BFM May 2018

MAY 2018 www.bfmmagazine.co.uk building & facilities facilities management management

CLEANING & HYGIENE | SUSTAINABILITY | WINDOWS & DOORS

Historic castle updated with Younique public toilets See page 9

INSIDE:

POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY CAN LEAD TO REDUCED PRODUCTIVITY – PAGE 15

To receive regular copies please complete and return or register online at www.bfmmagazine.co.uk

building & facilities management The Public Sector FM Magazine

Name:

.......................................................................................................................................

Job Title: ......................................................................................................................................

Organisation: ...............................................................................................................................

Address: ...................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................

Postcode:......................................................................................................................................

Email: (for digital copies) ..............................................................................................................

Telephone: ....................................................................................................................................

Date:

.......................................................................................................................................

Signed: .......................................................................................................................................

r Please register me for a free DIGITAL copy of Building & Facilities Management.

(To be sent via email)

www.bfmmagazine.co.uk

On the cover:.

Historic castle updated with Younique public toilets See page 9 for more details. www.formica.com

May 2018

BFM Team

Contents News

Business Development Director

James Scrivens james@abbeypublishing.co.uk Production

Sarah Daviner sarah@abbeypublishing.co.uk Accounts Manager

Katie Brehm accounts@abbeypublishing.co.uk

4

Lanes Group Plc leading the way in educating next generation of Fatberg Fighters

Building & Refurbishment

8

Refurbishment begins of major London Underground viaduct

Cleaning & Hygiene

10

Keeping the Great British Spring Clean Sustainable

Sustainability 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

12

Zip launches product to help architects and specifiers ditch plastic bottle drinking water systems

HVAC

15

Poor indoor air quality can lead to illness and reduced productivity

Fire & Hazard Protection

18

Advanced Protection for Chichester College

Data Security & IT

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 2018 ISSN: 1470-5281

20

The challenges with digital technology management in the FM and building sectors

Windows & Doors

22

Union Industries delivers practical solution for York Mailing

Lighting

24

Lighting the path to productivity and wellbeing

Waste Management & Recycling

26

How to kickstart a new recycling strategy

Special Feature

30 Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

How to select and install EV charging systems quickly, safely and reliably

3

News

Lanes Group Plc leading the way in educating next generation of Fatberg Fighters

T

he UK’s largest independent drainage specialist is taking a new approach to teaching the British public about the dangers of blocking drains and sewers - by creating an army of ‘Fatberg Fighters’ in our schools.

Lanes Group Plc is making a long-term commitment to work with schools to educate children about the damage caused by disposing of fats, oils and grease (FOG) down the nation’s drains.

FOG combines with other everyday items, most notably disposable wipes, which are wrongly flushed down toilets in their millions each year, to create fatbergs that block sewers, and contribute to serious environmental harm.

Lanes Group’s ambitious Fatberg Fighter campaign aims to engage with school children aged 5 to 11 to challenge this behaviour, because they are often more receptive to new ideas and habits.

The company, which operates 32 depots and water utility hubs across the UK, and was responsible for clearing the notorious Whitechapel fatberg in London, has worked with qualified teachers to create a lesson plan about fatbergs.

Children will be invited to become ‘Fatberg Fighters’, and champion best practice, both at school and at home, in preventing the blocking of drains and sewers.

Lanes Group has developed and tested its Fatberg Fighter concept by working with three primary schools in North West England.

It now plans to offer the lesson to schools across the UK. Key learning points covered include: • The importance of healthy drains and sewers • What fatbergs are, and how they are formed • Why fatbergs are dangerous and harm the environment • The three things to do to fight fatbergs in the home Children take part in a range of 4

News

Children at Bacup Holy Trinity Stacksteads Primary School taking part in a Fatberg Fighter experiment

interactive experiments to show the mechanics of how fatbergs form, allowing teachers to explore concepts such as water flow, emulsification, and the effect of temperature on different materials.

They also get the chance to discover what is truly ‘flushable’, by creating their own makeshift toilet flushes in big buckets. At the end of each lesson, pupils are presented with Fatberg Fighter certificates.

The fatberg lesson has been enjoyed by pupils, and praised by teachers.

Ben Tagg, a Year Five teacher at Altrincham Preparatory School, said: “The next generation must be more environmentally-focused than any that have gone before them. Educating children about the effects of what they do in their own home will be vital in developing a sense of a ‘shared Earth’.

“Many of the pupils in the class didn’t fully understand the sewer and drains network before the lessons, with many openly admitting that they take it for granted. Only when discussing what would happen if our drains and sewers were blocked up did they fully appreciate their value to our society.

“Since the lessons, the students have informed me that they have

now been watching their parents, when cooking, to see how they dispose of their waste oil and fat.”

Jenni Ringland, Foundation Stage Leader at Bacup Holy Trinity Stacksteads Primary School, said: “The children said they would go home and tell their family what they can put down the drain. They really liked receiving their certificates. They’re fully fledged fatberg fighters now.”

Tom Waldron, a teacher at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Reddish, said: “The lesson has already made a difference. Two parents said their children came home telling them all about it, and quite a few of the children have already said they’ve stopped putting wipes and other things down the toilet.”

As the wastewater network services maintenance partner for Thames Water, Lanes Group cleared the 130-tonne fatberg in Whitechapel, in a process that took nearly two months, attracting the interest of millions of people around the world.

A video from the day’s lesson at Bacup Holy Trinity Stacksteads has been produced by Lanes for Drains, and can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Z8WFQXLV8Uo www.lanesfordrains.co.uk Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

News

Jablite Garage Floor System Wins Product Approvals Premier Guarantee and LABC (Local Authority Building Control) have both approved the Jablite Garage Floor System.

T

hese approvals follow on from the BBA (British Board of Agrément) accreditation. With acceptance already from the NHBC, the Garage Floor System has approval from all the leading residential new-build warranty providers.

These structural warranties recognise that Jablite’s Garage Floor System meets the robust standards set within the construction industry for products of this type.

“The final approvals came through without a hitch,” says Steve Broadhurst, Director of Technical Solutions at Expanding Solutions.

Expanding Solutions is the independent building consultancy that developed the Garage Floor System for Jablite and took it through the entire process

from conception, prototyping, testing, BBA accreditation and warranty approvals.

“I am proud to say that the System’s smooth journey is a result of the outstanding design work by Stefania Cappiello, who was also our project manager responsible for the Garage Floor System.

“We have one last hurdle and that is the patent. The Garage Floor System has patent pending status at the moment and I am confident that the experts in the Expanding Solutions team will be able to guide the System to full patent-protected status.”

The Jablite Garage Floor System is an engineered alternative to a traditional block and beam floor. It provides a fast and easy installation and a reduction in H&S hazards

q 0800 243 919

Expanding Solutions Stefania Cappiello receiving BBA Certificate for Jablite Garage Floor System, with Seyed A Tajallifar and Simon Wroe from the BBA.

due to the lightweight panels that replace the concrete blocks – at a ratio of one panel for every 5 blocks.

Combined with Jablite’s All-in-One NST (non-structural system) thermal floor product, both the house and garage floor can be installed with a minimum change of process. www.expandingsolutions.tech www.jablite.co.uk

E secretary@chsa.co.uk

H www.chsa.co.uk

CHSA Stands Up for Standards Be certain ‘what’s on the box is in the box’ Buy from CHSA Accredited Distributors; specify CHSA Accredited Products

CHSA - driving up standards in the industry Our Standards. Your Guarantee. www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine Advert generic.indd 1

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHSA AND ITS MEMBERS

VISIT WWW.CHSA.CO.UK FREEPHONE 0800 243919

News

3/22/2017 3:38:20 PM

5

News

SYAM – The Log Book Company

S

YAM’s FAB/16Z Fire Alarm Log Book has been updated to the latest edition of BS5839 Part 1: 2017. This Standard requires more information to be recorded in the log book than its previous versions so that engineers conducting periodic inspections have the information in the log book rather than having to second-guess the designer’s original intentions.

These changes include areas identified as L2 having their fire risk and chosen detection stated, all areas with detection other than EN54-7 (optical smoke detector) such as heat detectors shall have the cause for this variation stated, and areas where

multi-sensors have their sensitivity adjusted outside of EN54-7 shall also be identified together with the reason.

The FAB/16Z has useful information such as a chart to explain the categories of systems, an explanation of servicing work, space to record contact details for the designer, installer and maintenance company. It also now features a false/unwanted alarm record where the event can be detailed in such a way as to make analysis easier for management and a fire drill record that guides non-technical staff through the basic requirements that a fire drill is expected to achieve. www.syamltd.com

Sodexo wins facilities management and school food contract with 7 Swindon schools

S

odexo has won a 5 year, £10 million Integrated Facilities Management contract with seven schools in Swindon to provide hard and soft FM services and catering.

This is a further contract win for Sodexo’s new Schools by Sodexo offer, which brings together facilities management services, as well as a new modern school food brand, Food & Co. by Sodexo, following the announcement of the contract win with Wellspring Academy Trust last month.

The PFI contract is with ESSL (Education Services Swindon Ltd) and seven schools are part of the contract. These are two secondary schools (Abbey Park School and Nova Hreod), three primary schools (Red Oaks, Orchid Vale and Moredon) and two schools for pupils with severe learning difficulties (Brimble Hill and Uplands). Four of the schools are situated on a single “Learning Campus” site, with the other three located separately in the Swindon Borough. All of the schools are within four miles of Sodexo’s education business’s head office.

Services within the scope of the contract include catering, cleaning, 6

News

premises management (caretaking and security), waste management, grounds maintenance, vending, helpdesk, utilities management, planned and reactive maintenance, winter services (snow and ice) and management of third party lettings. Most of these services will self-delivered by a team of 90 - 100 Sodexo staff, with Sodexo also employing some specialist contractors.

The schools will benefit from Sodexo’s new modern school food and dining room offer, ‘Food & Co.

by Sodexo’, which moves away from tradition and has been developed following research conducted with pupils in key stages 2, 3 and 4 (ages 7-16) to understand the type of food they like, how they would like to eat it, as well as their preferred dining environment and experience.

Sodexo ran workshops with students at the Swindon schools to shape the new dining environment, as part of its ‘Agents for Change’ programme. The programme provides pupils with a meaningful voice to help shape and promote better health and wellbeing by ensuring the food and dining experience at their school is an inclusive and positive one which meets their needs.

During the workshops, the ‘Agents’ actively debated colour-schemes, designs, and graphic wall art, and counters to create a bespoke Food & Co. design to reflect the school community and its values. The aim is to create a dining area that is truly somewhere pupils ‘own’ and where they want to eat.

Students will also be involved in launching the new food and dining area to their peers as advocates.

Sodexo currently works with over 125 state schools sector and has over 10 years’ experience delivering integrated facilities services to schools across the UK and Ireland. The new Schools by Sodexo offer is designed to meet the needs of academy trusts who are increasingly looking for suppliers who can offer greater standardisation and integration of services across their schools. uk.sodexo.com Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

Leading Lady Thrills CountyClean Group with Double Sky Jump for Charity

O

n Thursday, 3rd May 2018, CountyClean Group’s leading lady and co-founder, Debbie Walker, took to the skies in Salisbury, Wiltshire to free fall from a 15,000 foot height with the aim of raising awareness and as much as she could for Eastbourne based caregiving charity St Wilfrid’s Hospice.

Upon completing the induction and British Parachute Association approved specialist training provided by GoSkyDive Salisbury, the intrepid group of tandem sky divers gathered in the departure area before alighting the Cessna Super Cargomaster aircraft, which is the fastest tandem skydiving aircraft in the UK, to fly straight up in the sky to 2.8 miles (15,000 ft).

After 60 seconds of free falling through the sky and a further few minutes gliding down after the shoot had opened, they landed safely within the skydiving dropzone, but Debbie (being a bit of an adrenaline junkie)

had enjoyed the extraordinary rush so much that she decided to take the skies again and jump a second time!

For over 35 years St Wilfrid’s Hospice has been providing specialist care for people throughout East Sussex with any progressive, advanced life-limiting illness. The charity provides invaluable support to families and friends and has an overall CQC rating of outstanding.

All services are provided free of charge however they need our help to raise 70% to cover annual running costs of over £5 million.

Debbie was not alone in the experience as she had Mike and family with her on the day for moral support and to celebrate her sky diving successes with a refreshing drink after all the excitement.

What an amazing feat; everyone at CountyClean congratulates Debbie for completing one of the most awe inspiring charity fundraising activities to date, not once but twice!

News

You are welcome to join us in celebrating Debbie’s double sky diving success by donating via her fundraising page here https://uk.virginmoneygiving. com/DebbieWalkerCCG For further information, please visit www.countycleangroup.co.uk.

Leading facilities management firm acquires building services contractor creating £25m group

L

eeds-based First Response Group (‘FRG’) has acquired 100% share capital of Harrogatebased Robinsons M & E (‘RME’) creating a £25m turnover Group.

The acquisition by FRG, led by owners Jamal Tahlil and Edgar Chibaka, forms part of a 10-year strategic business plan which seeks growth both organically and through acquisitions.

The acquisition of RME allows FRG to offer a wider range of services to its existing and expanding client base and complements its business ethos of providing customers with the best service and innovation.

Robinsons M & E was established in 1963 and has become one of Yorkshire’s leading commercial boiler, air conditioning and electrical installation firms. In 2017, the company relocated to Bishop www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

Thornton, on the outskirts of Harrogate, occupying 2,170 sq. ft. of ground floor space at Oakwood Park Business Centre. The firm’s recent mechanical and electrical installation projects include £1m factory for Saint-Gobain, a £1.3m care home for The Fisher Care Group via Marshall (Building Contractors) and a £1.7m of work for The University of Leeds via Sewell Construction and Henry Boot.

FRG was founded in 2007 and has a nationwide presence with eight branches including London and Cardiff.

The company has a £15m turnover.

Edgar Chibaka, Director of FRG, commented: “This is an exciting acquisition for First Response Group. We wanted a business that fits seamlessly with our facilities management solutions company and Robinsons M & E’s exemplary client care record and varied portfolio have positioned it at the

RME MD Luke Kitchen (left) with Edgar Chibaka of FRG

forefront of Yorkshire’s commercial building services solutions, making it the ideal choice.”

RME Managing Director Luke Kitchen will exit the business after a period of consultancy. Engineering Directors Andrew Jackson and Joe Lee will remain in the business and part of its management team.

For more information visit www.robinsonsmea.com News

7

Building & Refurbishment

Refurbishment begins of major London Underground viaduct

L

anes Rail has begun a programme of works to refurbish a major viaduct on London Underground’s Piccadilly Line.

Brick laying teams are repointing and replacing brickwork on the structure between South Harrow and Rayners Lane Tube stations in West London.

The viaduct, one of the longest on the Tube network, opened on 1st March 1910. It was constructed to extend the line across the Roxeth Marshes, which were drained and built over in the 1930s.

London Underground has commissioned Lanes Rail Division, part of Lanes Group plc, to repair a 204-metre section of the viaduct, encompassing 17 arches, as part of a phased maintenance programme.

A key objective has been to plan the refurbishment work so it does not inconvenience owners of businesses and shops located in the viaduct arches, and their many customers.

Lanes Rail Project Manager Steve Demwell said: “This particular stretch of the viaduct is the centre of a thriving commercial community and is a thoroughfare for thousands of commuters using South Harrow Station.

“We are working closely with businesses along the viaduct, in partnership with London Underground colleagues, to minimise the impact of our work, while maintaining a safe environment for all.”

The viaduct has been enclosed in scaffolding to provide a platform for Lanes Rail’s bricklayers to work, safely contain all repair activities, and allow train services to continue to run just feet away.

Its brickwork is being extensively renewed. Degraded mortar is being removed and the bricks repointed.

Loose brickwork is being reset and, where necessary, replaced.

Vegetation is also being removed.

8

Building & Refurbishment

Lanes Rail bricklayer working on South Harrow Viaduct plus wide view of the viaduct, built to take the railway line across marshes long-since built over.

Steve Demwell said: “Our bricklayers are highly skilled and dedicated, and we ensure the repair work is of the same high standards set when the viaduct was first built more than 100 years ago.

“That means, when the South Harrow rail viaduct refurbishment programme is completed, the structure will not only be fit for

purpose for decades to come, it will also look impressive and in keeping as well.”

It is the latest major rail structure repair project carried out by Lanes Rail. Its teams have also refurbished a viaduct further south on the District Line at Alperton, and have painted a bridge on the Jubilee Line in Kilburn, West London. www.lanesfordrains.co.uk Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

Building & Refurbishment

Historic castle updated with Younique public toilets Younique® by Formica Group provides bespoke design to complement gothic heritage

E

lvaston Castle, Derbyshire, is a gothic revival masterpiece. Designed

by James Wyatt in the early 1800s, the original house dates back to 1633. Today, both the buildings and gardens are considered to be of special architectural and historic interest; the main castle building is Grade II* and many other buildings within the Grade II* Registered Park and Garden are Grade II Listed Buildings.

Nestled in over 321 acres of parkland and historical gardens, Elvaston Castle and its grounds were purchased by Derbyshire County Council in 1968 and it was the first Country Park to open in the UK. As part of a phased masterplan for the estate, the castle is undergoing a major redevelopment plan over the next 10 years to make it more sustainable and accessible. As part of this, the council specified Younique® by Formica Group’s digitally rendered panels for the washroom doors in the main castle building.

The public toilets were run down and in desperate need of updating since their installation in the 1970s.

Derbyshire County Council’s Conservation, Heritage and Design Service set about designing the new washrooms, inspired by the castle’s Gothic Hall, to improve the visitor access and experience.

The design concept incorporates the installation of a new sanitary pod in the original building with a back to back arrangement of water closets. Removing the dividing breeze block wall ensures more light enters the space, helping to brighten the washroom. The removal of the wall also reveals the high ceilings and original cornices of the building, allowing visitors to appreciate the www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

original layout of the room which was once the servants’ quarters.

Alex Gilbert, Historic Buildings Architect, Derbyshire County Council comments: “Minimal intervention is key with historic buildings and so this is why we opted for a pod design as it can be taken out, as and when, with no impact on the original building structure. Each side now comprises a fully accessible toilet with baby changing facilities and two additional toilets.

“The project has not been without its challenges along the way as an archaeological watching brief was required to oversee whether anything of historic significance was unearthed. Asbestos was also discovered in the ceiling and so this had to be carefully removed.”

Alex continues: “The design inspiration for the toilets is taken from the historic Gothic Hall.

Drawing on the historic elements, we created a strong, dynamic pattern with different motifs and crests of coats of arms relating to the family.

We’ve replicated these elements on to the walls and doors of the toilets. They’re a bit of fun and a nod to the history of the castle.”

Alex adds: “We’ve previously used Formica® laminate in projects and know the manufacturer has the capability of replicating imagery on its products through its Younique

Image: Derbyshire County Council.

by Formica Group service which is why we specified the material for this project. We needed a product providing longevity and Formica laminate provides a high performing and durable solution that is easy to clean and maintain.”

The Younique by Formica Group service provides the ultimate flexibility allowing architects and designers to create a unique pattern or design, capture a photograph or corporate logo in Formica laminate.

The service offers both screen and digital print solutions to ensure the optimum replication of any design. www.formica.com Email: samples.uk@formica.com Tel: +44 191 259 3512 Building & Refurbishment

9

Cleaning & Hygiene

Keeping the Great British Spring Clean Sustainable

RPC bpi recycled products has partnered with the Great British Spring Clean as its sole supplier of 100% recycled plastic refuse sacks for this year’s campaign.

T

he environmental charity is hoping to inspire and mobilise over 500,000 volunteers across the UK to go out and help clean up their local areas.

250,000 blue branded refuse sacks have been exclusively manufactured from post-consumer retail packaging at RPC bpi recycled products’ manufacturing site in Heanor, Derbyshire.

Partnering with the Great British Spring Clean, an annual event run by the UK-based independent charity ‘Keep Britain Tidy’, was an obvious choice for RPC bpi recycled products – the two companies share the common goals of embracing the environment

and preventing waste.

Lorcan Mekitarian, Sales Director at RPC bpi recycled products said: “We are proud to be the charity’s chosen supplier of refuse sacks. We are dedicated to our sustainability agenda and take our green credentials and the circular economy very seriously. Our wash and recycle facilities are state of the art and can recycle over 70,000 tonnes of post-consumer, retail and agricultural plastic each year.”

The Keep Britain Tidy charity partnered with RPC bpi recycled products as they could produce 100% recycled refuse sacks, showing that

the charity can be sustainable in its campaign and support second life products made from recycled plastic.

The charity inspires volunteers to clean up not only their villages, towns and cities but also our rivers and beaches. With 80% of marine litter originating from land, everybody can play their part in preventing littering everywhere. www.rpc-bpi.com/recycled

JPC cleaning contract extended at former BBC Television Centre

R

egent Samsic premium London service brand JPC has had its contract to provide cleaning services to White City’s former BBC Television Centre extended to include all common areas within the site’s new residential development.

JPC has been awarded more work by property management group Broadgate Estates at the BBC’s landmark former HQ which is being re-developed into high-end residential, leisure and office space.

For the past two years, JPC has maintained the highest cleaning standards on the estate, marketing suite and show homes.

Comments JPC Operations Manager Sylwia De Sousa: “Maintaining a high standard of cleaning on a site under construction is a real challenge, but it’s so important, especially 10

Cleaning & Hygiene

with prospect buyers visiting.

“It’s a real tribute to our team that we’ve been awarded even more work at Television Centre and as this fantastic site develops, we in turn hope that our partnership with it will, too.”

Home to most of its national television and radio news output, Television Centre was the headquarters of BBC TV between 1960 and 2013.

The complex was sold to developers Stanhope plc for around £200 million though the BBC will retain a continued presence at Television Centre through its commercial subsidiaries.

The site’s repurposing into a mixed use development takes in office and studio space, complementary entertainment and leisure facilities, public open space,

premium offices, housing, cinema, a members’ club and hotel.

The new development retains many features of the original buildings including the iconic ‘doughnut’shaped commercial space, atomic dot wall and Helios statue.

Stanhope state that its scheme to create a new destination in West London for living, working and playing takes forward the innovative management approach adopted by the company at its Chiswick Park site, where cleaning and related services are also provided by JPC. Construction at Television Centre, which will open to the public for the first time in its history, commenced in 2015 with 432 homes of 1000 in total anticipated due for Phase 1 completion in 2018. www.jpc-cleaning.co.uk https://televisioncentre.com Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

Cleaning & Hygiene

Leaders in plastic recycling and sustainable refuse sacks at Interclean Amsterdam RPC bpi recycled products and ESE World are exhibiting at Interclean Amsterdam 2018 between 1518 May on Stand 12.705 – together they offer a joint waste management solution from the RPC Group.

T

he companies are leaders in their respective fields and jointly offer customers a large selection of high-quality products and services – RPC bpi recycled products is the leading manufacturer of refuse sacks and ESE World is the leader in providing temporary storage solutions for waste and recyclable materials.

The business supports the circular economy by preserving the environment by upcycling plastic material and turning it into secondlife products. With the scope and expertise to recycle over 70,000 tonnes of plastic material each year, the company gives new life to polythene from commercial, industrial, packaging and agricultural sources across Europe.

As concepts of the circular economy take hold across the globe, RPC bpi recycled products has forged compelling solutions to environmental problems. Every tonne of polythene the company recycles, for example, saves 1.8 tonnes of crude oil, reduces energy usage by two thirds, uses 90 per cent less water and cuts sulphur dioxide emissions by 33 per cent.

Lorcan Mekitarian, Sales Director, RPC bpi recycled products adds: “Creating a sustainable culture is a core commitment to both our customers and the environment, www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

and part of our group strategy, with dedicated investment, targets and measures in place. As a business we take our green credentials, our dedication to sustainability and the circular economy very seriously.”

The company’s focus on environmentally sound products as well as best practices has also led to a host of ISO accreditations recognising the sustainable thrust of its manufacturing. The recycled farm plastics used to make the company’s award-winning Green Sack™ range, for example, has a carbon footprint estimated to be at least 35 per cent less than imported refuse sacks from the Far East.

Innovative Sustainability The need for innovative products and services came into sharp focus recently when the UK Government published details in January of its 25-year Environmental Plan. Ministers vowed to eradicate all avoidable plastic waste in the UK by 2042, improve the natural environment and throw much more emphasis on innovation in plastics to keep it out of landfill and our oceans.

Lorcan Mekitarian explains:

“Technology is advancing at speed and some manufacturers struggle to keep up, let alone stay at the leading edge. Firms that successfully launch innovation in manufacturing must have a strong strategy and a culture that both nurtures and encourages innovation at all levels of the business, not just the executive team.”

By focusing investment on the twin towers of innovation and customer service, RPC bpi recycled products has pioneered several marketleading products. Reprocessing post-consumer packaging has enabled the company to use the recovered material to develop The Green Sack™ – now the UK’s leading refuse sack brand and specifically tailored to meeting customers’ growing environmental demands.

Such innovation pays dividends.

Recently the company won a Green Apple Environment Award at a ceremony in the Houses of Parliament, London in recognition of its best practices which have resulted in the company achieving Valpak accreditation for ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ across 75% of its sites.

Meet the RPC bpi recycled products and ESE team and find out more at Interclean on Stand 12.705. www.rpc-bpi.com/recycled Cleaning & Hygiene

11

Sustainability

Zip launches product to help architects and specifiers ditch plastic bottle drinking water systems The latest product from Zip Water UK may mean architects and specifiers never again have to specify a commercial drinking water system that uses plastic water bottles. The company behind the infamous HydroTap has developed Zip HydroChill, a high-capacity filtered, chilled drinking water range which completely removes the need for unsustainable plastic bottles.

D

esigned for offices and hospitality areas, the HydroChill range caters for up to 280 litres per hour of chilled, sparkling or ambient filtered water – equivalent to 373 bottles (750ml). With oncounter or below-counter options and flexible packages depending on usage requirements, the new range has been created to meet any need.

Alongside its ability to provide vast amounts of chilled water – perfect for filling re-useable glass bottles – its 3 micron Zip MicroPurity filtration system ensures that the water dispensed is safe, puretasting and free from contaminants.

This means that those who dislike the taste of tap water have access to great-tasting water without the need to buy plastic bottles.

“The use of plastic water bottles in commercial environments is a huge contribution to environmental damage, and is completely unnecessary”, comments Russell Owens, marketing director at Zip Water UK. “We know how important it is to have a healthy drinking water supply readily available – it’s been proven to directly impact productivity after all – but it’s important that those

specifying know that there are sustainable options out there.

“Even more concerning is that alongside the presence of microplastics in tap water, a recent study* also discovered microplastics in bottled water – in fact 93 percent of the bottled water tested showed evidence of plastic contamination,” continues Russell. “Drinking water systems such as the HydroChill range are mains-fed with excellent filtration systems, ensuring that the water delivered is healthy and sustainable.”

The easy to install and use range includes benefits such as portion control for filling bottles, purchase and rental options and a complete after-care package for peace of mind. This package – HydroCare – includes an annual service, technical support and full breakdown cover.

“Whether the brief is to provide water for meetings and conferences or to keep numerous staff hydrated, we can provide great-tasting water in an instant,” continues

Russell. “We would encourage anyone responsible for specifying a commercial drinking water supply to look at whether they currently use plastic water bottles and how much plastic waste this creates.

Architects and specifiers are in a very influential position when it comes to helping businesses to reduce plastic waste, so we’re happy to help them make the right decision.”

Zip also offers a range of glass water bottles and accessories to be used alongside the HydroChill range.

As part of Zip’s ongoing commitment to helping businesses reduce their use of plastic bottles, it is spearheading a new campaign.

Reuse Refill Refresh aims to promote refreshment and hydration without the use of single-use plastic bottles.

For further information, please visit www.zipcommercial.co.uk/ commercial-range-hydrochill

*Study commissioned by Orb Media, 2018.

12

Sustainability

Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

Sustainability

Gilberts for aesthetic refurbishment?

Capital!

Part of a 1970s office building is being taken into the 21st century with a sustainable alteration to its ventilation strategy.

F

acilities management expert Apleona HSG, on behalf of Royal Sun Alliance (RSA), is executing a phased refurbishment of three floors of the 11 storey block. An integral element of the upgrade is updating the core systems to optimise energy efficiency and sustainability.

Consultant Ernest Griffiths had to balance integration of the new strategy with the practicalities of suspended ceilings and large glazed areas, so turned to leading independent air movement specialist Gilberts Blackpool to assist.

As a result, Kimptons Energy Solutions has installed some 270no of Gilberts GSFH fixed swirl www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

diffusers into the ceiling, sited behind perforated tiles, balanced with LN linear bar grilles along the window cills and underneath the bulkhead of the large glazed areas, NV3 door transfer grilles and, in the toilets, DGA4 extract vents.

“The project involved remodelling the existing ventilation system, to create something that was more efficient: the existing had been refurbished in part over the years, with some areas being integrated, and some stand-alone. The most efficient solution was to create a new unified solution, with new grilles and new variable air volume boxes,” explained Kimptons Chris Tolley.

Added Ross MacGugan of Ernest Griffiths, “Gilberts’ grilles and diffusers were the most suitable technically and aesthetically for the project. The company’s technical team visited to assist with the design and specification.

We know from many similar projects Gilberts’ technical data can be trusted and is reliable.”

Gilberts GSF diffuser, a patented

design, uses radial vanes behind a perforated face to allow the introduction of high levels of air horizontally across the ceiling with rapid entrainment and intermixing.

The LN linear bar grilles have bars fitted flush with the flange face, angled at Capital Building to 15 degrees to ensure airflow without draughts. Gilberts’ NV3 door transfer grilles allow Regulatory flow of fresh air whilst being vision proof. The DGA4 vents in the toilets feature a louvred face for a horizontal air pattern.

Founded 55 years ago, Gilberts Blackpool is Britain’s leading independent air movement specialist, and is unique in its ability to develop components – whether ‘mainstream’ or bespoke – entirely in-house, from initial design through tooling, production, testing and supply, at its 85,000 ft2 manufacturing facility. Its state of the art test centre, designed and built in-house, is one of the most technically advanced in the country.

Tel 01253 766911 E: info@gilbertsblackpool.com Sustainability

13

Sustainability

The world of refrigeration is changing…

In addition to energy savings, reduced costs and reliability, customers are now looking for environmentally friendly solutions.

P

anasonic UK has selected specialist and experienced refrigeration company ‘Green Cooling’ to become one of its launch UK distributors to bring its range of natural CO2 condensing refrigeration units to the UK market.

The range has been specifically developed for small to medium capacity applications within the retail and food service sectors and is particularly suited for installations in small supermarkets, convenience stores and garage forecourt retail operations. Furthermore, the range is also ideally suited to provide refrigeration within the restaurant and hotel sectors.

Panasonic has much expertise in this market, in Japan these CO2 condensing units have been installed since 2010 in over 6,600 applications, are well proven and have demonstrated reliable and efficient performance. Panasonic are now delighted to bring this technology to the UK. By combining reliability and efficiency, with the natural refrigerant CO2, the range removes any risk of future costs associated with the F-Gas refrigerant phase out whilst also minimising energy use and operating costs.

Garry Broadbent, Commercial Director of Green Cooling explains as to why businesses should switch to using CO2 as a refrigerant. “CO2 is a highly efficient, safe and natural form of refrigeration technology, this Panasonic CO2 condensing range is able to deliver on both cost and carbon savings. Based on Panasonic monitored data, 16% energy savings for chilled refrigeration and 25% energy savings for lower temperature

freezer applications have been achieved in comparison to R404A*.”

Garry further advises “Flexibility of installation and reliability are the key to success. In the retail and food service sectors, a very high standard of equipment is required to deliver reliable performance. The Panasonic range achieves this with a focus on efficiency, low noise and reliability”.

With changes to the F-Gas regulations coming into force alongside reducing carbon emissions and energy costs becoming key drivers for change in refrigeration systems, both specifiers and end users are recognising the need to consider CO2 as a refrigerant.

Neil Bilton, Head of Key Accounts at Panasonic UK explains more about the benefits “The new Panasonic CO2 condensing units use a natural refrigerant that has a GWP (Global Warming Potential) equal to 1 as opposed to the current refrigerant typically used such as R404A having a GWP equal to 3,800. With refrigeration legislation increasing over the coming years, HFC R404A will be out of circulation by 2020. Given the above, and to minimise future risk to businesses, CO2 seems to be the best way to go for refrigeration needs.”

David Blinkhorn, Technical Director of Green Cooling has been at the forefront of European CO2 development; he designed the first CO2 installation within a large scale food service application in 2010 at the Café Royal Hotel in Piccadilly and due to this high level of experience is well positioned to support the application of the Panasonic range.

The Panasonic CO2 condensing units come in two sizes at 4kW and 15kW (both at -10°C evaporating

temperature), the units are compact, lightweight and have very low noise levels.

Garry Broadbent, Commercial Director of Green Cooling further explains that a good system design provides “efficiency, value and energy savings. The Panasonic CO2 refrigeration systems provide all of these, whilst also delivering high levels of sustainability and future proofing an application against the effects of the F-Gas regulations.”

The units are a practical and straightforward method of installation with complete design support available through the distributor network.

For more information, please visit www.aircon.panasonic.eu or contact Green Cooling at www.greencooling.co.uk.

*Monitored within a 5°C to 27°C ambient 12-month operating period. Compared to R404A 14

Sustainability

Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

HVAC

Poor indoor air quality can lead to illness and reduced productivity

W

e spend around 90% of our lives indoors, often working for up to eight hours a day in poorly ventilated offices, occasionally alongside ill colleagues. We frequently take preventative measures to stop ourselves becoming unwell ourselves - like washing hands and using alcohol gels. Yet we rarely take into account how the air we breathe could be making us ill. FMs must prioritise improving indoor air quality (IAQ) to combat issues caused by polluted indoor air.

Studies have shown that reduced IAQ can lead to things like headaches, lethargy, sore throats and eye/skin irritation. And from an employer’s perspective, reduced productivity levels due to restricted mental ability.

For example, according to a study by the Harvard report, employees who work in places with poor IAQ don’t think as clearly, learn slower and remember things less than those who work in buildings with better IAQ. The aforementioned study tested 24 subjects on various mental tasks - from decision making to crisis management and information seeking. It found that those working in buildings with low levels of indoor www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

pollution scored, on average, 61% higher than those working in places with higher amounts of indoor air pollution (contaminants and allergens).

Additionally, reduced IAQ can also affect an individual’s health, sometimes causing flu-like symptoms such as headaches, skin/eye irritation and rashes, which the NHS describes as ‘sick building syndrome (SBS)’.

Poor ventilation and air pollutants (dust, smoke and fibres in the air) are listed as possible causes of SBS. The worry is, these symptoms could lead to absenteeism, which is thought to cost UK employers an estimated £32 billion a year in lost productivity.

Astley Shields, UK Head of Air Treatment at Fellowes, said: “Most of us spend the majority of our working lives indoors, yet rarely think about the air we breathe when we are in the office. Despite the fact that, indoor air can be more detrimental to our health than the air outdoors.

It can also lead to lethargy and poor concentration, affecting productivity, which is bad for business.”

He continued: “It’s up to FMs and the people in power to take the steps to improve indoor air quality, in order to promote wellbeing and boost productivity. Introducing air

purifiers like the Fellowes AeraMax Professional, proven to cut out 99.9% of airborne contaminants, is one way of doing that.”

He added: “Air purifiers, like the aforementioned, not only prevent the spread of germs and filter air but also help to eliminate odour, pollens - creating a safer, more productive environment for all. With air pollution hot on the news agenda, now is the perfect time for FM to assess the quality of air in their facilities.”

Whilst most FM’s are already taking steps to prevent the spreading of viruses and infections by indirect contact, surface cleaning is the only surface deep and promoting hand hygiene only goes so far.

With products like the Fellowes AeraMax Professional air purifiers, FM’s can take their facilities to the next level of clean.

With summer around the corner, now is the perfect time for FMs to take action and improve IAQ to stay ahead of the curb. Acquiring new technology, like air purifiers, will create a safer, healthier environment for workers and is likely to improve overall productivity.

Find out more at: www. aeramaxpro.com/uk/ HVAC

15

HVAC

Panasonic RAC Gets Smarter with WIFI Kit and Heat & Cool App • Control air conditioning remotely via a smartphone • Energy saving statistics and functions • Easy to install and connect

T

he new Heat & Cool App from Panasonic offers complete control of your property’s air-conditioning from anywhere in the world and at any time. Supported with the Panasonic RAC WIFI kit (CZ-TACG1) for internet control, the app allows you to operate air-conditioning across multiple rooms and manage energy consumption - all from an Android or iOS smart device. Now available, the app offers energy saving options, an easy-to-use interface and weekly timer functions among other benefits.

The Panasonic Heat & Cool App allows for a wide variety of indoor control functions, including on/ off, mode operation and room temperature control. Users can also adjust the fan speed setting, airflow direction and select a quiet operation mode. The weekly timer option means that heating and cooling can be pre-set to automatically operate to suit the seasonal needs of inhabitants, saving time and effort whilst also conserving energy when the property is unoccupied.

Users can also monitor energy usage and effectively manage power consumption to save costs and increase efficiency. The Heat & Cool App also provides remote management of ECONAVI™ energy saving sensors and Panasonic’s nanoe™ air purification system, further increasing the potential for energy savings.

The WIFI kit is compatible with Panasonic RAC indoor units with a 16

HVAC

CN-CNT connector* (CS-Z** and CS-E** from 2017/18 except floor consoles CS-E**GFEW). Its compact size allows it to discreetly and easily attach to the air-conditioning unit, for instant connectivity with the Heat and Cool App. Setting up the app is also easy, simply download for free from the Apple Store or Android Play Store as “Panasonic AC Controller”, register, log in and follow the simple instructions to get started.

Access can be granted for multiple users and different levels of control can be applied for each additional user. An intuitive interface, available in 19 languages, displays information in a simple format, using pictograms and diagrams to allow the user to easily navigate the app.

Users can register a maximum of 20 air-conditioning units per location.

The app can accommodate up to 10 locations, great for multiple properties, including second homes, holiday rentals or additional outbuildings such as a studio, for example.

A maximum of 200 units can be registered by the user. Locations and room settings can also be customised for easy management via the app.

For more information on Panasonic’s air conditioning and heating solutions, please visit www.aircon.panasonic.eu Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

HVAC

HygroMatik launches a new generation of steam humidification solution, FlexLine

L

eading humidification equipment manufacturer, HygroMatik, has launched FlexLine, its new generation of steam humidifiers.

The range features the most diverse choice of customisable options to date offered by HygroMatik.

FlexLine functions as a construction system. Starting from a basic model, only the add-ons needed to meet the specific humidification requirements of an environment are selected. You do not pay for unnecessary features.

Adaptable to any humidification scenario, FlexLine optimises indoor air conditions for industrial, commercial, cultural, domestic and leisure facilities. It can also control and stabilise air humidity for industry and processes with precision.

An intuitive touch screen control system makes it easy to set up and monitor the exact humidity levels required for any environment.

FlexLine’s steam humidifiers have 16 performance modes and offer a steam output ranging from 3kg/h up to 130kg/h. The units feature durable parts which include an improved base material for better performance and reusable cylinders for longer life cycle.

Capable of operation with treated or ordinary tap water, the new FlexLine series replaces the existing HyLine and CompactLine electrode steam humidifiers and the HeaterCompact element humidifier.

FlexLine’s steam humidifiers also offer the possibility to be connected

together in order to achieve higher steam output. www.hygromatik.com

Mitsubishi Electric goes large in Belarus

M

itsubishi Electric has commissioned its largest ever 80” diagonal DLP cube video wall in Europe.

The 11.2m wide by 3.5m high video wall was installed in the National Dispatching Centre of the Republican Unitary Enterprise ODU, the organisation that manages the national unified energy system of the Republic of Belarus. A total of 21 Mitsubishi Electric VS-80PE78UA 80” DLP cubes were used, in a 7 x 3 configuration, delivering a total resolution of 9800 x 3150 pixels.

At 80”, each projector unit is considerably larger than the 70” or 72” displays more normally found in control rooms. The extra size is designed to improve operator visibility, while enabling exceptionally low running costs. Operating in Advanced Eco mode, each projector delivers a brightness of 860 cd/m2, while still achieving a remarkably low power consumption of just www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

80W, making them currently the most energy-efficient on the market. Moreover, in this mode the LED light source is rated for a minimum of 100,000 hours, or 11.3 years, of continuous operation. Mitsubishi’s aircooled projector technology requires no routine servicing, reducing maintenance costs to practically zero.

Furthermore, the highlyefficient projectors produce little heat, thereby reducing the load on the HVAC system. Rear access to the VS-80PE78UA cube means that the maintenance area behind the video wall can be maintained at a constant temperature of 18 °C, while temperatures in the control room are at a more comfortable 22-24 °C. Isolation from fan noise also improves operator comfort.

Thanks to the generous size of the video wall, the diagram of the entire power system and detailed

information on its status is now clearly visible to the dispatchers. With all the essential data at their fingertips, the dispatchers are now able to monitor the network, adjust parameters and control power generation far more efficiently. In the event of an accident or malfunction, response times have been reduced and easier access to data ensures better decision making to recover network operability.

Email: mitsubishi@ei.do www.mitsubishielectricdisplaysolutions.com HVAC

17

Fire & Hazard Protection

Advanced Protection for Chichester College

O

pened in 1964, the West Sussex college’s main campus houses over 5,000 full-time students studying A-Levels, BTEC Diplomas, NVQs and many other vocational qualifications.

The campus has been substantially upgraded and refurbished in recent years, including a £3 million project to improve and extend the college’s hospitality training facilities in 2016.

MxPro 5 panels from Advanced were selected to protect the new facilities, which were built by Amiri Construction. Chichester-based PA Fire Systems installed the new system, which also includes an Advanced TouchControl touch screen repeater panel and over 300 individual components.

Mark Cook, MD at PA Fire Systems, commented: “This refurbishment and extension project, which includes public restaurants and a café, was a major investment for Chichester College, so a cutting-edge fire system was needed to protect it. As a long-standing Advanced partner, we felt that MxPro was the obvious choice to meet the stipulated requirements for the fire system.”

The MxPro 5 is the leading 18

Fire & Hazard Protection

More than 15,000 students and staff at Chichester College, one of the largest education institutions in the South of England, are now being protected by industry-leading fire panels from Advanced.

multiprotocol fire panel range available and offers high-performance fire detection and alarm control across multi-panel networks and multiple sites. MxPro 5 panels are EN54 parts 2, 4 and 13 approved. They can be used in single loop, single panel format or easily configured into high-speed, 200-panel networks covering huge areas.

MxPro offers customers a choice of two panel ranges, four detector protocols and a completely open installer network, backed up by free training and support. Advanced’s legendary ease of installation and configuration make MxPro customisable to almost any application.

Phil Calvey, Advanced Sales Manager for the South West, commented: “Advanced panels are now installed in a number of educational establishments from Edinburgh University to Brighton College. MxPro offers an unbeatable mix of innovation, quality and reliability, combined with intuitive operation,

training and support, making it ideal for installations like this one.”

Julie Sleeman, COO at Chichester College, said: “The redevelopment of Block B was a major commitment for us and, as it plays host to diners in the restaurants and cafés, it is also part of the public face of the college. We needed the right fire system to cover this block, including kitchens, dining rooms, teaching spaces and communal areas, and, after working with PA Fire, MxPro seemed the ideal solution.”

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. The legendary performance, quality and ease of use of its products sees Advanced specified in locations all over the world, from single panel installations to large, multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multi-protocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging and false alarm management systems. More details can be found on the website at www.advancedco.com Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

Fire & Hazard Protection

EMKA Fire Protection Gasket UL general purpose and DIN EN for Rail Industry

E

MKA general purpose 1016 self-adhesive gasket is available in fire resistant versions to UL94 VO and 94HB ratings as an expanded closed-cell neoprene in stock strips from 3mm to 80mm thick and in standard widths from 10mm up to 80mm, with complete custom capability, e.g. for sheets and punched shapes.

Clip-on P sections for sealing of enclosure and cabinet doors are available in low smoke, low toxicity EPDM, offered to DIN EN 45545-2 suitable for rail industry use and other specialist risk areas.

Silicone sections are available for high temperature installations.

EMKA gaskets are suited to IP sealing of enclosure and cabinet doors, also for sealing of doors and access panels.

They are useful for sound and vibration damping of adjacent panels.

Further information on EMKA products can be found on the EMKA website - www.emka.com. Readers can find the latest information and news on

the EMKA blog – www.emkablog. co.uk or follow them on twitter http://twitter.com/emkauk.

Horbury secures contract with Nottingham Community Housing Association

N

ottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) has appointed Horbury Property Services, part of the Horbury Group, to provide fire safety services across its property portfolio.

The contract, which started in April with the potential to run for three years, will see Horbury Property Services providing fire door and fire compartmentation inspection and remediation services.

Richard Sutton, General Manager at Horbury Property Services, said: “We’re very pleased to have secured this new contract with NCHA. As FIRAS-approved contractors, we have the experience and skills to be able to deliver fire safety works to the highest standards to ensure compliance to the regulations.”

As well as providing passive fire services, Horbury Property Services provides a full range of works, which can form part of planned maintenance programmes. This includes fire alarm and emergency light testing, www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

plus ceiling and dry wall partitioning inspection, installation, repair and maintenance of fire doors, joinery works, flooring installation, portable appliance testing, electrical testing and installation work, building fabric repairs as well as external cladding and render repairs.

In addition, the wider Horbury Group provides painting and decorating, flooring refurbishment and installation, amongst others.

The company has its head office in South Yorkshire, plus regional offices in London and South Wales, ensuring a national capability. This regional presence enables its teams to successfully deliver responsive repairs or large planned refurbishment and maintenance programmes.

Horbury Property Services is FIRAS certified for the following: Fire Rated Partitions & Ceilings; Fire Rated Timber Doorsets; Penetration Sealing Systems; Cavity Barriers and Fire Door Maintenance.

Nottingham Community Housing Association is one of the largest locally-based housing groups in the East Midlands, managing over 9,200 homes and housing more than 20,000 tenants across the East Midlands in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.

For more details, visit www.horburypropertyservices.com or call 01709 917555.

Fire & Hazard Protection

19

Data Security & IT

The challenges with digital technology management in the FM and building sectors

T

he General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on 25th May 2018, which will affect the way businesses process the personal data of EU residents. The regulations cover many aspects of personal data, including how data is stored, video surveillance and even covering use of photographs. Those who fail to adhere to the regulation will face large fines. Facilities Management companies will have long been planning for this change, having been given two years notice of the regulation coming into force, and making provisions to avoid data breaches in order to comply. But, out in the real world with the people putting GDPR into practice, there are definite hints of uncertainty and confusion along with a little panic.

And you can understand why.

20

Data Security & IT

James Symons, CEO of LocknCharge, talks about how the FM and building industries are facing challenges in the way they not only deal with data and IT breaches but also in the way they manage IT and digital systems.

As an industry, it is fair to say the FM sector has been slower than some to fully embrace digital technology, and perhaps adapt to the management issues that have arisen from this. It is therefore not surprising that for some these regulations will present challenges that have never surfaced previously. But with digital technology being used more frequently in the FM market, (and looking extremely unlikely to go away), how does

this affect us all in the industry?

In years gone by we have seen a rise in smart buildings, with connected solutions introduced into the infrastructure of buildings, focusing on better facilities management.

This is mainly directed at optimizing energy use and adapting the workplace experience to suit individual employees by real time monitoring.

This has in turn brought with it a rise in the use of virtual reality, Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

Data Security & IT apps, digital monitoring and a larger emphasis on interactive displays. There are apps for visitor and contractor management software solutions (for recording all staff, visitor, and contractor check-ins), tools for job management, engineer scheduling, quoting, costing, invoicing and asset tracking, and even janitorial apps which can enhance communication between managers and employees.

In fact, it is estimated that there will be 21 billion connected IoT (Internet of Things) devices by 2020.

But investing in these technologies and managing them are two different things. With all the digital changes happening throughout the industry, this has raised questions and challenges about how best to manage this emerging new technology. Some of the software now used is multiplatform, and can be accessed via the web, iPad, or by using mobile iOS or android apps. A device management program is becoming (and now should be) an integral part of management plans. But with time saving and cost reductions being two of the main

drivers for change, how can this technology be managed sufficiently to make sure this becomes a reality?

Can users connect quickly to the internet or Wi-Fi? With an increase in tablet and mobile usage, and apps needing Wi-Fi connection, is the current standard acceptable? For example, there are standards out there that would allow a greater number of devices to use network without losing speed, even in public areas.

Does the buildings website integrate well with a tablet format? Can staff use the tablets or devices quickly and efficiently?

Are they trained to do this, and does this match their skill set?

There are some simple solutions to problems with device management that can be overcome with the addition of products or management processes, that can actually increase productivity even further than just what is achieved by just using the actual technology.

For example, if you wanted to ensure tablet devices are fully

charged and ready for use at all times (which can be particularly challenging when you have huge multiples of people all needing tablets to do their jobs) you could invest in a device charging station, which not only charges multiple devices simultaneously, but also syncs them.

Expensive investment in technology means people want digital devices to be kept safe, especially when stored overnight. Not only does this solution help with the task in hand (charging iPads, Chromebooks etc.), but it also saves time doing this and also provides a security aspect also as they can be locked away safely.

It is clear that behind the scenes, the industry does have some work to do to make this smooth transition though. Business leaders need to change their approach to the management process of IoT devices.

Device management plays a critical role in the future of digital technology, and in the future of building interiors, as technology shapes the new workplace experience. www.lockncharge.com

www.energymanagermagazine.co.uk

Register now to receive your digital issue of Energy Manager Magazine FREE of charge energymanagermagazine.co.uk/ subscribe www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

THE ONLY PUBLIC SECTOR ENERGY JOURNAL Data Security & IT

21

Windows & Doors

Union Industries delivers practical solution for York Mailing Leeds-based Union Industries, the leading manufacturer of industrial high speed doors, has installed two Bulldoors at York Mailing to help maintain temperatures in its printing hall.

N

orth Yorkshire-based York Mailing provides timesensitive promotional materials, such as flyers, brochures and catalogues, to a large customer base, including some of the UK’s major retailers.

York Mailing required a reliable and robust door solution for its 28,000 sq ft building, which was created from a former aircraft hangar, to reduce heat loss caused by regular vehicle traffic in and out of the building.

With the openings to the printing hall in constant use, leading to the potential of external conditions and temperatures affecting the ambient environment of the building, a solution was required to control heat loss, but not impact on productivity and site traffic.

Union Industries’ Bulldoor improves working conditions by controlling temperature. The door is designed for large, high use internal openings as well as average-sized external openings. With a reputation for its reliability, the Bulldoor is widely used in various industries, including retail, pharmaceutical and manufacturing businesses.

Its opening speed of 1.6m/s and numerous activation options, including induction loop, radar motion sensor and radio control, makes it ideal for openings experiencing regular vehicle and personnel traffic.

Stephen Marshall, Works Director at York Mailing, said: “A colleague had seen another Union Industries 22

Windows & Doors

Alan Hirst, Sales Director at Union Industries, and Mike Stephenson, No1 Printer at York Mailing.

door in action and recommended we consider them for our printing hall. The Bulldoors have proven to be an effective solution, and one made even better by the service and assistance we have received from Union Industries.”

“Operating such a large facility can make maintaining a consistent temperature a challenge and can impact on our operating costs as we try to create a comfortable working environment. However, the Bulldoors play a major part in helping to maintain the environmental conditions in the printing hall.”

Alan Hirst, Union Industries’ Sales Director, said: “Controlling energy costs is a major consideration for customers with heated facilities and where frequent access is a necessity in and out of the building.

Our Bulldoors are a proven solution through their robust manufacture, speed of operation and reliability and help companies, like our Yorkshire neighbour York Mailing, overcome heat loss challenges.” www.unionindustries.co.uk Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

Windows & Doors

Astra closers tower over London Docklands

H

undreds of Astra 3000 Series concealed door closers on apartment entrance doors are making a safe, reliable and efficient contribution to the chic interior design scheme in one of Docklands landmark buildings, Arena Tower. Since they are concealed in the door’s hinge edge, they are totally unobtrusive yet comply with all building and fire regulations.

The Astra door closers were chosen by the architectural ironmonger John Planck Ltd to suit the sleek, modern interiors of the apartments.

They form part of an ironmongery package for over 3,300 individual door sets that featured a specially designed lever handle and matching accessories for all the apartments and common areas. John Planck’s ironmongers worked closely with developers Galliard Homes to create a scheme that is not only visually stunning but complies with all fire, accessibility and security regulations.

Arena Tower, a development by Galliard Homes is a landmark with a twist since the apartment levels rotate www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

slightly around the building to create the Tower’s distinctive flowing twist.

It rises 450ft above Canary Wharf and includes over 370 apartments as well as a cinema, swimming pool, gym, leisure facilities, plus an array of bars and restaurants spread over 3 floors.

Modern sleek aesthetics were a top priority for architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill whose watchwords for the development were space and luxury. This made concealed closers the obvious choice since they are not visible when the door is closed, avoiding the somewhat institutional and ungainly appearance of overhead closers. John Planck selected the Astra 3000 series closers because they had worked very successfully with Astra before and, with full adjustability, they were powerful enough to handle the doors’ weight and width.

The developer’s brief to John Planck included a strong requirement for fire safety and so Astra’s 3000 Series fully controlled and adjustable were the obvious choice. They are often specified when clean, minimal design is required without

compromising on performance – even on ½- hour and 1-hour fire doors. Unlike other jamb-mounted concealed closers on the market, the Astra 3000 series is fully controlled and adjustable, making it a viable alternative to overhead products.

This adjustability helps specifiers to achieve doors which comply with the Equality Act 2010, Building Regs and PAS 24 for entrance doors and the RRO for fire doors. The Size 3 version (3003) is approved to EN1154 (when the power latching action is set to maximum) and CE marked.

Fire tests in accordance with BSEN 1634-1:2000 and BSEN 1634-1:1999 have also been carried out making the closers suitable for fire doors.

The 3000 series of concealed door closers from Astra is manufactured in the UK, in four different power sizes with adjustable closing speed and latching action for different size and weights of doors. A unique hydraulic piston assembly, designed

by Astra, offers an adjustable, controlled rate of door closure together with an adjustable ‘snap action’ for overcoming the latch. www.astradoorcontrols.com Windows & Doors

23

Lighting

Lighting the path to productivity and wellbeing

W

hy upgrade your lighting? Certainly, the energy and costsavings to be gained from today’s LED luminaires are compelling. But these figures do not tell the whole story.

Poor quality lighting can have a negative impact on employee wellbeing and productivity. Our own internal body clocks are governed by circadian rhythms, and studies point to a significant link between lighting quality and the way that these rhythms control sleep, stimulation and relaxation.

Working in a poorly lit environment can lead to lethargy and lack of concentration – not to mention the potential health and safety 24

Lighting

Darren Riva, Northern European Zumtobel Group Services Director risks. A recent study from the American Society of Interior Design found that 68 per cent of employees complain about the lighting provision in their offices.

Our own neuro-scientific study, in partnership with the acclaimed Gruppe Nymphenburg, revealed that working in an environment where lighting can be adapted in terms of colour and intensity resulted in lower heart rates, calmer brain activity and less physical tension.

This is why leading businesses across many sectors are partnering with lighting specialists in order

to create environments that are safe, efficient and geared towards productivity and optimal employee performance.

Daylight is the original light source, connecting with people through an elementary relationship and shaping human behaviour since the dawn of time. It may not necessarily be visible or even noticeable, but light defines how we experience the world through its many delicate qualities, such as light colours, shadows, contrasting intensities and changing directions. However, today people in industrialised Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

Lighting countries spend around 80 per cent of the day inside – with reduced exposure to the essential dynamics of natural light. Office lighting still tends to deliver a largely static brightness – even in communication areas and creative zones.

With nature as its template, lighting technology innovation in recent years has made major strides in terms of generation, distribution and control, greatly expanding the raft of possibilities offered by artificial lighting design. Traditional limitations are being rejected in favour of lighting that can be controlled and adapted during the day to factors such as time, purpose of task, number of individuals present and more.

As lighting solutions become evermore sophisticated, so the value of third-party expert consultancy grows. The importance of the right lighting cannot be overplayed. We worked with a nursing home in Vienna to establish the correct light levels and colour temperature. Colour temperature has a proven effect on mood, and by adjusting its lighting the nursing home has reported an increase in the level of sociability between residents and a decrease in the amount of drugs issued.

Rather than regarding lighting as an annual cost-drain, decisionmakers are aligning with the new idea of ‘lighting as a service’. Put simply, this means paying for the installation, maintenance and management of lighting, entering into a contract whereby the future performance of the lighting solution is guaranteed by the supplier.

A lighting as a service model protects customers from any loss in asset value because the basis of the service is not about simply selling luminaries but about guaranteeing future lighting performance. So, such a service enables customers to benefit from LED technology – and from future developments - without the hassle of owning and operating the lighting solution themselves.

The future-proofing advantages of lighting as a service are critical.

Without such a model in place, every new technological advancement would require significant capital expenditure. Lighting as a service provides buyers with the necessary www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

consultative expertise to enable them to stay a step ahead.

Smart lighting is also serving as the conduit through which business intelligence is captured.

In this respect, lighting has one major advantage – it is everywhere that people are. LED lighting can act as a platform to deliver a wide variety of intelligent applications and improved functionality. Whilst this presents businesses with myriad options it also demands a change of mindset. Business leaders must recognise the emergence of lighting provision as an essential element of business strategy rather than a legacy service.

Intelligent systems can sense when space is occupied, providing invaluable data on building usage, footfall, and under-occupied space.

Indeed, this intelligence has moved beyond the boundaries of the office or work environment to now be used city-wide by authorities across the globe. Street lighting is capturing data on pollution, traffic-flow, sound levels and more, and sensors trigger lighting in side-streets and cycle paths to provide a safer, more welcoming environment for citizens.

Lighting should not be a static, ‘once and done’ solution. Numerous factors affect the requirement for light on any given day – the weather, the time of day, the type of business being conducted. Flexible, intelligent

lighting is providing businesses with the tailored solutions that they crave and even shaping how our cities function and evolve.

As technological advances continue apace, more and more businesses and professionals will recognise the advantages of the ‘as a service’ approach to lighting. A tailored, optimised lighting system can have a significant impact – not only on an organisation’s bottom line but also on employee performance and business intelligence. The onus is on decisionmakers to understand current needs but to also project forward so that lighting installed today can deliver insight and value for years to come.

Illuminated thinking is saving energy, cutting costs, and providing employees and citizens with environments that drive productivity and promote wellbeing. Businesses across every sector are switching on to the possibilities. www.zumtobel.com Lighting

25

Waste Management & Recycling

How to kickstart a new recycling strategy With the UK’s environmental pressures continuing to mount, recycling and waste management strategies have never been so important.

FMs therefore need to think carefully about the services and expertise they offer to clients if they are to ensure both compliance and a greater sustainability stance. Here, Jonathan Oldfield, managing director of Riverside Waste Machinery, advises how to kickstart a new on-site recycling strategy…

R

ecycling has, for many businesses, long been a priority. A number of organisations – and the individuals within them – are genuinely passionate about reducing their impact on the environment, so have consequently implemented steps to tackle their carbon footprint.

For others, sustainability has simply not been a priority. Perhaps it’s because there’s already enough to worry about on a site. Perhaps there hasn’t been a commercial driver to adopt more environmentally responsible business practices. Or maybe ‘saving the planet’ has been considered someone else’s problem.

Whatever the reason, society is changing, as is the law. Businesses therefore need to think carefully about their own green agenda, and 26

Waste Management & Recycling

FMs can help them with this.

Kickstarting a new on-site recycling strategy will not be easy, as for many, a complete mindset shift will be required. And a blanket approach will not suit every building and its commercial residents.

However, there are some general steps that can be taken to ensure progress in the right direction.

Remember the mantra ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ – it prioritises what businesses should do with commercial waste and in what order. On a simplistic level, it is better to avoid printing emails unless absolutely necessary for example (reduce); unnecessary print outs can be reused as scrap paper; and when the paper has no further on-site use, it should be collected separately for recycling. This philosophy should be applied, where possible, to all materials handled on-site.

Understand legal obligations.

Every business has a ‘duty of care’ to store and move waste materials compliantly (see gov.co.uk). This duty lasts until a licensed waste company takes the materials away, but it’s the organisation’s responsibility to prove their certified competence.

There are other rules too – a permit is required if a firm produces more

than 500kg of hazardous waste per year, materials such as plasterboard must remain separate from the main waste stream, and £2m+ turnover companies handling more than 50 tonnes of packaging waste per annum must register and report to the Environment Agency.

Audit the material stream. It is important to analyse what materials are typically thrown away on-site, on a daily basis, and which could be reused or recycled? Paper, cardboard, aluminium cans, plastic bottles, food? Understanding a site’s waste a little better will help prioritise where action needs to be taken first, and what specific improvements to make.

There’s no harm in starting small, and it makes sense to begin with the most problematic ‘waste’ stream. It is even possible to achieve ISO14001 certification for such efforts!

Calculate the cost to dispose of the waste. If a business is not motivated by the environment, focus instead on the financial incentive. It may even be possible to generate a revenue stream from the sale of recyclable materials! The rebate value for cardboard, for example, changes on almost a daily basis, but there is wealth in waste – something that is often overlooked.

Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

Waste Management & Recycling

Remember confidentiality – The Data Protection Act means that sensitive paperwork, hard drives, and other private electronic data sources must be handled, stored and destroyed securely. Maximum penalties for data breaches were previously £500,000 but with the introduction of GDPR these will escalate further still. At the very least, the services of a specialist confidential waste contractor should be enrolled, who will provide secure receptacles for such materials. For utmost peace of mind, FMs should consider shredding and baling confidential waste on-site. The machinery isn’t expensive to procure, it’s easy to operate and it gives maximum reassurances regarding compliance.

Seek the advice of industry experts. For smaller companies, the simple segregation of materials at source may be enough, but other firms may need specialist recycling equipment to avoid hefty skip charges. Industry experts should therefore be approached for advice and local authorities may be able to offer wider support.

Encourage participation. So many people are expert recyclers in the home, so they may have ideas for workplace improvements which should be incorporated into the new on-site strategy.

Then, at ‘roll out’ stage, helpfully communicate what the workforce should do – and how and why it’s important – to achieve ‘buy in’. The initiative is more likely to fail if it’s merely the vision of one person.

Make it easy and fun! Ever-more hectic workloads are becoming increasingly commonplace, so if recycling is complicated, confusing or time-consuming people won’t participate. Keep it light-hearted.

Review and revise. After all this effort, the recycling strategy needs to work. It may not be perfect first time, but if successes – and flaws – are evaluated along the way, continuous improvement will be possible.

Successes should also be shared, not only with employees and tenants, but FM peers and the wider industry too. It might just inspire another building or facilities manager to follow in the same footsteps. www.wastemachinery.co.uk www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

WCRS Recycling Angels: Improving recycling rates at major events

C

reated as part of an initiative by Waste Cost Reduction Services (WCRS) to improve recycling rates and enhance the customer experience in the Event’s sector, the WCRS ‘Recycling Angels’ team are passionate about improving recycling rates and reducing environmental impacts. Deploying the Angels helps Events Organisers and Facilities Managers maximise recycling opportunities and streamline waste management operations in what can be a challenging environment.

“We understand some of the challenges our clients face when managing events with high levels of public attendance, often in the hundreds of thousands, particularly in situations where there is also a high level of temporary staff. This is where the ‘Recycling Angels’ come in”, explains Robert Logan, Managing Director of WCRS. “The role of the Recycling Angels is to take some of the burden off Event Organisers and Facilities Managers by taking control of the recycling monitoring process and liaising with, key event staff, to educate them on recycling procedures.”

The ‘Recycling Angels’ services are not limited to just the event itself. In order to ensure the ‘Recycling Angels’ are as effective as possible, they will work closely with the client’s dedicated account manager

in the lead up to an event and will also be on hand during the build itself to ensure each area has the correct recycling provisions and to implement a clear plan of action.

During events, ‘Recycling Angels’ will take control of the waste segregation process, working with cleaners, porters and back of house managers to monitor bins, segregate waste accordingly at source and provide guidance on recycling policy.

By taking this approach, any potential barriers to recycling can be identified early on and measures can be put in place to rectify any issues.

The ultimate goal being to maximise recycling potential as far as possible and reduce waste to landfill, which not only benefits the event organisers but makes for a greener experience for visitors.

WCRS is committed to finding the best recycling and waste management solutions. It has worked in partnership with some of the nation’s most prestigious event organisations, at events such as the Cheltenham Festival, the Grand National and The Ashes, helping companies comply with legislation, boost recycling rates, improve Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and make each event as green as possible.

For more details visit: www.wcrsltd.co.uk/ the-recyclingangels.php

Waste Management & Recycling

27

Waste Management & Recycling

TRASH TALK: how waste management could become an engine for business growth Stephen Cameron, Business Development Director, SWRnewstar lifts the lid on the cost – and the opportunity – of waste to UK businesses.

I

f someone told you that waste management was a hidden engine for business growth, you’d probably think they were talking rubbish. You’d be right.

Though in this case, it’s the kind of trash talk that can save money and fuel profit. Confused? It’s all about broadening the focus. Waste management is often a low priority or narrowly defined as an exercise in corporate social responsibility – an obligation that reflects businesses’ moral duty to safeguard the environment. Yet it has the potential to be so much more. The way your business manages its waste is not simply about facilitating a sustainable environment, it can help drive a sustainable business too. But only if it’s approached in the right way.

For many years, UK companies’ waste management strategies have typically focused on the cost of removing the waste they generate.

But the real opportunity comes from focusing on the processes in your business that lead to waste being generated in the first place. If you can minimise those, the purchasing costs reduce, this combined with a decrease in the cost of disposal means that your business immediately becomes more profitable.

The scale of the opportunity is laid bare by the numbers. The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply estimates that waste disposal typically costs a business around 5% of turnover. However, with a high percentage of waste considered 28

Waste Management & Recycling

avoidable, the successful reduction of it naturally leads to a fall in disposal costs. For example, 75% of food waste is either edible or usable; that’s a whole load of money being spent to fill bins, compounded by the additional expense of disposing of it. It’s a similar story across most sectors.

Yet by focusing on waste holistically, rather than as an inevitability, it’s possible to make significant upfront savings that lead to major downstream gains on the P&L. It’s a compelling hypothesis. But to exploit the opportunity – and fuel the hidden engine for business growth – you may need to rethink your current approach to waste management. As the cost of waste increasingly hits our planet and our businesses, perhaps it’s time for a change of mindset? Let’s talk rubbish.

China crisis: a catalyst for change With green issues continuing to dominate the news agenda in 2018, there’s renewed scrutiny of how UK companies dispose of their waste materials. However, if you think your business has got a handle on its waste management responsibilities, you may well need to think again.

The journey to a circular economy is forever littered with change.

One of the most impactful recent developments is what’s currently happening in China – historically the world’s largest importer of waste. In January 2018, the Chinese government introduced a clampdown on the kind of waste it will receive – strictly limiting the importation of 24 categories of solid waste including certain types of plastics, paper and textiles. This move has not only shaken the global recycling industry, it’s provided a wake-up call for all UK businesses too. After years of adapting practices to fulfil their Waste Hierarchy responsibilities, companies once again need to review the waste

they generate and the processes they have in place to dispose of it.

This may be a blessing in disguise. The re-evaluation of waste management strategies presents companies with an opportunity to eliminate wasteful practices, reduce costs and turbo-charge profitability.

But only if they consider more flexible models of waste disposal.

Challenging the common model The most common waste management approach for many businesses is to outsource a solution to a national, ‘wheels-based’ provider.

These well-known providers have built their business model around the ownership of large fleets of industrial refuse vehicles that operate across a national network. At first glance, outsourcing to national players appears a logical approach, particularly for companies in industries known to generate high amounts of waste or for organisations who operate across multiple sites and multiple geographical regions. Yet the wheels-based model can be inflexible and generate avoidable costs. For example, national providers typically dictate the timings of waste collections based on fixed local timetables. This creates a challenge for businesses who need to ensure that collections coincide with the times they’re likely to have generated the most waste. After all, the price of lifting a half-full bin is no different to the price of lifting a full one. However, the rigidity of the wheels-based model means that businesses can sometimes be forced to increase the frequency and volume of collection, incurring additional cost in the process. Paying for unproductive or unnecessary bin lifts is a false economy.

Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

Waste Management & Recycling Shifting the focus Organisations are understandably keen to drive down the cost of waste management. However, in their attempts to achieve this, they can sometimes focus on the wrong area. There’s a common tendency for procurement teams to benchmark providers on a crude metric of ‘priceper-lift’. This creates tendering processes that are narrowly focused on disposal costs and that typically culminate in contracting the provider with the lowest price-per-lift.

However, the true cost of waste in a business is not limited to the price of taking it away. On the contrary, the majority of that cost is often buried in long-standing processes embedded within a business that create waste in the first place. And much of it is avoidable. Rather than simply focusing on the end-game of collection and disposal, the smartest waste management providers will take a more holistic view and work with you to identify wasteful practices that fuel avoidable waste.

The holistic approach requires a mindset shift that treats waste

management as an opportunity to boost the bottom line, rather than simply as a cost. By evaluating what you are putting into your bins and where it’s coming from, it’s possible to identify the parts of your business where new processes or different behaviours can help cut costs and reduce waste. It’s then far easier to tailor waste management solutions that reflect the real-world needs of your business. The downstream benefits of a comprehensive endto-end audit of all your processes are potentially huge. It’s possible to reduce the number of bins you need, change the make-up of your bin configurations and limit the volume and frequency of bin lifts.

What’s more, in addition to reducing your operating costs and increasing profits by eradicating wasteful practices, these adjustments can significantly reduce the overall costs of your waste management.

The partnership approach

businesses are looking beyond fixed and inflexible national solutions and deploying broker-led models of waste management. Brokers typically have access to a wide network of trusted partners and local providers that can custom-design flexible solutions irrespective of location or waste type. Moreover, the very best will partner with their clients to ‘lift the lid’ on their businesses and identify opportunities to eliminate unnecessary or uneconomical spend on waste.

As the impact of waste on our world continues to grab headlines, the time has come for UK companies to view waste management not as a cost or a commodity, but as an opportunity.

Through collaboration and creative thinking, it’s possible to improve your business sustainability and your longterm environmental performance.

The way your organisation manages its waste can indeed be an engine for growth. But to get there, you may just need a change of mindset.

Let’s talk rubbish – together. http://www.swrnewstar.co.uk/

So how do you unlock the opportunity? The most progressive

Biffa awarded three-year contract for waste management with KP Snacks

T

he UK’s leading national recycling and waste management provider, Biffa, has won a threeyear contract to manage waste, recycling and resource whilst delivering innovative solutions to drive waste out of six production facilities for leading snack manufacturer KP Snacks.

KP Snacks, famous for brands including KP Nuts, McCoys Crisps and Butterkist Popcorn, has appointed Biffa to deliver its Integrated Resource Management (IRM) service from July this year following a competitive tender process.

The contract will see Biffa service KP Snacks’ manufacturing sites, located in Ashby, Hellaby, Pontefract, Tanfield, Teesside and Barnsley, managing materials such as cardboard, soft plastics and general www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

waste. As part of the contract, Biffa will also be handling the disposal of effluent and hazardous waste, providing industrial cleaning services and delivering waste reduction and elimination programmes.

Trevor Yong, Senior Business Development Manager at Biffa, says that the focus of the proposal was on helping KP Snacks to minimise their impact on the environment, recycling as much as possible and, wherever achievable, delivering at a more competitive cost.

He said: “At Biffa we’re always determined to deliver a highly innovative service when it comes to waste, recycling and resource. We aim to process challenging materials via specialist recycling procedures rather than via general waste disposal.

Being able to bring this to the table means we’re potentially able to halve

the amount of general waste, reducing KP’s impact on the environment while also reducing costs to the client.”

Biffa will also provide a bespoke on-site service, with dedicated contract managers available to be on hand to influence, enable and guide production plants.

These contract managers will provide regular facility assessments face-toface, offering cost cutting solutions and ways to streamline processes, another key draw of its IRM proposal.

Trevor adds: “Our site managers will be there reviewing current processes and offering solutions wherever possible, all in the aim of reducing costs and environmental impact.” www.biffa.co.uk Waste Management & Recycling

29

Special Feature

How to select and install EV charging systems quickly, safely and reliably Increasingly, employees and visitors are arriving at workplaces driving electric vehicles (EVs).

They want to know reliable re-charging facilities are available so wherever they go next, the battery gauge shows green.

Shane Thomas, Key Account Manager of installation specialists ICEE Managed Services explains how to plan and implement reliable assets rapidly and at least risk

I

f your organisation has not yet installed EV charging facilities, there may be pressure to do so sooner than later. The rate of EV adoption shows no signs of slowing. A minority interest some years back, it is now a mainstream industry. Another sign is yet more fleet vehicle managers adding EVs to their portfolio.

The government is also backing EV uptake, as a way to cut vehicle exhaust pollution and improve air quality, and support steps to reduce global warming. By the year 2040 official legislation will end sales of all new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans in the UK. Moreover, the government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) offers grants to buy and install charging equipment, a significant initiative that includes the business workplace.

30

Special Feature

Picture supplied on behalf of Schneider Electric by the company's UK distributor, Rapid Online

Where do you start?

At first sight, the EV charging market may seem confusing – the technology itself, products and suppliers, functions and capabilities.

Unless you have the expertise, it may be more cost-effective to get advice from an experienced and independent source.

Whatever you do, the first and obvious step is map out a requirements specification, a) based

on what is known and b) predictable.

For a start, what type of vehicles and how many – cars and vans, makes and models – are there now and forecasted? What type of re-charging will be required? There are three levels of re-charging equipment, with the highest number referring to the fastest charge rate. For example, eighty per cent of capacity may be charged in less than thirty minutes.

How will re-charging be paid for? Free as an incentive to adopt

Building & Facilities Management – May 2018

Special Feature EV? Paid out of employees’ or visitors’ pockets? What method or combination of payment collection is to be used? Keypad, contactless smartphone, credit or debit card, or a radio frequency identification (RFID) keyfob? Are priorities or privileges required?

How will one or many chargers be managed? Units may operate either standalone or in networked clusters, with high quality products able to exchange data with a back office, or a centralised computeraided facilities management (CAFM) system. The network may be hardwired or wireless and run on an organisation’s own IT system, or on a web-based, ‘cloud’ application.

Specialised software providers offer packages and suites to cover everything from billing and payment to condition monitoring and reporting.

Where will charging facilities be located? In an existing vehicle park, or will new spaces be required?

How much additional power will be necessary? Will your existing network supply be adequate?

The investment has to be right for now, but also future-proof.

While it might not be a major item of works, you won’t want to repeat the job again soon, especially if planning consent and groundwork is required each time.

Prudent forecasting is key – skimping may prove a risky gamble. If demand exceeds supply it could cause big trouble. The requirements specification has to cover all these aspects and others, including issues and trends, or regulations in the pipeline.

A careful site survey pays dividends An essential contribution to the specification is a thorough, ‘top-down’ site survey. It will help answer many of the questions above, covering everything from planning considerations, to the existing power supply and what may have to be added.

As installers and maintenance engineers we see the downsides of questionable choices or poor surveys.

www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

An example of a site survey for an EV charging installation (Part of a larger survey document from ICEE Managed Services) 1. Has planning permission been granted for the charging equipment installation?

2. What are the requirements for civil engineering and groundworks, including a check on the entire cable route and cabling required?

3. Any hazardous zones where flammable or combustible gases may be present near the installation?

Identify the boundaries of any hazardous zones.

4. Is the existing supply adequate for the additional demand?

Get a report on the rating and condition of existing equipment.

5. Has the earthing arrangement of the incoming power supply been established, and are the existing earthing and bonding arrangements compliant with BS 7671?

6. Is the supply a Protective Multiple Earthing (PME) or a direct earthing (TT) system?

(TT is generally associated with older properties.)

To avoid costly issues, one principle we always recommend is invest in high quality, from the equipment to services, including installation and essential maintenance. For example, a high standard of equipment means less risk of breakdowns and outages.

Another key point. Lower quality products tend to lack broader functionality – you only get basic functions and that can mean inflexibility. Higher quality chargers have built-in options so the equipment may be programmed to your exact, or bespoke requirements.

Again on quality, ensure installation and maintenance is done by NICEIC certified engineers, trained for EV charging equipment installation, who also work to the Constructors

7. If PME, have precautions necessary to prevent danger in the event of an open circuit neutral been identified and addressed?

8. If a TT earthing system is the only option, has a simultaneous contact assessment been carried out?

9. Check space in the relevant distribution board for what may have to be fitted in, or whether an additional board is required?

10. Check the number and type of EV units being installed including mounting requirements, cord management, total power demand, and peak loadings.

Do peak loadings all add up to within capacity, including spare for contingencies and the future? Check manufacturers’ warranties and related terms and conditions.

Supplied courtesy of ICEE Managed Services

Health and Safety Scheme (CHAS), plus other relevant standards.

In the long run investing in higher quality adds up to more efficient, streamlined and smoother operations, the least wasteful downtime, no damaged reputations, no disgruntled end-users and little or no costly repairs.

Finally, investing in EV charging sends a good message to an organisation’s employees and visitors – it clearly demonstrates commitment to protecting the environment and supporting ‘green’ policies. It fits in with corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Tel: 02392 230 604 www.icee.co.uk

special feature

31

Avoid a messy situation with Metro Rod Come and see us at the Facilities Show, we’ll be at stand N930.

Metro Rod is a leading strategic partner for organisations across the UK. We provide drain cleaning and maintenance services, creating value through utilising an innovative approach and use of technologies to provide exceptional service 24 hours a day, every single day of the year.

Clearing blocked drains

Tanker services

Drain surveys and sewer inspection

Drain repair

Gutter clearance

Plumbing

Pre-planned maintenance

Septic tank management

Call our drainage experts today for a FREE site check!

0800 66 88 00 or email info@metrorod.co.uk

Visit our website metrorod.co.uk