Facilities Management Journal May 2026

VOLUME 34 | 05

MAY 2026

Official magazine

Facilities & Estates Management Live

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT JOURNAL

Navigating excellence.

SOUND DECISION

Shaping the workplace atmosphere with the integration of soundscaping technology at CBRE’s Singapore office

FM Clinic: The Facilities Management sector’s approach to Mental Health Awareness Week

30

34

38

A preview of Clerkenwell Design Week

Preparing for Martyn’s Law

Atlas Retail launch

INTERIORS

SECURITY

INTERVIEW

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EDITORIAL COMMENT

this month...

kpm media Unit 1 Mill Place, Platt Business Estate, Maidstone Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 8TB Tel: 01322 662289 Editor Sara Bean sara.bean@kpmmedia.co.uk Assistant Editor & Social Media Development Sarah O’Beirne sarah.obeirne@kpmmedia.co.uk Tel: 01322 476815 Director & Designer Warren Knight warren.knight@kpmmedia.co.uk Mob: 0780 1947757 Sales Director Danny Grange danny.grange@kpmmedia.co.uk Mob: 07867 418994 Business Administrator & Circulation Maxine Howell maxine@kpmmedia.co.uk Editorial & Events Assistant Madeleine Ford madeleine@kpmmedia.co.uk Accounts Diane Jarvis accounts@kpmmedia.co.uk Group CEO Nigel Copp Editorial steering committee Alan Hutchinson, Facilities Director, Howard Kennedy LLP Alex McCann, Senior Facilities Manager – EMEA & APAC Global Support, Informa Group Plc Darren Miller, Group Head of Real Estate & Workplace, Experian Ian Wade, Head of UK Estates, British Medical Association Jenni Gallop, Director of Estates & Facilities and H&S, Provide Community (NHS) Lucy Hind, Senior FM Lecturer, Leeds Beckett University Paul Cannock, EFM Consultant. Former Head of the Estates and FM, European Space Agency Russell Burnaby, Head of Facilities Management, Finance & Resources, Brent Council Simon Francis, Director of Estates and Facilities, LifeArc Simone Fenton-Jarvis, Group Director of Workplace Consultancy and Transformation, Vpod Solutions Wayne Young, Facilities Manager at DB Cargo (UK)

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The publisher does not necessarily agree with the views and opinions expressed by contributors. No material may be reproduced in part or whole without written permission from the editor. Editorial contributions are accepted on an all-rights basis only. Letters to the editor may be published in their entirety or in edited form and remain the property of kpm media. While due care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors in editorial articles or advertisements. Subscriptions are available to non-qualifying and overseas readers at £120 p.a. (UK), £160 p.a. (EU countries) and £240 p.a. (overseas-other).

Find your next role with the FMJ Jobboard Visit jobs.fmj.co.uk for hundreds of roles in FM and associated industries

comment

One of FMJ’s remits is to represent the entire Facilities Management universe. As well as providing FM services to the workplace the sector is also an essential support services provider to the public sector, healthcare, educational, retail and leisure.

This month’s issue focuses on the challenges of servicing and managing customer centric physical spaces - including shopping centres, gyms, cinemas, and stadiums.

Our interview with Nick Atkinson and Kris Brown of Atlas Retail on page 38 explains how being a specialist provider of security, cleaning and FM services to the retail sector entails delivering services that drive footfall and protect the client’s brand reputation.

What was notable about our discussions was the interaction between the cleaning and security staff in helping create safe and welcoming environments. Safety in public spaces has come under scrutiny with the passing of Martyn’s Law which, though it officially became law last April, has been allowed a minimum 24-month implementation period to allow organisations time to prepare.

On page 34 we reveal what the legislation means for FMs with responsibility for venues and other publicly accessible buildings and suggest the actions they should take to implement the measures recommended by the Act which aims to help mitigate potential risks to the public.

The role of security officers in deterring criminal acts and protecting the public is spotlighted in the comment piece on page 12 which reflects on how frontline workers provide reassurance to visitors and clients that a venue is being kept safe and secure.

Security officers are often the first on the scene to handle situations before the emergency services arrive, so along with other FM frontline workers, from cleaners to concierge, this article is an important reminder of the contribution made by frontline staff, whichever sector they serve.

As always, we’d welcome your feedback about any aspect of the magazine, together with your insight into what’s happening in the FM sector.

sara.bean@kpmmedia.co.uk

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT JOURNAL

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3

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CONTENTS

THIS MONTH...

NEWS & ANALYSIS

FEATURES

SECURITY

34

Anthony Coo, Head of Product Marketing, UK & Ireland Quadient says organisations need to move beyond awareness and into action to prepare for Martyn’s Law. Adam Bennett, a photo ID card specialist at Digital ID, warns that photo ID can no longer be used as a physical security measure but one which incorporates digital security.

FMJ NEWS

06

This month’s summary of everything that has hit the headlines in the FM sector.

36

ASSOCIATION NEWS

08

The latest news and views from membership organisations.

INTERVIEW

26 38

EVENT

10

The Sustainable Design Forum examined how design and circular thinking are shaping greener, healthier spaces for the future.

Nick Atkinson, Managing Director and Kris Brown, Senior Operations Manager, Atlas Retail describe the specialist expertise required in providing FM services to the retail sector.

CASE STUDY

26

Soundscaping is transforming workplace wellbeing and performance at CBRE’s Singapore office, helping to enhance the workplace experience.

ADVICE AND OPINION

INTERIORS

30

Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 is just around the corner and boasts a programme filled with specially curated events for its fifteenth anniversary. Madeleine Ford presents a preview of what’s to come.

SPECIALIST SERVICES

42

Jeff Charlton, Environmental Hygienist and Principal Consultant at Building Forensics Ltd explains why a specialist approach is required to secure safe ventilation in buildings.

RECYCLING & WASTE MANAGEMENT

44

COMMENT

Marking a year since Simpler Recycling came into effect, Martyn Hodgkinson of Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) explains how to review progress to unlock capability.

Kieran Mackie, MD at Amulet discusses the importance of recognising the daily efforts of frontline security officers.

MIFM

12

FM CAREERS

12

45

COMPLIANCE

14

Andrew Dennehy, Founder and CEO, PEW Electrical on why it’s incumbent on FMs to close the compliance gap to strengthen lift fire safety.

FAST FACTS

16

Mark Humphreys, CEO, Airey Miller, shares his views on why stadiums are becoming FM-driven smart assets.

BLOG & SOCIAL MEDIA

18

Digital transformation in commercial real estate still struggles to scale, says Allan Fourie, International Tech Product Lead, JLL Technologies UK.

FM CLINIC

20

Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 11 – 17 May 2026, so we’re asking, what can the FM sector do to help address mental ill health within the built environment and the wider workforce?

53 PEOPLE

51

Find out who’s moving where in the facilities management profession.

RECRUITMENT

52

Habiba Khatoon, Director of Robert Walters Midlands delves into the benefits and pitfalls of the increasing application of AI in UK hiring.

TRAINING

53

A series of surveys on training trends have revealed a disconnect between the training on offer and the value of the training being delivered.

Sara Bean reports.

CAREERS NEWS

54

A brief roundup of the latest careers news in the facilities management sector.

44

New product and service launches and company news from the FM industry.

Next Edition In next month’s issue we focus on drinks in the workplace; ranging from what FMs and engineers need to know about workplace water quality and filtration to why the provision of good coffee and other beverages plays an important role in drawing staff back into the office. Faced with geopolitical instability and the oil crisis we’ve a timely look at how the built environment can accelerate the adoption of energy management solutions that lower energy costs and help meet sustainable goals. For our case study we discover how a cleaning and security contract is being delivered to a busy university campus. And we reveal how catering operators are using signage to enhance communications; from streamlining customer flow to supporting allergen and nutritional compliance.

sara.bean@kpmmedia.co.uk To register for your free copy of FMJ visit fmj.co.uk MAY 2026

5

NEWS & ANALYSIS

FMJ.CO.UK

LEGAL VIEW LATEST STATISTICS SHOW NEARLY HALF OF ALL FIRE SAFETY INSPECTIONS UNSATISFACTORY Richard White, Commercial Director, Sertus The latest figures from GOV.UK show that fire safety concerns are at an all-time high, with the number of unsatisfactory audits and formal notices served soaring. Of the 51,026 fire safety audits carried out in 2024/25, 42 per cent (21,312) were found to be unsatisfactory, with almost 3,000 premises served formal notices.

Unsatisfactory fire safety audits have increased steadily over the last eight years from 17,320 in 2016/17 to 21,312 in 2024/25, a rise of 23 per cent. Additionally, formal notices served to premises owners have also risen from 2,044 in 2016/17 to 2,990 in 2024/25, an alarming 46 per cent increase in the last eight years.

Analysis of the statistics suggest that while there has been an alarming number of unsatisfactory audits and formal notices served, the industry has been forced to take building fire safety more seriously since the Grenfell disaster. The implementation of the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Building Safety Act 2022 have forced auditors to scrutinise fire safety more closely.

While the statistics may be alarming on the face of it, I’d argue that the increase is likely happening because of the implementation of the Building Safety Regulator and new legislation. There is a proper process in place now, and there wasn’t before. More people are beginning to understand what good looks like when it comes to fire safety and are picking up the pieces from sloppy auditing in the past.

The spotlight has been firmly placed on high-risk buildings due to the failings that led to the Grenfell tragedy. The failings stem from a de-regulated building culture that stems back many years, meaning that we have been through decades of design and build which has largely happened without third party inspection.

WHY FIRE SAFETY REQUIRES ONGOING ATTENTION FROM FACILITIES MANAGERS The sharp rise in unsatisfactory fire safety audits means that FMs must place emphasis on ensuring adherence to fire safety standards to avoid unexpected remedial work and penalty notices.

It’s important to be well informed about changing regulations, as any major changes can impact your existing fire safety compliance. A good example of a major change in the industry is the impact the 2024 update to BS991 had on smoke control.

A few key areas to consider for fire safety checks on a regular basis are: Fire Drills & Training – Organise regular fire drills with occupants of your building to ensure they understand the emergency plan, location of equipment and evacuation routes.

Weekly Checks – Check your fire safety systems are working as they should be, such as your smoke vent system, emergency lighting and fire extinguishers. For smoke control, ensure that smoke dampers are performing correctly, whilst also monitoring that all fans and powered exhaust ventilators are operating.

Quarterly Checks – Every three months, carry out a simulation scenario in which smoke ventilation needs to occur. Each zone needs to be tested separately, ensuring that the system responds and functions correctly. The secondary power supply should also be tested to ensure a back-up power supply is in good working order should the primary power source fail.

Annual Checks – Full servicing of all fire safety equipment and features by a competent person to ensure your building is compliant with current fire safety standards.

6

MAY 2026

RICS PARTNERS WITH THE RETROFIT ACADEMY

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has partnered with The Retrofit Academy (TRA), to help its members develop critical retrofit skills across the UK. At the heart of the partnership is access to UK Government-backed Warm Homes Skills funding, enabling RICS members to receive up to 80 per cent funded training on two of the sector’s most in-demand courses, including the Level 4 Retrofit Assessor qualification.

According to a 2025 UK Parliament Energy Security and Net Zero Committee report, around 29 million homes require retrofit work to meet the UK’s 2050 Net Zero targets. This work includes cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, and heat pump installations.

Luay Al-Khateeb, Director of the Future Innovation Hub at RICS, said: “There is enormous demand for retrofit skills as the UK looks to meet its Net Zero targets for 2050. Surveyors play a crucial role in this work to deliver it at scale with quality and consistency. Partnering with the Retrofit Academy to deliver this training to RICS members made perfect sense. RICS is working closely with organisations across industry to mitigate skills shortages and this skills delivery partnership is a cornerstone of this work.”

GLEEDS MARKET REPORT SHOWS INDUSTRY FEARS GROW AS IRAN WAR FUELS MARKET VOLATILITY The latest Market Report from international property and construction consultancy, Gleeds, has revealed growing concern from the sector over the long-term implications of the Iran war. Global conflicts overtook interest rates and inflation as the primary threat to the industry this quarter, with around two-thirds of those questioned worried about commodity shortages and price hikes in the wake of the ongoing aggression.

Respondents warned of tightening supply chains, cost spikes and a deteriorating economic outlook, highlighting the damaging knock-on effects that the increase in oil prices will have, particularly for those engaged in plant and energy heavy trades.

Almost 50 per cent of respondents said they had turned down a tender opportunity in Q1, signalling a reluctance to take on risk in an increasingly uncertain environment. A further 57 per cent reported that contractors had become more risk averse, with many citing volatile input costs and concerns about a potential global downturn.

The report also highlighted frustration with a lack of clear government direction, with 60 per cent of respondents saying the Chancellor’s spring statement failed to provide cause for optimism. When asked what would help stimulate hiring, 22 per cent pointed to reversing the rise in Employers’ National Insurance Contributions, while others called for increased investment in skills (21 per cent) and better promotion of construction careers (34 per cent).

You can read Gleed’s latest Market Report at https://bit.ly/4n7mwX4

FMJ.CO.UK

GAPS IN WORKPLACE SAFETY MAY BE HOLDING BACK WORKFORCE PERFORMANCE AND BUSINESS GROWTH N

ew research reveals workplace safety is now a business performance driver, but broadening operational pressures are making progress harder to sustain.

As UK productivity plateaus, with output per hour worked down 0.5 per cent year-on-year, new research from EcoOnline, a leading global provider of safety and sustainability software, reveals that gaps in workplace safety may be holding back workforce performance and business growth.

Findings from EcoOnline’s annual Workplace Safety Report found that of 1,300 workers surveyed across the UK and Ireland, 90 per cent said a safer workplace made them more productive, with 79 per cent saying they would consider leaving a position due to unsafe workplace conditions.

The research shows that the barriers to worker safety, productivity, and operational resilience are becoming more varied and more persistent: Nearly a third (30 per cent) of UK lone workers experienced an accident while working alone in 2025, while confidence in employer responsibility fell from 68 per cent to 62 per cent year-on-year.

Stress remains the dominant factor (61 per cent) among the 39 per cent who say they or a family member have experienced a workplace accident or illness.

Chemical exposure is rising, with 44 per cent of workers now handling chemicals at work, up from 42 per cent in 2025, but efforts to phase out hazardous substances remain flat at 62 per cent.

Just 30 per cent say they are aware their employer has a crisis plan and understand it well.

Workers also point to a broader set of operational challenges than traditional safety hazards alone, reflecting a growing awareness of risk across the workforce. Their top perceived threats to business continuity are: Cyberattack or data breach: 42 per cent Serious workplace injury or medical emergency: 27 per cent Fire or evacuation-related incidents: 23 per cent Physical security threats or unauthorised access: 23 per cent Technology is increasingly seen as part of the workplace safety solution, with 72 per cent of workers saying more digital EHS tools would make them feel safer, up from 67 per cent in 2025. However, sentiment on AI remains cautious. While 47 per cent believe it could improve workplace safety, the majority still emphasise the need for human investment and expertise. Workers top asks for safety investment were more training for all staff (37 per cent) and ensuring more employees work specifically on safety (38 per cent), reinforcing that technology must support safety teams and scale their expertise, not replace them.

To read the Workplace Safety Report visit https://bit.ly/4d1TzXL

WATES ACHIEVES RECORD TURNOVER IN 2025 Family-owned construction, development and property services company, Wates Group, has delivered record turnover and its largest-ever pipeline of work in 2025.

Reporting a strong and resilient performance, the Group achieved its “best-ever” turnover of £2.56bn in 2025 and statutory profit before tax of £29.2m, extending Wates’ unbroken record of profitability to 26 consecutive years.

The business ended the year with a record net cash position of £248.3m, up £52.7m, while its forward order book increased by £1.3bn year-on-year to a record £10bn.

Last year represented a year of consolidation for the Group following significant strategic investment and change in 2024. This included the embedding of property services company Liberty and the Wates Fit Out business, as well as senior leadership changes in the Wates Construction and Wates Residential businesses, all of which, says Wates, positions the Group well for the next phase of sustainable growth.

NEWS & ANALYSIS

DATES FOR THE

FM DIARY

01-31 MAY 2026

Property Connect Networking Events Various locations across England www.property-connect.org

13 MAY 2026

HealthSmart Infection Control Summit The Standard Hotel, London https://bit.ly/4tI8UDX

13-14 MAY 2026 FOOTPRINT + Old Billingsgate, London www.footprintplus.com

19-21 MAY 2026

Clerkenwell Design Week Venues across EC1 London www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com

09 JUNE 2026

WORKTECH AI and Digital Technologies Meta, Kings Cross, London https://worktechevents.com

23-25 JUNE 2026 InstallerSHOW 2026 NEC, Birmingham www.installershow.com

29-30 JUNE 2026

FM FORUM The Manchester Deansgate Hotel https://facilitiesmanagementforum.co.uk

20-21 OCTOBER 2026 Facilities & Estates Management Live Navigating excellence.

Facilities & Estates Management Live Business Design Centre London https://facilities-estates.co.uk

09-11 NOVEMBER 2026 ISWA World Congress 2026 QEII Centre, London https://www.iswa2026.org

MAY 2026

7

NEWS & ANALYSIS

FMJ.CO.UK

ASSOCIATION NEWS

IWFM UPDATES GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE: RECYCLING, WASTE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

I

WFM has launched a revised edition of its Good Practice Guide, Recycling, Waste and Resource Management. This updated guide reflects continued changes in legislation, policy and professional practice, providing workplace and facilities management professionals with clear, current and practical guidance.

Since the previous edition, the context for recycling and waste management has evolved rapidly. New regulatory requirements, increased focus on ESG performance, growing expectations around social value, and the need for better data to support carbon reporting have all raised the stakes for FMs. This revised guide responds directly to those changes, ensuring professionals have access to up-to-date, authoritative advice.

According to IWFM’s Head of Policy and Insight, Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, “recycling and waste management are no longer back-of-house operational issues. They’re a visible part of ESG performance, corporate responsibility and risk.

Our updated guide gives facilities managers the practical tools they need to make informed decisions, demonstrate value and respond confidently to changing expectations.”

Written by sustainability specialists Nicki Chennells and Kirsteen Harrison of Not Sustainable, and peer-reviewed by experts from across the sector, the guide combines strategic insight with practical application. It’s designed for FMs at all levels – from those shaping organisational strategy to those managing day-today operations where recycling and waste form part of a wider role.

The guide places waste management firmly within the wider responsible business agenda.

It explains how everyday decisions contribute to business resilience, climate action and organisational reputation, and why poor practice now carries greater legal, financial and reputational risk than ever before. It also highlights the opportunities for FMs to demonstrate value

RICS LED INITIATIVE TO ALIGN WHOLE-LIFE CARBON REPORTING ACROSS BUILT ENVIRONMENT

T

he Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has announced the launch of the Coalition for Life Cycle Emissions Alignment and Reporting (CLEAR); a global initiative designed to harmonise the measurement and reporting of whole-life carbon emissions across the global built environment.

As founder of the coalition RICS will play a leading role in delivering the initiative alongside its co-founders, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the Global Building Data Initiative (GBDI), as well as sponsor Autodesk. It will work with key industry collaborators including AECOM, Arcadis, Autodesk, Avison Young, Heidelberg Materials, Morgan Sindall, Once For All, OneClickLCA, Turner & Townsend, and we2sure.

The built environment is responsible for a significant share of humangenerated greenhouse gas emissions, spanning both embodied and operational carbon. Yet despite growing recognition of the need for whole-life carbon measurement, fragmented and inconsistent methodologies continue to make it difficult for industry and policymakers to compare results, benchmark performance and make informed decisions.

CLEAR aims to address that challenge by aligning how whole-life carbon emissions from buildings and infrastructure are measured and reported across different markets and jurisdictions. In its first year, CLEAR will focus on coalition building, analysing existing whole-life carbon assessment methodologies and developing resources that can be used by both industry and policy stakeholders. The long-term ambition is to support a global framework that enables more effective reporting, stronger benchmarking and more confident carbon-related decision-making across the built environment.

8

MAY 2026

by reducing carbon, managing resources more efficiently and supporting social outcomes.

Key updates include expanded guidance on applying the waste hierarchy and circular economy principles, measuring and managing carbon emissions, and responding to new and upcoming UK legislation. These include Simpler Recycling requirements, changes to duty of care, digital waste tracking and the continued shift towards extended producer responsibility. The guide also reflects the growing importance of data quality and auditability in supporting sustainability reporting and net zero targets.

The Recycling, Waste and Resource Management Good Practice Guide is free to download for IWFM members. Non-members can purchase the guide for £19.99.

Download the revised guide now and ensure your approach reflects current best practice.

CIBSE CERTIFICATION LAUNCHES REFRESHED BRAND IDENTITY Following the recent CIBSE brand refresh, CIBSE Certification has officially unveiled its refreshed brand identity. CIBSE Certification is a wholly owned subsidiary of CIBSE. It provides accredited certification, registration, and verification services across the built environment, helping professionals, organisations, and products demonstrate competence, compliance, and quality. Its services cover areas such as energy assessment, building performance evaluation, management systems certification, and personnel registration schemes.

While operationally independent to ensure impartiality, CIBSE Certification shares CIBSE’s commitment to advancing building performance, raising professional standards, and supporting regulatory compliance. The refreshed identity strengthens its global presence and reflects confidence, clarity, and ongoing commitment to the sector.

Kieran O’Brien, Director of CIBSE Certification, commented: “We welcome this brand refresh as an important step in ensuring CIBSE Certification reflects the modern, evolving needs of the built environment industry. As demand grows for transparency, assurance, verified performance data and competence, it’s vital that our identity represents the clarity, credibility and professionalism that underpin our services. This refresh is not just about how we look it’s about reinforcing CIBSE’s role within certification and supporting higher standards across the industry.”

The brand refresh ensures a cohesive connection between CIBSE and CIBSE Certification while giving Certification its own recognisable identity.

It reinforces the organisation’s role in supporting industry professionals and organisations as they deliver safe, sustainable and high-performing buildings worldwide.

How are FM leaders d deploying technology in 2026?

Our new research of 110 FM decision makers reveals the technologies, priorities, and hidden blind spots in FM tech investment in 2026.

97% of FM leaders expect technology ogy investment to increase

By 2030, what level of productivity improvement do you expect AI to deliver within FM in your organisation?

All Respondents Over 30%

19%

20% to Which factors contributed most to30%successful technology implementations?

45% 54% 39%

10% to 20%

Executive leadership support

53.64%

5%

Clear success metrics defined Up to 10% Good integration with existing systems

Over 500k sq ft

11%

0%

43.64% 20% 42.73%

10%

Internal champions driving adoption

27%

30%

40%

50%

60%

38.18%

Early operations team involvement in planning

35.45%

Strong vendor/partner support

32.73%

Cross-functional planning

28.18%

Phased implementation approach

16.36%

Staff training and change management

9.09% 0%

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Scan to read what 110 FM leaders said No Form. No Gate. Just Findings.

NEWS & ANALYSIS

FMJ.CO.UK

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN FORUM

BLUEPRINT FOR BETTER The Sustainable Design Forum examined how collaboration, authentic design and circular thinking are shaping greener, healthier spaces for the future. Madeleine Ford reports

sustainability into the very fabric of design thinking. This means prioritising material choices, energy performance, longevity and adaptability, even when these decisions are less immediately visible.

The discussion turned to a broader and more reflective conversation around authenticity in sustainable design and what that truly means in practise. According to the panel, authentic sustainable design goes beyond certification targets, it is about making honest, informed decisions that consider the full lifecycle of a space, from embodied carbon to user experience and future adaptability.

PASSPORT TO CIRCULARITY

M

arking its fourth year, the Sustainable Design Forum took place 23 April at Crypt on the Green in Clerkenwell. The event is curated by the Sustainable Design Collective (SDC), a voluntary think tank of architects, designers and specifiers whose mission is to connect, inspire and engage.

The Collective believes that sustainability is about balancing three key factors- products, places and people, an approach which has evidently filtrated down into the ethos and content of this event.

This year’s forum brought together industry leaders, designers and architects for a day of insight, collaboration and discussion to explore how sustainable thinking can move beyond theory and into practical, measurable action.

OPENING REMARKS The tone of the day was set in the opening address by Dr Valerie Vaughan-Dick MBE, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) who explored the opportunities and challenges in advancing sustainability across the built environment. Her involvement in the event highlighted the important role of industry leadership in supporting 10

MAY 2026

environmental responsibility, social value, and inclusivity.

Dr Vaughan-Dick’s address centred on the idea that sustainability must be embedded into every stage of design and decision-making, rather than treated as an afterthought or compliance exercise. She emphasised that architects, designers and FM professionals all play a critical role in shaping the lifecycle of buildings, from concept and construction through to operation and end-of-life reuse.

She spoke about the need for genuine collaboration across disciplines, stressing that sustainable outcomes are only possible when stakeholders work together with shared goals. VaughanDick further highlighted the importance of education and leadership in driving meaningful progress and encouraging organisations to invest in both knowledge and accountability.

Her message was clear: sustainability is not simply about reducing harm, but about creating buildings and spaces that actively contribute to environmental and social wellbeing.

WHERE SUSTAINABILITY STARTS One of the standout sessions of the day, entitled ‘Greener Thriving Spaces for People + Planet’, hosted by Sam Allen, Associate Director for Engineering

Technology & Sustainability at M Moser Associates, discussed the challenges in designing for people and public spaces and the need for authenticity in sustainable design.

The panellists: Asif Din, Director of Regenerative Design at Perkins & Will, Lucy Bagshaw, Director of Sustainability at TP Bennett, Katie Bowes, Head of Design at Axis @ Work, and Phil Towle, Head of Sustainability & Supply Chain at Future Works, were posed the opening question, what is the biggest challenge in terms of designing for people and public spaces?

Phil Towle stated that from his experience gaining stakeholder alignment across both clients and supply chains was the biggest challenge.

He spoke candidly about the challenges of bringing these parties together – along with contractors and designers - in a shared sustainability vision as differing priorities, from cost constraints to programme pressures, can dilute sustainability goals before they are fully realised. The panel stressed that early engagement and clear communication are critical, as sustainability needs to be defined as a core project driver from the outset.

The panel argued that the industry must move away from surfacelevel gestures and instead embed

Among the most notable presentations of the day, Amalie Aarestrup, Sustainability Lead at CBS, explained the importance of Digital Product Passports for enhancing circularity and sustainability. DPPs, mandated by the EU for furniture and textiles, provide a structured digital record of a product’s environmental impact, supply chain and end-of-life information. She explored how DPP’s can help organisations make better decisions around procurement, maintenance and reuse and further explained how this level of visibility can significantly reduce waste while improving compliance, reporting and long-term asset value. As legislation and sustainability targets continue to evolve, digital tools such as these are likely to become increasingly important.

CONCLUSION The message of the event was that sustainability is not just shaped at the design stage, but through the long-term operation and performance of buildings; therefore, collaboration across the entire built environment supply chain will be essential. The Sustainable Design Forum made it clear that sustainable design is not a trend, but a shared responsibility that must move into an everyday action, one that requires commitment, transparency and action from every part of the industry.

Have you heard?

May 2026 – the future of R32 VRF is here With 20% reduction in running costs,* 10% more energy efficiency and 6% smaller footprint, the new City Multi R32 VRF YXM range will help you heat and cool your building, whilst helping you on the road to net zero.

Your building, our solutions.

Launching May 2026.

To find out more about the new City Multi R32 VRF YXM range, visit

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Experience City Multi YXM COOLING | HEATING | VENTILATION | CONTROLS

ADVICE & OPINION

COMMENT

FRONTLINE SECURITY Security officers deter criminal acts and serve as a physical reminder of public safety, but they can often go unrecognised. Kieran Mackie, Managing Director at Amulet, discusses the importance of recognising the daily efforts of frontline security officers incidents before they escalate.

RECOGNISING DAILY EFFORTS

W

hen we think about safety at work or on our commutes, we often think of emergency services. The police arriving on the scene, paramedics attending a medical emergency or fire services reacting to a catastrophe. Though emergency responders are vital, they cannot be everywhere at once.

Frontline workers are often the unseen yet absolutely vital components of public safety, overseeing the compliance, engineering, and cleanliness of our off ices, civic buildings, and train stations. In these areas, security off icers act as a layer of protection, deterring criminal acts and serving as a physical reminder of safety measures.

Frontline off icers often face life-threatening situations, but their work can go overlooked. In 2025, recorded crime in England and Wales stood at 9.3 million cases (June 2024–June 2025), with knife crime accounting for 51,527 offences.

When incidents happen, security off icers are often the first on the scene to handle situations effectively and safely before emergency services arrive. And though it’s part of their daily job, it requires constant vigilance that rarely makes the headlines.

STORIES FROM THE FRONTLINE Modern security is not just about protecting assets. Instead, it requires active involvement in the communities they serve. From multi-tenant off ices to train stations, off icers act as a clear point of contact.

12

MAY 2026

Different sites each come with unique challenges.

In Manchester, for example, we have 113 TravelSafe Support & Enforcement Off icers working across its bus fleet, creating a larger network of responsive and constantly mobile teams. These off icers are responsible for monitoring and responding to threats or incidents, working with witnesses, and aiding individuals, the police, and ambulance services.

In 2025, I witnessed the lengths off icers go to protect others. For example, in Bolton, two men came into the station, one with a machete, fighting each other and members of the public. The Bolton team immediately sprang into action, tracking the men as they fled and providing the police with their exact locations, leading to their detention. Without hesitation, off icers put themselves in danger to protect the public, remaining clear and organised.

Day-to-day security is often about helping beyond the job description. When a man was attacked by an XL Bully dog, two off icers freed him from the dog's grip and, faced with a long ambulance wait time, took him to the hospital. These off icers stepped into harm’s way to save someone from a potentially fatal attack and continued providing support when another emergency service was overrun. Off icers often step up to keep their communities safe as quickly and effectively as possible.

Without off icer presence, incidents could quickly become catastrophic. Public spaces and transport hubs depend on off icers to keep people safe, provide an assuring presence, and intercept

These examples represent just some of the realities of frontline work. But off icers do an incredible job every day, and acknowledging these efforts is crucial for building support networks and keeping employees motivated. Employees receiving highquality recognition are around 65 per cent less likely to actively search for a new role, so these acts support the business and bring staff together at the same time.

Industry awards and hosting annual award events are one way to recognise standout acts of bravery, consistent effort, and the significant milestones of team members. For example, our Amulets awards allow us to celebrate individuals like Daniel Smith.

When he found that young homeless people were using local train stations as places to stay, he set up a referral scheme with a local youth homelessness charity to help find them safe accommodation. As a result of his efforts, he won the Heart of Amulet category for his safeguarding work that engaged with the wider community.

Though we host our Amulets awards annually, organisations shouldn’t limit recognition to one day a year. In an industry where off icers often work 12-hour shift s in small teams, if not alone, there is a need to dedicate time and resources to frontline celebrations frequently.

For security providers, quarterly awards can embed recognition more regularly into colleagues’ work. For everyday operations, on-the-spot rewards also immediately show colleagues that their work is appreciated, like vouchers or smaller tokens of gratitude. Awarding efforts like these publicly appreciates the non-emergency work off icers do day in, day out.

THE MODERN SECURITY OFFICER Modern security off icers are integral to the smooth operation of public buildings and shared spaces, working closely with facilities teams and the public.

Security off icers are vital players in FM, and we need to recognise their impact. Yes, they save lives, but their presence makes the communities around them safer every day. Off icers who feel valued perform better, and workplaces that support a culture of recognition improve through the collective effort of their people.

Do you run a heat network or charge residents for heat?

If so, you’ll need to register your heat network Ofgem now regulates heat networks across Great Britain.

If you operate or supply heat to a heat network, these rules apply to you.

Our heat networks digital registration service is now live.

Heat network operators and suppliers should use this to register their heat networks by the regulatory deadline of 26 January 2027.

To get started, search: ‘Comply with heat networks consumer protection regulations’ at www.ofgem.gov.uk

ADVICE & OPINION

COMPLIANCE

CLOSE THE GAP In association with

Andrew Dennehy, Founder and CEO, PEW Electrical on why it’s incumbent on FMs to close the compliance gap to strengthen lift fire safety

www.pewelectrical.com

L

ifts have always been a critical part of building operation and accessibility, but their role within fire strategies is becoming more prominent. They support evacuation planning, enable firefighter access and often form part of the wider building safety infrastructure.

Yet responsibility for lifts is rarely held in one place. Design, maintenance, inspection and documentation are typically distributed across multiple contractors and stakeholders, each with their own systems, priorities and processes.

In the past, this fragmentation was less visible.

Today, it must be actively managed and clearly demonstrated.

effectively managed.

THE RETROFIT ENVIRONMENT Historically, lift safety has been viewed primarily through a maintenance lens. If systems were regularly serviced and tested, they were considered compliant. While this remains an essential foundation, it is no longer suff icient alone.

Compliance now extends to how systems are specified, how responsibilities are defined, and how information is shared across the supply chain.

Adding to this complexity, many facilities teams are now working within buildings that were never designed to meet current fire safety expectations.

NO COMPLIANCE WITHOUT CLARITY Our recent research highlights the extent of this challenge. It found that 44 per cent of FMs remain uncertain around their obligations under the Building Safety Act and nearly half (47 per cent) of FMs say that the industry suffers from fragmented and inconsistent record-keeping. These are not marginal concerns: they point to a broader issue around how compliance is understood and evidenced in day-to-day building management.

In many buildings, lift service records may sit with maintenance contractors, technical specifications with manufacturers, and upgrade histories with managing agents or consultants. Over time, this creates a patchwork of information that is diff icult to access, verify, or interpret consistently.

The concept of a “golden thread” is intended to address this by ensuring that safety information is accurate, accessible and up to date. But in practice, maintaining that thread across lift systems can be challenging. Where records are incomplete or inconsistent, duty holders are left without a clear line of sight into system performance, even where the work itself has been carried out correctly.

In higher-risk or more complex buildings, this lack of visibility has wider implications because lift s don’t operate in isolation; they form part of an integrated fire strategy. If information about those systems is not aligned with wider building data, it becomes more diff icult to assess how risks interact, or to demonstrate that they are being 14

MAY 2026

operational performance. Inspections are being carried out regularly, maintenance regimes are in place, and there is widespread confidence in how buildings would respond in an emergency. This shows that the issue is not a lack of action, but that the systems used to coordinate, record and demonstrate it have not kept pace with regulatory expectations.

Centralising information is a key solution to this, but it is only effective if it is supported by clear ownership and consistent processes. FMs need visibility not just of what has been done, but of how and why decisions have been made. This includes understanding how lift systems interact with wider fire strategies and ensuring that any upgrades are properly documented.

In this context, engagement with specialist partners is critical. Lift systems are highly technical, and their role within fire safety is often nuanced.

Therefore, bringing in expertise at an early stage, particularly when reviewing strategies or planning upgrades, can help to identify risks that may not be immediately visible and ensure that solutions are both practical and compliant.

ENSURING ALIGNMENT Therefore, upgrading lift systems often involves navigating physical constraints, legacy infrastructure and competing priorities across the estate. As a result, retrofitting to modern standards is rarely straightforward, particularly where lift shaft s, power supplies or control systems limit what can be achieved.

Delivering compliant outcomes often requires input from multiple parties, including lift specialists, fire engineers, managing agents and contractors.

Each brings a different perspective, but without clear alignment, there is a risk that decisions are made in isolation rather than as part of a coherent strategy, which is where gaps emerge and risks can increase. This means that adopting a more joinedup approach to lift management is essential.

ACTIVITY TO ASSURANCE What is striking about our research is that regulatory uncertainty exists alongside strong

Ultimately, the challenge for facilities managers is not a lack of activity, but a lack of alignment.

The industry has reached a point where operational diligence alone is no longer enough.

What is needed now is clearer connection between the work being carried out on the ground and the regulatory frameworks that sit around it. This means reducing fragmentation, improving visibility, and ensuring that all parties involved in lift systems are working toward a shared understanding of compliance.

For FMs, compliance can no longer be assumed, it must be clearly demonstrated. For the broader industry, it’s not about entirely new processes, but about better collaboration to strengthen our existing ones.

Because in the current landscape, assurance depends not just on what is done, but on how well it is understood, recorded and shared.

And that cannot be achieved in silos.

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23/03/2026 14:06

ADVICE & OPINION

FAST FACTS

STADIUM WINNER FMJ AIMS TO SUPPORT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN THE FM MARKET Mark Humphreys, CEO of property and construction consultancy Airey Miller, shares his views on why stadiums are becoming FM-driven smart assets

F

ootball stadiums are no longer single-use venues. They are complex, operational estates running seven days a week and they increasingly demand the same level of facilities management as any commercial asset.

From conferences and corporate hospitality to community programmes and large-scale events, clubs are managing multi-use environments where safety, compliance and efficiency are critical. Yet across the UK, many stadiums rely on legacy drawings, fragmented digital files or knowledge held by longstanding staff. For facilities managers, that presents a growing risk but also an opportunity.

Airey Miller’s recent partnership with Bromley FC reflects a shift that is beginning to reshape how these assets are understood and managed; the adoption of digital twins.

Using advanced mobile mapping technology, the club’s stadium is being captured as a high-accuracy, immersive 3D digital model that captures every accessible internal and external space.

But this is more than a visual replica. It is a data-rich environment that supports asset management, compliance and operational decision-making in real time.

ACCURATE DATA One of the biggest challenges in facilities management is access to accurate, up-to-date building information. In 16

MAY 2026

many stadiums, critical data sits across multiple systems, or worse, in paper files.

When issues arise, time is lost locating drawings, verifying dimensions or conducting repeat site visits.

A digital twin addresses this by consolidating asset information into a single, accessible platform. Facilities teams can remotely navigate the building, interrogate plant rooms, check access routes and confirm spatial constraints without leaving their desk.

This becomes particularly valuable when coordinating contractors or responding to faults. Instead of relying on assumption or outdated plans, FM teams can provide precise, visual context, improving response times and reducing the risk of error, it removes reliance on institutional memory. When staff move on, knowledge doesn’t leave with them, it remains embedded within the asset itself.

ENABLING THE ‘GOLDEN THREAD’ The regulatory landscape is also shifting.

In the wake of the Building Safety Act, the principle of maintaining a clear and accessible ‘golden thread’ of information is becoming embedded across the built environment.

Digital twins provide a practical route by creating a living record of the building, capable of being updated over time and shared securely with stakeholders. This supports audit readiness, strengthens compliance processes and reduces

exposure to risk.

Historically, detailed surveying has been seen as intrusive particularly in live environments, like stadiums. Closing areas, erecting tripods or restricting access can have direct commercial implications. New-generation mobile mapping changes that dynamic.

Wearable scanning systems allow surveyors to move freely through a building, capturing large volumes of data quickly and accurately in a single pass.

Entire stadiums can be mapped in hours rather than days, often without the need to interrupt normal operations.

Applications include supporting planned and reactive maintenance by providing accurate spatial context; enhancing fire safety planning through clear visibility of routes, systems and access points; streamlining contractor engagement with better upfront information; improving space planning for events and commercial use and reducing unnecessary site visits through remote access.

PLANNING FOR CHANGE AND GROWTH Stadiums are not static assets. Many clubs; particularly outside the top tier; are actively exploring expansion, refurbishment and reconfiguration to meet league requirements and commercial demand.

For facilities managers, this creates

additional pressure as poor quality data can lead to design clashes, delays and cost overruns. A digital twin provides a reliable baseline for future works.

Accurate spatial data supports design development, improves coordination across project teams and accelerates the route to planning and delivery.

In the case of Bromley FC, current on-pitch success brings the possibility of promotion and stadium upgrades.

Having a construction-ready digital model in play allows the club to move at pace and with greater confidence if those requirements materialise.

The evolution of stadiums mirrors a broader trend across the built environment: the emergence of digital twins as the backbone of compliant asset management. Expectations on FM are rising with teams being asked to do more with less, while maintaining higher standards of safety, performance and user experience. Digital twins sit at the intersection of these pressures. They enable a shift from reactive to proactive management, offering the tools to anticipate issues, optimise operations and demonstrate control over assets.

While adoption has been strongest among larger organisations, the opportunity is arguably greater further down the leagues, where improved asset intelligence can unlock efficiencies and support investment cases.

The partnership between Airey Miller and Bromley FC is indicative of a wider change in mindset. Digitisation is no longer confined to front-end experiences or smart building systems; it is becoming fundamental to how assets are managed.

Accurate, accessible building data is moving from “nice to have” to operational necessity. As stadiums continue to evolve into multi-use destinations, digital twins are set to become part of the standard FM toolkit; underpinning safer, more compliant and more commercially effective operations.

FMJ.CO.UK

WASTE MANAGEMENT

SPONSORED FEATURE

YOU SHOULD EXPECT MORE FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT

W

aste management directly affects a building’s costs, compliance, user experience, and public perception. Yet too often, it is viewed as a simple transaction rather than a choice of strategic partnership.

As the responsibilities of facilities teams increase and scrutiny intensifies, the choice of waste and recycling partner has become a defining decision. It’s not enough to provide routine collections; facilities management and waste management must be in a lock-step partnership to make long-term, strategic choices for buildings.

THE RISKS OF GETTING WASTE MANAGEMENT WRONG When waste systems fail, the consequences can be widespread and immediate. Missed or inconsistent collections disrupt day-to-day operations. Poor segregation brings high contamination rates and lost recycling value. Inadequate reporting creates blind spots that make it difficult to measure progress, assess weaknesses, and prove compliance.

This can undermine ESG reporting, leave organisations exposed to reputational damage, and put businesses on the back foot as regulations tighten. With more waste legislation coming in 2027, now is the time for facilities management teams to ensure their waste management systems are airtight.

COMPLIANCE IS THE FLOOR, NOT THE CEILING The introduction of Simpler Recycling legislation in 2025 established a national baseline for commercial waste and recycling. Core materials, including glass, metal, plastic, food, paper, and cardboard, must now be separated for recycling; a responsibility that ultimately sits with businesses. Compliance is essential, but should not be mistaken for success.

Forward-thinking organisations are already treating this legislation as the floor, not the ceiling. They recognise that improved recycling performance, better material recovery, and clearer reporting all

support broader objectives, from cost control to sustainability commitments.

Achieving meaningful gains in recycling rates, time, and cost savings requires more than just additional bins. It requires innovative systems, data-driven insight, and an experienced waste management partner that understands the operational realities of complex buildings.

THE PRACTICAL APPROACH TO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Recorra was built to meet the needs of modern facilities. While fundamentally a commercial waste and recycling collector, the business operates with a much broader view of resource management. Recorra supports organisations across commercial property, hospitality, healthcare, events, and other complex sectors where flexibility and accountability matter.

Recorra works with facilities teams to craft solutions that reflect how buildings are actually used. We collect and process over 35 different materials, from traditional recyclables to flexible plastics, confidential shredding, electronics, and bulky waste. We offer a large array of services because we are constantly responding to customer needs. As clients ask to recycle new or harder to manage materials, we build services around those requests.

is designed to give clear, practical insight into how waste is generated and managed across estates.

Our SmartWeigh, SmartAudit, and SelfWeigh technology tracks when, where, and how waste is produced within a building. This data is available 24/7 through the MyRecorra live reporting portal, giving facilities teams oversight across operations and the confidence to make informed, evidence-led decisions, from improving recycling performance to planning operational changes.

Innovation also plays a role behind the scenes. We have invested in AI-powered robotic sorting at our MRF to improve recovery rates for our customers’ materials, directly supporting better recycling outcomes.

Alongside this, our fleet operates entirely on electricity and hydrotreated vegetable oil fuel, reducing emissions at the point of collection. In a single year, this approach helped avoid more than one million kilograms of CO2 equivalent emissions, supported by ISO 14064 1 accredited carbon reporting. For facilities teams, this means clearer data, more credible reporting, and a partner actively working with you to reduce impact, not just measure it.

TRUE TRANSPARENCY Around two thirds of the UK’s plastic is sent abroad for recycling. Too often, waste management relies on opaque supply chains, with materials exported overseas and limited clarity on final outcomes.

For organisations, that lack of clarity brings environmental, regulatory, and reputational risk.

Recorra takes a different approach. Ninety-eight per cent of the waste we collect is processed within the UK, providing our clients with complete traceability.

We only export waste when there are no processing solutions in the UK, and we only work with processing partners who meet our stringent environmental and compliance standards. Furthermore, we operate our own Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in the London area.

By keeping materials close to home, Recorra maintains tighter control over quality, transparency, and recovery outcomes. We’re proud to report that, across Recorra’s customer base, an average of 61 per cent of materials are recycled.

THE VALUE OF THE RIGHT PARTNERSHIP FM cannot remove every risk, but they can choose partners that reduce uncertainty. In an environment where expectations continue to rise, waste management must be reliable, transparent, and flexible enough to evolve with you.

With the right partnership in place, waste systems stop being a source of friction and start contributing to better buildings, stronger reporting, and more resilient operations.

INNOVATING FOR TOMORROW The right waste management partner should help facilities teams understand their buildings better, not just service them. At Recorra, our technology

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17

ADVICE & OPINION

SOCIAL - BLOG ALLAN FOURIE, INTERNATIONAL TECH PRODUCT LEAD, JLL TECHNOLOGIES

@CIBSE CIBSE is delighted to announce that Sebastian Taylor Aguilar has been awarded The Worshipful Company of Fan Makers CIBSE Bursary for 2025/26. Congratulations, Sebastian! To read the full story, visit https://buff.ly/5Dpq1ZB @matrixbooking Excited to be exhibiting at Local Authority Property and Estates 2026!

If you manage property, assets or resources across a local authority, come and meet us, we’ll be showing how Matrix Booking helps councils get more from their estates. @mitie Celebrating Earth Day! By creating places that are smarter, safer, cleaner and greener, we’re committed to reducing carbon emissions, cutting waste and using energy more efficiently across the nation.

From our biodiverse living walls to solar power, we’re creating high-performing places for a low-carbon, sustainable future.

Delve into our latest ESG report to discover more > https://bit.ly/3QzHO3k @BritSafe “Gone are the days where free fruit Fridays is a sufficient sticking plaster for chronic #stress, absenteeism / presenteeism, reduced productivity” Our Head of Culture Change & Psychosocial Safety on psychologically safe workplaces https://ow.ly/msAt50YO0Si With a record number of entries received this year, the judging is nearly underway, and the finalists for #IWFMAwards2026 will be revealed on 28 July! While you wait for the exciting announcement, book your place to join us to celebrate the boldest innovations in #WFM on Thursday 8 October at Grosvenor House. https://iwfmawards.org/ @CBRE On The Weekly Take, Macerich CEO Jackson Hsieh identifies the three essentials for creating the best shopping + entertainment environment: Great product.

Great service. Great inventory. Simple to say. Not easy to execute. Listen now. https://cbre.co/4vIinwx @SodexoGroup How can chefs become drivers of the transformation towards sustainable food systems? Discover how we mobilize our culinary teams to create replicable low-impact recipes: https://bit.ly/4efaSqE

18

MAY 2026

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE STILL STRUGGLES TO SCALE

I

n a recent CRE roundtable discussion in partnership with the UK PropTech Association, one message was clear, it’s no longer about if digital transformation matters, but how to make it work.

Across landlords, operators, and PropTech leaders, there was clear agreement: tech investment in commercial real estate is accelerating beyond efficiency alone. Priorities for the next 12–24 months include operational optimisation, data unification, AI adoption and a single source of truth, while current investment is still driven by efficiency, cost reduction, and competitive pressure.

Yet while investment appetite is growing, scaling digital initiatives remains difficult.

The clearest barrier identified by participants was not budget or even technology itself, it was culture. In a live polling, 67 per cent of respondents identified cultural resistance as the primary reason digital initiatives fail to move beyond pilot stages.

That finding aligned closely with the discussion in the room- technology often moves faster than organisations are prepared to absorb it.

A recurring point was that many digital projects still begin with leadership enthusiasm but lack operational ownership. In many cases, the team purchasing the technology is not the same team expected to use it every day. Without early involvement from users, clear accountability and visible sponsorship from senior leadership, even well-funded initiatives struggle to gain traction.

Participants also noted that commercial real estate continues to wrestle with fragmentation.

Many organisations operate across multiple systems, vendors, and regional workflows, making integration far more complex than it first appears. Several attendees described portfolios where buildings are still selecting technology asset by asset rather than through a unified strategy. This creates inconsistency, slows scale and makes ROI harder to prove.

That complexity is one reason why change management emerged as another dominant theme. More than half of respondents in the room said the greatest thing each side underestimates, whether landlord or technology provider, is the effort required to manage organisational change.

Technology capability is rarely the only challenge; adoption depends on how well people understand why a system exists, how it improves their work and what outcomes it should deliver.

AI inevitably became part of the conversation, but notably in a more mature way than many technology discussions of the past year. Rather than focusing on novelty, attendees focused on governance, accountability, and practical

Allan Fourie, International Tech Product Lead, Jll Technologies

application. There was a strong consensus that AI’s most immediate value lies in data management, surfacing insight faster, and improving decision-making, particularly in environments where teams have historically depended on individual spreadsheets, manual reporting or siloed knowledge.

At the same time, there was caution. Poor data quality remains a concern, as does cybersecurity and data provenance. Several participants stressed that while “bad data in, bad data out” remains true, waiting for perfect data is increasingly seen as its own risk. Organisations that delay experimentation may simply fall behind. The financial lens remained constant throughout the discussion: if technology does not clearly save money, make money, or protect value, adoption slows.

That means ROI conversations are becoming sharper. Efficiency alone is no longer enough as a narrative; financial defensibility is becoming the standard for approval.

Perhaps the most important takeaway here is that digital transformation in commercial real estate is no longer a technology conversation alone, it is increasingly a leadership conversation.

The leaders will become the ones who tie it to organisational confidence, cross-functional ownership and the ability to move from experimentation to embedded operational practice.

The sector has historically moved cautiously, but expectations are changing quickly. Smart buildings are becoming baseline expectations and tenant demands mean the office continues to evolve. AI is accelerating how decisions can be made across portfolios.

For commercial real estate leaders, the challenge now is less about finding the next tool, and more about building the internal conditions that allow the right technology to create measurable value.

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21/04/2026 10:11

ADVICE & OPINION

FM CLINIC

Mental Health UK’s Burnout Report revealed 91 per cent of workers report high or extreme levels of pressure or stress, with one in five needing to take time off in the last year. Mental Health Awareness Week takes place 11 – 17 May 2026, so for this month’s FM Clinic we’re asking, what can the FM sector do to help address mental ill health within the built environment and the wider workforce?

structures and shift patterns to workspace design, lighting, ventilation, quiet areas or flexible working arrangements.

Supporting healthy interactions between teams and managers is equally important.

Senior management commitment is crucial. Leaders set the tone for how seriously stress is treated. When executives visibly prioritise mental health, allocate resources, and model healthy working practices, stress prevention becomes embedded in everyday decision-making rather than reactive. Without this visible leadership, efforts are often inconsistent and short-lived.

Worker involvement strengthens prevention. Staff can help

In FMJ's regular monthly column, our team of FM experts answer your questions about the world of facilities management THE HSE’S VIEW JON WELLS, HSE WORKING MINDS CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS LEAD Work-related stress is a serious health and safety risk, and facilities management can make a real difference. In 2024/25, 964,000 UK workers suffered from work-related stress, depression, or anxiety, resulting in 22.1 million lost working days (HSE, 2025).

Health and safety law applies to all workers: employees, agency staff, apprentices, zero-hours workers, and outsourced teams alike. Stress should be managed like any other workplace hazard, through risk assessment, targeted interventions, and ongoing monitoring and review.

Facilities management professionals are ideally placed to put HSE guidance into practice. By shaping workplace design, operational processes, and overall business performance, FM teams can directly influence the factors that drive stress and improve worker wellbeing.

HSE’s Management Standards framework provides a practical approach for stress risk assessment. It focuses on six key areas that, if poorly managed, are linked to poor health, lower productivity, and increased sickness absence: Demands, Control, Support, Relationships, Role, and Change. Many of these can be influenced through FM decisions, from contract

Jon Wells

20

MAY 2026

identify specific stressors and suggest practical solutions.

Interventions should be evidence-based, drawing on sickness absence data, surveys, or observations, and reviewed regularly for effectiveness.

HSE’s Working Minds campaign offers practical tools for organisations of all sizes, including free eLearning modules and guidance on identifying the root causes of stress. While aimed at SMEs, any organisation can use it to carry out meaningful risk assessments and implement effective solutions.

Supporting data from Mental Health UK shows 91 per cent of workers report high or extreme levels of pressure, with one in five needing time off in the past year. These figures underline why HSE guidance, combined with proactive FM-led interventions, is essential to protect mental health in the workplace.

The key message is simple: make stress prevention routine.

By embedding risk assessment, worker involvement, and regular monitoring and review into daily health and safety management, FM professionals can protect workers’ mental health, boost productivity, and create workplaces that genuinely support wellbeing.

MENTAL HEALTH CHARITY’S VIEW SAM DOWNIE, MANAGING DIRECTOR, MATES IN MIND At its simplest form, the answer is: make work good for workers’ mental health. Create a culture of prevention, one that focuses on eradicating excessive stress, ending the stigma that surrounds mental ill-health, educating everyone to understand their own and their colleagues’ mental health, and providing support to those who need it. But for many, creating a culture of prevention is not always that simple or straightforward. For a start, what is the first step?

Before I share some effective interventions for building positive mental health in and across the facilities management

ADVICE & OPINION

FMJ.CO.UK

FM CLINIC

sector, we should be clear that effective stress management in the workplace is required by law.

“Employers have a legal duty to protect workers from stress at work by doing a risk assessment and acting on it.

This is the same duty you have to protect people from other health and safety risks” (HSE).

This is important, because in December 2025, the University of Birmingham was found to have material breaches of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 for not having effective arrangements in place to manage the risk from work-related stress. This action demonstrates the HSE’s clear intention to investigate potential breaches of HSE legislation.

Investing in workers’ wellbeing is not only necessary for avoiding potential prosecution, it also improves the organisation’s bottom line by supporting workers’ mental health.

At Mates in Mind, we work with organisations of all sizes, to help them create and embed cultures of prevention by implementing comprehensive programmes of education and support. Through our effective approach we make work safer for everyone so that noone reaches crisis point and looking after the mental health of workers becomes everyone’s responsibility.

So how do you do that?

Sam Downie

Get management buy-in and lead by example (in terms of talking about your own mental health and demonstrating it is ok to ask for help).

communicated regularly with staff.

Put simply, ask yourself: do we satisfy our duty of care to our employees? If you answer ‘no’, then it’s time to act. A quick next step is to visit our website where you can download free resources and watch a series of short videos on stress awareness: https:// www.matesinmind.org/training-and-resources/information-andresources.

THE FM PROVIDER’S VIEW ANDREW LEWINTON, VP QUALITY, HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT (QHSE) ABM UK&I Facilities management plays a vital role in addressing mental health across both its own workforce and client environments.

In the UK and Ireland, our approach starts from a simple principle that wellbeing and safety are inseparable.

Creating environments where people feel physically and psychologically safe is fundamental, and it’s embedded in how we operate every day.

A key part of that is ensuring the right support is available on the ground. Mental health support must be designed with the workforce in mind, particularly in FM, where many people are frontline, remote, or less digitally connected.

Across our business, we have trained Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) who provide an accessible, immediate point of contact for team members who may be struggling with work-related pressures or challenges outside of work. This helps normalise conversations, offer early support and signpost further help where needed.

Importantly, we are continuing to evolve how that support is accessed, removing barriers and ensuring it is inclusive and reachable for frontline team members as well as those in office-based roles.

Alongside this, we take a proactive approach through regular wellbeing communications and a strong, accessible Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), again ensuring support is visible, easy to access and relevant to everyday challenges.

Culture across the industry is equally important. We’ve built an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up, where inclusion is prioritised and where wellbeing is a shared responsibility. Our ‘Think Safe’ approach reflects this, going beyond traditional safety measures to ensure people feel empowered, supported and able to raise concerns. This is reinforced through our Disabilities & Carers Impact Group, which helps ensure that mental health, accessibility and lived experience are reflected in how we design policies and working environments,

n Andrew Lewinto

At its simplest form, the answer is: make work good for workers’ mental health. Create a culture of prevention, one that focuses on eradicating excessive stress, ending the stigma that surrounds mental ill-health, educating everyone to understand their own and their colleagues’ mental health, and providing support to those who need it.”

Assess where you are on your mental health journey and develop a tailored action plan to fill any gaps. This includes policies (especially a mental health policy), regularly conducting and acting on individual stress risk assessments and performance, by ensuring those with responsibility can fulfil this role.

Sam Downie

Set targets, monitor outcomes and record evidence. Know what success looks like regarding the mental health of your workforce; plan in what and by when you will fill the gaps identified in your assessment; and keep records of the outcomes and evidence of actions you have taken.

Educate your whole workforce so they have the skills, clarity and confidence to spot the signs of mental ill-health, start conversations, signpost support and make reasonable work adjustments if needed.

Provide support – be that through Mental Health First Aiders, HR Team, Occupational Health, an Employee Assistance Programme, peer mentors, and ensure the information is

MAY 2026

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ADVICE & OPINION

FM CLINIC

so that people can be their authentic selves and thrive at work, and in life.

Industry-wide initiatives also have a key role to play.

Programmes like our annual Safety Week keep wellbeing front of mind, while external recognition helps set standards. ABM’s multiple RoSPA Gold Awards are a strong reflection of our ongoing commitment to health, safety and wellbeing across the business.

For the FM sector, the lesson is clear: addressing mental health demands a joined-up approach that combines frontline support, leadership commitment and a strong, inclusive culture. That means recognising that mental health does not sit in isolation – it intersects with other aspects such as disability, caring responsibilities and wider wellbeing.

FM providers are uniquely positioned to influence both the environments’ people work in and the experiences of the people who maintain them. Investing in the right initiatives, as we have done, and embedding wellbeing into safety programmes and creating inclusive structures can make a tangible difference.

THE FM RECRUITER’S VIEW CHRIS SYCAMORE, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FM, COBALT RECRUITMENT As a sector FM is trying to transform itself from a secondary career to the first-choice option for young people entering the UK workforce. But we must be alert to the fact that we’re trying to appeal to a generation for which mental health issues are far more prevalent. According to the Youth Future Foundation, between 2000-2019, the number of 16–25-year-olds presenting to primary health care with mental health issues tripled, so for FM to appeal to this generation we need to adjust workplace strategies accordingly.

One way we’re seeing this addressed is through more businesses utilising Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) as part of their benefits packages. These can directly relate to mental health through access to online counselling but crucially also cover many other aspects such as financial planning, legal advice, access to virtual GPs and more. These serve as a key alleviator of factors that contribute to mental health issues, making them an invaluable tool for businesses.

However, for me, EAP’s serve as a sticking plaster rather than an antidote to the problem. For that we need broader action across the industry. Mental health issues do not arise in a vacuum but due to a myriad of factors such as economic pressures, employment insecurity and the rise of social media which all need to be addressed.

The elephant in the room for me is workload.

Facilties are still seen as a cost by the wider industry, which can leave it under-resourced and overworked. It’s not uncommon to find employment gaps plugged by adding responsibilities onto other staff for sustained periods and in a role that already involves spinning many plates this can be a key recipe for burnout.

Chris Sycamore

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It’s also worth noting that in a survey conducted by Cobalt, 83 per cent of UK FMs said they were dissatisfied with their salary, highlighting a perceived imbalance between responsibilities and reward exists in the industry. Facilities Managers understand the need to muck in, but if this becomes the status quo without reward & recognition, we’re simply creating a petri-dish for mental illness and then chucking future FM’s in at the deep end.

Secondly, we need to address management. Eighty per cent of FMs surveyed reported having no formal training in the last year whatsoever – let alone on management and mental health first-aid.

In an overworked industry, managers are no exception and can be forgiven for resorting to the way they themselves were managed.

However, we need to realise that for a new generation of FM’s resiliency needs to be learned not assumed. This requires us to equip our managers with the tools, time, and training to coach this into them.

Lastly, I would encourage businesses to explore building stronger social networks within their FM teams. Whether by mentor schemes, workshops or socials, we need to create more opportunities to build internal relationships. Those in regional roles may spend more time travelling alone than interacting with others in their shoes, and Building Managers are not immune to this isolation. It’s crucial we build connections with those that can understand and empathise with the workplace stresses we face otherwise these issues can fester and become bigger, particularly for the next generation which is less equipped for this initially.

Simply put, FM can be a stressful, unpredictable job, that often goes unrecognised as the positive parts of your work take place behind the scenes. In this environment, looking after your team’s mental wellbeing isn’t a “nice to have” initiative, it’s a fundamental investment that keeps the industry’s talent pipeline from running dry.

Do you have a question that you’d like answered by the FMJ Clinic?

Email: sara.bean@kpmmedia.co.uk

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IS YOUR ORGANISATION DESTROYING CONFIDENTIAL

DATA SECURELY?

Facilities managers are responsible for more than buildings and maintenance. They are increasingly on the front line of protecting sensitive information. Ensuring confidential materials are destroyed securely and in line with legislation is now a critical part of operational risk management THE COMPLIANCE RISK MANY ORGANISATIONS UNDERESTIMATE

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ith the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act placing strict responsibilities on organisations that handle personal or sensitive information, secure destruction should not be an afterthought. Organisations remain responsible for data throughout its entire lifecycle, including its disposal.

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MAY 2026

From personnel files to hard drives and other data storage devices, organisations generate vast quantities of confidential material every day.

However, many businesses still overlook what happens when that information is no longer needed.

A 2023 YouGov report, commissioned by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), found that 19% of small businesses, 8% of medium businesses, and 3% of large businesses surveyed had no paper waste

stream for confidential paperwork. Kristian Carter, Chair of the BSIA’s Information Destruction section and Commercial Director at Shred Station shares his thoughts.

“Failure to manage confidential waste correctly can have serious consequences. Non-compliance can result in penalties, reputational damage and loss of customer trust. For facilities managers tasked with overseeing operational risks within

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their organisations, this makes secure information destruction a critical part of information governance and data protection compliance.”

Despite many organisations still not having secure waste streams in place for confidential materials, industry research has shown that procurement decision-makers increasingly recognise the importance of selecting trusted and accredited suppliers when outsourcing confidential waste destruction. Businesses want reassurance that their suppliers can demonstrate compliance with data protection regulations and operate in line with strict industry standards.

WHY PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION DESTRUCTION MATTERS Outsourcing to a professional information destruction provider offers several advantages compared with in-house shredding. Specialist companies use secure collection procedures, controlled transport, monitored destruction processes and detailed audit trails.

This ensures that confidential materials remain protected from collection through to final destruction.

Professional providers can also supply documentation such as Certificates of Destruction and Duty of Care records. These documents support your company’s audit trail and demonstrate your GDPR-compliant information disposal.

BS EN 15713 is so important because it doesn’t just consider particle sizes of shredded materials. It covers the entire destruction lifecycle, including collection, transportation, processing methods, staff vetting and the final disposal of materials. Operating in line with the standard ensures information is protected from point A to point B, not just at the finish line.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF BS EN 15713 The most important benchmark for secure information destruction is BS EN 15713.

This European standard sets out holistic best practice guidance for the destruction of confidential material.

Kristian, who was part of the team that revised this standard in 2023, further impresses the importance of a fully comprehensive approach to information destruction.

“BS EN 15713 is so important because

operate to the highest industry standards.

Members adhere to BS EN 15713 and follow a strict code of ethics governing security practices, customer service, and environmental responsibility.

For facilities managers, partnering with a BSIA Information Destruction member helps reduce risk, demonstrate compliance and provide peace of mind that sensitive materials will not fall into the wrong hands.

SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY GO HAND IN HAND it doesn’t just consider particle sizes of shredded materials. It covers the entire destruction lifecycle, including collection, transportation, processing methods, staff vetting and the final disposal of materials.

Operating in line with the standard ensures information is protected from point A to point B, not just at the finish line.”

For organisations seeking assurance that their confidential materials are handled securely, working with providers that comply with BS EN 15713 offers an important level of confidence.

WHY CHOOSE A BSIA INFORMATION DESTRUCTION MEMBER?

Environmental responsibility is also becoming an increasingly important consideration when disposing of confidential materials The shredding industry plays a significant role in the UK’s recycling infrastructure.

Materials such as paper, metals and electronic components can often be recovered and recycled after secure destruction, reducing waste and conserving resources.

By working with a professional destruction provider, like a member of the BSIA Information Destruction section, FMs can ensure confidential waste is handled securely while also supporting broader environmental goals.

The BSIA’s Information Destruction section brings together specialist providers who

For more information please call: 01905342020 or visit: www.bsia.co.uk email: comms@bsia.co.uk MAY 2026

25

CASE STUDY

CBRE SINGAPORE

SETTING THE TONE

Soundscaping is transforming workplace wellbeing and performance at CBRE’s Singapore office, helping to shape the workplace experience

A

s the role of the office has evolved over the past decade, organisations are rethinking how workplaces can support wellbeing and performance and encourage staff back into collaborative workspaces. While office design has long focused on how spaces look, attention is now shifting towards sound and its powerful influence on wellbeing, focus, and productivity.

For CBRE’s new Singapore office, Simon Long, CEO & Founder of Technology and AI Consultancy SQRD, envisioned a workplace where employees can choose how they work by shaping the atmosphere through the integration of carefully curated Moodsonic soundscaping technology. Valeo Technology, a specialist provider of wellbeing-led technologies, led the full design and delivery of the solution, working with local installation partner ESCO and Hewshott consultants.

“Architects have been creating visually impressive office spaces for years, but acoustics are often overlooked,” explains Marcus Rose, Owner and Director at Valeo Technology. “At CBRE’s new office, Simon wanted to bring sound to the

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forefront, using soundscaping to create an environment that positively impacts employees.”

His vision was to design a space that not only looks visually striking but actively encourages people to return to the office. By creating a flexible environment that caters to different working styles and preferences, the goal was to ensure the space works for everyone. “We believe wellbeing and performance aren’t competing priorities,” says Long. “When someone is comfortable and their environment responds to what they’re doing or what they need, they perform better. And we wanted that for our people.”

AUDIO SYSTEMS Valeo Technology meticulously planned a tailored audio system in 14 key areas using 120 BCS300 PoE speakers. Across the vast, 2,000-metre squared office, soundscaping is utilised in front-of-house and back-of-house areas, focus rooms, wellness spaces, quiet zones, bathrooms and café areas, which helped create a cohesive sound environment throughout the workplace. The space is

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intentionally immersive, guiding movement and behaviour through sound as much as through architecture and visual design.

The office has been deliberately split into distinct sections to support different ways of working, communicating, and interacting, encouraging choice and autonomy rather than simply sitting at a desk all day.

“We asked: what should someone feel when they arrive? What do they need when they’re focusing, or when they’re collaborating?

Every decision was driven by the desired experience,” explains Long.

“From the moment employees step out of the lifts into the lobby, they’re greeted by an incredible view of Marina Bay and a striking video wall, with soundscaping immediately present,” adds Rose. “Audio is intentionally played only on the opposite side of the foyer, acting as a subtle wayfinding tool that guides visitors naturally towards the office.

“Staff then move into a vibrant coffee area and casual collaboration space, where the soundscape shifts to something more energetic and uplifting,” he continues.

“As people move into the back-of-house working area, soundscaping clearly defines busier and quieter zones, allowing staff to choose the area best suited to their needs, from deep-focus to more dynamic collaboration.”

Moodsonic’s intelligent monitoring allows each space to adapt in real-time. “Although there are pre-defined sound profiles for each zone, the system responds to changes in noise levels,” explains Rose. “If sound levels rise, frequencies adjust to help mask speech and reduce distraction. When the noise level fades, the sound will then drop off again.

“The dedicated quiet areas use subtle, ambient sound to encourage focus,” explains Rose. “There’s a common perception that deep work requires complete silence, but for many people that can create tension. It can make people hesitant to speak or interact, which ultimately becomes counterproductive.”

CBRE SINGAPORE

CASE STUDY

creates evolving sound in real time. This avoids repetition, which people can quickly notice and find distracting. By generating sound dynamically, the environment feels more natural and less artificial, helping users stay comfortable and engaged for longer periods. “The sound is made from multiple layers, and these will change depending on what is happening in the space, so no two days sound the same.”

While Moodsonic soundscaping operates as the default setting throughout the office, the system also allows for flexibility in use. For example, if teams want to change the music in certain areas on a Friday afternoon, they can temporarily switch to their preferred streaming service via the BluOS app and just as easily revert to Moodsonic when required.

Traditional, lyrical music is too BEYOND AUDIO subjective, so we avoid it. NatureThe system extends based soundscapes tend to resonate with beyond audio alone. the majority and people quickly become Valeo Technology has delivered full accustomed to the sounds. Once they integration with become part of the environment, they wider smart building become something people genuinely technologies across approximately 14 focus value and miss when they’re rooms and a similar not there.”

main working areas, we use more harmonic soundscapes.

“Traditional, lyrical music is too subjective, so we avoid it. Naturebased soundscapes tend to resonate with the majority and people quickly become accustomed to the sounds. Once they become part of the environment, they become something people genuinely value and miss when they’re not there.”

Rather than relying on short audio loops, generative soundscaping continuously

number of meeting rooms, with sensors monitoring both lighting and acoustic levels. Lights only activate when spaces are in use and automatically adjust depending on how the rooms are being used, improving both comfort and energy efficiency.

STRIKING THE TONE While sound levels play an important role, the selection of sound itself is fundamental to delivering effective soundscaping. “In the lobby, we use nature-based circadian soundscapes, from gentle waves and birdsong in the morning to babbling brooks as the day progresses, creating a calming, welcoming journey,” explains Rose. “In the MAY 2026

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CASE STUDY

CBRE SINGAPORE

By analysing data from occupancy, lighting, acoustic systems and even air quality, the facilities team can gain a real-time understanding of how the office is performing and makes informed adjustments when necessary. If a space is underutilised, the data helps determine whether it’s too bright, too noisy, or otherwise uncomfortable. Changes can be implemented and immediately evaluated, with alerts highlighting any significant shifts in conditions. This insight-driven approach enables continuous optimisation of the workplace environment.

INSIGHTS AND MONITORING Using Moodsonic’s insights platform, teams can also monitor what is playing in each zone, adjust volume levels, schedule changes, and switch between sound themes depending on the desired atmosphere. Access to controls is typically limited to key users, ensuring consistency across the workplace, although certain areas, such as CBRE’s wellness room, allow for occupant adjustment.

“The Moodsonic system gives us something we’ve never had before: real behavioural insight through sound data.

Acoustic sensors across our 14 zones reveal not just how loud a space is, but how it’s being used,” explains Long. “Low levels indicate focused work, while higher levels suggest collaboration or calls. That insight is incredibly valuable for space planning, helping us understand whether we’ve created the right mix of environments based on how people work, not how we assumed they would.”

Supported by Bluesound Professional’s 28

MAY 2026

networked audio system, BCS300 speakers the outcome has been clear. “Staff feedback enabled rapid installation and flexible on the ambient sound environment has configuration, with adjustable postbeen overwhelmingly positive,” confirms installation zoning. Each speaker can be Long. “The move from pink noise to individually monitored and controlled biophilic, harmonic soundscapes are clearly via the network, allowing the team to noticeable, with some even requesting quickly respond to issues, make remote specific nature sounds. I think that speaks adjustments, and receive fault reports. to how biophilic audio connects with “Compared to traditional passive systems, people on a more emotional level. which require extensive cabling “I honestly believe we couldn’t have and manual intervention, this delivered this project without approach significantly Valeo,” Long reflects. “They simplifies management really stepped up to our high while providing ambitions, as this wasn’t By analysing data from occupancy, greater adaptability just another off-thelighting, acoustic systems and even and long-term shelf deployment—we air quality, the facilities team can gain a operational were pushing into new efficiency,” reflects territory with a lot of new real-time understanding of how the office is Rose. systems and integration performing and makes informed adjustments complexity.

WORKPLACE “Valeo with Moodsonic when necessary. If a space is underutilised, BENEFITS delivered an exceptional the data helps determine whether it’s outcome and exactly what Since installation, we wanted to provide: a the effect on the too bright, too noisy, or otherwise world-class workspace built for workplace environment uncomfortable.” wellbeing and productivity.” and staff wellbeing As organisations look to encourage has been overwhelmingly people back into the office, experience positive. “Sometimes it can has become critical. Sound plays a major take time for people to adjust to role in this, shaping mood, behaviour, and soundscape environments and find the comfort in ways that are often subconscious right balance,” reflects Rose. “Valeo worked yet deeply impactful. Recognised as closely alongside the installation team Best Corporate Office at the InAvate throughout, ensuring every zone was APAC Awards, CBRE demonstrates how tuned and performing to the standard soundscaping, combined with intelligent we’d promised CBRE. The effort paid off, technologies, can elevate both wellbeing staff took to it immediately. In fact, it’s and performance. As Rose concludes: “It’s been such a success that it’s a key feature a real-world blueprint for how scalable, CBRE demonstrates when bringing clients smart audio and intelligent soundscaping through their office.” can elevate these types of buildings.”

In terms of meeting Simon Long’s vision,

Slightly different name, same great team.

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28/04/2026 10:32

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CLERKENWELL CALLING

Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 is just around the corner and boasts a programme full of specially curated events for its fifteenth anniversary. Madeleine Ford presents a preview of what’s to come

T

he 19-21 of May 2026 marks the 15th anniversary of Clerkenwell Design Week. Reiterating its reputation as the UK’s leading design festival, CDW 2026 presents plenty of specially curated events familiar to regular visitors, intertwined with exciting new features and venues. Set against the backdrop of one of London’s most designrich districts, the festival brings together a compelling mix of established brands, emerging talent and creative thinkers, transforming showrooms, streets and historic venues into a vibrant, walkable showcase.

THEMES This year, the festival is focusing on two prominent themes, sustainability and sound.

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SUSTAINABILITY: CHAMPIONING CIRCULARITY CDW 2026 is placing environmental responsibility at the centre of its programme, from recycled structures to circular product design.

designer with her five BinSight Benches which are made entirely from waste materials considered too difficult to recycle.

She brings in an aspect of education with QR codes on each bench linking to a quiz to identify the waste materials used.

The Canary Clock Tower: the sculptural landmark by George King Architects, is inspired by Clerkenwell’s historic tradition of clockmaking. The structure embodies circularity with a lightweight frame of reclaimed scaffolding, a tactile timber base, and a fully recyclable outer skin. Once the festival is over, George King Architects will relocate the piece to a permanent public setting, with all plastic components returned to Smile Materials for full recycling.

Reddie: the progressive Australian/ Indonesian brand unveils its collection of made-to-order chairs, desks, shelving and sofas crafted from reclaimed Indonesian teak salvaged from old railways and houses.

Alexane Quenderff: the theme of circularity is continued by the French

Back2Bolon: introduced by the Swedish flooring brand Bolon, it is a take-back initiative that makes its flooring and rugs fully circular. Products installed without permanent adhesive can be returned to Bolon’s recycling plant where they are transformed into new floors and rugs.

This initiative closes the loop from design to rebirth and significantly reduces

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years, makes use of both contemporary and historic venues including: Old Sessions House - home to brand activations, presentations and the festival hub.

The Charterhouse - contemporary furniture, decorative lighting and luxury finishes.

Detail & Finishes - featuring refined luxury products and finishes in St John Priory Church.

British Collection - taking over the whole of St James’s Church, highlighting the best British design talents and brands.

Ceramics of Italy - hosting Italian ceramic and porcelain tile brands at a pavilion on St John’s Square. Organised by the Italian Trade Agency in collaboration with the Ceramics Association of Italy.

CO2 emissions compared to virgin production.

Maverick: Edmund Bell presents a recycled blackout fabric designed for hospitality, workplace and public sector interiors. Made from recycled yarns, the fabric delivers reliable light exclusion, flame retardancy and a contemporary textured finish; demonstrating that sustainability and specification performance are no longer in conflict.

SOUND CDW explores sound for its second theme, from immersive community installations to award-winning acoustic workplace solutions.

Recreatura - an immersive, sound-led installation inviting visitors to reimagine architecture through listening. Two historic sites in Clerkenwell are explored through the voices, memories, and soundscapes of local residents revealing the textures and stories embedded in the neighbourhood. Listeners will respond by drawing on ceramic tiles which will be placed within a cube installation in Charterhouse Square forming a collective structure evolved from shared sounds and memories.

showrooms and 16+ exhibition venues.

Furniture, lighting, textiles, surfaces, home accessories and product design will be showcased across all the venues.

UK and international design names will be featured with confirmed exhibitors including String Furniture, Moroso, Swedese, Dornbracht, Vincent Sheppard, and collections from Austria, Denmark and Italy will also return.

Showroom partners are integral to CDW. Hundreds of partners will host product launches, talks, and workshops.

Confirmed showroom partners includeActiu, Andreu World, Boss Design, Camira, Domus, HAY, Hansgrohe, Herman Miller, Humanscale, J.Adams & Co, Knoll, Muuto, Milliken, Modus, Iris Ceramica, Tarkett, and Cosentino.

Clerkenwell Design Week, like previous

Commercial Design in the Park (formerly Project) - focused on contract furniture and surface design, the venue will also host a series of talks from Commercial Interiors UK. Commercial Interiors on the Green (formerly Clerkenwell Green Pavilions) contract furniture, solutions and surfaces brands from around the globe.

Interior Hardware (formerly Elements) dedicated to architectural hardware and finishes.

Future Talent (formerly Platform) spotlighting emerging design talent and companies.

NEW FOR 2026 This year’s event will feature a new curated series of large-scale installations called Design Interventions: a series of

BOX17- the German Polish acoustic booth manufacturer makes its CDW debut with its award-winning Cube 1 Stand. Its interior is lined with premium Italian wool felt, bringing biophilic warmth to the modern workplace.

The BAUX Floating Pavilion - located outside the entrance to Old Sessions House, the Swedish brands new X-FELT Floating Collection will exemplify how acoustic design can shape both architecture and how we experience spaces.

CLERKENWELL CLASSICS Once again CDW presents hundreds of brands across over two hundred MAY 2026

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INTERIORS

Malgorzata Hermanowicz Sustainability & ESG Mute.

Neuroinclusive Design by Neurodivergent Designers.

Wednesday 20th: Scarlet Opus - ‘How to be a Trend Forecaster’ and ‘Interior Design Trends for 2027’.

Europe’s First Adaptable Office Malgorzata Hermanowicz Sustainability & ESG Mute.

Clerkenwell. Past, Present & Future.

Rethinking Materials through Food, Design and Process.

Thursday 21st: Informare - ‘What Happened to Cool Britannia’. immersive and inspiring installations designed by designers and architects to challenge the perceptions of design.

Positioned throughout Clerkenwell, the installations will punctuate the festival landscape and encourage exploration while creating moments of pause and reflection.

From bold structural statements to more subtle, thought-provoking pieces, Design Interventions pushes design beyond purely the visual and into something more experiential, discursive and ultimately, memorable.

return this year with new categories.

Adding to the Awards’ debut categories of 2025, including furniture, lighting, materials, and interior solutions, the awards will now include a focus on the individuals, teams and ideas challenging conventions and celebrating the creatives driving design forward today.

HIGHLIGHTS Some exciting highlights from across the three days not to be missed: Tuesday 19th:

Additionally, 2026 boasts several new venues:

Women in Office Design - ‘Designing for Neuroinclusion and Neuroaesthetics’.

Haberdashers’ Hall - known as The Luxury Edit during the show, it will be hosting the CDW Awards ceremony on 19 May in partnership with Design Milk.

This venue will also host the talk series Design Meets featuring industry experts and leading brands. Outside The Luxury Edit will be a ‘living’ outdoor installation called The Pulse of Becoming, it explores the cyclical nature of death, rebirth and life. Chia seeds embedded in two opposing crescent shells will sprout during the festival, turning bare surfaces green.

Panel Discussion - Traditional Fit Outs Continue to Meet Today’s Needs, or Do They?

The Museum of the Order of St Johnbuilt in 1504, this venue is one of the great hidden treasures of London. The deeply historical venue will be home to Interiors from Spain, a platform for contemporary Spanish design produced by design journal Disegno.

Material Source Studio - a showcase for products and materials for architects, interior designers and property professionals.

Workplace on the Square - a platform for design brands catering to offices, located outside The Zetter Hotel.

Alongside the new additions to the events venues, the CDW Awards will 32

MAY 2026

Circularity is the New Recycling -

Beyond the Brief: Delivering Bespoke Hospitality Design.

How Can Sound Shape Workplace and Commercial Design.

Nurturing Spaces to Thrive with Norwegian Design.

CONCLUSION This year’s Clerkenwell Design Week will again offer a showcase of leading designers and design brands aimed at the commercial office sector from the UK and abroad. CDW 2026 aims to be not just a celebration of aesthetics, but a working snapshot of where the office interiors industry is heading. This year’s programme leans into innovation, sustainability and collaboration, with fresh names sitting comfortably alongside established brands to create a well-rounded, future-facing line-up. www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com

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SECURITY

READYFORACTION Anthony Coo, Head of Product Marketing, UK & Ireland Quadient says organisations need to move beyond awareness and into action to prepare for Martyn’s Law

M

artyn’s Law, named after Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017 will require public venues across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to conduct security assessments and implement necessary measures to mitigate potential risks to the public.

With April 2027 currently planned as the point of implementation, organisations should already be moving beyond awareness and into action. That means treating compliance as a live operational discipline now, not a future deadline.

Although the legislation is now law, the finer details of compliance are still being worked through. That makes this 34

MAY 2026

implementation period particularly important, giving organisations time to understand what will be required and prepare in a practical, proportionate way.

COMPLIANCE POLICY TO PRACTICE Organisations must ensure they’re using this time to become genuinely prepared, by testing the practical realities of each site: where vulnerabilities lie, which areas are most exposed to unauthorised access, how people move through the venue, where pressure builds at high-traffic areas, and who has responsibility for key decisions when something suspicious is identified.

Good security is not measured by whether a policy exists on paper. It’s

measured by whether a venue can respond in practice to suspicious activity or packages, prohibited items, and whether its procedures would hold up under pressure. If one part of that response is weak, the whole system becomes more vulnerable.

For FM teams, that means looking at buildings as operating environments, not just assets. Entrances, exits, foyers, loading bays, service corridors and publicfacing reception areas all matter, because these are the points where security either works in practice or starts to break down.

SCREENING DESIGN A lot of the discussion around Martyn’s

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Law focuses on screening. Measures such as bag checks, metal detectors and x-ray scanners can play an important role in helping venues detect weapons or other dangerous items before they enter the building.

But screening only works when it’s part of a well-designed operating model. It needs to be proportionate, properly staffed and designed around how the venue operates.

Too often, organisations think about screening as equipment first and process second, when the reverse should be true.

Before investing in tools, teams need to be clear about what they’re trying to detect, who needs to be screened, where that screening should take place and how the process will hold up under pressure.

That includes preparing for practical challenges and unexpected scenarios, such as bottlenecks, bad weather, a suspicious package or even a suspect vehicle on site.

If those questions have not been thought through in advance, screening can quickly become a weakness rather than a safeguard.

That’s why entry management needs to be treated as both a facilities issue and a security issue. If visitors are not told in advance what to expect, or staff are not trained to manage the process confidently, even sensible measures can become operational problems.

SUSPICIOUS PACKAGES Suspicious packages and unattended items still deserve attention in venue security.

That’s why preparedness cannot focus only on the people entering a venue. It also must account for what may already be on site, or what could be left there unnoticed.

In practice, that means carrying out regular site searches in vulnerable areas, especially high-footfall zones such as foyers, car parks and loading areas. It also relies on teams understanding the difference between routine cleaning and a proper security search. Clear, consistent procedures matter, and every member of staff should understand the same golden rule: if a suspicious item is found, it should not be touched or moved.

Staff need the confidence to report anything that feels out of place. A strong security culture depends on vigilance being normalised across the organisation. People should feel able to flag an unusual package, suspicious behaviour or an unsecured area without worrying that they are overreacting.

In these situations, a false alarm is far easier to manage than a missed warning sign.

REHEARSE, REHEARSE, REHEARSE Compliance runs through every route in and out of the building. Access and egress planning is one of the strongest tests of

SECURITY

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The same principle applies to visibility whether a venue is genuinely prepared. during an incident. Clear camera coverage, Teams should be confident that they know strong communications and realistic response every public and private entry point, whether planning all make a difference to how safely doors can be secured quickly if the situation people can be moved, and which exits remain changes and whether parts of the building viable. can be isolated without causing unnecessary confusion elsewhere.

SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS Lockdown should not be treated as an abstract concept. Its A shopping centre, education campus, hospital or arena all operate differently, which is purpose is to create time exactly why preparedness needs to be and distance between a threat and the proportionate rather than generic. people inside For some sites, preparing for the Regular drills are also the building. legislation may mean stronger vital. Everyone involved, from security But that only screening or access control. works if the For others, the immediate and facilities teams to front-of-house process has priority may be staff training, staff and contractors, needs to understand been thought site-search routines, better through and, incident communications their role. Communications need to be clear crucially, or more realistic lockdown and consistent, and where appropriate, practised. planning. In most cases, it will be buildings should be thought about in The more a combination. regularly teams What matters most is whether the sectors rather than as one single measures chosen would work under rehearse lockdown space.” pressure. Can staff use them confidently procedures, the more during an incident? Are responsibilities likely they are to react quickly and confidently in a clear? Have scenarios been tested thoroughly? real incident.

Do procedures reflect how the building Regular drills are also vital. Everyone operates on a busy day, not just how it looks in involved, from security and facilities teams a policy document? to front-of-house staff and contractors, needs One year on from Royal Assent, those to understand their role. Communications responsible for venues should already be need to be clear and consistent, and where pressure-testing those questions. When appropriate, buildings should be thought preparedness is built into the day-to-day about in sectors rather than as one single management of a building, compliance space. That makes partial lockdown or becomes more than a legal obligation. It phased evacuation far more realistic if an becomes part of how safer, more resilient incident develops quickly. spaces are run.

MAY 2026

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SECURITY

PHOTO

FINISH Adam Bennett, a photo ID card specialist at Digital ID, warns that photo ID can no longer be used as a physical security measure but one which incorporates digital security

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ecurity is no longer just about locked doors and reception checks. Workplace security is moving faster than ever, and many businesses are struggling to keep up with it. Digital technology has changed how we think about access to buildings, and any organisation still relying solely on a non-secure physical photo ID risks falling behind.

It is critical that anyone who is responsible for IT, cybersecurity, networks, databases and API’s (Application Programming Interfaces) incorporates photo ID into their wider security strategy.

Many businesses still view photo ID as nothing more than a PVC badge on a lanyard or a visual tool to show who belongs in the building and who doesn’t. While a few years ago this would’ve been seen as the standard for good security, we are seeing these systems very quickly become outdated and easy to clone. Nowadays, identity cards are still the foundation of physical security, but they are also deeply intertwined with your company’s digital security strategy.

SECURITY EVOLUTION Workplace security has evolved rapidly over

the past decade, with the number of people in cybersecurity roles tripling in the last five years.

This shift has been driven mostly by the fact that cybercrime very quickly became much more organised. At the same time, remote working went from rare to the norm, so security was no longer location-dependent, it now had to follow the employee to wherever they work.

Most businesses have invested heavily in cybersecurity tools, firewalls, endpoint protection and cloud security, yet many are still operating photo ID systems that sit entirely outside their wider IT strategy. That creates a dangerous disconnect.

If your ID cards are not integrated into your access control systems, your HR database, your network permissions and your wider identity management processes, then you are ineffectively managing risk in silos and therefore creating vulnerabilities.

Photo ID is no longer just about being able to visually recognise staff. It is about controlling and auditing access to buildings, to secure areas and increasingly to systems. Modern ID solutions can integrate directly with network credentials, single sign-on environments, and API-driven databases.

That means when an employee joins, change’s role or leaves the company, their access rights can and should update automatically across the organisation. If that process is manual, fragmented or delayed, you create gaps that expose the business to risk.

BRIDGING THE GAP One of the biggest issues is businesses treating physical security and cybersecurity as two separate conversations. They are both rooted in identity. If someone can walk into your building unchallenged because an outdated badge system is not properly managed, that becomes a cyber risk as well as a physical one. The same applies if former employees retain active credentials because systems are not integrated. Identity is the bridge between physical and digital security.

Forward-thinking organisations are now incorporating photo ID into their wider IT and 36

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cybersecurity strategies. They are ensuring badge issuance is tied to secure data management policies. They are integrating access control with HR systems. They are using APIs to connect ID management with network authentication tools.

Critically, they are ensuring that data protection and compliance standards are applied to ID systems just as rigorously as they are to any other database containing personal information.

IMAGE STORAGE In practical terms, this means that storing staff photos digitally, whether in badge systems or access control platforms, must follow the same rules as HR records under regulations like UK GDPR. Images are classed as personal data, so they must be stored securely, typically using encryption, with access limited to authorised staff only. There also needs to be a clear, documented reason for collecting and keeping them.

Modern systems operate like secure digital filing cabinets, where photos are uploaded, protected, and only accessed when needed for identification or entry. Facilities managers should also ensure retention policies are in place, so images are deleted when no longer required, such as when an employee leaves.

CONCLUSION For organisations, the message is simple. If photo ID still sits purely under facilities or is treated as an administrative afterthought, it may be time to reassess. Security threats are more sophisticated, workplaces are more flexible and regulatory expectations are higher than ever. An outdated approach to identity management does not just look old-fashioned, it can signal wider vulnerabilities.

Ultimately, modern workplace security starts with knowing exactly who has access to what, when and why. Photo ID should be part of that strategic conversation, not separate from it. Businesses that recognise this convergence between physical and cyber security will be far better positioned to protect their people, their data and their reputation.

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FOCUS

INTERVIEW

RETAIL VISION

Nick Atkinson, Managing Director and Kris Brown, Senior Operations Manager, Atlas Retail describe the specialist expertise required in providing FM services to the retail sector

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tlas FM recently announced the formation of a new specialist FM Retail business delivering cleaning, security, concierge services (and other associated FM services) to shopping centres, retail parks, leisure parks and mixed-use destinations. This marked the latest move in a period of massive growth for Atlas, which over the past decade has grown into a major UK facilities management company with an estimated £380m+ turnover.

In 2017 the company effectively doubled its size with the acquisition of security and cleaning provider Emprise and in 2022 expanded its capabilities into technical

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facilities management and hard services with the purchase of Salisbury Group and the establishment of a new Workplace Services division.

But it’s the transition to 100 per cent employee ownership through the creation of an Employee Ownership Trust at the end of last year which underlines the groups ethos says Atkinson, Managing Director of Atlas Retail. Nick joined Atlas following its acquisition of retail specialist Aston Services Group (ASG) in 2024, where he’d been MD since 2019.

“Atlas approaches every acquisition with the question; how does this help our clients? Is this going to benefit our

colleagues and our clients and move the business forward in a way that not only makes commercial sense, but also genuinely improves things.

“It really comes down to making commercial sense by finding businesses that align with the same values and the same purposes. Because retail is such a unique environment and requires such a tailored service and expertise, ASG was a perfect opportunity.”

Commercially it also makes perfect sense. Commercial operators ranging from tech offices to retail parks accounted for approximately 41.95 per cent of the total UK FM market share in 2025 [Mordor

FMJ.CO.UK

INTERVIEW

N Kris Brown, Senior Operations Manager

Nick Atkinson, Managing Director

Intelligence]. But retail is also one of the most pressurised sectors for FM. Retailers and their managing agents demand their FM providers enhance both their front-ofhouse customer experience and backof-house logistical efficiency to increase footfall and profitability.

Atkinson is confident the newly branded Atlas Retail will meet the challenges: “As a specialist service provider of security and cleaning, and FM services to the retail sector, a lot of the ASG clients tend to extend their contract with us because of the high degree of service that we deliver. And now as part of Atlas retail, we’re looking to extend that success still further under the

new branding and drive that specialism across the whole of the country.”

RETAIL EXPANSION Atlas Retail has got ambitious plans for further growth by extending its portfolio of shopping centre sites across the country from ASG’s base in the North of England and the Midlands, by leveraging its relationships with existing managing agent clients including Savills, Ashdown Phillips and Monroe K. This wider geographical reach will also enable the company to expand its reach further by connecting with other leading

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managing agents, with whom the company doesn’t presently deal.

According to Kris Brown, Senior Operations Manager, Atlas Retail, Atlas delivers a single, integrated operating model, with each individual location supported by a dedicated management team offering a coordinated approach that ensures a high-quality environment for visitors, tenants and on-site teams.

This approach is spelt out from the start of the contract tender process beginning with a meeting with the on-site management team and representatives from the managing agents to gather a full It really comes down to making understanding of their needs. commercial sense by finding “We can’t businesses that align with the same deliver a values and the same purposes. Because service without understanding retail is such a unique environment and what is needed, requires such a tailored service and and each contract is different expertise, ASG was a perfect in terms of the opportunity.” geographical location and requirements,” says Brown.

“As part of a new contract, our tender document effectively becomes our Bible of what it is that we need to deliver and the specific requirements for us to deliver the best quality service needed.”

PEOPLE CENTRIC For many of the new contracts, the existing teams are Tupe transferred and prior to mobilisation Atlas will check their contracted hours and carry out a skills analysis. As part of the Tupe meetings each member of the team will be asked about their knowledge of the industry, modes of service delivery and their understanding of the client’s requirements. This helps determine whether they know what they’re doing or require more mentorship to ensure a consistent level of service.

“But crucially,” says Brown, “we’ll always look to mentor people rather than to replace them as we want to take them on the journey with us.”

Atkinson says the emphasis is always on the customer experience, so for instance a shopper asking for directions at a mall won’t just be given directions but shown there by an Atlas team member as all the staff, whether from security, cleaning, housekeeping or concierge are trained to communicate with the general public.

Security personnel are not just there as a deterrent and to ensure people feel safe.

They’re there to help and support visitors in a variety of ways, and if a member of MAY 2026

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INTERVIEW

budget. We don’t have a ‘one size fits all’ product that we can pick off a shelf and market at a specific price.

“We need to remain fluid within our operations to understand the trends within the retail sector and the demands and the requirements of our clients.”

Measuring the performance of soft services in retail facilities management involves tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) including the occupancy levels of retail tenants and the throughput of people, and Atkinson reports that the retail business exceeds virtually every KPI report that they submit because they go above and beyond what is expected.

“We’re so public facing, there’s nowhere to hide in terms of the cleanliness and the security of the place so we do directly have an impact, in terms of ensuring that people are coming to a shopping centre where they feel secure, the toilets are clean and well managed and the overall experience not only encourages them to visit the centre, but stay there for longer periods.”

Many of the managing agents deploy mystery shoppers who report back on the level of cleanliness and the feeling of security, with which an FM team can be held to account on any complaints. security staff sees some rubbish on the floor of a shopping centre, they’ll pick it up, not leave it to the cleaner.

Says Atkinson: “When people come to a shopping centre they need to feel secure and see a nice clean environment. But on top of that, we go above and beyond in terms of ensuring that our staff are approachable, helpful, and are willing to enhance the entire visitor experience.”

Adds Brown: “It’s our people that make our company a success and without our teams on the ground delivering a service to our clients and visitors, we wouldn’t have a business. We look at our structure as an inverse pyramid, with day-to-day teams at the top and the management team sitting underneath.”

He explains that the cleaning, security, back-of-house and front-of-house teams are all equally important in the service delivery chain and Atlas will support them by providing the right tools, from the latest cleaning equipment to the right training, fair pay and flexible holidays, all designed

to make them feel supported and cared for, which in turn, allows them to be able to deliver a fantastic service.

Good communication is also fundamental to delivering a safe, attractive and efficient environment. All the sites employ a variety of ways to communicate, whether by two-way radio, a chat group or face-toface communication between security managers, cleaning managers and soft services managers; whether with the centre manager or other members of staff.

“It’s our people that make our company a success and without our teams on the ground delivering a service to our clients and visitors, we wouldn’t have a business.

We look at our structure as an inverse pyramid, with day-to-day teams at the top and the management team sitting underneath.”

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MEASURING SUCCESS Unlike commercial offices, healthcare or education, retail-based FM has a direct remit to drive customer footfall and enhance brand reputation. The managing agent who runs the site on behalf of the landlord, will use KPIs and sales figures to produce reports on how the retail centre is performing.

Explains Brown: “Retailers and landlord’s budgets are very tight, so we will work with managing agents to help deliver a high-quality service within that

CONCLUSION Atlas Retail is keen to expand geographically, particularly into London, the Home Counties, and the South East, where they’ve had light representation.

Now being part of the wider group, these ambitions are backed by a considerable support structure, particularly in the Home Counties where Atkinson reports they’re keen to leverage the Atlas group’s bandwidth and scale to help drive their growth.

He says: “Our expertise is shopping centres and retail parks, and that is why Atlas is supporting us in continuing to develop business in those sectors where our specialist approach sits. We don’t measure success with KPIs because, from our perspective, if you train, and put the investment into the people, the KPIs will manage themselves and if you’re not looking after the people that deliver the service, you can have all the KPIs in the world that you want, but you won’t deliver the performance.

“The key to success is the level of specialism that we offer. We’re at the heart of a customer facing environment, so whether it’s a city centre, an out-oftown shopping mall or retail park, or a large flagship destination we’re there to deliver that clean, secure and welcoming experience.”

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SPECIALIST SERVICES

CLEAN AIR ACTS Jeff Charlton, Environmental Hygienist and Principal Consultant at Building Forensics explains why a specialist approach is required to secure safe ventilation in buildings

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ndoor air quality has become one of the most discussed issues in modern facilities management. Yet many buildings that proudly display environmental certifications still fail to deliver genuinely healthy environments for their occupants.

The clearest indicators of poor indoor air quality and the associated return on any investment in improving air quality are human behaviour.

Facilities managers and human resources departments increasingly observe patterns of absenteeism associated with building occupancy. The phenomenon sometimes described as “Friday absenteeism” or late-week fatigue has been reported in many workplaces.

Employees may experience headaches, fatigue, respiratory irritation or cognitive impairment 42

MAY 2026

that improves after time away from the building.

Environmental investigations increasingly show that ventilation failures, humidity imbalance, microbial contamination or chemical exposure can contribute significantly to these symptoms.

When HR data is reviewed alongside building conditions, patterns often emerge that point directly to environmental performance issues.

Occupants often become an early warning system, highlighting building problems long before technical inspections identify their source.

MEASURING COMPLIANCE Environmental certification schemes such as BREEAM and LEED have improved awareness of sustainability, ventilation and energy efficiency

in building design.

However, their indoor air quality requirements typically focus on a relatively small number of measurable pollutants, including carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. These indicators are useful, but they represent only a small portion of the environmental factors affecting occupant health.

Building-related illness rarely results from a single contaminant. In practice, it is usually linked to the interaction of several issues, including ventilation performance, moisture intrusion, microbial growth, chemical emissions from materials and poor hygiene within mechanical systems.

This creates a significant gap between certification compliance and the real performance of operational buildings.

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HIDDEN COMPLEXITY OF INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS Modern buildings contain thousands of chemical and biological compounds originating from construction materials, furnishings, cleaning products, electronics and outdoor pollution sources such as traffic emissions.

Many construction materials rely heavily on adhesives, coatings, plastics and synthetic fabrics. These materials can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for months or even years after installation.

Moisture intrusion introduces another layer of complexity. Damp materials can support microbial growth that produces spores, fragments and microbial VOCs rarely considered in routine air-quality testing.

Ventilation systems are designed to control these risks, yet they frequently become part of the problem. Poorly maintained air handling units, contaminated ductwork and neglected plenum spaces can accumulate dust, microorganisms and chemical residues.

Once disturbed or recirculated, these contaminants may spread throughout the building.

In large commercial properties, HVAC systems effectively become the lungs of the building. If they are contaminated or poorly maintained, they may distribute pollutants faster than they remove them.

In many buildings we inspect, ductwork that appears visually clean from access panels can still contain significant contamination deeper within the system or inside plenum spaces. These areas are rarely inspected during routine maintenance but can play a major role in redistributing contaminants.

CLOSING THE MAINTENANCE GAPS Routine maintenance of ventilation systems is essential, but the standards governing inspection and cleaning often fail to address the scale of contamination that develops over time.

Ventilation duct cleaning is frequently carried out to satisfy visual cleanliness standards rather than to reduce microbial or chemical contamination. Incredibly, sanitation may still be judged by the thickness of visible deposits rather than meaningful environmental measurements.

Air-handling units are sometimes disinfected using chemical agents without consideration of the residues or biological fragments left behind when microorganisms are killed. The result is that buildings may technically comply with maintenance schedules while still exposing occupants to complex mixtures of biological and chemical contaminants.

These problems rarely appear during routine inspections because contaminants

SPECIALIST SERVICES

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usually travel through airflow pathways rather than remaining visible on surfaces.

The most significant drivers of indoor contamination are airflow patterns, pressure differentials and mechanical circulation within the building.

EMERGING RISKS Indoor air quality is no longer limited to comfort and productivity as FMs must also consider emerging environmental risks.

Buildings are not passive shelters. They can trap contaminants, redistribute them through ventilation systems and expose occupants repeatedly over time.

In events involving toxic smoke, biological contamination or industrial accidents, mechanical ventilation systems may become the primary pathway through which hazards spread.

Emerging technologies are also introducing new challenges. Lithium-ion battery fires associated with electric vehicles and energy storage systems can release toxic gases, heavy metal particles, and dense smoke that can spread rapidly through buildings.

Once thermal runaway begins, these fires are extremely difficult to control and may produce contamination long after the initial event. These developments highlight the growing importance of airflow management, ventilation hygiene and contingency planning within facilities management.

INDUSTRY STANDARD ISSUES A further issue is how many building and maintenance standards are developed.

Committees responsible for writing standards often include contractors, equipment manufacturers and service providers.

This can mean that standards reflect operational practice or equipment capability, rather than the long-term health interests of building occupants.

Compliance, therefore, should never be assumed to guarantee a healthy building environment - independent assessment and critical evaluation (especially around the human behaviour being seen) remain essential.

PREVENTATIVE BUILDING HEALTH The most effective approach to indoor air quality is preventative rather than reactive.

Instead of responding only after complaints arise, facilities managers can identify environmental risks early and address them before they affect occupants.

Important steps include: Independent environmental inspections beyond routine maintenance.

Monitoring airflow, humidity and ventilation performance.

Improving hygiene standards within ventilation systems.

Identifying chemical emission sources within buildings.

Integrating occupant feedback and HR data into building management.

Preparing for emerging environmental hazards.

The objective is not to create alarm but to recognise that buildings are dynamic environments in which air movement, materials, and human activity interact continuously.

When these factors are managed properly, organisations often see tangible business benefits including improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, lower maintenance costs and healthier workplaces.

Five questions every FM should ask about Air Quality…

When was the ventilation system last inspected internally, rather than just visually from access panels?

Are ductwork and air-handling units cleaned to reduce contamination, or simply to satisfy visual cleanliness standards?

Do we monitor airflow balance, humidity and pressure relationships, or only temperature?

Have occupant complaints or HR absenteeism patterns been reviewed alongside environmental conditions?

If a contamination event occurred tomorrow — smoke, biological contamination or chemical release — do you understand how your ventilation system would distribute it?

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RECYCLING & WASTE MANAGEMENT

SIMPLER RECYCLING REVIEW Marking a year since Simpler Recycling came into effect, Martyn Hodgkinson, Senior Manager, Brand Commercialisation EMEA at Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) explains how to review progress to unlock capability Find out where things are failing - Your first step should be to understand what’s working and where things are breaking down. A ‘waste walk’ is a systematic tour of your facility to assess your current set-up, where waste’s being generated and how much, and where contamination may happen.

This takes out the guesswork, helping you to make informed decisions about improvements. Do this once a quarter and you’ll pick up on good and bad recycling trends and behaviours.

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impler Recycling, which came into effect last year, is designed to standardise waste collection and management across England, requiring all businesses with 10 or more full-time employees to separate their waste streams on site, prior to collection from a waste contractor.

After taking action to comply with the new regulations, Simpler Recycling has evolved from a pressing concern to an operational reality, but that’s not the end of the story.

You’ve invested in the bins, delivered training to your staff and updated your policies. The box has been ticked, and your facility is compliant. But while meeting the requirements laid out by Simpler Recycling is one thing, building a system that works, intelligently solving your waste management issues, is another entirely.

The system you built to comply with the changing regulations could inadvertently be the cause of hidden costs, lost productivity and growing inefficiency.

It can be hard to spot, but this gap can impact your facility in several ways: Contamination - Low recycling rates and cross-contamination are a surefire sign that something is wrong with your system. One piece of plastic wrap in the cardboard stream, food in your mixed recycling and your carefully separated waste ends up contaminated and can

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lead to increased costs from your waste management contractor.

Lost productivity - A key concern is the impact of waste management systems on productivity. The way that your system was designed, right down to the placement of your bins, can have a massive impact, as centrally or poorly located bins can force staff to make multiple trips to properly dispose of waste. Even if those trips only take a few minutes, those small inefficiencies can quickly add up, especially if they are replicated across an entire facility.

Inefficiency - Poorly designed systems create additional work as people are forced to spend time fixing errors, managing overflowing bins, and checking waste that should have been separated at the point of collection.

GOING BEYOND COMPLIANCE Compliance shouldn’t be viewed as a finish line but as a foundation on which you can build and refine your waste management systems. No matter how much thought, planning and preparation went into its creation, the waste management you put in place to meet the requirements of Simpler Recycling may be already outdated.

If you want to elevate your waste management system, here are some simple steps you can take:

Clear labelling - Iconography, colourcoding and custom signage are key to effective labelling, a vital tool to help people separate waste correctly at the point of collection and significantly reduce disruption and contamination, so consult employees to find out if your labels are effective.

The right bins for the job - Compact solutions with narrow footprints and modular designs mean recycling can work within your space, not against it. Choosing the right bin for the environment will ensure that your people can effectively separate waste at the point of collection, wherever they are in your facility.

Industrial-grade solutions - Cheap solutions such as budget bins may not be tough enough to stand up to the rigours of day-to-day work. This could lead to FOD (Foreign Object Debris)

hazards and contamination crises. No one wants to have to replace items after only a year in use. But replacing substandard bins with industrial-grade solutions now, will be well worth it in the long run.

Re-engage your people - To be effective, education needs to be continuous. Is the training you delivered when Simpler Recycling was first rolled out already been forgotten?

Without ongoing support, fatigue sets in and even the best systems can fail.

Re-engage your people, help them to understand the real, visible benefits of recycling so that it moves beyond a tick-box exercise to become a shared cultural commitment.

THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW A year on from its implementation, the direction of travel that started with Simpler Recycling is clear. With more legislative changes slated for 2026 and beyond, waste management is going to be an ongoing concern for some time to come.

Compliance is important, but it’s only a starting point. Facilities that treat recycling as an opportunity rather than an obligation can unlock genuine benefits from lower costs to increased productivity. But the time to act is now, and facilities that take steps to review and refine their recycling will be the ones best positioned to adapt to the changing legislative landscape.

MONTH IN FM

FMJ.CO.UK

NORTHWOOD RE-LAUNCHES LEONARDO WASHROOM BRAND N

orthwood Hygiene Products Ltd – the leading manufacturer and supplier of away-from-home (AfH) professional paper hygiene and wiping products – has re-launched its Leonardo brand, which now includes a brand new range of commodity washroom dispensers. The brand was officially unveiled at Interclean Amsterdam 2026.

Providing end users with a trusted and affordable washroom brand, the high-capacity Leonardo range of dispensers and paper products delivers hygiene, whilst achieving competitive cost-in-use.

The range, which is well-suited to a wide variety of washrooms across the commercial, services, education and healthcare sectors, has been updated and introduces transparent white dispensers for the first time to allow for easy monitoring of soap and paper supplies.

Paul Mulready, marketing manager at Northwood, says: “Leonardo is back by popular demand, but this time, it’s even better! When re-developing the range, we looked at what matters most to customers – hygiene, efficiency, affordability and sustainability – and Leonardo delivers on all fronts.

“The dispensers are sleek and well-engineered and are designed to work in perfect harmony with our trusted UK manufactured paper products - and they are all conveniently available from an established supplier that’s committed to keeping the miles that products have to travel to a minimum.”

Every dispenser in the Leonardo range is made from durable Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastic for scratch and impact resistance and are lockable to prevent theft and vandalism.

The range of toilet roll dispensers includes a jumbo roll and mini jumbo dispenser, a bulk pack dispenser, a twin toilet dispenser and a new centrepull dispenser.

The range of hand roll dispensers includes a roll towel dispenser, a hand towel dispenser, a

centrefeed dispenser and a new portable centrefeed dispenser, which can be conveniently moved and stored where needed.

Leonardo brings a diverse range of economy and premium paper products, which all meet the CHSA Soft Tissue Standard and carry the FSC® certification. Luxurious pure pulp products are also available, with embossed items providing additional comfort and style. There are also products made from recycled tissue within the range.

Leonardo hand towels are available in a number of formats, including roll, C, D and Z -Fold and there is even the White Flight C-Fold Hand Towel, which is soft, strong and flushable.

Dispenser contact areas are protected with an antimicrobial agent to inhibit the growth of microorganisms. The dispensers are wipe-clean and contactless units are available.

All Leonardo roll inserts, dispensers and used paper towels are compatible with Northwood’s Green Loop recycling service.

www.northwood.co.uk MAY 2026

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TO ADVERTISE IN MONTH IN FM PLEASE CONTACT DANNY.GRANGE@KPMMEDIA.CO.UK OR CALL 01322 476811

MONTH IN FM

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF DEDICATION AT FUEL STORAGE SOLUTIONS In an industry where the typical tenure for an engineer can be as little as 3–4 years, reaching two decades is an extraordinary achievement.

This month Stuart Burton, Senior Engineer, has achieved 20 years of service at Fuel Storage Solutions (FSS), the UK’ s leading provider of fuel storage systems and solutions.

Joining the business as Field Engineer just 4 years after its launch, Stuart has contributed significantly to the exceptional growth experienced

by FSS. He is known, and warmly welcomed, by customers across the UK. His expertise, dedication and professionalism have earned him tremendous respect among colleagues and clients alike as his knowledge of the fuel storage industry is second to none. Modest, self-effacing, and a true team player, Stuart is a man of few words and many actions.

He has a trademark style of delivery evidenced by his deep commitment to training, mentoring and supporting young engineers as they embark on their careers; he embraces continual improvements in Health & Safety, Education and Compliance cornerstones of the fuel industry. Above all, his ‘can do’ attitude means he is always the first to volunteer

for overtime, regardless of the job or location.

Reflecting on the milestone, Stuart shared: "I remember when I started at FSS and how it was

www.fuelstoragesolutions.co.uk

a major jump for me joining a business that was literally new. My early days were spent working with Jonathan Barnett, Managing Director, and I have fond memories of times spent together out on the road. I’m shocked about the 20 years milestone and my absolute heartfelt thanks go to all of the Directors in addition to Jonathan - Katharine Barnett, Finance Director, and Vince McCarry, Operations Director. Their support over the years, as well as that of the team, is remarkable. FSS is a true family business.”

Commenting Vince McCarry said: “I have always had great confidence in Stuart’s knowledge, experience and capability. His pressure testing of fuel tanks is legendary. There are very few people I’ve come across in my time in this industry with whom I’ve had (and continue to have) such an excellent working relationship. He hit retirement in July 2021 and chose to carry on working full time at FSS. “His motto in life – it’s ‘keeping going that keeps you going’! We hope that Stuart will continue to do what he does so exceptionally well for many years to come.”

sales@fuelstoragesolutions.co.uk 01274 813003

MAKITA LAUNCHES HEADTO-TOE WORKWEAR RANGE

ROBERT SCOTT INTRODUCES INDUSTRY-FIRST BIODEGRADABLE SOCKET MOP TECHNOLOGY

Makita has built a global reputation for tools that perform day in, day out, on demanding work sites. That same practical, performancefirst approach now defines the new Makita Workwear range - tough, considered and built for real working environments.

Developed by Castle Clothing - the team behind TuffStuff Workwear - and drawing on over 50 years of industry experience, the head-to-toe collection covers everything from base layers to outerwear, trousers, shorts and safety footwear, including dedicated womenswear sizes. Every piece is designed around the realities of site life: kneeling, climbing, lifting, stretching and working through all conditions.

The difference is in the detail - durable fabrics, high-quality components and smart detailing that improve comfort, flexibility and long-term wearability.

Performance features are built in where they matter most:

Engineered to the same standards tradespeople expect from Makita tools, the range delivers durability, comfort and technical performance without compromise. Makita Workwear launches in May 2026 through a network of dedicated trade stockists across the UK.

Robert Scott has become the first company in the UK cleaning sector to incorporate a biodegradable plastic additive into its mop socket design. This innovation means that Exel® sockets are designed to biodegrade in managed landfill environments, eliminating the environmental impact of traditional plastic components polluting the planet for hundreds of years.

A recent redesign to the socket is now saving 137 tonnes of plastic each year. In addition, the socket is made from durable polypropylene (PP); a type five plastic which can be recycled continuously into new products.

However, Robert Scott understands that products that can be recycled aren’t always recycled, especially considering regional discrepancies in recycling methods and complexities of waste streams. In many instances, these will be disposed of and can end up in landfill.

That’s why Robert Scott is now adding an innovative additive called BioSphere® to Exel® sockets, which speeds up the biodegradation process in managed landfill conditions. Plastics treated with the additive still have unlimited shelf life and are non-toxic.

Independent laboratory tests carried out by Eden Research Laboratory in accordance with ASTM D5511 are ongoing. After the first 12 months, the sockets have already degraded by 29.6%.

To watch the Biodegradable Socket Animation visit https://vimeo.com/1172136067?fl=ip&fe=ec)*

www.makitaukworkwear.com

www.robert-scott.co.uk

• CORDURA® reinforcements in high-wear areas • YKK® zips specified for durability • Ripstop fabrics for strength without unnecessary bulk • Durable PFC free water-repellent finishes for reliable weather protection • Dedicated use of recycled fibres and responsibly sourced 100% BCI cotton • Work-focused fits designed for movement and all-day comfort

info@robert-scott.co.uk

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01457 819400

MONTH IN FM

FMJ.CO.UK

PHS TEACRATE INVESTMENT REDEFINES THE CRATE WASHING MARKET phs Teacrate, the UK’s market leader in crate hire and washing services, has invested in new technology that redefines hygiene and sustainability standards in the UK’s crate market.

The new, next-generation tray & pallet washers set a new benchmark in sustainability for the sector by more than halving water usage during crate washing.

The new bespoke machine only uses six litres of water per hour, compared to the standard 15 litres per hour for older machines, offering huge water savings, it has been designed to deliver the cleanest, and be one of the most sustainable wash and dry processes in the market.

Based at phs Teacrate’s Curdworth facility, the new technology also gives the company unmatched speed and capacity in the crate washing market.

Made in the UK by experts Unitech, the new tray and pallet washing systems are manufactured from high grade stainless steel, using the latest hygiene technology to provide the highest quality clean, even

on the heaviest soiled totes and pallets.

Its unique wash and dry cycle prevents contamination, improves the lifespan of the products and ensures that all products comply with strict hygiene standards.

Victoria Rhodes, Managing Director at phs Teacrate, said: “This is a bold investment in next-generation

wash technology that is setting a new standard for hygiene, efficiency and sustainability. Our goal as a business is to always raise the bar and lead the way in sustainable, innovative practices.

“The machine features water recycling systems and the latest energy efficient technology to minimise water and energy consumption, creating the most sustainable wash process available.

“Businesses today demand compliance, speed, efficiency and eco-friendly solutions and our new crate & pallet washing machines are designed to deliver just that. It is taking phs Teacrate and our customers to the next level of best practice.” phs Teacrate, which is part of the phs Group, rents, pools & moves millions of crates per year. As well as offering a wash solution, Teacrate has extensive range of RTP solutions for hire and purchase, including attached lid containers, RPC’s, bale arm / stack nest containers, pallets, dollies, pallet collars, FLC’s, and roll cages, and by having their own extensive fleet over a next day delivery service!

www.teacrate.co.uk teacrateenquiries@phs.co.uk

DAIKIN APPLIED (UK) TARGETS FLEXIBLE VENTILATION WITH NEW VERTICAL DX AHU Daikin Applied (UK) has launched a floor-standing Vertical DX air handling unit (AHU) designed to simplify ventilation in large, complex buildings while supporting low-carbon operation.

Aimed at facilities managers responsible for large or complex buildings, the plug-and-play unit offers a decentralised approach to air treatment. By delivering conditioned air closer to occupied zones, it improves control, reduces energy losses and responds more effectively to changing occupancy.

The system integrates with Daikin VRV and ERA platforms and features a factory-installed direct-expansion (DX) kit, eliminating the need for secondary water circuits. This helps reduce installation complexity, footprint and energy use.

Its compact, floor-mounted design supports faster retrofit installation with minimal disruption, while BMS compatibility enables straightforward integration into existing building systems.

Daikin Applied says the unit offers a practical route to improving ventilation performance without major infrastructure changes. www.daikinapplied.uk

BRITANNIA FIRE LAUNCHES AVD FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND FIRE BLANKET TO TACKLE RISE IN LITHIUM-ION FIRES Britannia Fire, a global leader in the manufacture of composite fire extinguishers, has announced the launch of two new products designed to tackle lithium-ion battery fires: a 6-litre AVD fire extinguisher and an AVD fire blanket. The product development comes in response to a sharp increase in UK incidents over recent years involving lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, e-bikes and scooters, consumer electronics and communication systems.

The new Aqueous Vermiculite Dispersion (AVD) fire extinguisher is the latest addition to Britannia Fire’s popular P50 range. All P50s are made from innovative, lightweight composite materials that resist corrosion and require minimal servicing. The P50 AVD contains a water-based extinguishing fluid mixed with vermiculite particles, specifically formulated for combatting lithium-ion battery fires.

As the ideal complement to the P50 AVD, Britannia Fire’s AVD fire blankets have been designed as the first barrier to help contain and control lithium-ion battery fires. Made from specialist high-silica glass fibres, with flame and heat-deflecting surface coatings and an oxidised base fabric, the blankets can be placed over a burning battery-powered device to help contain flames, block heat radiation and prevent the fire from spreading. The P50 AVD can then be discharged under the blanket edge to cool and extinguish the fire. www.britannia-fire.co.uk sales@britannia-fire.co.uk

MAY 2026

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TO ADVERTISE IN MONTH IN FM PLEASE CONTACT DANNY.GRANGE@KPMMEDIA.CO.UK OR CALL 01322 476811

MONTH IN FM

HÖRMANN SPU F42 DOOR DELIVERS RELIABILITY AND PERFORMANCE FOR RNLI LIFEBOAT STATION Hörmann UK industrial trade partner, Norwichbased Cooks Doors, has successfully completed the installation of a Hörmann SPU F42 sectional door at the RNLI Lifeboat Station in Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire. Designed to perform in some of the UK’s most demanding environments, the new door provides the RNLI with a robust, reliable, and highly efficient solution to support its vital operations.

Measuring an impressive 7500 x 3650mm, the SPU F42 sectional door was specified for its strength, durability, and consistent performance in what is a challenging coastal setting. Manufactured from galvanised steel with a solid, double-skinned construction and a high-grade polyurethane foam core, the door offers excellent thermal efficiency, helping to maintain a stable internal environment within the lifeboat station. With a thermal insulation value of 1.2 W/m2K, the door helps reduce heat loss, supporting energy efficiency and creating a more comfortable working space for the RNLI crew.

Given the exposed coastal location, resistance to the elements was a key consideration. The SPU F42 achieves Class 3 performance for both wind load

and water tightness, helping to protect the station interior, equipment, and lifeboats from harsh weather conditions. Additional corrosion protection has been applied to the door fittings to further enhance longevity, ensuring reliable operation despite constant exposure to salty sea air.

The door is finished externally in Gentian blue (RAL 5010), complementing the lifeboat station’s appearance, while the off-white interior finish (RAL 9002) helps to brighten the internal space. Two rows of vision panels were incorporated into the design, allowing increased natural light into the building and improving visibility without compromising strength or security.

Operational reliability is critical for the RNLI, where rapid response times are essential. The SPU F42 is powered by a 400v three-phase operator, providing smooth, dependable day-to-day operation. In the event of a power failure, a manual hand chain ensures the door can be operated, maintaining access at all times. Safety has also been prioritised, with an integrated safety edge that automatically stops the door if an obstruction is detected, helping to protect personnel, vehicles, and equipment.

The installation of the Hörmann SPU F42 sectional door will help ensure that RNLI Mablethorpe are able to launch quickly and effectively in all conditions, ultimately helping them continue their lifesaving work along the Lincolnshire coast.

For further information on the Hörmann Industrial Sectional Garage doors visit https:// www.hormann.co.uk/industry-commerce-andpublic-authorities/industrial-doors/industrialsectional-doors/.

www.hormann.co.uk 01530 516868

CONDAIR STRIKES A CHORD WITH FORTH PIPE ORGANS Forth Pipe Organs, a specialist pipe organ builder, restorer and maintainer, has been incorporating Condair humidifiers into its projects for over 20 years. Serving a range of clients from large-scale performance venues to schools and church organs around the country, it helps protect instruments from the dangers of dry air, ensuring they remain mechanically stable and tonally consistent.

David Page, Director at Forth Pipe Organs, comments: “Pipe organs are constantly reacting to the air around them.

When humidity drops too low, timber components move, leather parts stiffen and tuning stability suffers.

What’s important for us in choosing a humidifier partner is having confidence that they understand the application and that the solution genuinely fits the environment we’re working in. Condair’s range gives us that flexibility.

Whether we’re dealing with a large performance venue or a much smaller, more challenging space, Condair’s humidifiers and application advice always help us find the right humidity solution.”

Steve Hale, Special Projects Contractor for Condair, comments: “When selecting the most appropriate humidification solution for a pipe organ project, it’s important to consider not just the size of the space, but how air moves through it and within the organ itself. Ensuring balanced humidity throughout the internals of the organ, rather than in just one area, is critical.” www.condair.co.uk uk.sales@condair.com

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01903 850200

INTERFACE EXPLORES TEXTILE ART AESTHETICS WITH NEW CRAFTED CONNECTIONS™ CARPET TILE COLLECTION Interface, Inc., the global flooring and sustainability leader, today launched its new textile artinspired carpet tile collection, Crafted Connections™. Featuring rich textures and subtle patterns, the collection brings warmth and character to today’s commercial spaces.

From traditional textures to bouclé and batik styles, woven aesthetics continue to gain favour across commercial environments. Crafted Connections offers three styles illustrating each of these visuals in one coordinated collection: Thread Lightly, Bound to Last, and Dual Effect. Each provides endless possibilities for layered design, with easy zoning and wayfinding across the coordinating styles.

The collection brings depth and visual interest to the floor, transforming neutral patterns into design statements. Designers can use Crafted Connections to create a refined foundation or introduce subtle accents that define space. . Thread Lightly: Captures the sophistication of weaving with a rich texture that brings depth to the floor. It is offered in 18 colourways. . Bound to Last: Makes a bold statement, drawing inspiration from outsized bouclé and mid-century tweeds. It is available in nine neutral colourways. . Dual Effect: Unites batik style with geometric patterning for modern floors, featuring dotted diagonals over a textured backdrop. It is offered in nine neutral colorways.

Crafted Connections is a low-carbon flooring solution and is Cradle to Cradle Certified® at the Silver level. www.interface.com interface.uk@interface.com

0800 313 4465

MONTH IN FM

FMJ.CO.UK

DAIKIN RENTAL SOLUTIONS ACCELERATES UK EXPANSION WITH MAJOR MULTI-TECHNOLOGY FLEET INVESTMENT Daikin Rental Solutions has announced a major expansion of its UK rental fleet, combining new high-capacity cooling systems, low-carbon heating solutions, process cooling equipment, and UK-manufactured air handling units to meet growing demand for flexible, high-performance temporary HVAC. The investment reflects increasing pressure on UK organisations to maintain operational continuity while responding to ageing infrastructure, rising temperatures, tighter regulation, and the transition to lower-carbon energy systems.

Building a next-generation rental platform Daikin Rental Solutions offers access to the latestgeneration factory-built systems, designed for efficiency, reliability, and seamless integration.

This approach enables customers to deploy modern HVAC solutions quickly, with performance and control aligned to permanent installations. All projects are delivered as fully managed packages, including system design, installation, commissioning, and ongoing support, ensuring minimal disruption and consistent operational performance.

for closed-loop systems and can support free-cooling strategies under suitable ambient conditions, reducing reliance on mechanical cooling and improving overall energy performance.

Supporting critical environments and process industries Demand for temporary HVAC is increasing rapidly across sectors where downtime is not an option.

To address this, Daikin has significantly expanded its high-capacity cooling capability with the introduction of 800kW and 1MW inverter-driven screw chillers, alongside a broader range of scroll heat pumps from 50kW to 500kW. These systems provide scalable, efficient cooling and heating for complex and highload applications. Complementing this, the addition of 250kW and 500kW Dry Air Coolers strengthens Daikin’s ability to deliver complete process cooling solutions. These units provide efficient heat rejection

Enabling the transition to low-carbon heating The expansion of Daikin’s heat pump rental offering enables customers to deploy low-carbon heating solutions for both planned upgrades and interim requirements. This provides a practical pathway to electrification without compromising operational continuity.

Expanding system capability with airside solutions To deliver fully integrated HVAC systems, Daikin Rental Solutions has also introduced a new fleet of purposebuilt air handling units, designed and manufactured in the UK. Engineered specifically for rental applications, the AHUs are optimised for rapid deployment, ease of installation, and reliable performance in demanding environments. The range includes 50kW vertical units and 100kW standard AHUs. This investment strengthens Daikin’s ability to deliver complete, airside and waterside solutions as part of a single, integrated rental package.

www.daikinrentalsolutions.uk 0345 565 2700

CCF CHAMPIONS COLLABORATION AND GREATER ACCURACY IN ESG REPORTING National interior building products distributor CCF has joined forces with manufacturer supply chain partners British Gypsum and Isover to highlight the growing importance of accurate carbon data within the construction supply chain.

Held at the Saint Gobain Solutions Centre on Portland Street in London, more than 30 main and subcontractors attended, including sustainability specialists Construction Carbon and environmental leads from across the UK. The event was part of CCF, British Gypsum and Isover’s wider Focused on Building for Good campaign, which promotes greater supply chain collaboration between manufacturers, suppliers, contractors and project teams.

Several speakers took the stage, with British Gypsum, CCF and Construction Carbon sharing insights into the challenges and opportunities surrounding carbon reporting. The session explored the increasing regulatory and commercial pressure on manufacturers to provide verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), and the complexities involved in producing this level of detailed product information.

A key challenge highlighted during the event was the

limited availability of reliable carbon data, with many organisations still relying on generic industry averages rather than verified manufacturer information.

Discussions throughout the day reinforced the need for greater transparency and traceability across supply chains to enable materials to be tracked from manufacturer through to installation on site.

Speaking on behalf of CCF was Head of Customer Sustainability Solutions and Sales Phil Monkman who outlined how the company has been working closely

with subcontractors, main contractors, industry specialists and the wider Travis Perkins Group to develop CONNECT, a carbon calculation tool designed to provide more accurate reporting than anything currently available in the market.

Representatives from CCF’s customer base were also in attendance, with BPC Interiors, an early adopter of the CONNECT tool, sharing first-hand experience of using CONNECT and how gaining access to more accurate product data is helping them manage waste, support early project acceptance and access rebate payments linked to carbon reduction.

Phil said: “CONNECT has been shaped in partnership with the people who will use it every day, so hearing from early adopters like BPC Interiors is invaluable. By combining verified manufacturer data from partners such as British Gypsum and Isover with CCF’s own supply chain insight, CONNECT gives contractors a clearer picture of their carbon impact and the confidence to make better informed decisions at every stage of a project.”

For more information visit www.ccfltd.co.uk/ content/focused-on-building-for-good and download the whitepaper.

www.ccfltd.co.uk MAY 2026

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MONTH IN FM

DAIKIN APPLIED EXPANDS R-290 CHILLER AND HEAT PUMP PORTFOLIO FOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL HVAC Daikin Applied (UK) has expanded its portfolio of R-290 (propane) chillers and heat pumps, introducing a new generation of systems designed to support decarbonisation across commercial, industrial and mission-critical HVAC applications.

The extended range combines natural refrigerant technology with modular system architecture and advanced safety engineering, enabling building owners and operators to transition to lower global warming potential (GWP) solutions while maintaining the reliability and efficiency required for large-scale plant installations. The portfolio spans capacities from 17 kW up to 2,000 kW, supporting a wide range of hydronic cooling and heating requirements.

Propane (R-290) is a natural refrigerant with an extremely low GWP and zero ozone depletion potential, making it an increasingly attractive option as the HVAC industry responds to tightening environmental regulations and ambitious decarbonisation targets across the built environment.

Integrated safety engineering Because R-290 is a flammable refrigerant, safety considerations are central to the design of these

systems. Daikin has addressed this through a comprehensive engineering approach known as the Daikin Safety Shield, which integrates multiple layers of protection throughout the unit.

Modular design for large-scale installations For higher capacity applications, the portfolio includes the EWYK-QZ modular heat pump range, designed for scalable plant installations.

Using a modular architecture, multiple units can be combined to deliver capacities of up to 2,000 kW, operating together as a single integrated system. This approach allows designers to match installed capacity closely to project requirements while retaining flexibility for future expansion.

Extending the portfolio across a wider

capacity range Complementing the modular systems, Daikin has also introduced the EWA(Y)K-CZ monobloc range, which covers capacities from 17 to 85 kW and is available in both cooling-only and heat pump versions. These compact air-to-water units are suited to smaller commercial buildings, light industrial applications and distributed hydronic systems, where a compact footprint and installation flexibility are important.

They can also be deployed as part of distributed plant strategies or to support satellite cooling and heating loads within larger facilities.

Advanced plant control For complex installations, system control operates on two levels. Within a single array of modules, a built-in multi-unit sequencer coordinates operation across the individual units. Where several arrays are combined, plant performance can be optimised using the Daikin Intelligent Chiller Manager (iCM). This platform manages load distribution, sequencing and system optimisation across multiple units to maintain efficiency and ensure continuity of service in largescale applications such as hospitals, data centres and industrial facilities.

www.daikinapplied.uk

JPC BY SAMSIC LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE JPC by Samsic, London’s premium concierge-led cleaning provider, has launched a fully redesigned website at jpcbysamsic.uk, creating a digital platform that reflects the scale and standard of buildings the company supports across the capital.

The new site replaces a legacy platform that no longer represented the quality of JPC’s operations or the calibre of buildings in its portfolio. From The Leadenhall Building and Regent’s Place to Here East and the Pontegadea portfolio, JPC maintains some of London’s most recognised commercial landmarks.

Today the company supports millions of square feet of commercial real estate across London, working with leading landlords, developers and property managers to maintain some of the capital’s most demanding buildings.

The redesigned website has been built to mirror that environment, offering a modern and immersive experience that brings visitors inside the buildings, teams and operational standards that define JPC’s work.

“Our standards are non-negotiable. Every building we look after is treated as a landmark, and this website is an extension of that standard,” said Adam Black, Director of Sales and Marketing at JPC by Samsic. “We wanted a platform that shows exactly what we do and why the biggest names in London property trust us to deliver it.”

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COMMUNITY HUB BENEFITS FROM TORMAX ENERGY SAVING AUTOMATIC DOOR Recently redeveloped, the Sutton Life Centre is a vibrant community and education hub in South London, offering a blend of learning, leisure, and civic facilities. TORMAX was contracted to work with façade specialist Sealtite Windows, alongside main contractor Thomas Sinden, to design, manufacture and install a new automatic entrance solution.

Powered by iMotion door drives, two sets of bi-parting automatic sliding doors work in tandem to create a thermally efficient lobby. Further contributing to reduced heat loss from the building, the outer set of sliding doors incorporates the technologically advanced TORMAX LR32 Secure + Therm profile. This system has a very narrow, compact design with circumferential seals that reduce the exchange of cold and warm air.

As a busy public destination welcoming schools and community groups throughout the year, dependable and inclusive access was a key design requirement. The new entrance effortlessly combines security, energy efficiency and long-term operational performance for this high-traffic public access point.

At the heart of the installation is TORMAX’s advanced iMotion drive technology. Featuring low-wear, brushless synchronous motors with intelligent microprocessor control, the operators offer smooth, near-silent operation while continuously self-monitoring to optimise performance and reduce maintenance requirements.

https://jpcbysamsic.uk/

www.tormax.co.uk

0207 324 37400

sales@tormax.co.uk

MAY 2026

01932 238040

FMJ.CO.UK FACILITIES MANAGEMENT JOURNAL

JOBS

FM CAREERS - PEOPLE ISS UK&I APPOINTS GREG NICOLL AS GENERAL COUNSEL ISS UK & Ireland has appointed Greg Nicoll as General Counsel, effective 1 June 2026. Nicoll will report to ISS UK & Ireland CEO Scott Davies and will join the company’s Country Leadership Team (CLT) and ISS Group’s global Legal community.

In his new role, Nicoll will lead the UK & Ireland Legal team as it supports the achievement of ISS’ strategic objectives. In particular, he will strengthen ISS’ commercial, market, regulatory and internal risk identification, mitigation, and management framework, while also bringing his prior experience to bear by revisiting and optimising the company’s legal obligations throughout the commercial lifecycle.

Nicoll joins ISS in the summer from Serco, where he has held a range of commercial and leadership positions over a 13-year period, including General Counsel (UK & Europe), Commercial Director (UK & Europe) and for the last five years, Chief Legal & Risk Officer (UK & Europe).

ADRIAN MOLE APPOINTED CEO OF ROBERTSON’S REBRANDED FM BUSINESS Robertson Group has appointed Adrian Mole as the CEO of its rebranded FM business, RFM. Mole has worked at Robertson for the last eight years, most recently as Executive Managing Director of Robertson Facilities Management. With over three decades of industry experience, Mole has been instrumental in driving the success of the facilities management offering by securing and delivering major contracts while supporting expansion across the UK. In his new role, he will oversee the next phase in the development of RFM which will continue to deliver within both the hard and soft FM markets and further expand its offering in energy management and decarbonisation.

SIMI GANDHI-WHITAKER JOINS ARCUS FM

Arcus Facilities Management has appointed Simi Gandhi-Whitaker to the role of Managing Director for Account Management, where she will drive the company’s market presence.

Gandhi-Whitaker joins the business with a wealth of account management experience gained from a long career in FM. She has held leadership roles at Carillion, Galliford Try, EMCOR UK and most recently at Mitie. Across all of these roles she has built high performing teams with a focus on ensuring the customer has exceptional experiences.

Passionate about developing and embedding cultures of compliance, safety and sustainability, she has recent experience driving digital adoption and modern FM methodologies to drive continuous improvement, service delivery, and lasting value for her customers.

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FACILITIES MANAGEMENT JOURNAL

JOBS

FM CAREERS - RECRUITMENT

AI-ENHANCED HIRING LANDSCAPE Habiba Khatoon, Director of Robert Walters Midlands delves into the benefits and pitfalls of the increasing application of AI in UK hiring

A

I is now an embedded part of hiring practices across the UK. Employers are using these tools to draft job adverts, streamline communications, as well as screen and match profiles, while jobseekers are crafting their CVs with AI, receiving real-time interview assistance and applying for roles en masse.

Both sides are reaping the benefits in terms of speed and productivity, but they must now navigate new risks of bias and eroding authenticity.

In this current environment, employers who prioritise balance will gain the competitive edge.

This means auditing AI tools to get consistent results, keeping humans at the heart of decision-making for fairness and trust and using AI to enhance and not detract from the candidate experience.

HOW AI TOOLS ARE TRANSFORMING RECRUITMENT Screening, matching and ranking – Job ads are receiving more applications than ever, making effective shortlisting more vital but even more challenging. AI-powered screening tools promise pace and consistency by instantly reading job descriptions and ranking candidates against them.

These systems do still carry significant risks in

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amplifying bias at scale and losing the contextual nuance that only humans can provide.

Tools include LinkedIn’s Hiring Assistant, SeekOut, Eightfold AI and Entelo.

AI-powered candidate engagement - Candidate communication is one of the fastest-moving areas of AI adoption. Outreach once relied on recruiters drafting every message, now, new tools can generate personalised emails in seconds. Early adopters are already seeing increased response rates and faster replies as a result, with emerging data suggesting that candidates are responding 10 per cent faster. However, success relies on structured human oversight to keep AI-generated messages accurate and relevant.

Tools include LinkedIn AI Assisted InMail, Copilot.

Instant job ad copywriting – Before AI, recruiters would spend hours crafting and adapting templates, finding the right tone and tailoring language to attract the right people. Today, AI can generate polished ads in seconds. With tools like Textio flagging biased phrasing (e.g. “competitive” skewing male, “supportive” skewing female).

Yet an overreliance on these AI outputs without the necessary refinements risks stripping ads of an employer’s unique voice and introducing avoidable errors.

In February 2024, Robert Walters launched a bespoke AI Ad Writer trained on our recruiters’ best practice. It reduced time spent on creating ads from one hour to 90 seconds, giving our teams more space to refine and perfect. Within the first three months of introducing the tool, our AI-written ads received 68 per cent more applications.

GROWING RISKS Artificial intelligence is being woven directly into daily hiring processes, in turn creating new skillsets for both recruiters and hiring managers. Copilot, ChatGPT or Claude all demand prompting knowhow which is shifting hiring skills from writing to directing.

Regardless, it remains crucial these tools aren’t leant on as a standalone solution. As AI does more, there is a danger of removing a crucial layer of human insight that distinguishes true fit from mere ‘algorithmic’ match.

The more employers use AI to filter prospective hires, the more jobseekers will use it to beat the filters. This could lead us closer to recruitment processes that are effectively AI interviewing AI, introducing additional risks like amplified bias,

overlooked candidates, and ultimately, poorer hiring decisions.

A CONSISTENT HUMAN THREAD Human judgement must remain a constant within processes, even as AI usage increases. To achieve an accurate assessment of a prospective employee’s suitability, certain elements should be nonnegotiable: In-person interaction.

Live exercises.

Portfolio reviews.

Peer or panel introductions.

Skills-based assessments.

Specialist recruitment partners play a pivotal role in helping to reduce the noise through producing strong, succinct shortlists of appropriately skilled professionals.

We believe human interaction is where the real differentiation happens, by meeting all of our candidates face-to-face, we can discover the qualities that go beyond what’s written in an online application.

The strongest candidate for the job isn’t always the one who looks strongest on paper, and you would never spot that from a CV alone, particularly an AIenhanced one.

FINAL THOUGHTS AI is undoubtedly transforming hiring processes.

However, without careful application organisations risk weakening trust in their own processes.

The most effective approaches will be those rooted in human judgement, ethical usage, and transparency.

AI should be used to clarify hiring, not replace it.

Technology can optimise, but our insight is the factor that will ensure the right decisions are made and the best people are hired.

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT JOURNAL

JOBS

FM CAREERS - TRAINING

TRAINING PUZZLE A

A series of surveys on training trends have revealed a disconnect between the training on offer and the value of the training being delivered. Sara Bean reports

ccording to the IWFM, training in facilities management is responding to the advances in technology by taking a more data-driven, strategic, and sustainable model, requiring a shift from operational maintenance to managing digital systems, AI, and environmental impact.

However, new research by Bidvest Noonan has revealed a training paradox which could be undermining these modernisation efforts. The report highlights a significant gap between technology ambition and its successful adoption in the FM sector.

Bidvest Noonan surveyed 110 senior FM decisionmakers with authority over technology investment, managing estates ranging from 20,000 to over 500,000 square feet across the UK and Ireland. The findings revealed that human factors, not technology itself, are key limitations to success.

While 64 per cent of FM leaders cite inadequate training and change management as a primary cause of technology underperformance, only nine per cent identified it as a critical factor when reflecting on technologies that had succeeded. Bidvest Noonan describes this gap as the 'training paradox'.

Phil Darcy, Head of Data & Emerging Technologies at Bidvest Noonan, said: “Our research reveals a troubling contradiction. When technologies underperform, inadequate training is among the top causes cited, yet it ranks lowest among the factors that organisations prioritise for success. Closing that gap should be a priority for any organisation investing in technology.

“The data shows something important here, almost half of FM leaders identify skills and capability

gaps as a major barrier, while only one in seven cite staff resistance to change. This tells us that what looks like resistance is actually a capability issue.

People lack confidence in their ability to use new technology effectively, which can result in hesitation or pushback.”

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SKILLS DEFICITS Differences in skills training have been revealed in the IWFM Market Outlook survey which suggests that the public and private sectors may be dealing with significantly contrasting skill deficits within their organisations. It found that the biggest skills gap around data analysis is in the private sector, with 43 per cent of FMs reporting a gap compared with 30 per cent in the public sector.

This contrast between public and private sectors is even more stark in the sustainability and energy management skills category. Here, just 17 per cent of public sector FMs reported a skills gap in the area, compared with 40 per cent in the private sector. This area of skills showed the biggest variation between public and private sector responses.

By contrast, asset management is an area where private sector FMs were less concerned than their public sector counterparts; 25 per cent of private sector FMs talked of having a skills gap in this area compared with a sizeable 47 per cent of public sector respondents.

Responses also suggested public sector deficits compared with the private sector in technical proficiency, soft skills, and finance skills. By contrast, the private sector did better than the public sector

in terms of project management, procurement and general digital skills, although these gaps were less pronounced.

VALUE FOR MONEY Determining which skills are of most value is a key challenge in delivering workplace training. A report by compliance training provider Skillcast reveals that streamlining basic and mandatory staff training and stepping up ‘high value’ skills development in the workforce could make up for an estimated 21m working hours which is currently being “lost” a year on training that only enables employees to meet the minimum requirements for their job. This costs an estimated £416 million per year, or 11,147 full-time equivalent roles.

Of the 11 sectors analysed, business services topped the list, spending 3.3m hours – or £65.3m – on basic and mandatory training. Hospitality ranked second at 2.8m hours (£55m), followed by wholesale and retail at 2.6m hours (£51.4m).

The figures were compiled by Skillcast as part of its Lost Hours Report – a sector-by-sector study examining where mandatory training is eating up working hours, and how they can be reclaimed.

Training on health and safety may be non-negotiable – but the report argues that it could be delivered more efficiently without compromising quality and effectiveness. This would free up staff to focus on building ‘high value’ supervisory, managerial or technical skills that help businesses be more productive, innovative and profitable.

“Inefficient training comes with a hefty price tag for businesses, and the UK economy” says Vivek Dodd, CEO of Skillcast. “It’s not just the time and money spent on training itself but the missed opportunities to develop employees’ skills in a way that delivers value.

“Essential training doesn’t have to be timeconsuming, in fact, it’s often better when it’s not because employees are more likely to engage in it.

Targeted sessions, based on an individual’s skills requirements and role, ensure they’re meeting the standard while also giving them back time for building their professional and specialist skills.”

MAY 2026

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FM CAREERS - NEWS

London office workers want better quality workspaces, not superficial perks According to research from independent property consultancy, BPS London, 63 per cent of office workers said they would be more willing to work from the office more regularly if their workplace was more modern, comfortable and better equipped.

Just 47 per cent said they enjoy their current office environment, with the remainder describing it as simply “okay” or worse.

Better outdoor space was one of the most attractive workplace improvements, alongside more comfortable breakout areas, gyms and wellbeing facilities, and quiet areas where employees could work away from the noise and distraction of the wider office. Better ventilation, improved technology and more natural light also ranked highly amongst London workers.

The survey also found that workers would rather see employers invest in higher quality office facilities and design, as well as more wellbeing benefits outside of the office, than in staff perks or gifts, office parties and social events, or free lunches.

The firm believes that while employers continue to focus on superficial perks, many workers are looking for workplaces that support their wellbeing, productivity and day-to-day experience, particularly in the post-pandemic era where employees have become more selective about when and why they travel into the office.

Over a third of managers lack confidence on neurodiversity adjustments More than a third (35 per cent) of HR and compliance professionals say managers in their organisation lack confidence when discussing reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent employees, according to a survey from compliance eLearning provider VinciWorks.

With at least one in seven people in the UK estimated to be neurodivergent, the confidence gap among those responsible for managing them carries significant workforce implications. Almost a third (31 per cent) of the same group identified staff lacking awareness as the single biggest obstacle to improving support for neurodivergent employees, and over a fifth (22 per cent) cited manager confidence. The data suggests organisations may be measuring intent rather than outcome, rating themselves on the existence of policies rather than on whether those policies are reaching the one in seven employees who are neurodivergent.

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MAY 2026

MAJORITY OF CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS SEE AI AS RETENTION ENABLER, NOT JOB THREAT

More than half of construction professionals would be more likely to stay with their current organisation if it significantly increased its investment in AI and technology tools, with one in four saying they would be significantly more likely to stay. This is according to a new survey across 14 countries in Europe, the Middle East and AsiaPacific by PlanRadar.

The research suggests construction professionals do not view AI as a threat to jobs, with fear of job displacement ranked last of all concerns globally, cited by just six per cent of respondents. Instead AI is seen as a practical answer to the pressures that define the working day. Nearly half of respondents spend 11+ hours a week on work they believe AI could reduce or streamline. Among those already using AI-integrated tools, two-thirds report saving at least two hours per week, per project.

Rob Norton, UK Director at PlanRadar, commented: “We’ve reached a point in UK construction where a pay rise alone just isn’t enough to keep hold of your best people.

They don’t want AI to do their jobs for them; they want it to clear the paperwork off their desks so they can focus on high-value project delivery. If firms keep ignoring that, they’re going to lose their most experienced leaders to the competitors who are actually willing to modernise these outdated manual processes.”

Survey suggests workplaces not fit for purpose in the era of hybrid working A survey from Diamond Interiors found that staff spend an average of 42 per cent of their time in face-to-face meetings and a further 28 per cent on confidential calls, meaning around 70 per cent of the working day is spent communicating. Despite this shift, most office environments remain heavily desk-focused, raising questions about whether workplaces are fit for purpose in the era of hybrid working.

The findings point to a growing demand for privacy in the workplace. Open-plan environments and informal collaboration spaces performed significantly worse than enclosed meeting rooms, suggesting employees are increasingly uncomfortable holding conversations in open settings.

Hannah Prescott of Diamond Interiors said: “We are seeing a real shift away from the idea that open-plan equals collaboration. In reality, people want spaces where they can focus, speak freely and not feel overheard. Designing for privacy, comfort and flexibility is becoming far more important than simply maximising desk space.”

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11/24/25 2:03 PM