BFM October/November 2022 Issue

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2022 www.bfmmagazine.co.uk building & facilities management

HEALTH & SAFETY | ROOFING | SUSTAINABILITY

FMs prepare for the energy crisis with cost-effective technologies see pages 20-21

INSIDE:

Lessons Learned: Success in Sustainability

see page 22

Solar energy the smart way Solar panels are an effective way of improving the energy efficiency of a project. But this can be costly, with large up-front payments often limiting their use.

The Crown Commercial Service’s Leasing and Loan Finance Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) a range of financing options make securing solar panels for your project simple and achievable. Whether you are looking for a hire purchase, a finance lease, and operating lease or an asset secured loan, you can find the finance solution that will work for you.

Find out more at crowncommercial.gov.uk

On the cover: FMs prepare for the energy crisis with costeffective technologies

Oct/Nov 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

see page 22

Contents News

4

Class act as schools save water with support through site visits

Health & Safety

12

CHAS teams up with SafetyCulture to help members improve risk performance

16

Supercharge your cleaning with Makita’s latest Robotic Cleaner

18

Pagabo puts suppliers on notice for £1bn Refit and Refurbishment framework

Cleaning & Hygiene

Building & Refurbishment 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

Sustainability

22

Lessons Learned: Success in Sustainability

Roofing

28

Roofing Surveys, A Health Check For Your Estate

Subscriptions are available via www.bfmmagazine.co.uk/subscribe No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior permission from the publishers.

The publishers do not accept any responsibility for, or necessarily agree with, any views expressed in articles, letters or supplied advertisements.

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

3

News

Class act as schools save water with support through site visits

Small steps around water can deliver big budget results for primary and secondary schools, work this year has shown.

As schools in England get pupils back into classrooms, more than 20 schools have had great results by boosting their water efficiency performance this year - with more than 180 leaks at 23 sites identified, which have been fixed.

Out of 23 schools visited, 13% of toilets had a leak with an average of seven leaks per primary school and 11 leaks per secondary school. The average water-saving overall from the work, for each of the 23 schools, was around 9,655 litres of water per day for leaks. Schools with water meters are charged for every cubic metre (each 1,000 litres) of water they receive.

Scott MacIndeor, Head of Advanced Services at water retailer Water Plus, said: “The water-saving figures illustrate how regular water checks at school – and sites generally – is worth the time, along with checking water meter readings regularly - ideally every month, or more often during term time, throughout a year, if it’s safe to access. Small steps can really add up to great results for schools and lower utility bill costs, even saving energy when less hot water is used through more water efficiency.

“Visits to 23 schools, who are customers with Water Plus, showed 32% of urinals were uncontrolled which now,

due to additional steps, are providing an estimated saving of 38,136 litres of water a day.

The schools are in a much better place with the start of a new school term with bill savings another benefit, as well as cutting water waste. There are carbon emissions linked to water a site receives and the water that’s taken away and treated, so increasing water efficiency is well worth it – and helps reduce impacts we can all have on the environment.”

Alice Denholm, Water Efficiency Delivery Manager at United Utilities, added: “This was part of a pilot scheme delivered in partnership with Water Plus and Groundwork.

In total we worked with 30 schools to help them eliminate water wastage and introduce water efficiency measures. All but one of the schools visited had leaky taps and toilets and by carrying out basic repairs and introducing a few simple

measures such as save a flush devices and tap inserts, we estimate more than 259,000 litres of water are being saved every day across those schools – more than 8,500 litres per day at each school.

“Schools can begin the new term knowing they are saving both water and money, which is good news for them and the environment.”

The pilot project, which was externally funded, saw 28 urinal controllers fitted saving an estimated 45,144 litres of water a day - and a total of 219 leaks fixed across 30 schools in England.

Fixing the 163 toilet leaks at the 30 schools will deliver an estimated 208,890 litres of water saved each day.

Visits to schools, which were involved in this programme of work, were between April and June 2022.

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.

For more information on joining, please visit www.pssa.info 4

News

Building & Facilities Management

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Tom worked tirelessly to complete the job and then respectfully informed the customer, and provided comfort until his carer arrived.

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News

New findings reveal the role manufacturing industry may be playing in the country’s clean water challenges New research reveals that manufacturing businesses might be playing a significant role in the contamination of water, contributing to England having one of the worst rates in Europe when it comes to water quality.

Although 90% of respondents to the research said pollution prevention is important to their business, many are unaware of the specific activities relating to manufacturing that can contaminate water including vehicle washing (45%), water cooling (54%), equipment cleaning (42%) and food production (54%).

Exploring the specific responsibilities manufacturing businesses must comply with as part of pollution prevention guidance from the Environment Agency, the research from Metro Rod found that two fifths (41%) are unaware they are responsible for the correct disposal of hazardous substances and worryingly 65% are unaware they are responsible for the correct disposal of commercial waste and recycling.

Three out of five businesses (63%) don’t have a pollution incident response plan in place, outlining the actions they should take to reduce the level of pollution created by an accident on site, meaning that if an issue does arise they aren’t fully prepared to prevent the environment from unnecessary harm.

Furthermore, almost three fifths of respondents (58%) are unaware there is an unlimited fine for any business found to be in breach of environmental legislation, and just over half (53%) are unaware that such 6

News

activity is a criminal offence with potential for imprisonment.

Metro Rod has used the research, which it undertook with a cross-section of people working at management level in manufacturing businesses across the UK, to produce a whitepaper and pollution prevention action plan for manufacturers to implement asset maps and regular maintenance to their businesses in order to help control pollution.

Chris Nelson, senior technical manager at Metro Rod, said: “We hear regular stories of sewage being discharged into English waters which is having a knock-on effect to wildlife and the way we’re able to enjoy our natural landscape. But our research reveals that there is more to this situation than meets the eye; the practices of businesses working in one of the country’s largest industries are making the challenge even more complex, and action must be taken now.

“There are various different processes that are essential

to manufacturing businesses which, unfortunately, do lead to the contamination of water.

And unless the correct tools and systems are in place to prevent this contaminated water from reaching the water course, local environments will continue to be impacted, affecting people and animals alike.

“What’s reassuring is that so many businesses told us that pollution prevention is important to them – we know people want to do more to protect our world. Our job now, as drainage experts, is to ensure companies working in manufacturing have everything they need to clean-up their operations and ensure their businesses aren’t responsible for the ongoing contamination of water for many more years to come.”

You can download the whitepaper and pollution prevention action plan, here: https://www.metrorod.co.uk/ pollution-awareness-in-themanufacturing-industry/ Building & Facilities Management

News

Assessing the life cycle of an industrial or commercial metal roof before solar panel installation You should consider the life cycle of your metal roof before installing solar panels.

Due to the significant costs of the solar panel systems, the condition of the roof is critical so it should be assessed prior to solar installation. The expected life cycle of commercial solar panel systems is around 20 to 25 years, therefore it is crucial that your roof is able to match this.

Failure to bring the roof back to standard can lead to corrosion of the roof sheets setting in beneath the solar system. Uninstalling and reinstalling solar panels in order to refurbish the roof or undertake a full roof replacement would be a costly and time consuming process.

For these reasons, it is essential that commercial roofs are inspected and refurbished prior to the installation of any solar panel systems. Sharmans have two roof refurbishment systems: • Delcote® - The Full Roof Coating - Backed by an industry leading 25 or 10 year product guarantee (Dual/Single Coat).

• Seamsil® - The Cut Edge Corrosion System - Backed by an industry leading 15 year product guarantee.

Sharmans market leading roof refurbishment systems Delcote® and Seamsil® are proven to extend the life cycle of industrial and commercial roofs, therefore protecting the long term investment made in solar 8

News

panel systems. With over 35 years of trusted performance, their products are guaranteed to extend the life of the roof.

The cost of preparing the roof with their roof refurbishment systems is a fraction of the total cost of the solar panel system. This small investment protects your larger investment.

Protect your investment and ensure that your roof is fit for purpose with Delcote® and Seamsil®. Contact Sharmans for more information.

T: 01298 812371 E: info@hdsharman.co.uk www.hdsharman.co.uk Building & Facilities Management

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News

ABM secures cleaning and security brief for LondonEnergy ABM, one of the world’s largest providers of integrated facility services has been awarded a contract from LondonEnergy, which delivers waste and resource management services for north London.

The multi-year contract will see ABM provide cleaning and security services across six sites, including LondonEnergy’s head office, all based in the capital.

ABM was awarded the contract, which begins this month, following a competitive pitch process. The leading facilities management provider impressed with its technical capability and expertise, which will further improve the workplace environment for employees and visitors.

Leveraging the expertise of Lee Fitzgerald, Divisional Director, the team will deliver integrated cleaning and security

10

News

services across several sites within the LondonEnergy estate. ABM will enhance the service using new technology systems and training. The site will be led by a dedicated contract manager, based on site at EcoPark, to ensure consistent customer service delivery across all services.

By helping the residents of north London recycle, reuse, and recover energy from their waste, LondonEnergy generates enough sustainable energy to power 80,000 homes and businesses in north London every year.

Lee Fitzgerald, Divisional Director at ABM comments: “LondonEnergy is delivering some fantastic work across north London, so we’re absolutely thrilled to be working with the team and playing a role in the support they offer its residents.

“This is a huge opportunity for

us to showcase our technical ability and industry expertise to the waste management industry. All the work we deliver will be in line with LondonEnergy’s impressive sustainability commitments and we look forward to being part of their mission.”

The six sites that ABM will be managing are based in north London with further growth expected in the contract next year.

Rosh Bibi, Real Estates Manager at LondonEnergy, says: “ABM’s technical capability, extensive experience and operational approach together with its own drive to deliver sustainable initiatives and reporting across its divisions in the UK, made them a natural fit.

We look forward to a successful partnership and together making London a greener, cleaner, and healthier place.”

Building & Facilities Management

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY EVENT

1 in 4 UK employees plan to work more from the office this winter to cut down on energy bills INFOGRID’S RESEARCH – SEP 2022

As the cost of living crisis becomes a prominent concern among the public, employees are planning ways to cut down on utility costs. According to Infogrid’s recent survey, around 25% of UK employees plan to return to the office to reduce energy usage at home.

Are you prepared for more crowded buildings as a facility manager? Unpredicted occupancy levels, crowded spaces, hygiene, indoor air quality and increased energy bills are among the biggest concerns of UK facilities key decision-makers.

Find out more about how you can best manage your buildings this winter in this upcoming webinar hosted by Infogrid and Disruptive Technologies.

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Using technology and data to create safer working environments: Occupancy THURSDAY 27TH OCTOBER | 3PM BST In this webinar, you will learn from industry experts about cost-effective technologies to track which areas of your buildings are being used and for how long, so you can make informed decisions across your entire estate, or at a building, floor or space level on: • Cleaning routines

Karla Rivershaw Insights Manager @Infogrid Thomas Nielsen VP sales – EMEA @Disruptive Technologies Andy Wilton Head of Product @Infogrid

• HVAC settings Helping you cut down on energy and cleaning costs as well as maintain a great occupancy experience.

Register now

Health & Safety

CHAS teams up with SafetyCulture to help members improve risk performance CHAS, the trusted expert in supply chain compliance, has teamed up with SafetyCulture, the global technology company, to provide CHAS contractors with discounted access to SafetyCulture’s digital operations management platform.

SafetyCulture’s platform empowers businesses to harness the power of observation to identify and reduce risk and save money while driving continuous improvement in safety and quality management.

The agreement includes the use of iAuditor, SafetyCulture’s flagship inspection management software which allows teams to capture data, identify areas of improvement, share reports and collaborate via a simple-to-use app. Using iAuditor, CHAS members can perform checks, report issues, automate tasks and communicate fluidly within a single auditable trail.

CHAS members have access to an exclusive 10% discount on iAuditor and can get started for free for up to 10 users. CHAS members are also eligible for a 10% discount on EdApp, an all-inone mobile training platform that gives workers the flexibility to train at any place, any time.

The SafetyCulture discount 12

Health & Safety

is the latest in an ever-growing bank of CHAS membership benefits designed to help members’ businesses thrive and save them thousands of pounds a year. Other benefits include discounted cyber security support, access to a free legal helpline, 20% discount with Speedy Hire, TradePoint cards that give 10% off at B&Q, as well as discounted training courses and free access to e-learning resources.

Commenting on CHAS’s partnership with Safety Culture, CHAS Managing Director Ian McKinnon says: “We’re really excited to be teaming up with SafetyCulture to offer our members an exclusive discount on access to this cutting edge platform.

“CHAS is committed to helping members strive for continuous improvement in their health & safety performance

and SafetyCulture’s tools enable users to do just that.

“By harnessing these tools, CHAS members will have the potential to strengthen their risk management processes, reduce accidents and incident levels and build even better businesses.”

Niamh Keane, Head of UK, SafetyCulture adds: “SafetyCulture and CHAS share a vision to make the highest levels of risk, health and safety and quality management available as broadly as possible. Through the use of SafetyCulture’s easy-to-use tools like iAuditor and EdApp, CHAS members will be able to equip their frontline with market-leading technology and skills to deliver on this vision.”

To find out more about how CHAS can help your business, call CHAS today on 0345 521 9111 or visit www.chas.co.uk Building & Facilities Management

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Health & Safety

Are Your Entrance Mats a Fire Risk?

Fire safety is an important consideration in the building industry, and everyone involved in construction or property management should choose materials and processes to help prevent fires. This is especially important in multi-tenanted buildings like apartment complexes and retirement/nursing homes, where a fire can quickly spread and put lives at risk.

Many people don’t realise that most entrance mats are not flame-retardant, meaning they can fuel a fire and spread it around the building more quickly. Most building operators and landlords know the risks and will ask tenants to remove mats that aren’t classified as flame-retardant. Learn more about Flame-Retardant Entrance Mats with this guide provided by First Mats.

Testing and classifications

The classifications and regulations can be complex, but they are designed to help you choose the right materials for your property.

International classifications are designed to ensure that any product or component with a classification marking has been tested to the same standards. Construction products should have been tested and graded against EN 13501-1, the European standard for reaction to fire. The ‘fire retardant’ marking means the materials have passed testing, including exposure to a naked flame and a radiating heat source. This ensures that the materials will not contribute to the spread of fire and will provide a measure of protection in the event of a fire.

For floor coverings and mats, the potential grades that can be awarded are: A1 fl – the ‘fl’ is an abbreviation for ‘floor’; a floor covering with this rating is 14

Health & Safety

considered nonflammable with no risk of smoke formation.

A2 fl – nonflammable floor coverings with low levels of organic binding agents B fl – a flameretardant product that has passed the radiating heat test with an intensity of 8kW/m2 C fl – a flame-retardant product that has passed the radiating heat test with an intensity of 4.5kW/m2 A1 fl and A2 fl levels cannot be achieved by the vast majority of floor coverings, including vinyl and textiles. When you are looking for matting, you need to keep an eye out for B fl and C fl markings. These both mean that the mats have been tested and classified as fire-retardant.

It’s important to note that fire retardant does not mean the item cannot be set alight. It means that the materials used help to stop the spread of any fire that does manage to take hold.

C fl classifications and below should be considered a fire risk. Using these products can present a danger to anyone in a building where they are installed.

Smoke production

When a fire occurs, smoke can quickly fill a room or hallway, making it difficult for evacuees and firefighters to see and breathe. For this reason, the amount of smoke produced by burning material is an important factor in fire safety. The EN13501-1 standard includes a test to measure the smoke produced by burning material. The smoke is graded on a scale from ‘s1’ to ‘s2’, with ‘s1’ indicating a manageable or acceptable amount of

smoke and ‘s2’ meaning that too much smoke is produced.

When choosing materials for a building, it is important to look for products with an ‘s1’ smoke rating to ensure that the amount of smoke produced in the event of a fire will not impede evacuations or rescue efforts.

Combining the two grades will give us a marking for the flooring and smoke production.

Your mat should be marked as either Bfl-s1 or Cfl-s1.

Types of Fire Retardant Mats

As fire regulations have tightened, finding and fitting an entrance mat with the form and function you want for your building and residents has become more difficult. However, fire-retardant entrance mats are available in a huge range of colours and sizes, with deep piles for comfort, durable finishes for longevity and very respectable dust, dirt and water retention.

Check the classifications before purchasing to ensure they will suit your building.

First Mats started life as safety matting specialists but has since expanded to become a complete industrial and commercial supplies company. First Mats focus on providing safety-focused products that improve the wellbeing of staff through qualityapproved products backed up by extensive knowledge.

For more information, go to www.firstmats.co.uk Building & Facilities Management

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Cleaning & Hygiene

Supercharge your cleaning with Makita’s latest Robotic Cleaner Makita has launched a new 18V Brushless Robotic Cleaner designed for commercial and industrial use. As part of Makita’s evolving range of cleaning solutions, the DRC300 can map and memorise rooms for cleaning and can be controlled via an app to offer smarter cleaning, productivity and ease of use for cleaning professionals.

Equipped with superior 2D LiDAR sensor and camera technology, the new DCR300 18V LXT Brushless Robotic Cleaner can map and memorise up to 10,000m2 of space across five different rooms and use this information to not only return to its original position, but also track optimal routes for efficient cleaning. Powered by either single 18V or dual 18V LXT batteries, this innovative solution from Makita provides continuous cleaning power of up to 240-minutes over an impressive 600m2 area (when used with two 18V 6.0Ah batteries in parallel).

The DRC300 can be controlled directly by the unit, RF remote control (included) or with a smartphone via a bespoke app which offers users even more functionality and benefits. Here, operators can access performance history such as cleaning dates and times and the percentage of cleaning areas covered, which contractors can use as evidence or scheduling.

With a large 3L dust box and HEPA filter to capture very fine particles, and a filter clogging notification to show when the filters require maintenance, the 16

Cleaning & Hygiene

cleaner comes equipped with one main brush and two side brushes, which are detachable without tools, and a large carry handle, for easy transportation.

Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita said: “With its intelligent features and powerful cleaning capacity, our new 18V LXT DRC300 Brushless Robotic Cleaner offers maintenance and cleaning professionals even more flexibility when it comes to commercial applications.

Users can leave the cleaner to do the work, whilst tackling other jobs to improve efficiency on site. What’s more, the LXT battery can be used to power over 30 cleaning solutions

in our line-up, as part of a battery platform spanning over 290 cordless products.”

The DRC300 joins an expanding range of cleaning solutions from Makita, including a recent update to its backpack vacuum portfolio. The popular VC008 40VMax XGT Brushless Backpack Vacuum, previously only available as a body only model, is now available to purchase as a kit with 2x 5Ah 40VMax XGT batteries and charger included (model number VC008GT201).

To find out more about the Makita range for the cleaning sector visit: www.makitauk.com/ products/vacuum-cleaners.

Building & Facilities Management

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Building & Refurbishment

Pagabo puts suppliers on notice for £1bn Refit and Refurbishment framework LEADING national framework provider Pagabo has today, (5 October 2022), issued a prior information notice (PIN) for its latest construction framework – the second generation of its Refit and Refurbishment framework.

The new generation of the framework will run for four years from April 2023, taking place of the current iteration, which expires in February. It will provide a compliant and collaborative route to market for public sector clients to procure refurbishment works valued at £50,000 and above.

With a total value of £1 billion and to meet the demand for Pagabo’s evergrowing base of national clients across all major business sectors, the framework will be split into five value-based lots as follows: Lot 1 - £50k to £500k Lot 2 - £500k to £1m Lot 3 - £1m to £5m Lot 4 - £5m to £15m Lot 5 - £15m+ Under these lots, up to nine contractors will be allocated to regional sub lots, comprising six core and three reserve suppliers. A number of these places are reserved for SMEs to ensure fair access for organisations of any size, to provide ample choice for clients, and to ensure the generation of maximum positive social impact for communities.

Jason Stapley, managing director at Pagabo, said: “The performance of the original Refit and Refurbishment Framework shows that there is a definite requirement for this type of procurement solution, and after lots of work we are now pleased to be inviting suppliers to submit tenders.

“As this is a second-generation framework, we have liaised with the contracting authority, existing client organisations and potential suppliers to gain feedback on the current version. This has allowed us to examine what has worked well, and where through changes more organisations 18

Building & Refurbishment

can benefit from use of the framework – along with any changes to keep our processes at the forefront of the procurement golden standard and adherence to the Construction Playbook.

“As always, social value remains at the centre of our actions. Both client organisations that use this – and our other frameworks – and the appointed contractors will have access to a free version of Loop’s social value software for all Pagabo procured projects. This access will allow them to report on and demonstrate the social value being generated by the project and their actions.”

Client organisations will be able to both direct award and further compete their requirements.

Suppliers on the core list will be eligible for direct appointments and further competitions, and those on the reserve list will only be eligible for direct appointments. However, they will be included in further competitions should not enough from the core list respond to a further competition expression of interest.

Red Kite Learning Trust (RKLT) will be the contracting authority for the new agreement, continuing its role from the current iteration of the framework.

For more information, please visit https://www.pagabo.co.uk/ Building & Facilities Management

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Building & Refurbishment

19

Special Feature

FMs prepare for the energy crisis with cost-effective technologies

With the current energy crisis, keeping costs down whilst maintaining employee satisfaction and well-being is an ever-growing pressure. As we emerge from lockdown and the positive sense of urgency from COP26 (ahead of rising regulation), the industry has been tasked with all sorts of new responsibilities that have not previously been in its wheelhouse – suddenly, we need to be experts in Workplace Experience, Sustainability, remote monitoring and using technology to conduct tasks that have been done manually for decades. Knowing how your building is working and where performance can be improved is crucial.

It’s no longer just about keeping the lights on (literally), but delivering a full service FM on all the real estate topics of the day, amidst a labour shortage (heightened in the UK due to Brexit), water shortages, labour and energy cost inflation, thereby needing to work with technology to accelerate the change, whilst being assailed by a myriad of new technologies.

Buildings are wasting water and energy

The majority of water safety monitoring tasks are manually intensive, with a heavy compliance reporting requirement, to ensure the safety of occupants in complex

20

Special Feature

buildings. They result in huge amounts of water wastage, tonnes of CO2 emissions from heating water unnecessarily and journeys to remote sites and poor reporting of compliance through handwritten logbooks.

According to Infogrid’s data, a manual flushing rota can waste on average over 600 litres per tap, 9 tonnes of CO2 to heat up water per building. Imagine a world where all the manual, low value add tasks were monitored remotely, without the need for time-intensive journeys or energy-consumptive manual actions, and all the reporting was available live, 24/7, without the need for reams of paper stored in folders.

The rise of AI platforms, IoT Technology and retrofitting

NHS, Lloyds and even Royal Opera House are deploying this technology across all their estates to improve the efficiency of their buildings. Buildings of any age can be retrofitted with an AI smart building platform powered by IoT sensors to make them more efficient.

Pipe monitoring and L8 Compliance

The route to improving safety is through data-led management of the building’s water system.

As Facilities Managers, knowing what’s going on, anywhere on the system at anytime, means proactively eliminating challenges such as lesser used outlets, especially around vulnerable people in the healthcare system. This also enables proactive improvement of the performance of critical water assets, such as calorifiers or pumps, through active maintenance, or rectifying issues swiftly through reactive alerts. Trusting in 24/7 data greatly improves awareness of a water system and ensures greater compliance and reduced risk. FMs now save more time, and labour costs, as well as energy and reducing CO2 emissions.

Multiple NHS Trusts have Building & Facilities Management

Special Feature

now installed and deployed this technology supplied by Infogrid. The results Infogrid’s Efficient Building System has achieved for the NHS have been amazing. Per 100 sensors install, it delivers costs saving of £21,000 (£73,600 for acute wards), Labor savings of 81% of time saved (91% for remote sites), Water savings: 310,000 litre (1,085,200 for acute wards), Energy savings: 430,000 KwH (1,505,700 for acute wards), CO2 savings: 440,000 Kg (15,551,700 for acute wards).

FMs reduce cleaning time by 30%

Understanding occupancy alone is a simple data point, but looking at occupancy trends through time can enable a smart cleaning rota, staffed appropriately for www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

peaks and troughs, with the ability to be reactive. Yet, add an understanding of the air quality and the HVAC’s energy consumption, and you can address whether or not you can reduce the HVAC’s energy costs and CO2 emissions, because you have low occupancy and good air quality…and then you can compare the performance of all the buildings in your portfolio to decide which are the least efficient or desirable to work in…and make data-led decisions about property rationalisation.

Infogrid’s AI-powered SaaS platform collects, combines and analyses millions of data points from buildings through best-inclass IoT sensors, delivering real-time intelligence for the commercial real estate and property sector. It focuses on

three areas – Healthy Buildings (tenant / occupier experience), Efficient Buildings (maintenance and service) and Sustainable Buildings, but the last is really a green thread that runs through all its solutions, breaking down silos across the industry.

Infogrid’s philosophy is Simple, Affordable, Scalable and Sustainable. In order to have the maximum positive impact on the planet, it aims to be easy and cost-effective to install across whole portfolios, not just flagship HQs. Looking ahead, the solution’s recommendations are able to steer the facilities manager to making adjustments on the plant in the building which optimise the building’s performance and their time allocation to high value add activities. www.infogrid.io special feature

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Sustainability

Lessons Learned: Success in Sustainability

By Georgina Penfold, Director for Regulated Services, Inspired PLC There’s room for many different organisations underneath the Public Sector umbrella. However, they all have something in common: Public Sector organisations deliver vital services at the crossfire of tightening budget constraints and growing expectation to deliver more value. They are also required to meet both organisational and national decarbonisation targets. All of this is paid with public money.

This creates a complex environment to navigate, requiring careful attention to every aspect of operations down to the supply chain, so the organisation can continue to deliver services whilst optimising their energy use and reducing their environmental impact.

That’s where we come in.

The Environmental and Social

22

Sustainability

Impact team at Inspired have delivered 26 public sector green action plans in the last six months, gaining experience from which anyone faced with delivering a sustainability strategy could benefit.

Let’s look at a few of those learnings.

Successful delivery of a sustainability strategy needs to be mindful of the circumstances that we have just outlined, and ideally try to reduce the burden that comes if the process is delegated in entirety to a single staff member.

Therefore, it might be tempting to go for the quick win solutions. Go fast and hard and worry about the rest in the next budget.

However, play the long game. If you get too hung up on “low hanging fruit” and this year’s budget, you miss the big picture. Real value comes from

developing and executing a strategy over time.

This is where a team of consultants worth their salt creates real impact. Collecting staff transportation data and historical meter readings might not sound glamorous but when done properly at the beginning, groundwork like this will pay back dividends down the road.

Only by establishing where you are, will you know what you need to do to get to your goal.

One realistic target at a time.

A sustainability strategy destined for success is created in a constant dialogue between the consultant and client, where we name achievable targets and mapping out the required steps towards them.

Building & Facilities Management

Sustainability However, the strategy alone is not enough. Even though measures such as heat pumps will create savings over time, installing them requires investment.

Let’s look at funding next.

Getting your application prepared well ahead of deadline to apply for a short window of funding from bodies like Salix can add a further intimidating dimension to already arduous process.

Having an experienced and critical friend beside you throughout can help make this a much more straightforward exercise. Our team has successfully supported several clients as they have applied for funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund (PSDS).

Then, communications.

Success in sustainability does not happen when it is the responsibility of a single person

or department. It must move from top to bottom, involving every colleague and service user. Creating internal and external communication plans and employee engagement schemes help to create a fertile ground for new ideas and ways to make sustainability everyone’s business. The NHS Green Champions initiative is a good example of this in practice.

Speaking of which, producing, facilitating and project managing the implementation of actions under NHS Green Plans are one example of the critical work done by our team to bring this entire process into reality. The NHS is an excellent example of a unique sector collaborating to reach an agreed target; first reaching net zero for the emissions it directly controls by 2040, followed by emissions influenced by 2045.

Realistically Represent

In August, NHS Scotland announced a new national strategy for creating a net zero health service by 2040.

We are looking forward to continuing the work we have started with English trusts to support Scotland’s NHS towards their shared target.

So, you’ve got the funding.

You’ve got the strategy. You’ve nailed the communications.

What comes next?

Now you will be set down a road that you are wellequipped to travel. But we are not just waving you off with our handkerchiefs, just to disappear into the horizon.

We review your progress collegiately every year to see if the Action Plan continues to be on track. If not, we help you to act accordingly. Whatever it takes, we’ll do it together. www.inspiredenergy.co.uk

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Sustainability

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Sustainability

The top 5 benefits of Using Tarmac for Your Driveway The Perfect Choice for a Wide Range of Homes With so many benefits to its name, tarmac is a material that is ideally suited to driveways.

Tarmac has long been a trusted building material, and its popularity with those looking to transform their drives shows no signs of letting up. If you are going to add a new driveway to your property, here are five reasons why tarmac surfacing could be the best option.

Affordability Tarmac is a cost-effective alternative to other materials, which has made it popular with property owners working with budgets of all sizes. Of course, the cost will depend on the size of your driveway – but when compared with materials such as concrete or brick and block paving, you will soon notice the difference.

With everyone having to tighten their belts right now, opting for tarmac is a great way to keep everything coming in on budget.

Weather resistance Another reason to choose tarmac for your driveway is the fact that it is weather resistant.

The unpredictability of the Great

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Sustainability

British weather is something that cannot be overstated, with sudden downpours and intense hot spells a mainstay of the climate. A tarmac driveway can stand up to the lowest temperatures with ease, so there is no need to worry about how it will fare over the course of the winter. It will also fare brilliantly during the summer months too – perfect if your drive doesn’t have much in the way of shade.

Durability One of the biggest benefits of using tarmac for a driveway is how hard-wearing it is. If your driveway sees a lot of daily use, with cars coming and going and plenty of footfall, then you will want to be sure that it can last for many years to come. Tarmac can stand up to a huge amount of wear and tear and can also withstand large vehicles with ease. One of the more immediate benefits you’ll notice is that it is skid-resistant, making parking a breeze!

Versatility Tarmac is one of the most versatile building materials out there, and you’ll see it used on driveways in all kinds of properties.

It’s the perfect match for modern, contemporary builds, but it can

also be paired brilliantly with older, traditional properties. It’s something of a blank canvas, and you can choose from a wide range of shades so that your driveway complements your property.

With a tarmac driveway, the only limit is your own imagination!

Quick installation Last but not least, you can look forward to a really quick installation when you opt for a tarmac driveway. It is much quicker to lay tarmac when compared to other driveway solutions – this will save you both time and labour costs. Tarmac also dries incredibly quickly, so access to your property will not be disrupted for a prolonged period. So, if you’re looking for a new driveway with a short turnaround time, then tarmac is the ideal option!

What next?

If you are going to choose tarmac for your driveway, it’s important to work with a trusted local specialist in tarmac surfacing.

Look at examples of their previous work – both for reassurance and inspiration for your own project!

In no time at all, you’ll have a stunning new driveway that has been designed and installed with your needs in mind.

Building & Facilities Management

Sustainability

Hydrologiq and Costain collaborate to trial hydrogen-powered generator on the Preston Western Distributor Road

Lancashire County Council’s delivery partner, Costain, and hydrogen industry start-up, Hydrologiq, have successfully trialled the use of a hydrogenpowered fuel cell generator at the Preston Western Distributor Road project’s M55 compound.

The trial is the first for Lancashire County Council in line with its carbon reduction ambitions and demonstrated carbon savings from onsite operations of between 70% and close to 100%, when powered by grey and green hydrogen respectively. Moving from diesel to green hydrogen on a similar compound could save up to 11 tonnes CO2e per month.

Hydrologiq funded the trial through an innovation grant from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), which aims to support the deployment of hydrogen generators on realworld sites throughout the UK. This innovation established

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Sustainability

significant benefits for the local community from the use of a EODev GEH2 fuelcell and battery integrated generator, including extremely quiet operations and the emission of water as sole by-product from its use.

The trials also showed that hydrogen could transform performance by reliably and efficiently powering an entire site compound, comprising offices, a canteen, drying room, toilets and two battery electric vehicle (BEV) charging stations.

Benjamin Lindley, director at Hydrologiq, said: “On-site power provided via hydrogen fuel-cell technology has the ability to make construction sites quieter, cleaner, and healthier places to work. The generator itself ran so quietly that a diligent security guard raised a false alarm that the power had cut off when he didn’t hear the expected rumble from the diesel unit. And, whatever the source of hydrogen, a fuel-cell

generator only produces water at point of use, eliminating NOx and particulates.”

“At Hydrologiq, we believe that replacing diesel with hydrogen will happen quicker and safer if businesses are open to collaboration. We are grateful to everyone at Costain who worked with us to make this trailblazing deployment a success. Thanks also to our grant collaborators Blue Lightning Solutions, and our suppliers: generator manufacturers EODev, and fuel providers BOC.” Tara McCracken, Project Environment Manager at Costain, said: “Costain has set an ambitious target to be carbon neutral by 2035 at the very latest. Our aim is to be a clean growth leader, enabling the uptake of low carbon solutions such as hydrogen and supporting our supply chain to achieve net zero carbon.

“By 2023, every solution delivered by Costain for our clients will propose low carbon options. The successful trial deployment of hydrogen at Preston Western Distributor Road demonstrates our commitment to improving lives, today and for the future by making infrastructure sustainable and resilient. Our approach to sustainability on the project was recently recognised by the Considerate Constructors Scheme, who awarded us top marks in all categories, including Respect the Community and Care for the Environment. We are looking forward to seeing more hydrogen-powered generators on our projects in the future.”

Building & Facilities Management

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TECHNOLOGY PARTNER

Roofing

Roofing Surveys, A Health Check For Your Estate As the seasons shift to the winter months, it makes sense for estates managers to consider their roofing systems and ensure they are in good working order as part of their overall estates ‘health check’ assessments.

The roof is an integral part of the building’s protective envelope, where it must be designed to keep the weather out and maintain a stable internal temperature. It also has many secondary functions, including aiding fire protection, structural rigidity, and constructional support for other services like air conditioning units, ducting, and insulations.

Waterproofing Performance

Many factors can affect the performance of a roof system over time, including wear and tear, ageing, temperature changes, poor quality installation and exposure to the elements. These roofing issues can lead to changes in appearance and defects, such as splits or cracks forming on the roof’s surface. Other signs include damaged flashings or sealants and penetrations

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Roofing

around areas where plant equipment has been mounted.

Regular pitched and flat roof inspections and maintenance help your roofing systems perform at their best for longer; taking care of your buildings will continue to ensure that the occupants have a safe and comfortable environment for years to come.

Roof Survey Benefits

A commercial roof inspection and roof condition survey are essential to any organisation’s proactive approach to asset management. From the outset, it is crucial to remember that a survey’s purpose isn’t just to identify the condition of a specific building’s roof but to act as a gauge for the overall health and maintenance programmes for your entire estate. By carrying out a

roof condition survey, you identify any potential causes of degradation and potentially head off a costly repair or restoration bill in the future.

At Garland UK, we strongly recommend that all commercial estates conduct a comprehensive survey of their facilities annually to help safeguard their future.

Roof condition surveys are one of the most common techniques used by facilities management teams to identify unexpected building problems.

Surveyors can visually check parts of the roof structure, including tiles, flashings and roof lights, for damages and defects using simple tools.

Significant Cost Savings

Preventative maintenance allows for any remedial work to be planned well before failure

Building & Facilities Management

Roofing occurs. Making budgeting easier and it will save you money. Unplanned maintenance costs 3 to 9 times more than planned maintenance.

Prolonging the life cycle of your roofing system through preventative maintenance can save up to 50% over the life of a 30-year roof compared to replacing it every 15-20 years. Not only that, but the cost of repairs is deductible from your taxable profits.

Failure to properly maintain your roof will almost certainly result in significantly higher costs over the life of the building and may well lead to premature failure. Worse still, failures of the roofing system that result from a lack of maintenance may not be covered under your current roofing systems guarantee.

The Process

Start by reviewing the performance and condition of your building’s envelope.

If there are signs of damp or water ingress, then some remedial/ maintenance work could be required. This could include repairs, re-roofing or possibly even a complete replacement, depending on the severity of the damage.

A typical roof condition survey begins with assessing your building requirements and challenges. Once onsite, a thorough roof condition examination will be underway to investigate any roof defects, locating any areas of water ingress or system issues.

U-Value calculations will help identify the building’s operational thermal performance, and carrying out a core sample will determine the roof’s existing build-up and condition under the surface.

Once the roof has been evaluated, a thorough condition report outlining the technical analysis and findings from Building & Facilities Management

the site visit will be provided, with a tailored selection of solutions to remedy any issues.

To ensure your roof receives the best possible service and expertise, we recommend choosing a reputable and experienced roofing partner to conduct the survey, preferably accredited by the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC).

Ben Whitemore, Technical Product Manager at Garland

UK, adds, “Identifying a defective roof can be challenging, especially when the source of a building’s leaks can be completely untraceable to the naked eye. We always recommend regular checks on your roof with our Technical Managers to ensure it stays in optimum condition, year after year.”

For further roof survey information, please visit www.garlanduk.com Roofing

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Special Feature

QA Graphics Project Spotlight: Nortek Global HVAC Division Interactive Sales Tool QA Graphics partnered with Nortek Global HVAC Division, to provide a state-of-the-art interactive sales tool application with a larger range of services that utilized the companies many talents. Nortek came to QA Graphics needing a sales and marketing tool for their vendors to showcase how each of their different units can be used in multiple

types of settings. The task then became to create a sales tool that shows the versatility of Nortek’s many units by presenting them in a factual display that has an easy-tounderstand user interface and is visually appealing. This led to the following services provided by QA Graphics: Complete Sales Tool with 3D Graphic Models 3D Models QA Graphics created specialized 3D equipment graphics that were specifically built to see the interior technical workings of each component.

This demonstrates how each realistic piece of equipment works with each other as if you were out in the field. Nortek broke it down to eighteen equipment categories that needed sixty-five different 3D

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Special Feature

units modeled. QA Graphics provided detailed cutaways of the mechanical equipment that contain animation and a high level of detail, along with a 360-degree view. The 360-degree view is a separate module that allows the viewer to control the viewing angle and tilt of the unit with built in controls. The viewer has the capability to zoom in on certain details and to spin all the way around the unit.

Site Maps

QA Graphics worked with Nortek to provide a photorealistic 3D city view to encompass all the requested building types. Nortek’s equipment services were broken down into four major building categories: residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional. From there, twenty-nine custom building

Building & Facilities Management

Special Feature

exterior renders were created for this site map. This allows the capability to show the versatility of their units by realistically demonstrating the 3D equipment models in a real-life situation within a building or home. The end result is a site map view that is clickable so that users can easily access the various building types to view more. This provides an even more dynamic look and feel, just as if you were viewing the building and equipment in person.

To see the site map and easy-to-understand navigation, view this video: https:// bit.ly/Norteknavigation Total Interactive Sales Tool The end result is an interactive sales tool for Nortek vendors and sales representatives to always www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

have in hand, ensuring their salespeople are conveying their message and connecting to their audience. No matter if it is in a large-scale format at a tradeshow, such as AHR (Nortek Global HVAC Division booth C3129), or a private meeting to view at their leisure, with the realistic 3D equipment models and site map setting lets Nortek capture their audience’s attention.

By delivering the information

in an easy-to-understand manner, their customers see what exactly Nortek and their equipment can do for them.

As design and technology collide QA Graphics uses their experience and knowledge to support their clients every step of the way in their quest to standout far above their competitors. www.qagraphics.com special feature

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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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