Stuart O'Brien, Author at Facilities Management Forum | Forum Events Ltd - Page 51 of 87
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Stuart O'Brien

Do you specialise in Air Conditioning? We want to hear from you!
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Each month on FM Briefing we’re shining the spotlight on a different part of the facilities management market- and in July we’ll be focussing on Air Conditioning services.

It’s all part of our ‘Recommended’ editorial feature, designed to help FM industry buyers find the best products and services available today.

So, if you’re a supplier of Air Conditioning services and would like to be included as part of this exciting new shop window, we’d love to hear from you – for more info, contact Paige Aitken on p.aitken@forumevents.co.uk.

Here are the areas we’ll be covering, month by month:

July – Air Conditioning

August – Waste Management

September – Asset Management

October – FM Software

November – Business Continuity

December – Fire Safety & Equipment

For more information on any of the above, contact Paige Aitken on p.aitken@forumevents.co.uk.

Image by Quinn Kampschroer from Pixabay

Home Office calls on FMs for evidence on fire safety
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Employers and business owners are being asked for their views on fire safety in workplaces in England as part of a Home Office call for evidence.

The Home Office is seeking feedback on the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which underpins fire safety in business premises, such as offices, warehouses, shops and commercial venues, to ensure it is fit for purpose.

The call for evidence follows publication last year of Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review on Building Regulation and Fire Safety, which was commissioned by the government after the Grenfell Tower fire.

The order places legal duties on those responsible for the safety of people using business premises. The Home Offices states this is typically an employer or business owner, who must carry out fire risk assessments and ensure the safety of staff and others.

Minister for Policing and the Fire Service Nick Hurd said: “The Grenfell Tower fire was an unimaginable tragedy and we are determined to do everything we can to stop it ever happening again.

“The government is making good progress on improving the safety of high-rise flats, but we must also look at the wider building safety landscape, including the places where we all work.

“To help keep people safe, we want to ensure the Fire Safety Order is fit for purpose. To do this, we need to understand how it is working on the ground and make informed decisions in the future.”

The order covers all non-domestic premises, as well as the parts of residential buildings used in common, such as corridors and stairwells.

Under the order, those responsible for fire safety in regulated premises include employers, business owners, landlords, occupiers and anyone else in control of the premises, such as building and facilities managers.

The order also applies to anyone with paying guests, including those who run bed and breakfasts, guesthouses or let self-catering properties, as well as hotels.

All of these ‘responsible persons’ are being urged to respond to the call for evidence.

Their responsibilities include:

  • carrying out a fire risk assessment of the premises and reviewing it regularly
  • telling staff or their representatives about the risks identified
  • putting in place and maintaining appropriate fire safety measures
  • planning for an emergency
  • providing staff information, fire safety instruction and training

The call for evidence will run for eight weeks until 31 July 2019, and an analysis of responses will be published and inform the government’s next steps later this year.

It complements the government’s consultation, Building a Safer Future. Led by the Ministry for Housing, communities and local government, the consultation outlines how the government proposes to take forward meaningful legislative reform in the building safety regulatory system.

See more information on the call for evidence here and on the Building a Safer Future consultation here.

Image by chitsu san from Pixabay

FM Forum: Last chance to claim your FREE VIP place – Closing this week!
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This is a last call to FM professionals like you to claim your free place at the Facilities Management Forum.

This unique two-day event takes place on July 1st & 2nd at the Hilton Deansgate, Manchester.

Register here for the opportunity to:-

  • Meet with innovative suppliers for a series of face-to-face, pre-arranged meetings based on your own requirements.
  • Network with like-minded peers.
  • Attend a series of insightful seminar sessions.
  • Enjoy full hospitality, including overnight accommodation, all meal and refreshments, plus an invitation to our gala dinner with entertainment.

You will be joining representatives from the likes of:

  • AAT
  • Accord Academy Trust
  • Ann Summers 
  • Arcadia Group
  • Aspens Charities
  • Belong 
  • Bloomcare
  • Bourne Leisure – Haven Division
  • BT
  • Capita – Barnet Council
  • Castle Water Limited
  • Caversham Trading Brighthouse
  • CBRE 
  • Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors
  • Co-op Retail
  • Crown Commercial Services
  • Debenhams
  • Devonshire’s Solicitors
  • Draexlmaier UK
  • Elysium Healthcare
  • Emerson Management Services
  • Gleeds
  • Gleeds Cost Management 
  • Gusto Restaurants
  • Hermes
  • Interpublic Group
  • Ipswich Borough Council
  • Lego
  • Leicester City Council
  • Loopel
  • Louis Vuitton
  • Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Mercury Support
  • Moorgarth
  • Network Rail
  • NHBC
  • NHS National Services Scotland
  • NHS Scotland
  • North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College Group
  • Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust
  • Peel Media 
  • Praesepe
  • Princess Yachts 
  • Quorn Foods 
  • Regency Residential
  • RSPB
  • Saint-Gobain
  • Salford City College
  • Sesame Bankhall Group
  • Sheffield City Council
  • Silicon Valley Bank
  • St John Ambulance
  • St Luke’s Hospice
  • Stoke City Football Club
  • The Co-operative Bank 
  • The Disabilities Trust
  • Thirteen Group
  • Together Money
  • Transport for West Midlands
  • University of Warwick
  • Wilsons Auctions
  • YO! Sushi

Would you like to join them? Don’t miss this opportunity – Register today!

Oil vs. gas: which should you choose for your business?
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As the threat of climate change continues to gather pace, one of the burning questions of our time remains: ‘how can we create a greener, more sustainable future that still allows businesses to thrive?’ Here, Flogas, examine the debate currently gaining traction. 

Central to solving this challenge is energy usage, and the fuel we depend on in our daily lives and commercial operations. As such, businesses across the UK are now looking at ways to become more fuel-efficient – not only to help lower their carbon emissions, but also to bring down energy bills and save money in the long run.

Nowhere is this debate more prominent than in the 16% of the UK not serviced by the main gas grid, which relies on alternative fuels to meet its energy needs. For the majority of off-grid operations, this means a choice between oil, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) or LNG (liquefied natural gas) for high-volume commercial applications. But what exactly are the differences between these fuels – and what should off-grid users consider when making decisions about their energy supply?

Oil: an outdated energy supply 

With the Committee on Climate Change urging the UK government to legislate as soon as possible to reach net zero emissions by 2050, the pressure is on all industries to adopt greener energy policies. What this means for off-grid businesses in practical terms is moving away from conventional, carbon-heavy fossil fuels. When considering the key features of oil, it’s not hard to see why it’s becoming an outdated off-grid option:

•Increased carbon emissions: As a major contributor to climate change, the burning of oil for heating and cooking purposes releases far higher levels of carbon into the atmosphere than more efficient off-grid fuels like LPG.

•Cost: Through a combination of factors such as dwindling oil reserves, environmental pressures and strained international relations, the price of oil remains volatile. This makes it difficult for businesses to forecast the cost of fuel and can cast doubts over the future of their supply chain.

•Maintenance: Due to its viscous nature, machines that operate on oil often take a large amount of maintenance to ensure they are running at optimum performance. This can also mean messy repairs if anything goes wrong.

The rise of LPG & LNG

With so many factors now working against businesses that are still using oil, it’s no surprise that many are now looking for an alternative fuel supply. The good news is that there are viable off-grid alternatives that offer compelling economic, environmental and logistical benefits. LPG and LNG are two such fuels. So, what are they, and how do they compare to oil?

•Chemical makeup – LPG is a blanket term for two types of natural gas (Propane and Butane) and is a natural by-product of gas and oil extraction (66%) and oil refining (34%). LNG is composed primarily of methane and is created by cooling natural gas to an extremely low temperature (-162°C). 

•Finance: Businesses can make immediate savings when switching to LPG or LNG through a reduction in energy usage.

•Carbon emissions: LPG and LNG have the lowest CO2 emissions of any 0ff-grid fossil fuels: LPG emits 36% fewer than gas oil, 22% fewer than kerosene and 17% fewer than heating oil. It also emits no black carbon (a significant contributor to climate change). 

•Cleaner air: LPG and LNG are clean, smoke-free burning fuels, that emit fewer pollutant emissions, including NOx, Sox and particulate matter (PM).

•Compliant: Because they’re cleaner, LPG and LNG help businesses to meet carbon and pollutant reduction targets set out in the Clean Growth Strategy, ULEZ, Marpol and Medium Combustion Plant Directive.

•Efficiency: With a higher calorific value per tonne than other liquid fuels, an LPG and LNG flame can burn hotter, releasing energy quicker. When used in conjunction with the likes of a steam boiler this can produce even greater efficiencies. 

•Extensive supply: LPG and LNG are in global abundance, so business owners can rest assured that they will have a dependable source of energy when they need it most. Flogas will be significantly increasing the UK’s total LPG storage capability with its new Avonmouth storage facility – the largest of its kind. 

•Easy Installation: Working alongside an expert team, switching from oil to gas couldn’t be easier. Specialist LPG companies can design and install a replacement heating system to meet your business’ needs. From the initial brief process to installation and even the removal of your old oil tank, with the right supplier there’s the option to have everything taken care of with minimal downtime. 

•Versatility: One of the main attractions of LPG is its versatility. From leisure and hospitality to agriculture and industrial heating, and even fuel for forklift trucks and fleet vehicles, LPG can be used as an energy supply for all manner of industries. 

Creating a greener future

As the cleanest, most efficient and effective fuel compared to conventional off-grid fuels like coal, oil and electricity, switching from oil to LPG (or LNG) could help businesses energy savings, ensuring compliance with government energy policies, and cutting down on maintenance time.

Image by Magnascan from Pixabay

Do you tick these boxes? Then the Total Security Summit is for you
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Are you a senior security professional with any of the following job titles?

  • Security Director
  • Loss Prevention Director/Manager
  • Procurement Director/Manager
  • Business Continuity Director
  • Head of Security
  • Building Manager
  • Security Advisor
  • Head of Corporate Security

Do you have any upcoming projects?

Are you looking to reduce your expenditure?

Would you like to learn about new innovations and trends in the sector?

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, we’d like to invite you to the Total Security Summit as a VIP guest. It takes place on October 14th & 15th at The Midland, Manchester.

Meet new suppliers, attend insightful seminar sessions and network with other senior care professionals.

Plus, your free pass includes overnight accommodation, all meals and refreshments and an invitation to our gala dinner.

Simply register your place here.

Global FM market will reach $2,127bn by 2027
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The global facility management services market was worth approximately $1,314 billion in 2018 and is expected to generate around $2,127.4 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of around 5.5%.

That’s according to a new report by Zion Research, which says there’s increasing demand for integrated facility management owing to growing awareness regarding the benefits associated with its adoption.

Furthermore, the rising concerns regarding corporate social responsibility due to various legislative requirements to decrease ecological footprint is further expected to drive the facility management services market globally.

However, the reports cites a presence of unorganised players delivering low-cost services is restraining the facility management services market growth.

Based on facility management type, the forecast market value includes in-house, outsourced, and integrated. Integrated facility management is expected to show the fastest CAGR over the forecast time period, owing to the growing software need to achieve economies of scale.

By solution, the forecast includes integrated workplace management system, building information modeling, facility operations, and security management, facility environment management, and lease accounting and real estate management.

The facility operations and security management segment held a major market share in 2018, due to the rising software demand from various organizations to manage different operational areas, such as facility lighting, video surveillance and access control, HVAC, and emergency incident management.

Best practice waste solutions in property management
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When it comes to managing waste, there are specific complexities in the property management sector. With many stakeholders; from tenants to managing agents, building managers and landlords, the property management sector requires a unique approach to engage all key parties. Each stakeholder will have their own priorities and targets to meet. 

Although there may be different internal goals for each tenant, it is critical that people are on board with the building objectives to ensure a plan can be put in place that works for everyone. 

Despite these potential challenges, there are best practice steps, which can be implemented to ensure all stakeholders meet their targets and, more importantly, feel and see the value of an ironclad waste management solution. 

Jo Gibbs, Corporate Sector Director at SWRnewstar, outlines the five key areas of best practices for property management… 

Understanding the building and the resources generated

Particularly in city centre locations there are a number of properties with a mixture of tenants, typically including; office, retail, residential, restaurants and coffee shops. The types of wastebeing produced at these sites can vary significantly from high volume food waste to office shredding. 

When designing solutions for property management, it is important to treat each building individually and understand exactly what waste is being produced at that location. Identifying the volume and type of waste the tenants are generating is the first step to ensure the correct services are in place to manage these waste streams most effectively and minimise costs.

Space is at a premium in many city centre buildings and prime retail locations. Ensuring the containers and waste areas are best utilised is not only best practice it’s a commercial necessity.  

Also, there is often a careful balance to strike to ensure the appropriate containers are available in the right places whilst minimising waste collection vehicle movements. Avoiding unnecessary vehicle movements is a key element in optimising the building’s overall carbon footprint and your waste management partner will be able to advise on the best solution.

Optimise the route of materials through the building

Sometimes when assessing an office floor, at first view it looks like they’re recycling 60-70 per cent of their waste; however, data can reveal that it is actually close to 30-40 per cent. Somewhere between the disposal point and collection by the driver, something goes wrong. This is often because of a lack of consistency about what goes where, and what is actually recyclable. 

A super effective solution is to implement a colour coded scheme across the building to ensure consistency for the cleaning teams, tenants and building managers, so everyone understands which containers are for which waste streams. Using consistent colour coding across the floors and in the waste areas reduces any room for error. 

Maximising segregation at source is the key to achieving sustainably high recycling rates. The challenge here is that recycling is not as black and white as many people think it is. For example, just because something is made of plastic, it isn’t automatically recyclable. A clear and simple system to label containers and communicate which bin items should go into is essential.

Engaging stakeholders

Consultations on each floor are an excellent way to engage with tenants, particularly when the messages are made specific and relevant for them. Actively looking inside peoples’ bins to ‘lift the lid’ and identify their most common waste streams is a very good place to start. For example, if a floor has high volumes of sandwich packaging from team lunches the educational process can be targeted to these particular items. The individual card and plastic components may be recyclable but when combined, they’re complex to reprocess. Also, food remnants can cause contamination.

As well as increasing recycling rates there are commercial benefits. Service charges are typically applied on square footage, resulting in tenants contributing the same to waste services regardless of the type or volume of waste actually being produced. This set up can lead to frustrations if not managed correctly. Food waste collections are a good place to start to address this situation. The building management team, supported by their waste management partner, can focus on engagement with food retailers to maximise segregation. Food is particularly heavy and when added into general waste collections it often results in overweight bins which push up the overall costs.

Data Driven Insights

Reporting and KPI tracking allows individual buildings to monitor progress and provides sustainability teams with headline results for the portfolio. The BBP best practice guidelines have set the standard for waste management reporting in the sector. Also, the quality of information available is improving as technological capabilities in the waste industry develop. 

Data on its own is only numbers, it is the understanding about what the numbers mean which is really valuable. A good waste management partner will focus on providing insight to support the regular reports along with an action plan to implement changes. For example, identifying that dry mixed recycling collections are being rejected due to contamination should trigger a review of the building processes and engagement with all stakeholders.

On-Site Management

If recycling rates stagnate before reaching agreed targeted levels on-site management can generate powerful results. 

Introducing a dedicated person to take responsibility for increasing segregation of resources, even for a few hours a week, is a significant step but the commitment is proven to deliver commercial and sustainability benefits.

On-site resource management is most effective with full support from the building managers. If materials arriving at the recycling area are too heavily contaminated on-site management can’t add much value. The process needs to start on each floor to ensure that all materials go into the right containers and help reduce contamination, particularly from food and liquids.

Fast feedback is one of the less obvious benefits of on-site resource management. If repeated contaminations are coming from certain areas of the building they can be highlighted to the tenants. Clear communication about what is going wrong combined with a solution which is monitored is proven to increase recycling rates.

Whilst Property Management presents particular challenges in balancing the requirements of all stakeholders following best practice steps helps embed behaviour change and achieve sustainable, long term results.

The value of apprentices in construction
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Industry experts have raised concern that the construction industry is experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, with City & Guilds revealing that 87% of employers last year were already finding it difficult to recruit the skilled workers that they need.

According to Construction News, official figures show that 12.6% of UK construction workers come from overseas, with 5.7% originating from the EU. This rises to a staggering 60% in London. Furthermore, 30% of British-born construction workers are now over the age of 50, meaning businesses will feel the pinch of those departing over the coming years through retirement when Brexit comes into play.

However, some experts believe that apprentices could be the key. Apprenticeships could be more crucial than ever before, especially following Brexit. Nation Apprenticeship Week was at the beginning of March, and with an influx of publicity circulating, it has encouraged employers to think about the future of their workforces — could apprentices fill the employee shortage? 

Niftylift, retailers of cherry pickers, investigates further. 

Engineering and Manufacturing, and Construction, Planning and the Built Environment are within the top five sectors for apprenticeship starts. In the 2016/17 academic year, the Engineering and Manufacturing sector witnessed 74,000 starts, while the Construction sector had 21,000. Leading UK housebuilder, Redrow, released its second annual research report which revealed that, thanks to a positive shift in attitudes and the perception of construction, the apprenticeship pathway has improved, with a 14% increase in young people considering a career in the sector. 

Speaking on the report, Karen Jones, Group HR Director at Redrow, said: “This year’s results illustrate that apprenticeships and careers in construction are being viewed in a more positive light. 

“Apprenticeships are a way of futureproofing the UK workforce, particularly in sectors where there is a skills shortage, such as construction, so it is pleasing to see that progress is being made.”

Thanks to the new apprenticeship levy introduced last year, success for apprenticeships is expected to continue as the levy brings with it a new way of funding apprenticeship programmes. Whilst some employers have snubbed the new levy as just being ‘another tax’, both large and small employers can benefit from the fund, meaning that 90% of apprenticeship training costs are funded by the government. Furthermore, employers within the construction sector can use up to 10% of the funding to train employees across the full supply chain — something not to be snubbed with the current shortage in skilled workers. 

According to UK Construction Media, apprenticeships are delivering the goods — as a huge 86% of employers say that apprenticeships are helping them develop skills relevant to their organisation, and 78% believe they help improve productivity. 

Furthermore, Chris Wood, CEO of Develop Training, is confident that apprenticeship programmes are working: “Working with some of the UK’s largest utility firms, our success rates have been very high. We and our customers have no doubt that, managed well, apprenticeships do work.”

He added: “New initiatives such as Trailblazer Apprenticeships and the Apprenticeship Levy have raised awareness across the UK. Even so, and despite huge skills shortages, manyemployers are still only scratching the surface of what they could be doing to use apprenticeships to attract new people to join the industry and improve the skills of existing employees.”

Looking towards the future, apprenticeships could hold the key to success and fulfilling the demand in the construction industry. Downing Street has committed itself to creating three million new apprenticeships by 2020. The construction industry could be on the receiving end of a large chunk of those programmes, which will be an opportunity to deliver a new generation of highly skilled workers — something that the industry is experiencing a lack of right now. In fact, the Director of the National Apprentice Service, Sue Husband, predicts that 2018 will be crucial for programmes. As more opportunities become available, now could be the time to cut yourself a slice of the apprenticeship programme success — and secure your future workforce now.

Sources 

The rise of the apprentice

https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/analysis/expert-opinion/apprenticeships-more-crucial-than-ever-ahead-of-brexit/10028892.article

As National Apprenticeship Week kicks off, new research reveals that perceptions of construction are improving but academic skills are a barrier to entry
Evidence proves apprenticeships work

https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/analysis/expert-opinion/expand-the-definition-of-apprentice-to-reap-industry-rewards/10028933.article?search=https%3a%2f%2fwww.constructionnews.co.uk%2fsearcharticles%3fqsearch%3d1%26keywords%3dapprenticeships

New solutions, innovative tech & unrivalled networking
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Discover new FM solutions this summer at the Facilities Management Forum – It takes place on July 1st & 2nd in Manchester.

As a VIP guest, you will be able meet with suppliers to the sector, based on your requirements and upcoming projects. Meetings are pre-arranged and there’s no time wasted, no hard sell.

Seminar sessions will be hosted throughout the day. And you will also have the opportunity to network with like-minded peers who share your challenges.

Suppliers in attendance will cover the whole spectrum of FM issues, including:

Air Conditioning Alarm SystemsAsset Management AV Equipment Building Construction Building Control Systems Building Information Modelling Building Maintenance Business Continuity Compliance Carbon Management Catering Cleaning Computed Aided FM Disaster Recovery Document Management Empty Building Solutions Energy Controls & Management Fire/Safety Equipment Flooring Furniture Grounds Maintenance Health & Safety Heating Integrated FM Services Intercom Lighting M2M Intelligence Mailroom Services Mobile Access Control PAT Services Project Management Recycling Risk Management Assessment Roofing/Cladding Services Security Service Desk Signage Temporary Buildings Vending Services Ventilation Washroom/Hygiene Services Waste Management Water Treatment

Senior FM professionals are invited to attend the Facilities Management Forum.

You’ll be joining representatives from the likes of AAT, Accord Academy Trust, Ann Summers, Arcadia Group, Aspens Charities, Belong, Bloomcare, Bourne Leisure – Haven Division, BT, Capita – Barnet Council, Castle Water, Caversham Trading Brighthouse, CBRE, Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors, Co-op Retail, Crown Commercial Services, Debenhams, Devonshire’s Solicitors, Draexlmaier UK, Elysium Healthcare, Emerson Management Services, Gleeds, Gleeds Cost Management, Gusto Restaurants, Hermes, Interpublic Group, Ipswich Borough Council, Lego, Leicester City Council, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, Loopel, Louis Vuitton, MAG Airport, Manchester Metropolitan University, Mercury Support, Mills & Reeve LLP, Monzo Bank, Moorgarth, Network Rail, NHBC, NHS National Services Scotland, NHS Scotland, North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College Group, Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, Peel Media, Praesepe, Princess Yachts, Quorn Foods, Regency Residential, RSPB, Saint-Gobain, Salford City College, Sesame Bankhall Group, Sheffield City Council, Silicon Valley Bank, Stoke City Football Club, The Co-operative Bank PLC, The Disabilities Trust, Together Money, Transport for West Midlands, University of Warwick, Wilsons Auctions, YO! Sushi and more. 

To find out more about attending the Facilities Management Forum, visit www.facilitiesmanagementforum.co.uk.

Granny was wrong – DON’T treat others how you want to be treated
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This summer at the Sports & Leisure Forum, you’ll have the opportunity to learn skills to display inclusive leadership in your behaviour.

Claire Harvey, Inclusion, Culture & Leadership Consultant at Anatta, will present the seminar session entitled ‘Granny was wrong – don’t treat others how you want to be treated’.

As organisations are facing a trust crisis and a war for talent, how do you maximise your culture to build trust, engagement and innovation. The session will cover:

  • Understanding biasand how it impacts our behaviour
  • Understanding why bias is bad for our organisational success

The Sports & Leisure Forum is a unique two-day event for sports and leisure professionals, which takes place on June 17th & 18th at the Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted.

It is entirely free for sports and leisure professionals to attend and they will have the opportunity to meet innovative and budget-saving suppliers, as well as attend the seminar sessions.

Overnight accommodation, all meals and refreshments, plus an invitation to the networking dinner with entertainment, is complimentary.

To register, click here.