FM Director December 2023/January 2024 by FMBD Media

Exclusively for FM industry leaders December 2023/January 2024

In this issue: Andy Shields

Untimely death of a friend and dedicated family man

Claudia Halabi

Delivering healthy and sustainable work/life support

Ashley Lawrence

Assisting clients with achieving their ESG objectives

Johan Venter How innovation, people and principles deliver growth

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EDITOR’S NOTE

December 2023/January 2024 | 3

Happy New Year to our readers On behalf of everyone at FM Business Daily I’d like to wish all our readers, advertisers, sponsors and industry partners all the very best for 2024, may it bring health and prosperity to all our FM contacts

hese sentiments are very easily written and spoken, but I’d like to reassure all our readers that they are entirely sincere, another central element of our business and also a main driver of the focus of the editorial strategy of FM Director magazine.

While retaining our positive outlook, this year has started on a sad note following the untimely death of our colleague and ad sales manager Andy Shields toward the end of last year (please turn to pages 36 and 37 for his obituary).

Every issue is a testament to the many examples of best working practices applied throughout the FM industry by individuals and companies.

He was a true professional and continued to work to the best of his considerable abilities to the end, without losing his many human qualities, as proven by the spontaneous outpouring of grief and sharing of fond memories by former colleagues and industry contacts alike.

In addition to our New Year wishes, we would also like to welcome readers to our new look magazine, which has undergone a redesign to provide a fresh look and reflect our renewed efforts to celebrate all that’s best in the FM industry in 2024.

Andy will be greatly missed by all those who knew him, especially his family and two children in particular, and I would like to thank all our industry contacts who have stated they are determined to honour his memory by continuing to develop their relationship with our brand.

The passion displayed by so many FM professionals is one of the many strengths of our industry and this deser ves to be recognised and celebrated, which we plan to continue to do and include as a central element of all editorial coverage within this magazine.

This is another timely reminder that every individual and all organisations will face challenges of different types and scale but, as with Andy’s passing, our choice of how we react shows our true character and providing an accurate reflection of our – or our company’s – state of being.

There are also numerous new and continuing developments, both within FM Business Daily and the industry itself, that we plan to cover in future issues, with the aim of encouraging more engagement with best practice principles.

We’re constantly reminded that the FM industry is all about people and that’s another reason why so many professionals find their career-defining roles in our sector, showing the importance of retaining our human qualities and combining these with professional attitudes and attributes.

The fact that there are so many options for interviews, case studies and repor ting on industr y events continues to be an important and encouraging driver for FM Director magazine and its promotion of the high levels of value delivered by the FM sector on a daily basis.

dennis@fmbusinessdaily.com

We look for ward to continuing our existing relationships and developing new opportunities, while wishing all our contacts all the very best for the future.

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2023/ Janua

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Untimely death of a friend and dedicated family man

Claudia

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J oh a n V enter How inn ovati principles on, people and deliver gr ow th

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CONTENTS

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Contents 0800 046 7320

fmdirector@fmbusinessdaily.com

36 60

Johan Venter explains how he is applying his values and convictions to all areas of the Excellerate Services brand, including its expansion through both organic growth and acquisitions

Head of sales Andy Shields passed away suddenly on 7 December 2023 and will be greatly missed by his family, friends and former colleagues

How innovation, people and principles deliver growth

Managing Editor Dennis Flower dennis@fmbusinessdaily.com

The death of a salesman, dear friend and colleague

Designer and Production Manager Chris Cassidy

Career success should not come at the expense of personal health Claudia Halabi is relishing life in her new business and practising what she preaches in achieving the healthiest and most sustainable work/life balance

Production Editor James Jackaman

Managing Director Cheryl Ellerington

Published by FM Business Daily, Linacre House, Dark Lane, Braunston NN11 7HU © 2024 FM Business Daily. 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 01482 782287 or email fmdirector@fmbusinessdaily.com 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.

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CONTENTS

How innovation, people and principles deliver growth

The race to find the best data capturing methods

Will FM be a leader in the race to adopt new energy sources?

In-depth support on the circular economy journey

Investments continues in sustainability despite economic challenges

Living Wage discussion explores options to help more people

The death of a salesman, dear friend and colleague

Placing social value within the heart of every business

PTSG: The Fourth Emergency Service

How facilities services teams and universities are partnering for

December 2023/January 2024 | 5

success 50

The Significance Mutual Recognition Across Member Schemes

Demand for more retrofit considerations to achieve sustainability and net zero goals

FM Business Daily hosts successful roundtable event in Birmingham

Career success should not come at the expense of personal health

2023 AEMT award winners announced

How networking is enabling sis to deliver a different kind of

engineering inspection service 69

When lightning strikes: Is your electrical infrastructure really that safe?

How innovation is transforming the public EV charging landscape

How FMs can simplify inventory audits

Latest appointments of senior FM professionals

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INTERVIEW

How innovation, people and principles deliver growth Johan Venter explains how he is applying his values and convictions to all areas of the Excellerate Services brand, including its expansion through both organic growth and acquisitions

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INTERVIEW

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It was the most amazing time where we worked with airports, rail, street furniture such as bus shelters, ferries and other UK transport inf rastructure

egular readers of FM Director magazine will be keenly aware of the long list of interviews published in each issue, with little idea of the process behind them. Looking back to the launch of the title in September 2022, it is noticeable that while some have proved to be the result of long and protracted processes that can include live and virtual meetings and also require email and other electronic communications, others are far simpler to complete. One of our recent interviews has been with Excellerate Services CEO Johan Venter and this most definitely falls into the latter category, due to the clarity of information provided in a recorded Microsoft Teams call of short duration that additionally managed to enhance the quality of this article. His considerable FM industry work experience began in his native South Africa and culminated with his appointment to the position of Servest Cleaning Services managing director for the company’s South African division. He moved to the UK in 2002 to begin working for Executive Cleaning and Security, of which Servest South Africa was the majority shareholder. Having begun to make progress in the management of the company and resolving some of the issues requiring attention at the time, the business was sold to Mitie Group in November 2003 and Mr Venter transferred his services within a Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) arrangement. “That’s really helped me to truly understand every time we TUPE transfer colleagues how the change impacts them,” he states.

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“That’s really important to me and sets the cornerstone for my approach in the UK, given the fact that where I come from and at that stage, should a contract be cancelled your colleagues working on that site would need to reapply for their position.” Although this is not the case in the UK, he understands how TUPE can impact on individuals and that many will need to be supported throughout the transition period. Mr Venter’s work with Mitie included the launch of its Transport division in May 2004, exceeding all expectations by reaching a £50m annual turnover within five years. This was achieved by establishing a skilled and committed operational, support and sales team that delivered a highly effective service. “It was the most amazing time where we worked with airports, rail, street furniture such as bus shelters, ferries and other UK transport infrastructure. “We delivered services to around 80% of the UK’s airports and 40% of the UK’s rail network and the company expanded considerably beyond our expectations.” Circumstances changed in 2012 as Mr Venter found it difficult to effectively operate in a large, corporate environment which in his opinion stifled his entrepreneurial ambitions and resulted in him exiting the business. “I took some time out and focused on refurbishing my 1640, Grade II listed property near Banbury.” “In September 2013, I started working for Servest in the UK again, effectively going back to my roots, if you like, in the position working as their COO,” he continues.

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INTERVIEW

This acquisition/merger, significantly increased Excellerate Services UK Group’s national presence and retail/distribution capability. Subsequently, Mr. Venter has been appointed CEO with his remit to ensure the three companies work closely together with a major focus on customer satisfaction and high service standards. “My view has always been that 80% of the cost of our business is related to people and therefore 80% of the leadership team’s time should be focused on our biggest asset, our people,” says Mr Venter. “I find it really humbling that people still want to engage with and work for me after knowing me for 20-odd years, but I think that’s largely due to my belief that you should treat people as you would like to be treated.” His adoption of strong ethics has understandably resonated positively with many clients and has also led to the forging of long and meaningful relationships. Having spent more than 20 years in the UK, Mr Venter finds that his first anniversary of his leading role within the Excellerate Services UK Group business has allowed him to examine his standards and how these fit within the company. “My focus will always remain on our people and ensuring we deliver what we promise. However, there’s another topic that’s been bandied around for many years and that’s the effective use of technology and data to strengthen service delivery and meet dynamic customer demands,” he continues. His company has proprietarily created the Velocity data capture and analysis system, which Mr Venter describes as “one of the main reasons I joined”. Launched in 2000, the company has continued to develop and expand the system to include all manner of operations for the business and its clients, including communication, training and development, HR, health and safety, wellbeing and operational reporting. Following its merger with Atalian and as part of the restructure, he was asked to run the company’s cleaning division. Although he again enjoyed his role and brought huge success to the business, Mr. Venter desired a role which would enable him to work closer with the operation and the organic growth of the business. “I started to engage with Excellerate Services and joined them in December 2022 as managing director,” he states. The company is South African-owned, although Mr Venter did not know the owners prior to his engagement. To increase their geographical footprint, Excellerate Services acquired G S Associates in July 2022 and then merged with Premium Support Services in May 2023.

Traditionally, the industry follows input/output specifications however “through Velocity we are now able to analyse footfall and occupancy data to allocate resources to those areas needing cleaning rather than following a traditional task-based approach.“ he adds. “We extensively utilise sensor technology to identify how many people have gone into a particular area and we then set a threshold that results in an automated message sent to a housekeeper to deliver the clean.” “Velocity forms a key element in everything we do and as it is our own, in-house system, we have complete flexibility to dynamically change whatever we need to, to accommodate customer expectations.

It’s also important to respect your colleagues and thank everyone for working hard every single day. It’s the little things that often make a fundamental difference

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INTERVIEW

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“As well as handling many tasks, the system links to our financial package and automatically downloads into the SAP accounting system, and therefore is the engine of our entire business.” The Velocity system continues to be refined and enhanced and is increasingly appreciated by clients, he confirms, leading to the rollout of a complete sensor technology system with one of the UK’s leading retailers. Mr Venter states his expectations for the system to be a major factor in the company’s growth this year, following its rollout with G S Associates and continuing this with the Premium Support Services business in the months ahead. “Having spent last year getting to know the company and appreciating its strengths and the way it does business, I’m really excited for 2024. We have brought in new colleagues to reinvigorate the company and support growth.” Additional major points of focus include ensuring the company’s operational teams continue to enhance their focus on service excellence, along with more consideration for strategic acquisitions to support the organic growth ambitions of the business. “Based on what I’ve seen in the FM industry thus far and comparing this with what we offer to our clients, our fundamental point of difference is that our Velocity system really works and adds exceptional value, to our colleagues and customers alike. That’s placing us in a really strong position, allowing us to identify the customers we really want to work with and develop progressive relationships with them,” he continues.

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INTERVIEW

Excellerate Services UK also plans to further develop its in-house sales teams by focusing on key sectors within the industry. With existing clients including Marks & Spencer and John Lewis, Mr Venter states the importance of the retail high street market to the business, along with the distribution, logistics and commercial real estate sectors.

He further states that he finds it very simple to retain high standards and compares this to those that are not able to do this, while telling everyone that they do. “If you’re not telling the absolute truth about the way you do business, you have to remember everything you claim. But if you’re always focused on saying what you do and doing what you say, you don’t have to remember anything.”

“Over the last couple of years or so, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of waking up in the morning raring to get to the office and enjoying another day working. You have to deal with the tough things, of course, but if you surround yourself with really good, like-minded people and work to help them to achieve their goals and objectives, life becomes much more meaningful and enjoyable, I find.”

This brings the conversation to consider the importance of establishing high levels of trust within all business relationships, which he describes as “really important. I understand the pressures that often lead to companies claiming to do something and say the right things in the drive to deliver growth, particularly in difficult economic situations, but I believe you have to commit to your principles,” he states.

While accepting that everyone will always have good and bad days, Mr Venter states the importance of recognising achievements and allowing everyone to make mistakes. “If you’re keeping busy you’ll always make errors,” he continues. “But I always say to everyone I work with: ‘Make as many mistakes as possible, but don’t make the same one again.’ “It’s also important to respect your colleagues and thank everyone for working hard every single day. It’s the little things that often make a fundamental difference, including saying please and thank you and showing respect to everyone and applying old-fashioned values,” Mr Venter continues.

My focus will always remain on our people and ensuring we deliver what we promise

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“Without this, it will be difficult – if not impossible – to make the bold decision to look at the market and decide which clients the business will benefit most from working with in the future. “Aligning yourself with the right clients says a lot about your business and that also applies to your supply partners, too,” he continues. “If you can align yourself, your clients and your subcontractors and suppliers with the right values, it makes it a much better place for everyone to be in. We’re increasingly aware of the need to determine our impact on the environment, for example, and I think that this will be another major focus in our efforts to work constructively with all our partners in 2024. “I really want to get under the skin of all our environmental efforts to ensure that we do the right thing and for the right reason,” he continues. Rather than having to do that because you’re being pressured, it’s much better to create the working environment where you’re doing the right things because you want to.” The final part of our conversation reaffirms Mr Venter’s belief that the working environment is “all about people: If you look after your people, they will look after you,” he states. “I’ve always worked to that principle and – unless anyone can prove me wrong – I plan to continue that throughout the rest of my career,” he concludes.

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TECHNOLOGY

The race to find the best data capturing methods As technology drives forward, the companies making the best choices of data capture will be the winners in the future, say industry experts

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Access control plays a central part in this as it provides the granular data f rom the door readers

ather than the George Orwell predictions for technology – and many others – within his Nineteen eight-four novel, those making the best choices and applying it correctly to their businesses stand to make significant gains, say industry experts. Prior to embarking on the process to make this choice, companies should take as much as necessary to not only understand all the aspects of their businesses, but also ensure they map out exactly what their technology purchase will be required to deliver. In terms of what is required, this will inevitably focus on providing focused and detailed data in the simplest and clearest form. The question that companies will need to answer in as much detail as possible is what type of data will they need and how will these best help the future aims of their business. Those devoting the most time and effort to this process will see the rewards once their purchase has been made, say industry experts. With the aim of providing more detail around this, FM Director asked three industry experts to provide their thoughts on the most recent technology developments that are assisting FM companies. First to respond is HID product marketing director Jaroslav Barton, who says: “The most exciting developments focus on the digital technology that links tenants and their staff to the buildings they work in so there is comprehensive data about who is coming in, when and where and the operational performance of a building. “Access control plays a central part in this as it provides the granular data from the door readers or, if a building experience app supports indoor positioning, location information of people within a building,” he continues. “This is anonymized – it’s not Big Brother tracking of individuals – rather the grouping of data together to illustrate usage and trends.”

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This can then be used to facilitate the better management of a property when gathered into a cloud platform and integrated with a building management system (BMS) or smart workplace app so that data analytics can be performed. This allows FM service providers to then leverage this data to manage and set heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); undertake predictive and scheduled maintenance; schedule cleaning and so on.

Building information data Mr Barton says AI will play a big role in the future to help process the vast amount of information buildings will generate, given the number of sensors now being deployed. “Why does this matter? Owners of corporate real estate need to differentiate their buildings to offer a better user experience and drive higher occupancy. For clarity, smart building software makes it far easier for workers to get into buildings, book desks, reserve bike and car parking, get lifts automatically, provide passes to visitors, access gyms and so on.” Post Covid in the hybrid world of work characterized by higher interest rates and other cost pressures, office space capacity now outstrips demand. It is the innovative CRE owners who through a combination of offering premium facilities along with smart apps – so their sites can be better used and managed - are weathering the occupancy crisis effectively. “Certainly, this is the case in the USA and increasingly in the UK. To bring this into real focus, Forbes magazine recently reported that some tenants in New York are paying $200 per square foot for space in buildings which have premium amenities, well above the $80 average. To achieve commercial success and command better than average pricing, CRE owners will need to turn to technology to enhance the office experience, boost user convenience, and lower operational overheads,” says Mr Barton.

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TECHNOLOGY

Adding sensors to taps and pipes to check flow generates information about usage and means maintenance crews do not need to be sent out unnecessarily to flush the system. The same goes for taking meter readings. The sensor removes the need for laborious error prone tasks, freeing staff to focus on more important and value-adding activities. Sensors can be used everywhere: on desks, in car parking areas, access control and so on.

Key data Mr Drogman also believes that AI will be a key component within this. By recording sensor data and keeping a base line log of what optimum performance should be, any deviation can be spotted immediately. This enables FM service providers to undertake predicative maintenance, fault detection and diagnosis in an automated fashion given AI allows the data to be processed far quicker and cheaper than a human therefore enabling operations to be better run.

Continuing the focus, Smart Spaces chief executive officer Dan Drogman says: “One of the biggest developments in technology might come as a real surprise. The cost to deploy sensors around buildings has come down enormously. Previously, the price point was such that using people was more economical than investing in these little Lego-sized devices. Today, they’ve become commodity items.” The impact for FM service providers is significant, he continues, with the humble sensor set to radically change day to day operations in buildings when integrated with smart building software. “You can get sensors for pretty much anything and track the performance of a building in real-time. Take some simple examples. Every office development in London uses passive infrared (PIR) motion sensors to control lighting and save power. Someone walks in, triggers the sensor, the lights come on and then go off when they leave. “If you combine this with smart building software – and log all instances in a database - you could apply this to many activities. Toilet cleaning is one. In large office buildings, rather than randomly cherry-picking loos to clean throughout the day, you send staff to the locations that have had most traffic based on the light activations or length of time they’re on,” Mr Drogman continues. Similarly, preventing legionnaires disease is a task that FM firms need to be cognisant of especially in the post Covid world.

“The key point is this: Data about a building’s performance is as important for CRE owners and their investors today as the physical building itself. Data is an asset class in its own right – driven by the humble sensor. We’re entering a new era of transparency with digital due diligence key in the future. And the impact for the FM industry? Visibility about performance can be very quickly seen based on this,” Mr Drogman concludes. Additional thoughts on this topic are provided by Corps Monitoring managing director Andrea Strong, who says there is a growing gap between rapidly developing technologies and traditional industry methodology. Rather than scramble to keep up, firms need to integrate technologies that keep them up to date with modern threats, but they also need to ensure that changes are cost-effective and pragmatic. She agrees that AI has become a buzzword associated with reduced employability, but believes that human intuition and adaptability will always remain at the centre of security. The industry firstly needs people to address people and complex, volatile and dangerous situations throughout society. However, officers’ safety needs to be considered too. “Digital technology can thrive by enhancing the training of officers, working to reduce their physical risk and better prepare them for a variety of situations,” she continues. “Virtual Reality (VR) training can create interactive and immersive simulated situations to train officers for different tasks like patrolling, and in potentially threatening situations; managing protests, suspect packages, aggressive people, and potential hostile reconnaissance.

If you combine this with smart building software – and log all instances in a database – you could apply this to many activities

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TECHNOLOGY

“The module typically lasts two to three minutes, three to four times faster than traditional training methods. The average 75% VR retention rate is significantly higher than more traditional methods, like 5-10% retention for reading and writing.” She further explains how the experiential nature of VR training means that security officers face simulated environments that gives them the tools to mitigate potential threats in the future. This training allows security officers to be best prepared at what they do, mitigating risks the public face. “In its current stage, AI is promising but its investment may not yet lead to a return on the initial outlay. The roles of remote monitoring of CCTV and alarms, facial recognition software, fingerprint scanning, and automatic number plate recognition may be enhanced in the future. This would be through accessible AI machine learning algorithms that improve on the accuracy of the human eye. For now, though, the presence of these technologies as-is enhances the role of officers every day,” Ms Strong concludes.

Plastic waste Our final comment is provided by Biovate Hygienics co-founder and chief executive officer Nick Winstone, who says: “One of the biggest challenges of our time, is the management of waste and in particular plastic waste. This is continually highlighted and it requires exceptional innovation to combat this waste for all sectors, and it had not been addressed until now in the cleaning and hygiene sector.

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“These materials are created by nature and return to nature when no longer needed or can be recycled as paper waste. The bottle can also be composted,” Mr Winstone concludes. There is undoubtedly keen anticipation for the developments and advantages of applying AI to the problem-solving needs of the FM industry, balanced by the calls for more controls on its use throughout all areas of society. It seems unlikely that any limiting factors will be introduced in the near future, however, which means that the market needs to make its own decisions about how AI is used and the type of benefits it will bring.

One of the biggest challenges of our time, is the management of waste and in particular plastic waste

“After months of research and rigorous testing we launched the world’s first plastic free bottle for commercial cleaning products. It was unveiled at The Cleaning Show at ExCeL London in 2023 as part of our pioneering ‘Zero Compromise’ range. Backed up with around £100,000 R&D investment, the range features 500ml ultra concentrates of floor and wall degreasers and multi-purpose cleaner, he continues. “We have submitted the range to Ecocert for certification as a natural eco detergent, which will be a UK first and innovation. As an industry, we are in a transition phase where greenwashing is being eliminated through legislation and best industry practice outlined by the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA), meaning certification will be the only way to validate green claims made by manufacturers. “You can rest assured that if the empty paper bottles end up in landfills or oceans, they will biodegrade quickly without leaving behind any micro plastics.

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ENERGY TRANSITION

Will FM be a leader in the race to adopt new energy sources? Within the drive to achieve net zero carbon emissions is the requirement to end dependency on fossil fuels and adopt alternative options, raising questions on how this will impact the FM sector

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ENERGY TRANSITION

ne of the more predictable outcomes of any situation deemed a crisis is that the national and international media will see it as an opportunity to increase revenues through the use of their largest headline type sizes to emphasise melodramatic warnings of impending disaster. When these are repeated for each and every occasion, it is difficult not to become cynical or dismissive about the messages included, but in the case of climate change this seems to be raising awareness of the need to make decisive and effective changes to the way society behaves. While this continues to support the accepted wisdom that “bad news sells papers” – or perhaps that should now read “bad news increases clicks” – there is growing awareness of the urgent need to make adjustments to all areas of daily life. This is proving more likely to assist businesses in their net zero carbon emission journeys, which is becoming an increasingly common topic of discussion throughout the FM industry, and one of the more positive outcomes from the international media. Combined with the fact that contracts are now including clauses to assist the client’s net zero ambitions, businesses of all types and sizes are finding that support for any cause linked with reducing the impact of climate change is likely to be one of their most popular activities with staff, clients and industry partners alike. One of the most important factors in addressing climate change is to assist all areas of society to move away from fossil fuel usage and adopt zero or low emission alternatives. This may not seem to be particularly difficult, given the number of options available and under development, until the factor of scale is included within these considerations. With wind and solar emerging as the main sources of renewable energy electricity generation, the list of low or zero emission fuels is considerably longer.

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There have been high levels of debate about the use of hydrogen, to use one example, which is favoured by many experts but has questions raised over the emissions resulting from its production process. However, if the National Grid is able to convert to the use of zero emission energy to create electricity, hydrogen seems likely to become the fuel of choice for the future, if its production can be increased sufficiently to meet the requirements of society. The issue of scale of production is highly relevant to all low or zero emission fuels to replace gas, oil and coal.

Further options In addition to hydrogen, the list of low or zero emission fuels currently available includes biogas, synthetic methane and liquid biofuels such as ammonia and synthetic hydrocarbon options. With just 26 years available to solve these issues before the legallybinding 2050 deadline for the UK to reach its net zero carbon emissions target, the emergence of additional types of low emission fuels seems increasingly less likely with every passing year.

Hydrogen seems likely to become the fuel of choice for the future, if its production can be increased sufficiently to meet the requirements of society

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ENERGY TRANSITION

Although advancement with nuclear fusion development was reported last year, which replicates the sun’s physics by merging atomic nuclei to generate large amounts of energy that can be used to create electricity, it has a long way to go and requires substantial levels of investment before it is able to replace the use of gas, oil and coal on a large enough scale to reduce carbon emissions. With questions continuing over the use of nuclear power plant, it seems that public opinion may also result in further challenges for the development of nuclear energy. Although just over a quarter of a century may seem a significant period of time, the many and varied demands included within the need to develop technology, infrastructure and the means to create the best types of fuel in sufficient quantities to fulfil all the needs of

industry and society are causing some experts to voice doubts over whether the UK will achieve its net zero carbon emissions aims. One of the issues currently adding to these negative attitudes includes the current UK political situation, with a general election widely expected within the next few months. Although political stability is another important factor in the drive to attract more investment in UK businesses, those placing their hopes on higher levels of support for zero emission fuels from government are likely to be disappointed, given the historical approach from political parties after winning general elections. Given the turmoil of the current administration in recent years, it seems highly likely that the next will state the importance of addressing the issues that have resulted from this, rather than releasing large sums of investment.

A brighter future

Businesses of all sizes are f inding that their efforts to reduce emissions are f inding favour with investors and clients alike

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Readers could be forgiven for adopting the view that the current outlook remains bleak for the development of alternative fuels to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions, but that is not necessarily the case. Regardless of the lack of legislation and government schemes to support low or zero emission fuels, the private sector is increasingly engaging with this and reporting success on a number of levels. Businesses of all sizes are finding that their efforts to reduce emissions are finding favour with investors and clients alike, which is resulting in contractual clauses that will see these achievements further accelerated. Although the majority of these focus on reducing energy use, the fact that increased demand for alternative is emerging will encourage more effort in the development of alternative fuels.

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ENERGY TRANSITION

While government support is important, there are many other areas of consideration to appreciate in the highly involved process of adjusting and changing all the established methods of industry and society to meet energy demands. With public opinion now moving in favour of efforts to address climate change and reduce carbon emissions, the increasing efforts of private sector businesses are adding more momentum to achieve these aims. Politicians and civil servants will be forced to respond to the questions and demands of voters, so the current lack of support from the government is likely to become a major focus for each administration in the future. This should ensure that the current lack of support will be adjusted and, depending on the effectiveness of the actions, assist in helping the UK to increase its use of alternative fuels and meet its net zero objectives. Additional pressure is also likely to result from future COP conferences, especially following last year’s event seeing a resolution granted to move away from fossil fuels that surprised many observers. UK political leaders will be keenly aware of the demands of voters to improve the country’s efforts in this area, which should again support further government action in future.

December 2023/January 2024 | 19

Finding the most effective means to achieve the desired end results of addressing climate change and dramatically reducing carbon emissions is like to require considerably higher levels of discussion, attention and investment for many years.

Alternative, low or zero emission fuels Regardless of any challenges, there is general agreement across the business environment, the political arena and society of the need to address climate change and reduce carbon emissions and the most effective means to achieve this will include the increased use of alternative, low or zero emission fuels. This situation will continue to evolve and support the much-needed level of investment to create these in sufficient quantities to achieve their aims. This will present the FM industry with challenges and opportunities, including that of becoming the leading authority on which fuels prove most effective for each requirement through working with clients and industry partners and recording the outcomes. One of the numerous benefits this will provide is delivering more evidence of the growing authority of our industry and emphasising its influence and value, supporting all FM companies and professionals in their future journeys.

Politicians and civil servants will be forced to respond to the questions and demands of voters

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16/01/2024 16:44

20 | December 2023/January 2024

CASE STUDY

In-depth support on the circular economy journey Crown Workspace has established a comprehensive offering to assist clients at every stage of their corporate journey

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17/01/2024 11:35

CASE STUDY

ne of the major trends to have emerged in the world of business is a more responsible approac h to the corpora te ac tivities of all ent erprises, ranging f rom corpora t e soc ial responsibilit y (CSR) to environmental and social governance (ESG) programmes and more. Firmly embedded within all these are circular economy activities that are typically designed to reduce the impact of the business on the environment and taking the three Rs method of reducing, reusing and recycling all items to its ultimate level. Large businesses may have the in-house resource to begin this journey but, as with many areas of company activities, it is frequently more effective to work with industry partners with the necessary specialist skills, such as Crown Workspace. The company has developed into one of the most wide-ranging service providers to supports its clients with their efforts to adopt more sustainable business practices. Head of interiors and furniture Ashley Lawrence provides FM Director with a tour of the company’s North London facility to explain its various services and discuss how these have developed. “We’re much more than just a removals business, as you can see from all the operations here,” he begins. Although removals are included in the list of company services, these are increasingly combined with additional actions. The reuse and refurbishment of furniture and IT equipment is one of the most dynamic areas of the business, which has seen the company dramatically increase its storage, remanufacturing and finishing operations.

December 2023/January 2024 | 21

“We work with something like 650 schools and charities – many of these are based in the London area – and we find that many of our clients frequently have office furniture and equipment that they no longer need but are perfectly usable, so passing these items onto to charitable organisations not only helps the charities, but dovetails into all the social responsibility policies of companies and their efforts to engage with the circular economy.” Where unwanted items would previously have been routinely sent to landfill, there is now much more appreciation of how that can be avoided, says Mr Lawrence. The company’s efforts to assist its clients have expanded in line with the rise of social awareness within businesses of all sizes. “We now have thousands of office chairs and other equipment in storage, waiting to be repurposed,” he explains during the tour of the company’s warehouse, refurbishing and manufacturing facilities. Having established a meticulous record-keeping process, the company is able to quickly locate the desired items and begin the renovation operation, which is frequently provided on a bespoke basis.

We find that many of our clients frequently have office furniture and equipment that they no longer need but are perfectly usable

“One of the ways we help companies is through our Giving Back scheme,” Mr Lawrence continues.

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22 | December 2023/January 2024

CASE STUDY

“There’s no point in starting to renovate these items before the order is placed, as we frequently find that they need to be finished in corporate colours or shades to match interior design schemes. We also find that large orders are best received in batches, which fits better with the rollout scheme that is usually completed in sections of the business, rather than all at once,” he explains. The large numbers of chairs and equipment are typically of high quality and consist of well-known brand names, with each item then tested and inspected as part of the renovation process to make sure it aligns with the company’s strict quality standards. In addition to the fitting of new and compliant foam and upholstery, the company’s spray facility can additionally ensure that all items are finished in the desired colours of the client.

Our services are also helping customers to reduce the level of embedded carbon in their furniture

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“Our spray booths can be used for panels, components and all types of furniture to provide a durable and professional finish. Our customers are then presented with repurposed items that will last for many years, reducing the number of items sent to landfill and avoiding the purchase of new and frequently expensive office furniture,” Mr Lawrence explains. The company is additionally providing a valuable service to its relocation clients, as this is frequently time when companies decide whether their office furniture and equipment is no longer needed. Rather than going to the expense of sending these items to landfill, Crown Workspace can help to avoid this by engaging with its long list of charity partners or adding the items to its extensive selection of items within its warehouse. Another valuable option offered to clients is the company’s design service that can assist with any size of project and meet with the various requirements of the client. “Our designs can include good psychological, acoustic, visual, thermal, ergonomic and air quality conditions, for multi-functional, flexible and/or communal spaces. They range from space planning, sustainable and biophilic interior design to refurbishment of any areas. It’s not just interior design and can include mechanical and electrical works, dilapidations and reinstatement works, and reactive and planned maintenance requirements,” says Mr Lawrence. He also explains that the company has continued to expand its manufacturing capabilities. Having begun with a medium-sized router, it now operates large, CNC machines that are capable of completing complicated operations such as routing, shaping and drilling, as well as applying edging materials, to exact specifications.

17/01/2024 11:35

CASE STUDY

The combination of automated machinery with the skills of the company’s workforce has resulted in a number of successful projects that have started with an office relocation and continue to expand to the redesign of the client’s new space and supply of the furniture and equipment to match its interior design aspirations. “We’re also supporting our customers’ net zero journey, as well, and we’re completely focused on providing reports on our carbon emissions. Our services are also helping customers to reduce the level of embedded carbon in their furniture, as there are a lot less emissions in renovating and repurposing furniture than if it’s bought new, especially if it’s sourced from suppliers outside the UK and has to be transported long distances,” Mr Lawrence continues. “We’re also investing in our fleet and have six electric vehicles so far, with another on order, and we’re also investing in charging infrastructure at our premises, too. We’ve got them at five sites so far and will install them at others in the New Year.” This steers the conversation to the sustainability credentials of Crown Workspace, which helps to further support its aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040. The business started its journey in 2019 and has reduced its electricity consumption by 1m kWh and introduced other energy saving measures resulting in a 38% reduction in carbon emissions. “We have solar panels installed at five of our freehold sites and 16 of our premises are now using 100% renewable energy,” he continues. “It’s not always feasible to install solar panels, especially if we don’t own the site, but we’re looking to increase our installations to help us get to net zero by 2040.” More explanation of the Crown Workspace responsible attitude to business is provided by its Living Wage Foundation service supplier accreditation, delivery of more than 7,000 hours of staff training and carbon and climate educational instruction enjoyed by 179 colleagues this year. “We really like how our colleagues engage with the business and we’re very happy that the people that work for us appreciate our focus on being a sustainable company that is always looking at how it can support others and reduce our impact on the environment,” says Mr Lawrence.

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December 2023/January 2024 | 23

Crown Workspace fast facts RECOGNISED LIVING WAGE SERVICE SUPPLIER

7,391

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80%

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FORMSCORE WELLBEING PILOT OFFERED TO

179 EMPLOYEES

480 STAFF MEMBERS

17,600

ITEMS REFURBISHED L AST YEAR

ENTRY-LEVEL APPRENTICES RECRUITED IN 2022

GOLD ECOVADIS SUSTAINABILITY RATING AC H I E V E D I N 2022

The company’s efforts to improve the sustainability of its own operations and those of its clients go much further than simply aligning with an industry trend. They are an essential part of the culture of the business and a cornerstone foundation of all its strategies, further proving that it is possible to operate on a successful basis without negatively impacting the natural environment.

17/01/2024 11:35

24 | December 2023/January 2024

SUSTAINABILITY

Investments continues in sustainability despite economic challenges Opinion on how high levels of inflation and other price-driven issues have impacted on the FM drive to improve its sustainability credentials is shared by industry experts

fforts to improve the sustainability achievements of the FM industry have recorded impressive results in recent years, continuing before, during and after the various challenging developments that range from the emergence of the Coronavirus pandemic in the UK in 2020 to issues including high levels of inflation, shortages of personnel and numerous others.

This is a notable change in itself, as it has previously been the case that economic downturns have resulted in any activities not linked to core business promotion being postponed indefinitely and, in some instances, cancelled altogether.

Although the majority of extra-curricular projects were placed on hold during the various lockdowns and reopenings within the pandemic period, these have typically been resumed in most cases.

These have the effect of continuing the focus on sustainable practices throughout the client’s business and all members of its supply chain.

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One of the main reasons for this is that sustainability is now high on the agenda of clients, manifested by the inclusion of this within contractual key performance indicators (KPIs).

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26 | December 2023/January 2024

SUSTAINABILITY

The fact that payments to service providers are likely to be withheld if targets are missed will ensure that the topic remains a high priority for each business. Financial concerns will always be an important factor, but there are more reasons behind the continuing focus on sustainability than just money.

“Rather than row back on their sustainability agenda, companies are finding other ways to save money, whether that’s by cutting cleaning hours or reducing the scope of cleaning contracts. They might be reducing their overall budgets, but that is not having an impact on sustainability efforts.

Several of these are explained by Cleanology co-founder and chief executive officer Dominic Ponniah, who says: “Despite the tough economic conditions many businesses face, sustainability remains the number one priority for many of them – and that’s a positive thing.

“In London, where Cleanology pays a real Living Wage to our people (turn to p30 to read the report on the recent Cleanology Living Wage roundtable), there is a realisation that paying fairly for cleaning is the only way to get good service.

“Yes, there is a cost attached to being sustainable. But unlike in previous years, companies cannot afford not to act responsibly, and in the interests of people and planet. Rather than being driven by a few individuals in a company, sustainability is now a non-negotiable, board agenda item. It’s part of how people do business, and investors increasingly want to see that too.

Sustainability is also about fostering a new culture internally

“Cleanology continues to take our sustainability impacts seriously. We have advocated for chemical-free cleaning for the past decade and we’re now almost chemical-free across our entire portfolio. To tackle the issue of over-use of cleaning solutions, we developed our own portion-controlled sachets of biological cleaning solution – a move that is saving more than 16,000 litres of water each year, and has drastically cut the use of plastic bottles, from 21,600 to just 600 PET bottles,” he continues. “Embracing energy-efficient technologies, such as LED lighting, electric vehicles and low-energy equipment, has substantially reduced our carbon footprint and lowered costs. For example, our decision to switch our fleet of vehicles to fully electric is saving more than £3,000 a year per vehicle. “Sustainability is also about fostering a new culture internally. As well as being a real Living Wage employer in an industry known for low pay, we provide free English classes and mental health support. These benefits show staff that they are valued, and that doing the right thing lies at the heart of our business,” says Mr Ponniah.

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SUSTAINABILITY

December 2023/January 2024 | 27

His comments are particularly relevant, given the high profile of his company and the attention it has garnered from all areas of the FM sector, resulting in the winning of business awards, new contracts and plaudits from industry commentators. These provide further evidence that businesses choosing to operate sustainably and ethically are enjoying the results this brings.

This initial exercise should then be extended to assist with the creation of the approach that is best for the company in question.

Cleaning service providers have been among those most affected by the shortage of labour in recent years, but another notable development has included statements from businesses instilling sustainable practices at the heart of their operations. Companies that make these commitments are finding that members of staff continue their employment with the business for longer and recruitment drives are more successful when compared with those who do not follow this direction.

Sustainable strategy development and implementation When establishing strategies with the aim of improving a company’s alignment and support for activities that will further endorse or improve its sustainability credentials, each organisation has the freedom to choose the type and structure of these. While some companies find that the best approach is to ensure that these align with the stated aims of their business, others will approach this in an entirely different way. For those businesses starting out on their journey, it is important that they initially reach an understanding of as many aspects as possible to appreciate all elements and the reasons they are so important.

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Some businesses find that they are able to align their sustainability strategies and goals with those of the company. An example of this is the hard FM service provider that aligns its sustainable aims with the reduction of carbon emissions – both within its own operations and those of its clients. Once established, it is highly likely that any strategy will continue to develop to become more effective and possibly extending its focus beyond the current activities of the business. Taking our initial example a stage further, this may see a hard FM service provider extend its carbon emissions reduction aims by including food and plastic waste as additional areas that will have numerous benefits for the environment. The example provided by Mr Ponniah of his company’s ongoing efforts to reduce both its use of harmful chemicals and plastic bottles further extends the message of how businesses can engage with the sustainability agenda for the good of the environment, its clients and its own operations and staff members. Businesses that are further along the process of establishing effective sustainability strategies are often those who have placed these at the heart of their operations from when they were founded. These companies are typically those who source all materials and equipment from suppliers with similar aims to themselves and additionally work with clients on a similar basis.

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28 | December 2023/January 2024

SUSTAINABILITY

Many of these organisations are those who have made considerable progress on their journey towards achieving net zero carbon emissions, providing yet another possibility for inclusion of extra elements within sustainability strategies. It should also be appreciated that while some companies will be able to enjoy continuous improvements, others may find they are limited in their options and are unable to go beyond certain boundaries.

Stay on target While ambitious targets are to be applauded, it is essential that the most relevant approach is adopted by each organisation to avoid any potential loss of focus or unnecessary cost, which may run the risk of damaging the company in question. However, by making these initiatives a central element of the business, it is far more likely that successful outcomes will result on a number of levels. There is an expanding body of evidence from all areas of the FM industry proving the many advantages that are continuing to be appreciated by those engaging in the delivery of meaningful and effective sustainable business strategies.

Real estate operations report how their clients are more appreciative of their efforts and willing to align with their sustainable practices, while client-side FMs report enthusiastic response to their efforts to improve recycling levels, remove plastic waste and reduce carbon emissions, typically through increased partnership working with their supply chain members. It is essential to remain aware and realistic within these actions, of course, in order to retain the correct standards and focus within each business and avoid making claims that are unrealistic. But it is becoming increasingly obvious that those companies making the necessary effort to raise the level of their sustainability credentials have the potential to do this in conjunction with improving their lot and those of their clients and industry partners. The FM industry has considerable potential to use its achievements in a variety of ways to achieve its aims of improving the recognition it receives from clients and the UK government, particularly as more FM clients and providers adopt best practice measures and record how these progress their business and those of their industry partners.

Embracing energy-eff icient technologies, such as LED lighting, electric vehicles and low-energy equipment, has substantially reduced our carbon footprint and lowered costs

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30 | December 2023/January 2024

ROUNDTABLE DEBATE

Living Wage discussion explores options to help more people With numbers of accredited companies increasing, there are many opportunities emerging to extend the benefits to more people around the UK

ncreased levels of social awareness within businesses around the UK are continuing to be seen throughout the FM industry, one of the most recent of which was the Cleanology roundtable discussion on the Living Wage.

The discussion begins with an introduction from Mr Ponniah, who introduces Living Wage Foundation senior programme manager Sebastian Bachelier to explain the many positive attributes for companies and their employees signing up to the Living Wage movement.

Chaired by chief executive officer Dominic Ponniah, his opening remarks confirm the continuing support and involvement of Cleanology for the foundation, which has continued for more than 10 years. In addition to two representatives of the Living Wage Foundation, attendees included a variety of FM industry professionals, a workers’ union representative and FM Director magazine.

After explaining how the foundation came to be formed and its successes over the last 22 years, along with the details of the current levels of payment within the three movements (see boxed out item below), Mr Bachelier handed over to his colleague, Fin Watkinson, who describes the LWF Recognised Service Provider (SPG) group and its benefits in supporting and encouraging more companies to seek accreditation.

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ROUNDTABLE DEBATE

It has formed the LWF Leadership Group, which includes Mr Ponniah and other leading industry personnel, all of whom provide expert opinion and support to champion the paying of the real Living Wage within their sectors. Members of the group commit to always offering a bid that includes payment of the real Living Wage alongside all tenders to clients, with the aim of encouraging more companies to support and improve the personal circumstances of their own staff and those of their supply chain members. With Mr Ponniah opening the discussion to all those present, this results in an absorbing mix of comments that range from the sharing of personal experiences and thoughts of a more strategic nature. One of the themes that emerge includes the message that although companies have experienced considerable difficulty with rising costs of supplies and energy over the previous 18 months, there is considerable interest in supporting lower-paid workers.

In some ways it appears that rising costs have served to raise awareness of the diff iculties faced by staff in paying the increased cost of food

In some ways it appears that rising costs have served to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by staff in paying the increased cost of food, clothing and energy. However, with companies facing the same issues, some find that they are unable to meet the increased costs of paying the real Living Wage.

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34 | December 2023/January 2024

ROUNDTABLE DEBATE

Attendees are reminded that payment of the Living Wage can provide a number of benefits, which will help those struggling to seek accreditation. These range from increasing staff retention rates and encouraging more applicants to job offers, to the delivery of higher levels of service by more committed staff. Advantages provided to the cleaning sector in particular include all of the above and an overall benefit in raising the profile of the industry and making it more attractive to job applicants. Having suffered from negative publicity, particularly from the point of view of its levels of pay, those aligning with the real Living Wage report a growing trend for staff to embark on additional training to meet their career ambitions.

When combined with the higher levels of assistance offered by employers, the potential for increased productivity and value become highly attractive

Rather than having to work long shifts, with the result that little time is left for study or efforts for advancement, many of those being paid the real Living Wage report they have more time and energy to devote to obtaining qualifications and training. When combined with the higher levels of assistance offered by employers, the potential for increased productivity and value become highly attractive, the delegates agreed.

Issues faced More detailed discussion includes exploring the latter and the sharing of the issues faced by some staff members prior to their employers joining the real Living Wage movement. These range from colleagues taking on multiple jobs and working double shifts in order to meet their financial needs, which then results in them struggling to maintain their levels of efficiency due to these exhausting commitments. In addition to emphasising the difficulties faced by those struggling to make ends meet while working in low paid jobs, these discussions highlighted the way that the gaining of Living Wage accreditation can help to companies to raise their profile within their sector. Another encouraging factor highlighted by the debate is the growing number of companies joining the movement over the last few years, which has also seen higher numbers of members joining the LWF Leadership Group. Those wishing to learn more about the Living Wage Foundation, the details and reasons for applying for accreditation and supporting its Leadership Group can do so here: livingwage.org.uk

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SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

December 2023/January 2024 | 35

Cleanology roundtable feedback Following the event, FM Director invite the delegates to provide their comments on the discussion, including those of its chair Mr Ponniah: “Having supported the Real Living Wage for over 10 years, I was delighted to chair this important roundtable discussion. We heard fascinating insights from both a customer end-user perspective as well as from an employer perspective about the benefits of the real Living Wage.

The conversation was extremely insightful, and it was brilliant to hear the passion and commitment around the table. We applaud Cleanology’s leadership and desire to drive change in the industry. Roundtables are a great way to convey this message, and we’d be delighted to speak with any organisations who are keen to hear more about the Living Wage movement.”

“We also discussed the challenges around implantation of the latest increase. It was reassuring to hear that most people still felt there were strong commercial benefits to paying the real Living Wage. There is no question in my mind that fair pay is both motivating for the individual receiving the real Living Wage, but also motivating for the wider people who work in an organisation that supports fair pay. I hope we were able to inspire those who hadn’t yet signed up to become formally accredited with the Living Wage Foundation,” says Mr Ponniah.

Living Wage Foundation senior programme manager Sebastian Bachelier: “Alongside the brilliant conversation around the importance of paying the real Living Wage, it was also great to touch on the significance the real Living Wage can play in forming an organisation’s social value strategy, through social mobility. The roundtable discussion highlighted the need for developing and retaining staff in order to enable internal career progression, especially in sectors such as cleaning where recruitment can be a challenge. Paying a real Living Wage can provide the opportunity needed for employees to drop their second job, spend more time with their family and dedicate time to training and career progression.”

Trailblazer business director Oli Ballard says: “This event was important because it is tough out there for many people and the real living wage can mean the difference between surviving and thriving. Kudos to Cleanology and other businesses in the sector who are paying their employees a fair wage and ensuring they can live with dignity. Politically, it will be interesting to see how the situation evolves too, with a change of government likely.”

Future Supplies and Support Services managing director Marc Kemp: “I was delighted to be invited to attend a topical round table discussion on How Paying Your People The Real Living Wage Makes Good Business Sense, chaired by Dominic Ponniah from Cleanology along with the Living Wage foundation team.

CBRE GWS ESG and responsibility manager Fay Hargreaves also provides her thoughts: “The breakfast roundtable was a fantastic opportunit y to discuss embedding the real Living Wage and tackling in-work poverty by enhancing social sustainability within our communities and industries – a movement we all work hard to empower. All attendees are at various different stages of their Real Living Wage implementation journey so it’s paramount that we continue to raise awareness and share knowledge. Thank you Cleanology for organising.” Living Wage Foundation partnership and campaign manager Fin Watkinson says: “We are really grateful to Cleanology for hosting a fantastic discussion around the importance of the real Living Wage.

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“We were all exposed to views from a diverse set of business sectors and companies from large corporates to small independent businesses. All were able to clearly demonstrate how much of a difference paying the Living Wage to their employees made to lives and living standards. “Futures Supplies is already compliant and an advocate for the Living Wage program, was keener than ever to see through the benefits of progress to official accreditation in spreading the word. “Becoming accredited is an important step displaying our support of our supply chain and our employees. By becoming accredited we will hopefully encourage others to take this important step forward, providing for a better future for all employees and their living standards and encourage other businesses to follow our lead.”

17/01/2024 11:37

36 | December 2023/January 2024

ANDY SHIELDS

The death of a salesman, dear friend and colleague Head of sales Andy Shields passed away suddenly on 7 December 2023 and will be greatly missed by his family, friends and former colleagues In the case of Andy Shields, who joined FM Business Daily last July as its head of sales and who passed away suddenly on 7th December 2023, it has been proved by the long list of people making the effort to express their regret at his passing that he was most certainly in the former group of people. Many of the comments included affectionate references to the warmth that his personality provided, particularly to former colleagues and also many of his industry contacts.

Northern soul Having been born and raised in the Hull area, he remained proud of his North East England roots and would frequently refer to this despite – and possibly because of – the good-natured teasing he often endured, particularly from his Southern England friends and associates. His working life started when he gained employment as a painter and decorator, working around the Hull area where he grew up. He also became a lifeguard and swimming instructor, which no doubt played an important role in developing his ability to communicate with all those around him. Having discovered an early affinity with music, he learned to play the guitar and began to enjoy both attending and performing at live music events. This interest increased to the point when he joined The Naked Apes band as its bass player in the late 1990s and, as it began to enjoy success with a growing number of fans, embarked on tours of the UK that then progressed to Europe and America. Included in its discography is the Something in my genes album, which featured Andy and his band mates on the cover.

The Naked Apes is described by allmusic.com as: “A band intent on having a reputation based on shenanigans and hijinks rather than musical prowess”. This view was formed as its launch coincided with “a series of organised publicity stunts showcasing them in various public areas”.

hen analysing how personal attraction and affinities work between individuals, it is never easy to identify the exact reasons that one person will feel an immediate connection, while another can feel the opposite.

These events included “outlandish displays of pseudodebauchery”, which “made for some quality photo opportunities that successfully portrayed the bandmembers in the unfavourable light they craved”.

It is very noticeable that some people have the ability to appeal to the majority of those they meet, while others can again be entirely different and viewed as unapproachable by many of those they come into contact with. The well-known expression “There’s nowt so strange as folk” can also apply, of course.

Andy joined with drummer Rusty Evans and continued to enjoy the opportunities for both honing his musical skills and enjoying studio and live performances, which provided a long list of humorous and engaging anecdotes shared on a regular basis with his family, friends, colleagues, clients and industry contacts in recent years.

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17/01/2024 10:18

ANDY SHIELDS

Having previously worked as a sales manager prior to his music career, Andy returned to this in 2008 before joining the former EMAP publishing group in the autumn of 2010. Initially working in a sales executive role for the H&V News and RAC magazine brands, his success led to him enjoying more senior roles over the following years. Then in the autumn of 2016 – just six years after joining the company – he was appointed to the role of head of sales for H&V News, RAC and the Materials Recycling World (MRW). In addition to overseeing the sales of advertising and sponsorship for the three monthly titles, his role included the management of each of the awards’ sales initiatives operated by the three brands, as well as the MRW annual exhibition held at the NEC, Birmingham, with an overall value of approximately £8m.

Change of scenery Having moved to Cambridge with the intention of providing his two children with a more healthy lifestyle and upbringing than their former North London home allowed, Andy joined the Cambridge-shire based CPL brand as media sales manager in early 2020, two months before the Coronavirus pandemic resulted in the first UK lockdown in March of that year. His interests in enjoying a more sustainable lifestyle led to the installation of a solar panel system and air-source heat pump at his home to reduce his family’s carbon emissions and its impact on the environment. He had also leased an electric vehicle to deliver further proof of his commitment to sustainability. Despite his brief involvement with FM Business Daily of just five months, Andy had established a number of clearly defined strategies that had already begun to see enthusiastic take up. This was supported and, in some cases the result of, his ability to form meaningful relationships with existing and potential clients, many of whom have expressed their sadness at his untimely demise.

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Andy had established a number of clearly def ined strategies that had already begun to see enthusiastic take up

Andy was also a devoted father to his two children, Charlie and Bella, and always made the effort to support them, despite his increasing success in his media sales roles. This included voluntary work for the local Boy Scout troupe attended by Charlie, which benefited from a refurbished meeting facility that was organised by Andy, who also completed the majority of the work required. His funeral took place in Cambridge earlier this month, attended by his family, friends, neighbours and former colleagues. Andy’s sister Caroline requested that those wishing to celebrate his memory provide donations to the Trussell Trust, which can be made online at The Trussell Trust - Stop UK Hunger or by calling 01722 580 180. In adding to bidding a fond and affectionate farewell to a valued and talented colleague, everyone at FM Business Daily would like to express their sincere condolences to the family, friends and former colleagues of Andy Shields.

One of these included the creation of an easily understandable pricing structure for live events, including roundtable discussions. Potential sponsors were presented with an outline of the costs involved and in-depth from Andy to ensure that all stakeholders obtained the maximum value from their involvement. Although the news of his passing came as a shock to his family and colleagues, the response by those who had known Andy over the years proved to be a considerable comfort. His sister Caroline expressed her sincere gratitude on behalf of his family for the long list of comments, all of which were made with heartfelt sadness, with many recounting how much they had enjoyed their time with him. The role of sales manager is often associated with a hard-headed approach to life, but Andy had shown his true character by avoiding this and continuing to ensure that his customers received high levels of support and the best value for their investment. Although he was a consummate professional, he always retained his care and consideration for others, that frequently included sharing a drink with his industry contacts and colleagues after the hard work had been completed.

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SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

Placing social value within the heart of every business Industry experts state that it is not possible to engage partially with social value, it has to be within the DNA of every business and included in all aspects of its operations

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SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

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here is a long and growing list of the many positive aspects of the FM industry that provides FM Direc t or wi t h numerous oppor t uni ties of subject matter as it continues its stated aim of celebrating and promoting all the highly positive developments within our industry.

Perhaps one of the most notable observations by industry experts on this topic is that it is not possible for a company to transition to becoming a socially-aware and supportive organisation without a great deal of effort from every employee. This is another example where the drive needs to come from the top of the business and include each member of staff.

The rise of social value as an important factor in business activities has been well documented throughout the business community in recent years and this is gaining ground within the FM sector, as well. It was a central theme of our very first issue, published in September 2022, and was mentioned a number of times by Sodexo region chair for UK & Ireland Sean Haley in his front cover interview.

Business strategies

His comments, and those of many of our interviewees in the months that followed, remain highly relevant in the FM sector of today. Having risen to prominence after the Coronavirus pandemic, its continuing rise as we enter the fourth year since the emergence of the pandemic shows that it is not a passing fad. As with all areas of business, it is essential to ensure that the claims made by each company are based on fact to avoid being perceived as cynical and merely attempting to ‘jump on the bandwagon’ of social engagement. This has been seen with the act of ‘greenwashing’, where companies make claims about their sustainable actions, with the potential of doing considerable harm to the reputation of the business when these are shown to be inaccurate and, in some cases, completely without foundation. Mr Haley’s comments in September 2022 included his belief that social engagement needs to be placed within the centre of each company and part of its DNA. This will avoid companies being impacted by the issues described above as it will include a policy that each action of the business is entirely transparent.

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Further comments on the need to display the social values of a company are shared by Anabas account director Ravi Bhatnagar, who discusses the approach required to align with social engagement and how it needs to dominate business strategies. “Recognising and addressing the needs of all stakeholders is a central aspect of a social engagement strategy,” says Mr Bhatnagar. “We work closely with our clients to understand their social engagement strategy and help them make the most impactful decisions to create the workplace they want, while helping to deliver on the social part of environmental and social governance (ESG) activities.

Recognising and addressing the needs of all stakeholders is a central aspect of a social engagement strategy

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SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

“As an FM provider, we are in a powerful position to help our clients build the best workplace. As such, we are actively working with clients to generate new ideas and see how we can evolve processes, making positive changes for our people, the planet, and the communities in which we operate,” he continues.

Sustainability and community development Many businesses embed corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives into their strategies to contribute positively to social and environmental causes. This involves taking responsibility for the impact of their operations on society and implementing processes that address issues such as sustainability, community development, and ethical business practices. Transparency in the supply chain is essential, as clients demand more information about the origin and production of the services we deliver.

“Additionally, many businesses are encouraging their teams to come back to the office more often. Creating a workplace destination is as much the physical facilities as it is the levels of social engagement. Anabas has introduced the community engagement manager role for many clients to help create a space that encourages and nurtures social engagement between team members, whether this is through in-office activities or charity events,” Mr Bhatnagar concludes. His references to both ESG and CSR initiatives are highly relevant and provide further evidence of the way the business sector is becoming significantly more accountable and supportive toward local communities. Both have become highly relevant to all areas of best practice FM service delivery and essential areas of concentration within the social journey of each organisation.

We are actively working with clients to generate new ideas and see how we can evolve processes, making positive changes for our people, the planet, and the communities in which we operate

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SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

There are so many positive elements within ESG, CSR and all areas of social value activities and these can be adjusted accordingly to meet the specific aims and requirements of each organisation, their members of staff and the needs of the local community. It should also be emphasised that social value exercises do not have to confirmed to local activities, as there are ample numbers of national and international charities, organisations and movements that add a further dimension. The benefits all these exercises bring are obvious and will additionally provide more on a number of levels. These range from supporting the charitable efforts of staff members, which will help to support the feeling of loyalty and improved levels of job satisfaction, to addressing climate change and support for reducing carbon emissions, both of which will assist important improvements within the local and national environment and further endorse the good reputation of the company. All the above are tangible manifestations and proof that the business community is becoming far more responsible in its actions. More cynical observers will no doubt point out that this is becoming essential to be included within tendering exercises and therefore driven by the needs of each company to generate profits, but this response is frequently the result of a narrow perspective. While every company needs to make money in order to remain in business, each organisation can choose how it achieves this. The rush to create profit is unlikely to be sustainable if this consists of purely of selling as much and as quickly as possible, with little thought for the consequences or how this may affect others. On the other hand, those businesses that have the course of their convictions and make conscious choices of how they will trade as ethically as possible are far more likely to prove to be sustainable in the medium and long terms. There are increasingly more examples of companies that follow their principles and decline to work with those that do not that would have been regarded as committing corporate suicide in the past, but are now applauded and supported by their industry peers. As previously stated, these actions will assist the company in supporting its reputation, as well as making it an attractive business to work for and with, providing solutions to two highly important factors in the running of any organisation.

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The business community is becoming far more responsible in its actions

There are reduced numbers of people who are willing to work for disreputable companies, which means that any business looking to support growth by increasing staff numbers will need to be aware that their past performance is increasingly likely to impact how they will fare in the future. This does not mean that the issues of past have been resolved, of course, or that every company now operates far more responsibly. However, the data emerging from analysis of company activities shows that the situation is notably better than prior to the emergence of the Coronavirus pandemic and there is every reason to assume that this will continue.

Difficult times The business community has had to ensure a number of serious challenges over the last few years, including significant rises in energy, fuel and supply chain prices, combined with the significant challenges involved in recruiting sufficient numbers of staff and further issues within national and international security. Despite these, several of which are ongoing, there is no evidence that companies are abandoning their efforts to trade more ethically and responsibly, or withdraw their support for good causes. There will always be challenges within our personal and business lives and every individual and organisation has the choice of how to react to these. In the case of social engagement, it seems that the large majority of businesses are embracing and, in many cases, increasing their activities and support, which can only be a positive development for all those working within the FM industry.

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ADVERTORIAL

PTSG: The Fourth Emergency Service Premier Technical Services Group Ltd (PTSG) is one of Europe’s leading providers of specialist services, working on buildings in all sectors, inside and out, high and low, to keep them safe, clean and compliant in all areas

ne of the great advantages offered by PTSG is its ability to provide emergency specialist services for customers at a moment’s notice. This is made possible through its extensive coverage of the UK (47 office locations), with 2,700+ specialists working across five independent business divisions. Emergency ser vices are requested most commonly from PTSG Building Access Specialists Ltd, as customers’ buildings occasionally require structural repairs to ensure there is no immediate danger to building users or to the public from damaged structural material or falling debris. From time to time, buildings also suffer vandalism, which can be offensive in nature and therefore require immediate remedial action.

Emergency structural repairs to Blackpool Tower At the start of 2019, PTSG delivered vital structural repairs to the world-famous Blackpool Tower. First opened to the public in 1894, the tower’s design is widely acknowledged as being ahead of its time. As a writer for the BBC noted: “In heavy winds the building will gently sway; what a magnificent Victorian engineering masterpiece.”

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PTSG Fire Solutions Ltd raised an order and its engineers were there just two hours later

Those heavy winds, which carried salt water from the Atlantic Ocean, had corroded the original steel bars over the course of 125 years. Blackpool Council hired PTSG due to its high score in the tender and its vast experience in steelwork maintenance, using steeplejack and rope access techniques. As Blackpool Tower is a Grade I listed building, all work performed had to be approved by the heritage committee prior to being undertaken. Any parts of the structure that were renewed had to be replaced with like-for-like materials.

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ADVERTORIAL

Because of the importance of the work to the overall structural integrity of the tower, PTSG worked around the clock to replace the defective steelwork. Its engineers also replaced a concrete floor 380 feet up the tower. As a result of the success of the repairs, PTSG was contracted to provide ongoing maintenance work for up to four years, with the contract being renewed after each one-year period. This will allow the public to enjoy the tower safely for many years to come.

Anti-vandalism reparation In November 2023, PTSG responded to an urgent call from ISS for cleaning services as a result of damage to a number of high street banks caused by protestors. Activists had sprayed graffiti and stuck posters to 29 branches of high street banks in an attempt to pressure them to stop megafunding fossil fuel projects. Due to disruption, the affected branches had to close, requiring PTSG’s specialist reactive retail cleaning team to respond promptly and attend each site. Teams attended all sites, completing cleaning after hours to ensure all banks could open as usual at 8:30 the following morning. The cleaning services included paint, glue and debris removal to restore the branches to their normal level of cleanliness and immaculate presentation. In a job that was similar in nature, PTSG restored a listed and highly valued sculpture outside the BBC’s Broadcasting House in central London, just hours after it was vandalised in January 2022. A man equipped with a hammer had used a ladder to reach the 10ft tall sculpture, which depicts Prospero and Ariel from Shakespeare’s play The Tempest. Police were called to Broadcasting House in Portland Street, Westminster, at around 4.15pm on Wednesday. The man had caused graffiti damage to the sculpture, as well as damaging it with the hammer. Technicians from PTSG Building Access Specialists Ltd used the Doff System – approved by Stonehealth Ltd and Heritage (UK) – to remove the graffiti, achieving temperatures of up to 150 degrees at the nozzle end. Aside from PTSG’s vital work within its Building Access Specialists division, engineers from the Group’s other four divisions are also on call to deliver specialist services at short notice – including vital maintenance and repairs to lightning and surge protection systems and fall arrest equipment.

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Fenwick is an independent chain of department stores founded in 1882 by John James Fenwick in Newcastle. Today the chain consists of nine branches across England in London, Bracknell, Canterbury, Kingston upon Thames, Royal Tunbridge Wells and York. The stores offer a wide range of goods and services with a focus on premium and luxury products. Upon completion of the job in Newcastle, Fenwick commented on PTSG’s “very quick turn-around”, with its team proving the test certificate for the store’s dry risers within the same day of service. Metal theft is becoming an expensive problem for building owners to deal with. Thieves target dry riser outlet valves which, when removed, leave the system in a state of disrepair, which could be disastrous in the event of a fire. In London, a large residential development comprising over 450 dwellings had suffered a number of thefts during the same week. PTSG’s team responded on the day of the call, only for the valves to be stolen again over the weekend. A total of 37 valves were stolen. On 5th October, the customer contacted PTSG again because another four outlet valves had been taken. PTSG Fire Solutions Ltd raised an order and its engineers were there just two hours later. The shear nuts that its team previously fitted to prevent the theft had been cut off. In the follow-up visit, PTSG’s engineers spot-welded the nuts, which has prevented any further thefts or damage. For more information, visit: ptsg.co.uk

As Blackpool Tower is a Grade I listed building, all work performed had to be approved by the heritage committee prior to being undertaken

Engineers from PTSG Fire Solutions Ltd were asked to pick up an urgent out-of-hours dry riser maintenance job to be completed by the following day at Fenwick department store in Newcastle.

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CASE STUDY

How facilities services teams and universities are partnering for success This article is a collaborative effort between Lorraine Monaghan, David Everett, and Jenny Jones, explaining how partnership working delivers the best examples of service delivery

n t o d a y ’s c o m p e t i t i ve h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n landscape, the partnership between universities and facilities ser vices providers is changing, evolving into a model of seamless par tnership working as one unified team to enhance the campus experience.

A changing sector

Beyond routine maintenance, these services are now crucial in creating dynamic campus environments that meet evolving student expectations. This shift is driven by factors like technological advancements, changes in student demographics, and an increased focus on well-being and sustainability.

In recent years, universities have heightened their focus on student well-being and sustainability. Today, students perceive their educational experience as extending beyond traditional classrooms and attending university can be costly for students and their parents and they feel the need to have a formative and important experience while attending.

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This article explores the current trends and challenges faced by facilities services teams in the higher education sector, emphasising their evolving role in shaping the future of higher education environments.

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CASE STUDY

They also expect their university to reflect their values. This necessitates a strategic approach from facilities teams, balancing cost-efficiency with demands for technological advancements and more sustainable approaches. The higher education sector is witnessing significant growth. There has been an increase in the number of universities, leading to heightened competition for student enrolment. In this competitive environment, the role of facilities management has become more crucial in shaping campus experience, which can be an important point of difference for universities. International student enrolment has seen a significant increase over the years, now constituting nearly a quarter of the total student population across the UK. The increased diversity of the student population and an increased focus on the importance of inclusion is informing decisions taken by campus management. Prioritizing the accommodation of diverse cultural backgrounds and needs has significantly impacted various facets of campus life, extending from dining services to residential accommodations. University teams aim to provide a ‘home to home’ feeling for students as they take up residence on campus.

As with all sectors, Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the education sector, with an increased appreciation for the role of cleaning teams in protecting communities from illness and the introduction of new expectations and practices. Another growing trend is the increased focus on mental health in universities. Recognising its importance, universities aim to create supportive environments for students’ mental well-being. This involves designing spaces that encourage relaxation, social interaction, and physical activity, promoting a healthier campus atmosphere. Facilities teams have always been key to providing the right environments for mental wellbeing; however, increasingly, facilities teams are being asked to support their university’s initiatives, such as sharing expertise on substance dangers and helping students recognise signs of mental health issues, along with keeping a watchful eye over the student population. Central to these evolving trends is the close relationship between universities and their facilities teams. Operating not as separate units but as one cohesive entity, this partnership is foundational in creating a campus environment that is both inviting and conducive to learning.

The evolving role of facilities services

The need for facilities teams to be both adaptable and inclusive has never been more important

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Facilities services teams within universities across the UK and Ireland are earning acknowledgement for their role enhancing the overall student experience. A key evolution in the role of facilities services is the transformation of campus security. In many universities security solutions are being reimagined and security teams are being rebranded to reflect a more guardian-like role, prioritising the safeguarding of students. In many universities, security officers are referred to as campus experience officers or campus ambassadors, reflecting a broader and more engaged role. Their role extends to offering advice on personal safety, acting as first responders in medical emergencies, and being a source of information and assistance in various situations.

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CASE STUDY

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Facilities teams go beyond managing campus maintenance; they are dedicated caretakers, ensuring a nurturing and inviting environment for students

The significance of these services in contributing to mental health is increasingly recognised. Environments that are clean, secure, and visually appealing play a vital role in mitigating stress and fostering a positive mindset. However, facilities teams are also supporting university initiatives to look after the mental health of students, particularly security officers who keep a watchful eye over students and providing information about ranging from the dangers of intoxication to how to spot the signs that someone is having suicidal thoughts. Facilities teams shape campus culture and environment, ensuring impeccable order and a welcoming atmosphere. Their efforts impact the overall experience for students, faculty, and visitors, developing community spirit and mutual respect. During university events, from exhibitions to festivals, these teams collaborate on logistics, event management, and post-event clean-ups, contributing to student unity and a sense of belonging. Teams may also share expertise at events, enhancing student well-being.

Adapting to student needs Understanding and meeting the evolving needs of students must be central to any strategy. This requires maintaining a continuous dialogue to stay up to date with the needs of students, keeping pace with the changing trends in student lifestyles and learning environments. Students today need and expect more than basic functional spaces; they need environments that inspire and motivate them. These areas need to be clean, safe, and attractive, enabling collaboration and creativity. For many, the pandemic highlighted the necessity for clean, decontaminated, and sanitised environments, but in the university sector there has always been a focus on infection control, with a need to protect students, who meet indoors in large numbers, from common health risks like colds and flu. Cleaning teams in the sector must ensure that cleaning is thorough and ensure that touchpoints are sanitised.

Impact of diverse and changing student demographics The increasing diversity of the student body in universities across the UK and Ireland brings with it unique challenges for facilities services leaders. As the composition of students becomes ever more varied, encompassing different ethnicities, faiths, ages, genders, and backgrounds, the need for facilities teams to be both adaptable and inclusive has never been more important. Facilities teams play a crucial role in facilitating the smooth transition of a diverse student population, including a significant number of international students, into university life. Facilities teams, especially security officers, are often among the first people a student sees as they arrive on campus, helping to create lasting impressions. Recognising the varied needs and expectations of students— whether first-time attendees or returning mature students—these teams provide essential support. International students may find the university experience daunting due to unfamiliar local customs. Facilities teams are instrumental in ensuring their comfort, safety, and overall well-being, addressing both physical amenities and the diverse cultural and personal needs of different student groups. Facilities teams go beyond managing campus maintenance; they are dedicated caretakers, ensuring a nurturing and inviting environment for students. Today, teams should be recruited and trained to contribute in this way. Their interactions with students should be characterised by understanding and responsiveness, ensuring that all students, irrespective of their background, feel valued and cared for. Our facilities teams on campuses often match the diversity of the students and university staff they serve. Team members come from all walks of life which allows them to more easily relate to others as individuals and as a group.

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CASE STUDY

The role of robotics in facilities services has expanded signif icantly

In universities there are areas that are in constant use such as bathrooms and areas where litter accumulates quickly such as canteens and common areas. In these areas, there is an increased need for vigilance to ensure areas remain clean and tidy. When students first arrive at university there can be a wave of colds and other bugs. Methodical frequent cleaning can help reduce cross contamination reducing outbreaks. Universities face unique security challenges, with students, being vulnerable to crime due to the social nature of campus life. Students desire a visible and responsive security presence, with well-lit and monitored walkways. Security teams must go beyond traditional methods, becoming strategic partners to ensure a safe and enjoyable university experience, responding promptly to emergencies. In this sector, it is crucial to build strong relationships with blue light services and collaborate closely with policing agencies to mitigate crime around campus.

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Technology in facilities services Embracing cutting-edge technology is a vital aspect of modern university facilities services. Universities, often regarded as the cradles of innovation and new enterprises, are expected to demonstrate forward-thinking in all areas, including in how their facilities are maintained. Our facilities services teams, by incorporating modern technologies, not only enhance operational efficiency but also inspire the student and educator community. A prime example of this is the implementation of smart systems that gather real-time data about building usage. This allows our cleaning teams to respond to needs as they arise and provides historical data to optimise planning and resource allocation. This is highly valuable in such large and demanding environments as university campuses. On campuses it pays to know which areas require servicing in real time and which have been unused. Bidvest Noonan’s dynamic cleaning system, a recipient of the ‘Best Use of Smart Solutions’ award at the European Cleaning and Hygiene awards, is a good example; With the dynamic cleaning solution, the building activity levels are regularly reviewed, and the cleaning solution is flexed to changes in requirements within a building. The role of robotics in facilities services has expanded significantly. Robotic cleaners, improve significantly every year. Many of the latest machines are capable of autonomously cleaning large areas. This advancement allows university cleaning teams to allocate more time to complex tasks while ensuring efficient use of resources such as energy, water, and cleaning agents. Campus security teams enhance safety by integrating advanced technologies like improved camera systems, AI, and smart sensors, such as the halo sensor. Smart software solutions, like digital occurrence logs, enable efficient incident monitoring through visual heatmapping, helping teams identify trends and respond effectively.

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CASE STUDY

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Technological advancements are also delivering significant sustainability progress. Innovations like the Comac Inaqua, which recycles water from floor cleaning machines for reuse, and aqueous ozone systems, which convert tap water into effective cleaning and disinfecting solutions, and powerful scrubbing machines which use less energy, water and cleaning chemicals all contribute to more sustainable campuses.

Sustainability and environmental practices Today, universities are highly motivated to integrate sustainability into their campus operations. Environmental stewardship has become a priority in the sector as in many others. Significant sustainability improvements often come from changing existing processes and procedures rather than solely introducing new equipment or chemicals. This approach can include optimising and resourcing usage, adopting eco-friendly cleaning methods, as well as implementing energy-saving practices. Awareness programs that focus on issues like waste reduction, energy conservation, and the broader environmental impact can help create a culture of sustainability. To be most effective, facility services teams need to be the drivers of such programs. We have found that water conservation measures, including rainwater harvesting and water recycling systems, can be effective in reducing the campus’s environmental footprint.

The future of campus facilities services As we look towards the future of campus facilities services, it’s evident that the sector is poised for change. This will be driven by technological advancements, evolving student needs, and a continuous push towards sustainability. The future of the facilities services industry is increasingly intertwined with technology. We’re likely to see a greater adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in routine maintenance tasks. AI can help predict maintenance needs, thereby reducing downtime and improving efficiency. Similarly, automation in areas like cleaning and landscaping can free up human resources for more complex tasks. Another trend is the growing use of data analytics. By analysing data on campus usage patterns, facilities managers can make more informed decisions about resource allocation, energy management, and space optimisation. This data-driven approach not only improves operational efficiency but also enhances the overall campus environment. One of the key challenges in the near future will be adapting to new health and safety standards following the pandemic. This will require innovative approaches to ensure that campuses are not only safe but also conducive to learning and social interaction. Sustainability will continue to be a major focus area. There’s a growing expectation for universities to lead in environmental stewardship. This involves not only managing resources more effectively but also educating the campus community about sustainable practices. Another challenge is maintaining the balance between security and privacy. With the increased use of surveillance and monitoring technologies, ensuring that security measures don’t infringe on individual privacy will be crucial.

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Educational institutions strive to balance their need to provide high quality facilities with their need to manage costs. They look to their facilities partners for innovative solutions that deliver maximum value, allowing them to preserve budgets for teaching, research, and other core areas. Despite these challenges, there are ample opportunities for growth and improvement. The increasing focus on student wellbeing and sustainability presents an opportunity for facilities managers to innovate and redefine what a campus experience can be. By staying ahead of these trends and challenges, facilities services providers can continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of higher education environments. The unity and partnership between universities and facilities teams are the heart of creating an exceptional campus experience. Together, they forge a dynamic and responsive environment that adapts to and anticipates the needs of students.

About the Author(s): Lorraine Monaghan is director of operations, Education at Bidvest Noonan. She has an impressive track record in the education sector, having supported a number of large and prestigious universities. David Everett is a former deputy director of campus experience and commercial services at a global top ten University in the UK, with over 25 years of experience, including at director level, across the UK Higher education sector; Jenny Jones is director of operations, corporate and public sector at Bidvest Noonan. She has more than 20 years of industry experience.

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ADVERTORIAL

The Significance Mutual Recognition Across Member Schemes Eleanor Eaton, SSIP Chair, delves into the significance of SSIP certification and explores avenues through which companies can achieve cost savings via mutual recognition

n the facilities management and construction industry, a misconception exists regarding the perceived superiority of specific SSIP member schemes over others. It is imperative for both buyers and suppliers to choose the most suitable scheme aligning with their unique requirements.

By facilitating mutual recognition, known as the ‘Deemed to Satisfy’ provision, between health and safety assessment schemes, buyers are relieved from the need to request evidence of certification from more than one SSIP member scheme. Similarly, suppliers should only require certification from one SSIP member scheme.

With a registry surpassing 82,000 suppliers, SSIP stands as one of the largest organisations in its domain. Since its inception, SSIP has committed itself to saving members both time and money by streamlining health and safety assessments—a mission embedded in the core of SSIP.

However, recent analysis indicates that some suppliers are still undergoing multiple health and safety assessments through various SSIP member schemes.

This focus over the years has preserved hundreds of millions of pounds and prevented numerous hours from being lost to unnecessary health and safety assessment duplications.

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This is attributed to several factors. SSIP has the responsibility to ensure that suppliers fully utilise the Deem to Satisfy (DtS) agreement in place with all members, and that members comprehensively grasp the impartial nature of the conformity assessments they provide.

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Eleanor explains: “Suppliers should understand that once certified through a member scheme, they meet the initial prequalification standards, removing the need to repeat the assessment process. Despite certain member schemes offering additional benefits, it is crucial to recognise that all schemes adhere to the same core criteria – there is no hierarchy.”

Legislation

Discussions with members and suppliers reveal a prevailing misconception suggesting that certain Member Schemes possess a superior status.

These criteria define the expectations for a business to comply with basic health and safety legislation, rendering all schemes equal in assessing health and safety competence during the prequalification stage.

Many buyers have established relationships with specif ic Member Schemes for their entire supply chain

It is imperative to dispel this myth, as all schemes operate in accordance with the rigorous SSIP Core Criteria. SSIP assessments are scrutinised based on these core criteria, which represent the threshold standard approved by the HSE.

“Many buyers have established relationships with specific Member Schemes for their entire supply chain. It’s important to recognise in this instance that a supplier can apply for certification through the buyer’s preferred member scheme under the DtS agreement.” Eleanor continues. The Deem to Satisfy (DtS) agreement operates on the premise that all SSIP Member Schemes adhere to an identical standard of health and safety competency, ensuring parity across the board and fostering mutual recognition among member schemes. While buyers and suppliers should select the most suitable scheme based on their specific needs, each scheme offers an equivalent standard of health and safet y assessment and compliance. For cost savings and additional information required f or eac h Member Sc heme, please visit : ssip.org.uk/ssip-deem-to-satisfy-chart/

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RETROFITTING

Demand for more retrofit considerations to achieve sustainability and net zero goals Appreciation of the benefits of retrofitting and upgrading facilities to align with net zero and sustainability objectives needs more effort to understand the best options, say industry experts

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RETROFITTING

rom the creation of new buildings to the i ns t a l l a t ion o f i m p r oved eq u i p m e n t a nd technology within facilities, the concept of retrofitting is gaining increased levels of appreciation and understanding in all areas of the FM and construction industries. FMs and their service provider partners are being tasked with adding even further to the extensive list of requirements within their already demanding schedules by including the meeting of net zero carbon emissions policies, achieving environmental and social governance (ESG) programme alignment and numerous additional aims within their day-to-day operations, many of which revolve around improving energy use and performance levels within their facilities. Many FMs frequently find that in addition to running facilities and estates, their roles also include the management of construction projects. Rather than demolish existing buildings, industry experts now advise that the frame and fabric of facilities should be retained wherever possible, with the aim of reducing the levels of embodied carbon within each project (see the comment by Hazel Bedson below for more explanation of embodied carbon). Depending on the condition of the building in question, it may be possible to save a considerable amount of time and money by avoiding the demolition and clearing of sites by stripping out ageing or obsolete materials and equipment and replacing with more modern and environmentally friendly options. In many cases this will save money and time, allowing the building to be reopened – or even avoid closure – and result in a much quicker return on investment, which is always an attractive option to investors, of course.

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One of the various issues to overcome is that of the following of accepted procedures out of habit, unless these have been proved to be the most effective way to proceed, preferably through the use of data to prove the point. An example of this could be the refurbishment of plant room equipment and comparing its performance before and after project completion to show how successful this has been in achieving the aims of improving performance and reducing both energy usage and carbon emissions, while avoiding the cost of purchasing new items. In some cases, making the choice to retrofit an existing building may also increase the number of contractors available to work on the project, as opposed to building an entirely new structure. In addition to inviting the traditional list of construction service providers to tender, it may also be possible to include fit out companies or others involved in building fabric maintenance to find the best option.

Many FMs f requently f ind that their roles also include the management of construction projects

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RETROFITTING

There has been a growing number of large service providers reporting the launch of additional special projects divisions, many of which have been created to assist clients with their post-pandemic challenges in ensuring that their office facilities remain cost effective and attractive to staff. Depending on the level and type of works required, it may be that engaging with a higher number of contractors will see the retrofit project completed in a more timely and less costly manner to achieve the benefits outlined above, including faster completion times than expected. Additional thoughts on this topic are provided by Service Works Global group marketing director Hazel Bedson, who says: “The biggest benefit of retrofitting is that it is significantly more sustainable than rebuilding. Existing buildings contain a huge amount of embodied carbon so retrofitting will deliver a much lower carbon footprint than the alternative.”

The biggest benef it of retrof itting is that it is signif icantly more sustainable than rebuilding

Misconceptions There can be a misconception that retrofitting may be cumbersome, costly, or difficult to manage across various stakeholders, but technology can help to avoid these challenges, she continues. Ms Bedson proposes the use of building information modelling (BIM) data, which “can be hugely beneficial as it shows what materials a building is constructed of, how it has been built, room dimensions, and intricate details of designs and furnishings”. Whilst many existing buildings will be very unlikely to have BIM models, she states that laser scanning offers a quick and cost-effective means of creating a BIM model of existing facilities. Retrofitting existing buildings with digital BIM data also enables many other benefits for FM professionals, such as integration with CAFM systems for more efficient building management. The 3D BIM model can be shared with building managers, architects, contractors or historians – anyone who might require access. This is especially useful for maintenance and repair projects, as all stakeholders can work with confidence that the digital model will deliver on their needs, she says. “Talking of historians, another benefit of retrofitting is that sometimes it may not be possible to rebuild. Historic and culturally significant buildings can be retrofitted over the years as required, again with the use of BIM, to help them maintain as much of their original materials and design as possible while ensuring they are safe and efficient for modern times. “Retrofitting is also often a less disruptive option than rebuilding. Work can be carried out at quiet times within an organisation so that staff are impacted as little as possible. A rebuild may involve relocating the business for the duration of the work.

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RETROFITTING

In some cases, it is possible to order refurbished items in the colours of the business

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sufficiently robust and energy efficient to justify the retrofitting of the company’s offices and led to further considerations, including the fitting of sensors and controls for heating and cooling. Following the receipt of quotations for the rewiring exercise necessary to deliver electricity to power the relevant sensors, switches and controls, the options available for wireless technology were additionally considered. Having overcome the objections and concerns voiced by team members, the wireless installation went ahead and proved to be significantly cheaper and of equal quality.

Using wisdom

“Of course, the final decision to retrofit or rebuild will depend on the needs of each organisation. However, there’s a reason that more and more businesses are opting to retrofit, and the motives listed above are a key determinant for this trend,” Ms Bedson concludes. The points raised above are helpful in many ways and further emphasise the benefits of treating each potential retrofitting project on the basis of its merits to ensure that as many options as possible are included in the mix of considerations. Although this means that the time for preparation, design and tendering may be increased, it should help to avoid expensive mistakes and, in the best examples, result in a more rapid completion process to justify the extra time and effort required.

Retail hotel Another example for consideration includes the experience of a highly experienced estate manager for one of the UK’s major food retailers, whose role included both new build and retrofit projects on a regular basis. Having been tasked with providing a hotel for staff visiting its extensive head office site, it was decided the best option would be to build this within the grounds of its existing site. Having justified the case for this in significant detail, the project went ahead and was also combined with an upgrade of the on-site large office building. The existing structure was considered to be

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However, it should be noted that the successful example outlined above was only achieved after significant effort of the estates management team, proving the wisdom of the old adage: “Act in haste, repent at leisure.” Following the successful completion of each project, perhaps unsurprisingly the company found that the building of its hotel as a new structure proved significantly more expensive and included far higher carbon emission levels than its extensive retrofitting of its offices. Among the many other areas of consideration that can be appreciated within retrofit projects is that of using upgraded furniture, fittings and equipment. In addition to the savings enjoyed compared to the purchase of new items, the adaptation of previously used objects can also align with the sustainability aims of the company and its clients. In some cases, it is possible to order refurbished items in the colours of the business, thereby achieving the best outcome at a significantly-reduced price, for example. It should not be expected that this will be achieved in every case, of course, and is again subject to the requirements of in-depth consideration and research. Within all the examples provided within this article, it should be further explained that these were undertaken in an open and honest manner, including the avoidance of biased opinion and prejudices. These projects should never be undertaken on the basis of being quick and easy to deliver, but approached with caution and care to ensure that the necessary judgements are made and assist all stakeholders to enjoy the best outcomes.

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ROUNDTABLE

FM Business Daily hosts successful roundtable event in Birmingham On 30 November, FM Business Daily staged the second in its series of roundtable events focused on fire safety, sponsored by Premier Technical Services Group Ltd (PTSG)

ollowing the success of the first roundtable event in July, at which Dame Judith Hackitt was the guest speaker, FM Business Daily delivered a second event that covered some vital topics on life safety in buildings, leading to lively discussions. Guests ranged from Managing Directors to Building Safety Managers, Head of Procurement and Director of Fire and Safety Compliance. There were two guest speakers: Sheetal Panchmatia and Neil Yeomans.

Top: Simon Taylor, CEO of FM Business Daily Bottom: Keynote speakers Neil Yeomans and Sheetal Panchmatia with PTSG’s Andrew Dack (centre)

Keynote speeches Sheetal Panchmatia has held various roles with the West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) since joining in 2004, including a secondment to the Government Office for West Midlands (GOWM) as the Regional Fire Service Lead. She is also the Lead for Residential Voice and Hotels at the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC). Sheetal’s speech was entitled ‘An Inspector Calls and the Moving Target of Fire Safety’, referring to the continual challenges present in this area. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations, which were updated on 23rd January this year, formed the core of the presentation, and the greater demands on duty holders. Neil Yeomans was appointed chair of the National Housing Federation’s building safety group earlier this year. Neil has been a member of the group since 2022 and has worked for Orbit for eight years, heading up an award-winning property safety team. Under Neil, Orbit has won a second consecutive Merit for its commitment from the British Safety Council and a gold health and safet y award from RoSPA for the fifth consecutive year. Neil spoke about the need for a change of mindset from managing compliance to managing risk – and the importance of the right people making the correct decisions on fire safety within buildings.

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ROUNDTABLE

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Left: The lively roundtable discussion in full swing

Before the keynote speeches, Andrew Dack, PTSG’s Group Sales Director, delivered a short address on PTSG’s work in fire solutions, in particular the work of its engineers in the social housing sector. This includes passive fire and fire suppression services as well as security systems.

Igniting lively discussions The two keynote speeches led to a lively discussion, facilitated by FM Business Daily’s MD, Cheryl Ellerington and parent company owner and CEO Simon Taylor. As expected, the speeches prompted a range of questions and answers on fire safety in buildings which continues to be one of the most important subjects in commercial and residential buildings nationwide.

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Numerous compliments were received on the day and all of those present expressed interest in attending future discussions, with several also stating that their companies would like to sponsor their own roundtables. A full report on the first roundtable will be included in the February issue of FM Director magazine and additionally included within the daily newsletters, www.fmdirector.com website, and the FM Business Daily LinkedIn page. Those wishing for more information on how to sponsor their own live events are invited to contact FM Business Daily managing director Cheryl Ellerington: cheryl@fmbusinessdaily.com

Top left: Roundtable events promote new business relationships Top right: Keynote speaker Sheetal Panchmatia Bottom left: Keynote speaker Neil Yeomans Bottom right: PTSG’s Corporate Sales Team

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INTERVIEW

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INTERVIEW

ith a growing number of businesses placing a focus on clearly defining their company culture and supporting their staff with all aspects of wellbeing, there is an increasing demand for professional support and assistance. One of the most recent suppliers in this area of the FM sector is the Lovegreen Health business established by Claudia Halabi last year. Having suppor ted the EMEA Integrated Facilities management area of JLL for a number of years, she is now enjoying her new role and the support this provides for her expanding number of customers. “I’ve always loved working with people and supporting them throughout their careers, now I’m working from a more holistic standpoint, where they can flourish in all areas of their life, including their career,” Ms Halabi continues. “My goal is help them prioritise their health, then they feel healthier, happier and more able to achieve their goals without sacrificing their health or getting burnt out.” She explains how health issues are increasingly attributed to lifestyle choices, including poor levels of nutrition and stress management that are contributing to the rise in modern diseases. “My work follows my own personal beliefs and values, as I’ve made a lot of significant changes to my health and wellbeing over the years. These beliefs and values align with advanced science findings and I’m now sharing these strategies with my clients,” she says. Having worked in the HR and Talent Acquisition department of real estate services provider JLL until March this year, Ms Halabi is continuing her involvement with the Emerging Workplace Leaders (EWL) voluntary organisation. The latter was formed by Ms Halabi and other like-minded FM professionals to promote and encourage the numbers of young people and their leadership skills in the industry and includes the running of the Young Leader of the Year award within the PFM Awards. Claudia has really noticed a common thread among new leaders in our industry - they often find themselves at risk of burnout and other physical and mental issues due to the high demands and pressures in their newfound roles. This certainly highlights the critical importance of learning to prioritise and take care of their health and well-being. She hopes this is something we can address as an industry and through EWL.

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Fatherly advice Her first involvement within the FM sector came in 2004, following a conversation with her father: “I had around three jobs at the time, including working in retail, nightclubs, and also as a journalist for a music magazine, whilst also trying to establish a singing career. He told me it was time to ‘get yourself a proper job or go to university’. I initially started looking into estate agency jobs as I already had an interest in property, and whilst looking for trainee sales jobs I stumbled across a trainee recruitment consultant role for a boutique FM agency, I went for a few interviews and was offered the job.” Having enjoyed her initial introduction to the industry through her FM resources employer, where she gained an understanding of the FM sector and completed a diploma in recruitment, Ms Halabi moved to larger businesses within the City of London and then moved in-house to JLL in her early 30s. “I went there to set up their internal recruitment division for the integrated FM arm of the business and I stayed there for almost a decade because the business kept evolving. It was exciting and their ethics and people aligned well with me – I was given a lot of freedom to be creative and introduce new talent initiatives. I was also able to continue my work with the Young Managers Forum (part of the Facilities Management Association at the time) and then the later set up of Emerging Workplace Leaders (EWL),” she continues.

My goal is help them prioritise their health, then they feel healthier, happier and more able to achieve their goals

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INTERVIEW

I was also able to continue my work with the Young Managers Forum (part of the Facilities Management Association at the time) and then the later set up of Emerging Workplace Leaders

“I am super passionate about inspiring and empowering the next generation, putting talent at the forefront of our sector, connecting people together and opening doors for opportunity,” she states. This commitment led to the forming of the EWL group in 2019, for which she has been a committee member and past co-chair. This leads to further confirmation of her love of working with people and the forming of communities, which includes the creation and running of events to encourage networking between industry professionals. Ms Halabi was one of the industry experts within last year’s Tomorrow Meets Today event (see FM Director November, page 50), providing further evidence of her commitment to help others. “My personal journey really took a turn when I was diagnosed with colon cancer in my early 30s in 2017. I had a long, hard look at what I was eating, my lifestyle and what I was prioritising, which was mostly my career and other people,” she continues. Having identified the areas she needed to transform, Ms Halabi noticed that many others in the FM sector and corporate world were suffering in a similar way that she had been and not putting their health first.

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She noticed the low levels of health and wellbeing, with the potential to cause serious health issues for some in the future if they were not addressed. After leaving JLL in March last year, she embarked on a wellbeing course to gain the necessary professional certification to establish her Lovegreen Health consultancy. “I now work with people using a whole person holistic approach, this integrates physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of wellbeing. Recognising the importance of all areas for equilibrium. I focus on nutrition, hydration, eating habits, mindset, beliefs, emotional health, stress management, and exercise/ movement. This worked for me and I’m really enjoying helping others fall in love with taking care of their mind, body and soul.”

Holisitic approach Clients of Lovegreen Health can choose from a variety of options to make the most of Ms Halabi’s expertise, including one to one coaching, group workshops, wellbeing consultancy for businesses and the staging of wellbeing events. “I’m finding it exciting. I really enjoyed my work with JLL but this is allowing me to work in the best way for me and my family and doing something I truly believe in, without limitations.

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INTERVIEW

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I can also collaborate with others more freely and reach a lot more people by working with various clients,” she says. “Working with individuals is something I cherish because everyone is unique. The real magic, in my opinion, unfolds when I tailor my approach to meet their personal needs and goals. Take, for instance, someone struggling with weight-related challenges, moving from one diet to another with little success or sustainability. More often than not, the key lies in addressing not just ‘what’ they eat but also ‘how’ they eat.”

Building habits Many individuals find themselves trapped in a cycle of weight management difficulties due to factors like stress-induced eating or overeating as a means to cope with emotions and anxiety. Identifying and addressing these underlying issues is crucial for developing sustainable strategies. “My role in this process is to provide unwavering support, assisting them in building new, lasting habits that contribute to their overall well-being. It’s about going beyond the surface and delving into the root causes to pave the way for genuine and sustainable transformation. There is so much contradictory information in the world about ‘how’ to be healthy that it can actually become unhelpful by creating confusion, overwhelm, fear, and anxiety. I want people to cut through that noise, simplify the process, and support them on their unique journey toward health optimisation with joy and ease.” Ms Halabi is passionate about ‘real food’ and moving away from processed, convenience foods. She advocates a plant based, whole food diet, ideally from organic sources: “It is not about ‘dieting’, eating ‘real food’ is a wholesome lifestyle, and one that is very satisfying once you get the hang of it. It is a way of eating that is beneficial to us and the planet. “You wouldn’t put the wrong fuel into your car, so you must ask yourself why would you put the wrong fuel in your body? Eventually it will break down just like your car would. Yet everyday people are eating foods that are not nourishing, then wonder why they are having problems with their health. “Companies have a duty of responsibility toward their staff so this fits perfectly within that, although we know that some businesses will take this more seriously than others. There’s a lot more awareness about the benefits of supporting employee’s health and wellbeing, and that’s something Lovegreen Health can definitely help with,” she continues. “I’m very passionate about helping people to raise their awareness of the effects of their lifestyle on themselves, those around them and on the environment. That might mean we can help someone to avoid getting diabetes or developing other health issues, while steering them towards better behaviours that will improve their general wellbeing,” says Ms Halabi.

Valuing staff It is not difficult to understand the benefits enjoyed by individuals who are able to become healthier and more productive in their work. Rather than becoming another statistic within the UK’s National Health Service, they are more likely to obtain higher levels of job satisfaction and become an even more valued member of staff and society.

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“Improving the wellbeing of your company’s staff will reduce days lost to ill health, while allowing them to raise their productivity. They’re also more likely to work for the business for longer and be more interested in joining a company that cares about their wellbeing, so improving this will also raise the company’s staff retention rates and loyalty,” Ms Halabi concludes.

Caring for the community Ms Halabi is extending her focus to collaborate with local community networks: “I firmly believe that by assisting parents and parents-to-be in making significant lifestyle changes, we can safeguard and nurture the upcoming generation. However, the pivotal starting point lies with parents themselves, as they are the ones who need to initiate this transformation.” Navigating the journey of parenthood is already daunting, and adding the challenge of adopting a healthier lifestyle while juggling work can be utterly exhausting. While some individuals find inspiration to make changes during this period, it is undeniably more convenient to embrace a transformative approach before becoming parents or during the conception phase. “Taking proactive steps towards healthier living and well-being not only supports a smoother pregnancy journey but also lays the groundwork for easier child-rearing. When you have established a solid foundation, it becomes more manageable to introduce your children to nourishing foods and instil positive habits in them,” says Ms Halabi.

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AEMT AWARDS

2023 award winners announced Last year’s AEMT award winners were announced at its annual ceremony to celebrate the best examples within the electrical and mechanical sector

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AEMT AWARDS

ard service providers are at the core of the FM industry and provide essential services that allow many facilities to remain not only operational but benefit from energy savings and considerable assistance on their net zero journeys. The Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT) is one of the trade bodies to represent mechanical and electrical (M&E) service providers. It staged its annual awards ceremony in late autumn last year. This was the sixth anniversary of the awards, which have become an established date within the annual calendar of events, returning to its Coventry locale for the gala evening. The AEMT reports it received a record number of submissions across the seven categories, further stating that this year’s programme again produced “some truly exceptional entries from across the electromechanical arena”. The Doubletree by Hilton, ideally situated at the M6/M69 intersection near Coventry, once again played host to the gala presentation dinner, during which professional endeavour, product innovation, skills development, engineering prowess and service delivery were all acknowledged and celebrated. Operated by the AEMT and produced by Touchwave Media, the awards programme is designed to acknowledge the skill, effort and complete dedication of the people and businesses serving today’s complex electrical and mechanical service, maintenance, and repair sector. With sponsorship provided by a host of leading industry names, well deserved industry-wide recognition was given to those businesses and individuals that are excelling in their professional endeavours.

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The 2023 AEMT Awards Winners are as follows: PRODUCT OF THE YEAR Menzel Motors: Pressurized Explosion Proof Motors for Zone 1 Customers that operate larger motors in hazardous areas, typically refineries and chemical plants need to prevent ignitable gasses from entering operating machines. The Menzel system allows large modular motor operation in zone 1 CACA or CACW, normally from 450mm frames and larger at all voltage ratings, combining the company’s well known flexibility, expertise, and speed of response with the requirements for zone 1 operation. Custom built to site requirements and highest safety standards. Highly qualified staff ensure that the company can respond at very short notice: With EXP systems in stock readily adaptable and deployable at short notice this is a unique feature for a mediumsized motor manufacturer such as Menzel.

The AEMT reports it received a record number of submissions across the seven categories this year

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AEMT AWARDS

PROJECT OF THE YEAR

CONTRIBUTION TO SKILLS & TRAINING

MKE Engineering Group: Browndown Pumping Station The project took place at a water utility company pumping station that was experiencing frequent tripping of equipment. Originally commissioned in the 1970’s it was in desperate need of an upgrade. Using ABB ultra low harmonic drives potential issues with harmonics have been mitigated, whilst providing a clean user-friendly operating system. Feedback from the customer has been excellent, not for just the elimination of the rogue tripping but also for the sizeable energy savings.

Ian Pattinson: The Faraday Centre Mr Pattinson, a devoted member of the Faraday Centre Limited for 23 years, began his engineering journey at English Electric, honing his expertise before transitioning to impactful roles at British Steel. Passionate about power distribution and transformers, he later became a high voltage lecturer dedicating himself to safety and education globally. His legacy encompasses exceptional teaching, consultancy, and an enduring commitment to shaping engineers and fostering a safety driven industry culture.

SERVICE CENTRE OF THE YEAR

RISING STAR AWARD

Avonmouth Engineering Services Avonmouth Engineering Services’ custom built 70,000 square foot site is the largest single workshop facility for electrical and mechanical repairs in the UK. Alongside its second 20,000 square foot division in Cheltenham, the company provides an extensive range of inhouse and onsite services for the repair, overhaul, and upgrade of electromechanical technologies across the entire rotodynamic industry, with a special focus on reliability services and the pump industry.

Josh Bottomley: EMiR Josh Bottomley is team manager for Hosted Services and EMiR Support. Josh manages a team of support engineers who provide technical and maintenance support for EMiR Software and EMiR-Cloud, one of the electro-mechanical industry’s leading ERP software solutions. Over the last four years, Mr Bottomley has gone from unqualified apprentice to EMiR Support Team Leader and now heads up a team of support engineers, inspiring them to perform at the highest levels and trying hard to improve the company’s service level every day.

SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

DIVERSITY IN ENGINEERING AWARD

TEC Electric Motors TEC motors currently hold over £16m pounds’ worth of power transmission stock in the UK, all available for immediate same day shipping; whether the requirement is a 0.09kw or a 645kw motor, a compact frame, a B56 or brake motor, as the UK’s largest independent electric motor stockist, the company has the product. In over 18 years the company has sold over 1.5m motors providing 24 hour, 365 days a year emergency solution to all AEMT members.

Hidrostal: Incorporating Avonmouth Engineering Services, Bedford Pumps & Hidrostal At Hidrostal GB, equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) is embedded into its culture. From recruitment to career development, alongside everyday life at work, the company ensures that its employees feel supported, valued, and accommodated whatever their individual needs. As part of the UK Home Office sponsorship scheme, Hidrostal has a strong focus on wellbeing with EAP Programmes, MHFAiders and Wellness rooms onsite. Its diversity and equal opportunities policy has been adopted by the AEMT as a blueprint for others.

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AEMT AWARDS

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD Dave Beresford: Preformed Windings This year, the AEMT is honoured to recognise Dave Beresford with the AEMT Special Recognition Award for his exemplary performance throughout his career. He started his career as a time served winder back in the 1960s, progressing to works manager and took responsibility for relocating the business to Newcastle. He has conducted various roles including technical manager, technical sales, and coil shop manager. His sense of community is highlighted by the positive connections made all over the world. Just by mentioning his name you are bound to bring a smile to those who he has worked with and known throughout the decades. His dedication to sustainability and quality has led him to innovate techniques such as press cooling and chiller insulation when forming coils. These improved processes have led to increased efficiency and reduced waste. Most of all, his enthusiasm to share knowledge and educate apprentices, colleagues and customers alike resonated with the AEMT’s management committee. It exemplifies the values the AEMT holds true to its heart – education, community, and quality. Commenting on the awards dinner, AEMT secretary and general manager Thomas Marks said: “This year’s awards proved to be another remarkable success and once again provided an excellent

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forum through which to celebrate business and professional excellence. I very much look forward to building on that success for the 2024 programme, and to providing another superb platform for promoting the excellent work being undertaken by the electromechanical service and repair sector. I would urge everyone engaged in this key part of the engineering arena to consider the promotional value that this awards programme can deliver and ensure that your business is suitably represented.”

Further details For more information on the 2021 AEMT Awardsand to review the image gallery, readers are invited to visit the dedicated awards website www.aemtawards.com or contact the organiser, Touchwave Media on 07785 290034 or by email at andrew@ touchwavemedia.co.uk. The ‘call for nominations’ for the 2024 awards programme will open in the spring of this year, leading to the AEMT inviting individuals and companies that have a product, project, service, or other achievement which they feel is deserving of industrywide recognition, to make sure their entry is submitted. The PR value associated with being heralded as a finalist is highly desirable, said the organiser, but if selected as a winner, this rises considerably higher.

Association of Electrical and Mechanical Trades (AEMT) The AEMT is the international trade association for all companies who supply, install, ser vice, maintain and repair industrial machiner y technology such as electric motors, drives, pumps, fans, gearboxes, generators, transformers, switchgear, and ancillar y equipment, with well-equipped mechanical engineering facilities. The AEMT provides its members with a strong, consolidated voice across the industrial landscape, and the AEMT Awards Programme serves to underpin this key delivery.

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INDUSTRY OPINION

How networking is enabling sis to deliver a different kind of engineering inspection service In this guest writer feature, Marc Ashton, founder of Safety Inspection Solutions, discusses the network that has enabled him to overcome professional challenges and offer clients a more agile engineering inspection service

hen i t comes t o engineering sa f et y inspec tions, businesses of ten need a flexible, reactive solution – one that can be planned around production and tailored to their requirements. Independent inspection companies are well-placed to deliver this, responding quickly, and with greater agility than large organisations. Launched eight years ago, Safety Inspection Solutions (SIS) has gained a reputation for its personal, highly responsive service. This launch wasn’t without challenges, but networking has enabled us to overcome them – and to pioneer a new, more collaborative approach to engineering inspections.

The challenges I established SIS in 2014, after a nine-year stint as an engineering surveyor with a large inspection company. This experience, coupled with my skills as a mechanical engineer, gave me the confidence to launch my own business – a longstanding goal. Today, SIS offers a range of onsite inspection services, helping customers to ensure that their working practices and equipment comply with current regulations. As a newly independent engineering inspector, I soon recognised that I could deliver these services reactively and cost-effectively, working around busy production schedules in a way larger organisations were often unable to. I also encountered a range of challenges – not least, lack of resource. If I became unwell or sustained an injury, I could no longer rely on colleagues to pick up outstanding work. This lack of support made it difficult to fulfil large national contracts, which involved travelling across the country. Despite my years of experience, I also missed being able to turn to a team for advice and support. In short, independence was both a blessing and a curse. While customers benefited from a more agile and focused approach, a lack of resource threatened to stymie SIS’s growth.

A network for engineering inspectors After connecting with a group of like-minded engineers, I realised that they had encountered similar hurdles. We resolved to support each other, first building a shared, cloud-based reporting platform. This portal ensured, not only that we were working to the same standards, but that we could access technical information and expert support from peers, as and when needed. We went on to launch the Engineer Surveyor Inspection Network (ESiNet), of which I am a director.

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ESiNet helps engineer surveyors and small, independent companies to grow. Members can discuss the challenges they encounter, join technical forums, and attend monthly online group meetings. It gives us the opportunity to share advice and best practice; now, if I have a reset issue or need a second opinion, I turn to ESiNet for support, using imagery and video streaming. Members also operate as a network, providing nationwide coverage.

Looking ahead ESiNet helps SIS (and businesses like it) to deliver agile, highly responsive service without compromising on efficiency or reliability. This new approach to engineering inspection benefits clients and surveyors alike. With a network of peers to turn to, the latter are better supported, and can achieve a better work-life balance. For customers, the benefits are clear: consistent service, expert problemsolving, and access to a team of specialist engineers across the UK. Already an associate member of the Safet y Assessment Federation (SAFed), SIS recently achieved ISO 9001. We are now ready to grow our team, and are looking to recruit an engineer surveyor apprentice via SAFed’s Level 4 apprenticeship scheme. Candidates must have three years of engineering experience, and a background in disciplines like mechanical, electrical, fluid, or pressure plant engineering. This new team member will enable SIS to extend and improve its inspection services, supporting a growing customer base across the UK. Indeed, with new appointments on the horizon and a network of supportive industry experts to rely on, the future looks bright.

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When lightning strikes: Is your electrical infrastructure really that safe? A guest writer article from Richard Carr, managing director of Volta Compliance

lectrical risks in commercial premises are very real and yet, even today, they are often underestimated. Without the proper checks and systems in place to ensure health and safety and smooth-running operations, organisations are exposed to significant risks. The dreaded and expensive unplanned downtime, partial or total system failures, health and safety breaches and of course financial penalties and legal implications. All of which can also have a devastating negative impact on your reputation. But there are ways you can be proactive about electrical compliance, and this is precisely why it is high on every facilities manager’s agenda.

We have recently launched three new services. The first is a thermal imaging scanning service, which identifies issues and electrical network hotspots that could be running at excessive temperatures so that you can resolve them quickly and avoid any downtime. A thermal scan is completed in real-time – without having to open a casing door – and enables you to go beyond what the naked eye would see to detect issues or any areas potentially susceptible to failure. You can check fuse panels, switchboards, and control panels easily and with minimal fuss. And if an issue is detected, it helps you to schedule maintenance and replacement par ts at more convenient times that minimise business disruption.

Proactivity is key

Even if lightning strikes

Regulations such as The Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) and Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) exist for important reasons. To keep employees, visitors, contractors, and anyone on-site safe. The regulations are there to ensure that systems and equipment are safe and well maintained, but for those with their eye on the bottom line, there are these other disruptive factors to consider as well.

The second is designed to give you peace of mind specifically around the risk of fire caused by lightning known as lightning protection testing. Yes, we know it is rare, but it does happen. Which is why it is better to have the proper preparation and protection in place. The testing covers all lightning conductors and earth grounding installations in your network and involves inspecting and testing each grounding point. The team follows this up with a report and recommendations tailored to your needs. Clients tell us this is the type of reassurance that helps them to sleep sounder during stormy weather.

When it comes to electrical compliance, keeping a constant check on your electrical systems can be time-consuming. But it is important to identify any faults or failures before they cost money, cause unplanned downtime or both. The best way to ensure electrical compliance and avoid risk is with regular inspections and tests, by experts qualified and competent in this field. Volta Compliance keeps companies compliant in all aspects of electrical installations. For more than 20 years we have been working with businesses to make sure that their electrical infrastructure and appliances remain safe and their organisations compliant through a number of specialist inspections, testing and safety checks.

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And finally, a data logging/energy analysis service which is invaluable for record, tracking and measuring activity and energy usage. Investing in the right electrical compliance ensures that your electrical infrastructure and appliances are safe every day, you are legally compliant, and have peace of mind… even if lightning were to strike. To find out more about electrical compliance f or busines ses , visit : voltacompliance.com/electricalcompliance/

The best way to ensure electrical compliance and avoid risk is with regular inspections and tests, by experts qualif ied and competent in this f ield

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INDUSTRY OPINION

How innovation is transforming the public EV charging landscape Insight from Helen Fox-Walker, head of product at Mer

ransport is widely known as being one of the UK’s most polluting sectors. It’s responsible for a quarter of UK carbon emissions, with road traffic accounting for some 91% of that proportion. It’s well understood and documented that the transition to electric vehicle (EVs) is critical to tackling road emissions and to create a net zero future in the UK and beyond. While the problem and the solution are clear, the journey has not always been so simple. To support the transition to EVs, the UK Government aims to have 300,000 public chargers installed by 2030. However, the public charging infrastructure faces several challenges including legislative, technical and cultural barriers. Are these barriers still as restrictive as they seem and how has the EV industry been innovating to address them?

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Addressing power availability and grid constraints Unsurprisingly, EVs consume considerable amounts of energy, creating issues around grid stability and security, including voltage deviation, frequency imbalance and grid overload. Unfortunately, many EV projects have already experienced delays due to power supply challenges and this issue is particularly pronounced when we consider the demand needed to electrify commercial and industrial fleets. The truth is the grid requires extensive and expensive upgrades to accompany EV charging developments. These upgrades are an important and necessary part of the entire net zero effort and will be essential to allow more renewable energy to be incorporated into the grid. Plus, there are already promising technological developments in the EV sector to address power supply issues.

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Innovations by car manufactures in recent years have led to the creation of larger batteries with longer life spans to reduce the ‘range anxiety’ that was holding up EV adoption. Coupled with the development of a smart electricity grid, the improvements to EV batteries can actually offer a materially efficient and low-cost way to provide short-term energy storage. Emerging vehicle to grid (V2G) technology allows EVs to not only draw power from the grid for charging but also to give electricity back when it’s needed in periods of heightened demand. In a similar vein, innovations in smart grids have enabled EVs to contribute to load balancing. Load management software can constantly communicate with the electricity infrastructure, charge points, and EVs to reduce the energy drain from EVs during periods of peak demand, easing burden on the grid. At the same time, it optimises EV charging. At a macro level, this can create an equilibrium among power demand across several sites, for example a commercial fleet charging site or a public car park. At a micro level, load management can alter the charging session to a period of time when energy is less expensive – helping businesses and individual households cut costs and emissions. Thanks to technological innovation, EVs can be turned into flexible assets that support the grid’s electricity supply rather than taking away from it.

Changing public perceptions Unfortunately, EVs have been a contentious topic among the press and in public opinion. While the infrastructure is not yet perfect, it is evolving to meet challenges. Many of the public’s main concerns such as range anxiety, slow charging and insufficient charging points, have already been addressed in recent years by innovation. Charging is getting faster, and rapid and ultra-rapid charge points are becoming increasingly available. The number of ultra-rapid charge points in the UK has increased by 68% since September 2022, representing the fastest growing charger type. Now, EV drivers can easily access a quick and substantial boost when they stop for around 20 minutes. There are also exciting innovations on horizon in the form of wireless charging that will further maximise the ease for EV owners in the future. A bugbear for many EV drivers in the past has been the lack of simplicity when it comes to finding chargers and payment options. However, new consumer-friendly technology is simplifying the user experience to make the process as seamless as possible.

For example, Tap Electric’s app helps drivers easily identify chargers that are available, reliable, and affordable. Equipped with availability alerts, real-time cost calculation, and in-app messaging, the app supports a smooth driver experience. Likewise, for fleet drivers, Zapmap and Allstar’s Integrated Digital Payment Solution, offers a single-app payment solution for charge points across a UK-wide network. Smart technology also now alerts charge point operations as soon as a charger is out of action to ensure it can be fixed as soon as possible.

An electric future Innovation remains the driving force behind the transformation of public EV charging networks. There may still be bumps in the road but if one thing is for sure, the EV industry will continue to evolve and innovate to address them. A future where the UK public charging infrastructure is a seamless and integral part of our everyday lives may not be as far off as it seems. Mer is constantly innovating to support the transition to electric mobility. Learn more about our solutions here.

Thanks to technological innovation, EVs can be turned into flexible assets that support the grid’s electricity supply rather than taking away f rom it

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INDUSTRY OPINION

How FMs can simplify inventory audits Andrew Johnson, CEO and founder of ShelfAware, discusses how automation makes it easier for facility managers to do more accurate and more regular inventory audits

t ’s that time of year again! No, I’m not talking about the holiday season. I’m talking about everyone’s favorite time of year—the annual inventory audit party. Growing up inside a family distribution business, I celebrated this season every year by counting tiny little parts in the warehouse for weeks with every employee except for a few running the essential daily tasks. I guess you could call it “fun.” Every year I would ask my father, “Do we really have to audit every single part this year?” The answer was always the same. “Yes!” Even though I knew the answer, I never stopped asking the question. That curiosity has spearheaded my journey to revolutionize inventory audits so that we can get back to just enjoying the holidays. There are many reasons that FMs perform regular inventory audits. The most obvious is to ensure an accurate count of all physical components on the shelf. It’s also a good idea for insurance purposes. With automation, a quick scan of an entire room of inventory can create detailed reports to determine the dollar amount of inventory on hand. This ensures better insurance reports and rates. In addition, inventory audits are helpful for calculating profits, creating more accurate budgets, and identifying inefficiencies in manufacturing operations. Of ten, companies have poor tracking methods and might not actually know their current supply levels. They may be selling products that are already out of stock or planning production runs without enough materials. The solution to these complicated inventory issues is to carefully track materials and products so that you always have necessary products on hand without being oversupplied.

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The first step in managing your facilities is to perform an accurate inventory audit. For most facilities, it is a financial requirement and an organizational burden. Through the years we’ve seen some shift to perpetual inventory or cycle counting, essentially breaking up the audit in chunks throughout the year. However, most still just bite the bullet and shut down at year end for a complete inventory audit. With the advent of new technology like web-based applications and shared data we are seeing the traditional audit go the way of the dinosaur. The question I’m often asked is, “Where do we start?” The answer is simple—start small for big innovation. A small start can be something as simple as asking key suppliers how they can help with inventory audits and inventory management. Many modern suppliers will have a multitude of solutions. At a minimum, they will be able to provide additional information on package labels, even referencing this information in the form of QR codes or barcodes. When it comes to inventory audits, the more scannable the information, the better. If your supplier can’t deliver these basic services, it may be time to consider a new one.

When considering how to collect this information and translate it into your broader MRP or ERP system, I often recommend leveraging mobile apps as opposed to commercial handheld scanners with built-in interfaces. Employees will be much more comfortable operating inside an Apple or Android mobile app, and therefore, much more likely to fully participate.

Inventory audits are helpful for calculating prof its, creating more accurate budgets, and identifying ineff iciencies in manufacturing operations

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INDUSTRY OPINION

Not up for commissioning your own mobile app development? Or, does the idea of starting small for big innovation sound “too little too late” for your facility? Then you could consider working with a third-party platform to optimize inventory management and automate inventor y audits.

How to automate inventory audits Inventor y audits can be tedious and time-consuming, but cut ting-edge platforms that leverage cloud data can reduce the burden while providing you with the necessar y insights to improve manufacturing operations. Best in class is a supplier who can provide you with RFID smart labels. By combining a cloud-based, data driven digital VMI plat form and RFID technology, that process becomes fully automated with an accurate audit produced in less than an hour. Most facility supply chains are complex. Often there are thousands of SKUs. In some cases, there are hundreds of thousands of square feet of actual physical inventory. In some scenarios, the inventory is wideopen with hundreds of users across multiple shifts interacting with the inventory. This can cause discrepancies in the data when managed traditionally. With RFID smart labels attached to ever y inventor y item, supplier sales representatives can perform accurate inventory audits at any time. The radio frequency chip can transmit package information across the airwaves at distances over 50 feet.

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With the advent of new technology like web-based applications and shared data we are seeing the traditional audit go the way of the dinosaur This non-contact scanning function allows auditors to move quickly, scanning thousands of items in minutes without touching any thing. Leveraging RFID technology allows for customization and accurate audits of complex supply chains in minutes. With a digital VMI platform, suppliers and their sales reps are equipped to perform these audits, releasing facility managers and their teams from this tedious task. A supplier or sales representative enters the facility with a handheld scanner that is powered by a simple-to-use mobile digital VMI app. There is no complicated scanner to manage.

This type of automated inventory audit takes minutes instead of days and is extremely accurate. Because of the simplicit y, they can be done more frequently especially in maintenance, repair, and overhaul facilities which typically see higher turns across routine use parts. Higher turns means more touches, and more touches equates to more lost inventory. Unfortunately, when humans are involved that is a natural outcome. All we can do is implement a system to fix it and fix it FAST! That way, we can all get back to sipping egg nogg and singing a good Christmas carol.

Key takeaways for automating inventory audits 1. Work toward an innovation strategy that won’t require you to shut down your facilit y to perform inventory audits. 2. Don’t hesitate to collaborate with key suppliers, 3. Focus any data collection efforts on smart phones and RFID technology. 4. Leverage technology that is cheap and flexible. Avoid clunky vending machines.

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MOVERS + SHAKERS

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Latest appointments of senior FM professionals 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

new chair of the Flexible Space Association’s Board has taken of fice for the start of the New Year.

Andrea Kolokasi, head of business development at Workspace Group, takes over the voluntary role from Freya Cross, head of business and corporate at The Deep Business Centre in Hull, who held the post for four years and remains a member of the Board.

With more than 25 years of experience within Tilbury Douglas, most recently as regional director – North West for nearly seven years, he has played an integral part in the growth and success of the region.

She has over 20 years of experience within the hospitality industry, including strategic sales leadership roles in destination marketing, five-star hotels and premium venues across the UK. Ms Brown’s most recent role was director of business development for Sodexo’s Sports & Leisure business, and she is highly skilled in sales and marketing, stakeholder engagement and client relations to successfully support sales goals.

Ms Kolokasi has over 20 years’ experience in the flexible workspace industry. Her role at the company is focused on expanding its offer, adding value to the customer experience and forging valuable relationships for the company. She has launched and manages over 120 meeting rooms for her employer, which have proved popular with both customers and external users, and launched the customer app.

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uilding, infrastructure, engineering and f i t - ou t ser vices provider Tilbur y Doug las has a n nounced t he promotion of Phil Shaw to managing director – Building North.

To enable this progression and to further support the company’s growth, Tilbury Douglas has also appointed Martin Horne as regionaldDirector – North West. Having held senior construction roles for several decades, most recently at BAM for more than eight years, latterly as Construction Director and before that as Technical Director (Structures), Mr Horne brings with him more than 35 years of construction experience leading businesses and delivering major projects.

ont rac t ca terer E lior UK has appointed Amanda Brown as director of sales and marketing at Scottish Gas Murray f ield, ef fec t ive from 8 January 2024.

In her new role at Murrayfield, Ms Brown will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of sales and marketing for both match day and non-match day activities.

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ompass Group UK & Ireland has appointed Carol Sommerville as its new chief people officer (CPO), with immediate effect.

She joins from Watchfinder, a luxury pre-owned watch specialist business, part of Richemont Group, where she was global HR director. Prior to this she held senior HR roles at Net-a-Porter and began her career at BT, where she worked as HR director for the Openreach Service Centres, director of Meritocracy BT Group and vice president of HR EMEA within BT Global Services. In these positions she has gained a wealth of HR experience across various industries and has a commitment to developing and investing in people, as well as creating an inclusive culture. Ms Sommer ville will be responsible for delivering the company’s Our Social Promise – a commitment to support 1m people with opportunities and change their lives through job creation, education, training, community and charitable engagement by 2030.

orkplace and FM ser vice provider ISS A /S h a s a n n o u n c e d the appointment of Mads Holm as group chief financial officer. He will join no later than 1 August 2024 and will be based in the group’s headquarters in Copenhagen. Mr Holm joins Equinor, where he currently holds the position as CFO of Equinor Renewables, as well as member and former chair of the board for Equinor Asset Management. Since joining Equinor in 2012, he held several finance leadership positions including responsibilit y of financial reporting, tax, treasury, investor relations, asset management and supply chain excellence. Prior to Equinor, he held various positions within Danske Bank where he started in 2003, and he holds an MSc in finance and accounting from Copenhagen Business School.

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He will spearhead an era of digital transformation, marking a renewed commitment f rom the company to pr ior it ise and advance innovat ive solutions for the UK water industry.

As an experienced C Suite leader in water services and energy industries for over 20 years, he brings a wealth of experience in leading large, complex, international, and cross-functional teams. In particular, he has had ex tensive involvement and res ponsibilit y for tec hnolog y development in smart metering, AI, and digital solutions.

Having joined the business at the start of his career as an engineer, Mr Shaw has extensive knowledge of the industry, region and sectors. In 2022, he was awarded the Constructing Excellence Outstanding Achievement Award and then in 2023, Tilbury Douglas was named Contractor of the Year by Constructing Excellence North West.

a s t e wa t e r s e r v i c es p r ov i d e r S U E Z h a s announced the appointment of Mitch Donnelly as managing director for Digital Solutions in the UK.

uilding, infrastructure, engineering and f i t - ou t services provider Tilbury Douglas has announced t he promotion of Phil Shaw to managing director – Building North.

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