Stuart O'Brien, Author at Facilities Management Forum | Forum Events Ltd - Page 79 of 87
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Stuart O'Brien

Energy Management Summit

These energy management professionals are looking for your solutions
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We will have 60 senior facilities, energy, procurement and utilities professionals attending this autumn’s Energy Management Summit, which takes place on October 3rd at the Radisson Blu London Stansted.

They are all pre-qualified, are budget holders and decision makers, and are looking for new suppliers for specific upcoming projects. Key areas these buyers are looking at include:

– Wind
– Solar
– Heat Pumps
– Reducing Carbon Emissions
– Heat network Feasibility
– Energy Efficiency
– Energy Management Control
– Renewable Energy
– Low Carbon Generation
– LED Lighting
– Voltage Optimisation
– Reducing Energy Consumption
– Biomass
– Conservation
– Building Insulation

Our delegates represent names including ARM, AT&T, Berkeley Homes, Bernard Matthews, Bouygues Group, Braintree District Council, CBRE, CDK Global, CLS Energy, Connect Scaffolding, Delphi, Harrow School, Kent Police, Kimberly-Clark, Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation, London Borough of Ealing, PX Limited, Sainsbury’s, Standard Chartered Bank, Steinhoff, Sunseeker International, Thames Valley Police – and many more.

Can you help them with their upcoming projects? Contact Lisa Rose on 01992 374077 or email l.rose@forumevents.co.uk to find out how you can attend the Energy Management Summit.

Cushion & Wakefield advises on UK’s largest office deal
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Cushion & Wakefield has advised on a record-breaking acquisition, the biggest single office transaction in the UK.

Infinities Property Investment (Hong Kong), a subsidiary of LKK Health Products Group, has acquired 20 Fenchurch Street, London, for £1.3 billion.

Designed by architect Rafael Viñoly, the 37-storey office tower – affectionately known as the ‘Walkie Talkie’ building – provides 713,000 square feet of accommodation, 100 per cent leased to investment-grade tenants. The average of income across the building is 13 years.

The building also boasts one of the capital’s most popular tourist attractions, the Sky Garden, an enlarged glass dome offering views across London.

The new deal surpasses the £1.175 billion acquisition of the HSBC Tower in Canary Wharf back in December 2014.

“This record-breaking deal demonstrates the enormous investor appetite in London, and in the City’s reputation as the global place to do business,” commented James Beckham, head of London Capital Markets, Cushman & Wakefield.

“Since the vote to leave the EU, capital-targeting London from the Asia-Pacific region has increased to record levels. This is partly due to currency fluctuations, but is more indicative of longer-term confidence in London and investment strategies which are not derailed by short-term political uncertainty.

“As Asian economies mature, investors there are deploying capital more broadly and London’s real estate continues to be seen as the number one destination.”

Government announces independent review into fire regulations
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Following the fatal fire at Grenfell Tower the Government has announced that an independent review of building regulations and fire safety is to be carried out and published in a report “no later than next spring”.

Concerns have been raised regarding the safety of high-rise residential buildings, along with testing of aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding found on similar buildings across the country, with many failing the tests set out in current building regulations guidance.

The review, led by Dame Judith Hackitt, Chair of EEF, the manufacturers organisation, will focus on high-rise residential buildings and examine; regulatory system around the design, construction and continuing management of buildings in relation to fire safety; related compliance and enforcement issues; international regulation and experience in this area. It will report back to Communities Secretary Sajid Javid and Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

“This independent review will ensure we can swiftly make any necessary improvements,” commented Jarvis.

“Government is determined to make sure that we learn the lessons from the Grenfell Tower fire, and to ensure nothing like it can happen again.”

Once the terms of reference for the Grenfell Tower public enquiry have been agreed, the terms of reference for the review will be published summer 2017, with an interim report expected before the end of 2017 and final report published spring 2018.

Bidvest Group acquires Noonan
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Bidvest Group has acquired Dublin-based outsourcing company Noonan for a consideration of E175 million, subject to approval from the South African Reserve Bank.

CEO John O’Donoghue will continue to lead the existing management team.

Noonan is a provider of facilities management services operating across the UK and Ireland. Services include Facilities Management, Technical Services, Security Services, Cleaning Services, Environmental Services and Ancillary Services, with the company employing over 13,000 staff.

The company was bought by Alchemy in 2008 for E90 million.

John O’Donoghue, CEO of Noonan said: “I would like to welcome Bidvest as our new owners. Our strategy and the substantial investment in our business and brand, coupled with the strong commitment of management and our employees, have allowed us to consistently outperform the market and to continuously enhance the services we provide to our clients.”

Lindsay Ralphs, CEO of Bidvest Group, said: “We are delighted to have completed this acquisition, which provides us with a unique opportunity and platform to establish a strong presence in the Irish and UK markets. NOONAN has an excellent team of people who share our passion and reputation for professionalism, innovation and excellence in the way we deliver service to our clients.”

Lord Gary Porter

“Urgent and immediate” building regs review needed – LGA
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An “urgent and immediate” review of building regulations by the government has been called upon by the Local Government Association (LGA).

Chair Lord Gary Porter said that the government should not wait for the Grenfell disaster inquiry or coroners report to begin work.

“We have to act based on what we know now, while being prepared to revisit the building regulations again in the future if any additional lessons need to be learned,” said Porter.

“There is complexity and confusion in the current system that must be addressed and local government must play a central role in this review from the outset.

“The review needs to consider how easy it is to use, comply with and understand the building regulations and the associated documents supporting them, particularly those relating to the installation of cladding and insulation on external walls of buildings and how the building control, fire safety and planning regimes interact.”

The LGA also expressed concerns that the results of the previous cladding tests had not been released by the Building Research Establishment as they were deemed “commercially confidential.”

“If the public are going to have faith in this fire safety testing process then everything needs to be out in the open,” said Lord Porter.

“We are concerned that the Building Research Establishment (BRE), carrying out safety tests, does not feel able to release the results of previous cladding system tests, as these are deemed commercially confidential. If the public is going to have faith in this fire safety testing process then everything needs to be out in the open.

“It is no time for contractors or manufacturers to withhold test results from both councils and the public,” he concluded.

Total Security Summit

Are you ready to meet your new security partners?
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If you’re thinking about changing your partners for Access Control, Business Continuity, CCTV, Fire Solutions, IP/IT Security, Loss Prevention, Perimeter Security, Transit Security and more, then you need to attend the Total Security Summit as a VIP guest.

The special 20th Anniversary edition of this two-day event takes place on October 16th & 17th 2017 at Whittlebury Hall in Northamptonshire, providing a unique opportunity for you to meet with trusted security suppliers across a range of disciplines.

Among the firms standing by to meet your security needs in 2018 and beyond are Alternative Systems Protection, ASDC Southern Ltd, Gallagher Security (Europe) Ltd, Grosvenor Technology, HIK Vision, IndigoVision , UTC, Milestone Systems UK & Ireland, Nedap, Stanley Security Solutions, Track Force, Tyco, VSG and more.

In addition to a personalised itinerary with the above suppliers, your complimentary VIP invitation includes attendance to an inspiring seminar programme hosted by industry thought leaders, opportunities to network with peers, overnight accommodation plus full hospitality throughout.

Simply click here to confirm your place, or contact Leanne Webster on 01992 374066 / leanne.webster@forumevents.co.uk.

Alternatively, if you’re an industry supplier and would like to showcase your products and services at the Total Security Summit, contact Nick Stannard on 01992 374 092 or email n.stannard@forumevents.co.uk.

FM Xmas Party

Register today for the FM Christmas Party!
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We’d like to invite you to join us for an evening of networking and festive cheer at the FM Christmas Party, which is being hosted by the team here at the Facilities Management Forum, along with our friends FMJ.

Taking place at London’s stylish Grange St. Paul’s Hotel on Tuesday, 28th November, 200 of the FM industry’s leading buyers and suppliers will gather under one roof for a fun-filled, relaxed evening of networking.

Our Event Sponsors for the FM Christmas Party include Salisbury Group, De-Ice, FSI, ATEC Security and Northland Controls.

Our Drinks Sponsor for the evening is CEF.

Individual tickets are priced at just £35 (+VAT) per head, including drinks, canapes and entertainment.

But grab the early bird offer and you’ll pay just £30 (+VAT) per person!

Don’t miss out! Book here or contact Paige Aitken for more information on 01992 374079 / p.aitken@forumevents.co.uk.

Electricity Pylon

New energy technology plan to ‘save UK £40bn’
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A plan to give homes and businesses more control over their energy use and support innovative new technologies as part of the Industrial Strategy has been outlined by Ofgem and Business & Energy Secretary Greg Clark.

The proposal aims to transform how homes and businesses store and use energy, removing barriers to smart technology and ultimately reducing costs for end-users – something that will be discussed in depth at the Energy Management Summit in October.

The report, ‘Upgrading Our Energy System’ says over a quarter of the UK’s electricity is already being generated through renewables such as wind and solar, much of it located close to homes and businesses.

Meanwhile, new technologies that help store and manage energy are emerging and the costs are falling.

Regulator Ofgem says changes provide an opportunity to create new businesses and jobs in the UK. At the same time new technologies like smart meters, along with other improvements to manage the energy system will help the country save up to £40bn on energy costs over decades to come.

As part of the Industrial Strategy, the Government has committed to modernising the UK’s energy system and developing a business environment where new entrants to the market can compete. This, it says, will also allow industry to develop innovative new products and services, creating thousands of jobs.

The plan will also make it easier for new businesses to help customers that are interested in reducing, or increasing, their energy use at certain times, which can help balance the calls on the electricity network.

Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said: “Upgrading our energy system to make sure it is fit for the future is a key part of our Industrial Strategy to deliver a smarter, more flexible energy system. A smarter energy system will create new businesses and high-skilled jobs, while making sure our infrastructure is able to cope with demand.

“It’s an important part of our Industrial Strategy, given its potential to reduce energy costs, increase productivity, and put UK businesses in a leading position to export smart energy technology and services to the rest of the world.”

By rolling out smart meters, enabling suppliers to offer lower tariffs and making it easier for firms to develop smart appliances and gadgets, the plan will help consumers use energy when it is cheapest or get rewarded for returning it to the grid when it is needed.

The plan also recognises the role that energy storage can play in a smart energy grid and the opportunities presented by falling costs of battery technologies designed to store surplus energy. To allow industry to exploit these new technologies Government and Ofgem have committed to removing barriers to the introduction of this technology into our power network.

Andrew Wright, Senior Partner, Energy Systems, Ofgem, said: “The way we are generating and using energy in Britain is changing rapidly. Today’s plan sets out how Ofgem, Government and the industry will work together to modernise the energy system and make sure consumers get the benefits of the changes.

“We want to open the door to new technologies and services so that they can help to reduce bills for consumers in the long term. It is vital that we get the changes in place as there is potential for a smarter system to save consumers billions between now and 2050.”

The full implementation of the plan to move to a smarter energy system alongside other changes could help save the country up to £40bn over the coming decades, according to research conducted for BEIS by Imperial College and the Carbon Trust.

 

ISO

Third facilities management standard published by ISO
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The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has published the ISO/TR 41013:2017, a technical report which outlines key standards within facilities management.

Previous standards published by the ISO include ISO 41012:2017 Facility management – Guidance on strategic sourcing and the development of agreements and ISO 41011:2017 Facility management – Vocabulary.

ISO/TR 41013:2017 is the third standard to be published by the ISO for FM in a period less than six months.

“A unified FM industry is a goal worth investing a lot of time and energy,” said Jay Drew, co-convenor of Working Group 1 which assisted with the standard.

“Not only do ISO standards make individual FM professionals and their organisations more effective and efficient, but they can improve the outcomes for end users in terms of safety, security and productivity.

“This standard wouldn’t be possible without individuals and organisations working together around the world. Some of the leaders who helped make this happen include Jim Whittaker, who leads the effort for the U.S. ANSI TAG; Stan Mitchell, the ISO Technical Committee chair; and Paul Stadlöder and Olav Egil Sæbøe, who also served as working group convenors.”

A management systems standard with guidance notes is currently being developed by the ISO Technical Committee.

Entier

Entier awarded £6.5 million by the British Growth Fund
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Westhill-based catering and maintenance company Entier has been awarded £6.5 million by the Business Growth Fund (BGF) to expand overseas.

The company currently works at 38 locations in 23 counties, including the US, Trinidad & Tobago, Australia and Singapore.

Founded in 2008, Entier’s 760 employees service more than 4,500 staff on oil and gas rigs and other remote installations across the world, along with hotel services, laundry, recreational and welfare facilities.

Clients include Apache, Rowan Drilling, EnQuest and Technip.

“I’ve said in the past that I want to grow Entier into a £100 million company and, with the backing of BGF, I believe we could do far better than that,” said Entier chief executive Peter Bruce.

“While the price of oil and gas remains low, offshore operators are keeping a keen eye on cost, which presents opportunities for companies like Entier because we are big enough to deliver large contracts, but small enough to work with clients to offer bespoke services on their offshore installations.”

Created in 2011, the BGF is a £2.5 billionUK-based company that invests in UK-based SMEs.