2011-08-11 FM World by Redactive Media Group

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF FACILITIES MANAGEMENT | 11 AUGUST 2011

W FM MWorld www.fm-world.co.uk

How FM is best placed to convey your business culture

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VOL 8 ISSUE 15 11 AUGUST 2011

CONTENTS

7 | Cardiff City Council

16 | Ocean science

24 | Complex engineering

NEWS

OPINION

FEATURES

6 Security shambles at Murdoch phonetapping hearing 7 Cardiff City Council commits to major refurb over its property portfolio 8 Project of the Fortnight: Aquatics Centre makes a splash at Olympic Park 10 FM 100 poll: Are you planning to upgrade your help desk? 12 Business news: Graeme Davies argues that firms could gain from PFI cuts 13 Mitie buys out SMI to extend client reach overseas

14 Diary of a facilities manager: David Walker’s regular look at the daily challenges he faces in his working life 15 Five minutes with Phil Ratcliffe, managing director, Procore 50 Felicity Messing

MONITOR 38 Technical: John Lane investigates a mysterious UPS failure 37 Legal: Failure to adhere to vacation dates can result in prosecution 39 How to: deciding whether RHI is right for your organisation

34 | FM Training

National Oceanography Centre: David Arminas finds that FM at a key research centre means driving down the energy cost of scientific enquiry

Ergonomics: Taking into account your staff’s working environment maintains health and aids productivity, says Tim Hutchings

Complex Engineering: Andrew Cooper explains the use of mathematical modelling to simplify the complex world of building management

FM Training: John Nahar experiences the original introduction to FM course, ‘Understanding FM’ twenty years after it opened its doors

REGULARS 40 BIFM news 44 People & Jobs 47 Appointments For exclusive online content including blogs, videos and daily news updates

visit fm-world.co.uk FM World Jobs – the best place to find FM career opportunities online

visit fm-world.co.uk/jobs COVER IMAGE: GETTY

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Redactive Publishing Ltd 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP 020 7880 6200 www.fm-world.co.uk EDITORIAL Tel: 020 7880 6229 email: editorial@fm-world.co.uk editor: Martin Read ⁄ news editor: David Arminas ⁄ sub editor: James Richards ⁄ assistant editor: Natalie Li ⁄art director: Mark Parry ⁄ art editor: Daniel Swainsbury ⁄ picture editor: Sam Kesteven ADVERTISING AND MARKETING email: sales@fm-world.co.uk

MARTIN READ EDITOR COMMENT

LEADER

senior display sales executive: Adam Potter (02078808543)⁄displaysalesexecutiveJohnNahar (020 7880 6230) ⁄ recruitment sales executive: Norman Cook PRODUCTION production manager: Jane Easterman production executive: Aysha Miah PUBLISHING publishing director: Steve Bagshaw Forward features lists and media pack available at www.fm-world.co.uk/about-us SUBSCRIPTIONS BIFM members with FM World subscription or delivery queries should call the BIFM’s membership department on 0845 0581358 FM World is sent to all members of the British Institute of Facilities Management and is available on subscription to nonmembers. Annual subscription rates are UK £110, rest of world £130. To subscribe call 020 8950 9117 or email fm@alliance-media. co.uk – alternatively, you can subscribe online at www.fm-world.co.uk/about-us/ subscribe/ To order the BIFM good practice guides or the FM World Buyers’ Guide to FM Services call Natalie Li on 020 7880 6229. EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Simon Ball, business development manager, Interserve⁄JasonChoy,director,Persus⁄Ismena Clout, energy consultant, powerPerfector ⁄ Nick Cook, managing director, Haywards ⁄ Rob Greenﬁeld, director for health, safety, environmentalandquality,Sodexo⁄AnneLennox Martin, FM consultant ⁄ Peter McLennan, joint course director, MSc Facility Environment and Management, University College London ⁄ Lionel Prodgers, principal, Agents4FM ⁄ Chris Stoddart, general manager, Heron Tower ⁄ JeremyWaud,managingdirector,IncentiveFM ⁄ Jane Wiggins, FM Tutor and author ⁄ Chris Wood, senior associate at Advanced Workplace Associates

Average net circulation 11, 654 (Jul 09 – Jun 10) FM World magazine is produced using paper derived from sustainable sources; the ink used is vegetable based; 85 per cent of other solvents used in the production process are recycled © FM World is published on behalf of the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) by Redactive Publishing Ltd (RPL), 17 Britton St, London EC1M 5TP. This magazine aims to include a broad range of opinion about FM business and professional issues and articles do not necessarily reﬂect the views of the BIFM nor should such opinions be relied upon as statements of fact. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any print or electronic format, including but not limited to any online service, any database or any part of the internet, or in any other format in whole or in part in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher. While all due care is taken in writing and producing this magazine, neither BIFM nor RPL accept any liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein. Printed by Pensord ISSN 1743 8845

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t doesn’t matter how the workplace is designed, how it’s managed is more important.” That kind of motion is certain to stir the blood of committed facilities managers, and that’s just what happened when it was debated recently at a BIFM International special interest group event. A team of workplace designers took on a team of FMs, each presenting their case through a series of slides and a lively Q&A session. An honourable draw resulted – something to be expected, I suppose, from an event that had ‘just a bit of fun’ written all over it. Nevertheless, I’m convinced that encounters like this bring out the best from our profession’s most passionate advocates. Needless to say I’m biased, but I was struck by the clarity of the FM team’s arguments in contrast to the opposition’s somewhat woolier claims. (Function should always trump form, you say? No doubt children are the future and all we actually need is love.) More interesting was the design team’s suggestion that “corporate culture, branding and internal politics always play their part in a typical workplace design project”. All three elements can compromise the efficiency of the FM operation set up to manage the resulting workplace, so perhaps it’s time to fight back on all fronts. Firstly, it’s possible to make a case for FM being ideally positioned to propagate corporate culture (our cover feature on page 30 is about just that). Secondly, if branding is affecting workplace design, it will be doing so by reducing performance levels somewhere on the project (energy, productivity, H&S, and so on.). That exposes the brand to potentially serious negative publicity, and a savvy FM department will know how to make this case. As for internal politics? You mean the internal politics of one department holding greater sway than others in a workplace design project, compromising the result? This is one area of compromise that can rarely stand the test of close scrutiny. And how do you avoid different internal departments squabbling over project outcomes? I refer you back to FM’s potentially leading role in the management and dissemination of a company’s business culture… Whatever the issue, the underlying cause here is the big one – true understanding of facilities management at board level. Tim Allen –Johnson Controls’ director of workplace services and one of the threeman workplace design team at the BIFM debate – argued that “unless FM talks the language of the board and is able to present the benefits and the vision [of the FM function], it will never have that seat on the board. It’s all about vocabulary and language.” I disagree. It’s not about how we convey the message, because we’ve been refining that for ages. The argument is tried, tested and pretty close to bulletproof. What’s important is how forcefully we go about delivering that message, and to whom we deliver it. The BIFM international Sig event confirmed yet again that FM is perhaps uniquely blessed with individuals more than capable of winning the argument. It’s just that they need to be arguing more often.

“CORPORATE CULTURE, BRANDING AND INTERNAL POLITICS CAN ALL COMPROMISE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE FM OPERATION”

Tel: 0845 0581356 email: admin@bifm.org.uk web: www.bifm.org.uk

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SECURITY

Security shambles at Murdoch hearing The head of City Security and Resilience Networks (CSARN) has welcomed the announcement of an investigation into the breach of security that occurred when Rupert Murdoch was giving evidence in Parliament. The media tycoon was addressing a select committee investigating allegations of telephone tapping by his organisation when a member of the public throw a plate of shaving foam in his face. Murdoch’s wife and one of his lawyers stopped the 26-year-old man, who was later arrested by police. Murdoch and his son who was sitting next to him were not harmed. “The farcical sight of Rupert Murdoch being attacked within the Houses of Parliament turned an already embarrassing day for Britain into an excruciating international humiliation,” said Richard Bingley, chief executive of the membership advisory body CSARN. “It is not the first time highprofile individuals have been attacked in, supposedly, one of the nation’s most secure environments. Judging by the apparent complacent ineptitude of those responsible for securing the facilities, members and guests, it won’t be the last. “We welcome the investigation,” Bingley told FM World. “Citizens and taxpayers have a right to see people questioned in Parliament. But the solution is not, as was done, to throw out members of the public.” Bingley also cautioned against severe security measures that 06 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

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would put people off from attending parliamentary events. “The public should not be vetted by some Byzantine pre-selection method for attendees that could all but wipe out the rights of many of us – those with recorded inconvenient political opinions, or simply a spontaneous desire to witness our democratic system – to attend.” The Speaker of the House, John Bercow, announced the investigation, saying “it is wholly unacceptable for a member of the public to treat, and to be able to treat, a witness in this way”. He also said the investigation will be “entirely independent of the House authorities”. Bingley said the Sergeant at Arms team and police presence “again got lucky” and no harm was done, “except by way of an appalling dent to Britain’s reputation just months before this

ANALYSIS

How secure is too secure? DAVID ARMINAS

Organisations should avoid the knee-jerk reaction to security breaches by piling on more – and more obvious – security. But does a security breach mean there is too little security? Similarly, does no security breach mean the right level of security exists? “There is no real answer,” says Mick Foster, a former assistant chief constable with the National Crime Squad and West Midlands Police. “However, a responsible organisation constantly

DAVID ARMINAS newsdesk@fm-world.co.uk

reviews security levels.” No system is fool-proof and the Murdoch debacle shows the need for continuing risk assessment. “Those responsible for business continuity should be in a position to advise on the depth of the security for day-to-day safety,” says Foster. “Those in charge of employees will then know that serious consideration is given at all times to avoid disruption.” Scan code for FM World’s digest of security news, features and reference material

Each organisation will determine that balance between overt security for all to see and covert security, which is a finertoothed comb that digs a little deeper to see if something got through the first checks. Beware of “template” security where risk assessments are not done often enough, says Mark Hamilton, managing director of G4S Events. Good security needs continuous, or “dynamic”, risk assessments. In the Murdoch case, says Hamilton, usual security may not have been enough given the nature of the hearings.

www.fm-world.co.uk

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NEWS

BRIEFS 02 walkway goes ahead

Live-in security guardians on the rise Live-in guardians have become a popular alternative to traditional 24-hour security, according to Camelot Property Protection. In return for looking after empty premises, guardians can rent rooms for as little as £45 per week in parts of the UK. Camelot Property Protection has been managing properties across the UK that are awaiting demolition, renovation, sale, letting or redevelopment. The past 10 years have seen a rise in live-in guardians due the unstable economic climate, said a spokesperson at the security company. Camelot currently looks

after more than 200 properties, including BBC Scotland’s landmark former headquarters, which are currently being looked after by a team of live-in guardians. Also on the company’s books are after care homes, warehouses, pubs, old libraries, schools and churches, with over 1,000 guardians in residence. “We are growing at a huge rate – with 30 per cent growth year on year,” said the spokesperson. Anyone over the age of 18 can become a guardian to help protect against potential break-ins, vandals and squatters. Property managers and landlords who find it timeconsuming and expensive to make a vacant property secure can hire

FM deal for new hotel CAMELOT

NATALIE LI newsdesk@fm-world.co.uk

A roof walkway is to be built across London’s 02 arena in Greenwich. The temporary walkway, 60 metres above ground, will offer a 360-degree panoramic view across London and accommodate 90 people crossing at any one time.

guardians on a temporary basis – from a few months up to a few years. According to a Camelot spokesperson, property owners can save, on average, between £60,000 to £70,000 in a year through the guardian scheme rather than employing traditional 24-hour security.

ESTATE MANAGEMENT

Cardiff Council closes for refurb Cardiff City Council is to approve a major workplace revamp that will see most of its 51 office buildings closed. This will mean a massive culture change for council staff, many of whom will migrate from old, cubicle-style environments to open-plan offices. The council has around 3,700 staff, but this is likely to decrease over the next five years, according to the document Our Space Project, the council’s five-year blueprint for office accommodation. The document acknowledges that the budget for the plan is “the result of very early financial modelling”. The number of closures and type of refurbishment might change after more www.fm-world.co.uk

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ISTOCK

DAVID ARMINAS newsdesk@fm-world.co.uk

detailed assessments of finances and key risks. At the heart of the scheme is a £17 million upgrade of the four core office properties. The aim is to reduce operating costs and carbon emissions, claw back money from building disposals and address a big backlog of repairs to the 20-year-old County Hall, one of the main buildings.

Its other three core buildings are City Hall – over 100 years old and situated on the campus of Cardiff University – Wilcox House and Global Link. County Hall, the city council’s administrative centre, is in the heart of Cardiff Bay development, which transformed the mostly derelict dockland area in the 1990s. The building has conference and function rooms that can fit up to 300 people. More open plan offices would increase staff occupancy by 600, but it is in need of “significant investment to address the maintenance backlog”. The older Edwardian Baroquestyle City Hall, which opened in 1906, is not suitable for much open-plan remodelling, even though occupancy could be boosted by around 100 employees.

The University of Nottingham has gone out to tender for an FM contract for a soon-to-built 200-bed hotel and conference facility on the main campus adjacent to the East Midlands Conference Centre, where the BIFM held its annual conference in April. The hotel will feature executive-style bedrooms, meeting and conference rooms, a rooftop terrace, a gym, a restaurant and a bar.

Deceptive fraud figures Reported fraud has levelled out, according to legal firm BDO’s sixmonthly FraudTrack, but the figures may be misleading. Fraud reported between December 2010 and May was around £920m. Last year it was £1.06bn. But in the public sector it has almost doubled since last year, from £216m to £431m in 2011. In the finance and insurance sectors it has almost halved, going from £524m to £274m in 2011, possibly indicating a reluctance to report fraud.

New president for CoreNet Ian Smith, head of project management for global corporate services EMEA for CB Richard Ellis, is the new president of CoreNet Global’s UK chapter. In May, at the US headquarters of CoreNet Global, Matthew J Fanoe, vice president of real estate at Coca-Cola Refreshments, became chairman of CoreNet Global’s board of directors.

Salford campus revamp The University of Salford has kickstarted a 20-year transformation of its campus by awarding a £4.6 million contract to Wates Construction. Wates will start extending and refurbishing the university’s main arts building, the 1970s’ Chapman building. Also planned is a site-wide district heating system including a combined heat and power plant using biomass technology.

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PROJECT OF THE

FORTNIGHT NEWS BULLETIN

Cash available for sport facilities upgrade The government is giving £50m to help sports clubs upgrade their facilities. The money is available to organisations through the Inspired Facilities fund, part of the £135m Places People Play programme announced in November. Places People Play was set up to ensure that enthusiasm for getting involved in sports as a result of the London 2012 Olympics would not die out for lack of good facilities. The Inspired Facilities announcement is the first time the government has ring-fenced money specifically for beefing up property assets. Money will also be available to convert buildings into venues that are suitable for grassroots sport.

Hospitality sector undercooks recycling

Aquatics Centre makes splash in Stratford The Olympic Aquatics Centre in Stratford, London, has been completed on time and on budget – the last of the six main Olympic Park venues to be finished. Balfour Beatty started work on site in June 2008. The Zaha Hadiddesigned centre will hold 17,500 people during the games which start next year. After the games, the seating will be reduced to 2,500 with the ability to add 1,000 for major events. The venue has two 50-metre swimming pools with moveable floors and separation booms, a diving pool and dry diving area. More than 3,000 people have worked on the construction of the venue and over 370 UK businesses have won contracts for goods and services. These include: ■ ALcontrol Laboratories, Flintshire – water testing ■ Aqua Pharos, East Kilbride, Scotland – pool lights ■ Grundfos, Bedfordshire – pumps ■ HJL Underfloor, Newcastle-upon-Tyne – underfloor heating ■ Littlewood Fencing, East Sussex – timber deck surfacing ■ Pitchmastic PmB, Sheffield – waterproofing services ■ Rowecord, Newport, Wales – roofing steel ■ Response Safety Netting, Staffordshire – safety netting checks ■ Straight Line Services, Kent – safety grilles ■ Sound Research Laboratories, Suffolk – acoustic services The Olympic Stadium, Velodrome, Handball Arena, Basketball Arena and the International Broadcast Centre were all completed earlier this year. More than 40,000 people have worked on the Olympic site since April 2008 and more than 1,500 direct contracts worth £6bn have been won by thousands of UK companies. 08 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

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The hospitality industry recycles just less than half of its annual 3.5 million tonnes of waste, a survey has found. Around 1.6 million tonnes, or 48 per cent, of waste is recycled by the industry, according to the Composition of Waste Disposed by the Hospitality Industry report from the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP). The survey of 60 large hospitality groups and 1,660 independent businesses also found that 1.5 million tonnes, or 43 per cent of waste, is thrown away, most of it ending up in landfill. But about three-quarters (77 per cent) of this 1.5 million tonnes could be recycled. Pubs produced the most waste with around 1.6 million tonnes. Restaurants produced nearly 1.1 million tonnes, while hotels created 485,000 tonnes.

Government plans 300 new schools under PFI The government is building up to 300 schools under private finance initiative (PFI) contracts, education secretary Michael Gove has announced. Around £2 billion of government funds will be put into school projects, with the first school to be opened in September 2014. The move is to amend the “deep disappointment” of some school authorities when the government cancelled Labour’s Building Schools for the Future programme last year. Gove said the new PFI programme will not automatically replace cancelled projects under the old BSF programme (see business news analysis, page 12).

BIFM backs ethical workplaces standard The BIFM is backing an initiative to develop a standard for “ethical workplaces”, led by the Ethical Property Foundation. The standard is likely to cover people (employment, user experience), planet (energy, transport, water, waste), community (social, contribution, procurement) and landlord-tenant relations (lease, service charges). The institute is an early supporter of the foundation’s Ethical Workplaces Project, a network of non-government organisations, academics and sustainability analysts. All are inspired by the idea that you can change the world when you go to work, if you work in a place that helps people, the community and the planet. The project will create a quality mark to promote good practice, produce education materials and campaign to create an encouraging political and business environment.

Kier cuts 40 jobs from Sheffield City Council Kier Asset Partnership Services is cutting “up to 40” jobs at Sheffield City Council, where it operates a major property and facilities contract. Savings are essential because of the government’s Comprehensive Spending Review budget cuts. Savings at Sheffield council will also come from a reduction of general consultancy work that Kier now does. The council needs to save more than 30 per cent of its budget within three years, including £80m in the year 2011/12. The jointly-agreed changes have been planned alongside asset rationalisation and aim to mitigate any adverse impact on the current level of service delivery, according to the statement. www.fm-world.co.uk

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FM 100 POLL

WE ASKED 100 FMS…

No, no budget 13%

Yes, upgrade 14%

Yes, more functionality 20%

Are you planning to upgrade your help desk in the next 12 months? Over half of FMs are happy with their current help desk and have no plans to upgrade the facility, according to the latest FM 100 Poll. However, nearly 20 per cent said they had plans to upgrade in order to get more functionality, while 14 per cent are going to upgrade as part of a general office improvement. Meanwhile, 13 per cent said there were no plans to upgrade due to budget constraints. A help desk is often the first interaction that customers have

with a business and creates a lasting impression. But help desk employees are often the last people to be thanked for their effort, said one respondent. “I ran a help desk at my old company and it grew from two to 18 workstations,” he said. “You never get thanked for all the work and the volume of orders you process. In our case, it was in excess of 10,000 orders per month, with probably over 40,000 calls handled.” Help desks have become much more complex in the past

No 53% decade, a respondent said. “We have one for our FM business, which operates on a dedicated basis for a number of clients who want exclusive phone numbers, proactive questioning and third party supplier management. Then, we have a general client help desk that takes and distributes work that we self-deliver on term contracts across all trade

DREAMSTIME

School dinners are food for thought More than three million children in England are now having a school meal daily, a rise for the third year in a row. Figures published by the School Food Trust and the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) show that an average of 44 per cent of children in primary schools chose school meals in 2010-11, compared to 41 per cent the previous year. The number of children taking both paid-for and free school meals in 2010-11 increased, and the equivalent of almost 590 million healthy school lunches were served up last year, the LACA said. “There’s no better review for any restaurant than to see the number of returning customers going up each year,” School Food Trust chairman Rob Rees said. “That’s exactly what’s happening here, thanks to the hard work of cooks and catering teams, lunchtime supervisors, schools and councils.”

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The research also found that two-thirds of councils in the survey said they would continue to give grant funding to their catering services. Around 173,000 more children had school meals last year, compared with around 100,000 extra children in 2009-10. The average meal price across all schools was up 5p to £1.93. The less-than-3-per-cent-rise is below the current rate of food inflation, the LACA said. “The messages about the important contribution school meals can make to a child’s learning ability and physical performance are, hopefully, getting through to parents and head teachers,” LACA

More children opt for school canteen

chair Sandra Russell said. “It is absolutely critical that at this time of public sector austerity measures, we do all we can to ensure the now un-ring-fenced school lunch grant continues to be channelled towards catering.”

“The average meal price across all schools was up 5p to £1.93. The less-than-3-per-cent-rise is below the current rate of food inflation”

disciplines and geography.” Apart from normal calls, one FM said a senior Whitehall civil servant would call to enquire about his parking space. The bureaucrat would call to ask the help desk staff to check with security about the availability of his designated space. Apparently, the departmental minister, his boss, would use it unannounced on some days.

London tops parking rates London has the world’s highest monthly parking rates, according to a new global survey. The City has the highest rates in the London area, where the rate is about £657. This is closely followed by the West End at about £615, noted the Global Central Business District Parking Rate Survey, published by Colliers International. “London has consistently ranked as the most expensive parking garage market in the world by a significant margin – 25-35 per cent over the past four years,” the survey notes. Due to a steep rise in the Swiss franc, Zurich moved into third position, replacing Hong Kong. Zurich monthly parking costs remained the same at 700 Swiss francs. But the latest exchange rate translated this into £505 – a 36 per cent hike for foreigners paying in foreign currency. www.fm-world.co.uk

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Advertisement feature

UK Gutter Maintenance Paul and Kathy Blair, husband and wife and co-owners of UK Gutter Maintenance Ltd were delighted when the opportunity presented itself in the Spring of 2008 to form their own specialist gutter cleaning company and have never looked back since. Despite the economic doom and gloom theirs is a true success story. Between them the couple have over forty years experience working within specialised service industries, over ten of which have been dedicated to gutter cleaning activities. Both Paul and Kathy have a passionate belief in what their company stands for and a refreshingly uncomplicated common sense approach to managing their business. Their work ethic is based on teamwork and by placing a greater reliance and responsibility on those who work with them they have succeeded in achieving a consistently high and personal level of service that they believe is unrivalled in the industry. Kathy Blair Managing Director says “in an industry where the end product invariably cannot be seen it is of paramount importance that clients have confidence in the company they choose to employ. We instil that confidence and trust by focusing on all aspects of our performance. With our teams’ combined and varied knowledge we have a unique understanding and empathy with what our clients expect from us and are committed to meeting those expectations by ensuring that all jobs are done properly and to the complete satisfaction of our customers”. Placing utmost importance on Health and Safety the couple chose to appoint a Health and Safety Manager, Mr Martin Young whose sole responsibility is to ensure that all works are undertaken in a safe manner. Martin has had a long and varied career, primarily within the engineering sector and five years ago took the decision to obtain a NEBOSH qualification and focus on Health and Safety. Martin’s particular expertise lies in working at height and he has proven to be an invaluable asset to the company.

A ﬂexible and complete service Kathy Blair states “The structure and ﬂexibility of UK Gutter Maintenance means that we are able to work throughout the country in just about any location, at relatively short notice.

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We also offer an emergency call-out service for our national clients and work for several national help desks on a call-out basis.. This is proving to be an invaluable service and as far as we are aware UK Gutter Maintenance Ltd is the only company in the UK offering this type of service on such a major scale. ‘We have formed two key partnerships. One with Eurosafe Solutions, which enables us to offer substantial cost savings by having safety wire systems tested at the same time as carrying out gutter cleaning work. The other is with West Siphonics. Working with this siphonic roof drainage specialist, we can now offer siphonic system repairs, refurbishments and alterations and arrange the installation of a full system. ‘We not only offer an additional rooﬁng service, we are also proud to be the sole UK suppliers of the revolutionary leaf free gutter guard system, which can be installed on both commercial and household properties alike. This gives us the distinct commercial advantage of being able to offer a truly complete package.’

Wherever possible, should there be any minor defects found these are carried out before leaving the site. Paul Blair states that “our clients acknowledge that this procedure is very effective and the provision of photographs is the only way that they can actually see that the work has been carried out. Unfortunately in our industry there are too many people that do not do the work they have been brought in to do. There have been many occasions when we have surveyed a job only to ﬁnd that the company last employed to do the gutter clean or repair work had not done it properly, if at all”. UK Gutter Maintenance Ltd has a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness and an ever growing and loyal client list with household names such as Interserve FM, FES FM, Facilities Services Group, The Wolseley Group, ATS Euromaster, Carpetright, Topps Tiles and The Open University to name but a few. Kathy says “we are in the enviable position of clients actually wanting UK Gutter Maintenance Ltd to work for them. We have never been busier and for Paul and I owning our own company and being in control of our own destiny is the best thing that could have happened to us. Our business has been built on client relationships and our motivation and success lies in the fact that we personally know the majority of people we work for and for whom we deliver a high level of service which represents value for money, professionally, efﬁciently and safely”.

Services – Overview All teams are supplied with liveried 16.5 m boom vans as a standard piece of access equipment and are fully equipped with specialist safety equipment, particularly for undertaking works on fragile roofs or where skylights are present. Additional equipment is resourced to suit each individual task and the appropriate team members are deployed to deliver a bespoke service to clients’ individual requirements. Communication is seen as key to the company’s ongoing success and clients are kept fully informed of progress before, during and upon completion of works. Before and after digital photographs of all works are always provided together with reports upon on any major defects found or areas of concern.

• Major planned preventative maintenance (PPM) gutter cleaning contracts

• Fast reliable call-outs for national help desks • Gutter maintenance and repair works • Siphonic system repairs and installations • Roof and sky light repairs/replacements • Re-testing of safety wire systems • Installation of leaf free gutter guards For further information please contact us on Tel: 01748 835454 or visit our web-site:

www.ukgutters.co.uk

1/8/11 11:39:12 24/8/10 09:57:56

FM BUSINESS SIGN UP FOR FM WORLD DAILY AT FM-WORLD.CO.UK

ANALYSIS

Specialist FM providers could win in PFI deals GRAEME DAVIES newsdesk@fm-world.co.uk

Commentators have been picking up mixed messages of late over government intentions for spending, especially on public-private infrastructure projects, which have been a strong source of revenue for private sector operators over the past decade. On the one hand, a recent announcement saw the government identify £1.5 billion of savings from Private Finance Initiatives. But on the other hand, the education secretary Michael Gove announced £2 billion of new school projects under the self-same PFI system. FM service companies may not be heavily involved in PFI work, given the high levels of capital expenditure required. But several FM providers pick up work from PFI contractors during the lifetime of such projects. Although, on the face of it, cuts to PFI contracts could be deemed to be a threat to earnings for the FM players, they could, paradoxically, offer an opportunity. Closer inspection of the pilot projects used to map out the PFI costsavings reveals that one of the key ways of creating savings is through better management of facilities. This is seen to be in terms of renting out or mothballing spare space and reducing energy consumption, which could play into the hands of some specialists in the sector. 12 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

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But at the other end of the scale, the pilot projects also advocated less frequent cleaning, decoration and refurbishment, which could hit the more generalist FM operators. It is also worth bearing in mind that projected savings could actually beat the £1.5 billion target, which only actually represents around two per cent of the value of existing PFI deals. In the pilot projects, savings were in the region of five per cent. It is also worth bearing in mind that £1.5 billion, although a significant sum, appears less onerous when one considers the myriad PFI projects are spread over many years. Meanwhile, Mr Gove’s about

turn on spending on schools infrastructure came as a surprise to many. It is only a year since the education secretary invited approbrium by scrapping the previous government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, slashing 700 school building projects. So his decision to build up to 300 new schools to the tune of £2 billion was something of a surprise, especially considering the method of delivery will be through the PFI system, which has recently come in for considerable criticism from members of the coalition government. The school building programme is not a replacement for BSF, rather a ‘BSF-lite’ as it were, in that it will primarily rebuild the most crumbling schools in the country and provide more capacity in areas where school places are under most pressure. It is not necessarily going to pick up projects that were axed, indeed, the Department for Education has also paid out compensation

to six councils that suffered losses due to contracts already signed with BSF partners. But it could represent a significant revenue stream for companies that were locked out of the education sector by last year’s withdrawal of BSF. Indeed, Greg Markham, technical services director of G4S FM said: “I welcome the government’s announcement as it will ensure that the much-needed capital investment in the nation’s schools continues. The proposal to use a PFI vehicle vindicates this mechanism and its principles as an effective procurement method.” Mr Markham was wary of plans to use a standardised design for school buildings, claiming it would reduce the impact of individual learning environments. But, overall, the resumption of spending on our education estate is a welcome development that could re-open revenue streams that appeared closed. Graeme Davies writes for Investors Chronicle

Contract wins

NEW BUSINESS HSBC has appointed Jones Lang LaSalle as property manager for the bank’s estate in the Middle East and north Africa. Fläkt Woods is providing ventilation for Glasgow’s National Indoor Sports Arena and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Scotland’s first indoor cycling track, which will be used for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Lindley Venue Catering has signed a five-year £8.2 million contract with Sheffield Wednesday Football

Club for match day catering and hospitality services at the 40,000-seat Hillsborough Stadium. The contract also covers conference, banqueting, non-match day events and business meetings. Willmott Dixon Partnerships has won a five-year £45 million maintenance contract with Notting Hill Housing Trust, covering the London-based trust’s 15,000 tenanted properties. Facilities Services Group has won a contract with high-street insurance

broker Swinton Insurance for reactive maintenance and minor works at two of the insurer’s corporate offices, as well as at 300 retail sites across England and Wales. Catalyst Housing Association has split £62 million worth of housing maintenance work on its London properties between five firms. Chas Berger & Sons and DW Contractors are carrying out “cyclical redecorations and major repairs work” worth £11.8 million and £10.9 million respectively, a spokesman for CHA told FM World. The contract does not cover day-today maintenance. East West Electric has a contract worth £15.3 million for CCTV and door entry systems work and Stapletech is maintaining heating installations under a deal worth around £12.5 million. Responsive repairs work will be carried out by Morrisons Facilities Services under a contract worth £11.1 million. www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 15:46:22

Ruby McGregorSmith, Mitie chief executive

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Mitie buys out SMI to extend client reach Multi-service provider Mitie now has full ownership of Service Management International (SMI) after buying up the remaining 50 per cent share in the company. London-based SMI was set up in 2000 as a three-way, equalownership partnership by Mitie, German facilities business Klüh Service Management and French industrial cleaning firm Sin et Stes. Revenue at SMI is around £26 million. Last year, Mitie and Klüh bought out the French firm, giving each company a 50 per cent stake. “Klüh and its international subsidiaries will continue to be part of SMI’s supply chain solution,”

said a statement by Mitie. SMI “has matured into an EMEA [Europe, Middle East and Africa] supply chain manager with the ability to co-ordinate global FM solutions. Currently, SMI manages and delivers some 15 EMEA portfolio contracts for blue chip clients.” Mitie chief executive Ruby McGregor-Smith said the purchase was an opportunity to better serve Mitie’s overseas clients. From this month, SMI will deliver cleaning and waste management services in the UK to Life Technologies, a global biotechnology tools company. The contract will expand to Life

Technologies sites in Madrid, Milan, Bleiswijk in the Netherlands and Darmstadt in Germany, according to a statement on SMI’s website. Additional services for catering, pest control, landscaping and vending will also be included at certain Life Technologies sites. Earlier this year, SMI announced “a significant expansion in the range of facility services, including facilities management, cleaning, reception, mailroom, landscaping and gardening” that it provides to several sites for Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions across Europe. Before the expanded contract, SMI delivered facilities management, cleaning, pest control, landscaping, mailroom and technical maintenance services to 48 Honeywell sites across EMEA.

Keepmoat and Apollo join forces Social housing maintenance businesses Keepmoat and Apollo Group are to merge, giving the combined company more than £1bn in forecasted revenue. The new group “will benefit from numerous cross selling opportunities with little geographical overlap, while delivering significant financial synergies”, according to a joint statement. The combined business, which will be based in Doncaster, will allow a sharing of resources and expertise. “Apollo will help to strengthen Keepmoat’s maintenance capabilities in the north and Keepmoat will boost Apollo’s new build offering in the south,” says the statement. www.fm-world.co.uk

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Both companies are owned by Cavendish Square Partners, a special-purpose vehicle that is majority owned by private equity firm Coller Capital. The deal comes after the social housing maintenance sector saw two major upheavals this year – the collapse of ROK and Connaught. Keepmoat chief executive David Blunt will become chief executive of the new business which, after regulatory clearance from the Office of Fair Trading, is expected to start trading by the end of the year. Peter Warry, non-executive chairman of Apollo, will be non-executive chairman of the group, branded as the ‘Keepmoat

family of companies’, with Apollo retaining its own brand within this format. Keepmoat and Apollo will operate as separate divisions with regional focus. Allen Hickling will be responsible for the northern regions and Dave Sheridan, currently chief executive or Apollo, will be in charge of the southern regions. Tom Allison, who has chaired Keepmoat for the past three years, will remain in position until the merger is complete. “The bringing together of these two businesses represents a compelling proposition for shareholders, customers and employees alike,” said Blunt.

City Link dents Rentokil Parcel delivery service City Link’s “unsatisfactory” performance has left profits at its parent Rentokil Initial down by four per cent. Halfyear pre-tax profit was £29.7 million, down from £30.9 million for the half year 2010, according to an interim results statement for the six months to 30 June 2011. However, the group managed a 1.4 per cent increase in revenue, rising to nearly £1.25 billion from around £1.23 billion for the same time last year.

HSE handed back Management has taken over HSE Building Services with its 120 employees after its parent HSE Group went into administration last month. But HSE Facilities Management, along with Elite Lighting Solutions, Elite Control Solutions, Platignum Environmental, HSE Technical Services and HSE Environmental Services, remains in administration.

Serco and Amey lauded The government has recognised Serco and Amey among its top contributors in helping Whitehall save more than £140m in the past year. Serco was awarded Best Contribution to Value for Money for achieving £8.7m savings. Amey won the Best Contribution to the Corporate Social Responsibility category for its part in the GainShare energy management agreement and saving £220,000.

OFT to look at merger The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is investigating the merger of property consultants Jones Lang LaSalle and King Sturge to see if the deal could lead to a substantial lessening of competition within any UK market for goods or services. FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 13

4/8/11 15:46:38

FM OPINION THE DIARY COLUMN DAVID WALKER

David Walker is facilities project manager at Northumbrian Water

“SOME BUILDINGS SUCH AS PLACES OF WORSHIP, TEMPORARY BUILDINGS AND INDUSTRIAL SITES DON’T NEED AN EPC” EN OU G H EN ERGY TO P ER FO R M

mproving the operation of a I building can be achieved through an Energy Performance Certificate. This can monitor energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions across the workplace

While considering the design for the mechanical and electrical element of my latest project, I was asked if I wanted an Energy Performance Certificate. Although I knew what one was with respect to domestic buildings, I was not sure if I had any requirement to have one produced for an existing building while under refurbishment. We currently don’t have them for any of our other buildings. So what is an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)? EPCs give information on how

to make your home or office more energy efficient and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. They provide you with information on your energy use and also on your emissions. There is also a recommendation report with suggestions to reduce both. EPCs carry ratings that compare the current energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions with potential figures that your office could achieve. The figures are calculated by estimating what could be achieved if energy saving measures were put in place.

The ratings go from A (most efficient) to G, the least efficient. As we speak, the average grade today stands at D. It’s worth pointing out you don’t have to act on any of the recommendations in the report. So, when is one required? An EPC is required when a building is constructed, rented or sold. A building will need an EPC if it has a roof, walls and uses energy to ‘condition an indoor climate’. Some buildings, such as places of worship, temporary buildings and industrial sites, don’t need an EPC. I also had to consider Part L of the building regulations, which states that building owners will be provided with a summary of information about a new or refurbished building, its building services and their maintenance requirements. These are not to be confused

with a detailed operation and maintenance manual. They are more of a tool to enable better management of the buildings, which should in turn improve the operation of the building, although they again come under Part L which states ‘a log book should be prepared or updated as necessary to provide appropriate details of the replacement controlled service or fitting’. So I have had a bit to consider this week, which if I am honest has been something of a learning curve for me. On a personal note, I spent last weekend at Chester where I took the opportunity to grab a game of golf and enjoy a couple of days at the races. The weather was great and Chester is a lovely part of the world. I am always amazed how the staff at the races manage 32,000 people all in one place. I guess planning is the key. FM

BEST OF THE WEB The latest views, comments and reaction across the web Twitter: Adrian McNeece Between WCO & BIFM. Speaking against: “It doesn’t matter how a workplace is designed, it’s how it’s managed that’s important.”

BIFM LinkedIn discussion Hot air dryers vs hand towels - the great debate. Do you use hot air dryers

14 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

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or hand towels in your facility? I prefer paper towels simply from a user perspective. I think there are three decision points – operational, sustainability, health and safety. But which do you use in your facility and why? Read my take on the issue and then please add your opinion to this discussion. Know of other studies and reports?

Terry McDonald: We find our clients still prefer a mix of both. However, as it’s quicker to dry hands on paper towels, users tend to favour those, although the super fast Dyson hand dryers are growing in popularity. Rosemary King: Where we can, we have removed paper towels and saved in excess of £40k this year. In certain locations, we

still supply paper towels but these are limited to specialist areas only. Twitter: leehaury1 Lee Haury UPS failure de-brief... When it goes wrong it goes wrong and is often left to FM to pick up the pieces.

Twitter: thefmguru Martin Pickard

nine out of 10 buildings fail their occupants? A random stat, but I’ve had to deal with design faults in every building I’ve ever managed. Twitter: LisanneSchloss Lisanne Schloss All FM anoraks, like me, will enjoy this time lapse photography tinyurl. com/3hw88je

www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 17:18:08

You can follow us at twitter.com/FM_World facebook/fmworldmagazine

BEST OF THE

FMWORLD BLOGS CSR under the spotlight Colin Crooks/ CEO of Green-works After a brief recession driven decline, it seems CSR is back. What’s more, in light of the News International scandal, I can only see it growing ever faster. If companies need persuading that reputation can make or break a business, recent events should convince them. For me, genuine CSR has to be built into the fabric of the company. It has to be sincere and it has to inform every decision that is made. Making CSR a core activity can put a facilities manager in the spotlight. It also puts facilities managers in a great position to gain recognition from senior managers in many other departments. So how can you do this? Spread the word Firstly, do good things with external organisations and then make sure people in your business know about it. For example, you could host a local charity or community group evening, gathering or annual meeting. Ask one of the MDs to say a few words at the beginning, not forgetting to ensure the event is fully advertised in reception. Your recycling contract offers another example. Remember the S in CSR is for ‘Social’ – choosing a business with an inbuilt social programme to do your recycling helps fulfil this. Then - and this is the trick - invite the recycling company to tell your internal audience about the work it does. This could be by presentation or video, or if budgets are tight, a short but well illustrated document that you circulate round the office. Facilities managers are in a great position to make CSR policies come to life. Think creatively and about what your purchasing power can achieve and you will find you can help your communities in a lot of ways. I say take that opportunity and flaunt it. Only then will the significance of good facilities management to core strategies become obvious.

More from FM World blogs: The big fight: FM vs. workplace design Macquarie Bank in the City of London was the venue for a hugely entertaining Pecha Kucha debate between representatives of the BIFM and The Workplace Consulting Organisation (WCO), blogs Martin Read. http://bit.ly/nrBgOS Facilities management? Game on! I would suggest looking at computer games and perhaps drawing a parallel between them and the role of a facilities manager, blogs Lauren Grest. http://bit.ly/r6GMUh

www.fm-world.co.uk

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FIVE MINUTES WITH NAME: Phil Ratcliffe JOB TITLE: Managing director COMPANY: Procore

We’ve seen a converging of activities – real estate, ICT, HR. Many organisations now have ‘combined services departments’ that report to the board. FM sits within this department and the most likely route to the board, in my opinion, is through corporate real estate. We are working longer hours where work and leisure is overlapping more and more. No longer do we work in one place. Work is now something we do, not where we go. Once upon a time, ‘line of sight’ management was the way people were managed. This is no longer viable. Your line manager might even be in a different country. Management by output – by objectives, and the achieving of those objectives – is entirely inevitable. It is crucial that expected outcomes are clear and the measures put in place are good and clear. Service level agreements may be useful, depending on the responsibilities/ tasks. Are companies addressing the new ‘work anywhere’ culture? It seems not. Seeing sensitive information on a person’s laptop on a train or café has become commonplace. I’ve overheard conversations that, had I been a competitor, would have been very enlightening. Rules or guidelines need to be issued on how to work out of the office. People need training on how to work the new way. Unfortunately, people are fallible and can be the cause of lack of security. That is why training is so important. Workplace strategy must embrace the fact that work is not just about the place you work. The strategy must take into account that people work everywhere. It must not solely focus on saving money by reducing the number of buildings, attempting to squeeze too many people in to the remaining accommodation. Focusing on cost alone is a recipe for failure. The strategy must take into account the way people work as well as the buildings themselves. FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 15

4/8/11 17:30:00

FM FEATURE CASE STUDY DAVID ARMINAS

A The National Oceanography Centre serves as a base for the continued exploration and research of the seas

COMPLETED: 1995 ARCHITECT: CULPIN PARTNERSHIP CONSTRUCTION: WIMPY (COMPLETED BY TARMAC) TOTAL FLOOR AREA: 50,827 SQUARE METRES (547,097 SQUARE FEET) SITE AREA: 12.9 ACRES BIOLER CAPACITY: 2.2MW (745KW PER CHILLER) CHILLER CAPACITY: 1.7MW (566KW PER BOILER) ANNUAL ELECTRICITY BILL: 6.3GWH ANNUAL ELECTRICITY BILL: 7.7GWH

PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN REYNOLDS 16 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

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moustachioed gentleman towers over visitors in the reception area of the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), reminding them of Britain’s maritime heritage. For more than half a century, he travelled the seven seas until his retirement. The 10-foot-tall effigy was the figurehead of HMS Challenger, a wooden, steam-assisted, screwdriven corvette built in 1858, which undertook the first global marine research expedition. She was broken up in 1921 to be superseded by more modern and efficient vessels, including HMS Darwin, of which a model also sits in the foyer. The figurehead and models acknowledge that the centre is about the sea, is located a stone’s throw from the sea and often brings the sea indoors to many of its 135 laboratories. But the centre is also about the environment in general. Today’s emphasis on climate change – regardless of whether or not you believe it is happening – makes the centre and its work topical. “If we are going to talk the talk, we have to walk the walk,” says Lewis Rennison, head of facilities. Part of that “walk” is about improving the centre’s energy efficiency, an ongoing project, says Rennision, a building services engineer by training. Even though the building is close to 20 years old, it’s doing very well on the energy-saving front, thanks in part to a good overall design.

Behind the scenes Although the centre’s work is high-profile, the building is not. There is nothing ostentatious about the fittings and fixtures. Instead, says Rennison, the centre’s money has gone into beefing up lab technology and improving energy efficiency, rather than plush carpets and stylish furniture. As a result, the building

Managing energy at the National Oceanography Centre has become a full-time job, finds David Arminas

CURRENT OCCUPATION www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 14:41:05

NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE

Lewis Rennison (below) heads up facilities at the centre

appears less like a home for major international research and more like a college campus building. That’s because the NOC is closely aligned to the University of Southampton. The centre is a collaborative venture between the university’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Of the 1,400 people on site, around 700 are graduate and postgraduate students who come and go. Many of the FM staff, including catering, security, maintenance and cleaning, are employees of the University of Southampton. www.fm-world.co.uk

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Ocean biochemistry is, naturally, a major focus of research at the centre. This extends into geochemistry and ecosystems, geology, and the geophysics of the seabed, while coastal processes are modelled with the aim of forecasting ocean movement and climate change. Many labs are equipped with large holding tanks containing experiments that include brilliantly coloured coral, molluscs, strange-looking fish, threatening crabs and other creatures alien to the landlubber. The beasts are plucked from waters ranging from the nearby River Solent to the South Seas and icy polar oceans.

To fulfil these research needs as well as domestic requirements, the building must provide nine grades of water, from potable to sea and distilled water. Rennison explains that what the building doesn’t have is ‘grey water’ – lightly polluted waste water, from sources such as dishwashers. This isn’t an oversight, but simply a matter of practicality. The cost of piping it in and circulating it is not something that would give much of a payback, even over many years. In this case, it makes more sense to put money into projects with short payback terms, says Rennison. FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 17

4/8/11 11:52:34

FM FEATURE CASE STUDY DAVID ARMINAS

The rectangular 50,000 square metre (538,000 square feet) building – of which around 23,000 square metres (nearly 248,000 square feet) is plant space – was built in stages between 1992 and 1995. It sits alongside the Empress Dock on land leased from Associated British Ports for 125 years. A large workshop annex sits alongside the main building with access direct to the pier. The building has stood the test of time. One of the few major refurbishments is the library, a £1m refit set to open in September. Contractor Morgan Sindall has taken what was a typical book-centric library and updated it by adding a floor, creating more conversation and break-out areas and beefing up IT access for students and staff.

On the waterfront An expansive view from the enclosed glass balcony of the third-floor café takes in several adjacent docks, where every day brings different ships alongside the quays. One day it’s the Queen Mary 2 and cargo ships; the next it’s a couple of a huge car transporters. Ships from the NERC will sometimes tie up directly outside the building. Level 1 is the ground floor and levels 2 and 3 are lowheight mechanical and electrical distribution floors. Levels 4 and 6 are occupied floors – labs, offices and small discussion rooms – and levels 5 and 7 are more M&E and plant. At the building’s four corners are the M&E towers, called nodes, and which allow access to the M&E levels without disturbing research and lecture activities. M&E contractors often come and go without staff knowing they have attended to a problem. While the building may not be grand, the energy bills certainly were, due to the energy-intensive nature of the centre’s research – 18 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

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“FOR 25 WEEKS OF THE YEAR, SEAWATER IS PASSED THROUGH HEAT EXCHANGERS TO HELP COOL THE BUILDING” experiments run 24 hours a day at full tilt. So a strategy to save energy was set out clearly in 2006 – long before many organisations were setting serious goals for energy savings, says Rennison.

Energy targets Efficiency goals were set in 2008: a simple five per cent reduction in electricity, gas and water consumption by 2015. But these were easily surpassed by 2009. So in 2010, new, tougher goals were set for 2015, based on 2006 consumption: a cut in gas by 20 per cent, in electricity by 25 per cent and water by 50 per cent. The goals are stretching the centre, say Rennison, but he remains confident in reaching them. “There’s no point in having easy targets. The danger, also, is that once you reach them,

you become complacent.” Over the years, more than 140 meters have been installed to monitor consumption of electricity, gas and water. Also, the boilers have been upgraded with energy economisers, in effect making them as efficient as as condensing boilers. Only the laboratories are air-conditioned, which helps to maintain a constant temperature for experiments. For 25 weeks of the year, seawater, which is around 8°C, is passed through heat exchangers to help cool the centre. The building’s main computer server room is cooled not with airconditioned air at 18°C, but with fresh air at around 25°C. At first, there was some concern by IT staff about the higher temperature, but there has been no adverse effect. But even though the scientists

and researchers deal with environmental issues, they had to undergo a certain cultural change to ensure they were thinking about their own building’s environment, says Rennison. He has had to sell the idea to enable that cultural change. He was, for several years, chairman of the centre’s environment sub-committee, which monitors the building’s performance, and whose members are drawn from the academics, researchers, staff and students. When dealing with such a naturally inquisitive group, explains Rennison, you have to have your facts straight – they like facts, they react to facts, about, say, consumption data, rates of use and timelines. Fortunately, Rennision acknowledges a “fascination” with all things energy-related. This, along with www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 11:53:20

NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE

The NOC, with its high energy demands, has set stringent energy reduction goals of 20 per cent by 2015

CASE STUDY CAREER FILE BORN: Plymouth EDUCATION: Napier University QUALIFICATION: Building engineering and management, BSc MEMBERSHIP: Member of the Chartered Institute of Builders CAREER: First role was as FM at Napier University in 1995. Moved to Cumbria in 1996 to take up position as FM at Newton Rigg College. Joined NOC in 2000. For the past four years, has held chair of the NERC’s Environment Management group that overseas efficiency at all NERC buildings

his building background, meant the centre was going to get to the bottom of its energy consumption. He now “lives and dies” energy efficiency, he says. “Even seven or eight years ago, energy consumption wasn’t an issue like it is today. But in the past two to three years, energy management has become a job in its own right.” Last year, the building used around 6.23 million kWh of electricity. The centre spent around £380,000 on electricity, £220,000 on gas and £50,000 on water. Savings are being made and the building’s own renewable sources of energy account for around five per cent of its annual requirement. Solar heating of water is saving around 1,000 kWh annually. Pushing seawater through heat exchangers saves around 13,000 kWh a year. A new photovoltaic system of 554 panels, costing more than £400,000, has just kicked in. It was predicted to produce 93,000 kWh. But early monitoring of www.fm-world.co.uk

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performance shows it might produce around 150,000 kWh. This would significantly move forward its payback time to around six years, said Rennison. In addition, a £1.3m upgrade of the 14-year-old building management system is expected to be completed next year. But it’s not all work at the centre. The building hosts many lectures and tours for school groups and the general public. There are also three courtyards with manicured lawns, a croquet pitch, lounging chairs and bird feeders. One courtyard has its own duck pond complete with nesting pairs that decided to make the centre their summer home. Lunches are eaten in the courtyards, which are also used for special events with marquees. Dotted around are picnic tables, many with inlaid chessboards. Some tables have painted snakesn’-ladders boards. Apparently, it’s not just visiting children who like to while away an hour or two, rolling the dice. FM FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 19

4/8/11 11:53:56

FM FEATURE OFFICE MANAGEMENT TIM HUTCHINGS

Designing a work environment that suits your staff can safeguard health and increase productivity, says Tim Hutchings

performance. For example, strength peaks between the ages of 25-35 and levels off between 35-50. Between the ages of 50-60, strength can dip to 75-85 per cent of peak. So proactively addressing discomfort levels, therefore becomes increasingly important for business strategy. For many of us, working is no longer something associated with an office – we work where and when we can, often on the move. It is a 21st-century phenomenon to see employees tapping away on Blackberrys or iPads in cafés, or while travelling on buses and trains. We don’t have much control of our environment when on the road – we work in places that make us hunch our backs to conform to whatever seating we’re in, flex our necks to see the screen, bend our wrists to reach the trackpad, and shrug our shoulders to reach the keyboard. You can’t position a laptop’s display and keyboard separately to reduce your risk of neck or wrist injury. However, you can be aware of how to

SITTING COMFORTABLY?

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prepare for poor ergonomic environments.

Ergonomics defined Ergonomics is the applied science of fitting the physical environment to the worker. When ergonomic design principles are applied to a space, employee comfort improves, risk of injury decreases and worker efficiency is enhanced. Workstation design has evolved rapidly as computer use has increased drastically across all job functions. Research on lower back pain has taught us about the importance of movement and dynamic sitting. Developments in the area of lighting technology, combined with an improved understanding of the visual system, have had dramatic implications with respect to lighting design. Without guidance, proper work tools and training, however, employees tend to self-diagnose their discomforts and reconfigure their workstations themselves, often yielding poor results. This practice not only negatively impacts the aesthetics of the space, but ultimately results in costly retrofits per workstation.

Design challenges A population’s height usually ranges from less than 1.5m tall to more than 2m, yet the standard work surface height is fixed at 0.75m. A 0.75m work surface height correlates to the seated elbow height of a 1.95m male, who account for less than five per cent of the population. Simply stated, most work surface heights in modern offices are too high. As a result, employees are forced to contort their bodies to an inappropriate fixed height by shrugging their shoulders, raising their chairs, and leaning forward to type and mouse. Awkward postures such as these require excessive muscle effort and lead to discomfort and fatigue.

GETTY

odern work patterns are dominated by the increasing presence of technology. In the office, employees spend much of their time answering emails, writing reports and participating in web conferences – all of which require prolonged periods of computer use. For many workers, this has led to an increase in musculoskeletal complaints such as eyestrain, lower back pain and wrist discomfort. In 2009, 5.1 million working days were lost due to workplace injury in the UK, a statistic that should alert us to the growing number of work-related issues stemming from prolonged computer use. More and more organisations are beginning to see the link between worker discomfort, lost productivity and cost. Combine this with the fact that an anticipated one third of the UK population will be over the age of 50 by 2020, with a likely further 20 years of working ahead of them, and we begin to see the scale of the problem. There are several key physiological changes associated with ageing that affect work

www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 13:10:22

ERGONOMICS

“WHEN ERGONOMIC DESIGN IS APPLIED TO A SPACE, EMPLOYEE COMFORT IMPROVES AND RISK OF INJURY DECREASES ” www.fm-world.co.uk

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FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 21

4/8/11 13:10:45

FM FEATURE OFFICE MANAGEMENT TIM HUTCHINGS

“WORKERS SHOULD HAVE CONTROL OVER THEIR ENVIRONMENTS, INCLUDING THEIR HAND AND WRIST POSITION, AND MONITOR HEIGHT” Standard desk height, however, is just one area of ergonomic concern. The need to accommodate individual differences with respect to monitor positioning, lighting requirements and chair design is just as critical. Workers should have control over their environments, including their hand and wrist position, monitor position, and individual light level. Individual control combined with high quality ergonomics training will consistently yield safe and productive workers.

Hands and wrists While the postural problems and associated injury mechanisms are fairly complex, design solutions aimed at improving hand and wrist posture are relatively simple to implement. Applied ergonomics research has shown us that a ‘hands-in-lap’ posture is the ideal keyboard and mouse position for those who are able to type proficiently. Lowering the keys and angling them slightly away from the body reduces shoulder shrugging and helps to straighten the wrists. Bringing the tools closer to the body affords the user the ability to properly use their chair backrest. Installing adjustable keyboard support is the most cost-effective means of achieving postural improvement. Employees may respond negatively to this solution at first, either because they have had a bad experience with a poorly designed keyboard support that interfered with their knees or because they were never shown how to use the device properly. With training, organisations can expect a 90 per cent acceptance rate of ergonomic devices like this. Rejection rates among users without training typically exceed 50 per cent, which shows that people need to be trained to use even simple devices in order for them to feel at home using them regularly. 22 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

Ergonomics.indd 22

Taking a seat Selecting a chair that is easy to adjust, provides support and promotes movement is critical for maintaining healthy body posture. The typical office worker will likely spend more time sitting in their chair than they’ll spend anywhere else, with the exception of perhaps their bed. Frequent postural shifts are recommended to minimise static muscle contractions and fatigue. Today’s newest chairs feature self-adjusting recline mechanisms, which automatically tension the backrest based on the user’s body weight. These designs drastically simplify the operation of the chair and have been shown to promote movement critical for maintaining spinal health. Look for a chair that also has an adjustable seat pan, backrest and adjustable armrests.

Monitor positioning Providing computer users with flexibility over monitor positioning is another important strategy for maintaining high levels of operator comfort. Because we tend to look downward naturally – at 15 degrees – the top line of text on the monitor height should be placed no higher than eye level and at about arm’s reach from the body. Multiple monitor setups are challenging from an ergonomics perspective because they impact body alignment. Adjustable flatpanel monitor arms can be used, with proper positioning and alignment, and can also help to free up previously used desk space for writing or referencing tasks.

Task lighting Most office environments are drastically over-lit from an ambient perspective at tremendous energy waste and yet are also under-lit from a task perspective. Monitors are best viewed in dimly lit settings because they emit light.

Documents, however, reflect light and require light in order to be viewed. Herein lies an obvious conflict. Single source lighting schemes are not appropriate for computer workstations. Age is a factor as well: as we get older, the corneal lens hardens and the process of accommodation becomes increasingly difficult. Focusing on near-field objects becomes increasingly challenging. By the time an individual reaches the age of 61, they require at least 250 per cent more contrast to view the same documents as they did in their 20s. To solve this dilemma, many organisations are employing a dual component lighting scheme by lowering ambient light levels and providing users with controllable task lights. This approach has been shown to significantly reduce visual problems and cut energy requirements by up to 40 per cent.

FM QUICK FACTS

45% 50 5.1m 90%

of work-related injuries in the UK are back related

A third of the UK population will be over this age by 2020

days lost to workplace injuries in 2009 in the UK

acceptance rate among staff of equipment after training

Widespread benefits Workstation design changes are often met with opposition because it is human nature to resist change. Improvements should therefore be accompanied by sound ergonomics training. Involving employees in the change process has been shown to significantly reduce injury rates and associated lost productivity time. Challenging your firm to design high performance work environments that accommodate 95 per cent of the population will not only improve worker comfort and reduce costs, but will also preserve the original design vision of the space. Enhancing the human experience will quickly differentiate your firm from the competition while attracting higher quality candidates and resulting in higher levels of employee retention. FM www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 13:10:58

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1/8/11 11:57:09

IMAGE SOURCE

FM FEATURE STRATEGIC FM ANDREW COOPER

24 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

Complex Engineering 2.indd 24

www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 15:27:46

COMPLEX ENGINEERING SCIENCE

NUM8ER CRUNCH1NG How useful is energy modelling to facilities managers? Andrew Cooper investigates ecent reports suggest that ‘energy efficient buildings’ are almost never as efficient as their intended design. Findings from the government’s low-carbon building programme, administered by the Carbon Trust, have shown that some buildings consume as much as three times their designed energy efficiency. This could require some explaining on the part of an FM when faced with an understandably perplexed occupier, who not only has to pay higher then expected energy bills, but who may have paid a premium to locate themselves in such a building in the first place. In recent years, there has been a decisive move towards developing and retro-fitting commercial buildings to ensure that they are as energy efficient as possible. This trend towards sustainability is motivated, at least in part, by public sentiment, and policed by a growing body of regulation. For regulations to be meaningful, they need to be underpinned by standard measurements and the relatively new technique of energy modelling performs this important role. Energy models form the basis of such key regulations as the UK Building Regulations Part L Conservation of Fuel and Power (BRUKL), and Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), part of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which are in turn adopted under other benchmarking schemes such as Breeam. Proposals under the government’s Green Deal, part of the Energy Bill, will place an even greater emphasis on EPCs: from 2018, any commercial property with less then an ‘E’ rating (an ‘A’ rating is given to the most energy efficient buildings and ‘G’ to the least) must have a green deal assessment and implement any works that pass a test known as the golden rule.

www.fm-world.co.uk

Complex Engineering 2.indd 25

Both use the same calculations set out under the National Calculation Methodology (NCM), which was developed by the Building Research Establishment. Under the NCM, in order to pass building regulations, the building’s carbon emission rate must better the target emission rate. Basic energy models are used to determine the emission rate, such as the Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM). In this model, a standardised ‘use of building’ is adopted for calculations, together with the designed efficiency of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, hot water systems, lighting systems, as well as their associated controls.

Counting the cost of energy However, as many FMs know, there is no such thing as a standardised use of a building. In the real world, building services do not operate under test conditions. Occupying an ‘energy efficient building’ that meets certain regulations based on energy modelling, does not necessarily mean FMs will see reduced energy bills. Performance is an output not an input and therefore hard to accurately predict through the use of energy modelling. Ensuring designed efficiency is met, or bettered, during occupation requires knowledge of the building, its design, its systems, occupancy and detailed knowledge of consumption through metering. It can be extremely time-consuming and require specialist knowledge. It is not enough to know that a building is consuming too much energy – one needs to be able to understand why. Plenty of systems exist to support building managers from Display Energy Certificates (DECs) to sophisticated building management and automated monitoring and targeting systems that help keep track of energy consumption. All these can act as useful diagnostic tools. Similarly, whole-life systems, which are employed during the design of a building, can be used after construction and commissioning. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is an example of this, FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 25

4/8/11 15:28:01

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FMW.11.08.11.026-027.indd 3

Equipment Management

1/8/11 11:41:56

FM FEATURE STRATEGIC FM ANDREW COOPER

but its use after commissioning is limited in terms of day-to-day operations and energy management. BIM, in-spite of its title, is not strictly speaking a modelling tool, rather a management system with integrated design capabilities. With an interactive library of objects and data, it allows designers and developers to work closely together around design, construction and fit-out. In doing so, the system helps to keep track of building costs – in terms of construction and across the whole building lifecycle. However, the data produced from BIM would form part of a Dynamic Simulation Model (DSM), which accurately models a building, its design, its services and the interaction with the environment. Under the EPBD, buildings with complex atrium and airflows, or ventilation strategies such as night ventilation, can only be modelled using DSM. The data taken from BIM would be entered into a DSM, allowing designers to determine a building’s expected operational performance. It may be the case that in order to pass or better BRUKL, new requirements for material, plant or component parts, for example, are re-entered into BIM and so forth.

Model behaviour? All modelling techniques are weakened by poor data. The model is only as good as the modeller and, as shown above, the design process is fluid. In order for the model to reflect the actual building, the data needs to be accurate and all the main stakeholders, such as architects and engineers, as well as contractors, need to use BIM. This process needs to be strictly maintained throughout construction. A simple example of BIM being corrupted and affecting the accuracy of a model could be when a designer specifies a certain lamp efficacy, but the 28 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

Complex Engineering 2.indd 28

contractor subsequently installs a different system with a lesser efficacy, and this change is not entered into BIM. Considering the vast number of component parts to a building and its services and the array of contractors and subcontractors, it’s easy to see how a model’s results could be skewed due to the sheer amount of data that needs to be input. However, the development of BIM undoubtedly has the potential to change the way the construction industry works, allowing the full spectrum of professionals and contractors to sing from the same hymn sheet. It avoids replication of technical drawings, helps ensure the accuracy of the model, and means there is more scope to iron out potential errors during the design stage, where it is far less expensive to remedy mistakes. BIM was used with great success during the construction of Heathrow’s Terminal 5 and is said to have reduced build costs by 10 per cent. Once T5 was built, the BIM was passed over to BAA to form part of its future maintenance programme, allowing managers to access detailed information on, for example, construction type, plant make, model, capacity, refrigerant type and fuel type. As we move towards a low-carbon economy and the cost of energy increases, actual building performance will become more important than designed efficiency. Understanding this ‘performance gap’ will become crucial, especially in a critical environment where emissions matter, such as in any estate that falls within the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme. As designers, engineers and energy managers come up with new ways to help reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, inevitably the number and the complexity of systems - such as

BIM was used with great success during the construction of Heathrow T5 and is said to have reduced build costs by 10 per cent

www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 15:28:32

COMPLEX ENGINEERING SCIENCE

lighting, heating and those governing or monitoring also increase. This has the potential to make buildings and their controls very complicated and susceptible to human error. Indeed, this is already the case with many existing systems.

Simplifying complexity But some technologies are being developed specifically to provide simplified, often automated support for building managers. Complex Systems Engineering (CSE) science is a relatively new field of research that provides a mechanism to handle an increasingly complex world. The Mitre Organisation in the US is driving this research with the aim of applying systems engineering and advanced technology to areas of national interest, such as defence. Globally, CSE is already used in power stations to reduce carbon emissions with some success. How an emerging science, designed to handle complexity, can help manage the built environment remains to be determined. But the potential applications could be numerous. CSE can, and is, used to model any organisation, their building, or buildings. It provides automated decision support, taking into account all of the interactions within the complex system, modelling them in the form of a virtual world. However, one of the biggest flaws of CSE lies in how complex systems are modelled and simulated. This is to do with modelling methodologies, of which there are traditionally two types: fundamental and empirical. The former uses global knowledge that is easily modelled using mathematical equations. An example might be the designed coefficient of performance (CoP) of a heatpump. This knowledge has a short shelf life due to plant characteristics changing over days/seasons and through its lifecycle. Thus, to remain accurate, the model needs to adapt and change in line with the plant. Empirical modelling uses data taken from actual plant operation to build a relational model of the process. An example would be to look at the actual energy consumption of a heat pump and not the designed CoP. Such models are easy to establish, but lose the ability to incorporate global knowledge as they are only concerned with data relationships and not the physical relationships that exist within a system. DSM and BIM use fundamental knowledge in their programming, whereas energy management systems use empirical knowledge. For this reason, the application of DSM and BIM post-construction is so far limited. www.fm-world.co.uk

Complex Engineering 2.indd 29

However, Australian company Synengco Pty appears to have resolved the problems of both methodologies through the development of a selflearning model that incorporates both local and global knowledge. The organisation’s technology has been tried and tested around the world and is currently used to manage around $8 billion of assets, primarily fossil fuelled power stations. Because the model is self-learning, it is able to work in real time, removing the need for the retrospective analysis of data. Experts believe that major opportunities exist at the transition between design and commission, between commissioning and operation and then in the ongoing operation by identifying performance deviations and eliminating waste or duplication. Such a system could help identify whether a building’s actual running efficiency differs from its designed efficiency and where the deviations exist For example, it would be able to alert a building manager to a change in consumption due to a change in area occupancy, or identify in real time a potential problem with plant before it becomes critical. This has proved invaluable to the power station industry where the ability to identify a deviation from optimum performance in real time can have a significant impact on consumption and CO2 emissions.

The human factor However, Professor Ian Sommerville of the Scottish Informatics Computer and Science Alliance, an alliance of Scottish Universities that has carried out extensive research into CSE, warns that although these systems may be self-learning, it doesn’t mean that results won’t need checking and auditing by qualified personnel. Professor Tony Day, director of the Centre for Efficient and Renewable Energy in Buildings (CEREB), points to the variety of already complex building and energy managements systems in the market. “Although these developments are very interesting, if they are too complicated they will simply not be used properly,” he says. The one common factor around all operational buildings is that they contain people, who are unpredictable. The most efficient heat pumps available will not run efficiently if a window is left open, or diffuser covered up. However, having access to better information in real time might allow FMs to react more quickly to the numerous social, environmental and engineering factors that affect a building’s operational performance. FM FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 29

4/8/11 15:28:46

FM FEATURE STRATEGIC FM LEE HAURY

THE

G N I D A E R P S RD

Business culture, values and facilities management – Lee Haury explains how, in terms of setting an organisation’s culture, FMs can be in the driving seat rganisational culture’ is a hard-to-define concept that many facilities managers see as outside their remit. A celebrated article by Deal and Kennedy (1982) cut through some of the ambiguity by defining organisational culture as, ‘how we do things around here’. Simple and to the point, this statement has the ring of truth. Other commentators prefer a fuller explanation, such as Ravasi and Schultz (2006), who state that organisational culture is a set of shared mental assumptions that guide interpretation and action in organisations by defining appropriate behaviour for various situations.

GETTY

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30 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

Business Culture.indd 30

Contrast the idea of an organisational culture with the concept of ‘values’. Every company has them, but only a few make a point of publishing them, say, alongside their annual results. Values are a company’s guiding principles, for example, integrity, respect, honesty, professionalism, informality, knowledge, teamwork or innovation. Every organisation, formally or informally combines several of these values to form unique client relationships and a distinctive working environment for employees. So how do values relate to organisational culture? Well, a business or organisational culture could be said to be a

shared set of ‘values’ within a given organisation. This now begs the question: how can this abstract notion of a business culture be brought to life by, and on behalf of, individual employees? Further, how can this align with and contribute to overarching business strategy? Our own discipline of facilities management could be the surprising solution. FM is a business support service still evolving from its roots in human resources and estate management. Indeed for many organisations FM is becoming increasingly businesscritical, given the breadth of its remit (“from bogroll to the boardroom”, as some have endearingly observed). It touches on all aspects and areas of a business and by its nature is neither selective nor prejudiced – FM is carried out where and when it is needed and exists largely outside the www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 16:46:15

BUSINESS CULTURE

intricacies of office politics. It is therefore ideally placed to act as a ‘role model’ to other departments within the organisation in terms of setting patterns of behaviour and disseminating cultural norms. I read with interest a recent FM World 100 Poll (2nd June 2011 edition) which asked readers their opinion regarding the facilities manager’s role in influencing business culture. More than a quarter of respondents believed that FM is very important when it comes to determining and maintaining their organisation’s business culture. Six out of ten respondents, however, believed that they have little influence and a further 13 per cent said they only had moderate influence. One respondent noted that FM’s role in setting an organisation’s culture starts when new employees or outside contractors arrive on site for the first time. “FM sets the tone www.fm-world.co.uk

Business Culture.indd 31

during induction to the site, including the building’s facilities, health and safety attitudes and other workplace behaviour.” Another respondent said that FM’s are extremely important in setting and maintaining the etiquette for a workplace, “by tackling the occasional irresponsible and less harmonious behaviour which is upsetting the other employees shared attitudes and values.” These respondents are no doubt correct; and the state and cleanliness of a building’s reception, security, entrance area and car park also help an organisation to maintain brand image and identity. Our analysis could go even further to say that FM can lead and exemplify the ‘ways in which things are done’ throughout an organisation. It could be argued that IT also has contact with staff across the enterprise. The

ED C A L P LLY A E D I “FM IS TO ACT AS A ROLE MODEL TO OTH ER DEP ARTME NTS IN TERMS OF SETTING PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOUR”

FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 31

4/8/11 16:46:37

FM FEATURE STRATEGIC FM LEE HAURY

VEL E L D R A O B T A G “AIMIN IS A NOBLE CAUSE BUT ON LY IF W E ARE F IT FOR PURPOSE WHEN WE GET THERE”

difference is, however, that the work of the FM goes beyond technological change; our work is visible, tangible and can turn heads when done well.

Case study: helpdesk Take the example of a help desk employee who, by handling a reported fault from ‘cradle to grave,’ can bring values to life. Once a fault is logged, the employee has the opportunity to respond in a knowledgeable, efficient, innovative, polite, respectful and customer-centric manner, reflecting the values of the organisation at large. Through regular contact with the customer – often a fellow employee – at each stage of the fault’s lifespan, informing them what’s being done and why, the help desk operator can reinforce these values. The facilities manager takes ownership at the outset and provides a quick, knowledgeable, considered and timely response to update on the call and the work required, immediately managing expectations and shaping the opinion that will be formed at the conclusion of the work.

By the way Informal communication, either written or spoken, is often taken for granted – but often, it’s the small things that count for a lot. These ‘off the record’ discussions are an important opportunity for an FM to embody the organisation’s values and demonstrate how they can be used in an everyday business situation. In other words, the devil is in the detail. This is just one example. In reality, a help desk will receive potentially hundreds of calls on a daily basis from disparate business units and teams. It adds up to a particularly large captive audience who, simply by using the FM help desk, will have come into contact with a role model 32 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

Business Culture.indd 32

who embodies and propagates the organisation’s values. But there are problems with this approach. The inherent difficulty of identifying and reinforcing an individual business culture is when, inevitably, organisations have to work together, or when you introduce new values into the mix. When today’s market increasingly turns to external providers to carry out core services, aligning corporate values becomes a very real challenge for managers. For example, an outsourced provider is seldom best-placed to establish your company’s values compared to an in-house team which shares the same set of values with the rest of the organisation. Whether the value-setting role of an in-house team outweighs the cost savings that are likely to be achieved by outsourcing is a matter for debate and deserves further attention elsewhere. However, this value-based approach is one route by which more effective collaboration between organisations that are seeking to develop open, honest and profitable relationships could be achieved. We talk about contractors turning native and

truly embracing the culture of an organisation – in future, this convergence of values and cultures could become the norm with contracts flourishing as a result.

FM recognition So now we return to the age-old question of how to get more recognition for the work FMs do and the wide-ranging skill sets we have. Some analysts equate recognition with a presence at boardroom level, which is understandable. But this approach is flawed in two ways: firstly, it’s probably impractical for many FMs in the short term; and secondly, we need to get our own house in order first. Aiming at the boardroom is a noble cause, but only if we are fit for purpose when we get there. If this is to happen, we need to agree on how we can support business culture and strategy, and begin speaking the language of business to all people throughout the organisation. This will only be done by fine-tuning our policies, procedures and operations and getting to that consistent level of performance when FM naturally rolls off the tongue when talking the language of

business. We need to highlight and demonstrate our value, concentrating on those areas where we can make a real difference and support business strategy. FM achieves so much in terms of strategy and marketing – it’s time these were agreed upon and used to our advantage. We continue to undersell ourselves hugely. How many other departments in the organisation get involved in all that we do, demonstrating a skill set the size we do, or own an address book the size of ours? Not many. The interplay between business value, culture and strategy is complex and multifaceted. Academic research can inspire us to look at our organisations in a new light. And when FMs combine these ideas with their own in-depth operational experience, they can make great leaps in terms of re-positioning FM in the eyes of the wider organisation. In time, aligning FM with business strategy will ensure our profession gets the recognition it deserves. FM (Is FM best placed to promote a business’ culture? We’d welcome your views – Ed.) www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 16:46:51

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FM WORLDâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;| 11 AUGUST 2011â&#x20AC;&#x201A;| 33

FMW.11.08.11.033.indd Sec1:9

1/8/11 11:54:35

FM FEATURE TRAINING JOHN NAHAR

• BIFM TRAINING’S FLAGSHIP COURSE ‘UNDERSTANDING FM’ HAS BEEN EDUCATING ENTRANTS TO THE SECTOR FOR TWENTY YEARS • WE ASKED JOHN NAHAR TO KEEP A DIARY IN ORDER TO MAKE THOSE THINKING OF SENDING DELEGATES AWARE OF WHAT’S TAUGHT

Back in June, FM World’s John Nahar toughed out the sector’s pre-eminent introduction course. Here’s his report.

STRONG FOUNDATIONS importance of keeping records of fire drills and tests, and of equipment maintenance, as when things go wrong a lack of records can have legal implications. SESSION THREE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT ROBERT FERNANDEZ CONSULTANT

PHOTOGRAPHY: SAM KESTEVEN

Anne Lennox-Martin in action

DAY 1 SESSION ONE THE IMPORTANCE OF FM MARTIN DAVIES DIRECTOR OF TRAINING

SESSION TWO UNDERSTANDING BUILDINGS ROBERT FERNANDEZ CONSULTANT

Martin Davies began by introducing the group to the course and each another. We were from a diverse range of organisations, including the Home Office, British Board of Film Classification and TV shopping channel QVC. I noticed a good gender balance, and attendees came from as far as Qatar. After an overview of the sector’s history, Davies gave us a simplified version of a facilities manager’s role – no easy task, since, as we know, the role is ever-expanding. He explained the business-critical nature of FM.

For this session, we were split into smaller groups and asked to brainstorm a list of considerations for a given building area. My group was given car parks, for which we listed security passes, pedestrian safety, access routes and deliveries. As a group, we went on to discuss building structures, columns, beams, slabs, cladding and how, in the design process, it’s important to consider the cost implications of the building in use, for example, in terms of cleaning. (Sounds familiar — Ed.) Fernandez stressed the

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After laying these solid foundations, we moved on to consider property management, looking at the pros and cons of owning and leasing a property. We discussed the key legislation involved and the importance of taking ownership of the issue to ensure that everything is legally compliant and not left to chance SESSION FOUR PRACTICAL SPACE MANAGEMENT WES MCGREGOR DIRECTOR, ADVANCED WORKPLACE ASSOCIATES

Space planning is not simply placing people into a building, but rather ensuring that they perform to the best of their ability, explained Wes McGregor. We learned the importance of balancing a business’ long term needs with its day-today operations - high quality workplace versus low cost operation was the issue that needed balancing.

A practical workshop finished the day, in which we were given a space budget for a fictitious company and an empty stack plan to complete. This meant placing each department of a company on to certain floors of the building, while considering departmental relationships, office size and future growth of the business. DAY 2 SESSION ONE RELOCATION MANAGEMENT ROBERT FERNANDEZ CONSULTANT

Fernandez opened the day with a relocation/move management quiz. Going through the answers as a group was very valuable we had to basically put together a checklist of everything an FM needs to do when moving office. This covered choosing the right removal company, internal liasing and external communication (fire services, cleaners, utility companies), through to guiding the employees through a smooth transfer. SESSION TWO ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COLIN ASHFORD CONSULTANT

Our next session leader, Colin Ashford, began by talking us through the basics of global warming. He highlighted the www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 17:03:01

UNDERSTANDING FM

John Nahar (third from right) at the course

develop a contracting strategy. In a useful exercise, a series of FM tasks were passed to us as flashcards and we were asked to bundle them into various categories to outsource to a contractor. Each group had a different outlook on whom to pass the work, but we learned to adopt a systematic approach – a skill we could take straight into the workplace. The task brought up the concepts of outsourcing and in-sourcing. From here we went on to discuss service level agreements, stressing the importance of getting the most out of a contract. widescale global impact and emphasised the need to monitor our energy consumption and output. We looked at energy use in buildings and the tools we can use to monitor and subsequently manage energy usage. We also considered the challenges involved in compliance with legislation such as the carbon reduction commitment. In an absorbing session on sustainability, we brainstormed energy saving measures in FM-related areas, for example, in terms of office lighting. SESSION THREE MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT ROBERT FERNANDEZ CONSULTANT

In this session, we were asked a simple question: why should we maintain buildings? After the obvious answers (cost, legal implications, cosmetic appearance), we moved on to more complex situations. In one interesting example a company had to fix a broken window – tricky, when the only way to access the window was by ripping a wall down... to the tune of £40,000. Through this and other examples, we were shown how developing a maintenance plan and arranging a building www.fm-world.co.uk

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condition survey can nip potential problems in the bud. This led to a discussion on the benefits of using of CAFM software. SESSION FOUR LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE ROBERT FERNANDEZ CONSULTANT

Taking a break from the world of bricks and mortar, we zoomed in on the microscopic world of bacterium – the prevention and control of the dreaded Legionella. We looked at how the bacteria manifests, why it is dangerous and what effects it can have on the human body. We examined the legal aspects and the preventative measures that can be used to minimise the spread of the disease. SESSION FIVE SOURCING STRATEGIES AND SERVICE CONTRACTS LUCY JEYNES DIRECTOR, LARCH CONSULTING

Lucy Jeynes took us through the variety of ways an FM might

SITE VISIT

It was time to leave our desks for the eagerly awaited site visit, which had been arranged internally at the Holiday Inn, Kensington. Martin O’Connor, chief engineer, took us behind the scenes at what we learnt was the largest IHG hotel in the world. We heard how the original boilers had been dropped into place during construction with the boiler room built around them. 50 years later, when the boilers were in need of replacement, O’Connor explained how he had to re-route piping and wiring through a new, huge hole in the wall. The presence of guests complicated matters since any interruption to service would almost certainly have financial repercussions. As a result, replacement temporary boilers had to be sourced from Europe. It was left to a neat metaphor to wrap up the second day of our training: like the sprinkler system, the role of an FM in the hotel is gigantic, but from the outside it goes unnoticed. DAY 3 (WORLD FM DAY) SESSION ONE HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR FMS LIZ SKELTON SENIOR CONSULTANT, SYSTEM CONCEPTS

Liz Skelton began our last training

day with a discussion about health and safety. She covered our responsibilities as a health and safety manager and how legal requirements have an impact on our job, with particular attention to fire, asbestos and flooding. A risk assessment exercise left us with a workplace-ready checklist for when we faced situations in the real world. In lieu of World FM Day, BIFM Training had decided to celebrate with a champagne raffle draw. The lucky winner was Christopher Granville of Surrey and Borders NHS Foundation Trust. SESSION TWO CUSTOMER-CENTRIC FM ANNE LENNOX-MARTIN CONSULTANT

Anne Lennox-Martin started our last session with an introduction to the basics of customer service. We discussed important techniques – eye contact, manners, smiling, empathy – with an emphasis on the need to respond to each individual differently. We looked at customer expectations and how to deliver them, spending a lot of time considering the emotions that a customer might go through, as well as how we should expect to be treated as a customer. This wrapped up our three days of informative and challenging training. We left the course brimming with confidence and keen to test our skills in the real world. FM MORE INFO The ‘Understanding FM’ course is suitable for FMs with less than three years’ experience. Delegates can use the course as part of the ILM Level 3 qualifications in FM. Full details of BIFM’s qualification map can be found here: http://bit.ly/oQ0c7O FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 35

4/8/11 16:11:37

We’re right behind you.

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2/8/11 17:34:52

LEGAL NEWS

New legislation NYK LOGISTICS (UK) LIMITED V IBREND ESTATES BV [2011] EWCA CIV 683 This is one of the many cases before the courts at the moment concerning failure by a tenant to properly exercise a break option. The company Ibrend held its tenant NYK pursuant to a lease on a warehouse, where the lease contained a break clause. The break clause required NYK to deliver up vacant possession of the premises on the break date of 3 April. There was no requirement to offer up the premises in full repair, although NYK chose to deal with any necessary repairs before the break date. Before the break date, the landlord was not particularly proactive in assisting the tenant in identifying the necessary repairs that needed to be carried out, but ultimately, on 1 April, the two parties’ surveyors met. While they agreed that NYK had substantially complied with its repairing obligations, it was clear that the outstanding matters could not be completed by the break date, just two days later, but could be completed shortly afterwards. A clean break? NYK carried on effecting the repairs and on the break date, towards the end of the working day, NYK sent an email to Ibrend’s agent saying that they had been attempting to handover keys, but had not been able to make contact. They asked the agent

to contact them as soon as possible the next week. NYK retained their security guard at the premises over the weekend and the following week, NYK’s contractors completed the remaining repairs. Ibrend claimed that the lease was continuing and the break had not been exercised for a variety of reasons, mainly the retention by NYK of their contractors in the warehouse from 2-9 April to complete repairs. The court agreed with Ibrend that vacant possession was not offered and therefore the break was not exercised. The judge said:

“NYK’s misfortune was that by 3 April it could raise no response from Ibrend. In that respect I have some sympathy for NYK, but not a lot. The terms of its own proposal show that it knew that in order not to prejudice the operation of the break option, it needed to obtain Ibrend’s agreement as to what it wanted to do. “It ought also to have known that when the agreement was not forthcoming by 3 April, the only safe course was to move everyone out of the warehouse on Friday…[and to] deliver the keys to the agent. Had NYK taken legal advice on 3 April as to what to do, I should be surprised if such advice would have been otherwise than that NYK should act along the lines I have suggested”. The moral of the story is clear: however commercially sensible a particular course of action may seem, break options are legal rights, which are construed in accordance with the law and not in accordance with commercial pragmatism. Beverley Vara is a partner and head of real estate litigation at solicitors Allen & Overy LLP

“The moral of the story is clear: break options are legal rights, which are construed in accordance with the law”

Death-at-work increase Marks and Spencer and two of its contractors have been convicted for putting people at risk of exposure to asbestos-containing materials during refurbishment work. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Marks and Spencer, Willmott Dixon Construction and PA Realisations (formerly Pectel) over the incident at two stores in Reading and Bournemouth between 2006 and 2007. Winchester Crown Court heard that construction workers at the two stores removed asbestos-containing materials within the ceiling tiles and elsewhere.

HSE open consultation The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has opened a three-month consultation on how a new system will operate for recovering costs from those who break health and safety laws. The new scheme could apply from as early as April 2012. The deadline for consultation responses is 14 October. “The government has agreed that it is right that those who break the law should pay their fair share of the costs to put things right – and not the public purse,” said Gordon MacDonald, HSE’s programme director. “These proposals provide a further incentive for people to operate within the law, levelling the playing field between those who comply and those who don’t. Compliant firms will not pay a penny in intervention fees.”

NEED SOME GOOD ADVICE? The Good Practice Guide to SELECTING FM SOFTWARE The BIFM publishes a series of good practice guides, which are free of charge, to all members. For a full list of titles or to download the guides, visit www.bifm.org.uk Non-members: call 020 7880 8543 to order your copy

www.fm-world.co.uk

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4/8/11 16:47:31

FM MONITOR JOHN LANE

TECHNICAL

John Lane leads the IT and communications team at Cundall

U PS FAILU RE

is in static bypass mode. This is impossible to guarantee and it can be argued that an isolation transformer downstream of a UPS is more trouble than it’s worth.

hen a UPS system suffered a W catastrophic yet unexplained failure, John Lane’s team uncovered a chain of events that led to the potentially fatal blowout

Electric shock hazard An insurance company experienced the catastrophic failure of an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) feeding one of its computer rooms. The damage to the UPS was extreme and appeared to have suffered an internal flashover of several thousand volts. Both the inverter bridge and the static switch, and all of the control electronics in the UPS were destroyed by the event. The UPS supplier was called in and investigated the problem, and we were called in to look at the electrical distribution system upstream and downstream of the UPS. As with many electrical problems, the situation was complicated and there was initially no obvious cause and effect. However, three issues emerged that could be contributory factors: ● There was a 4-pole generator changeover panel upstream of the UPS ● There was an isolation transformer downstream of the UPS ● The UPS installation was not part of the original building design and there was a large number of circuit breakers upstream of the UPS, all with similar ratings and poor discrimination. Initial suspicion centred on the 4-pole generator changeover panel upstream of the UPS. This briefly interrupts the neutral feeding the UPS when the public supply fails and the panel switches to generator, and similarly when the public supply is restored. However, there were four other UPSs on the site connected in a similar way

Electricity supply companies insist on 4-pole isolation wherever there is a stand-by generator installed on a site. This 4-pole isolation protects the supply company’s staff from electric shock when the site is running on the generator but introduces significant complications for the customer. A 4-pole generator changeover panel upstream of a UPS will cause a temporary interruption to the neutral whenever there is a transition from the public supply to the generator or vice versa. While UPS manufacturers will tell you their UPS can withstand the temporary loss of the neutral, there is significant electric shock hazard to any electrician working on the site. Electricians usually isolate the phase conductors when working on an installation, but leave the neutral connected on the basis that it will normally never be more than a volt or two above earth potential. However, if the incoming neutral is interrupted at the generator changeover panel the neutral conductor can rise to any potential up to 230 Volts AC, which is enough to cause a fatal shock to anyone in contact with the neutral.

that were not affected and most UPS manufacturers claim their UPS will withstand a temporary loss of neutral. The UPS supplier and our investigator eventually agreed that: ● A minor fault in the UPS had caused it to switch to bypass ● This led to a modest surge, which tripped an upstream breaker due to poor discrimination ● The sudden loss of energising current via the static bypass switch to the isolation transformer generated a very high voltage at the UPS output terminals that caused the flashover and destroyed the UPS.

Downstream It is common practice to install isolation transformers downstream of a UPS, particularly in data centres. They often form part of the Power Distribution Unit (PDU) and are intended to ensure that the phase and neutral conductors feeding IT loads are isolated from any electrical noise on the public supply neutral. The practice is satisfactory, provided there is never a sudden interruption of the power to the UPS when it

UPS with Bypass Isolation and Neutral Earth Link L1,2,3

Bypass Isolation Transformer L1,2,3

Bypass Isolation

L1,2,3

Reserve Supply (neutral not used) Neutral L1,2,3 Earth Link Main Supply (neutral not used)

Rectifier

UPS Module Maintenance Bypass

Inverter

Input Isolator

Static Switch

Output to Critical Load L1,2,3 Output Isolator N

If a UPS is on internal or external bypass and the neutral is interrupted at the generator changeover panel, all single phase IT loads will also experience a loss of the neutral and may experience any voltage up to 400 Volts AC between the phase and neutral, which could destroy them.

Best practice design It is possible to install a neutralearth contactor in a 4-pole generator changeover panel, which holds the neutral at earth potential during the transition from public supply to generator and vice-versa. However, if the neutral-earth contactor fails, the fault would not be easily detected and the electric shock hazard and risk to IT loads when the UPS is on bypass would reappear. Better designs use an isolation transformer in the UPS bypass feed, as shown in the diagram. Normally, the UPS three-phase bridge rectifier does not use the supply neutral, allowing the UPS output neutral to be solidly linked to earth, which is electrically safe, and gives a completely clean supply for IT loads with no noise from the public supply neutral getting into the data centre. The isolation transformer in the UPS bypass feed also does not use the supply neutral and eliminates any problems when the UPS is on internal or external bypass. There will be a small phase shift across the isolation transformer, so it is important that the UPS inverter is set up to be synchronised with the bypass feed rather than the main feed. Your UPS supplier may sell you a UPS without a bypass isolation transformer, but if you do not install one you put electricians at risk of a fatal shock and IT loads at risk from over voltage. FM

Battery

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www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 14:42:21

FM MONITOR HYWEL DAVIES

HOW TO…

Hywel Davies is technical director at CIBSE

ASSESS R EN EWA BL E H EAT I N CEN T I V ES

ou may need to think twice before telling your finance director to sign up for renewable heat incentives. Hywel Davies gives five reasons why

As the UK becomes increasingly reliant on oil and gas imports, the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) provides a financial reason to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy security. But what exactly does it offer individual businesses? The RHI was launched by the government to provide long-term financial support to encourage the public as well as commercial interests to use renewable heat installations. It is the first financial support scheme of its kind in the world and is designed “to revolutionise the way heat is generated and used in buildings and homes”.

Upcoming legislation Regulations underpinning the scheme are due to be approved by Parliament this summer, with the first phase launching soon after. This will provide long-term tariff support for non-domestic buildings, including the industrial, business and public sectors as well as charitable and community organisations, which together produce 38 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions. Phase two will see households offered the same long-term tariff support, starting in October 2012, at the same time as the introduction of the government’s incoming Green Deal. The incentives will support a range of technologies and fuel uses, which include solid and gaseous biomass, solar thermal, ground and water source heatwww.fm-world.co.uk

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pumps, on-site biogas, deep geothermal, energy from waste and injection of biomethane into the gas grid. Incentive payments, based on metered heat output, will be claimed by, and paid to the owner of the installation on a quarterly basis for a period of 20 years. The levels are intended to cover the cost difference between conventional and renewable heat systems, and to provide additional compensation for certain technologies for an element of the non-financial costs. Non-domestic installations completed after 15 July 2009 will also be eligible for support as if they had been installed on the date the scheme starts. For small- and medium-sized installations, up to and including 45kW thermals, both installers and equipment must be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), or to an equivalent standard, to ensure quality assurance and protect consumers. The scheme will be run by Ofgem, which will deal with applications, accredit installations, make incentive payments to recipients and monitor compliance with the

scheme rules and conditions. So why would any business not want to cash in on the incentives on offer under the RHI? If the scheme offers to bridge the cost gap between conventional installations and renewable alternatives, why would anyone not take advantage? Well, here are five reasons to say ‘not yet’ to the finance director:

services systems properly commissioned? For example, do they come on when needed, go off when not needed, and operate efficiently when on? Does someone take responsibility for checking this, or for checking that a supplier makes these checks regularly?

1⁄

Do you measure and monitor your energy bills? How does your energy use compare to benchmark figures? Is it good, bad or indifferent? How does it compare with the CIBSE TM46 energy benchmarks? If your energy use exceeds these values, then find out why. Questions 1 to 3 apply.

Use less energy

The most costeffective way to cut energy bills is not to use energy. But can you be sure that your business does not use energy when it’s not needed? Does the heating run out of hours, when it is not really needed? Do the cleaners turn every light on before they start cleaning? Do you have heating and cooling fighting each other? All these offer instant payback, yet many businesses are not cashing in.

2⁄

Turn off equipment

Is office equipment turned off when not needed? Are computers left running when they are not being used? Do IT systems encourage staff to leave computers on all day even while users are in a meeting? There are some very easy gains here.

3⁄

Assess services

Are your building

“Incentive payments, based on metered heat output, will be claimed by, and paid to the owner of the installation on a quarterly basis for a period of 20 years”

4⁄

Measure your usage

5⁄

Maintenance contracts

Are your heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems properly maintained? Are maintenance contracts in place? Who wakes up in the morning thinking about how best to deliver those contracts and whether they give value for money? Once you have the answers to these and identified that you have heating plant, or hot water plant, that needs replacing then you should investigate the advantages of systems that attract RHI. The chances are, if you are managing your energy use, you will be better able to identify and buy appropriately sized equipment under the RHI. As well as the benefits of the incentive and reduced fuel bills, you will have advantage of knowing that your energy spend delivers good value for money. All things that tend to keep the finance director happy! FM FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 39

4/8/11 16:12:48

BIFM NEWS BIFM.ORG.UK

Fellows: Members’ Day and AGM

MEMBERS’ DAY

Members’ Day and AGM The BIFM Members’ Day and AGM took place on Thursday 30 June 2011, at the British Library Conference Centre. This free event, which was sponsored by Vinci Facilities, is all about getting involved, networking and celebrating success. This year’s event attracted a record number of members who had never attended a BIFM event. With a global turnover exceeding £35bn and nearly 200,000 employees, Vinci is the world’s largest company operating in concessions, construction and FM. Vinci Facilities, operating in the UK and central Europe, is the multi-service FM division of the company, offering a comprehensive range of services across both the public and private sectors. Nick Shaw, divisional director from Vinci Facilities, who presented the Recognition Awards said: “The enthusiasm and passion of the winners, not just for the core profession and its people, but also in ensuring its future and sustainability, shone through, exemplified by the Member of the Year, David Whiteley.” Also sponsoring were Thames 40 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

BIFM news.indd 34

KEEP IN TOUCH » Network with BIFM @ www.networkwithbifm.org.uk » Twitter @BIFM_UK » LinkedIn » facebook

Cleaning and Premier Moves. Thames Cleaning is a highly renowned family-run office cleaning and support services company operating in London and the South East. It provides exceptional levels of performance in quality, client care and business initiatives. “Sponsoring the BIFM Members’ Day has enabled us to raise the profile of Thames Cleaning, while gaining a valuable insight into current issues for facilities managers,” said Michael Weller, chief executive. Alex Rushbrooke, group business development manager at Premier Moves added: “Sponsoring the BIFM Members’ Day has enabled us to meet key influencers and purchasers in the FM industry and to further build the Premier Moves brand.” CONFERENCE

Scottish conference The BIFM Scotland Region Facilities Management Conference and Exhibition will take place on 30 September at Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh.

Sponsored by BaxterStorey, the theme is ‘FM – Our Dynamic Future’ and incorporates a wide range of speakers and exhibitors. The conference is ideal for public, private and third sector professionals with a business interest in FM, either as a service provider or end user. The majority of the content will qualify for Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Tickets are £50 plus VAT for members, £60 plus VAT for nonmembers and £25 plus VAT for students. Exhibition space is available for £400 plus VAT. i For information, contact Tony McKee on 07974 191567 or email BIFMScotlandEvents@virginmedia. com

GOLF DAY

South West annual golf day The South West Region held its annual golf day at Orchardleigh Golf Club in Frome on Friday 15 July. Twenty six golfers enjoyed a 9 hole Texas Scramble followed by the 18 hole stableford qualifying

round later in the afternoon. The headline sponsor was G4S which generously sponsored the prizes and trophies for the day, donating balls and pitch markers for the golfer welcome packs. Norland Managed Services sponsored the BIFM members team which will be participating in the finals at Forest of Pines Golf Club in North Lincolnshire in September. UBM kindly donated a prize for ‘nearest the pin’ and Catch 22 provided all golfers with a bag of tees, balls and nibbles for the day. The winner of the Texas Scramble was team GACL (Vince Parker, Colin Andrews, Alan Brookes and Gareth Andrews) with a net score of 27.95. G4S (captained by Peter Tierney) was second on 30.15. In the afternoon, there was more success for the team from GACL which managed 77 points in the team stableford competition. UBM (captained by Charlie Oakley) finished in second place with 74 points and third place was shared between G4S (Peter Tierney’s team) and Norland Managed Services (Dan Knight’s team) which both finished with 69 points. Charles Oakley won the individual competition with 34 points with Vince Delderfield (31 points) beating Alan Brookes into second place on count back. Peter Champain won the nearest the pin, Charlie Oakley launched the longest drive and Tom Welland won the booby prize. The members team that will be representing the South West Region at the finals day will be Peter Tierney, Kevin Kearnes, Kyle Pollard and Roger Hawes. Thanks to our sponsors and to all members who participated in the day and we wish the South West Region team luck for finals day. www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 14:22:55

Please send your news items to communications@bifm.org.uk or call 0845 058 1356

TWM

TWM registration opens Registration has opened for Total Workplace Management (TWM). The original FM and estates event will take place at London Olympia on 11-12 October 2011. At the show you can network and build relationships with over 7,000 industry colleagues, visit co-located shows to extend your contacts beyond the FM realm and source the latest products and services from leading exhibitors. This year also sees a new safety and security theatre, along with the FM Academy, Innovation Showcase, Innovation and Sustainability Awards, Green FM Trail and Prop IT area. i Register in advance at www. twmexpo.com/register

CONFERENCE

Ireland conference The BIFM Ireland Region Committee has launched the 15th annual BIFM conference and exhibition, sponsored by H&J Martin Facilities Management and Aramark Workplace Solutions. The 2011 Conference will return to Belfast Waterfront on Friday 4 November 2011. The conference will include a number of talks from professionals across the UK and Ireland. Presentations will touch on topics ranging from presentation development and delivery, to retrofitting older buildings. Conference fees are £120+vat for BIFM members and £175+vat for non-BIFM members.

Gareth Tancred is chief operating officer

BIFM COMMENT G ROW T H B E H I N D T H E SC E N E S

ast week, a friend of mine gave birth to a baby boy. Needless to say, everyone was delighted and the proud parents were soon very keen to show off their new son. I recall my friend announcing the pregnancy when she was about 10 weeks pregnant. At that time, it was impossible to tell anything was different. She looked the same as she always did. Over time, the physical changes became more obvious. Now, just a few months later, her whole world has changed. It’s a little bit like that at the BIFM right now. Last year, as part of our three-year strategy, we made plans to grow and develop the institute and the services it provides. For a time it may not have looked like much was happening. In reality, a lot has been going on behind the scenes. Staff and volunteers have been working on a number of propositions and projects that will significantly change the BIFM for the future. For example: ● The new constitution is the result of almost two years’ work to further professionalise and improve governance at the institute. Now that it has received member approval, we will begin implementation over the next few months ● Development of new membership propositions will allow entry into the institute from a variety of new areas as we capture the ever-growing scope of FM in the workplace ● The largest project ever undertaken by the BIFM is the new website. It is far more than a website, so much so that we have called it an online platform. It will bring huge benefits to members and volunteers alike ● As for 2012 and 2013, well, the board meets in a few weeks to review and refine strategy, so I can’t give too much away, but what I can say is that we have already started to implement the decisions already taken to deliver growth in these years. Watch this space. Some who watch the institute from the sidelines may think that there’s nothing happening at the BIFM. Indeed, just like my friend in the early stages of her pregnancy, you couldn’t really tell what was happening. But the real work was going on all the time, as it is at the BIFM. I would like to thank my colleagues, staff and volunteers for the hard work and effort they are expending to bring you the institute and benefits that will better serve your needs. Keep watching – in a few months our whole world will change too!

“FOR A TIME IT MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE NOT MUCH WAS HAPPENING. IN REALITY, A LOT HAS BEEN GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A NUMBER OF PROPOSITIONS AND PROJECTS ”

gareth.tancred@bifm.org.uk

i To book your place online and get 25 per cent off until 12 August, go to the conference website at www.bifm. org.uk/bifm/events/view/2100

www.fm-world.co.uk

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BIFM NEWS BIFM.ORG.UK

Time for a defence group: MOD building in London

BIFM TRAINING T E C H N I C A L E Q U I P M E N T I N YOU R BU IL D ING

hen it comes to technical equipment within your building, do you often feel concerned that things could be missed because of difficulty in understanding the operation of these systems? Do you also worry that an engineer or technician may try to take advantage of your lack of technical knowledge? If not already responsible for it, many FMs at least need to understand the operation and maintenance of technical equipment in their building. Challenges arising from higher energy prices and the pressure to be more sustainable mean that building systems must be operated correctly and efficiently. There’s also the effect of static or reducing budgets upon the life of technical systems and their reliability. To make informed decisions, FMs must have detailed knowledge of these important aspects. Don’t forget that each building is unique. Standard components such as boilers and chillers may be configured and operated differently from building to building – no two systems are alike. When compiling a maintenance specification it’s vital to be able to detail the system’s components and their use to obtain best value and reliability. For many years, BIFM Training has delivered the highly successful ‘Understanding & Managing Building Services’ course. Delegates have been introduced to the operation of mechanical and electrical systems, as well as advised on such issues as energy saving and control of contractors. Feedback from many delegates who have attended this course indicates that they are now ready for a more advanced course to further supplement their learning. Consequently, we have developed a new two-day programme called ‘Building Services – the Next Step’ and the first session will run on 5-6 October 2011. Building on the knowledge gained in the ‘Understanding & Managing Building Services’ course, this new programme will explore in more detail many aspects of technical services in buildings. The course is presented in a clear, non-technical way with considerable practical information and ideas for improving standards. It also examines a number of technical developments and ideas that could help your building run more effectively.

MEMBER DISCOUNTS

NEW MEMBERS

BIFM member discounts

New corporate members

The BIFM is partnering with FM Benchmarking to provide a benchmarking service for BIFM members at a discount of up to 40 per cent off the list price. Members can compare the performance of their buildings against similar buildings, analyse the differences, access best practice and improve performance and efficiency over time. Firms using FM Benchmarking methodology have reduced their energy consumption by eight per cent after one year, and 40 per cent after 10 years. Similarly impressive reductions have been achieved in overall operating expenditures. FM Benchmarking has a number of key features of interest to facilities management professionals: ● It integrates best practices by highlighting areas where your buildings are performing better or worse than comparable buildings, and it also provides guidance on how to improve ● It allows for the comparison of buildings as similar as possible to yours through the use of nearly 60 different filters ● It is web-based and any authorised user can gain access, anytime, anywhere.

New corporate members for June: XL Management Services – Suppliers Shepherd FM – Suppliers Logica – Consultant Bright Hygiene – Supplier AA Projects – Consultant Arcadia Group – FM Management Uni Assist – Consultant B&CE HSM – Supplier

Find out more at www.bifm.org. uk/benchmarking i

42 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

BIFM news.indd 36

DEFENCE NETWORK

Defence network group The BIFM is considering creating a network group to address defence FM issues and would like to see if users of the online forum have views on this. Would you find this group a useful resource? Which areas would you like this forum to cover? Would you prefer this to be an online group or would you see benefits of the group developing other resources, for example Good Practice Guides, case studies, site visits or CPD events? i Share your thoughts at www.bifm. org.uk/defence and register your interest in joining the network by selecting the ‘Defence Group’ in the ‘other forums’ subscription section at www.bifm.org.uk/subscriptions

i All sessions include delegate participation exercises, which will enhance the learning experience and the practical application of the material presented. No in-depth technical knowledge is required, but it is desirable that delegates should have attended the highly successful and popular ‘Understanding and Managing Building Services’ course. For information including detailed programmes or to book call 020 7404 4440, email info@bifm-training.co.uk or visit our website www.bifm-training.com

www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 14:23:36

FM DIARY

Send details of your event to editorial@fm-world.co.uk or call 020 7880 6229

NATIONAL BIFM EVENTS

16 September BIFM Home Counties Charity Golf Day Venue: Donnington Grove Country Club, Grove Road, Newbury Contact: ash@fm-recruitment.co.uk or call 01635 43100

24 August WiFM Social Event Venue: London Contact: Liz Kentish at coach@ lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call 07717 787077

21 October BIFM Home Counties and South Region Member’s Training Day – Engaging With FM Venue: 3 Head office, Maidenhead Contact: ash@fm-recruitment.co.uk or call 01635 43100

15 September BIFM National Golf Finals 2011 sponsored by HSS Hire Venue: Forest Pines Golf Club, Lincolnshire Contact: Don Searle at don@c22.co.uk or call 07850 098912

MIDLANDS REGION

21 September WiFM Forum – FM and Organisational Change Venue: To be conﬁrmed Contact: Liz Kentish at coach@ lizkentishcoaching.co.uk or call 07717 787077

7 September Business Continuity Plans: Have we got it covered? Venue: To be conﬁrmed Contact: carol.hearn@unilever.com or call 01234 222421

8 November Women in FM/North West Region event Venue: Merseyside, venue tbc Contact: Liz Kentish at coach@ lizkentishcoaching.co.ukor call 07717 787077 10 October BIFM Awards 2011 Venue: Grosvenor House Hotel Contact: Email Sandra Light at sandra@fmevents.biz or call 0141 639 6192

4 October Agile Working Pilot at Oxfam Venue: Oxfam House, John Smith Drive, Cowley, Oxford Contact: carol.hearn@unilever.com or call 01234 222421 10 November Communication & Relationships in FM Venue: To be conﬁrmed Contact: carol.hearn@unilever.com or call 01234 222421

IRELAND REGION SCOTTISH REGION 4 November The 15th Annual BIFM Ireland Region Facilities Management Conference & Exhibition Venue: Belfast Waterfront Contact: Book online at www.bifm. org.uk/bifm/events/view/2100 HOME COUNTIES REGION

30 September Scottish Annual Conference – FM, Our Dynamic Future Venue: Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh Contact: joanmelville@virginmedia. com or call 07855 961774 1 October Scottish Annual Gala Ball

Venue: Crowne Plaza, Glasgow Contact: joanmelville@virginmedia. com or call 07855 961774 NORTH REGION 6 September Merseyside Networking Event Venue: Bromborough Pool Village Garden Centre Contact: Email Steve Roots at north@bifm.org.uk or call 07872 829743

13-14 September The Energy Event 2011 Venue: NEC Birmingham Contact: Register online at theenergyevent.com. For exhibitor/ sponsor queries contact steve. swaine@emap.com 13-15 September SRWM in partnership with CIWM 2011 Venue: NEC, Birmingham Contact: rwm.exhibition@emap.com or visit www.rwmexhibition.com

15 September Free Hydrop Seminar in Durham Venue: Durham University Collingwood College Contact: helen@hydrop.com or call 07500 957983

18-20 September CoreNet Global Summit Venue: Disney’s Newport Bay Club, Paris Contact: kbeeckman@corenetglobal. org for more details

SOUTH WEST REGION

11-12 October Total Workplace Management Organised in association with the BIFM. Venue: London Olympia Contact: Visit www.twmexpo.com to register ontact Fergus Bird on 020 7921 8660

16 September South-West Region September Training Day Venue: Hilton Bristol Hotel, Aztec West, Bristol Contact: Joanne Bartlam at joanneb07@ntlworld.com or call 07808 908052 25 November South-West Region November Training Day Venue: Hilton Bristol Hotel, Aztec West, Bristol Contact: Joanne Bartlam at joanneb07@ntlworld.com or call 07808 908052

19-20 October FM & Property Event Venue: Belfry, West Midlands Contact: jasonawatar@ globalbusinessevents.co.uk

INDUSTRY EVENTS

20 October Workplace Trends conference Venue: Royal College of Physicians, London Contact: Email maggie@merlinevents.co.uk

8 September Annual CFMD Networks Conference Venue: Sheffield Business School, Sheffield Hallam University Contact: 0114 225 6243 for more details

26-28 October IFMA’s World Workplace Conference & Expo Venue: Phoenix Convention Centre, USA Contact: tj.mendieta@ifma.org

Workspace management defined Condeco is the booking system to manage not just your meeting rooms and desks – but all available resources. Our intelligent solutions allow you to operate more efficiently and make maximum use of your workspace. The interactive signage and advanced reporting provide real time utilisation data on which to base future business decisions. Room booking Desk booking Visitor management Interactive room and desk signage

Intelligent management reports Hospitality management Event management

Outlook and Lotus Notes integration Car park booking Resource scheduling

Find out more: call +44 (0)20 7001 2055 or go to www.condecosoftware.com www.fm-world.co.uk

Diary.indd 37

FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 43

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FM PEOPLE MOVERS & SHAKERS

BEHIND

THE JOB What attracted you to the job? Ofcom was formed by merging five legacy regulators. The attraction was the opportunity to set up a new facilities organisation – so if anything went wrong, I had no-one to blame but myself! How did you get into facilities management and what attracted you to the industry? When I left the army after 20 years with the Gurkhas, I looked at my transferable skills and decided that they were useful in property and facilities management, which I have been doing now for 23 years. NAME: Johnny Kaye JOB TITLE: Head of facilities ORGANISATION: Ofcom JOB DESCRIPTION: Management of Ofcom’s property portfolio (HQ in London) and seven other sites in UK.

What has been your biggest career challenge to date? Getting back into work aged 55 after I had lost my job and my leg in the same year. My top perk at work is… an excellent team; half-inherited and half-new.

Which “FM myth” would you most like to put an end to? That FMs just do as they are told – they do have ideas! If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be? To raise awareness of what facilities managers do. How do you think facilities management has changed in the past five years? More legislation, more technical and demands for more flexibility. What single piece of advice would you give to a young facilities manager starting out? Keep things simple, listen and learn. Do your friends understand what facilities management is? No, they think I am a security guard.

If you’ve got what it takes, we’re here to help you progress Are you still at the right BIFM membership grade to reflect your increasing achievements in the FM industry – or is it time to progress? To upgrade to the next level or to find out more, please visit: www.bifm.org.uk/climb or contact the Membership Team on: 0845 058 1358 or email membership@bifm.org.uk 44 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

People and jobs.indd 61

www.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 17:46:20

FM marketplace

Call John Nahar on 020 7880 6230 or email john.nahar@fm-world.co.uk For full media information take a look at www.fm-world.co.uk/mediapack

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fm-world.co.uk/jobs has over 100 job vacancies

When you need all your FM services in one place, think Anabas! U U

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FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 45 Marketplace house fillers.indd 1

FM_marketplace.indd 45

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2/8/11 17:54:36

Call Adam Potter on 020 7880 8543 or email adam.potter@fm-world.co.uk For full media information take a look at www.fm-world.co.uk/mediapack

FM NEWS

FM innovations ▼The Orlando – cool water refreshment

▲ Lusso sponsors Women in the City These awards recognise senior-level women working in London’s business hubs, who, in addition to fulﬁlling a demanding role, are actively encouraging the progress of women. The Facilities Management category is open to women responsible for a wide range of outsourced services, including catering, cleaning, landscaping and pest control. Winners of all seven award categories compete for the Woman of Achievement award, which will be announced at the annual lunch on 25 November. Paul Hurren, Lusso managing director said: “This is our second year sponsoring the FM category. We see it as a fantastic opportunity to highlight this essential role which rarely gets the attention it deserves.” Nominations via www.citywomen.co.uk. Closing date for applications is 23 September.

Are you looking for an affordable, easy-to-maintain water cooler? Vending operator, Selecta UK, has just launched the Orlando – a high quality, mains-fed, direct-chill water cooler designed to keep your consumers and workforce refreshed. The Orlando is reliable, cost effective and has strong environmental credentials. Manufactured largely from recycled parts, with 98 per cent of the parts recyclable at the end of the machine’s life, it uses 25 per cent less energy than a 60w light bulb – providing significant savings. The Orlando is WRAS (Water Regulations Advisory Scheme) approved and fitted with a filter that beats a leading competitor in water quality tests. Operators can have peace of mind as the Orlando is reliable with a strong build quality for durability. T: 0844 7360 209 W: www.selecta.co.uk E: sales@uk.selecta.com

▲ Qubiqa to supply Birmingham library Qubiqa is proud to announce it has been chosen by the Library of Birmingham to supply the mobile, static and two-tier shelving for what is described as “one of the world’s most exciting and ambitious cultural projects”. This impressive project to supply the electronic mobile shelving is worth between £3.1-£3.4m and the library is expected to open to the public in 2013. Qubiqa has built up a portfolio of clients in the library and heritage sectors in the past few years including installing systems in a number of high profile new builds and refurbishments. This track record together with state-of-the-art functionality has impressed both the main contractor and client. T: 01444 237 220 W: www.qubiqa.com E: salesuk@qubiqa.com

▼ Makeover for football club’s loos One lucky football club is about to secure a £100,000 makeover for its fans’ loos from some of the plumbing industry’s leading companies. The ‘Best Loo-sers’ competition will bring in much-needed investment at a critical time for clubs. Those in the Premier League, Football League or The Football Conference leagues are eligible. A dedicated website (www.bestloosers.co.uk) goes live on 1 August and clubs will have eight weeks to nominate themselves. Twelve clubs will then be shortlisted and a fans’ vote will determine the winner. The competition is the inspiration of Plumb Center, which has more than 490 branches in the UK. It has joined forces with leading companies; Cistermiser, Cubicle Systems, Twyford and Franke Sissons. W: www.wolseley.co.uk

▲ Cresswell excels at Brunel University

▲ An exhibition of quality from Cofley

For the fourth year running, Cresswell Office Services has seen off the competition to win external work at Brunel University. Cresswell has recently been responsible for steam cleaning the walkway that runs through the middle of the campus, of the 40-year-old, world-class university in West London. This involved removing the chewing gum and steam cleaning the surface of the paving slab walkway, in preparation for the University’s graduation ceremony. The company specialises in cleaning, facilities and building maintenance, and currently holds a number of prestigious contracts in both the public and private sector. Cresswell is a ﬁnalist in this year’s prestigious Kimberly-Clark Golden Service Awards. T: 020 7252 1101 E: info@cresswellservices.co.uk

Cofely, the energy and environmental efficiency services company has been awarded a five-year contract to deliver maintenance, fabric works and energy management services to the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London. The V&A has a strong focus on sustainability and Cofely will be working closely with the museum on its energy saving programme. Cofely is also delivering a range of improvement works, including upgrading of chiller plant, fire systems and the building management system. The contract covers all five buildings at the museum’s main site in West London, as well as the Children’s Museum in East London and storage facilities in Central London and Hampshire. T: 020 7633 2300 W: www.cofely.co.uk E: headoffice@cofely-gdfsuez.com

46 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

FM_Products.indd 46

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Call Norman Cook on 020 7324 2755 or email jobs@fm-world.co.uk For full media information take a look at www.fm-world.co.uk/mediapack

Appointments

One day’s service A lifetime of support

FACILITIES MANAGER £35,500 - £37,500 pa LONDON, SE1 We are seeking an individual to manage our small but indispensible facilities team. Responsible for the daily running of all facilities management functions within our Central Office in London, you will ensure that an efficient and effective service is maintained. You will be responsible for 6 facilities staff and a budget in excess of £½ m per year. To succeed, you will have experience of managing a facilities operation, which will include ensuring the efficient running of reception and postal duties, the hospitality and catering of conferences, seminars, social events and the management of orders and deliveries for office equipment and goods. Strong team leadership skills and budgeting experience are essential. In addition, you will be the Security & Fire Officer and the Health & Safety Officer for the Central Office. Therefore experience and knowledge of Health & Safety legislation and possessing the NEBOSH or IOSH qualification (or a qualification of a similar standard) along with membership of BIFM would be desirable. Who are we? We’re SSAFA Forces Help – a leading national charity, dedicated to helping and supporting those who serve in the armed forces, those who used to serve, and the families of both. Our work is varied and our aims are clear – and you could help us succeed. For an informal discussion, please contact Terry Chant, Head of Administration, on 020 7463 9289. To download the application pack, please go to www.ssafa.org.uk/vacancies.asp Completed application forms should be e-mailed to hr@ssafa.org.uk quoting ref: FM0711. Please note that CV applications will not be accepted. Closing date for applications is: Thursday 25th August 2011. Interviews to be held in London in early September 2011.

SSAFA Forces Help is an Equal Opportunities Employer and is committed to using the Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure Service. Registered Charity Numbers 210760 (England and Wales), SCO38056 (Scotland). Established 1885.

jobs.fm-world.co.uk

FM New appoints 110811.indd 47

www.ssafa.org.uk FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 47

4/8/11 16:38:24

XXX D DP VL

SENIOR CONTRACTS ACCOUNT MANAGER Technical Services Manager, London, to ÂŁ60,000 A property management firm require a highly qualified TSM with consultancy experience to manage engineering services at a portfolio of landmark city buildings. CV to russell@c22.co.uk

BW Interiors is a successful privately owned market leader in a medium-sized ďŹ tout and refurbishment sector.

Energy Manager, Hertfordshire/ National, to ÂŁ65,000

The successful candidateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s duties will include,

A major FM Service Provider is recruiting an expert for Energy Management and M&E. A Member of IET or CIBSE, reporting directly to the MD you will support all technical divisions within the business to maximise the reach of this new service option to the entire client base. Expertise in business development, M&E and energy management is essential. CVs to russell@ c22.co.uk

â&#x20AC;˘

Liaising with clients, forming a good relationship and resolving any issues that may arise.

â&#x20AC;˘

Managing all current Maintenance Contracts (Contractors and employees).

â&#x20AC;˘

Attending meetings, taking a detailed brief, meeting sub-contractors on site to discuss the requirements for the provision of quotations and passing information on to the ofďŹ ce support team in order that a proposal can be prepared.

As a result of the growth of our Service & Maintenance Department we currently have a vacancy for a Senior Contracts Account Manager.

â&#x20AC;˘

Monitor and review works carried out by sub contractors.

An international educational facility with sites in SE England and the Middle East is recruiting a Head of Facilities Management to lead FM services across the portfolio. CVs to russell@c22.co.uk

â&#x20AC;˘

Provide support with defect issues following initial ďŹ t-out / refurbishment contracts.

â&#x20AC;˘

Actively promote the service, aftersales and maintenance function with new and existing clients and contacts.

Deputy Centre Managers, Leicester and Peterborough, ÂŁ30,000 to ÂŁ35,000

â&#x20AC;˘

Carry out regular dialogue with the head of department and assist with managing the Service & Maintenance team.

Head of FM (education), Surrey, to ÂŁ65,000

To ensure the efficient and effective day to day running of a Shopping Centre, through the implementation of management and quality control systems. The DCM will seek new initiatives to improve the operations within the Centre, resulting in consistently high standards in all areas; in particular security, cleaning and H&S. Working as part of a team, you will promote efficiency and quality and the highest level of Customer Care. You will also act as Duty Manager on a rota system to ensure that a senior member of Management is on duty when the Shopping Centre is open for trade and represent the Centre, through liaison with external agencies, contractors, retailers and the public. Experience of working within Shopping Centre preferred, however, a good background within hard and soft FM is required. A NEBOSH qualification is high desired. CVs to ed@c22.co.uk

CANDIDATE PROFILE Personal strengths must include a strong personality, excellent administrative, organisational and interpersonal communication skills. You must be proactive as well as being able to multi-task and prioritise, working in a fast paced environment whilst still meeting strict deadlines and maintaining the highest level of accuracy. You must be able to work efďŹ ciently and independently, completing tasks with minimal supervision demonstrating initiative, ďŹ&#x201A;exibility, adaptability, taking responsibility for other team members. You will also be a strong team player, whilst showing individuality within this ethos. This role will involve working some weekends. CSCS / Health & Safety / IOSH & (BIFM) Facilities Management work experience / QualiďŹ cations preferred. We offer a competitive salary and great beneďŹ ts. This is an excellent opportunity to work in a vibrant and challenging environment with an award winning organisation. To apply please forward your CV with a covering letter to: cheryl.court@bwinteriors.com

providing quality people

Leeds 0113 242 8055 London 020 7630 5144

Closing date for applications is: 26th August 2011

61 southwark street, london se1 0hl

BW Interiors QPV.indd 1 4/8/11 16:43:19

Catch22 QP.indd 1

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News updated at least ďŹ ve times a day Archive of every FM World article since 2004 Job email alerts Career advice

Experts in FM & Maintenance Randstad Construction, Property & Engineering provide specialist recruitment solutions for the FM and Maintenance sector. Our specialist consultants offer tailored recruitment solutions for a broad spectrum of private and public sector clients operating in the commercial, domestic, leisure, retail, industrial and defence markets. We offer both temporary and permanent solutions within FM, health and safety, management and consultancy, throughout our UK and International branch network. For all your FM & Maintenance requirements please visit www.randstadcpe.com/fm or call 0800 169 0863.

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has over 100 job vacancies

48 |â&#x20AC;&#x201A;11 AUGUST 2011 |â&#x20AC;&#x201A;FM WORLD

FM New appoints 110811.indd 48

jobs.fm-world.co.uk

4/8/11 16:44:43

Director & Executive positions London, New York, Washington, Mumbai, Hong Kong Substan al salary plus benefits and uncapped bonus

The Company GSH Group was founded in 1885 and today is a leading provider of technology driven energy and facilities management solutions for corporate customers across the UK, Ireland, USA and mainland Europe. Our clients include Santander, Royal Bank of Scotland, Royal & Sun Alliance, Lloyds Banking Group, Telereal Trillium, Ericsson, Nokia, AstraZeneca, National Australia Group and Aviva. To date our industry leading energy management solutions have contributed significantly to carbon and financial savings for our clients. GSH continues to expand rapidly in this area providing clients with risk transfer and guaranteed savings.

to operate at board level and have an ability to lead a team of supporting professionals to secure negotiated contracts. A willingness to travel internationally is essential, as is relevant country experience and the willingness to locate overseas for a period would be an advantage. Applications for the following vacancies are being sought: • Business Development Director - London • Business Development Executives London, Washington, New York & Hong Kong

The Opportunities To support and assist this substantial growth in new and existing operating territories we are now seeking to employ ambitious, London based executives to join the senior team. There are also opportunities to help us develop our presence in the UK, USA and Asian markets.

• Executive Director - India In the first instance please send a CV and a covering letter explaining how you meet our requirements, in absolute confidence, to: John Davy, Group Managing Director, GSH Group, 3rd Floor, John Stow House, 18 Bevis Marks, London EC3A 7JB. Or email: john.davy1@gshgroup.com with the heading of ‘International Executive’.

You will need to be qualified to degree level in Building Services or allied disciplines and have membership of CIBSE, RICS or equivalent industry governing bodies. Seeking senior client facing opportunities you will be aspiring

Assistant Director (Operations) - Ref CAM10/15 Campus Services Full Time | Newcastle upon Tyne | Attractive Salary Northumbria is a major business focussed University, delivering world-leading research with impact and a high quality student experience. Campus Services is the University’s largest customer facing service department employing over 800 staff, with operating and income generation budgets in excess of £47m per annum. Following the recent completion of a £160m programme of investment in the University estate and facilities, the Department is currently being restructured to include the new role of Assistant Director (Operations). Working alongside the Director and Assistant Director (Income Generation) as a member of the Senior Management Team, you will lead and manage four Heads of Service to ensure the effective and efﬁcient delivery of Facilities Management; Health, Safety and Environment; Security; and Business Support. You will be responsible for maximising the quality of the customer experience by facilitating cross-service communication and through the promotion of positive relationships with the wider University and external partners.

jobs.fm-world.co.uk

FM New appoints 110811.indd 49

You will have a successful track record in the delivery of a customer focussed facilities management or business services, with the ability to engender confidence that the service being delivered is complimentary to customer needs and priorities. You should possess a degree or equivalent qualification in a business related or Facilities Management discipline, supported by a relevant professional qualification and/or membership of a professional body. For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Mark Richard - Assistant Director (Income Generation) on 0191 2437 946 from 22nd August 2011. To download an application form please visit www.workfornorthumbria.co.uk or call 0191 227 4321 for an Application Pack. Closing Date: 26th August 2011

Northumbria University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community.

FM WORLD | 11 AUGUST 2011 | 49

4/8/11 16:38:42

FINAL WORD FELICITY MESSING

FELICITY

MESSING

WOOD YOU BELIEVE IT? What a wondrous thing nature is. I read with astonishment that researchers at Oxford Brookes University are developing a bicycle made out of bamboo. As potty as it sounds, the frames being tested are as strong as steel and as light as top-of-the-range carbon fibre bikes. Struck by this Robinson Crusoe, back-to-nature spirit, I was inspired to try my hand at making my own. Clutching a pair of secateurs, a couple of old bicycle wheels and a pickled egg for lunch, I set off into the woodland behind my house. Hoorah for nature! I quickly downed a couple of saplings and, using my Girl Guideknotting skills, lashed them together to make a rudimentary frame. Using some pebbles from a nearby brook for bearings, the wheels were soon in place. And the pièce de résistance: a toadstool saddle, secured with a wad of dry dung. I was finished! The day ended with an exhilarating ride home (breaks are so passé) in time for Midsomer Murders. One word of advice for future bamboo riders: you might get splinters in quite an uncomfortable place. Ouch!

WHO SPIES ON THE SPIES? The furore over telephone hacking by journalists seems set to run and run. What doesn’t seem to have made much of an impression with the press (with the exception of Private Eye) is the number of CCTV cameras finding their way into the workplace. Ironically, one office where cameras have been installed in the workplace recently is The Daily Telegraph, where journalists have expressed concern as to who is watching them. An employee in another company complained that along with the installation of new IT systems came little black domes in the ceiling – hiding 360° CCTV cameras. Apparently there was no consultation and the employer had no understanding of the Human Rights Act and Data Protection Act, to name but a few pieces of legislation that protect an individual’s right to privacy. Those of you who manage larger corporate facilities will be familiar with regular ‘sweeps’ of buildings and services for possible industrial

espionage bugs; it always surprised me when listening devices were found. The inevitable enquiry into how security was breached usually places the blame on an errant cleaner or maintenance engineer. Many books have been published (mostly in the United States) aimed at informing, or spooking, business managers of all the possible risks and threats to business intelligence. In this murky facilities underworld, there is even a guide published on spying and counter-intelligence in the workplace. Not only does it include instructions on how to conceal and detect a phone tap, but it includes tips on how to monitor your co-workers, how to reconstruct shredded documents and how to covertly record meetings you cannot attend – among many more unsavoury tips. I wonder if this book was mistaken for the office manual at News of the World?

Complex systems engineering on page 24 – How closely were you paying attention? SBEM stands for: A) Sultry Peacock Entry Message B) Simplified Building Energy Model C) Standard Parasite Engine Mode

DSM stands for: A) Dynamic Simulation Model B) Derelict Sermon Machine C) Docile Sandwich Man

Please refer back to the article for the correct answers. 2/2? Well done. 1/2 Hmm... 0/2 CPD not really your sort of thing, is it?

IN THE NEXT ISSUE OUT 15 SEPTEMBER

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RATINGS /// FM'S ROLE IN THE DEMOLITION OF BUILDINGS /// DISABILITY COMPETENT TECHNOLOGY EXPLAINED /// ACHIEVING ZERO WASTE — MYTH OR REALITY? /// WHY DO BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OCCUPER CLIENTS AND FACILITIES SUPPLIERS FAIL? /// NEWS AND BUSINESS ANALYSIS

50 | 11 AUGUST 2011 | FM WORLD

Felicity.indd 50

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In association with:

If you’re involved in facilities, estates or energy management make sure you attend Total Workplace Management in October 2011. Run in association with the BIFM, the UK’s longest established FM event offers a unique opportunity to: • • • •

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source new technology keep up-to-date with the latest legislation watch live demonstrations learn from best practice case studies

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5(*,67(5 )25 <285 )5(( 7,&.(7 $7

::: 7:0(;32 &20

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For further details on stand bookings and sponsorship opportunities, contact Fergus Bird at fergus.bird@ubm.com or +44 (0)20 7921 8660

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