heritage applications. Condair is represented in the UK by Condair Ltd, which offers system design, manufacture, supply, installation, commissioning, maintenance and spares. You can find out more by visiting the company’s website at www.condair.co.uk.

Building & Facilities Management

HVAC

Klima-Therm launches revolutionary new heat pump range

The pioneering Engie Refrigeration Spectrum Water, supplied by Klima-Therm, is an ultra-high efficiency heat pump designed for industrial and commercial applications or integration into heat networks and district heating in housing developments.

The 12 models in the series boast nominal heat outputs of 350 to 3,100kW, a condenser leaving water temperature of up to 65 deg C, and the choice of four refrigerants - R1234ze, R515B, R513A, and R134a.

The Spectrum Water heat pump offers outstanding energy efficiency, superb operational reliability, and the highest possible quality thanks to a combination of innovative components including oil-free turbo compressors with magnetic bearings, an efficiency-boosting open-flash economiser, and an intelligent Siemens S7 PLC. Roberto Mallozzi, managing director of Klima-Therm, said: “We are committed to partnering with manufacturers that operate at the cutting edge in terms of technological development and that is why we are happy to work with Engie Refrigeration.

“By developing the unique Spectrum Water heat pump, Engie’s interdisciplinary team has come up with the ultimate ecologically sustainable alternative to heat generators that run on fossil fuels.

“This is particularly important as we seek to move to true carbon neutrality. Thanks to a host of special features, the Spectrum Water series not only meets today’s requirements for the heating supply, but also those of the future.

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“Klima-Therm’s guiding principle is to supply HVAC technology that meets the highest standards in terms of economy, efficiency, and sustainability and we have certainly met that principle with Engie’s Spectrum Water heat pump.”

For more information, visit: https://klima-therm. co.uk/news/klima-thermlaunches-revolutionarynew-heat-pump-range/ Among the benefits of the climate-friendly Spectrum Water heat pump are: High efficiency - a unique combination of turbo compressors with magnetic bearing, flooded shell and tube condensers, and the openflash economiser as standard guarantees maximum seasonal efficiency and performance with a minimal footprint.

Reliability - instead of employing a single compressor, overall capacity is split among multiple compressors, which creates redundancies that maximises operational reliability.

Smart operation - the brains of the machine are provided by an intelligent and fast Siemens S7 PLC. To increase user-friendliness and serviceability, it will be possible to operate the machine via a 10in or 15in touch panel, in addition to the simple and intuitive operation on a mobile

end device via smart control.

The SPECTRUM Water also interfaces with Engie’s CoolCare remote maintenance software and a lead and follower machine PLC integrated as standard.

Power - with rated thermal outputs of between 350 and 3,100kW and condenser leaving water temperatures of up to 65 deg C, the Spectrum Water offers formidable performance.

Flexibility - operating companies can choose between the R1234ze A2L low-GWP refrigerants and the high-efficiency A1 safety refrigerants R515B, R513A and R134a. There is also an extensive package of options and accessories, and the modular condenser design ensures that the machines can be perfectly adapted to the feed and return levels on the user’s premises.

Oil-free operation - ensuring stable performance and efficiency throughout the machine’s service life, as no oil deposits can develop in the heat exchangers or in the refrigerant circuit. It also makes for a simple and lowmaintenance machine design, as no oil management peripherals are required. Furthermore, there is no need to provide oil receptacles on site and there is no need for labour-intensive oil changes on the compressor saving time and money.

Future-proofing - capable of using refrigerants with a lower global warming potential (GWP), the Spectrum Water heat pump is perfect for integration into heating and cooling networks as well as new housing developments and district solutions. It is also ideal for a host of building types from large hotels and hospitals to shopping centres, office complexes, logistics buildings, and airports. Moreover, it can provide low-temperature process heat for manufacturing industry.

HVAC

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Building & Refurbishment

Gilberts rolls out discreet way to address fit-out needs It is almost inevitable when moving into an existing commercial or industrial space, a degree of remodelling will be needed for it to deliver the tenant’s needs. For Hardide Coatings, the problems involved adequate ventilation for its chemical processes whilst maintaining a discreet façade that blended in with the surrounding buildings.

Hardide turned to building services innovators to support its need. Purely Air Tech Ltd, air conditioning and ventilation contractor, was commissioned to deliver the answer, in turn utilising bespoke engineering expertise from Gilberts Blackpool.

A global innovator in composite coatings to extend the life of critical metal components in aggressive environments, Hardide Coatings’ processes exhaust a lot of air from the building, so a significant opening was needed to replace the exhausted air. To avoid making new penetrations through the façade, Purely proposed utilising an existing roller shutter door, infilling the opening with a louvre screen to optimise plant ventilation inside in a way that retained the door so it could be reinstated if/when the tenant vacated the premises.

However, the door’s prominent location to the front of the business alongside Hardide Coatings’ processes’ demand on extraction meant quality and security were paramount.

Gilberts’ solution was to design and manufacture a bespoke high performance screen using its WHK75 louvre system and support steelwork with an additional security mesh mounted independently inside.

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Building & Refurbishment

Under European Standard EN13030 for weather louvre performance WH louvre is proven to be 99.5% effective in screening/exhaust applications and 99% effective even with face velocities of up to 1m/ sec, validating its Class A weather resistance rating.

WHK75 provides a good 50% free ventilation area.

Andrew Purrott, Purely Air Tech’s Technical Director, commented: “Hardide uses a number of extract systems and needed a cost-effective way to provide ‘makeup’ air into the facility. A plant louvre was the obvious solution; its location to avoid visual intrusion on the exterior whilst maintaining the security integrity of the building was harder to resolve. Gilberts has a known reputation for manufacturing quality, and I felt comfortable Gilberts’ team could devise, design and manufacture a louvre to our criteria.”

Ian Eggleton, Hardide Coatings Engineering Manager

added: “We are pleased with the solution and the installation. It still looks like a roller shutter door and is not obtrusive. It delivers the air we need to ensure the extract systems work efficiently within the main factory area.”

Gilberts’ range of kitform and factory-assembled standard architectural, weather protection and acoustic louvres are just part of its range of solutions that have established it as the UK’s no 1 independent commercial air movement supplier. Gilberts’ louvres have been installed in locations as diverse as Wimbledon no 1 Court, National Composites Centre, Blackpool FC, Papworth Hospital and Museum of London (formerly Smithfield Market). Family owned, the company has a 60+ year heritage of innovation, operating from a 95,000 sq ft facility in the Northern Powerhouse of Lancashire. https://gilbertsblackpool.com Building & Facilities Management

Building & Refurbishment

Wates expands Twycross Zoo contract with The Gruffalo Discovery Land Wates Property Services is marking the six-year milestone of its contract with Twycross Zoo with the completion of a major project to support the creation of the zoo’s recently opened The Gruffalo Discovery Land.

The contract saw Wates Property Services’ fit out and refurbishment team, Wates Smartspace, deliver groundworks, landscaping and planting as well as overseeing health and safety and compliance alongside Twycross Zoo’s theming contractor.

Spanning four acres, The Gruffalo Discovery Land opened to the public in April 2022 and is inspired by Julia Donaldson’s best-selling children’s book, The Gruffalo.

Created in partnership with Magic Light Pictures, the interactive experience includes real-life animals, animatronics and educational elements to inspire young people on the natural world.

As part of the project, Wates Smartspace carried out a diverse range of services, from designing and constructing a bespoke steel framed structure which extended the

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on-site cafe facility to form the new themed finale area to the design and construction of a new aviary and a new purpose-built heated vivarium.

Work also included the installation of emergency lighting and alarm systems, new footpaths, berms and services ducts, as well as a new drainage pump house and concrete bases to facilitate the new interactive exhibits.

The delivery of The Gruffalo Discovery Land project builds on Wates FM’s work at Twycross Zoo, where the business has been the zoo’s FM partner for the past six years. The 10-year residential contract includes a full range of hard FM services across the estate, including external landscaping, mechanical and electrical services, maintenance and refurbishment of the zoo’s 64 buildings.

Working in partnership with the zoo to support its conservation of endangered species, Wates’ contract highlights include the refurbishment of a new enclosure for the zoo’s bonobos. The Wates team installed specialist glass and

created two outside enclosures to support animal welfare.

As part of its growing partnership with Twycross Zoo, Wates has also created new on-site co-located offices from which the Wates and zoo teams are based.

Constructed from repurposed shipping containers, the lodge is wrapped in a zoo-inspired camouflage print, designed and installed by local social enterprise, Nuneaton Signs.

David Morgan, Executive Managing Director of Wates Property Services, commented: “When our team took residence as FM contractor at Twycross Zoo in 2016 it marked the start of an exceptional partnership, through which we work with the zoo to deliver highly specialised services to support its important conservation work. Over the past six years we have built a mutual trust and understanding that positioned us perfectly to support the creation of the exciting new experience at The Gruffalo Discovery Land.

“As experts in fit-out and refurbishment across a breadth of sectors, we regularly work in live public-facing environments, ensuring that our work cause minimal disruption. This experience has been vital to our work at Twycross Zoo; our client plays a vital role in the conservation of endangered species and the natural world, but they also welcome over half a million visitors each year.

We are very proud of our work at Twycross Zoo to date, and to be playing a central role in the operations of such an exceptional family attraction.”

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Building & Refurbishment

Wates Smartspace completes DWP Jobcentre fit-outs across Scotland National property services provider, Wates Smartspace, has completed a £6.6m Jobcentre refurbishment roll out on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Wates Smartspace was appointed to deliver five fit-out projects at sites in Scotland, following an increased demand for Jobcentres as a result of the pandemic. The work was secured through the DWP’s Rapid Estates Expansion Programme, which was created in a drive to expand faceto-face Jobcentre services and support jobseekers.

A full refurbishment of sites in Falkirk, Aberdeen, Inverness, Ayr and Dundee were carried out, which included a complete

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interior strip out and the installation of new flooring, walls and ceilings, mechanical and electrical systems, equipment and finishes.

Scott Camp, Managing Director of Wates Smartspace, commented: “The creation of these five Jobcentres across Scotland will boost jobseeker support as the UK recovers from the pandemic.

“The DWP is one of Smartspace’s key customers, and securing the work on this project is testimony to the expertise of our team and the understanding we’ve developed of our client’s needs. We worked collaboratively with

key partners to ensure the work was delivered smoothly, on time and within budget.”

Wates Smartspace delivered the work alongside a number of contractors, including electrical and mechanical contractor John G Mackintosh, Jarvis Build, painting and joinery firm Natgem, decorating suppliers Kindecs, and flooring specialists Delbosq Ltd. Wates Smartspace works across a number of sectors, including banking, retail, developers, pharmaceutical, healthcare, broadcasters, and owners and occupiers of commercial offices and public sector organisations.

Project values range from £20,000 to £25m.

Building & Facilities Management

Building & Refurbishment

UK: SPIE awarded nine-month contract with Bruntwood SciTech for the renovation of laboratories at Alderley Park Complete renovation of Block No. 50 will further support the Park’s development as a world leading science campus.

SPIE UK, a subsidiary of SPIE, the independent European leader in multitechnical services in the areas of energy and communications, has been appointed by Bruntwood SciTech to deliver design and refurbishment services at Alderley Park – the UK’s largest single site life sciences campus.

Under the contract, SPIE will be carrying out a wide range of works on Block No. 50, including the design and refurbishment of the basement plant room, the first and second

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floors, and the level 3 roof area. The team will provide general and specialized mechanical, engineering, and plumbing (MEP) services to the laboratory space as well as category A and B works.

Category A will focus on the condition of the existing primary MEP services, while category B involves the complete fit-out and modifications required to adjust the existing layout to the customer’s bespoke requirements.

Steven Farmer, Divisional Managing Director at SPIE UK said, “Having built a strong relationship with Bruntwood SciTech over several successful schemes at Alderley Park,

we’re excited to showcase our expertise once again by using our collective MEP skills, applying best design practice and full compliance with the relevant codes of practice and legislation to deliver a functional and efficient infrastructure.”

Chris Ripper, Project Manager at Bruntwood SciTech, a partnership between property company Bruntwood and Legal & General, said, “As part of a highly validated industry facing rigorous regulatory requirements, we’re delighted to work once more with SPIE UK and feel confident that they will deliver an exceptional service on time.” www.spieuk.com

16/03/2021 09:04

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Special Feature

When specifications don’t solve the problem

How writing a specification correctly can reduce the risk to your project Specifications are passed down a lengthy chain. In the process of this journey, the intent behind the original specification can be lost, resulting in suboptimal solutions that entail a risk to your project. This risk can be avoided simply by getting the specification right. Here, Adam Fox, director at vibration isolation specialist Mason UK, offers three key principles for writing a good specification.

At its heart, a specification is a document that both defines a problem, offers a solution, and establishes a set of criteria

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whose satisfaction entails the successful implementation of that solution. This definition is a useful way of thinking about some common pitfalls that can emerge when writing a specification, so I’ll return to it shortly.

For now, let’s begin with why this matters so much. Part of the reason a specification is such a crucial document is because of its finality. As an acoustic consultant, once you produce this document and hand it over to the contractor then that may well be the last you see of it.

If a subcontractor further

along the chain picks a suboptimal solution to save on cost or time to install correctly, or if an irresponsible supplier recommends a product that will not deliver the outcome, the acoustic consultant who wrote the specification may not know.

There is a risk to the project and the end customer who will incur cost to resolve in the future.

The consultant might have written the document setting out the correct solution, but their intention has been lost in the chain. How does this happen or, more importantly, how can you prevent this

Building & Facilities Management

from happening when you write your specification?

Having been called upon to provide retrofits where things have sometimes gone wrong, I’ve often pondered whether a more tightly written specification would have reduced the risks and if so, what general principles might govern the writing of a document like that? It is a tricky one to pin down, but here are three key things I think might help lower the risk to your project:

Make sure you answer the how question

Let’s return to the definition offered at the outset. The specification should define a problem and a solution, but here’s the important part: it needs to outline the criteria that determine whether that solution has been implemented correctly and in full. Take, for example, the following scenario.

An acoustic consultant is called in to identify a source of noise and vibration in an office building. They identify the culprit is a pump on the roof of the structure. The problem, therefore, is the pump and the solution is straightforward: you need to isolate it.

However, in this example you are missing the third component in our definition.

Specifically, how do you isolate it? You need to identify the right engineering principles and incorporate these into the criteria. For example, you might specify the frequency and what other properties the isolator should have as a starting point.

Now, you are not only offering a solution, but providing clear instructions as to how that solution is implemented.

The beauty is in the detail This leads to the next important point. If you’ve read this far, it will come as no surprise that the next key ingredient in a good specification is the level of

detail. It sounds so simple, but it’s worth dwelling on why this is so important. Remember that the purpose of all this is to limit the risk to your project and that the specification document needs to have a degree of finality about it. It cannot leave any questions unanswered, so you need sufficient detail.

Of course, you don’t want detail for its own sake. There is no point, for example, in specifying what colour paint should be used on an isolator, when the goal is to set out the correct engineering principles. However, that caveat aside, more detail is generally going to strengthen or tighten your specification.

Let’s take an example to further illustrate why this is so important. Let’s say acoustic hangers are specified for a project. The specification might require spring hangers which offer a natural frequency below 8Hz. There are many products on the market that could tick this box, but not all of them are designed correctly.

In this instance, additional detail might include the misalignment capability of the hanger. For example, with minimal misalignment capability, the rod will make contact with the bracket, creating a transmission path and an acoustic breach. If the specification did not include details about the necessary misalignment capability, the contractor might simply pick the cheapest hanger that can meet the natural frequency requirement, without realising that this product will inevitably fail to isolate sources of vibration.

Place the onus on the supplier

The specification should include enough design features that the consultant can walk away and forget about it, knowing there is little risk to the project. However, there

may be situations where if the supplier doesn’t request the right information, then there is the risk of the wrong type of product being specified.

Ideally, the specification should be written so that the acoustic products will be fit for purpose and not all products are designed the same. For example, you would not specify the same size acoustic hanger for a small pipe versus a much larger pipe. The supplier should be proactive and ask questions about load requirements so that the specification can be met. Yet if a supplier were to simply pick larger hangers without caring about the outcome, the contractor is unlikely to know or understand the risks this might introduce.

At this stage in the project, the consultant who originally wrote the specification may no longer be involved. So how do you prevent scenarios like the one described above?

A good supplier should be able to willingly supply documentation that shows evidence that the specification has been complied with.

If you make sure you are addressing the how question and doing so with the appropriate level of detail in your criteria, you will have a tight specification. If you go to the additional length of requiring the contractor or supplier to provide evidence that the specification has been met, you ensure that your original intention is not lost along the way. Although it might entail slightly higher up-front costs, the risk to your project will be reduced and the whole life costs to the end user will likely be lower too.

Mason UK provides products, solutions and expertise for vibration isolation problems.

For more guidance on how to write a specification, visit mason-uk.co.uk.

PSSA

Public Sector Sustainability Association

BECOME A CORPORATE MEMBER OF THE PSSA 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.

Becoming a Corporate Member of the Public Sector Sustainability Association highlights your organisations commitment to sustainability and offers a unique platform to reach our membership of committed and influencial sustainability professionals in Government, Local Authorities, NHS, Education and Housing Associations. The PSSA offers two levels of Corporate Membership (Gold and Silver), both providing a fantastic opportunity to gain recogniton and exposure with our Public Sector membership.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS • Comprehensive listing in Suppliers Directory • Unlimited opportunity to supply press releases, articles & news to feature on PSSA website • One release for inclusion in monthly Newsletter • Opportunity to promote your own events/webinars/training courses to PSSA members • Logo on PSSA homepage as ‘Gold/Silver Member’ of the PSSA • Introductory email sent to our members as the latest Gold/Silver Member of the PSSA • Logo - ‘Gold/Silver Member of the PSSA’ to use on your own websites/materials Additional Gold Member benefits • Potential to conduct research/surveys through the PSSA (Gold Member ONLY) • 2 x Advertising Banners to appear on the PSSA Newsletter (Gold Member ONLY) • 3 x Full Page Advertisements within either Energy Manager magazine or Building & Facilities Management magazine (Gold Member ONLY) • Opportunity to present at regular PSSA Webinars (Gold Member ONLY)

WHAT DOES IT COST The rate for Gold Member status is £1,495+VAT per annum.

The rate for Silver Member status is £895+VAT per annum.

Interested in becoming a Corporate Member of the PSSA? Get in touch today - call us on 01933 316931 or email us at corporate@pssa.info

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