Jack Prady Proof positive of the FM career opportunities for talented individuals
Alan Cambridge How applying software correctly can reduce downtime and improve efficiency
Amy Brogan
With colleague Mat Langley explains ongoing efforts to decarbonise the supply chain
Tim Hysom Account Director award achievement paves the way for additional future success
On behalf of everyone at FM Business Daily I would like to wish all our readers, advertisers, sponsors and contributors a hearty, healthy and happy New Year. I look forward to continuing to work with everyone throughout 2023.
It feels very much as though FM Director magazine has established itself as one of the leading titles for our industry during the last few months of 2022, providing us with a very firm foundation on which to build further throughout the year ahead.
It’s been my firm belief throughout my time within the FM industry that providing the highest quality information to assist our sector to achieve higher levels of appreciation for the excellent value it delivers in all areas is essential, and we’re making this a central element of the FM Business Daily brand.
FM Director is a central part of this, of course, and this issue further emphasises the efforts the team is devoting to providing senior industry personnel with content that will inform and inspire them to reach ever greater heights.
One of the ongoing topical areas of discussion within FM is the need to assist clients in achieving their aims to reduce carbon emissions. This is highly likely to continue to develop throughout the year ahead and will include discussions on how to deliver all the requirements while meeting the additional challenges that have emerged in recent months.
While it is tempting to allocate all net zero and carbon reduction actions to hard service providers, it is essential to understand that every member of the supply chain has their part to play. Energy consumption reduction is essential and much of this will be managed by the hard services sector, but every business will need to address both its own emissions and those of its industry partners if the UK is to achieve its net zero carbon emissions status by 2050.
The fact that this topic is continuing to dominate many conversations with industry leaders is reflected in both case study articles and interviews in this issue, including our studies on the National Library of Scotland and Swiss Cottage Library, which further prove the importance of this topic in all areas of the UK.
As this issue went to press, FM Business Daily was preparing to host its first round table discussion, with the topic of debate focusing on the net zero carbon journey of the FM industry. With conversations ongoing with a number of sponsors for additional events, this round table seems highly likely to be followed by others in the
Those wishing to engage with or support our efforts will be very welcome to contact our managing director Cheryl Ellerington (cheryl@fmbusinessdaily.com) and myself (dennis@fmbusinessdaily.com) at any
time in
One of the ongoing topical areas of discussion within FM is the need to assist clients in achieving their aims to reduce carbon emissions
DENNIS FLOWER MANAGING EDITOR
Social awareness has continued to be a major focus within Cleanology since its launch and the company is continuing its efforts to extend its interests to more areas 12 FM direction essential in delivery of sustainable practices
Rising appreciation levels for sustainability in all areas of business sees FM influence continue to develop and further extend 17 A tale of success
Hull-based commercial cleaning specialist MagicCote enjoyed a 25% increase in business activity last year 18 Rapid career development further illustrates FM opportunities
For anyone considering a career within the FM industry, the example provided by Jack Prady shows the opportunities for talented individuals to progress and achieve their ambitions and potential. 22 Recognising a centre of excellence
Award-winning performance of Scottish National Library’s sustainable estate management team provides scope for more savings and enhanced operations in future
New regulations ‘most profound change in a generation’
As the Building Safety Act 2022 comes into effect, the UK now needs to ensure competency and clear decision-making processes are at the core of all fire safety actions
Turning compliance into a business advantage
PTSG is one of the leading providers of specialist services that ensure buildings remain compliant with the latest regulations. This in turn keeps the company operating at optimum efficiency and, crucially, keeps building users safe
Data, data everywhere…
Having recognised the importance of data analysis to improve FM service delivery, the industry is rapidly transitioning to a model that is increasingly technology-driven
Building the future
Alan Cambridge, CEO and co-founder of Peacock Engineering explains how FMs can leverage software to enhance dynamic scheduling, reduce downtime and SLA conflicts, and improve customer service
Scaling the heights of partnership working
Having worked together for 14 years, collaborative efforts between Tower 42 and DOC Cleaning continue to develop and deliver improvements
PFM Awards Account Director of the Year winner 2022 Tim Hysom continues to enjoy his FM career and spoke exclusively to FM Director to explain his journey so far
46
A look back across the skyline in 2022
Kevin Walton is the managing director of two companies: Integral Cradles and GIND UK. Working together, their specialist teams create and maintain access solutions for some of the most iconic skyscrapers in London
48
One of the burning questions for FMs and service providers is how to make older facilities comply with their net zero carbon aims and Camden Council has made a bold step to solving the issue
fmdirector@fmbusinessdaily.com
51
Specialist electrical contractor delivers energy-efficient solution for new Manchester facility
Specialist contractor Volta Compliance has designed and successfully delivered the electrical installation for Richard Austin Alloys’ (RAA) expanded Manchester facility, fitting metering to provide valuable insights into energy usage, and EV charging points to facilitate greener travel
52
The YorPower Group powers ahead with growth plan
Speaking to FM Director, group managing director Stephen Peal discusses the next stages of his ambitious growth plan, which will involve merging the successful brands 54
The drive to decarbonise the supply chain CBRE is finding the use of technology is essential in its increasing efforts to assist all its supply chain members to meet their net zero targets 58
Innovative Buildings: The CSA View
Keith Barker highlights some of the best examples of innovative buildings and their impact on the occupant’s experience
Managing Editor Dennis Flower dennis@fmbusinessdaily.com Designer/Production Manager Chris Cassidy Production Editor James Jackaman Managing Director Cheryl Ellerington
Published by FMBD Bridgehead Business Park, Meadow Rd, Hessle HU13 0GD
Printed by The Manson Group © 2023
All rights reserved. Reproduction of the contents of this magazine in any manner whatsoever is prohibited without prior consent from the publisher.
For subscription enquiries and to make sure you get your copy of FM Director please ring 0800 046 7320 or email subscriptions@rbdpublications.com
60
Workplace adjustments continue to shape relocation requirements
Dramatic changes to the ways people work have been seen in recent years and are continuing to evolve further in a number of new and exciting areas
With the march of technology redefining what constitutes a smart building, 12 King St in Leeds provides an idea of how the limits are being extended 66 Movers and Shakers
The views expressed in the articles reflect the author’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher and editor. The published material, adverts, editorials and all other content is published in good faith.
Social awareness has continued to be a major focus within Cleanology since its launch and the company is continuing its efforts to extend its interests to more areas
ith social awareness and interaction receiving more attention within the business community at large and the FM industry in particular, Cleanology chief executive officer Dominic Ponniah explains how this has been an integral part of the company since it was formed more than 20 years ago.
Created by his mother Elisabeth Ponniah in the late 1990s, the company has progressed from having one contract and a single employee to being recognised as one of the UK’s top 50 cleaning businesses, with multiple contracts and employing more than 1,000 people in the last 20 years.
“We worked on the same site, with the same client, for four years, but then started to win more work and employ more people,” says Mr Ponniah.
“I joined the business in 2004 after graduating from university and initially ran two businesses simultaneously.”
Running two companies meant that he had to work seven days a week to provide the support and input necessary. When the second business ceased trading in 2007, Mr Ponniah states that one of the emotions he felt was relief, having put a great deal of effort into it. However, he was left with a six-figure debt that was a “real mountain to climb” and took several years to clear.
The situation at Cleanology proved to be the polar opposite, however, and once it had reached the stage of gaining more work and increasing
staffing levels to 15 employees, the company recorded growth and further expansion for every year of trading until the Coronavirus pandemic emerged in the UK in 2020.
“I seem to have fallen into working in FM more by accident than design but I’m still here 20 years later,” Mr Ponniah continues. “Things really began to change in 2008, when we won a few contracts worth between £50,000 and £100,000 and doubled in size in just a few months.”
Another major expansion of the business occurred in 2013 through its acquisition of the Van Broc Facilities business, which saw Cleanology pass the £4m annual turnover stage.
“Although we’d always invested money back into the business, we were more or less at the break-even level, but that deal proved to be transformational as we then began making profit,” he continues. The acquisition also allowed the company to extend its reach into new areas of industry, resulting in Cleanology winning its first contract in Manchester in 2014 to further increase its geographic coverage.
“We found a nice family-run business in Manchester and began to run it for them for a year, which allowed us to clean the client’s office. They then came to us and said they wanted to sell, so we bought it and that gave Cleanology its first footprint in Manchester and the value of the area has grown from around £300,000 to £1.5m for us.”
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I seem to have fallen into working in FM more by accident than design but I’m still here 20 years later
With the majority of the company’s work located in the London area, Mr Ponniah has noted a trend for businesses relocating from there to Northern England. “It’s been a trend for the last 10 years or so, and a lot of our clients have bases in both London and Manchester.
“Customers want to see the same levels of service in all areas, rather than having premises in three different locations, using different service providers for each and getting three different levels of customer service.”
Similar to many others, Cleanology saw its performance affected by the Covid pandemic and the various lockdowns and other measures. Demand fell by up to 60% and its turnover fell to £8m per year, but having weathered the storm, it has seen a significant increase this year.
“We had our best month ever in March 2020 so went into the pandemic in a very strong position,” Mr Ponniah continues. “We were uncertain how it would play out for us but every month since January 2021 has seen us grow and we’ve bounced back to the point that our turnover is now at £25m.
“It has been a hell of a journey, but it now feels like a lot of the issues with Covid have been forgotten. Most of our clients have returned and quite a few have needed more cleaning. I would say that the importance of hygiene associated with the pandemic definitely dropped in 2022 and we’re now seeing people talking to us more about price, although we never base our service offering on just cost.”
“A more positive development since 2021 is that there is now more focus on sustainability”, he continues. Much more emphasis has been placed on that this year, following a general trend of focusing more on the topics that were of interest prior to the pandemic. Mr Ponniah emphasises the importance for his company of providing the best solution for each client, depending on their individual requirements.
“Everyone has their own priorities, some people want to save money while others may want their offices cleaned three times a day, while others will want to partner with the best companies with the right values. Meeting these requirements has allowed us to increase our growth so much coming out of Covid,” he says.
Another industry trend sees more companies attempting to work in meaningful partnership with their clients and others, he continues. This has even been embraced by some competitors and he finds that meeting with those willing to engage offers numerous benefits.
“We’ve all got the same issues and you should use these collaborations to your advantage and not see them as a negative. There’s plenty of business to go around and we’re trying to improve what we do and improve the industry.”
Waste management is another important aspect of the company’s service model, and he states that this is included in the majority of its contracts, either as an integral part or a separate agreement.
Recent years have seen the focus change from segregated waste bins to more general containers and then back to separate bins for specific items of waste.
“Pretty much everything is recyclable these days and we’ve also got rid of our plastic packaging, as have many others, so all our packaging is easily recycled and helping us to achieve zero waste,” he says. “Separating the waste makes it much easier to recycle and reduces potential issues caused by contamination.”
Yet more evidence of the company’s core mission to support the FM industry is its membership of the Recognised Service Provider group within the Living Wage Foundation. Mr Ponniah sits on its leadership council and explains that this sees him working with other cleaning companies, along with catering and security service providers, with the aim of promoting the Real Living Wage to clients and the industry at large.
“We’ve all made a commitment to communicate the benefits to everyone we know and spread the word. I speak to some companies who pay the Real Living Wage but haven’t signed up to it officially.
“It really is a badge of honour, and your clients will love that you do it. It’s really powerful and will help you find and retain more talent and we’re all telling people they need to sign up.”
He finds that the momentum is continuing to build for companies that pay the Real Living Wage, to the point where those that do not are beginning to be regarded “as a real outlier”. This peer pressure is increasingly persuading more businesses to become accredited.
“It’s an emotional decision but the moral argument is obvious. If you’re paying people more money and helping to pay bills that has to be better and we’re all trying to attract more talent into our businesses, so in many ways it’s a no-brainer.”
With more than 80% of Cleanology staff paid the Real Living Wage, the company is continuing to discuss the issue with clients with the aim of reaching the 100% level. Mr Ponniah further states that 97% of the company’s new business this year includes the Real Living Wage for cleaning staff.
If you’re paying people more money and helping to pay bills that has to be better and we’re all trying to attract more talent into our businesses
“If you’re working with like-minded companies, it just makes it a lot easier and our clients come to us because we want to pay the Real Living Wage and walk the walk, so we’re not really having to sell it.”
He further explains that he understands the difficulties faced by companies that have not paid these rates. While those paying it from the start of a contract do not know any difference, those joining at a later date are faced with increases of up to 30%, which can be difficult for them. He finds that oneto-one conversations help to explain the numerous benefits of becoming accredited.
“We’re all struggling with resourcing and it’s the same for clients, which makes it easier to explain the benefits of the Real Living Wage. I’ve also noticed this year that it’s become the new minimum wage, with quite a lot of companies now paying more than Real Living Wage rates,” he continues.
As with many businesses, Cleanology has found staff recruitment has presented a considerable challenge this year, with £1m of business placed on hold due to a lack of employees at the beginning of 2022. With many other companies experiencing the same issues, Mr Ponniah says this is one of the reasons that businesses recognise the need to pay much higher levels for services.
Additional evidence of the company’s determination to add further to its meaningful social support can be seen in the transparency of the business and its activities. “It’s important to avoid just
paying lip service and saying you do things, but then say you’ve planted a tree or bought an electric van, it has to go a lot deeper than that.”
Investing in the workforce, engaging with diversity and inclusion and supporting environmental actions are all important aspects for Cleanology and part of its DNA, Mr Ponniah continues. It is continuing its journey to become a zero-waste business, having introduced new products and changed its packaging options, amongst many other initiatives
“We’re not scared to try new ways of working more sustainably, new innovations in technology. They don’t always work, but it’s important to give these new developments the chance to make a difference.
“We also try to partner with like-minded companies and our supply chain is almost an extension of us. We work with companies that are sustainable and come to us with innovations and new ideas and it’s great to share knowledge like that.”
“One of the most positive aspects is that there is never a shortage of options to consider,” he continues, both from within the FM sector and the business environment in general. Using the topic of sustainability as an example, Cleanology has won numerous awards for this, but never considers that it has reached the end of its journey.
It has recently completed the acquisition of TC Bibby & Sons to further extend its geographic coverage. The family-owned business was formed in 1931 in Wigan and will see all staff join the Cleanology business, including third-generation owner Geoff Bibby.
We’re not scared to try new ways of working more sustainably, new innovations in technology
The number of people employed by Cleanology now exceeds 1,200 and its areas of main activity include Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool, Preston, Blackburn, Bolton, Warrington and North Wales. With London accounting for approximately 60% of business activities, North West England adds another 30% and is further supported by contracts in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee in Scotland.
In addition to contracts in Manchester and Leeds, the company has continued to win work in all areas of England and Scotland. This has prompted it to begin establishing regional hubs in its main areas of work to assist with improved support and coordination. Mr Ponniah explains that the company will continue its efforts and establish five hubs in key locations around Great Britain, which will be increasing in size over the next three to five years.
“We’re starting to work with more national clients, and they have an expectation to partner with a company like us that can be everywhere. We’re also changing our business structure to ensure we manage the key accounts, middle-sized and smaller ones with the aim of making sure each customer gets the right level of support.”
He further explains that the company finds there is a different level of expectation from its larger clients, who typically require more information and data to show the effectiveness of service delivery.
This has seen the company’s London head office double its staff number to 60, which has resulted in the acquisition of new offices in the Vauxhall area of the capital. Further activities include the entering of more awards, which is likely to see Cleanology add further to the impressive number of trophies it has received to date. Mr Ponniah and his colleagues were celebrating the winning of the ESG and Social Impact category at the Scale Up Awards on its first attempt.
With the average size of entrants stated as being around the £50m turnover level, he says his expectations of winning were low, as Cleanology was turning over around £15m at the time it entered.
The company is also anticipating the presentation of its B Corp certification, which has seen a considerable rise in application numbers. This has resulted in the time of processing increasing from six to 15 months. “I believe it’s grown something like fourfold since Covid, which is absolutely phenomenal, but they’re recruiting people from all over the world to reduce waiting times.”
Further to its many and varied efforts to support all social elements within the business and establish regional hubs, the company plans to continue its support for the Hygiene Bank, for which it organised a charity auction last October. The event raised £13,000 and its popularity has encouraged Mr Ponniah to look at increasing the size of venue and number of attendees in 2023. The considerable efforts of the Cleanology team confirm beyond any doubt that it is entirely feasible for businesses to be run on a sustainable basis, while delivering support and benefits to employees, partners and society in general.
We work with companies that are sustainable and come to us with innovations and new ideas and it’s great to share knowledge like that
Rising appreciation levels for sustainability in all areas of business see FM’s influence continue to develop and further extend
hen attempting to understand the topic of sustainability within the business sector, it is important to avoid adopting a narrow focus, while devoting sufficient effort to appreciating all the main areas.
Every company needs to be sustainable, of course, and ensure it is able to continue to develop and reinvest funds to maintain operations. Further to this, businesses are now expected to increase their efforts to reduce their impact on the environment by engaging with sustainable initiatives.
These may be through in-house operations or delivered in partnership with service providers, with many clients choosing a mix of the two depending on their level of resources and business practices. Regardless of the method of delivery, the input and involvement of the FM sector is increasingly essential to ensure best practice is embedded and the maximum returns are achieved in all areas.
In addition to achieving the aims of each company, this is yet another area where the influence of FMs and their service provider partners is raising the profile of our sector and highlighting the growing number of areas and opportunities it provides to add value to all those engaging with it.
FM Director has discussed this with a number of industry experts and the results make for fascinating reading. Our first comment is provided by Biovate Hygienics co-founder and managing director Nick Winstone, who says sustainable FM plays a major role in supporting each company’s overall sustainability goals.
“It creates a good brand image for your company, slashes energy costs, and promotes green procurement as well as care for the planet and its people,” he continues.
“According to a 2021 consumer intelligence survey report by PWC, 76% of consumers are likely to stop buying from a brand that doesn’t practice sustainability. From the same report, 84% of employees prefer to work for a company that cares for the environment.”
One of the ways an FM team can boost sustainability efforts is to adopt a green cleaning strategy, he continues. Unfortunately, using traditional cleaning chemicals poses a health risk, whilst sustainable cleaning products will take greater care of the client’s employees and the environment.
“The first way to clean green is to use a cleaning product that will biodegrade completely within a short time frame, within 28 days. The way the products are packaged is also really important to think about.
“For commercial cleaning products, these should be as concentrated as possible. For example, a multi-purpose 1.5l pouch uses 90% less plastic than a jerry can and makes 275 spray bottles, massively reducing the carbon footprint and plastic waste generated,” he says.
Another important factor to consider is the impact a product has on the user. A green cleaning product should not be classified as an irritant to skin or corrosive in its diluted state.
“Bacteria have been nature’s cleaners since the beginning of time and recently these naturally occurring cleaners have become a natural way of cleaning, especially areas such as floors, showers and drains. These probiotics are in the same ‘bacteria family’ found in probiotic drinks, such as the family favourite Yakult. In one sense you could label these innovative cleaning products as ‘Yakult for your floors’,” says Mr Winstone.
DMA group managing director Steve McGregor says the built environment contributes 40% of UK emissions, so the government and the private sector need to collaborate to drive change and to make this happen as soon as possible.
In 2021, research from the British Chambers of Commerce involving 1,000 UK businesses found that 90% do not measure their carbon footprint and only 13% of businesses have carbon reduction targets, he continues. Research from Lloyds Bank also found that although 75% of SMEs are aware of the government’s commitment to reach net zero by 2050, remedial costs and a general lack of understanding have slowed progress, with many SMEs phasing projects over two or three years to reduce the impact on their bottom line.
84% of employees prefer to work for a company that cares for the environment
“So, which areas should we prioritise?” Mr McGregor asks. “Building a net zero society depends on saving energy and cutting or offsetting carbon emissions. Emissions in buildings can broadly be categorised into two major bands: embodied carbon, and operational carbon.”
Embodied carbon translates into all the emissions from sourcing and producing construction raw materials, including their extraction, transportation and manufacturing processes.
“This means, we shouldn’t rush to demolish older buildings, rather remodel, upgrade and refurbish where possible,” Mr McGregor adds.
Operational carbon is those emissions during the operational life of a building, including its use, management and maintenance. It accounts for 28% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, compared to the 11% stemming from embodied carbon.
A brighter spotlight therefore needs to be shone on operational carbon. He states that the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment is a good example to follow, as it factors equal embodied and operational carbon weighting into its approach.
“In summary, for those businesses struggling to know where to start, you should consider getting some specialist advice. An energy audit will not only confirm where you are now but it will also prioritise your remedial actions.
“But there is a simple chronology. First, reduce your energy consumption by installing better insulation, double/triple glazing, LED lighting and better automated controls, for example. Engage, involve and educate your building users too. Once you have optimised your energy demand, you should then consider renewables, like heat pumps, solar PV and others,” says Mr McGregor.
Reduce, reuse, recycle Cleenol head of marketing Paul Twiss says recycling has been a watchword for the environment for many years. “And it does indeed allow for all types of energy saving, but alone, it does not offer the silver bullet for waste control. During any recycling process, resources are reused, energy is consumed, and a degree of pollution follows. This is why the often-quoted 3Rs of going green – reduce, reuse, recycle – appear in this specific order. This is where pre-cycling comes in, under the ‘reduce’ phase.
“Pre-cycling is about reducing waste by avoiding items that will generate it, or selecting certain items that will generate less, or acquiring items that can be reused for something else, but attention to precycling can also bring significant savings early on in a manufacturing process,” he continues.
The performance of a cleaning product has a direct correlation with the resources used: if a lowperformance cleaning product is used, more of it will be needed to deliver the same level of cleanliness as perhaps a more effective or more expensively formulated product will.
We shouldn’t rush to demolish older buildings, rather remodel, upgrade and refurbish where possible
If a concentrated cleaning product is used, there will be a consequential reduction in environmental impact thanks to there being less plastic and less energy needed during its production, when compared to a traditional product.
“These are both examples of pre-cycling. Precycling is the process of reducing waste by attempting to avoid producing items which will generate waste. It is the concept of ‘using less to generate less’. Such an approach has a stronger positive environmental impact than recycling. Indeed, pre-cycling helps reduce the need for recycling; although recycling is a positive and necessary process, as we saw above, it still requires energy and resource consumption,” Mr Twiss concludes.
P-Wave sales and marketing manager Mark Wintle says when it comes to sustainability, the washroom is often overlooked but it is where genuine positive improvements can be made.
Disposables need to last as long as possible and proper consideration needs to be given to what happens at their end-of-life, he continues.
Mr Wintle says his company has been solving the most common hygiene issue in urinals for years, as randomly splashed urine causes a headache for cleaners, plus a bad smell and a reduction in hygiene standards.
“Two years ago, we delivered a new angle on splash prevention and a major step forward in terms of urinal deodorising technology with the launch of our new 100% recyclable urinal screen, which has more fragrance and lasts longer than other 30-day urinal screens.
“Wherever possible, we try to offer more sustainable solutions and use less plastic than similar screens – including 15% recycled material. This material features the EcoPure additive for faster biodegradation if it should end up in landfill.”
He further explains how the company is continuing to launch new products, including longer-lasting fragrances for up to 60 days. These are designed to reduce the number of changes and will deliver an immediate and measurable sustainable benefit.
“Adding to this, our product’s highly-effective splash-preventing design means less urine on the floor, and that means less cleaning, less water and fewer chemicals used, and fresher smelling washrooms,” Mr Wintle concludes.
The application of best practice sustainability methods and processes is continuing to provide the FM industry with opportunities to prove its expertise and further extend its influence. While this may require investment in some cases, it has the potential to increase opportunities for engagement in all areas, which could result in higher levels of business development.
Pre-cycling is the process of reducing waste by attempting to avoid producing items which will generate waste
ommercial cleaning specialist
MagicCote has announced a 25% increase in turnover for 2021/2022, as well as securing a range of high-profile new contracts.
Rounding off a successful year, Hull-based MagicCote was recently appointed to provide highlevel cleaning for Howden Joinery’s nationwide sites. Its technicians will ensure that all Howden factories are cleaned to insurance standards, removing potentially volatile dust.
MagicCote also resumed work for leading food services and facilities management company Sodexo, with which it has a longstanding relationship. Other new contracts include the University of Greenwich, Chivas Brothers, Toyota, MARS, and Diageo.
Closer to home, MagicCote has provided highlevel, spillage and reactive cleaning at Reckitt-
Reflecting on an eventful year, Director Adam Carrison commented: “MagicCote continues to grow, which is reflected in a fantastic 25% increase in turnover in the last financial year.
“We’re delighted to have retained significant contracts and won new work; it’s testament to the skill and commitment of our brilliant team. We’re looking forward to supporting our customers this year.”
MagicCote (which underwent a rebrand in 2022) offers a range of specialist commercial cleaning services, including industrial, window, office, floor and drain cleaning.
The family-owned business continues to invest in its staff, equipment and facility, and is also taking steps to become carbon neutral.
Benckiser’s Hull manufacturing facility. Finally, it retained its contract with Pareto FM, and will continue to provide window cleaning services for the facilities management specialist.
We’re delighted to have retained significant contracts and won new work
For anyone considering a career within the FM industry, the example provided by Jack Prady shows the opportunities for talented individuals to progress and achieve their ambitions and potential.
Speaking to FM Director during the initial stages of his appointment as Thermatic Technical FM managing director, Mr Prady states that he is delighted with his new role and knew that he would have regretted not seizing the opportunity. “It’s a company that I’ve known and been impressed with for quite a while, it’s based in Manchester, my hometown, and has lots of technical self-delivery capability with so much ambition, so it’s a great fit,” he says.
Having started work as a building service engineer with Ellesmere Engineering in 2004, his career has progressed at an impressive rate and provides further evidence of the many opportunities within the FM sector for those aiming to advance.
Mr Prady explains that the Thermatic business is well established, having been launched over 50 years ago. Over time the business model has evolved from project delivery to a predominately nationally focused hard FM services business.
The company’s involvement with the FM sector came about through its chairman Colin Tennent, who had previously worked for GSH prior to its acquisition by ISS.
“Thermatic provides hard services across the UK and to a number of sectors such as supermarkets, retail, healthcare, education and more. What I liked about Thermatic was its size and scale, still acting in the interests of an SME organisation but carrying an array of capabilities. I believe there’s still a niche in the FM industry for a service provider with a true technical service offering.”
“We’ve got more than 100 engineers operating across the UK and we’re still privately owned,” he continues. “It’s also very rare to see the amount of in-house capability covering a wide spectrum of hard services alongside an in-house project management/ design team. I’ve always wanted to go back and lead a reputable and sustainable SME business; Thermatic is a perfect fit as we look to strategically prepare our longer-term impact.”
In addition to its HVAC, gas and electrical services, the company also includes drainage within its hard service offering. Mr Prady further states his belief that the FM sector “is crying out for a bit more strategic support” for both electrical and drainage services.
In addition to the numerous opportunities for growth within his company’s extensive remit, he further states his enthusiasm for increased collaboration with sister company Thermatic Energy Services, which is led by managing director Jen Johnson. “Between the two brands, there’s obviously a lot of collaborative options, as our customers need to manage their energy consumption and maintain an efficient portfolio of assets, so both of those needs fit in nicely with our remote monitoring capabilities.”
Having worked for large businesses during his career to date, Mr Prady has been quick to appreciate the agility of Thermatic. “We’re really competitive from a pricing point of view and the fact that we’re privately owned gives us the fluidity we need to maintain and adapt to our customers’ needs. We’ve got governance in place, of course, but if we need to adjust then it’s generally a fairly quick process.”
He sees more growth opportunities for the Thermatic business through major aims such as achieving net zero carbon emissions, which has grown in importance since the easing of the Coronavirus pandemic restrictions. “Every customer is quite rightly focusing on net zero and equally we can add immense value around that by providing sustainable services, but also implementing plans and tactics to make sure they achieve that.”
He further explains that the considerable depth of expertise within the Thermatic business means that it is easily able to provide guidance to clients both on how to manage systems and reduce energy consumption and on the most effective options available to them to achieve these aims. “So we think we’ve got a really strong offering and demonstrable capability to support our customers, whether that’s traditional reactive and planned maintenance, predictive or capital replacement schemes,” he says.
In addition to the wide range of options available to the company for increasing its business, Mr Prady states that he takes considerable comfort from its long-established customer base. A large proportion of its clients operate on a national basis, which has seen the company increase its work with clients as they have grown and extended their operations around the UK.
“We equally understand that clients don’t always like to have a single-sourced approach, so some of our customers have a regional commitment. But the company has seen over the last three to five years that we’ve started working with several clients in specific regions and then seen this extended to other areas, when they’ve had chance to appreciate and gain confidence in our service delivery. That’s been exceptionally strong in our ability to grow organically.”
Another notable development this year has been the increased efforts of businesses, organisations and industry bodies to promote the FM industry to the education sector and provide a greater understanding of the many opportunities for future employment.
Every customer is quite rightly focusing on net zero and equally we can add immense value around that by providing sustainable services
While Mr Prady’s career provides the ideal example of what can be achieved, Thermatic has additionally established an in-house training academy at its Manchester base that is also helping to drive this message.
“Since I started with the business, I’ve already seen a number of schools use the academy, talking to people here and getting an idea of what this industry looks and feels like. That’s clearly something we want to continue and make sure that people get the most out of the experience.”
There are several benefits from running the training academy, Mr Prady continues, and states that helping to raise awareness of the FM industry is one of these. “Outside of FM not many people know what it is and it’s still a little bit of a dark industry to people in schools and colleges. So I think we have a moral responsibility to make sure FM is on the agenda.”
Another positive aspect of the company is the passion and enthusiasm displayed by many of his colleagues and Mr Prady feels that one of the few adjustments required is “a simplified strategic plan”. This will be aimed at explaining to all his colleagues how their input is appreciated by the company and essentially how their contributions meet the expectations of its clients.
“I get a lot of pleasure in defining the strategy and tactics alongside the senior management team and deploying that to the rest of our colleagues, which will help to make sure they understand what’s needed but also ensure they have an input, as well. There’s a lot of happy and enthusiastic people here, so I think if we can help provide a little more direction, the business will be in an even better place.”
While business growth is desirable for every company, Mr Prady is also aware of the need to manage any expansion to avoid losing sight of the core values. Having seen how organisations can extend through the merger and acquisition route, he further states that this may be an option for Thermatic in the future, although any organisations it merges with will need to conform with the company’s values and culture.
“We’re very much a hard services provider and we don’t want to jeopardise what differentiates our people, processes and culture,” he continues. “We recognise that we are a sectorised business, even though I think our services can easily transform into other sectors, it’s important we continue to maximise our strengths in a balanced way.
“It’s about talking to our customers and seeing where we can add value to their estate and expand our services in line with our current capability, but our immediate mission is to ensure our current customers recognise our wider offering.”
Mr Prady was preparing to meet as many of his company’s customers as possible as this issue of FM Director went to press, with a view to gaining more understanding of their current and future requirements.
“I’ll be out meeting all our teams and hearing how they work with clients and also meeting with our customers to make sure they know who I am and, equally, gain more intelligence to help with decisions in future.”
These efforts are seen as highly valuable in assisting Mr Prady’s collaboration with the company’s senior management team to establish its strategy for the future, which is due to be confirmed early in 2023. Despite only being in his role a short tenure, he feels that considerable progress has already been made and emphasised the positive connotations this has for the future.
“Our plans will essentially map out the areas we want to focus on, such as our health and safety and wellbeing culture, delivering efficiencies and maximising the potential of our people and aligning this with an organic growth strategy,” says Mr Prady.
This year has seen the doubling of efforts by companies and industry organisations to engage with schools and colleges to promote the many options for employment within the FM industry, following numerous reports of the difficulties faced by FMs and service providers in recruiting sufficient numbers of people. Those wishing to employ skilled members of staff have an even greater challenge, of course, but the example provided by Mr Prady and other senior leaders in the FM sector shows the many genuine opportunities available to learn new skills and apply them effectively within careers that continue to exceed expectations for job satisfaction.
Outside of FM not many people know what it is and it’s still a little bit of a dark industry to people in schools and colleges
Award-winning performance of Scottish National Library’s sustainable estate management team provides scope for more savings and enhanced operations in future
here has been growing recognition for the exemplary efforts of the National Library of Scotland’s (NLS) estate management team, led by head of estates Ian Symonds. These have included the winning of multiple FM industry awards in recognition of the team’s considerable commitment, which has resulted in sustainable reductions in energy usage and carbon emissions.
While these are essential in the drive to reduce the impact of increases in energy prices, they are also important in meeting the net zero carbon emissions agenda. In order to obtain more appreciation of the outcomes achieved, it is essential to gain greater understanding of the requirements of the NLS to appreciate the scope of the team’s success.
It is one of the major research libraries in Europe and one of six legal deposit libraries in Great Britain and Ireland, containing approximately 24 million items in its extensive collection. This ranges from rare and original publications of books, manuscripts and maps to photographs, posters and postcards, many of which are unique and therefore of great value, both historically and financially.
In addition to its reference library duties, the NLS curates live exhibitions and events, along with providing a growing number of online services. It also conducts tours, hosts visits and offers numerous other activities to engage with the local and international community.
This means that further to ensuring that the NLS estate is managed efficiently and effectively, the FM team must guarantee that the millions of items in its collection are kept in the optimum environmental conditions to avoid any deterioration in their condition, regardless of whether they are in the library’s underground storage areas or on display to the public.
Any action or adjustment to the interior environment of the estate and main library facility in particular has to be carefully considered, implemented and monitored so that the important priorities of protecting its unique collections are delivered. Further appreciation of the estate team’s many successes can be gleaned from the fact that when head of estates Ian Symonds joined the library, he found details of approximately 8,000 assets and an absence of up-to-date drawings or plans of library facilities.
“One of the first things that needed to be done when I joined was commission new drawings along with identifying as many assets as possible and seeing what was required in their running and maintenance,” says Mr Symonds. “We currently have more than 20,000 assets identified, and we can view any of these from our system at any time of day or night.”
Although the mapping of the estate and its assets involved considerable effort and expense, this was just the start of the journey to improve its overall efficiency and sustainability levels. Having gained greater understanding of the condition and location of all assets, the task of updating the existing closed protocol building management system (BMS) could then begin.
“It cost us around £35,000, but when our data shows that this saved us nearly 10 times that amount, it was really a no-brainer,” he continues. “We also reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by 32% and a lot of people started to take notice of what we were doing, including the Scottish government.”
Working in close cooperation with Craigalan Controls, the estates team began the onerous task of creating its BMS system, which provides a range of benefits enhanced by additional elements. These are demonstrated to FM Director by Mr Symonds on his desktop PC, providing an instant view of the library’s facilities, all of which can be viewed online from any location in minute detail.
Filed, stamped, indexed and numbered
In addition to live monitoring of all assets, the system also utilises Internet of Things (IoT) technology to predict the impact of outside temperatures on the various facilities. This enables it to make the necessary adjustments to maintain the optimum conditions within the buildings. The system provides the essential data to generate a detailed overview essential for the team to continue to drive efficiencies without impacting on the library’s core requirements.
One example of how this results in savings can be seen with the heating system bringing the buildings up to temperature during the winter months. The NLS has configured its BMS to shut down the heating before it reaches optimum temperature, which is achieved with residual heat and avoids the cooling system being used to combat overheating.
“There’s obviously been a huge amount of work required to reach this stage, but the data shows the savings we’ve made and continues to show where further reductions in energy usage can be made in future,” says Mr Symonds. He illustrates this with a few clicks within the system to show the level of energy usage for each building in the estate.
This shows gas and electricity consumption levels that can be viewed in a number of formats, including daily, weekly, monthly or annually. Clicking on the weekly option shows peak levels of gas and electricity to prepare for the library’s opening, which then decline throughout the day as indoor temperatures and conditions stabilise.
With reductions in utilities usage continuing after the closing of the offices and library facilities at the end of the working day, Mr Symonds looks at the levels throughout the evening, night-time and early morning.
“You can see a slight difference in the early hours of the morning, which shows we can still look at what’s been left on during the night and make more savings,” he says.
The use of more facts and figures helps to illustrate the significant savings resulting from the NLS estates team’s efforts. Within the Estates Management Review 2019/20 its figures showed a 51% reduction in energy and a 69% drop in greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in savings of just under £2.3m.
With the NLS estate including a variety of facilities, its FM operations have been adjusted accordingly to meet the different requirements. Waste management is an important aspect, and the estates team organises the collection of more than 27 tonnes of unwanted material and items on an annual basis, with 57% of this either recycled or used for the creation of energy.
Mr Symonds is additionally keen to explain that the benefits of its single protocol BMS system go far beyond the delivery of savings. Although this is important for every FM and client, the fact that the NLS is now compliant in the vast majority of its areas and operations – which was not the case five years ago – means that all staff and members of the public now work in and attend buildings that operate to the highest standards.
“We have to make sure that we prioritise the health and safety and security of everyone, and the system has been designed to show this and where more work is needed. It takes years to build a good reputation and that can be lost in just seconds, so having easy access to the data and proof of compliancy levels
means the library is taking care of visitors, staff and all the irreplaceable collections,” says Mr Symonds.
His demonstration of the BMS system is completed within 10 minutes and during that time the data for energy usage, lighting and environmental controls is viewed, including examination of individual assets in some cases. The details of the CCTV, fire and intruder and access alarms are also displayed, leading to a discussion on how one of the more recent benefits is being explored.
“False alarms can be a frustrating part of any system, but we’re looking at how we can identify these as soon as they occur to see what’s going on. By accessing the cameras of the area affected we can quickly see if there’s a genuine reason for the alarm, but if there’s not, we can then look at how we can reduce the inconvenience that this could cause,” he says.
Attention to detail is an important factor in all areas of the FM operation at NLS and this is especially relevant to health, safety and security. An example of how this has delivered further improvements is provided by the updates to its sprinkler system.
“In the course of gaining a greater understanding of the estate we found that the water tank for the sprinkler system was too small, and the sprinklers would only work for a few minutes in the event of a fire. That means you need to either accept the risk and the consequences that could follow or do something about it.
The data shows the savings we’ve made and continues to show where further reductions in energy usage can be made in the future
“So we installed a larger tank and that solved the problem straight away. There’s always a fluidity of assets, of course, and there’s always more to do, but we can use the system to predict when actions will be needed. If we can fix something before it goes wrong, that can help us to avoid the expense and issues caused,” he says.
Having developed the open protocol BMS system and enjoyed the benefits described above, the library has numerous additional areas of success to celebrate. An example of this is when Mr Symonds and his team made the decision to enter the PFM Partnership Awards 2019 at the start of that year.
Its entry, submitted in partnership with Craigalan Controls, was announced as the winner in the Partners in Smart FM category at the presentation ceremony in November of that year. The final announcement of the evening provided further cause for celebration when the entry was confirmed as the Overall Winner, which means it was judged to be the best entry for that year.
Another entry submitted to the same awards in 2021 in partnership with Heriot-Watt University and Craigalan Controls resulted in the presentation of the Partners in Energy Management trophy.
This was followed by two entries into the IWFM Impact Awards 2022, both of which proved successful and saw the library receive five trophies from seven entries.
“It’s strange to think that we never thought of entering any awards when we first began mapping
the estate and designing the new BMS system,” says Mr Symonds.
“But this has been an added bonus and provides further recognition for the efforts everyone has committed to.”
NLS continues to receive international interest for its efforts and, in addition to its standards being promoted by the Scottish government for the running of public facilities, it has also worked with the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) and the International Association of Museum Facility Administrators (IAMFA) in recognition of its exemplary management of historic buildings.
Although it would be understandable if Mr Symonds decided to sit back and enjoy the many areas of success achieved as a result of his efforts in recent years, he remains determined to continue the drive for improvement.
“We still have £9m worth of deferred maintenance projects within the estate and £8m of these are critical,” he says. “There’s more work to be done and more savings to deliver.”
Following the many changes seen within the FM industry over the last three years, the example of the NLS estates team provides incontrovertible evidence that the application of carefully considered and expertly delivered FM processes – that use the latest technology in the most effective manner – will continue to ensure that facilities can be operated efficiently, sustainably and safely, while meeting the objectives of clients and facilities users.
There’s more work to be done and more savings to deliver
Having received Royal Assent last April, the Building Safety Act was introduced to Parliament in July and has now come into effect, requiring all service providers, contractors, FMs and building owners to comply with the legal requirements.
FM Director spoke exclusively to Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) Technical Committee chair Will Pitt to gain insight into the new requirements.
Mr Pitt describes the new legislation as driving “the most profound changes in a generation”, which is highly likely to have a significant impact on companies throughout the built environment. However, he provides a more reassuring note by explaining that the companies and individuals already working to the correct standards will not need to make major changes to comply.
It is essential that everyone understands the new legislation and what they need to do to comply, he continues, before providing his thoughts on how this will continue to develop in 2023.
“There is more legislation to come in 2023 and beyond and I think that secondary legislation will have even more far-reaching implications, particularly in terms of competence, accountability and so on,” says Mr Pitt.
At present, the new laws apply to those buildings designated as ‘high risk’, which are typically those of more than 18m in height and include residential, mixed-use facilities and care homes and hospitals during design and construction. Each project will need to complete the three stages within the new Gateway system.
“Gateway One requires the client and the planning team to submit an application to the HSE for the planning stage,” he continues. “Gateway Two requires you to get permission to proceed with the project from the building safety regulator, which is part of the HSE.”
This means that projects are not allowed to proceed without first ensuring that they fully comply with the relevant Building Regulations and that the building will be safe and fit for purpose upon completion. Mr Pitt compares the new requirements with the traditional construction route, where the design is taken forward by a professional team before passing to a contractor that will then submit a price for completing construction.
“That flies in the face of the Gateway process, because you need to have finished the design in its entirety to be able to demonstrate to the building safety regulator that the design is complete. The regulator then has up to 12 weeks, during which time they can come back to the contracting team and request them to do more work to prove compliance,” Mr Pitt continues.
He further explains that the many specialist areas that have been typically left until the final stage of the process – such as sprinkler installations, fire-rated ductwork, fire alarm systems and others – now need to be finalised and included in the design before permission is granted for work to proceed. “Only when the regulator is happy you’ve demonstrated compliance with all aspects can you then start constructing the building,” he says.
As the Building Safety Act 2022 comes into effect, the UK now needs to ensure competency and clear decision-making processes are at the core of all fire safety actions
There is more legislation to come in 2023 and beyond and I think that secondary legislation will have even more far-reaching implications
Once construction begins, it is then essential to ensure that any changes that occur before the building is handed over are fully recorded. “This is where the golden thread of information comes in, which is all about being able to demonstrate the decision-making process from the first moment of design to the minute it’s handed over,” he continues.
He further states that completion of Gateway Three of the new legislation includes a pack of information that is presented to the FM or building owner to provide the ‘golden thread’ of information on all requirements to maintain it. “That means you can have an audit trail all the way back to the initial design to show the reasons for the selection of components and systems,” he says. “It’s all about accountability and demonstrating the decisionmaking process to prove that building is safe.”
The next stage of the process will be the introduction of additional requirements, which will be decided upon by the Building Advisory Committee. These will be designed to assist the regulator to address issues across the built environment and will focus on important areas, including competence for all sectors tasked with delivering fire safety.
“It will no longer be acceptable to simply be a chartered engineer, you have to be able to demonstrate specific expertise and competence in the area you’re working in,” says Mr Pitt. Legislators have introduced the SKEB acronym, which stands for skills, knowledge, experience and behaviour.
“This means that all the trades and different disciplines across construction will need to demonstrate their competence,” he continues. This is why the secondary legislation within the Building Safety Act is taking longer to introduce, as it needs to include all those responsible for fire safety and allow them to demonstrate competency.
One of the frameworks introduced to assist contractors in meeting the requirements is the BSI Flex 8670. It is a generic document that will assist different working groups to define competence.
“That’s why being a chartered engineer won’t be enough to demonstrate your competence, and everyone will have to prove their expertise,” he says.
One of the essential elements to understand about the Building Safety Act is that it is now live and affects everyone involved in the design, construction and running of facilities included within the remit of the legislation.
Mr Pitt describes the new legislation as “the biggest change to the construction industry in a generation, with profound implications for everyone. It’s a wake-up call and everyone needs to be aware of it, because it’s not something that’s 10 years down the line, it’s happening now.”
He further states that the Gateway system has come into effect and that requires every company and project that falls within the scope of the new regulations to comply. The introduction of further legislation within the Building Safety Act will require additional efforts from the construction and FM industries to meet these requirements later this year and in the years ahead.
The biggest change to the construction industry in a generation, with profound implications for everyone
PTSG is one of the leading providers of specialist services that ensure buildings remain compliant with the latest regulations. This, in turn, keeps them operating at optimum efficiency and, crucially, keeps building users safe
s a large proportion of the Group’s work includes compliance activity, its specialists have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the many and varied issues relating to protecting people, property and places. Their work ensures organisations comply with the law so that their buildings operate as efficiently as possible, from the intrinsic electrical wiring to fire suppression systems, building access and fall arrest systems, water treatment and hygiene – and a multitude of other systems and equipment.
Its engineers deliver solutions that are timely as well as affordable, and they are available around the clock for both emergencies and scheduled contracts.
The new Fire Safety Regulations
Crucially, the Group’s specialists from PTSG Fire Solutions Ltd are working with Duty Holders to ensure their buildings are compliant with the new Fire Safety Regulations, which take effect on 23rd January.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 are
being introduced under Article 24 of the Fire Safety Order 2005. Regulations made under article 24 can impose requirements on responsible persons in relation to mitigating the risk to residents for specific premises.
The Fire Safety Order applies to all premises including workplaces and the common parts of all multi-occupied residential buildings, encompassing the building’s structure, external walls and any common parts of premises including all flat entrance doors for buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises.
The new regulations are being introduced as a result of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. This saw PTSG create a new independent business division: PTSG Fire Solutions Ltd in response to the demand for fire safety and suppression systems in buildings.
PTSG now offers a comprehensive range of fire and security solutions for businesses in all industry sectors. As well as designing and installing a range of different systems to protect buildings and users, PTSG also
offers testing, inspection and maintenance services to ensure all equipment is in first-class operational order and complies with the latest standards.
This includes:
Sprinkler systems
Dry and wet risers
Fire hydrants and pumps
Fire detection and life safety systems (fire detection and alarm systems, emergency voice communication systems (EVCS), fire suppression systems, public address/voice alarms (PA/VA) and portable fire extinguishers)
Security systems (CCTV, access control systems, intruder alarms and door entry systems)
Passive fire assets – fire doors, fire rated glazing systems, fire curtains and cavity barriers, fire stopping and penetration sealing and fire compartmentation
Some of the facilities PTSG works on, such as fall arrest systems, support engineers while they carry out test, inspection and maintenance services. They are relied upon to be operationally sound. There can be no compromise, as faults have the potential to cause a fall from height. The HSE reminds us that working at height remains one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries.
For PTSG, safety is at the heart of every action within every project; as the mantra goes: “If it can’t be done safely, we don’t do it.” As a result, PTSG won ten consecutive RoSPA Gold Awards between 2010 and 2020.
PTSG Access & Safety Ltd is the Group’s original business division and has a wealth of market-leading experience in both the design and installation of fall arrest systems and testing and inspecting them –certifying that equipment is safe and fit for purpose.
All work is carried out to meet the latest industry regulations. For example, the testing and inspection of eyebolts, vertical fall protection and rail systems, PPE is done strictly in accordance with BS EN 795, BS EN 365 and the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Electrical testing and inspection is one of the most in-demand of PTSG’s specialist services. The Group’s electrical services engineers are experts in the inspection and testing of fixed installations and portable appliances (PAT).
To meet the Electricity at Work Regulations (EaWR) 1989, all businesses must undergo periodic testing and inspection of their electrical assets. An electrical installation condition report (EICR) is produced when periodic electrical inspection & testing is carried out to a building or property by a certified electrician.
PTSG’s Complete Managed Compliance Service is based around TraQit – a unique interactive online portal that contains features such as instant reporting, exporting, hierarchical permission levels, search and filter functionality and more. It ensures customers’ records are always current, accurate, consolidated and with a version history capability. In consequence, the level of testing and therefore the costs can be justifiably reduced.
PTSG is the UK’s leading provider of lightning and surge protection services. Following the acquisition of JW Gray (based in Essex) in 2015, it is also believed to be the oldest trading provider of lightning protection services in the UK and possibly Europe. Its engineers design bespoke systems as well as delivering standard ‘off the shelf’ systems for clients in all sectors. They also carry out routine testing and inspection, with follow-up maintenance and repairs to ensure all systems remain operationally efficient –complying with the Electricity at Work Act 1989 and BS EN 62305.
PTSG’s team of permanently-employed operatives are access specialists. They are trained in the use of rope access equipment and mobile elevating platforms (MEWPs) to reach all areas of buildings.
They also design bespoke solutions to access unique buildings, as well as working at ground level. This enables them to carry out a range of specialist services to ensure they remain in a first-class condition, complying with the latest regulations.
Building fabric maintenance and decoration Specialist façade cleaning Access equipment hire Window cleaning Glazing services
Roof and gutter maintenance Siphonic drainage Building fabric surveys
PTSG offers a wide range of services in industrial water hygiene and water treatment, combining the specialist skills and knowledge of its engineers with the very latest cutting-edge tools to deliver high performance, safety and consistency. Clients look on PTSG as a trusted partner, ensuring water safety, protection from Legionella and decontamination from many other bacteria and viruses.
PTSG is a member of the Legionella Control Association (LCA). Its Quality Management System for all work activities is upgraded to the ISO 9001/ISO 14001/ISO 45001 standards. It is a Constructionline approved contractor and has accreditation with the Source Testing Association (STA), SafeContractor, CHAS and BOHS.
PTSG is also a winner of the RoSPA Water Sector Award and received the RoSPA Scotland Trophy (Highly Commended).
The new regulations are being introduced as a result of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017
Having recognised the importance of data analysis to improve FM service delivery, the industry is rapidly transitioning to a model that is increasingly technology-driven
hen sourcing new systems to support FM service delivery, potential owners are faced with a bewildering choice of options, ranging from off-the-shelf to bespoke platforms – including the pluses and minuses of owning or leasing – and incorporating an extensive list of different systems and functionalities.
In order to ensure that the investment is a success, it is widely considered best practice to gain a comprehensive understanding of any essential outcomes before exploring the use of new solutions.
Technology providers can accordingly be presented with a reasonably accurate list of the level of functionality required, which in turn should reduce the chance of the end user being unsatisfied with their investment.
There have been notable advances in recent years that are continuing to improve the ease with which platforms and software systems interact with each other, which has benefited the end user by increasing productivity in many areas.
While the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) were considered aspirational and
conceptual a few years ago, they have become integral to most of the best systems and have been a major factor in the improvements delivered.
These advancements are further endorsing the message that best practice management of facilities can only be achieved through the gathering of data and analysing this in the most effective ways. This can be said to be changing the FM sector to a model based on data management, because without this aspect it is unlikely that the levels of achievement being seen around the industry would be possible.
One of the aspects that was previously seen as a limiting factor was the difficulty experienced by FMs and service providers in using data as a central element in the running of their facilities and estates. In many instances, this was due to the fact that the recording of data was a simple process, resulting in ever-increasing amounts being generated by systems with little chance of it being understood or disseminated.
However, when new users form an accurate view of their desired outcomes and establish what they require from systems, this should ensure that they record the data of most relevance.
It is also noticeable that the majority of the platforms coming to market in recent years are easily capable of delivering the all-important analysis to show the results and allow the best decisions to be made in future.
The situation has changed dramatically for a number of end users who were previously struggling to gain much benefit from the constant flow of large amounts of data from their in-house systems. In addition to being able to view the condition of their facilities and estates in real time, users are far more easily able to benefit from accurate predictions of the tasks to prepare for in the short and medium term.
An example of the above includes the monitoring of footfall in key areas such as washrooms and kitchens to adjust the level of cleaning activities required.
In addition to reducing late night or early morning services – which frequently require cleaning staff to work to anti-social patterns – the increasing of cleaning activities during the day can also improve appreciation levels by facilities users.
Another important aspect of this is that contracts can be renegotiated in a meaningful way, with the data used as core evidence.
In the best outcomes it has resulted in clients receiving an improved service at a reduced cost, with some reporting that cleaning staff have been retained and engaged in other tasks around the facility.
Further potential benefits are continuing to emerge, including the possibility of adjusting or improving maintenance regimes for all types of equipment.
With sensors monitoring performance levels on a permanent basis, it is much easier to identify when these begin to reduce in efficiency and not only predict when they are likely to need attention, but also the parts that need to be replaced or the adjustments that need to be made.
The cost savings in these instances have the potential to be significant, especially when they are applied to key items of plant and equipment. Many experienced FMs and service providers can provide horror story examples of the effects suffered when business-critical plant and equipment has failed in their facilities in the past.
In the best outcomes it has resulted in clients receiving an improved service at a reduced cost
Comparing a situation that has previously arisen through the failure of a key piece of equipment, such as a chiller in a data processing facility, with the very different outcome of an engineer arriving on site with the required parts and fixing it before it breaks down, illustrates how technology-driven FM practices are making a very real difference to facilities around the UK.
Not only does this have the potential to reduce costly call-out charges for reactive maintenance – which are often required in addition to the inconvenience and cost resulting from the failure of plant and equipment and interruptions to business operations – it should additionally improve the efficiency of equipment by maintaining it at the optimum level.
There will inevitably be those in the industry who argue against the use of technology for any number of reasons, ranging from the use of expert knowledge and experience to establish effective maintenance regimes to those raising concerns over the ease with which systems can be hacked into or interfered with by third parties.
All these arguments should be discussed with technology providers, who will be able to provide the necessary levels of reassurance, further demonstrating the need to deal with trusted and experienced service providers in all areas of FM.
It should be added that all the examples outlined above are relatively simple and included to allow those unfamiliar with technology to increase their understanding. Having appreciated the fundamental benefits of adopting a more technology-led approach to FM service delivery, further exploration is also encouraged to realise the extensive list of potential benefits available.
While analysis of the data generated by individual items of plant and equipment will allow improved
methods of maintenance to be applied, there is also the potential to compare performance and application levels with other models. This can identify the best option to purchase when these items reach their end of life and can also result in further savings in running costs and maintenance charges.
There is another important factor to consider and one that is highly relevant to the FM sector and that is using the data resulting from technologydriven FM service delivery to justify investment.
Although the industry has notably reduced its focus on awarding contracts to those providing the lowest-priced tenders, the need for proving return on investment continues to be an essential element for clients in both public and private sectors.
It is far more likely that those using clear and effective data sets to support their requests for the purchase of new items, or investment in other areas to improve service delivery, will receive a more positive reaction than those who are unable or unwilling to follow this direction. Included within this is the need for in-depth analysis using all the information available, as opposed to selecting the most favourable areas of information to merely support one point of view.
For those readers using this article as an introduction to the changing of their method of service delivery, it should also be understood that this is highly likely to be a long and even painful process, depending on the methods currently employed by their company. There are numerous studies and examples of the difficulties and challenges involved readily available and they should be referred to and appreciated before deciding to make major changes to any business.
Readers should consider both colleagues and clients before any commitment is made, with open and constructive dialogue undertaken with the relevant stakeholders at every opportunity.
There will inevitably be those in the industry who argue against the use of technology for any number of reasons
Alan Cambridge, CEO and co-founder of Peacock Engineering explains how FMs can leverage software to enhance dynamic scheduling, reduce downtime and SLA conflicts, and improve customer service
The Facilities Management (FM) sector continues to face the challenges of tight profit margins, reduced facilities occupancy, decreasing budgets and increased client expectations.
One of the key considerations for the industry is how technology can be used to improve customer service. Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software is enabling FM organisations to better manage their work order process, scheduling and field service management. This comes as good news for those FMs tied to tight service level agreements and penalties against downtime. SLA penalties can reach into the thousands per asset per day and can be hugely damaging to businesses’ finances and reputations.
Technology solutions such as EAM, which can optimise work orders and field service management scheduling automatically, could make a huge difference when it comes to making a profit or a loss.
Predictive maintenance becoming possible Advancements in technologies supporting predictive maintenance, for instance EAM solution IBM Maximo, are offering exceptional new functionality. Its IBM ‘Maximo Application Suite’ (MAS) has pushed EAM significantly closer to the ultimate goal of predictive maintenance.
When these EAM applications are integrated with Field Service Management (FSM) systems, users can receive immediate benefits from these enterprise solutions. These applications are offering automated data analysis and can spot anomalies in asset performance at an early stage, reducing potential downtime when compared to a reactive maintenance strategy. This facilitates improved predictions about asset outages or failures, meaning the solution can schedule maintenance before the customer even knows there is an issue.
The next frontier in FM technology is for a company’s building management, asset management and field service systems to be integrated, featuring automation and AI to provide added value.
Most FM organisations are not currently carrying out predictive maintenance in this way, but it is only a matter of time before they do, and the first FMs to enable it will change the market with a new level of customer service.
The most advanced scheduling applications can now be fully integrated with an FM organisation’s EAM system, which makes it easier for companies to optimise their maintenance scheduling according to the most suitable engineer, the nearest available engineer, or serve an array of other business objectives through rulesets.
Scheduling can now be completed automatically by the FM’s enterprise solutions, and as requirements change during a working day, the FSM software can dynamically rearrange appointments for all field personnel. For example, if one field engineer is delayed at a location for longer than anticipated, the system can automatically reassign the task elsewhere, as well as send an alert to clients informing them of changes to their appointment.
This ensures that a field engineer reaches a client as quickly as possible, with clear communication to the client throughout any changes, thereby enhancing customer service.
Scheduling in conjunction with a mobile EAM solution to reduce non-productive time
Many FM organisations are leveraging significant benefits from integrating their EAM system with a mobile solution. By doing this, the company’s scheduling system can access live information about the whereabouts of all field personnel. This ensures that appointments are always rearranged in the most optimal way, minimising non-productive time. It also means that your productivity goes up, because you are getting the maximum amount of work completed with your existing team of field engineers.
FM businesses can access a combined role-based interface by integrating enterprise solutions such as the EAM and FSM, enabling them to create specific interfaces for staff and customers which utilise data from all the systems in use.
Interfaces can be configured according to the role of the user – which ensures that users are only shown data which is relevant to them, thus increasing productivity. FM teams also have a complete view of SLAs, KPIs, maintenance and work history and technician and appointment availability, ensuring that issues are resolved more effectively and resulting in a higher level of service. This helps FM businesses to achieve and improve on SLA targets and avoid contract penalties.
The dashboards of these enterprise solutions can also provide a 360-degree view of the FM’s contract performance, enabling FM managers to make faster, better-informed decisions. This means that clients receive better and faster service, with more complete information about their own assets. FM providers, meanwhile, can improve their productivity and profitability.
www.peacockengineering.com
Alan Cambridge founded Peacock Engineering 13 years ago. Since then, it has grown extensively to over 50 employees and a team of IBMcertified engineers, and has offices in London, Bristol, Leatherhead, Leeds and Bangalore. Peacock Engineering is an IBM gold partner with over 8,000 clients and manages over 1 million client assets worldwide across multiple sectors, including energy and utilities, FM, life sciences, manufacturing, and logistics.
The next frontier in FM technology is for a company’s building management, asset management and field service systems to be integrated, featuring automation and AI to provide added value
Having worked together for 14 years, collaborative efforts between Tower 42 and DOC Cleaning continue to develop and deliver improvements
ne of the many fascinating aspects within the extensive FM industry is the study of relationships between clients and their service providers, especially those where the attitude and focus from both sides continue to play a major role in the efficient running of facilities.
The partnership between Tower Management and DOC Cleaning for London’s Tower 42 is an ideal example of how client and service partner relationships can provide effective and adaptable solutions to leaseholders and facilities users. In addition to the support and assistance enjoyed by those visiting the building, they can be a significant factor in maintaining high satisfaction levels with occupiers, which ultimately makes the renewal of leases and attracting new companies a much easier proposition.
Formerly known as the NatWest Tower, the building continues to be a major presence in central London and was the first major high-rise building in the City of London. Tower Management general manager Barry Rushmer, who retired at the end of 2022, his successor Colin Lee-Davie and DOC Cleaning chief executive officer Lee Andrews recently explained the numerous strengths of their continuing partnership to FM Director
“It all began in 2008 when we tendered for the cleaning contract for Tower 42,” says Mr Andrews. “When we looked at the contract initially, we felt it was going to be too big for us.”
Having reconsidered, however, and presented its tender to the former managing agent of the building, DOC Cleaning was awarded the contract and mobilised 118 staff to establish its operation at the building.
The relationship, now approaching its 15th year, has proved a constant positive factor in the face of ownership and staff changes, along with all the turbulence of the last three years.
“We presented well with the tender in 2008 and outlined a number of new ideas to the building management team at the time, giving them a few headaches,” Mr Andrews continues. “I think we created a good impression, but we always make sure we only promise what we know we can deliver.”
One of the unique aspects of the DOC Cleaning operation at Tower 42 is that it involves high levels of interaction between each leaseholder and the cleaning company. This means that any issues can be resolved quickly without adding to the building management team’s workload.
“One of the developments we’ve worked on with DOC is establishing a front of house, concierge service,” says Mr Rushmer. “This is integrated with our CAFM helpdesk and means that the services provided to our occupiers by DOC go well beyond cleaning.”
This is an example of the collaborative approach established between both partners and is a particular benefit of working with a well-established, dedicated business. The concierge element of the partnership derives in part from DOC Cleaning’s relationships with other clients, some of which the company has worked with throughout its 50-year history.
Mr Rushmer further explains that each floor of the building consists of 9,000 sq ft of space, divided into three areas of 3,000 sq. ft, which proves highly attractive to companies and their senior management teams.
I happened to see one of our customers deliver a box of chocolates for the cleaning team a couple of weeks ago and that’s something we need to encourage
“Tower 42 continues to provide unique options for our leaseholders, and although it is now more than 40 years old, it continues to provide an attractive and adaptable space to our occupiers and visitors. Many of our leaseholders engage fit-out companies prior to relocating to the building to tailor the space to their precise needs, ensuring it provides the most productive area for staff members.”
Mr Rushmer continues: “Being in the City, we also work closely with our neighbours and other bodies. For example, we are bound by strict local authority requirements, which include only being able to have waste collected at certain times of the day.”
With DOC Cleaning managing the waste and recycling contract for the building, Tower 42 has raised recycling rates and reduced the use of plastic.
Mr Lee-Davie explains that the building is continuing to see rising levels of attendance as leaseholders adapt to the post-Coronavirus pandemic conditions. With higher numbers of people returning to work in the office, the partnership with DOC Cleaning has proved to be another factor in supporting Tower Management and its leaseholders with their flexible working strategies.
“Although more people are returning to the office, there is no mandate from employers for a return to full-time working at present. What we are hearing is that the social aspect is proving important to encourage people back, as well as reassurance that their office is clean and safe to work in.”
He further explains that DOC Cleaning visits each floor of the building on a daily basis. While the primary purpose is cleaning offices and public areas, staff members are also trained to report or check on any incidents that arise, allowing rapid reaction and resolution times. “DOC have a ‘no fuss, get it done’ attitude, which is evident at all levels of the contract from the cleaning team and on-site management, right up through area management and the company directors,” says Mr Rushmer.
DOC’s service provision at Tower 42 consists of five teams, with each team leader responsible for the allocation of work hours and use of machinery. In addition to its staff members, the company has also invested in new machinery to assist in the efficient delivery of high levels of service. Having established a ‘One Team’ approach to service provision, the first floor Tower Management office also provides space for members of the DOC management team and other providers, allowing regular contact and collaboration between the teams.
There has also been significant activity in the area of environmental, social and governance (ESG) within the FM sector and all Tower 42 partners have ensured alignment of their ESG strategies from an early stage. This resulted in the winning of a Platinum Clean City award in 2014, followed by a Green Apple Environmental Award in 2016. Further developments have seen DOC Cleaning establish a training programme, developed specifically for Tower 42, that integrates third party courses with its own in-house training scheme. It additionally plans to employ three apprentices, funded by the Apprenticeship Levy and has appointed a mental health first aider within its on-site team.
“We will also be looking at potential ambassadors to support our Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion (ENEI) and Employers Initiative against Domestic Abuse (EIDA),” says Mr Andrews.
Another practice established within Tower 42 by DOC Cleaning is its continuing investment in staff members on-site. In addition to training and support, the company retains all team members, irrespective of whether an occupier leaves, in order to maintain a consistent level of resource available at all times.
“When an occupier vacates their space, rather than release the team member assigned to that office, we simply redeploy them elsewhere,” says Mr Andrews. “This not only reduces staff churn and security concerns, but helps maintain service continuity across the building by retaining valuable expertise.”
In terms of technical innovation, the introduction of ride-on scrubber dryers to clean the external areas of the 2.5-acre estate, in replacement of the former jet washing systems, is another prime example of a drive to improve safety and apply a more environmentally friendly solution. The ride-on scrubbers were introduced following careful research by DOC Cleaning, which has also adopted the use of probiotic cleaning agents to reduce the building’s environmental impact.
Visitors to Tower 42 enter via the spectacular threestorey reception area that includes three large, suspended metal ‘ski slope’ designs. These require cleaning periodically and DOC Cleaning has applied its innovative thinking to deliver a solution that avoids the expense and inconvenience of using scaffolding by introducing a high-level vacuuming system.
“Something else we’ve achieved in partnership is upgrading Tower 42 to become a Living Wage accredited building,” says Mr Rushmer. “This means that everyone that works in the building is paid at least the London Living Wage and that’s a great message.”
Mr Andrews further explains that this has been achieved through careful collaboration and consultation with staff and occupiers.
“We’re really pleased that all our staff are paid a decent rate and we’ve also lengthened shifts to provide extra staff benefit. Of course, we are continuing to look at increasing the use of robotic cleaning technology, but it’s a case of making sure that everyone is supported and happy,” he says.
There is general agreement that the FM industry needs to address the challenge of improving the image of cleaning and the individuals who deliver it.
“One of the best ways of doing that is to humanise the job, ensuring they are visible,” Mr Lee-Davie continues. “It’s a case of making it a more personal experience so as to raise levels of appreciation of the cleaning team.
“I happened to see one of our customers deliver a box of chocolates for the cleaning team a couple of weeks ago and that’s something we need to encourage,” he says.
With Mr Lee-Davie due to take over from Mr Rushmer at the time of the FM Director visit, he emphasises his belief in the use of technology to support and further extend efficiencies.
“I’ll be looking at any areas where we can fine-tune the running of the building and make sure we make the best of our time and resources. This will help us reduce business risk for everyone and further develop our partnership working, while understanding what everyone needs to achieve and helping them wherever we can,” he continues.
“Tower 42 is a service-oriented building and a central part of that is our relationships with good service partners. It’s all about people, in effect, and how you support and work with them, so they deliver everything asked of them.”
The partnership between Tower Management and DOC Cleaning will enter another phase in 2023, as Mr Lee-Davie takes over from Mr Rushmer, and looks highly likely to increase the delivery of service benefits through the continued application of genuine partnership working.
Everyone that works in the building is paid at least the London Living Wage and that’s a great message
PFM Awards Account Director of the Year winner 2022 Tim Hysom continues to enjoy his FM career and spoke exclusively to FM Director to explain his journey so far
ver the moon; really, really pleased.” That was Tim Hysom’s reaction to being named Account Director of the Year at the annual PFM Partnership Awards, which celebrates companies and individuals working to the very highest industry standards.
Speaking to FM Director following his win, Mr Hysom reflects on a long and varied career in facilities management, discusses his current role at market leader Anabas, and explains what the prestigious award means to him.
Held at The Brewery, Chiswell Street, London, 2022’s PFM Partnership Awards recognised both effective industry partnerships and outstanding individuals. Mr Hysom triumphed in the Account Director of the Year category, whose judges were impressed by his dedication, people-focused approach, and extensive experience. Indeed, while account director Mr Hysom is now responsible for a third of Anabas’s business, his professional journey began with a series of frontline, grassroots positions. He believes that these early roles helped to pave the way for a long and successful career in FM.
“I started in facilities management some 28 years ago,” he explains. “I got a job as a temp in the mailroom for a new organisation, and I just happened to report into the facilities manager.
“At the time it was still a burgeoning industry, still finding its feet, and I didn’t really know what it was.
“But I had a good manager; he encouraged me to pursue it as a career and helped me to take some industry qualifications.”
Mr Hysom studied for a BIFM (now IWFM) qualification – and, spurred partly by the arrival of his first child, decided to pursue a career in facilities management. A role at the BBC Television Centre followed, and he received an outstanding achievement award as part of his BIFM Part 2 qualification.
“When something like that happens early in your career, it’s encouragement that you’re on the right path,” he recalls.
Mr Hysom went on to gain experience in a range of different FM roles, ensuring that he acquired additional experience with each move.
“What I’ve also been really mindful of is that FM is such a big and complex industry,” he adds. “I’ve made sure that every time I’ve moved, I’ve experienced a different little bit of it.
“So, I’ve done both in-house and outsourced FM delivery; I’ve done public sector and private sector; I’ve done managing agent and also consultancy.
“What it’s done is created a robust framework for my knowledge and experience within the FM industry, as well as helping me to establish what I like and don’t like, and where my skills best lie.”
Mr Hysom’s long relationship with boutique facilities management specialist Anabas began around 20 years ago, when the business was launched.
“I actually worked for Anabas when the company first started,” he explains.
“We had come out of an outsourcing for the FM function for T Mobile, and Anabas was the brand created. I stayed with them for about a year and then went on to do something else.
“But I was mindful that even at that early stage, I really enjoyed the culture, the business ethos, and how Anabas looked after its staff.”
Mr Hysom stayed in touch with members of Anabas’s team, jumping at the chance to rejoin the company when it arose several years later.
He explains: “The stars aligned, and the right opportunity for both of us was there. So, I jumped at the opportunity because it really is a great place to work, with a really clear corporate strategy.”
As part of this strategy, Anabas focuses its efforts on corporate office occupiers – specifically, those that, in Mr Hysom’s words, “value the service experience.”
“So, they’ve invested heavily in their real estate portfolio, either to provide a great environment for their clients or to attract and retain talent,” he adds. “That fits really well with what I want to do and where my standards are.”
Indeed, Mr Hysom attributes his success at Anabas to the fact that the company’s values align with his own. He is proud of the role he has played in retaining key clients, and currently manages a range of contracts – including RWE (a power generation company) with whom Anabas also secured a prestigious award at the 2022 PFM awards in the “partners in corporate” category. In the last three years contract retention in Mr Hysom’s client base with Anabas has been exceptional and Mr Hysom puts this down to the strong relationships built with clients at all levels through Anabas.
“I look after multiple contracts, and inevitably, some of those contracts have changed over time,” he reflects.
“I have some clients that I’m pleased to say joined just after I started, or whose tendering process I was involved in, and we have retained a large number of them through subsequent contract negotiation or tender processes.”
So, they’ve invested heavily in their real estate portfolio, either to provide a great environment for their clients or to attract and retain talent
Mr Hysom adds that the “empowering” and forward-looking culture at Anabas has enabled him, not simply to realise his own potential, but to effectively support these clients.
“We’re a boutique FM company, so we tailor what we do to every single client,” he says. “And as part of this, we have a role called the ‘floor captain’.
“It’s an entry-level, operational FM role, which involves doing things like meeting room set-ups, post room porterage and building inspections; we’ve got over 50 of them across the UK now. And every one of them does something slightly different, because every one of our contracts has different needs.
“We try to work within a framework that sets our standards, values and priorities. This gives us great flexibility to find the right solution for our clients, and it’s the same for any manager within Anabas; we have the ability to change things and get things done. We’re really nimble and flexible as a business; we can say, ‘okay, we need to change something, this isn’t working, how can we do it better?’”
Judges were impressed by Mr Hysom’s innovative and collaborative approach, which has seen him support clients with hybrid working, CSR strategies and even the rollout of online health and safety systems. Speaking to FM Director, he reflected on Anabas’ recent investment in technology.
“We’ve been trialling robotic vacuum cleaners on one of my sites in Swindon, which has been successful,” he explains. “So, we’re in the process of rolling that out, and across another three contracts, too – but only if it makes sense.
“What we’re doing is taking an opportunity, not to replace resource, but to supplement it; we call them COBOTS as they offer a collaborative help.
“This is particularly important coming out of Covid, because a lot of our clients are still looking for high levels of touchpoint cleaning.”
As part of his presentation to the judging panel, Mr Hysom also touched on Anabas’s strategic objectives around health and safety, employee engagement, customer advocacy, and financial results.
His role sees him oversee and drive improvements across these interrelated areas – including health and safety, which he heads up at a leadership team level.
“I’ve been responsible for implementing an electronic health and safety management system into the business in the last 18 months,” he says. “We’re constantly looking at how we can improve that, translate it into different languages for some of our operational staff – just to make sure that they have the best opportunity to be safe in their jobs.”
Mr Hysom is also proud of Anabas’s employee engagement level of 87%, which is way above the UK average of 45%, due, in part, to initiatives he has helped to spearhead.
“In addition to our annual employee engagement survey, we have things like our small decency awards, our ‘be brilliant’ nominations, and team events, so we’re regularly doing things to make sure our staff are engaged,” he comments.
Mr Hysom ensures that Anabas’s clients feel similarly engaged and supported, overseeing work
around customer advocacy. He explains that, when managing contracts, flexibility is key.
“All our team have a role to play in the customer advocacy piece, but it’s a key part of my role, in terms of ensuring that our staff are delivering the right service,” he says. “So, we try to be on a personal level (with clients), and our aim is to be flexible.”
He adds: “Throughout the pandemic we remained flexible, and adapted ourselves and our model to what our clients’ need. On a personal level, I hold that really close; that’s how I want to operate.”
Drawing on the experience he gained in frontline roles, Mr Hysom also takes a hands-on approach to account management. This involves ‘back to the floor’ days, during which he shadows the frontline teams supporting clients.
Several of these clients provided supporting statements for Mr Hysom’s award application, praising his professionalism, leadership skills, and customer-focused approach.
Suzanne Kinsella, head of HR operations and facilities, Kensington Mortgages, described him as an “excellent ambassador for Anabas”, adding that he helped the business to run smoothly and maintain its high standards.
This sentiment was echoed by Les O’Gorman, director of UK Facilities Management for UCB, who explained that Mr Hysom was “attentive, organised, and able to quickly tune in to both the needs of the client and the culture of the organisation he and his team are supporting.”
Of all the glowing testimonials he received, however, it was one from colleague and mentee Leanne Green that meant the most to PFM’s Account Director of the Year.
He says: “I was particularly proud of the statement from one of my direct reports, Leanne. She has seen me as a mentor and a real guide in terms of her career.
I’ve been responsible for implementing an electronic health and safety management system into the business in the last 18 months
“She joined us in a mid-management level role, and we’ve taken her on a real journey to get to the point where she is now an account manager. She looks after some of our top clients and is really excelling. It was nice to get some reflection from her, and to see that she felt I’d guided her on that journey over the last four years.”
These testimonials (coupled with an impressive list of innovations and achievements) won over the PFM Awards’ judging panel, which also had the chance to question Mr Hysom about his approach.
He remembers: “The panel were really nice, and they asked me some great questions that were quite challenging. It was interesting to get other peoples’ perspectives on, not only the FM industry, but my role too.
“I felt positive that I had spoken well about myself and about Anabas, which I was representing. I’m actually very competitive; I wanted to win!”
While “over the moon” to be named Account Director of the Year 2022, Mr Hysom was equally thrilled that Anabas and its client RWE won PFM’s Partners in Corporate award. He explains that the awards have already had a positive impact, leading to new business opportunities.
They have also encouraged Mr Hysom to reflect on his relationship with the industry he joined almost three decades ago. He adds: “The judges challenged me to think about what I can give back to the FM industry, so that is something I’m going to look at and consider.”
Ultimately, Mr Hysom believes that the award is “not all about him” - something he also stressed in his presentation to the judging panel.
He concludes: “I recognised that I was standing on the shoulders of giants. I might be a good figurehead, but I have operational teams and coordinators and managers out there on the ground, doing the work day-to-day.
“I do a lot to help them, enable them and support them in that, but they still have to go out there and deliver it - and they do, on a regular basis.”
The panel were really nice, and they asked me some great questions
Many of the buildings Kevin’s teams work on are enormous – an expression of ambition and imagination as well as construction capabilities. Each is unique, designed to stand out in London’s skyline and in doing so, become famous the world over. ‘The Cheesegrater’, ‘The Vase’ and ‘The Scalpel’ are perfect examples of these iconic buildings. Kevin’s teams at Integral Cradles and GIND UK have worked on all of these, as well as many, many others.
An access solution, often including a building maintenance unit (BMU), enables maintenance operatives to reach every inch of the façade to ensure it remains safe, clean and fully operational. Mounted permanently at roof level, these safe and comprehensive suspended access systems provide full lateral, horizontal and vertical movement of the working platform.
On a building that is unique, such as The Scalpel (52 Lime Street, London), the BMUs are bespokedesigned not only to access every inch of the building’s sheer façade, but to be stored seamlessly out of site. The designs are brought to life by Integral Cradles’ manufacturing partner at their dedicated, state-ofthe-art facility in Madrid, Spain. Once delivered to the
UK, each system is rigorously tested after installation on site. There, the Integral Cradles team commissions the system, bringing a new dimension to the building.
The final and vital part of the service is maintenance. Provided by its sister company GIND UK, the provision of a fully warrantied maintenance package is tailored to the clients’ plans and budget.
The unique combination of design flair, technical capability and collaborative experience – in both installation and ongoing maintenance – sees the companies contracted to work with some of the UK’s leading developers, architects and Tier 1 contractors. It has also led to some major industry awards.
Integral Cradles and GIND UK made a joint entry in the Technology category of the IWFM Impact Awards 2022 – arguably the most prestigious event of its kind in the UK. The entry focused on the ground-breaking access solution created by Integral Cradles at The Scalpel. As well as designing and installing two of the largest BMUs of their kind to service the sheer façade of this extraordinary skyscraper in central London, the team also created an innovative storage system which incorporates photovoltaic cells.
This allows the east BMU to be stored safely out of site at the same time as providing renewable energy for the building. Integral Cradles’ partner GIND UK currently delivers ongoing warrantied maintenance of the entire access system.
Although Integral Cradles and GIND UK weren’t announced as winners at the award ceremony on 17 October, they were highly commended, receiving a certificate recognising their high standard of work.
The following is only a snapshot of the projects Kevin’s teams have worked on in 2022, illustrating the range of the teams’ capabilities.
Triptych,
Triptych in South-East London is a new mixed-use development consisting of 163 apartments in two residential blocks (15- and 19-storeys), and a 10-storey building providing office and retail space.
In June 2022, Integral Cradles completed the first phase of the installation of access equipment. In September 2022, its team completed the installation of two large telescopic building maintenance units for the upkeep of the building façades.
Kevin Walton is the managing director of two companies: Integral Cradles and GIND UK. Working together, their specialist teams create and maintain access solutions for some of the most iconic skyscrapers in London
Rather than using a tower crane, the team from Integral Cradles used its own spider crane to install another high-quality BMU for client MACE at One Thames City (N6). Spider cranes such as this one are compact and can be used in the most confined spaces. The crane was assembled and disassembled using the project hoist.
The team from Integral Cradles was on site at One Nine Elms in South-West London in June of this year to undertake the installation of a building maintenance unit (BMU) and parapet tracks at podium level 3. Integral Cradles worked alongside maintenance partner GIND UK at the development to deliver a complete installation and maintenance solution.
The long, hot summer already seems a long time ago but on 15 July, teams from Integral Cradles and GIND UK took part in the Canary Wharf Contractors’ Fund (CWCF) Dragonboat Festival 2022. The event was great fun for all involved under beautiful blue skies, while raising funds for a number of hugely worthwhile causes.
Between October 2021 and the present day, Integral Cradles has maintained a 100% monthly sustainability score with its client Multiplex.
Multiplex is a premier construction company that was established in Australia in 1962. It now operates globally, forming collaborative, consultative relationships with clients and supply chain partners, including Integral Cradles in the UK.
In addition to this, at the start of November, GIND UK was awarded a zero carbon energy certificate from British Gas Business.
All companies now have a mandate from the government to become net zero by 2050. Integral Cradles and GIND UK have pledged to take their place amongst the most ambitious organisations, committing to a net zero carbon target of 2026. This is a key part of their business model.
The work done by the teams at Integral Cradles and GIND UK puts them at the heart of a multitude of different communities. They are committed to being responsible members of these communities, which means having a truly diverse workforce, recruiting people based on talent alone – blind to ethnicity, race, colour or sex. 20% of Integral Cradles’ staff is female and a third of its management team is also female. Over half of the company’s people were born outside the UK.
The work of their teams is mainly performed at height and carries an inherent risk. Both Integral Cradles and GIND UK uphold the strictest standards of safety. Both are members of SAEMA (Specialist Access Engineering and Maintenance Association) – the trade body with a history of delivering the best training and guidance in the temporary and permanent suspended access industry.
SAEMA participates in the development of national and international standards relevant to the façade access equipment industry. Its members adhere strictly to these standards, work to established benchmarks to guarantee consistency and use only equipment that is proven to be reliable and of the highest quality.
Membership of SAEMA is an important mark of Integral Cradles’ and GIND UK’s commitment to both the safety and quality of their work.
2023 will see both Integral Cradles and GIND UK continue their journey towards becoming net zero. Under Kevin’s leadership, the teams at both companies look forward to working on more of the nation’s unique buildings, creating solutions that allow operatives with a head for heights to access all areas in safety.
One of the burning questions for FMs and service providers is how to make older facilities comply with their net zero carbon aims and Camden Council has made a bold step to solving the issue
here has been a considerable increase in interest concerning the UK’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, which has included more awareness of the role that needs to be played by the FM industry to assist in achieving this.
While a growing number of new buildings are now
designed and constructed with this aim in mind, it is commonly accepted that much of the UK’s building stock will still be in use as the deadline approaches, requiring that urgent attention be devoted to retrofitting these to make them more efficient and reduce their emissions.
Swiss Cottage Library is the central reference
library facility for the London Borough of Camden and was constructed in 1964, at a time when little or no attention was given to reduced or efficient energy consumption. Designed by Sir Basil Spence, the library was part of the Swiss Cottage Centre that included a sports facility that was demolished and rebuilt in recent years.
The library was constructed by McAlpine & Sons and was opened by Queen Elizabeth II as the Hampstead Public Library. Apart from changing its name to Swiss Cottage Library, the facility remained relatively unaffected by local changes and redevelopment. However, it was then threatened with demolition as part of the Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre development proposals in 1997, but its identification as a Grade II listed building resulted in the local council changing its plans and opting instead to have the library refurbished.
There has, of course, been considerable change in recent years, combined with increasing awareness of the need to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Although the library continues to provide essential services to the local community, its 1960s design has led to it being labelled one of Camden Council’s highest consumers of energy.
The estate includes more than 60 buildings and Swiss Cottage Library was one of the worst performers, so seemed the best place to start in the council’s journey to net zero carbon emissions.
Prior to the completion of the Swiss Cottage Library upgrade, Camden Council refurbished its Holmes Road Depot facility, which is its third-largest office site in the borough.
This is another 1960s construction and a high consumer of high levels of energy as a result. However, following the various works completed in 2021, it has reduced its carbon footprint by 40%. The various operations completed have included the installation of a heat recovery and ventilation system and heat pumps that now provide heating, cooling and ventilation.
Since 2021, LED lighting schemes have been delivered across nine council buildings, including libraries, offices, and depots. The projects are expected to generate savings of more than £60,000 a year on energy costs whilst also enabling annual carbon emission savings of 97 tonnes CO2e.
It should be noted that Camden Council is making good progress on its journey to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030. It achieved a 61% reduction in emissions in 2020/21, based on 2009/10 figures. The council’s climate action plan is centred around four themes, of which one is buildings.
Funding was secured for the Swiss Cottage Library project in 2021 from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund and works on site began earlier this year.
The council’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint have also been assisted by its participation in the government’s Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) energy efficiency scheme. This was followed in November 2019 by the council formally declaring a climate and ecological emergency to highlight the threat of climate change and its severe impact on ecosystems.
Having committed to its action plan to make the Camden area comply with net zero carbon emissions by 2030, the Swiss Cottage Library is an important contribution to achieving this goal.
In addition to its high consumption of energy, another compelling reason for upgrading the facility was that its air-cooled chillers, air handling units and the roof of the building were in need of replacement. Budgets and designs were produced and then the project was put out to tender. Long-time hard service provider partner Ergro Technical Services was successful in securing this tender and began the extensive list of works required to turn the facility into an energy-efficient building.
The roof is now fully insulated so the energy savings from these two operations alone are significant
Ergro Technical Services chairman Chris Wollen describes the project as one of the largest completed by the company, with numerous lessons learned that will continue to assist the council, in addition to the company’s growing number of FM clients. “In addition to the roof, we’ve replaced all the single-glazed windows in the building with double-glazing and changed all the old fluorescent lights to LED. The roof is now fully insulated so the energy savings from these two operations alone are significant.”
Having reduced heat loss in all areas, the facility has been made suitable for the installation of airsource heat pumps to replace the gas boilers that had been in place since 1984. Two Daikin 100kW twin-pipe air-source heat pumps have been installed by Ergro, complemented by three roof-mounted air handling units (AHUs) and one within the basement plant room, with all four units including heat recovery.
Completing the project in line with the expectations of the council and the Grade II listed status of the facility included the challenge of allowing the library to remain open to the public throughout.
Yet another aspect of the project has been the removal of solar panels that were installed in 2017 to prepare for the replacement of the roof. Following the completion of that part of the project, the 49.6kW system was cleaned and replaced and continues to assist the facility in its energy efficiency aims.
Predicted savings following the completion of all works are expected to exceed 138 tonnes of carbon emissions per annum, also including reductions in energy costs of more than £31,000.
Mr Wollen says that one of the company’s most significant actions was its initial in-depth planning and preparation for the works, including the early sourcing of materials. This meant that the project was able to proceed without any of the supply chain issues seen across the FM and construction industries this year.
Another highly positive aspect of Camden Council’s efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of its estate is that this has enabled it to provide valuable advice to local businesses and provide further support for its objectives. It has formed the Camden Climate Change Alliance, a network of businesses, schools and organisations in the area which is designed to provide access to resources and tools and assist those joining the alliance to reduce their impact on the environment and save costs wherever possible.
Predicted savings following the completion of all works are expected to exceed 138 tonnes of carbon emissions per annum
Specialist contractor Volta Compliance has designed and successfully delivered the electrical installation for Richard Austin Alloys’ (RAA)
expanded Manchester facility, fitting metering to provide valuable insights into energy usage, and EV charging points to facilitate greener travel
Leading aluminium and stainlesssteel stockholder RAA needed to extend its Manchester location with a new build, featuring additional storage, employee and HGV access, and ground and first-floor offices. The site would operate for 24 hours a day, also incorporating loading bays and an HGV turning circle.
RAA appointed Volta Compliance as its mechanical and electrical contractor, having worked with the Leeds-based specialist on previous projects.
RAA’s director Andrew Finlay commented: “Our relationship with Volta started over 20 years ago. They have assisted us with many projects, small and large, and always go the extra mile, which is why we continue to use them.”
Volta Compliance’s team (led by managing director Richard Carr) used specialist software to design the installation, gaining a clear overview of incoming supply, cable sizes and voltage drop while cross-checking manually.
A combination of cable tray and galvanised trunking and conduit was used for the containment system, which included high-level lighting busbars. Volta worked closely with a range of suppliers; trunking was provided by Legrand UK, while Sheffield-based Gripple Ltd designed a containment system for the warehouse and offices. Tensioned catenary was used to support the lighting busbar and associated LED lighting; the latest technology available for this kind of application, it offered almost tool-free installation.
Keen to provide an efficient and responsive solution, Volta Compliance metered the mains incoming and sub main distribution, which would enable RAA to monitor its energy usage. Pulsed output metering technology was installed, with data available to access and review via an online portal.
Safety was also a priority, and Volta Compliance installed both fire systems and emergency lighting onsite. CCTV (providing full coverage both internally and externally) was supplied by leading UK distributor Oprema Ltd. The site was designed for 24-hour operation, and its LED lighting systems are guaranteed for a duration of 80,000 hours of continuous illumination.
Volta Compliance installed exterior lamp postmounted floodlighting to illuminate the HGV turning circle and associated access points.
Supplied by Disano, this energy-efficient lighting is controlled via occupancy sensors, photocells and timers. Heating, cooling and heat recovery are also controlled automatically for maximum efficiency.
Following this high-level project, Volta Compliance developed a planned preventative maintenance programme for RAA.
This will ensure that the installation is properly
maintained, and remains safe, efficient and compliant.
The business can also manage its compliance documentation via Volta’s user-friendly online portal.
Richard commented: “Although, as with any sizeable project, there were challenges along the way, the result is fantastic and we are proud to hand over the fully designed, installed and commissioned mechanical and electrical installation, complete with a planned preventative maintenance contract.”
Stephen Peal discusses the next stages of his ambitious
growth plan, which will involve merging the successful brands
After becoming group managing director of YorPower, PPSPower, Glenace and Generator Warehouse earlier this year, Stephen Peal has ambitious plans to merge the companies, which are already beginning to work together as ‘one family’.
Mr Peal previously served as managing director of PPSPower, which maintains, services and repairs back-up generators and UPS units. Its sister company YorPower operates internationally, assembling, supplying and delivering generators. Mr Peal hopes to bring the two businesses together officially in 2023, and staff and stakeholders are already preparing for this eventuality.
“They can start thinking that it’s already in place, so we can begin realising those efficiencies,” says Mr Peal. “I’ve been running the PPSPower business for over ten years, so I’m fairly comfortable with the way in which that business runs.
“The challenge now in the YorPower business is to bring some of those processes and procedures in and align them as well.”
Controls and automation business Glenace was acquired by the group around five years ago. According to Mr Peal, it is likely to become part of the YorPower brand, serving as its controls department.
An ambitious rebrand PPSPower was established eight years ago, the result of a merger between two businesses: Power Plant Services and the Progress Group.
Today, Mr Peal acknowledges that PPSPower is a strong brand in its own right, and is proud of its reputation in the FM market. Nevertheless, he recognises the importance of clarity, and explains that PPSPower may also become part of an overarching YorPower brand in the near future. This is due to the fact that YorPower is the stronger
and more well-established brand, globally speaking.
“You could say that the master plan was right there from the beginning, because the PPSPower branding actually looks very much like the YorPower brand,” he states. “So now we’re at the point where we need to bring those brands together. For some time, a lot of our advertisements have been dual-branded, so that people can start seeing the brands together.”
Mr Peal admits that this process will involve significant challenges - from securing employee buyin, to creating a unified online presence. Ultimately, he is optimistic about his strategy, stating: “By this time next year, hopefully we’re just known as YorPower across the board.”
This optimism stems, in part, from the success Mr Peal has already enjoyed with PPSPower.
“I feel confident about it, simply because I created the PPSPower brand eight years ago out of nothing -and that is what it is today without any major advice or support, just through instinct, feeling, and engaging with titles like FM Director and other people within the FM publication industry,” he explains.
His goal now is to build brand awareness without losing sight of the group’s main priority – delivering full back-up power solutions to its customers.
“Customer service is absolutely essential for me; looking after everything we’ve got, not bringing in loads of stuff we could do and then jeopardising the operational delivery of what we’ve sold and what we’ve done,” he says. “It’s really important that we get all of the processes and procedures right.”
Mr Peal feels confident that, with the right systems in place and a clear picture of the resources they require, he and his team will be able to drive the business forward.
Key to this will be ensuring that YorPower and PPSPower work together more efficiently, sharing expertise and resources.
“Historically, we have not been very good at working together,” Mr Peal explains. “We’ve improved over the years, and now it’s at a point where we can get so much better at it and open that up.”
While PPSPower’s engineering team services, maintains and repairs equipment for FM clients, YorPower’s customer base consists of end users, architects, and construction companies. There has always been some crossover, with FMs requesting quotes for new generators, and end-users purchasing YorPower equipment covered by service agreements.
Mr Peal explains that, in the past, the companies were guilty of over-administration, liaising with each other rather than directly with customers. Now, he hopes that they will operate, not as subcontractors, but as complementary departments. This should benefit customers, who will be referred straight to the expert instead of liaising with a third party.
“Subcontracting upstairs and downstairs obviously leads to a lot of over-administration. That is unnecessary and the customer lacks that direct contact with the expert,” Mr Peal states. “Whereas when we all become one brand, it will be much simpler, with the experts doing what the experts know best.”
And realising these efficiencies won’t just benefit the group’s customers; it will also result in more opportunities for employees.
“There is no doubt in my mind that we will be creating opportunity over the next 12 months, growing and bringing people in as we are now,” Mr Peal comments.
He adds that there will be opportunities to move, not just up, but sideways, explaining: “Maybe you don’t want to be in the service side of the business, and would rather be on the new product side. These efficiencies will create more opportunity, more stability, and growth.”
As part of his drive to transform the group, Mr Peal is also focussing on social value and staff engagement, and plans to share his vision with employees.
“I want to talk to them about what I believe YorPower should be, and what our values will be going forward – make sure that they’re aligned with employees,” he explains.
As a mental health first-aider, he is particularly keen to improve employee engagement, and hopes that an anonymous survey will help YorPower to learn more about its team.
“Hopefully we’ll get great feedback from that,” he adds. “It’s going out to employees to say ‘who are we? How are you aligned with what we’re trying to achieve or where we’re trying to go?’ Because if people can be aligned, then we can obviously drive it a lot further and a lot faster, a lot better.”
Mr Peal admits that engaging with a large team can prove challenging, particularly when some employees – like PPSPower’s service engineers – work independently in the field.
“Are we communicating effectively to involve them in where we go and what we’re doing? Do they feel they have a voice? These are the kinds of things we want to understand by the end of it,” he states.
The group’s managing director is also keen to understand what makes his team feel valued, adding: “If we can make sure people feel valued, they are lifted, they’re driven, and they’re more aligned with what we’re trying to do. They feel respected and part of it all.”
Ultimately, he hopes that this progressive approach will help YorPower to become an industry-leading employer, adding: “I have this crazy notion I want to be the business that people want to work for.”
Mr Peal’s ambitious plans for YorPower extend to its carbon footprint, and he has been working closely with environmental, facilities management and software expert neutral carbon zone, which helps businesses to achieve their net zero goals.
“As we bring all the businesses together, inevitably we’re creating efficiencies anyway, which moves us towards more of a carbon-efficient situationbecause we’re being more effective and more efficient as an organisation,” he explains.
The next step is to establish and share the carbon footprint of YorPower’s services, and to include a price for carbon offsetting in quotations. This would enable the business to support its customers as they began their own decarbonisation journeys.
Mr Peal sees a clear relationship between these efforts to reduce YorPower’s carbon footprint, and his work on employee engagement.
“A carbon-efficient business is an efficient business,” he comments. “Looking after and retaining people makes for an efficient business. When people are engaged, they care about getting the job done, and they care about the customer.”
He admits that the challenge now is to realise these ambitious plans, and hopes to have a strategy in place imminently.
Reflecting on a productive year for the YorPower Group, Mr Peal concludes: “It’s about walking the walk now.”
If we can make sure people feel valued, they are lifted, they’re driven, and they’re more aligned with what we’re trying to do
Group Managing Director(left) and
Tony Brimble, Group CEO (right)
CBRE is finding the use of technology is essential in its increasing efforts to assist all its supply chain members to meet their net zero targets
egardless of size, every UK business is finding that it is increasingly being asked questions about its carbon emissions and its plans to reduce these, with some reporting that their efforts are becoming more important, if not essential, when assisting clients to achieve their own aims and to improve their chances of winning new contracts.
There have been high levels of attention on the net zero carbon emissions journey since the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, with many larger businesses mapping out plans to achieve this. The situation has
led to greater awareness of the emissions produced by each business and, in turn, more focus on Scope 3 emissions and particularly those created by the supply chain.
Embracing the challenge of tackling Scope 3 emissions, CBRE has made significant progress in both reducing its carbon emissions and announcing plans to continue this, while also engaging with its supply chain to assist them in understanding their own operations and the need to address the areas of most concern. The company is finding that this is an integral part of its environmental, social and
governance (ESG) programme, with links to all areas of the net zero journey.
CBRE Global ESG director Amy Brogan and global procurement head, ESG, Mat Langley describe the significant progress made by their company in engaging with its supply chain to address each company’s carbon emissions.
One of its early discoveries within its efforts to understand all aspects of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was that as little as 1% of these were produced from the running of its own facilities, with the remainder largely emanating from its supply chain.
CBRE also sees carbon emission reductions as a central element of its ESG strategies and its integrated FM model.
“In terms of carbon emissions, estimates within the research from the CDP and McKinsey show that Scope 3 will account for between 50% and 90% of most companies’ emissions, which our experience backs up,” Ms Brogan explains. “Therefore, if we don’t succeed together, we will all fail together.”
She further states that if businesses are successful in addressing their Scope 3 emissions, then that will significantly benefit global aims around decarbonisation. Consequently, CBRE has created a team to look at Scope 3 emissions in all areas of its operations around the world.
“Our global efforts are being led by Mat Langley and this is a huge area of focus for us,” Ms Brogan continues. She further explains how the company initially used three different emission factors to assess its Scope 3 emissions’ hot spots, with each producing different results.
“It’s really interesting to see how using different methodologies can impact the calculations and we had pretty large variations across the three factors, suggesting that selecting which tool to use is going to be an area of concern for a lot of organisations and that they will want to quickly transition to actual or primary emissions data.”
CBRE’s early engagement with these processes is providing it with unique insight into areas of concern
that will be of particular relevance for each business. This will not only assist with its own and its clients’ carbon emissions reduction processes, but also those of its and supply chain. With many companies still in the early stages of decarbonisation, there is growing realisation of the potential cost involved, Ms Brogan continues, which makes gaining support and assistance of vital importance.
“Obviously decarbonisation projects can be complex and costly, and you really need a subject matter expert to understand what’s required because a lack of methodology around understanding and capturing Scope 3 information is going to trip people up,” says Ms Brogan.
Mr Langley explains that this is the main reason he and his team have gone to the CBRE supply chain to encourage them to engage with the concept of reducing carbon emissions within their ESG strategies. “What’s very interesting to see is that 10% of our supply chain have used the technology we’ve provided to create their carbon reporting for the very first time, clearly demonstrating the benefit of the collaborative approach,” he says.
The company is continuing to work with its supply chain to assist everyone in understanding what is required and how to measure and gain greater understanding of their carbon missions, which then allows them to begin forming effective strategies to reduce these. One of the numerous long terms benefits is that this will allow everyone to achieve a level of accountability that will be acceptable to all parties.
“This will help everyone to map out their Scope 1, 2 and, more importanly Scope 3 emissions, which is where most emissions are going to be and the most challenging area to decarbonise,” he continues.
Mr Langley explains that the company identified 180 service providers to contact as part of his team’s Project Carbon Trace proof of concept (POC) and found that 53% of these were at the start of their ESG journey and only 10% were willing and able to go through the full exercise. The survey POC found that although limited data was available from the majority of companies, significant benefits were enjoyed by those that engaged most enthusiastically.
Using its Software as a Service (SaaS) solution, CBRE has been able to identify those service providers with the highest carbon emission levels and, like some of the support it provides to clients, has provided plans to reduce them. With a growing number of clients making significant progress towards their ESG and net zero carbon ambitions, the company has found this increased level of engagement with its supply chain is further assisting its customers, given the fact that CBRE is part of its client’s Scope 3 emissions.
“The level of visibility that’s given us is absolutely fantastic and has really helped our baseline and also helped our suppliers to realise their carbon emissions and how to reduce these,” says Ms Brogan.
“Everyone is just starting to realise that identifying Scope 3 emissions is the real challenge, but no one can really agree how to calculate these,” says Mr Langley. His comments are supported by others within the FM industry and indicate that urgent action is required to address this in all areas if the UK is to achieve its legally-binding commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Perhaps the most significant point within the above is that CBRE is far in advance of any other organisation in its efforts to both identify and address Scope 3 emissions.
Ms Brogan provides an example of how analysis of the data from operations within the CBRE supply chain has already made a significant contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions.
“Looking at one of our cleaning suppliers and their operation, we were able to help them to make a considerable reduction in their carbon emissions simply by procuring an alternative to some of their consumable items,” she says.
“That was quite a relatively easy one,” Mr Langley continues. “When we looked at their Scope 1 and 2 emissions, which account for 40% of their total emissions, we recommended they use electrical vehicles and renewable energy. We also identified that 60% could primarily be removed by simply changing the chemicals they used and also looked at the other options available to them.”
He further explains that a significantly higher level of challenge will come from attempting to reduce the emissions from hard service providers. “HVAC materials and anything such as steel, concrete and glass, etc, is where we’re going to have the real challenge to reduce,” Mr Langley continues.
“We’re going to need to go deep into our supply chain to identify who’s buying these materials and where they’re buying them from in order to engage and work through decarbonisation strategies.”
The company has conducted an all-inclusive engagement exercise and training programme with its supply chain to explain how they can benefit and what will be required. “We’re acting as an agent for change rather than just mandating without support.
“We’re giving them the tools and allowing them to develop their own expertise to do things in ways that will be credible and help them to create accurate Scope 3 calculations,” says Ms Brogan.
“One of the things I find most fantastic in this is that I now have a tool that is able to estimate carbon emissions and provide both our clients and our service providers with a level of reporting and calculation that they just don’t have access to,” says Ms Brogan.
“But that’s just the first step. Then it’s a case of driving those change programmes and working collaboratively with the supplier to help them decarbonise.”
Mr Langley states that he is “really happy” with the progress of his team’s efforts to examine the CBRE supply chain and identify its emissions, including those that will be both easy and more difficult to reduce. “It’s been really successful, and we’ve learned a lot. And it’s really great that we can now take that to our clients and suppliers and work with them to reduce their emissions.”
Having established an effective methodology to identify Scope 3 emissions, CBRE plans to engage specifically with its HVAC suppliers in the near future to drive this forward.
We can now take that to our clients and suppliers and work with them to reduce their emissions
s the current trend in today’s commercial buildings simply to ‘use less energy’ or are there other aspects of life that need to be taken into account?
Of course, there are still, and always will be, those architects and designers that strive to produce signature buildings that stand out from a visual perspective and possibly pay only lip service to efficiency. There are also likely to be some buildings that strive towards the nirvana of carbon net zero.
Perhaps not all of them have paid or will pay sufficient attention to the internal environment and its effect on the people who inhabit those buildings. Most of us will likely accept that the ideal is a building that is visually stunning, provides an internal environment that engenders enthusiasm in the occupants and does it in a way that minimises the
carbon footprint and costs of both the construction phase and the ongoing operations of the building.
Throughout last year, the Commissioning Specialists Association (CSA), as part of its annual awards programme, invited members to submit projects that they had worked on for the Project of the Year category. Each of the entries was carefully considered by the independent judging panel against a set of pre-defined criteria, with the associated scoring being applied in secret.
What was striking, however, was the wide array of entries, the different approaches taken in the designs and the innovative solutions that came about. It was also clear that, as might be anticipated, the local environments had a significant influence on
the direction of the design of the building services. Looking at some of the key elements of the finalists – bearing in mind that there is no judgement or evaluation here – we leave it to the reader to decide which entry is most worthy of the award.
The list of last year’s winners can be found at csa-awards.co.uk.
The entries are presented below in no particular order.
One Za’abeel in Dubai: Yes, it does have visual impact and the cantilever effect is striking. But it also reflects the local environment in that it focuses on energy and water efficiency – quite important in a desert locale.
The latest phase of Battersea Power Station in London: This iconic listed building has graced the London skyline since the early 1930s.
Obviously, the listed status has some limitations on what innovations can be brought to the building. There is a focus on efficiency, not just in terms of energy use in operation, but also in terms of construction.
University of Salford’s School of Science, Engineering and Environment achieves a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standard through, amongst other things, the use of natural light, low-power lighting and photovoltaic panels along with air source heat pumps.
University College London’s PEARL (PersonEnvironment-Activity Research Laboratory) is out of the ordinary in that it is a very flexible building designed to permit almost infinite variations in the environment to study the effects on people housed within it. The use of a ‘circular economy’ approach guides the building towards a net carbon zero classification.
Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium East Stand redevelopment is intended to provide flexible space so that one or more events can take place at the same time and spaces can be used intermittently. To achieve this, some services use small local systems or larger plants with local control units for specific spaces.
T Zone, Kings Cross, London has a particular focus on local biodiversity and occupant wellbeing. The initial shell and core achieved BREEAM Outstanding, while the fit-out is to LEED Platinum standard. Ten per cent of the overall area is dedicated to roof gardens and terraces promoting biodiversity. Along with other initiatives, this results in a carbon-neutral building.
Soho Place is a development alongside the Tottenham Court Road tube station that has a number of innovations worthy of note. It uses a ‘plug and play’ energy centre and bio-diverse roof areas. Embodied carbon has been offset using verified schemes. The target is for BREEAM Outstanding, LEED Gold and EPC B energy standards.
Project Jupiter in Leamington Spa is a state-ofthe-art, high-capacity laboratory complex built to provide quality Covid testing facilities using cuttingedge technologies. The carbon footprint was minimised by re-using an existing warehouse building, along with some of the electrical infrastructure within the building.
These buildings used a variety of methods to become environmentally friendly, including photovoltaic panels, off-site modular construction, recycling of wastewater, CHP engines, district heating and cooling systems, careful selection of materials and attention to access and maintenance strategies to help reduce running costs.
The overall picture from this sample of quality projects is that the UK construction industry employs a wide range of high-tech, innovative solutions aimed at reducing carbon footprints and environmental impacts, increasing energy efficiencies, and improving the occupant’s experience.
With that wide range of high-tech solutions come the potential pitfalls related to making them all work together. The design engineers on any project will start out fully intending that all of the systems are fully integrated and work together seamlessly and, on paper, they almost certainly will.
However, every project is a dynamic entity that changes over time. This might be due, for example, to variations in the client’s requirements, or manufacturer’s developments in the equipment being used. Occasionally there may also be just a simple mistake.
All of a sudden, two systems that should have worked seamlessly together cannot even recognise each other; a control valve does not have sufficient authority over a revised flow rate or two items of equipment turn out to have different types of Modbus communication protocol.
Even something as simple as normally open versus normally closed contacts or mismatched baud rates can cause unexpected problems that take time and effort to resolve.
There is no doubt that buildings with this level of sophistication, requiring a high degree of integration, need a significant input of commissioning and commissioning management expertise to knit the constituent parts together, even without any of the problems mentioned. There is already a marked element of systems engineering thinking needed and the impression that this aspect of a construction project will become more and more important grows by the day.
It is fortunate, therefore, that some of the forward thinkers in the building services sector are rising to the challenges that these developments pose. The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has recently undertaken a comprehensive review and update of its Commissioning Code M: Commissioning Management. It is also updating other codes, such as Code A for air systems and Code W for water systems.
The CSA helped to finance this exercise and provided some of the members of the steering group that contributed to and oversaw the process. It is also important that the CSA has itself instigated the Introduction to Commissioning Management training course alongside its existing commissioning engineer training material and now has a commissioning management path of development in place.
It is further understood that BSRIA is looking closely at revisions for some of its applicable guides such as BG 49/2015 Commissioning Air Systems. Again, the CSA stands ready to contribute to this initiative.
The conclusion is that there has undoubtedly been a significant increase in the complexity of the services integration in buildings and indications are that this is likely to continue. It will require a corresponding shift in the skill set of the testing and commissioning function and this is already being reflected in the progress shown in available training material from major industry bodies.
And just one final thought. The projects mentioned above that made the finalists list in the CSA awards were all more than worthy of that accolade and were prime examples of a successful approach to commissioning; perhaps it is no surprise that all of them employed CSA member companies to achieve that.
Every project is a dynamic entity that changes over time
Dramatic changes to the ways people work have been seen in recent years and are continuing to evolve further in a number of new and exciting areas
It has been difficult to avoid the many conversations and comments regarding the implementation of hybrid working practices in all areas of work over the last two or three years. Initially introduced in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the practice has become even more popular in light of additional issues emerging last year.
Difficulties in recruiting employees, public transport strikes and further challenges emerging within the post-pandemic working environment have all contributed to more adaptations. These can also be seen to be impacting on the area of workplace relocations, which have changed considerably.
In order to assist our readers to gain more understanding about the ongoing developments, we asked industry experts from both the world of relocation and office furniture provision to provide their thoughts on the main changes seen and how these need to be considered. The major developments seen across a number of areas are unlikely to be isolated, and further changes look set to emerge in future as a result.
Confirming the changing nature of relocation requirements, Business Moves Group managing director Rachel Houghton says that as the industry moves into 2023, workplace relocations are evolving.
“A traditional business move would consist of plentiful furniture, IT and AV equipment, and masses of paper filing, including confidential and protected documents that required secure moving and storage,” she continues. “Moving teams would simply be responsible for moving all these tangible assets from one location to another and setting them up in the new location.
“These days, businesses tend to have fewer items to physically move. Office furniture has changed since the days of individual box desks in one huge room. Now, we are seeing more ‘hot desk’ style spaces, where anyone can sit anywhere, meaning there is less furniture in general.
“This also corresponds with changes in the way we work. Many businesses have switched to using laptops and tablets as an employee’s core piece of working machinery, rather than a desktop computer per person per desk. This means less IT equipment involved in a relocation, as well as the furniture.”
Businesses tend to have fewer items to physically move. Office furniture has changed since the days of individual box desks in one huge room
Additionally, paper filing is becoming a thing of the past. Most businesses have upgraded their systems to have all important data and documents saved to a secure, cloud-based system, rather than locked away in storage cabinets (though for some sectors, such as legal and healthcare, paper documents are still commonplace).
All these changes in the way the workplace is run have impacted how a workplace relocation is handled.
Ms Houghton further states that we will see workplace relocations continue this year, but what the service consists of will adapt with the needs of the business. With hybrid work still taking the reins, more relocation projects will be about potentially downsizing an office space to make it fit for purpose, or upgrading an office space to encourage employees back.
“Relocation projects will continue to include further support, including digitalised asset management, internal communications about the relocation to staff affected by these changes, helping businesses shift their company culture with their space, understanding how the business wishes to be perceived, and offering solutions to fit those needs.
“Workplace relocations are more than just lorries and removal staff; it is about being a workplace change specialist at the same time,” Ms Houghton concludes.
Further consideration on this topic is provided by KI EMEA president Jonathan Hindle, who states that the Covid-19 pandemic has had an immeasurable effect on many aspects of our lives, and our work life is one of the largest areas where change has taken place.
“Most workplaces have become acclimatised to a new way of working because of a dramatic shift in the needs of their employees, while others still hope to return to how things were before, despite changed opinions.
“However, in lieu of ‘The Great Resignation’, the ‘Quiet Quitting’ phenomenon, and of the Covid-19 pandemic, companies have finally realised the importance of retaining staff and that one of their biggest priorities is to find ways to keep staff happy that also work for the company,” he continues.
For some businesses, there is the need to compete with homeworking, but forcing staff into the office is not going to have the desired outcome. The workplace should be somewhere people want to be - where they can collaborate and interact with their colleagues while completing their work in nurturing and comfortable surroundings.
To this end, two of the biggest changes that most, if not all, workplaces have had to incorporate into their model are better wellbeing initiatives and more flexible working practices. Mr Hindle further explains that this includes rethinking and redesigning office layouts to create a better variety of working environments, incorporating more biophilic elements, better acoustic solutions, and more flexible space. Some have achieved this using modular shelving systems that can be customised and adapted with accessories and furniture as necessary.
“For other companies, the main reaction to the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 is to continue giving their staff flexibility by keeping hybrid or fully remote working regimes.
If this is the case then the office changes may not be as drastic but are more about accommodating those that choose to work from home by including more spaces for meetings, informal gatherings and socialising,” says Mr Hindle.
The pace of change has certainly been dramatic and with an economic downturn predicted this year, this is likely to see further developments emerge and influence how the relocation market needs to work in the future. Perhaps one of the most notable changes in all areas has been the need to remain as flexible and adaptable as possible in all areas of business.
In order to meet these demands and ensure that each company continues to operate effectively in the current and future environment, regardless of the changes it will have to make to adapt to them, it is now more essential than ever for each business to remain as agile as possible.
Companies have finally realised the importance of retaining staff and that one of their biggest priorities is to find ways to keep staff happy
With the march of technology redefining what constitutes a smart building, 12 King St in Leeds provides an idea of how the limits are being extended
aving refurbished the 12 King Street facility in Leeds, its owners Fiera Real Estate (FRE) and Opus North have addressed a number of the current areas of discussion surrounding the adoption and application of modern construction techniques.
Carbon footprint is now a major consideration for all construction projects and refurbishment is considered
to create far fewer emissions than demolition and the building of a new facility, depending on the type and condition of the existing fabric.
In the case of 12 King Street, it has been transformed into a BREEAM Excellent building, which means not only has its refurbishment been less carbon intensive than a rebuild, but its carbon emissions will be 14% less in future.
These efforts will have further beneficial effects, including a 29% reduction in energy consumption – which has taken on additional importance following the recent rise in utility prices.
The building’s refurbishment will also reduce its water consumption by 42%, which will include further reductions in cost for the owners and tenants.
Perhaps the most important aspect of its redevelopment is that it can now clearly be described as a smart building. While the term ‘smart’ has been applied by some to describe mundane or basic use of technology, 12 King Street is at the cutting edge and makes use of the latest applications.
Yet another aspect of topical importance is that of how to apply technology and, for the building owners, this was a central element within the very first considerations for the project. Further explanation of the project is provided by Equans Smart Buildings Director Mark Davenport. He says: “The building was renovated from top to bottom and refurbished entirely. The Equans SMARTR system was designed in as an integral part of the refurbishment programme and installed as the work proceeded.”
This means that the core infrastructure was installed as an integral part from phase one of the project and continued into the fit out, with each new tenant adopting the smart options.
“The core infrastructure and integration functionality are included in the landlord’s services and the cost is incorporated into the rent,” he continues. “In addition, tenants are able to choose from a wide selection of soft services, such as room booking, visitor management, etc.
“Several tenants have chosen to replace their existing programs with smart services as this often proves more cost-effective. Typically, the tenant will end up with a mix of smart services and their own platforms for a range of functions. This option has proved effective in attracting new tenants.”
All the modules are Software as a Service (SaaS) applications and are available for tenants to either
buy outright or rent. The data uses the AWS Cloud service and can also feed into other cloud services, as well as any on-site options.
Users are provided with full dashboard functionality for monitoring and analysis, with alerts generated for data falling outside set parameters. Mr Davenport provides the diagram below to illustrate the stages of enabling and implementing smart building technology.
The building’s transformation is made all the more dramatic by the fact that, prior to the project, it was operated via basic applications such as timers and thermostats.
The building was renovated from top to bottom and refurbished entirely
Those using the platform are now able to obtain data about any aspect of each system within the building, along with analysis of air quality and various additional elements relating to the health and safety of users.
Mr Davenport explains that while his company owns the SMARTR Multisense platform, the data it provides is owned by the landlord or tenant who purchases the applications. Those renting the applications are provided with all the necessary support services from Equans, which is the legal owner in these instances.
“Regardless of whether these are purchased or rented, the platform provides unique integration between the various functions and protocols in the building and the apps are designed to be highly intuitive. Equans additionally provides tuition if required to make sure end users get the most out of the system,” Mr Davenport continues.
The platform uses the building’s lighting system to gather all the data from the facility. He adds: “The ubiquity of lighting throughout the building makes it the ideal ‘backbone’ of the system, carrying the sensors that gather a wide range of data – way beyond the data required for lighting control. This data is then fed back to the system, which acts as the ‘brains’ of the platform, communicating with all the other elements through category 6 cabling.”
“This is an end-to-end platform that incorporates hardware and software applications along with wired and wireless technologies – utilising standard integration applications such as API, SDK, MQTT etc. A key strength of the SMARTR Multisense network is that it has the ability to normalise all of the different protocols used by the various manufacturers and enables them to communicate with each other.
“This is the key to a smart building as traditional building control designs are unable to achieve this level of integration, so many systems tend to operate in silos. Because of the smart infrastructure, data can be collected from both wired and wireless networks.”
Having gathered in-depth information, this data is then used to control and support all the connected services and enable cross-functionality. For example, the Smart EnOcean protocol enables wireless and battery-less technology to feed data from the smart sensors on factors such as air quality, PIR, temperature, humidity, window status, door status, etc.
The network then distributes all the sensing data back out to the relevant systems to efficiently manage the building services. The system uses Bluetooth to communicate with users on their own devices.
This high level of integration enables those using the platform to adopt their preferred technologies to suit their specific needs and priorities.
The core infrastructure and integration functionality are included in the landlord’s services and the cost is incorporated into the rent
For instance, a tenant using a mix of their own and SMARTR applications can still share data between these.
The sensors can provide data over any of the communication protocols in use and utilise this to drive a detailed understanding of the building’s operational status. For example, the Bluetooth service can triangulate the location of an individual’s smart device to offer location-based services/wayfinding and life safety information.
Mr Davenport says the system is easily capable of supporting the wellbeing of occupants by recording and analysing information on a constant basis.
“The system continually gathers and analyses a wide range of health-related environmental parameters (eg temperature, humidity, indoor air quality) and detects if any of these fall outside acceptable ranges – alerting building managers where appropriate. In this way, a healthy work environment is maintained and any issues pertaining to health or the immediate environment can be detected, and reacted to, promptly.”
“In parallel, the system provides FM teams with comprehensive information about factors such as occupancy in workspaces and footfall in corridors, etcetera, to underpin efficient management of the building.
“This has a beneficial effect on the workforce’s experience and, therefore, their wellbeing,” he continues. “This prioritisation of wellbeing is also an important factor in staff retention by tenants at a time when there are critical staff shortages in certain areas.”
He further explains that the platform has been developed to ensure that its integration and connectivity is future proof.
“Within the hardware, Equans can plug additional cards into the SMARTR Multisense platform on top of the options we have available today, to enable any future wired or wireless technologies that emerge. All the firmware updates to the network and devices can be applied wirelessly, so there is no requirement to go to each device when a new module has been added,” he says.
The company worked directly with the investment and development team on the 12 King Street project to scope and specify exactly how the infrastructure would be deployed. This is because specifying a smart building differs radically from traditional construction specification.
“We had to, effectively, break the norms of specification,” Mr Davenport explains. “In a traditional construction programme, the main contractor delegates the control aspects to the M&E contractor, so that control and monitoring effectively become separate aspects of the project. With a smart building, control, monitoring and data analysis are all integral to the building rather than separate entities and this needs to be reflected from the very outset of the project.
“Therefore, we created a high-level design primarily for the construction team to quote against. This enabled them to go out to tender with various manufacturers and know what data sets they needed. We then created a low-level specification to reflect how the project would be delivered. The building was enabled as a core,” says Mr Davenport.
The transformation of 12 King Street from its former state to being one of the smartest buildings in the UK is now complete and the owners and tenants are set to enjoy the benefits for many years into the future.
The system provides FM teams with comprehensive information about factors such as occupancy in workspaces and footfall in corridors
FM Director will publish an overview of the industry’s latest senior new starters and details of their roles in each of its monthly publications
The British Nutrition Foundation, a leading nutrition charity with an ambition for a future where everyone has access to a healthy and sustainable diet, has announced the appointment of three new trustees and its honorary president.
Jaimie Potts has been promoted to the newly created post of group commercial director for Kingdom Group with immediate effect.
Under his new remit, he has overall responsibility for building, transforming, and delivering best-inclass group commercials to accelerate the group’s sustainable growth and revenue ambitions whilst controlling contractual risk.
The role includes overall responsibility for the Kingdom Group commercial, tender and major bids team, and the Kingdom Group sales centre, based in Newton-Le-Willows Merseyside.
Nomad Foods group director, corporate affairs and sustainability, Sam Fulton: With broad-ranging experience working for companies including Apple, Unilever, McDonald’s, Nestlé, Kellogg’s and Nomad Foods, Ms Fulton will bring a breadth of experience to the British Nutrition Foundation Board spanning global and regional trade, regulatory, public health, supply chain and the environment. She is a member of the Corporate Affairs working groups for the Food and Drink Federation and European Brands Association and sits on the Sustainability Officers Group for the US think tank, Foodtank.
Asda senior director, core grocery Luke Stockill: He has been with Asda since 2010 and has led the development of its £2bn core grocery offer. Most recently, Mr Stockhill has been appointed to lead a transformation programme in Asda. He will bring considerable consumer insight and a valuable commercial perspective as the British Nutrition Foundation seeks to become more public facing in the coming years.
Kellogg’s corporate communications director, UK & Ireland Paul Wheeler: He is a seasoned corporate affairs professional with expertise in reputation, issues management, community, sustainability and public affairs. Mr Wheeler chaired Manchester Pride from 2016 to November 2022 and is currently chair of the Trafford Climate Emergency Commission for the Borough of Trafford.
Three trustees have stepped down from the British Nutrition Foundation Board: Michael Bond (global product line leader, IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances), Gill Fine (consultant) and David Webster (director of sustainability and external affairs, Associated British Foods, UK Grocery).
With more than 25 years of experience, most recently as commercial director at Ferrovial Construction, he has extensive knowledge of the sector and industry. Prior to Ferrovial Construction, Mr Smith also held senior positions at other leading construction companies including Kier, Costain and Vinci.
Tilbury Douglas CEO Paul Gandy, said: “Martyn will be responsible for the development and implementation of the business’ commercial strategy, which supports the sustainable growth of Tilbury Douglas.”
Business Moves Group (BMG), the office relocation and workplace change management specialist, has appointed Karen Adams as business development manager.
She will be focused on business development in the north of England and Scotland in key locations including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle. She has been in business development for 14 years and has previous experience in the commercial relocation industry.
The appointment follows the hiring of Andy Crawford as director of the northern region and Scotland earlier last year. The strengthening of this team demonstrates a commitment from BMG to ramp up operations in the north and support more businesses with a wide array of services, from office relocation to digitised furniture and asset management.
She will be focused on business development in the north of England and Scotland in key locationsTilbury Douglas has announced the appointment of Martyn Smith as commercial director.
Cluttons has hired Gareth Buckley as partner and national head of business rates to lead its existing high-profile team of experts across the UK.
Joining Cluttons from Avison Young, he will work closely with Michael Hampton-Riddington – head of rating for the south – and Ryan Jones – head of rating for the north. Mr Buckley’s appointment further strengthens Cluttons’ wealth of business rates expertise and follows the recent appointment of Chris Severs as partner within the Manchester team. He will also be based in Cluttons’ Manchester office.
An original founding partner of WHR Property
Consultants LLP, acquired by Avison Young in late 2017, Mr Buckley was responsible for the professional services team and day-to-day management of the practice. Prior to forming WHR, he was also national head of rating at Lambert Smith Hampton.
Cluttons has recently made a number of senior hires as part of its strategic growth, including Kevin Scully as head of North East valuation, Alan Watson as partner in project and building consultancy in Manchester, Gráinne Gilmore as head of research, Pippa Rawlinson as head of facilities management and Richard Jones as partner in London building consultancy, amongst others.
Willmott Dixon has announced two key appointments to its main board from 1 January 2023.
Kier has appointed Anna Baker as head of sustainability for its Construction business.
This latest appointment builds on the group’s newly formed Responsible Business team and underlines its commitment to sustainably delivering infrastructure which is vital to the UK.
Ms Baker will be responsible for delivering Kier Construction’s targets as part of the group’s Building for a Sustainable World. These include achieving net zero carbon across business operations by 2039, eliminating avoidable waste by 2035, the delivery of 30p in every pound of impactful social value, and helping customers deliver on their sustainability targets, working with them to co-create sustainability solutions.
The first will see chief sustainability officer Julia Barrett promoted to the board as director responsible for sustainability and non-financial compliance. She has guided the company’s sustainability strategy over the past decade, including the aim to become a zero-carbon business by 2030 through the Now or Never strategy. Alongside sustainability, her remit will also include being the board representative for the company’s health, safety and environment approach.
Prior to joining Kier, Ms Baker was at Careys, where she headed up its sustainability team. With over 17 years’ experience in the sector, she has extensive experience in developing and delivering sustainability strategies, as well as sustainable procurement. At Kier, she will also play a key part in supporting its clients and supply chain to deliver their sustainability plans
Also joining as non-executive director (NED) is Juliette Stacey, whose previous roles include group chief executive at engineering company Mabey and chief operating officer (UK and Europe) for Savills. She is also an NED at companies that include Fuller, Smith & Turner and Renishaw, and her appointment is part of Willmott Dixon’s succession planning, with Christopher Sheridan retiring as NED in May 2023 after 25 years.
JLL has appointed Tim Vallance as head of national capital markets; he previously undertook the dual role of head of UK investor services and retail chairman.
He joined JLL in 2008 following its acquisition of Churston Heard and led the retail and leisure team until 2019.
Mr Vallance will work with the heads of JLL’s retail, industrial and office investment teams to enable seamless client servicing across the UK.
Per Skoglund has taken over as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of FVB Sverige AB. He has been the deputy CEO since 2017 and is succeeding Leif Breitholtz.
Mr Skoglund is taking over during a turbulent time in the world, particularly in the energy sector.
“This is the right time for our services. I feel strongly about the company and want to continue to develop our current business offerings,” he said.
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