BFM September 2017

SEPTEMBER 2017 www.bfmmagazine.co.uk building & facilities facilities management management

FIRE & HAZARD PROTECTION | LIGHTING | THE WASHROOM

Creating a safe learning environment with Access Control See page 22

INSIDE:

FORMER CATTLE MARKET GETS SUSTAINABLE OVERHAUL WITH SELECTAGLAZE – PAGE 21

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On the cover: Creating a safe learning environment with Access Control See page 22 for more details. www.assaabloy.co.uk/accesscontrol

September 2017

BFM Team Business Development Director

James Scrivens james@abbeypublishing.co.uk

Contents News

Building & Refurbishment

4

20

Grow your customer base by 30%

Boss Design sets the scene at Wates HQ

Production

Sarah Daviner sarah@abbeypublishing.co.uk Accounts Manager

Katie Brehm accounts@abbeypublishing.co.uk

Energy 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

14

Flex it or fix it? It depends on your appetite for energy risk

16

Gateshead school set to save thousands by implementing green energy projects

Creating a safe learning environment with Access Control

Washroom

24

The Internet of Things and The Washroom Experience: How it can benefit facilities management

Special Feature

26

Subscriptions are available via www.bfmmagazine.co.uk/subscribe

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

22

HVAC

www.twitter.com/ BFM_Magazine

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.

Security & Access Control

The rise of the machines – yet the role of the FM is certainly not terminated!

Lighting

18

Tridonic’s EM ready2apply, delivering maximum safety with minimum complexity

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

Fire & Hazard Protection

28

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

Prevention is better than cure: the fire door perspective

3

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Grow your customer base by 30% If your shop or venue is inaccessible to anyone who needs care support, you’re excluding twice as many potential customers as you think…

So warns Samantha Buck, mother and one of the leading campaigners for assisted accessible toilets.

“I

t’s not just the person with the disability who needs some of the elements in an assisted, accessible toilet – a Changing Places or a Space to Change facility. It’s their carer too!” she says. “If I’m out anywhere with my son Alfie, if I need the loo, even though I am able bodied, I am faced with the same issues as him in terms of accessing a suitable toilet. I can’t leave him in his wheelchair outside the ladies!

“A carer needs a toilet with the extra space too. They need the privacy screen. Building designers and operators are therefore excluding us too, if they don’t have suitable facilities. So however many people you think are being excluded- double it, to account for their carers. Often the person who needs the Changing Places, or similar, is out with friends or family: that’s at least twice as many entry fees, meals, drinks.

“There are 6.5 million carers in Britain today. Potentially up to 14 million people need a Changing Places or Space to Change. Together that’s almost 30% of the population.

Can you afford to be inaccessible?

What difference would 30% more customers make to your business?”

Changing Places toilets compliment conventional wheelchair-accessible toilets, bringing, alongside the standard ‘disabled WC’ provision, more space (12m2) and equipment (the addition of an adult-sized height adjustable changing bench, ceiling track hoist and privacy screen).

Clos-o-Mat, Britain’s leading provider of such facilities, has worked with Sam, and other campaigners, to help venues optimise accessibility, even if they don’t have the available space or budget for a full, British Standard (BS8300:2009) Changing Places.

That solution is a Space to Change,

4

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which builds on a conventional wheelchair-accessible toilet, adding more space (a total 7.5m2) with an adult-sized changing bench and hoist.

Under latest Building Regulations and good practice guidelines, a Changing Places toilet is ‘desirable’/ should be provided in buildings to which numbers of the public have access. Space To Change toilets plug the gap between conventional (Building Regulations Approved Document M 2013) wheelchairaccessible toilets, and the ‘desirable’, additional, larger and better equipped Changing Places toilets, being an enlarged wheelchair-accessible toilet that further includes an adultsized changing bench and a hoist.

Clos-o-Mat, Britain’s leader in supporting delivery of dignified, independent toileting at home and away, is unique in its ability to deliver both Changing Places

and Space to Change facilities. It was the original sponsor of the Changing Places campaign, and has helped campaigners develop the Space to Change concept.

Clos-o-Mat can provide, in-house, the design advice, supply, installation, commissioning, project management and maintenance across the ambit of accessible toileting equipment. To help venues ‘get it right’, the company has a raft of downloadable information on its website, www.clos-o-mat. com, including white papers, CAD blocks, room renders and videos. Tel: 0161 969 1199; www.clos-o-mat. com; Email: info@clos-o-mat.com

Olga Rowley joins Cundall

O

lga Rowley has joined international multi-disciplinary engineer Cundall as Business Development and Marketing Manager MENA. Based in Cundall’s Dubai office, Olga’s primary focus will be to highlight Cundall’s global capability and technical skills, raising the company’s profile and connecting with the leading companies in the Middle East.

“Over the past few years I have been fortunate enough to work with many fantastic clients, talented engineers, architects and the creative community within the construction industry. It’s incredible to see how enthusiasm for engineering and clever solutions drive people in Cundall. I have been inspired by the desire that every person in Cundall has for their role, from engineers to Partners, who

encourage a culture of innovation and development.

People work hard and the results speak for themselves. My personal goal is to ensure that every talented person has an opportunity to influence not only the projects that we deliver but also the whole industry. By sharing our knowledge and best practices with each other we can all build and live in a future-ready and sustainable environment.” She said.

Olga joins Cundall from Limah Design Consultants where she was Head of Business Development and Marketing. www.cundall.com

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

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Main Event Sponsors

Principal Media Partner health estate journal

40+ HOU rs Speake e c n e r 64+ Confe

JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF HEALTHCARE

ENGINEERING AND ESTATE MANAGEMENT

Supporters

IHEEM

News

Something for everyone at Trade Fair & Convention HAE EHA Trade Fair & Convention 2017 Ricoh Arena, Coventry, October 11-12

M

embers are urged to make a beeline for the HAE EHA Trade Fair & Convention at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on October 11-12 - where topics will include the latest industry initiatives for training and retaining staff, empowering women in the workplace and a safer working environment, all backed up by an impressive line-up of keynote speakers.

Being ‘sent to Coventry’ will benefit delegates at the convention as they get insights from, among others, Derek Redmond, an Olympic and world champion athlete who will be discussing improving performance and retaining talent. Financial expert Lee Coles, Head of Workplace Education at Jelf, part of Mercer Marsh Benefits, will be sharing his extensive knowledge concerning the wellbeing of employees and retirement planning.

Other speakers over the two days are HAE EHA Chairman Andy Martin, who will give the welcome and introduction and Guy Van Der Knaap, Managing Director of MCS. Guy is to deliver a presentation on how to make the best use of mobile devices to improve productivity.

There will also be opportunities to network and share information and best practice with other members.

In addition, there will be training workshops including HAE’s ILM Level 5 Graduation scheme and the exciting developments in virtual reality (VR)

programmes in partnership with the University of the West of England. Just one of the innovative VR training tools that will be featured at the show will give delegates the opportunity to control and operate a VR mini digger.

Richard Whiting of Commercial Training at HAE, said: “The training and NVQ programmes we’re offering are a far-reaching ‘cradle to grave’ approach to a career in hire. Virtual reality is an inventive way for us to demonstrate the training available throughout the hire supply chain. In addition to a virtual digger we also plan to have an articulated boom.”

To ensure a steady stream of talented people throughout the industry, it is essential that progression in the hire industry is open to all who show the skills and commitment required to successfully deliver high quality work on time.

Education and training to help career development and improve productivity is a strong theme of the convention and empowerment of women in the sector will be under the spotlight. A key factor in the future success of the industry will be tackling ways in which training programmes and changing attitudes can help women benefit from the huge variety of jobs which are available in plant, equipment and hire.

Tackling safety issues is also on the

agenda at the Trade Fair & Convention.

SafeHire is sponsoring the networking and refreshments area in the Ricoh Arena where anyone can drop by, speak to the team about the benefits of the scheme and book assessment dates to achieve the certification.

The area will have case study information from HAE members who have achieved certification and there will be plenty of examples of the good, the bad and the ugly instances involving safety - or the lack of it.

To discuss the opportunities for business improvement and the importance of being recognised for supplying safe, quality equipment there will be speaker sessions from construction industry bodies and Government procurement, along with a speaker panel fronted by the SafeHire plus Build UK. The HAE EHA Trade Fair & Convention is open to all members but people wishing to attend need to register in advance as numbers are limited for catering, workshops and guest speaker sessions. For more details and sponsorship opportunities go to http://hireconvention.org.uk

Apollo appoints new MD for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA)

W

orld-leading independent fire detection manufacturer, Apollo Fire Detectors, is pleased to announce the appointment of Charles Lombard as its new Managing Director with regional responsibility for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

With a career working in many European countries, Charles 8

News

has led global businesses of increasing size and complexity based in Italy, Australia, Denmark and France. Charles was Vice President of a group of businesses in his last position with ITW. Born and raised in France, Charles holds a degree from the Grenoble School of Business, and a Master’s degree in Social Sciences from the

University of Birmingham.

He is fluent in French, English and Italian.

Speaking about his new role, Charles, says: “I am looking forward to joining the Apollo team and to working for a truly global company and leader in its field. www.apollo-fire.com

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

11th - 12th October 2017

Ricoh Arena, Phoenix Way, Coventry CV6 6GE Featuring 60+ exhibitors, packed conference programme, workshops, discussion forums and networking opportunities.

The theme ‘CONNECT-DISCOVER-LEARN’ will focus on tackling the key issues currently facing the hire industry: empowering women into sector; R&D into future technology such as 3D, VR, AI and robotics; new construction methods; positioning the industry in the legislative decision making process; personal financial planning; cyber protection law and how the industry looks beyond Brexit.

To book tickets and exhibition space visit: www.hireconvention.org.uk or call 0121 380 4605 email: hireconvention@hae.org.uk

News

CHSA’s Accredited Distributors Demand Conformance from Suppliers

M

embership of the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association’s (CHSA) Manufacturing Standards Accreditation Schemes has increased as distributors joining the Accredited Distributors Scheme demand conformance from their suppliers.

The CHSA’s Accredited Distributor Scheme was launched in January this year and already more than 135 distributor members of the Association have been approved for membership. To become an Accredited Distributor, as well as passing the auditing process, distributors commit to supplying only CHSA Accredited product in the areas of soft tissue, plastic refuse sacks or industrial cotton mops, or product which conforms to the standards set out in the relevant Scheme. The result is the new Accredited Distributors demand their suppliers adhere to the same high standards to which they ascribe and, as a result, many are applying to join the relevant Manufacturing

Standards Accreditation Scheme.

“Our focus is on driving up and then maintaining standards in the industry,” explained Mike Stubbs, Chairman of the Accreditation Scheme Panels and Vice President of the CHSA. “We’re delighted distributors have responded so positively to the launch of the Accredited Distributor Scheme; membership signals their commitment to supplying product that can be relied upon to meet the Scheme Standards and the CHSA Code of Practice.

“It’s an unexpected but incredibly positive outcome that the expansion of the Accredited Distributor Scheme is leading to a growth in the number of applications to the Manufacturing Standards Accreditation Schemes.

It’s proof we’re driving standards up throughout the supply chain.

“Buyers of cleaning and hygiene products from our Accredited Distributors and Manufacturers can be really certain what’s on the box is what’s in the box.”

Gaining admittance to the Accreditation Schemes is challenging. Applicants are admitted to the Scheme on the successful completion of an auditing process conducted by the CHSA’s Independent Inspector. Once they have successfully passed the audit and secured Accreditation Scheme status they continue to be regularly audited, giving buyers of their products the certainty standards are sustained.

In addition, to join the Accredited Distributors Scheme, distributors must sign a declaration that they will only stock and offer for sale CHSA Accredited products or products that conform to the same Standards as required by the relevant CHSA Manufacturing Standards Accreditation Scheme.

Our Standards. Your Guarantee. www.chsa.co.uk

Lanes jet vac fleet supports filling station refurbishment

J

et vac tankers operated by Lanes Group plc have been used to fill fuel storage tanks with water so construction workers can begin a project to refurbish a filling station.

The safety measure is needed to eliminate any residual risk of fumes in the empty tanks igniting while the filling station, in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, is being modernised and refitted.

Retail and forecourt construction specialist William Southern had a window of just one day to fill the fuel storage tanks, and turned to Lanes to carry out the task.

A specialist fuel management company first removed all fuel, cleaned the tanks, then surveyed them. This gave the garage owner assurance that they were ready for Lanes to take the next step, by filling them with water.

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Following the completion of a specific risk assessment and method statement, three Lanes jet vac tankers operated in relay to pump 127,000 litres of water into the underground fuel tanks at the filling station.

Each jet vac tanker had to empty five loads of water to complete the task.

Lanes East London Area Development Manager Steve Murrells said: “Our jet vac tanker units are best known for cleaning wastewater drains and sewers.

“But they are ideally-suited for a much wider range of water vacuumation and pumping tasks.

Filling fuel storage tanks like these is just one of them.”

With the filling work overseen by a William Southern supervisor, the fuel tanks were first thoroughly

vented, then continuous gas monitoring was set up.

Thanks to the water extraction licences held by Lanes Group, the jet vac tanker operators could take potable water from a nearby wash out hydrant, and deliver it to the fuel station forecourt.

Once renovation work has been completed, Lanes will vacuum the water out of the fuel storage tanks, and take it to an authorised waste site for safe disposal.

William Southern will then dry the tanks before they are refilled with fuel, ready for the filling station to reopen. www.lanesfordrains.co.uk

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

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News

See you in Birmingham ....

Following on from the success of our inaugural University and Healthcare Estates and Innovation Conference and Exhibition last year, we have planned a bigger and bolder event for 2017.

T

aking place over two days at the University of Birmingham Campus on the 14th & 15th of November. We have put together a timely, relevant and comprehensive programme backed up by a strong line up of industry expert speakers and a focused exhibition for our delegates.

Put simply - the similarities and parallels between Higher Education and Healthcare Estates sectors are striking.

At this year’s Conference we will address these issues and many more.

• Management of large, complex and demanding sites.

• The need to tackle compliance, deliver projects and control diverse property portfolios.

• Management of suppliers and procurement, construction and maintenance at scale.

The University and Healthcare Estates and Innovation Conference and Exhibition, is a unique opportunity to hear from the sector experts and to network and share solutions and experiences.

This event will be the second meeting of minds – that builds upon last year’s inaugural event and will lead to closer future collaboration between sectors and stimulate opportunities for shared thinking and shared benefits.

Now more than ever we should be sharing ideas and pooling solutions.

I look forward to meeting you at the University of Birmingham on the 14th & 15th of November.

Trevor Payne Director of Estates University of Birmingham

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MORE ABOUT UNIVERSITIES AND HEALTHCARE ESTATES CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION 2017:

• • •

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AUDE

•

SUPPORTED BY:

•

• • • • • • • • • • •

BIFM CIC University of Birmingham, The Carbon & Energy Fund, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust BESA, BIM4 Health The Carbon Trust University of Liverpool ASIS DQI and digital 2 all

MEDIA PARTNERS: Building Education, Building & Facilities Management Magazine, Energy Manager Magazine, Hospital Times, Public Sector Sustainability Magazine, Risk UK and University Business

MAIN EXHIBITORS & SPONSORS: Built Offsite, Capsticks, Clarke Energy, Clearview Intelligence, Cortech, Ecophon, ESG, Extra Space Solutions, Fusion, HYDROP, IES, IHEEM, Jactone, Jewson, Langley Design, Micad, MWA Technologies, Paxton, PPL Training, SFG20, Salix, Shire Controls, Smarti Ltd, Snapsys Solutions and SearchHigher.

CONFERENCE TOPICS FOR 2017: • • • • • • • • • •

•

Brexit - thoughts on the impact on the HE/ NHS estate A Shared approach to Campus Master planning Property Management in HE/ NHS Emergency Preparedness HE/ NHS Lessons Learned Property Management from the NHS Ransomware Virus Attack Commercialising the Estate – HE/ NHS Succession Planning & Developing Capacity Building the Estates Team – HE/ NHS Compliance - the Challenge of Managing Older Buildings in HE/ NHS Sustainability HE/ NHS

•

Food Waste Management within the HE/ NHS Occupy in HE/ NHS Space Management and Agile Desking Solutions for HE/ NHS The Oxford Journey to Customer Service Excellence HE/ NHS An Alternative Delivery Model for E and F Services in the HE/ NHS Sharing Processes and Resources: How a common process can work for disparate organisations HE/ NHS

JUST A FEW OF THE SPEAKERS AT UHEI 2017: •

Simon Corben - Director & Head of Profession NHS Estates & Facilities–NHS Improvement • Trevor Payne – Director of Estates – University of Birmingham • Andrew Burgess – Deputy Chief Operating Officer – Loughborough University • Karen Johnson – Operational Director - University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust • Duane Passman - Director of 3Ts - Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust • Stewart Crowe - Health & Safety & Risk Manager University of Liverpool • Russell Smith - Head of Estates - Bradford University • Louise Webster - Head of Environmental Sustainability - University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust • David Reilly - Head of Carbon Trust Wales - Carbon Trust • Rachael Hanmer-Dwight - Environmental Manager - University of Liverpool • Ian Stenton - Head of Sustainability - Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust • Lisa Hofen - Deputy Head of Strategic Facilities Management - University of Oxford • Robert Gormley - Business Change Manager University of Edinburgh For more information on how to register for this UHEI 2017: Email: info@ascentevents.co.uk www.ascentevents.co.uk/uheibirmingham.php

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

News

New manhole safety device could save lives

I

ndependent waste management group CSG, whose business includes a major off-mains drainage maintenance operation, plans to deploy a new “potentially life-saving” device specifically designed to prevent falls into open septic tank manholes.

The Manhole Safety Barrier (MSB) has been devised in-house by the company’s health & safety manager Kevin Mooney who said early trials of the device carried out

by CSG operatives had produced “a very positive response.”

It reduces the opening size of a manhole and minimises the risk of an operator being able to fall through to the bottom of the pit. But the barrier still allows unimpeded access for emptying and clearing equipment like vacuum pumps.

The barrier consists of one fixed position tube and two which are hinged and allow the frame to form a cross shape which is designed to be securely locked into position from corner to corner of the manhole. It takes only minutes to assemble.

Septic tank clearance is one of CSG’s core activities. Each year, the company’s 45 specialist drivers carry out around 55,000 tank clearances, sometimes in remote rural areas where the operatives usually work unaccompanied, often when the customer is not at home.

Operatives have to stand over the open pit and have an unobstructed view of the operation during the emptying or jetting process.

“Working over open manholes means there is the potential for the operator to fall into the pit. Many of these pits are deep and with an oxygen depleted atmosphere. There is also the possibility of hitting your head during the fall, and there is rarely a means to climb out, so a device like this can potentially save www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

“ Tradespeople need to consider lung health of loved ones”

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lives,” said Mr Mooney who designed and built the prototype himself.

Mr Mooney said it was not practical to remove the risk entirely, but it was essential to minimise the potential of a fall into these openings, particularly when there were site hazards such as lifted manhole covers, slippery conditions and even hoses which could cause trips.

Accidents of this kind were very rare and CSG had never experienced one, he said. But there had been a number of fatal septic tanks falls reported from around the world.

“But effective health and safety programmes are not just about responding to known accident statistics. It’s just as important to anticipate potential problems and devise the methods to prevent them before they happen.

“What you have to look at is the potential consequences of this kind of accident which could be fatal.

We’d prefer to protect our staff now rather than wait for an accident.”

Fareham-based CSG has had the device independently load tested and certified by independent experts SWL Rope Lifting & Testing Ltd. and now plans to produce a full user guide for drivers and arrange manufacture of the device which will then be included as standard equipment on all its of vacuum tankers.

Tel: 01489 782232. www.csg.co.uk

avis Nye, from Seasalter, Kent, is fighting to raise awareness of mesothelioma after contracting cancer – thought to be from contact with asbestos on her husband’s work clothes.

Mavis says: “I was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer caused by contact with asbestos that affects the lining of the lungs, in 2009. I’ve never worked in the construction industry or on a building site, however my husband Ray did. He used to come home with his clothes covered in dust, which I used to shake clean and wash for him. I think it’s important for tradespeople to realise that it’s not just their own lung health that may be at risk, but also loved ones – their partners and even children.

“Thankfully I am still here to talk about my condition, but I know I’m one of the lucky ones. I want to make sure no-one has to go through this experience in the future.”

Festool, leading supplier of highend power tools and accessories, including a range of dust extractors, has been speaking with those affected by mesothelioma as part of its latest Breathe Easy campaign.

The company has been selling special cycling tops available here: http://bit.ly/Festooltop, to raise awareness and money for the BLF, as well as other fundraising initiatives as part of its Road Show.

For further information about mesothelioma, visit the British Lung Foundation’s website: https://www.blf.org.uk/supportfor-you/mesothelioma.

News

13

Energy

Flex it or fix it? It depends on your appetite for energy risk Ben Archer, Head of Risk Management, Gazprom Energy

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iven the recent volatility of wholesale energy costs, it’s important that organisations choosing a new energy contract reconsider what type of deal is right for them. Figures from ICIS Energy found that gas prices ranged from over 80 pence per therm in 2013 to just over 30 pence per therm in 2016.

As customers feel the impact of these price fluctuations it raises the question of whether to take a risk averse approach with a fixed rate contract, or alternatively consider a more closely managed flexible contract approach.

Choosing a fixed contract means keeping your energy costs static and predictable for the contract duration - typically one to five years - regardless of what happens to market prices. On the other hand, a flexible contract means buying gas based on your demand or when the price suits you. With a flexible contract you can forward buy (hedge), or simply let a published market index determine your price, which allows you to make the most of low current and future energy prices if they occur. In comparison, fixed contracts mean being able to budget for energy with certainty, knowing for sure how much you’re paying from one month to the next.

Both approached offer opportunities and benefits for the customer whether that be cost certainty or a savings opportunity. What’s important is to consider your business model and risk profile to make an informed judgement on which route to go down.

We often see customers take the route of first establishing their risk appetite in order to determine their energy buying choice. Essentially, an organisation can work out how they would be affected by changes in energy prices and whether it should prioritise price certainty or having the 14

Energy

ability to buy energy at any point in the contract, for example when it’s cheap. The impact of possibly needing to spend more on energy than forecasted should be considered when deciding between fixed or flexible contracts.

For instance, would it be able to pass the costs to customers to maintain profitability? The benefits of taking a risk should be considered too, such as the opportunity to save costs by strategically buying energy under flexible terms.

The finance or procurement manager can establish how the organisation would fare should the price of energy go up or down by the amount it has fluctuated previously. A business with strict budget controls when it comes to energy may not have a business model that could support such a price rise. A fish and chip shop owner, for example, may simply not be able to cope with energy prices higher than their current value, and opt for a fixed deal. Price certainty and peace of mind could be just what some businesses are satisfied with, even if energy prices drop. However, if an organisation is prepared and able to buy in line with changing market prices to get cheaper energy than it perhaps would with a fixed contract, it might find a flexible contract a worthwhile option. Although more risky, it could save money in the long-term.

Risk appetite isn’t the only factor involved in choosing an energy contract; the human resource available to manage energy buying should come into it too. Other than checking that energy bills are accurate and based on contracted rates, fixed

contracts require minimal input or resource. However, managing flexible contracts is a strategic purchasing activity. With a flexible contract, energy buying needs to be planned around market rates and trading conditions that best suit the organisation. This can be carried out in-house, but only with an in-depth understanding of the market. An internal procurement department may have the necessary knowledge, in which case you might not require additional personnel. But to reap the full benefits of a flexible energy contract, organisations might choose to take on a dedicated energy manager, or consult with an independent energy specialist or the procurement desk within their energy supplier. These people specialise in tracking the market and buying energy accordingly.

Whether they select a fixed or a flexible energy contract, organisations can use the market to their advantage.

But it is important to decide which approach to take by considering the business model, resources and financial position before deciding. It’s also key to establish whether budget certainty is more important, or if the ability to utilise a dip in prices is a priority for energy buying. Only then can a confident decision be made about which option is most suitable. www.gazprom-energy.co.uk

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

2G Energy launches low-emission CHP systems

Energy

20kWe to 240kWe units achieve NOx reduction of up to 90%

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G Energy, an internationally leading manufacturer of combined heat and power (CHP) plants, has launched a new range of low-emission systems. Ranging from 20kWe to 240kWe, the systems emit 90 percent less Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) compared with standard (500mg) units.

In many areas of the UK, levels of air pollution remain unacceptably high.

The main pollutants include particulate matter, sulphur dioxide (SOx), carbon monoxide – and nitrogen oxides (NOx). The latter are released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned. While road traffic is the main source of NOx, the pollution caused by burning natural gas in domestic and industrial heating systems is often overlooked1. Combined Heat and Power is one of the most environmentally friendly ways of burning fossil fuels to generate heat – and electricity. However, it is vital that the performance of CHP systems is sustained over the entire lifetime of the system, and that it complies with ever more stringent emissions standards. Having to turn a CHP plant off due to failed NOx emissions tests can be expensive.

1 http://www.air-quality. org.uk/08.php

www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

Thanks to 2G Energy’s new NOx reduction technology, the company’s CHP systems in the g-box, aura and patruus 140 and 240 series are emitting less than 45mg/Nm3 @ 5% O2. That’s almost 50% less than the most stringent emissions limit set by both the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) and the new Greater London Authority (GLA) Sustainable Design and Construction guidelines, and over 90% less than the standard accepted limit of 500mg/Nm3 @ 5% O2. Compliance with the GLA’s air quality standards is a prerequisite for obtaining planning emission. In addition, 2G Energy’s new systems also qualify for the highest level of credits under the BREEAM standard.

They are also in accordance with the Code for Sustainable Homes and the Clean Air Act.The new CHP range also supports the Building Information Modelling (BIM) requirements in order to give architecture, engineers and construction professionals the best possible design approach.

2G Energy’s NOx reduction technology is an internal part of the 2G exhaust gas system, so neither the additional external equipment nor the size of the CHP system will change. For lower NOx emissions, or to cover

the remaining turbo-charged CHP fleet, 2G offers a newly developed Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system to provide NOx levels as low as 10mg /Nm3. SCR is used to convert nitrogen oxides into the common natural elements nitrogen, water and small amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2), thereby reducing the levels of NOx. Mark Holtmann, Head of Sales and Project Management at 2G Energy Ltd. UK, said: “Offering the complete range of NOx reducing technology within our CHP package makes a significant difference to the usual CHP systems on the market. With our research and development department, 2G Energy is amongst the leading developers and manufacturers of CHP plants.

Customers can control the CHP and the SCR with the same control there are no interface issues, and no different dial-in procedure is required for the 2G solution. In addition, clients can monitor the entire CHP performance with 2G’s new digital cloud-based analysing tool, my-2G.com, which provides monthly reporting, a data management system, and a range of other features.”

For further information, please visit www.2-g.com and https://my.2-g.com Energy

15

HVAC

Gateshead school set to save thousands by implementing green energy projects A secondary special school in Gateshead is set to save tens of thousands of pounds and significantly reduce its carbon emissions after investing over £77,900 in multiple energy reduction projects, using Salix Finance’s interest-free government funding.

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ryden School provides secondary education to students with special education needs.

As Dryden is a high energy user they wanted to reduce their energy consumption and energy bills without affecting the school’s operational use. The school implemented numerous energy efficient measures via the Salix Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme (SEELS), significantly reducing their carbon footprint while ensuring a comfortable and safe environment for the pupils.

The school has invested in a range of new technologies over the last year, including LED lighting upgrades, pipework insulation, Building Energy Management System (BEMS) improvements and draught proofing, as well as new and reconfigured air handling units and controls.

The new technologies are estimated to reduce the school’s energy bills by around £17,800 per year, as well as reduce its carbon emissions and greatly improve the general learning environment for both pupils and staff.

The energy improvements were made possible thanks to £77,965 worth of funding from Salix Finance, an independent, government-funded organisation which provides 100% interest-free loans for the public sector to increase its energy efficiency.

The projects have helped the school reduce its energy consumption by approximately 40%, resulting in an

estimated £17,800 of savings to their annual energy costs – the equivalent to more than £342 per pupil.

Across the school’s estate, fluorescent and halogen lamps have been replaced with high efficiency LED lighting, while improved discreet heating controls and a new BEMS system have also been implemented to improve overall efficiency.

Thermal improvements, including pipework insulation and draught proofing, as well as the installation of variable Speed Drives (VSDs) for motors and pumps will further increase the school’s energy efficiency. As well as reduced energy bills, the upgrades will also lessen general maintenance costs.

In total, the improvements are expected to save the school an estimated £241,800 in lifetime savings.

Dryden School worked closely with Gateshead Council and Salix to secure the required loan and implement the energy efficiency measures.

Christine Hewitson, School Business Manager, Dryden School said: “Working with Salix and the council has provided Dryden School with the perfect opportunity to effectively improve its energy efficiency. The Salix solution has enabled us to make much needed improvements across the entire school site, which will go a long way to reducing our energy consumption.

Figures so far suggest that the school is on track to achieve an

estimated 40% savings, which goes to show how worthwhile these projects have been.”

“Staff and students alike have commented on how much brighter the lighting now is, and we have noticed significantly less heating issues with our hydrotherapy pool, which allows the students and outside agencies to access the pool more often.”

“Both Salix and the local authority have been excellent in terms of providing advice and giving general support.”

Derek Luke, Senior Mechanical Engineer at Gateshead Council added: “Energy use at the school has been significantly reduced thanks to the energy efficiency projects and the improvements to the comfort of the school are apparent throughout.”

The project has a payback period of 4.4 years, and this is being repaid over 5 years with their predicted energy savings. This means the project is of no extra expense to the school, and once the loan is repaid the school will directly benefit from these significant savings for the lifetime of the technology.

For more information on the funding available from Salix, please see: www.salixfinance.co.uk

*Calculated using emissions factors published by government for carbon footprinting.

16

HVAC

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

HVAC

Keeping your HVAC airways clean Richard Betts, Managing Director of Rabscreen, the external filter specialists, discusses the importance of airflow in heating and cooling systems

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irflow is the single most critical element in the correct operation of all air heating and cooling systems. Yet most systems do not have the correct airflow. As a result compressors overheat, fans blow hot air and heat exchangers at their heart cannot provide the capacity and comfort that their manufacturers built and designed into them.

Accurate cooling or heating analysis cannot be performed, system performance cannot be measured, and the servicing or commissioning process will be compromised if airflow is anything but correct, just ask any HVAC manufacturer.

We heat and cool air, humidify it, dehumidify it, clean it, move it, supply it, return it and try to monitor it. All of these processes are jeopardised if the designed airflow to the system is restricted.

The recent economic climate, has caused nationwide cutbacks on staffing and budgets. Fewer staff on site means a reduced capacity for maintenance and servicing.

However, the objective of any maintenance team has not changed.

It is very simple: • Achieve adequate building cooling or heating.

• Minimise labour time and maximise efficiencies.

• Reduce down time breakdowns.

• Maintain customer satisfaction.

Highly qualified engineers are wasting hours on the environmentally unfriendly, chemical cleaning of coil fins instead of fine tuning and balancing the sensitive air handling www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

An installation of RABScreen external filter mesh being installed on the chillers at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

systems they are trained to maintain.

Measuring, monitoring and maintaining correct airflow should be the first step when servicing equipment. It is the key component for proper equipment operation.

Energy consumption is dramatically increased when compressors and fans have to work harder to maintain design output and this means big money is needlessly vanishing into thin air.

Also if an expensive compressor needs to be changed and the technician has not fully determined why it failed, the new compressor is sure to fail for the same reasons.

Indeed compressors installed by service technicians fail at six to seven times the rate of original equipment.

In most regions of the UK, pollen is a major contributor to the fouling of cooling equipment. This, combined with general debris caused by foliage, refuse and other airborne particulates, can have a significant impact upon the day-to-day running of the equipment.

It has always been very difficult to add filtration to cooling equipment (water and dry air cooled), small condensers and cooling towers. Yet products like the RABScreen external filtration now offer the ideal solution to air intake debris, contaminated coils and clogged cooling tower sumps. These screens are easily fitted externally and prevent contaminates in the air entering the system. This saves money by extending the life of disposable filters, saves as much as 30% of input energy on chiller

coils and saves labour by reducing cleaning and chemical use. As a result, the typical return on investment of fitting RABScreen air intake screens is less than six months. These air intake screen are a black engineered mesh, which is heavy duty and high abrasion resistant and incoming debris held in place on the mesh is easily removed by vacuum, brush or washing during regular maintenance.

During the summer months coil cleaning, changing of internal air filters and general HVAC maintenance must be carried out more frequently, consuming much of the engineering team’s routine programmed maintenance schedule.

Similarly, the correct monitoring of airflow through cooling towers will help to minimise the risk of decaying debris such as insects, seeds and pollen forming a nutrient source for the legionella bacteria.

As I have explained it pays dividends to keep HVAC airways clean as by doing so it reduces energy consumption considerably; it reduces the regular maintenance needed on cooling systems; and increases the efficiency of the equipment ensuring its long life well into the future.

Further information on averting HVAC contamination by using RABScreen air intake screens is available from RAB Specialist Engineers on 0800 999 5750 or emailing info@rabscreen.com or by visiting the company’s website at www.rabscreen.com HVAC

17

Lighting

Tridonic’s EM ready2apply, delivering maximum safety with minimum complexity Tridonic’s EM ready2apply: an ‘out of the box‘ solution for emergency lighting

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ridonic has announced the availability of a brand new, ‘out of the box‘ emergency lighting solution that gives OEMs, wholesalers, installers and FM managers a product that combines advanced battery technology with the latest in emergency lighting components.

This is the company‘s first ever stand-alone emergency luminaire and it comes at a time when there is a heightened awareness of the importance of practical emergency lighting. The EM ready2apply is a new and highly effective solution to the problem of reliable and compact emergency lighting, which unites Tridonic’s lighting expertise with some of the most rigorous testing processes to deliver a product that sets a bench mark for future emergency lighting solutions.

Chris Slattery, Global Product Manager for Emergency Lighting at Tridonic, explains more: “Our aim was simple. Design a compact and easy to install product that would fit into an ever-diminishing ceiling void and through a minimal cut-out. It had to encompass sufficient power to exceed the necessary performance figures, exceed all lifetime and safety requirements, as well as give users the option on installation with interchangeable lenses.” The company wanted to progress from the traditional design of using a hinged inverter or a battery in a protective sock to deliver a product that was both more aesthetic and user friendly.

From concept to release it has taken four years and the combined design and engineering skills of Tridonic’s emergency lighting team 18

Lighting

based in Spennymoor, strengthened by other engineers around the globe, to complete the robust design and testing procedures. At the heart of the process were some of the most stringent safety and reliability criteria.

The first challenge was to find a battery that would be small enough but also pack enough power for all possible applications. The current NiCd and NiMH technologies would not deliver the required performance relative to their size so the search for an alternative started in May 2013. After extensive research and testing far beyond the basic levels required, Tridonic settled on a LiFePO4 battery which exceeded all the safety, lifetime, and performance requirements they had set.

“Next we set about the challenge of combining an LED driver, battery charging circuit, DALI interface, and monitoring circuit inside a space of approximately 75mm x 35mm x 25mm;” continues Chris. “We then had to add two cut-outs on the PCB for the springs that keep the luminaire in the ceiling. This was finally made possible using some clever engineering and a flexi-rigid PCB which allows for the optimal use of available space.”

The development team then needed to work out the best means of connecting the battery. Their unique solution connects the two parts together, allows the product

to flex over on installation, contains all the wiring required for the battery and protection circuit, provides a strong strain relief, and contains a simple 2-step method for battery connection and disconnection.

The EM ready2apply combines all the above with an interchangeable lens design to give the user a choice of how they want the product to perform without stocking separate units, the “BlackBox” monitoring gives over 40 data points, the design for manufacture reduces operation steps to provide a cost and time efficient production, and ultrasonic welding is used to finally seal the housing shut (clips took up too much space). An innovative product at a competitive market price!

The product is readily available through Tridonic’s proven network of approved distributors or over the counter at electrical wholesalers. The key elements of its specification are as follows: • Maintained and Non-maintained variants • Basic, self-test, and DALI (PRO) • 3 interchangeable lenses with push-click-connection (anti-panic, escape route and spot) • Impressive spacings with lens technology.

• Battery with an 8-year design life and 3-year guarantee • 5-year electronics guarantee www.tridonic.com

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

Lighting

GAP Hire Solutions strengthen their hire fleet with more LED lighting sets from Trime UK Ltd

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he national equipment hire group, GAP Hire Solutions, care about the impact they have on the environment. Their Green Action Plan sets out the steps they are taking to reduce their carbon footprint and the support they provide to their customers to help them increase their own sustainability.

In support of this action plan, GAP have committed to a further sixty X-ECO tower lights from the expanding lighting tower manufacturer, Trime.

This brand new order follows the £3m investment made by GAP in Trime lighting products in 2016.

GAP’s Green Action Plan document states, “The X-ECO LED 6 from TRIME is the most innovative lighting product on the market. Thanks to its

LED lamps and automated start/ stop technology, the X-ECO uses less than a third of the fuel required to run a standard lighting tower, producing 888kg less CO2 per month as a result”.

GAP now has nearly 500 X-ECO LED lighting sets, making it the largest LED powered hire fleet in the UK. Commenting on this latest order, Ken Stewart, GAP’s Head of Procurement added, “The sustainable elements of the X-ECO are very apparent. But equally as important is the favourable reception we get from our customers when we supply them with these units.

We are seeing an increasing number of contractors specifying the X-ECO when they are planning their site layouts.”

The GAP Group now employs 1,633 staff, an increase from 1,503

a year earlier, and has grown to 137 locations throughout the UK. The Trime manufacturing plant is based in Cassinetta di Lugagnano, near Milan and the UK operation is situated in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

The company is highly experienced in developing and marketing environmentally biased lighting sets for the construction and event rental markets. www.trimeuk.com

ESOS Phase 2 is here – Lighting manufacturer urges businesses to take advantage of early action

T

he next phase of the Government’s Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) is underway, and while the deadline of 5th December 2019 might seem far off, the time to ensure compliance is now, says Tamlite Lighting’s Head of Sales, Marketing and Product Development, Colin Lawson.

Echoing recent communications from the Environment Agency (EA), Colin Lawson says, “Tamlite believes companies captured under ESOS can reap long-term financial and operational benefits by embracing the scheme, and its focus on areas of energy efficiency, earlier and not later.

“Now in its second phase, ESOS provides a real opportunity to improve the energy efficiency of business and make significant cost savings by requiring large businesses to undertake comprehensive audits of their energy usage. However, EA data shows that many businesses are still in the dark about the requirements of the scheme and indeed where www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

they can save the most energy.”

Colin Lawson offers his advice to SMEs impacted by ESOS on the reasons to act early, “The opportunities for making energy savings through ESOS are many and varied if the scheme is given enough consideration.

Getting fully on board with the ESOS process is the best way to gain the maximum in financial and energy savings. Beware though, enforcement notices and fines are real possibilities of non-compliance. The time to make the changes, get the energy audit and start making savings is now.

“There are plenty of ways to use ESOS as a springboard for more than just energy savings. For example, a simple change such as updating warehouse lighting could also provide improved productivity, reduce eyestrain from poorly-lit areas and a better atmosphere for staff. Easy energy savings are important in themselves (statistics from the Carbon Trust show that lighting accounts for around 40% of business energy use) but it’s also

vital to consider the long-term.

“When considering the most effective energy-saving measures for your business, you often don’t need to look too far in the first instance. With energy savings of up to 80% available as the result of a warehouse lighting upgrade, it’s no wonder so much emphasis on improving lighting has been placed in ESOS guidance documents.

Mr Lawson concludes, “Once you’ve identified the opportunities for quickwins, you can then use them as a jumping-off point for further measures which may require a larger initial outlay.

With the clock ticking, there is less and less time for businesses to get the maximum possible out of their ESOS reports. However, thanks to lowhanging fruit such as lighting upgrades, it’s easy for businesses to identify quick energy-saving measures in the first instance.” www.tamlite.co.uk/ Lighting

19

Building & Refurbishment

Boss Design sets the scene at Wates HQ

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hen one of the UK’s largest privatelyowned construction, development and property services companies, the Wates Group, embarked on the refurbishment of its head office, it called upon Boss Design’s expertise in workplace design solutions.

Following a period of significant growth for the business, the Wates Group was looking to consolidate its London offices. This included re-establishing the business’ head office in Leatherhead, Surrey as its main hub by providing employees with a flexible, collaborative and private working environment - all in time for the Wates Group to be presented with the Queens Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development, for the second consecutive time.

Given that modern, contemporary, and high quality furniture was a primary requirement for this project - together with a good supply relationship and ability to offer a furniture design solution at competitive value - Boss Design was the perfect choice and supported the refurbishment with an emphasis on quality, value, environmental sustainability, and staff well-being.

Committed to its philosophy that good workplace design centres on creating ‘Habitats’ to support workers in all their activities and corresponding surroundings, Boss Design supplied a comprehensive range of furniture to meet the requirements of various settings.

These included; office environments, formal meetings, collaboration, flexible meetings, and breakout areas. In addition, Boss Design’s furniture was specified in the building’s atrium, restaurant, and reception.

Designed to support modern methods of working, the furniture specified in the main offices included high performance Q task chairs, together with Agent high tables and stools for collaborative tasks, and Arthur high backed booths for breakout areas and smaller meetings.

A variety of coloured upholstery also 20

Building & Refurbishment

helped to distinguish between the different departments. The reception area features Raft seating and Q task chairs, with a higher raised level featuring both Marnie and Layla armchairs, and Cuba coffee tables.

It was important for Wates to make the most of its reception area and restaurant space as multi-functional areas for working, socialising and refueling. As a result, Boss Design supplied Agent dining tables and benches for the restaurant, together with Loop chairs and high stools. Raft booth seating also provides added comfort and privacy, as well as additional meeting space. Complete with integral power points, the restaurant is now a dynamic hub throughout the workday and provides a compelling new way to generate energy.

In addition to furnishing multiple settings, Boss Design helped to maximise workspace occupancy, reenforce Wates branding throughout the building, and ensure the furniture offered excellent value and cost savings without compromising the original interior or quality of product.

Furthermore, Boss Design’s detailed recycled content and recyclability for every product fully supported Wates’ impressive environmental and sustainability ethos.

Cyrille Ragasa, Site Surveyor at Wates, explains: “We were looking for a high-end furniture designer and manufacturer that

could provide us with a good product, without compromising on design.

Boss Design was chosen for its sustainability credentials, values, history of good client relationships and excellent furniture options.

“It was important to us that the suppliers we selected were committed to upholding the reputation and values of the Wates brand and for this to be reflected in the final install. Boss Design has impressive environmental and CSR commitments and were the right fit from the start. We are extremely happy with the finished result.”

Oliver Ronald, Sales Director, at Boss Design comments: “Having worked in partnership with Wates supplying furniture for some of their major corporate and retail clients in the past, we were delighted to have been appointed to supply workplace solutions for its own head office refurbishment.

“We are particularly proud to have been able to support Wates in delivering its sustainability, environmental and CSR commitments, contributing to their SKA assessment Silver award.

Our solutions were also endorsed by Dr. Zainab Dangana, Research and Development Manager at the Wates Group and a leading figure in the field of sustainable technologies.”

For further information contact Boss Design Headquarters: +44 (0) 1384 455570 or Boss Design London Showroom: Tel.: +44 (0) 20 7253 0364.

Alternatively, visit www.bossdesign.com

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

Building & Refurbishment

A former cattle market gets a sustainable overhaul with Selectaglaze secondary glazing

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illiam Julian Courtauld paid the princely sum of £50,000 to give Braintree its own Town Hall. The first stone was laid in 1926 and it has been in constant use since its construction.

Braintree Town Hall, Grade II Listed, was faced with the task of making its building more energy efficient. Selectaglaze was approached to address issues with the windows, which allowed cold air in and heat to escape.

A meeting was arranged with Braintree Town Hall and the local Conservation Officer, where an aluminium sample from Selectaglaze was set up next to one of the windows. Those in attendance were surprised at how well the timber grain effect blended in with the wood panelling of the room.

After a successful demonstration, Selectaglaze installed 20 vertical www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

sliding units. All products were finished with a timber grain effect that matched perfectly with the interior.

The installation of secondary glazing radically reduces heat loss and all units are bespoke to achieve airtightness which virtually eradicates draughts. An additional benefit of installing secondary glazing was the reduction of outside noise.

“The Council researched a modern secondary glazing system that would complement the oak panelled interior of the Town Hall. A colour matched oak print with raised wood grain has been applied to the visible parts of the aluminium frame achieving an exact match to the existing oak surround.

“The estimated savings from installing secondary glazing in the Town Hall is at least 12% of the combined heating bill, over £400pa at current prices, which are predicted to increase annually.” Said Councillor

Robert Mitchell, Deputy Cabinet Member for Environment and Place Royal Warrant Holder since 2004; Selectaglaze has 50 years’ experience designing, manufacturing and installing secondary glazing for all building types from new buildings to Listed town halls. Selectaglaze offers a free technical advisory service along with RIBA approved CPDs. Contact Selectaglaze on 01727 837271 Email: enquiries@ selectaglaze.co.uk or visit: www.selectaglaze.co.uk Building & Refurbishment

21

Security & Access Control

Creating a safe learning environment with Access Control

Creating the right level of accessibility and an efficient flow through a building for staff and children is now a key priority for those working in the education sector; however, this must be balanced with the need to provide a safe learning environment.

Architects and contractors must consider the need to install access control solutions to meet this requirement in today’s modern learning environment, argues David Hodgkiss, National Sales Manager of ASSA ABLOY Access Control, a UK division of ASSA ABLOY, the global leader in door opening solutions.

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Security & Access Control

Security: a growing concern Security within the education sector is a growing concern. A Freedom of Information request by the BBC revealed that of the 30,394 crimes reported in 2014, theft, burglary or robbery was the most common offence, with 13,003 incidents taking place1. Meanwhile, a survey led by the Association of Teachers & Lecturers discovered that over a quarter of education staff said they had faced aggression from a student’s parents or carers2.

Learners have the right to a safe environment in which to be educated, while staff should be able to work without fear of being threatened or harassed. While it can be difficult to acknowledge, the fact is that schools, colleges and universities must now take precautions to protect staff and children from these types of incidents.

Securing gates and access points around the site, plus ensuring any visitors register when entering, are just two basic but effective

methods of creating a safe learning environment for staff and children.

But what are the latest available solutions for those seeking a more sophisticated and intelligent approach to access control, which not only protects but also enhances the learning environment?

Enhancing existing security systems In addition to assuring the safety and security of students and staff, the education sector is also looking for solutions that help cut energy costs, reduce maintenance and can be easily integrated with existing security measures.

Common problems with traditional security systems include lost or stolen keys. It can be inconvenient, timeconsuming and expensive to change these locks, and the re-issuing of keys can be considerable. There is also the risk of stolen keys being copied, which compromises security even further.

It is also not uncommon for larger education sites, such as

1 BBC, ‘School crime reports topped 30,000 in 2014’, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-34268942 2 Association of Teachers & Lecturers, ‘Half of education staff have faced aggression from students in the last year’, http://www.atl.org.uk/Images/Sept%201%2C%202014%20-%20ATL%20behaviour%20survey%20 2014%20FINAL.pdf

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

Security & Access Control

secondary schools and universities, to leave doors unlocked for long periods of time because of the inconvenience and hassle of opening and securing the room every time it’s entered. This, however, increases the possibility of opportunistic theft and malicious damage.

To meet this need, we have introduced Aperio®, an innovative, battery-operated wireless locking technology. This enables mechanical locks to be wirelessly linked to a new or existing access control system, without any need to modify the door.

Meeting BS EN 179 and BS EN 1125 standards, Aperio® offers real time control, and doors can be scheduled to unlock in line with room booking systems or classes. Once a class has finished, doors automatically lock, leaving the room secured.

The system’s ability to update who is able to access a room online and in real-time is hugely advantageous to education sites, who might need to respond fast to ensure security measures are implemented quickly.

Its escape and return configuration is ideal for the education sector, allowing a door to remain unlocked for a certain amount of time after the door has been opened from the inside. Should an incident take place outside a classroom, staff and students can quickly return to the safety of this classroom.

Aperio® in action It is estimated that a third of the UK’s university population becomes a victim of crime, predominantly either theft or burglary3. Owners of expensive laptops and bikes are popular targets, particularly during fresher’s week, with approximately 20 per cent of theft incidents occurring in the first six weeks of the academic year.

With this in mind, the University

of East Anglia (UEA) required a trusted access control solution for its new student accommodation.

Established in 1963, the university is internationally renowned, having been rated as one of the best universities for student experience in the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2016, based in a campus that provides top quality academic, social and cultural facilities to more than 15,000 students. The university sought a locking system for its newest on-site residence, Crome Court, comprising of 231 ensuite rooms rented to post-graduate students. The building was specifically designed by UEA to help reduce its environmental impact, and it was important to the university that the selected access control solution would contribute to this objective.

UEA required a system that offered assured electronic locks, built to serve the unique demands of student accommodation while ensuring the occupants safety and security. A stylish and affordable component design was important, which also fitted the environmentally advanced profile of the new accommodation.

Gallagher, ASSA ABLOY Access Control’s OEM’s partner, helped specify the best security solution for the university. Jason Boyce, Sales Manager at Gallagher, said: “We decided to offer Aperio® to UEA because of its outstanding reputation.” Crome Court’s doors are fitted with Aperio® E100 online escutcheons, with installation training provided on campus by ASSA ABLOY. Students open doors with smart cards instead of keys, with the battery-operated Aperio® locks emitting significantly fewer CO2 emissions than wired locks.

UEA staff can also control doors from a web-based interface or mobile phone. “Unlike other systems,

3 The Complete University Guide, ‘Stay safe at university’, http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/preparingto-go/staying-safe-at-university/

www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

Aperio® provides audit trails online, allowing for real-time monitoring,” adds Jason. “The fact that Gallagher and Aperio® devices can operate with the same data on the card has allowed for tighter integration, which saves the customer money.”

Flexibility is another key benefit to the system, with Aperio® offering the capability for additional doors to be integrated into UEA’s Gallagher system whenever required.

Christine Beveridge, Head of Campus Services at UEA, said: “ASSA ABLOY Access Control have extensive experience within the education sector. We are pleased to be piloting the scheme in our student accommodation and hope to roll out Aperio® across all residential estate.”

An intelligent access control solution is one of the most effective means of balancing this need for the right level of accessibility with creating a secure learning environment.

UEA is just one of the sites that has benefited from a sophisticated access control solution, with many more looking set to follow its example.

When designing modern buildings and facilities for the education sector, the need to implement a reliable access control solution looks set to become a top priority.

For further information on ASSA ABLOY Access Control, please visit www.assaabloy. co.uk/accesscontrol.

Security & Access Control

23

Washroom

The Internet of Things and The Washroom Experience: How it can benefit facilities management

T

he humble office toilet is something that every single employee will use throughout the working week. They’re rarely talked about, and our experiences within these porcelain worlds are guarded as privately as a confessional - but regardless of their secrecy and relatively taboo nature, they’re an important part of facilities management.

Over recent years the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) has fundamentally changed the washroom experience, and through the use of sensors and connectivity IoT devices now have the potential to not only improve the washroom experience, but to increase productivity and efficiency in the workplace.

Leaving a lasting impresssion Every touch point, either consciously or unconsciously, contributes to a person’s perception of a business or organisation.

Considering toilets are often the very first or last thing a customer sees when visiting an office, they can either make a great impression, or leave a lasting negative opinion.

Unhygienic or poorly stocked toilets can lead to customer complaints, and internally employee’s want to feel part of a quality enterprise.

They want to see tangible evidence through the quality of workplace facilities that they’re important, valued and more than just a number.

The challenge for many facilities managers is to learn about the capabilities and the limitations of these new technologies, and deciding how, when, and where to implement IoT strategies.

Monitoring the level of washroom consumables It’s not news that a number of restrooms already use hands-free, 24

Washroom

motion-controlled soap dispensers; but the next generation of dispensers are now tracking how often the dispensers are used, and trigger automated actions based on the data.

Through the use of integrated sensors inside soap dispensers, optical systems in toilet paper holders, and portion meter’s in paper towel dispensers, data collection points throughout a building can send the information to an interface that visually displays the various stock levels to both cleaners and facilities managers.

By checking product levels in real time and observing trends in washroom behaviour, facilities managers can start to identify when a washroom is statistically at their busiest or quietest times.

Cleaning rota’s can be adjusted based on actual usage (rather than recurring mandatory checks), and by replenishing consumables when they’re actually needed, and at a time with the least impact of people who use them, the whole washroom process can be made more efficient.

It might not seem important to those not directly involved, but in low margin services where much of the cost is associated with people, the improvements in efficiency and productivity can make a real difference to the bottom line.

Customer usage The same sensors and principles can be also applied to customer usage. Long waiting times at a bathroom are all too common, and can lead to dissatisfaction for customers and reduced productivity for employees.

Through the use of the Internet of Things, connected bathrooms can track when a bathroom is occupied, and display its status and waiting time in other areas of the building, or even on a mobile application.

For example at the recent

London World Championships, the Olympic Stadium could have used a branded app to inform attendees that there’s a 15-minute wait at the bathroom by Gate C, but only a 1-minute wait by Gate B. For those without the app, staff could also be deployed to usher customers to the bathroom of least resistance.

Similarly at your workplace, employees could easily view when a bathroom is available, helping to minimise the waiting times outside bathrooms and helping to improve staff productivity.

This could also play a role in the layout of an office. By identifying how users interact with your washroom, which toilets get used the most, which toilets are rarely used etc., you can make changes to the layout of rooms or redesign office floor plans based on usage patterns.

Customer feedback and reviews While we tend to think of reviews as something’s that’s reserved for a new product launch or the latest TV series on Netflix, the Internet of Things is being used to gather feedback on how visitors rate their washroom experience.

Following this concept, the Indian government - which is particularly interested in improving sanitation throughout the country - is using this very approach to gather customer feedback across a number of public washrooms.

Through the use of colour coded emoji’s (green, yellow and red) users will be able to assess their level of satisfaction by pressing one of the three buttons, with the feedback being sent directly to the urban local body.

In cases where there’s consistently a negative experience, the government will send an SMS to the caretaker for corrective action, and

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

Washroom

an escalation SMS can be sent to higher management if feedback does not improve. Just as the Internet has opened up Journalists to immediate feedback from their audience, facilities managers can now have real time data from their customers, enabling them to make tangible improvements in the services that they’re responsible for.

A hands free experience While hands free toilets have been popular in the East for some time, they’re only beginning to catch on in the West, but hi-tech toilets have the potential to improve sanitary care the world over.

It may take some time for everyone to feel completely comfortable with a hands free washroom experience, but the main premise is one of convenience and hygiene. Hygiene will be of particularly importance for the hotel and food industry, where the cleanliness of their washroom has a direct bearing on how customers judge an establishments “food hygiene” practices.

The technology already exists where toilets can detect your presence before opening doors automatically for you. Toilets seats can be warmed to a comfortable www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

temperature, and sensors integrated within the toilets can now recognise when you’re “ready”, before deploying a quick spray of water to the sides of the bowl to help improve lubrication.

Customers looking for toilet paper may initially be surprised to find none (inducing a small amount of panic), but the remote control on the wall is all visitors will need.

Displayed before them is an array of washing and drying options, complete with a range of potentially perplexing water jet speeds and angles – all providing a comfortable finale to the events proceedings.

Upon standing, the toilet automatically closes the lid, before water flows over anodized cathodes that electrolyse’s the water (extracting sodium and chlorine) before the water is sprayed into the bowl 45 seconds after you walk away. The slightly acidic solution helps to kill bacteria, before the self-cleaning toilet uses UV-light for further bacteria zapping benefits.

While all of this will undoubtedly make for a memorable experience, there’s now no need to touch a single object in a washroom, helping to mitigate any unsanitary

or unhygienic practices. And from a cost perspective, automatic flushes typically use less water and there’s the reduction, or complete eradication of toilet paper.

The future of toilets While all of this may sound futuristic, the big area of toilet excitement is in biometrics. The idea is that sensors in the toilet could analyse urine and fecal matter, before tracking your bodily changes to provide useful health information, warning you of any potential problems before sending the information directly to your doctor.

As a result, smart toilets may be a crucial element of future healthcare, but today, the Internet of Things has, and will continue to fundamentally change the washroom experience, and provides facilities managers with plenty to think about over the coming years.

This post was written by VR Sani-Co, providing a range of quality washroom services, hygiene solutions and sanitary bins throughout Kent, London & Sussex. http://www.vrsani-co.co.uk/

Washroom

25

Special Feature

The rise of the machines – yet the role of the FM is certainly not terminated!

F

M is part of a wave of digitisation that is transforming every industry but the experts at GRITIT, which is pioneering the use of technology in outdoor FM, argue that skilled people will always be at the heart of effective service delivery.

In virtually every industry, the inexorable forces of digitisation are transforming the nature of business and the nature of work. From the mobile phones in our pockets, to data centres virtualising digital assets into the cloud, to the AI systems that interpret and act faster than the speed of human thought, we are now encouraged to think of digital as the default mode of doing business. As early as 2011, years before the advent of Uber or AirBnB, a report by consultancy EY talked of the “Digitisation of Everything” arguing that “in a world where ‘everything’ is digitised businesses need to pursue innovation to disrupt their own business model before the competition does.” And while certain industries, largely based on physical, real world processes and manual labour, may have seemed immune to these forces, a second

26

Special Feature

wave of change is underway. For example, as red diesel prices soared, farmers have increasingly employed combine harvesters guided with cm precision by GPS to avoid wasteful extra mileage. Meanwhile, the future of truck driving is looking increasingly bleak with Elon Musk’s Tesla announcing the start of trials of their autonomous semi in 2017.

If we follow the money, we can see that facilities management is very firmly in the midst of a second wave of digitisation. In 2016, a study

by MTW Research forecast that the UK’s facilities management industry would receive a £200m boost in profitability significantly driven by the adoption of leaner operating models and the deployment of technology.

That study argued that market forces in a challenging economy would drive demand for technology that enhances productivity, including Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices, automated monitoring and reporting, robotic cleaning equipment and remote servicing’ – all key areas of opportunity for FM providers.

According to research by Sheffield Hallam University commissioned

by GRITIT and Servest, one of the key ongoing trends today in facilities management is the ongoing outsourcing of FM services, with 58% of FM professionals surveyed stating that much of this was being driven by a desire for companies to access better technical expertise.

Over the next five years the use of technology in relation to improving the delivery services, transparency and cutting costs is expected to be a game changer: The impacts of this would be changes in working practices and the increasing use of big data or analytics to inform decision making.

From our own vantage point in gritting and grounds maintenance, these changes are already well under way and clearly are a change for the better. As a service provider we can use data technologies to reduce our management overheads and time fussing over the transactional side of doing business. At the same time, these very same technologies are a boon to clients who can have real time visibility via a smartphone app or client portal of the services we’ve delivered - whether that’s mowing lawns or gritting car parks. Indeed, the winter gritting industry has always been data-driven and reliant on the ability to service sites in response to weather data. Success in this particular industry is very much predicated on accuracy and responsiveness, with the goal to utilise ever more accurate sources of real time weather data with ever greater precision. Doing so makes a real difference: By gritting only when required by actual conditions, it is possible to ensure greater safety while also avoiding over-servicing – a leaner approach that reduces waste and cost to the client over the course of a winter.

In this context, the dawn of the “Internet of Things” is proving significant as this offers the opportunity to enrich the data that’s available to inform decisions. For

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

Special Feature

example, at GRITIT our in-house technology team is rolling out a next generation offering based on inexpensive, robust temperature sensors that can deliver a real-time, live feed of actual road surface temperature and precipitation conditions on a client’s site directly into our NIMBUS reporting system.

By getting a more granular, real time view of local conditions on the ground, more accurate forecasts and automatic triggers enable the delivery of ice and snow clearance on a justin-time basis. This helps further cut both risks and waste as service can be provided according to the real world conditions on a site - even when that may differ from the weather forecast (for example ice that persists in shady areas even as the day warms up).

So far, although we’ve discussed the apparent inevitably of digitisation and looked at a few benefits, like any revolution it’s essential to avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater in the pursuit of progress.

Uber is a case in point. While the ability to call and track cheaper rides from a smartphone has been great for consumers, the master algorithm somehow forgot all about the www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

experience of the drivers themselves, who ultimately found themselves enjoying more of the insecurities of the gig economy than the freedoms.

This isn’t only a digital issue of course, but there is no denying that in moving towards a digital first world, we can risk seeing human labour as being commoditised and interchangeable.

This would be a mistake. While sensors and robotics will undoubtedly play an ever growing role in both indoor and outdoor FM, this is and will always will be a people business: There will always be some aspects that can’t be automated easily or will still need to be supervised for practical and safety reasons. While technology is a way of enhancing human effort, there’s no real substitute for retaining good skilled people - and especially in safety critical contexts.

While some sectors and roles have moved towards the gig economy, for a reliable quality service you need engaged people who feel part of the team and want to deliver the same high level of service - even where flexibility of available resources are needed for seasonal work.

It is often argued that automation is capable of freeing people from

more menial activities, giving them opportunities to upskill and focus more on added value, creative activities. Too often, such arguments provide cover for those wishing to downsize their workforce, but in outdoor FM this can be the case. In our own organisation, we’ve found that spending less time on record keeping and reporting is allowing us to spend more time talking to customers. Similarly placing more power into the hands of customers through smartphones can also give them a new channel to reach out directly to the familiar team members that work on their site.

Is the rise of the machines inevitable? Very possibly, but maybe it’s not going to be an us or them scenario, and that machines and robots will become our partners – letting us work faster, smarter and add more value. This is digitisation as it should be - cutting out the middlemen and connecting people to get things done properly.

For further information contact GRITIT on 0800 0432 911 or email info@gritit.com http://www.gritit.com special feature

27

Fire & Hazard Protection

Prevention is better than cure: the fire door perspective In a fire emergency, it is a race against time to prevent flames from spreading beyond control – meaning a working fire door could be the difference between life and death, says Allegion UK Commercial Leader Pete Hancox.

I

t needs no mention that the tragedy at Grenfell Tower has been a somber, sobering experience. Shock, disbelief and anger have gripped the nation in the weeks and months following the fire. There’s no question it will live long as a thorny, incredibly sad memory – especially as data has since shown at least another 211 tower blocks have failed combustibility tests following testing on their exterior cladding.

Following the tragedy, the media and nation have focused on the aforementioned cladding issues, as well as a lack of sprinkler systems in Grenfell Tower and other similar tower block buildings. Other talking points have emerged around the lack of a high ladder – which did not arrive on the scene for 32 minutes for the fire brigade. As a consequence, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan ordered an urgent review of the fire brigade kit after rescue delays.

Of course, improving those factors is a necessicity and, in due course, will raise fire safety standards all around. However, they are arguably response tactics, as opposed to prevention tactics, for a fire spreading out of control.

An area of fire safety that has been given little attention to, but deserves much more credit, is the fire door.

What a good fire door system can 28

Fire & Hazard Protection

do is buy precious time. It is a prevention method and inhibits fires from getting out of control too quickly by compartmentalising the fire.

In tall and densely populated buildings especially, trapping the fire between fire doors can stop the ‘chimney effect.’ This is where stairways and corridors combust quickly through non-fire retardant materials, ripping through the building within a matter of minutes and thus blocking access to the vital escape routes.

Whilst a fire door won’t put out a fire, we can clearly see how they would serve an important function.

In Grenfell Tower’s case, they could arguably have been one of the most important factors, following the revelation about the fire service’s initial lack of a high ladder.

What the RRFSO States The Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2006 (or RRFSO) is the key regulation for building owners and operators. Under the RRFSO, not only do building owners and operators have to demonstrate that safety precuations are in place, but also they are continually reviewed and monitored.

Of the responsibilities, it includes regular fire assessments, implementing clearly defined evacuation procedures and ensuring adequate signage is in place.

Above all, though, the priority requirement is that all doors are fit for purpose in the instance of fire.

That means emergency doors must open in the direction of escape, and

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

Fire & Hazard Protection body strength or mobility. Therefore the temptation is to prop open fire doors to ease movement and accessibility, but this is illegal. A propped open fire door will render it useless in the event of a fire.

Electro-magnetically controlled door closers can negate this temptation, as they will hold open doors using electro-magnets, and release them when a fire alarm is sounded. An example of this is the Briton 996 door closer.

Latchbolt Monitors they must not be locked or fastened in such a way that they cannot be easily and immediately opened by any person who may need to use them in an emergency. Sliding and revolving doors are, therefore, not permitted as emergency exits.

The Fire Door System – Preventing the Spread Ultimately, it is the fire door that stops the fire from spreading.

However, a fire door itself cannot work properly without its contributory parts.

One intrinsic part is the door closer.

Door Closers and Linked Fire Alarms As Approved Document B: Volume 2, which governs fire safety in dwelling houses and flats, states, all fire doors should be fitted with a self-closing device. The exceptions are fire doors to cupboards and to service ducts, which are normally kept locked shut, and fire doors within flats (although self-closing devices are still necessary on flat entrance doors).

It goes on to state that closing devices to flat entrances must be 18N in closing force – power size 3.

A mechanical door closer will fulfil this requirement, but there are also electro-magnetically controlled closers available too, which would be much more user-friendly in tower blocks.

A continual problem with fire doors is that they are heavier in nature.

This makes them hard to operate for some people, for example elderly, disabled or children, who lack upper www.twitter.com/BFM_Magazine

Another piece of hardware technology that can contribute to a good fire door system in multiple occupancy buildings is the latchbolt monitor.

As mentioned, fire doors are often propped open, but that is not the only thing that stops them from performing properly. If they do not close fully, i.e. latch to the door frame, then the intumescent seals around the fire door won’t stop smoke and toxic chemicals from leaking through.

In a tower block, this scenario is common. Air pressure conditions are constantly changing, due to the weather, open windows, doors etc., which can prevent a fire door from latching fully. To guard against this, a latchbolt monitor can be installed to the latch, which sends a signal to a central monitoring system that alerts if any doors aren’t latched fully.

Electro-mechanical Panic Bars A recent development of the door hardware industry is the electromechanical panic bar – a traditional panic bar from the inside that allows access control functionality from the outside by using an electronic motor to control the latch.

While not an essential to fire door safety, they are a good addition for tower blocks due to the access control functionality they can provide.

Use of pinpads, transponders and keycards instead of mechanical keys on communal entrances can allow for audit activity on those doors, and allow security managers to pinpoint doors that are being left open and at what specific times.

Signage and Resident’s Fire Door Safety Checklist All fire doors should be clearly marked, as per the RRFSO guidelines.

Again, use of fire doors will be part of daily life in a tower block.

However, there can be no guarantees that they won’t be misused.

Clear and correct signage must be applied to make users aware that they should be kept shut.

A good practice would also be to ensure residents are clear on how to determine if a fire door is legal or not. A basic checklist and gap tester is available to all from Allegion, which will allow residents to test and report for gaps around the fire door, latching issues or otherwise etc. Making residents aware of fire door safety can allow for a more agile approach to fire safety testing.

Only as good as the sum of its parts In a fire, time is crucial. There needs to be time for the fire services to reach the scene of the fire, for occupants to evacuate, and if evacuation is not possible, then to move on to the next safe points of the building.

Fire-resistant doors are available that have been tested to protect against fire spreading for up to 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. However, if they are not working as they should be, then no matter how good the cures are to follow, the fire will have that chance of breaking out of control and causing devastating effects.

In most cases, a fire door will never be called into action for the entirety of its lifespan. However, when we need it most, we want it to work as it has been specified to do. The simple measures we have listed above will go a long way towards ensuring fire doors are respected as they should be.

For more, visit www.allegion.com.

Fire & Hazard Protection

29

Fire & Hazard Protection

New Los Angeles Federal Courthouse kept safe with FFE’s beam smoke detectors

Four Fireray 5000 detectors installed in new state-of-the-art building

T

o ensure optimum fire detection in its large atrium, the impressive new Los Angeles Federal Courthouse has installed four Fireray beam smoke detectors from FFE. The units were commissioned and installed

by SimplexGrinnell.

“Because the atrium is so high, conventional smoke detectors were not suitable for this installation,” commented Managing Director Mark Osborne. “Our Fireray 5000 autoaligning, reflective smoke detectors were selected instead as they are ideal for this kind of large interior, providing extensive coverage at minimal cost.”

Fireray 5000 beam detectors work by transmitting a beam of invisible infrared light across the building space to be protected. A receiver

detects and measures the light and can recognise smoke interference anywhere along the beam path, triggering the alarm signal when the pre-determined threshold is reached.

One of the deciding factors in Fireray 5000 detectors being specified for this application is the ‘low level controller’ feature, which means maintenance and testing can be carried out via the control room. “As the units are situated high up, physically accessing them regularly is exorbitantly expensive and impractical, so remote access is essential,” says SimplexGrinnell’s Construction Manager Sharon Brown.

Another important factor in any new-build project is building movement. All new buildings need to ‘settle’, and for beam detectors,

which rely on precision laser alignment at opposite ends of the building, any movement can mean the beams become unaligned. The Fireray 5000 compensates for this through its ‘auto-alignment’ feature, ensuring beams remain aligned during building movement, without causing nuisance alarms or requiring a technician.

The new 10 storey, 633,000-squarefoot courthouse, which is situated in downtown Los Angeles, contains 24 courtrooms and 32 judges’ chambers and has sustainable features such as a serrated facade that maximizes views yet also reduces solar heat gain by nearly 50 percent.

With over half a million optical beam detectors installed worldwide, Fireray is the first choice for installers and engineers looking for smoke detection in large open areas. With its modern design aesthetic and minimal footprint, the Fireray is popular with architects and facilities managers who care about preserving the original design of buildings.

About FFE FFE is a global design and manufacturing business, dedicated to supplying specialist detection products to the fire industry. Headquartered in the UK with offices in the USA, Dubai, India and China, the company’s two leading brands are the Fireray optical beam smoke detector, with over half a million units installed worldwide, and the Talentum flame detector, one of the world’s most respected flame detector brands.

FFE also leads the global market in providing fire extinguishers for aviation use and produces a range of vibration switches for industrial applications. FFE is a Halma Company.

Tel: +44 (0)1462 444 740, Email: sales@ffeuk.com Website: www.ffeuk.com Twitter: @Fireray_FFE / @Talentum_FFE 30

Fire & Hazard Protection

Building & Facilities Management – September 2017

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