THE MAGAZINE FOR THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF FACILITIES MANAGEMENT | 9 APRIL 2015
FMWorld www.fm-world.co.uk
SUSTAINABILITY
Taking the use of cardboard to new heights BUSINESS
More suppliers sign up to offer Living Wage
01_FrontCover_1.indd 1
How Airbus UK’s FM team in Filton has helped transform working lives
A HIGHER PLANE
30/03/2015 16:50
“Kay and her team provide a seamless outsourced switchboard service. The result? Lower costs, outstanding service levels.� Moneypenny client since 2010
Kay, Moneypenny Receptionist
Moneypenny will support your existing team by looking after RYHUćRZ FDOOV RU E\ SURYLGLQJ D IXOO\ RXWVRXUFHG VZLWFKERDUG IDFLOLW\ moneypenny.co.uk 0333 202 1005
TELEPHONE ANSWERING
p02_FMW090415.indd 2
PENELOPE PHONE SYSTEM
OUTSOURCED SWITCHBOARD
DIGITAL RECEPTIONIST
26/03/2015 10:48
VOL 12 ISSUE 7 9 APRIL 2015
CONTENTS
7| Workplace trends
18| FM flying high
24| Manipulating matter
NEWS
OPINION
FEATURES
06 BIFM in NHS Property Services partnership 07 Space to move affects our moods 08 Project of the fortnight: Bristol Airport refurbishment 09 Think Tank: Do you expect your organisation to make more of serviced offices in the coming 12 months? 11 News analysis: Government announces £11bn efficiency savings 12 Business news: Graeme Davies: Big outsourcers set to profit from shrinking state 13 CBRE confirms acquisition of Johnson Controls’ services arm 14 In Focus: Chris Cracknell, chief executive of OCS
16 Roger Amos asks how much office space we really need nowadays 17 Five minutes with Laurance Bird, director of Carpet Recycling UK
28| Operational involvement
18
A higher plane: The FM team at Filton helped to re-shape Airbus’s 118-acre engineering site – transforming the lives of 4,000 workers
24
Nano state: What are the pros and cons of specifying building products featuring a nanotechnology component?
28
Central intelligence: The transfer of knowledge from data centre construction to operations team requires a rethink
42
Workplace Conversations: Ideas for addressing the challenge of aligning workplace strategy with overall organisation strategy are now up for debate
MONITOR 33 Insight: Market intelligence 34 Legal update: Workwear – ask a professional 35 How to: M&E in education facilities 36 How to: Introduce vending to your business 37 How to: Improving concierge services
REGULARS 38 41 43 44 46
BIFM news Diary of events Behind the job Appointments Calls to action For exclusive online content including blogs, videos and daily news updates
visit fm-world.co.uk FM World Jobs – the best place to find FM career opportunities online
visit fm-world.co.uk/jobs For daily notice of the latest FM news and fresh FM World content, follow us on Twitter Cover image: ALAMY
visit twitter.com/fm_world FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 03
03_Contents.indd 03
31/03/2015 17:25
DAIKIN APPLIED SERVICE
Keeping businesses cool and customers comfortable As part of a global rebranding strategy McQuay Service, has announced that as of 1 April 2015 the company will now trade under the new name Daikin Applied Service.
For more information call (01322) 428 092 or visit www.daikinapplied.uk
p04_FMW090415.indd 2
26/03/2015 10:50
Redactive Publishing Ltd 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP 020 7880 6200 www.fm-world.co.uk EDITORIAL Tel: 020 7880 6229 email: editorial@fm-world.co.uk editor: Martin Read ⁄ news editor: Herpreet Kaur Grewal ⁄ reporter: James Harris ⁄ sub editor: Deborah Shrewsbury ⁄ consultant art director: Mark Parry ⁄ art editor: Daniel Swainsbury
MARTIN READ
EDITOR COMMENT
LEADER
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING email: sales@fm-world.co.uk senior display sales executive: Darren Hale (020 7880 6206) ⁄ display sales executive: Jack Shuard (020 7880 8543) / Case in Point sales: Greg Lee (020 7880 7633) recruitment sales: Sabmitar Bal 020 7880 7665 PRODUCTION production manager: Jane Easterman senior production executive: Aysha Miah PUBLISHING publishing director: Joanna Marsh Forward features lists and media pack available at www.fm-world.co.uk/about-us
ill Shankly, the manager of Liverpool Football Club between 1959 and 1974, was remarkably successful. He was also an irascible Scotsman with a reputation for making canny observations about football and life in general. Once, when told that the niceties of the off-side rule exempted those players not “interfering with play”, he responded thus: “If a player is not interfering with play, then he should be.” Well, quite right. Because when you put aside the arcane language used in the regulations, you’re left with the obvious – what is the point of a player’s presence on the pitch if he or she is not there to try and influence proceedings? I was reminded of Shankly’s famous aphorism when reading the welcome news recently that more big-name FM service providers have signed up as Living Wage providers. After all, what is the point of a company’s presence in a market if it’s not there to try and influence proceedings? The Living Wage commitment that these companies are making is (in the main) to those they employ directly in their central support functions. But as well as this, and of potentially more importance, they’re including Living Wage options in their bids with prospective and current clients (alongside ‘market rate’ proposals). This general move in the right direction should be lauded, and we shall watch with interest the moves that other service providers. The fact that we now have several big-name firms pushing this debate along can only be a good thing. It feels like the Living Wage argument has reached a point where the case in favour – as supported by all three of the largest political parties fighting this general election campaign – has suddenly become irresistible. As pro and anti-austerity arguments get batted back and forth, the grey area between the minimum and Living Wage might just become its own debating point in this election. If the campaign does indeed see the Living Wage getting the column inches it deserves, the nature of the debate could be just as interesting post-election. Having the issue of low pay in facilities services receiving a much higher public profile has to be a good thing. In a perfect world, the Living Wage debate will trigger the good old value-of-FM argument, forcing organisations to evaluate exactly what they’re paying for. And once they’re really obliged to delve into the minutiae, that evaluation might just involve a recognition of the influence the facilities service has beyond the tired old ‘needs-must’ commodity stereotype - leading to far-reaching consequences for (election phrase alert) ‘corporate Britain’. In this respect, the attention currently being lavished on the Living Wage is a huge deal. As a matter of fact, some people believe that winning the Living Wage argument is a matter of life and death. I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you, it is much more important than that.
B
SUBSCRIPTIONS BIFM members with FM World subscription or delivery queries should call the BIFM’s membership department on 0845 0581358 FM World is sent to all members of the British Institute of Facilities Management and is available on subscription to nonmembers. Annual subscription rates are UK £110, Europe £120 and rest of world £130. To subscribe call 020 8950 9117 or email fm@alliance-media.co.uk – alternatively, you can subscribe online at www.fm-world.co.uk/about-us/subscribe/ To order the BIFM good practice guides or the FM World Buyers’ Guide to FM Services visit www.bifm.org.uk/bifm/knowledge/ resources/goodpracticeguides. EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Simon Ball, business development director, Mitie ⁄ Martin Bell, independent consultant / Lucy Jeynes, Larch Consulting / Nick Cook, managing director, Avison Young ⁄ Rob Greenfield, health & safety business unit director, myfm ⁄ Ian Jones, director of facilities, ITV ⁄ Liz Kentish, managing director, Kentish and Co. ⁄ Josh Kirk, facilities manager, JLL ⁄ Anne Lennox Martin, FM consultant ⁄ Peter McLennan, joint course director, MSc Facility Environment and Management, University College London ⁄ Geoff Prudence, chair, CIBSE FM Group ⁄ Jeremy Waud, chairman, Incentive FM group⁄ Jane Wiggins, FM tutor and author Average net circulation 12,744 (Jul 13 – Jun 14) FM World magazine is produced using paper derived from sustainable sources; the ink used is vegetable based; 85 per cent of other solvents used in the production process are recycled © FM World is published on behalf of the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) by Redactive Publishing Ltd (RPL), 17 Britton St, London EC1M 5TP. This magazine aims to include a broad range of opinion about FM business and professional issues and articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the BIFM nor should such opinions be relied upon as statements of fact. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any print or electronic format, including but not limited to any online service, any database or any part of the internet, or in any other format in whole or in part in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher. While all due care is taken in writing and producing this magazine, neither BIFM nor RPL accept any liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein. Printed by Polestar Stones ISSN 1743 8845
BIFM ENQUIRIES
British Institute of Facilities Management Number One Building, The Causeway, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 2ER Tel: +44 (0)1279 712 620 Email: admin@bifm.org.uk Web: www.bifm.org.uk
www.fm-world.co.uk
05_Leader.indd 05
“The Living Wage argument has reached a point where the case in favour – as supported by the largest political parties in this election – has suddenly become irresistible”
FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 05
31/03/2015 12:39
FM NEWS SIGN UP FOR FM WORLD DAILY AT FM-WORLD.CO.UK
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PETER SEARLE/JOHN FOXX
BIFM in NHS Property Services partnership NHS Property Services Ltd, has announced a partnership with the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) to provide membership and professional development for 1,500 of its FM employees. NHS Property Services has one of the largest property portfolios in Europe and manages and maintains 10 per cent of the NHS property estate – equating to 4,000 NHS buildings. It is currently undertaking a major transformation project with the aim of driving efficiency through effective estates management and FM support services. It has cut the running costs of the property services it manages by £78 million since its inception in April 2013 – with every pound reinvested back into the NHS – and has created significant economies of scale, improved ways of working and a property services company with an £846 million turnover. The partnership will enable the BIFM membership to provide 1,500 nominated NHS Property Services employees with the information, guidance, networking opportunities and continuing professional development tools to develop their professional skills and competences. This partnership will see the two organisations working together to map development paths using the institute’s FM Professional Standards framework to identify skills gaps and training needs. A customised programme of formal development opportunities through BIFM qualifications and training will also be available for these members.
06 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
06_News.indd 06
Dennis Markey, COO of NHS Property Services, said: “This is a key partnership for us as we provide continued opportunities for our staff to enhance their skills and provide better services to our customers to benefit all those who use our healthcare facilities. We have already saved over £15 million in the last 12 months by improving FM delivery efficiency across the country and we need to further invest in our teams supporting their development to drive further savings.” Gareth Tancred, CEO, BIFM said: “NHS Property Services is at
Gareth Tancred: ‘“We are passionate about the shared vision”
the forefront of significant change in the way that the property portfolio within health services is managed. It is introducing benchmarks and management audits not just to performance and
price but also to staff learning and development. “Our professional standards are the essential roadmap for anyone in the FM profession who takes their career seriously.”
SECURITY
BBC uncovers fraudulent SIA applications Thousands of security guards could be working illegally in the UK, an undercover BBC investigation has claimed. In the BBC show Inside Out London, broadcast last month, reporters discovered that applications being put forward for Security Industry Authority (SIA) cards could be fraudulent. The SIA is the official body that regulates the private security industry in the UK. The programme said the selling of documents to help people obtain these security cards fraudulently “is rife within UK security industry”. Working as a bouncer, bodyguard or door supervisor without a special licensing card from the authority to show you have skills and training necessary for these roles in the security industry is a criminal offence.
Anyone working without a card risks a jail term of six months. According to video footage obtained in an undercover operation and testimonies from lawyers, security guards and bouncers, the BBC found that people were forging exams to
allow students to pass very serious qualifications. According to the programme there could be “tens of hundreds” of colleges offering “dubious courses” even to people who do not have the right to work in the UK. www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 15:05
NEWS
BRIEFS VAT relief is a ‘big win’
Space to move affects our moods Physical space arranged for a specific kind of work and interaction affects mood and stress levels, according to a speaker at the Workplace Trends conference in London last month. Mark Catchlove, director of Insight Group at office furniture company Herman Miller, said studies carried out by the American Claremont Graduate University Center for Neuroeconomics, on behalf of
the body, arranged three types of office settings: jump space, an area with work points that allow individual working but between other activities and with moderate foot traffic; cove, a more compact space near people’s desks but less busy and noisier; and Plaza, a more open public space at a highly trafficked office area. Researchers studied participants in groups of four and their physiology was monitored during
two tasks. Their physiological activity was measured by drawing blood so the hormones oxytocin (OT) and adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) could be measured to discern the participants’ moods. All three settings showed positive increases in the mood of participants after they completed the tasks set for them in the spaces. Participants in the cove and jump spaces had statistically significant increases in mood.
ISTOCK/ALAMY
Workplace an ‘afterthought to wellbeing’ The impact of the workplace on employee wellbeing is often overlooked by wellbeing and HR professionals, suggested speakers at the Workplace Trends conference in London last month. Other factors, such as the values of the organisation, the people and employees’ emotional wellbeing are considered more than the facilities and the physical workplace’s impact on an employee’s physical health and happiness. Alexi Marmot, AMA Alexi Marmot Associates, said: “Many people don’t think about the physical workplace. “In the Great Place to Work (awards), it’s about a great organisation, great people.” Marmot continued, explaining that most people assume the workplace is a typical office setting. “What about construction www.fm-world.co.uk
07_News.indd 07
The effects on staff of their physical workplace are often neglected
workers on a building site? Miners? Are we thinking about these people’s working environment when we talk about the workplace? “What conditions are ebola health workers subjected to? Or catering staff, or those who clean overnight?” Bridget Juniper, Work and Well-Being Ltd, said: “Workplace people are never present at the beginning of discussions on
wellbeing. FM and HR could make real progress working together.” The impact of facilities on wellbeing was high, according to research undertaken by Juniper. “People who usually own health and wellbeing [in an organisation] are occupational health, such as HR, but they are just not aware of [the impact of the] workplace. It’s not on their checklist of things to do.” Tom Helliwell of Pringles Brandon Perkins+Will, a consultancy organisation, asked if our buildings made us sick. “High air quality can result in an 18 per cent improvement on productivity,” he said. “Noise more than 80 decibels, then all work suffers.” Regardless, Helliwell urged constant communication with employees. “Always link back to people using the space.”
The Business Services Association (BSA) hailed the Budget measure to extend VAT relief for shared services as a “big win”. Chancellor George Osborne said the relief would be applied to nondepartmental public bodies. Mark Fox, chief executive of the BSA, said: “At the moment the private sector provider has to factor in an additional 20 per cent VAT when they pitch the cost of a contract bid. The change is a significant boost to the industry. “This opens the way for public sector bodies to explore innovative ways to deliver services, creating a level playing field with private sector providers.”
Chris Hoy at Facilities Show The organisers of the Protection & Management Series of exhibition events, of which Facilities Show 2015 is part, have secured Sir Chris Hoy MBE as a keynote speaker. Hoy joins Baroness Karren Brady and Sir Ranulph Fiennes as the third of the events’ inspirational speakers. He will take the stage at ExCeL London on the final day, Thursday 18th June, 11.30am. Brady is scheduled to speak on Tuesday 16th and Fiennes on Wednesday 17th. He will speak about the ‘marginal gains’ strategy with which he credits much of his success. With a total of six gold medals and one silver medal across three Olympic Games, Hoy is Britain’s greatest Olympian.
Sodexo/NHS deal is over Sodexo’s contract with Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals (BSUH) to provide soft FM services including housekeeping, catering, portering and cleaning has been cancelled. Sodexo and BSUH are working towards an expiry date of 31 July 2015. The original five-year deal, had an option to extend for a further two years but has been cancelled two years earlier than planned. FM services at BSUH will be provided in-house by the trust on expiry. A Sodexo spokesman said changed priorities meant that the contract in its current form was no longer workable for either party. Greg Austin, HR director for Sodexo’s healthcare division, said: “We are working closely with BSUH to ensure a smooth transition of services.” FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 07
31/03/2015 17:26
FM NEWS SIGN UP FOR FM WORLD DAILY AT FM-WORLD.CO.UK
PROJECT OF THE
FORTNIGHT NEWS BULLETIN
Business data ‘often poorly interpreted’ Organisations are not getting the full value from information and data collected, according to a survey. Research from information management consultant Iron Mountain suggests that 89 per cent of UK business leaders do not understand what their information managers do. More than half of information managers who responded to the survey admitted that they do not know what senior business leaders require from the information gathered. Just 10 per cent of business leaders surveyed said they had complete confidence in their organisation’s ability to get the most from its information. Sue Trombley, director of professional services at Iron Mountain, said: “In today’s knowledge-driven world our study has revealed an unexpected obstacle on the road towards return on information. “This must be addressed as a matter of urgency if organisations are to have any chance of extracting the full value from their data.” Iron Mountain surveyed 900 business leaders and information managers in the UK. The full research can be found at tinyurl.com/ironmountainrisk.
BRISTOL AIRPORT REFURBISHMENT PROJECT: Installation of terminal reception space CONTRACTOR: Beacons Business Interiors (Bbi) DESIGN: Tobia Design COST: £300,000 TIME TO COMPLETION: 1 year (nine-week installation)
Airport refurb on shortlist Beacons Business Interiors (Bbi) has completed a £300,000 revamp of Bristol Airport's former terminal reception space, which has resulted in the project being shortlisted for an industry award. Reclaimed aircraft parts, including wing tips and sections of fuselage from Cirencester Airport, were incorporated in the new design of the 750 square-metre reception space. Wing tips were installed with lighting and suspended from the atrium ceiling, and seating from inside the planes was placed in the reception area. A welcome desk and coffee table were created from former engine intake cowls mounted with plate glass, and panels of the fuselage were mounted onto walls to create lighting features throughout the space. Bbi also installed high-specification flooring throughout the reception to deal with the high volume of footfall, and a commercial kitchen as part of a café and informal meeting area. Andy Graham, group executive chairman at Bbi, said: “The renovation of Bristol Airport’s former terminal has been an exciting project for our team, who have pushed creative and strategic boundaries to the next level.” The project has been shortlisted for a Design Through Innovation Award at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) South West Awards. The winner will be announced on 15 May. This was the second project that Bbi has completed for Bristol Airport, following the redesign of its control centre in 2013. Bbi is also currently working to refurbish the bar area in the airport’s main departure lounge – a project worth £280,000 that is due to be completed this month. 08 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
08_News.indd 8
Global FM announces World FM Day 2015 Global FM has announced Wednesday 10 June 2015 as the date for the 7th annual World FM Day. World FM Day is a day of worldwide celebration of facilities management (FM) during which FM professionals, teams, companies and representative bodies take part in highlighting the important role of FM. The focus for 2015 is ‘Building Resilience for the Future’. Duncan Waddell, chairman of Global FM, said: “Around the world we face a variety of challenges whether that’s political upheaval, energy crises, extreme weather or challenging economic conditions – and it’s great facilities management that can help us get through these challenging situations and mitigate the risk to businesses and the general public. “This year’s theme will help to reinforce and remind the business community, governments and the general public that FM professionals play a key role in building resilience and achieve this in a number of ways. We plan to demonstrate this through a series of events which will take place in our member countries.” Global FM will work with corporate supporter NJW, a provider of global workplace management technology and services, on the World FM Day initiative. NJW will be hosting a one-day conference in Central London focusing on Workplace Continuity, held on 10th June. Under the ‘Building Resilience for the Future’ theme, World FM Day events will cover aspects such as risk and business continuity, sustainability and energy management. Events celebrating World FM Day will take place over the week of the 8-12 June. Updates of these activities will be published on Twitter @WorldFMDay #WorldFMDay via the Global FM website www.globalfm.org, and the World FM Day page on Facebook.
Growth strategy sees Servest buy Pest Patrol Servest has acquired the pest control business Pest Patrol Limited as part of its growth and diversification strategy. The service provider identified Pest Patrol, a Sawston-based company that provides pest services throughout the UK, as being a good strategic fit for its existing business. Rob Legge, group chief executive officer UK and Europe at Servest, said: “The acquisition is part of our growth strategy to become one of the top five FM service providers in the UK.” Legge added: “I look forward to working with Pest Patrol’s senior management team on integrating the business into Servest.” Pest Patrol provides a range of pest, bird, fly and rodent prevention services. The company also provides insecticide treatments, cleaning and hygiene services as well as providing customers with pest control products. www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 16:34
FM NEWS
SIGN UP FOR FM WORLD DAILY AT FM-WORLD.CO.UK
THINK TANK
OUR READERS SAID… We asked our LinkedIn and mailing list members: Do you expect your organisation to make more of serviced offices in the coming 12 months? Research by serviced office provider the Instant Group suggests that the cost of desk space has grown by more than 10 per cent across the UK in the past year. Desk rates are up 11.4 per cent, with the number of serviced offices up 3.6 per cent. Growth in the number of such spaces across Central London was as high as 17 per cent, while Greater London now comprises 30 per cent of the national market. Nearly all of the largest markets have seen growth with respect to new centres, and corresponding increases in average workstation rates year on year. The Manchester market has increased by 9 per cent, with workstation rates increasing by 5 per cent. Aberdeen, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, and Cambridge have also shown significant increases in both
serviced centres and desk rates compared with previous years. We asked you if you expected your organisation to make more use of serviced offices in the next year. Over half of you said ‘yes’. One respondent said: “My organisation has dynamic accommodation needs as a result of short-term project growth, re-organisation and decant space. It is not economic to hold any more accommodation than is absolutely necessary at any one time due to tight budget restrictions. Hot/shared working spaces are already fully used in the portfolio, and so serviced offices meet these short-term or unforeseen needs in an efficient and effective way.” Only 10 per cent of you said you had the balance that you were seeking. But 38 per cent said serviced offices didn’t work for
No, serviced offices don’t work for us 38%
Yes, I expect my organisation to use more serviced offices 52%
No, we’ve got the balance we were seeking 10%
them; one respondent said this was “because we have a good balance across our UK businesses”. Others acknowledged that serviced offices offered advantages such as “great flexibility for short-term project space or to help get a business going whilst permanent offices are sought”, but remained wary of their use as “there are significant disadvantages to their continuous use, and risks too”. Said another respondent: “The quality of reception staff can be inconsistent and beyond the user’s control to fix. Shared facilities may not be available when you urgently need them.” Another argued: “There is low visibility of your business without
its name displayed for visitors. Rarely can you hang company posters and create your corporate style in a shared workplace.” One respondent said: “A risk is that the respectable address can become suddenly tainted if criminals are found to have been operating from the same shared offices.” Such centres can also be poor value when they are rented often. Said one respondent: “Frequent use may incur charges that are higher than regular rents over the long term with no advantage if not needing to make frequent office location or capacity changes.” Join the FM World Think Tank: www.tinyurl.com/fmwthinktank
GETTY
Staff wellbeing helps to maintain profits, claims report There is a direct relationship between wellbeing and healthcare costs, productivity and more, says a report by analyst Global Workplace Analytics. The paper, What’s Good for People? Moving from Wellness to Well-Being, explores how better workplaces, processes and practices can improve workplace wellbeing, employee engagement and organisational performance. The study starts from the premise that people are dealing with unprecedented stresses and pressures in the workplace that now need to be addressed in the context of a recovering economy, the limits of an approach that focuses on doing more with less and an increasingly scant pool of human www.fm-world.co.uk
09_News.indd 09
wellbeing. The indirect costs of poor health and wellbeing trump the direct costs by a wide margin. ● There is a direct relationship between wellbeing and healthcare costs, productivity and more. ● The top global drivers of wellbeing initiatives in the US are increasing productivity, improving engagement, reducing absenteeism and reducing cost. ● Workplace strategies that address employees’ physical, emotional and social wellbeing can increase employee engagement. resources and talents. The four main conclusions of the report are: Whereas most organisations invest in wellness, few address
●
“Employers who fail to recognise that times have changed face losing their top talent to more agile employers who understand that without great people – people
who are engaged in their work and eager to go the extra mile – there is no sustainable business model. Innovation ceases. “The pipeline vanishes. Customers go elsewhere. And stock performance tumbles,” write the authors. The report is based on 4,000 case studies, research papers, and other documents on how workplace strategies such as agile work, flexible work, activity-based work, hotelling, open-plan, and remote work can affect productivity, attraction and retention, profits, absenteeism and presenteeism, employee workplace wellness and wellbeing, engagement, satisfaction, sustainability, and and many other aspects. FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 09
31/03/2015 16:36
AVAIL ABLE THE
NEXT DAY!
THE NO.1 LEGAL FIRE DOOR
FROM ONLY
£
HOLD OPEN DEVICE • Accepted for use by fire authorities and complies with current BS standards • Releases door on activation of fire alarm • No wiring required
0808 168 28 28
EACH
When you buy 5+
10 COLOURS AVAILABLE
IDEAL FOR: Schools, hotels, hospitals and offices. Black Order Code: 919174680
FREEPHONE: 7am-8pm 7 days a week
92.00
ONLINE: Shop 24/7
IronmongeryDirect.com
Trade prices ex. VAT
Facebook.com/IronmongeryDirect @IronmngryDirect
ORDER BY 8PM GET IT N EX DAY! T
10 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
p10_FMW090415.indd 010
27/03/2015 12:22
FM NEWS ANALYSIS SIGN UP FOR FM WORD DAILY AT FM-WORLD.CO.UK
latest technological advancements such as real-time dynamic cooling and unique monitoring systems, all within secure compounds”. The new service will be available to the whole of government and the wider public sector and will seek to cut operational costs of running the estate. The three initial customers are the Department for Work and Pensions, the Home Office and the Highways Agency (operations), and each will be able to use the service on a ‘pay for what you use’ basis “which will avoid the risk of being locked into longterm, inflexible contracts”.
Flexing buying power
GOVERNMENT ESTATE STRATEGY
Government reports £11bn in property efficiency savings
GETTY
HERPREET GREWAL newsdesk@fm-world.co.uk
Just prior to the dissolution of Parliament, Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude announced that for the financial year 2014 to 2015 up to January 2015, the government had found £11 billion of efficiency and reform savings for its property portfolio compared with its 2009to-2010 baseline. This was an increase of a third from the same point last year, according to the State Of The Estate report. Savings include a mixture of recurring and nonrecurring items, and was set to be reviewed and verified at the end of the financial year by an independent auditor, as they have been in previous years. Benefits from fraud, error and uncollected debt reductions are still to come. Maude said that the Civil www.fm-world.co.uk
11_News analysis.indd 011
Service had reached its smallest size since the Second World War, with 21 per cent fewer civil servants on a like-for-like basis. The report suggests that central government’s property estate is down by a fifth and the government has vacated 2,018 buildings – the equivalent of one a day – since 2010. And since May 2010 the Cabinet Office has led a programme of efficiency and reform, working closely with HM Treasury, “to ensure taxpayers’ money is spent wisely. The aim was to make government more like the best-run businesses, so every pound is spent effectively”. In the pre-election Budget, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced that property assets would now be centrally owned and managed to speed savings. The deal to create a joint venture (to be called Crown
Hosting Data Centres Limited) for hosting data servers will save up to £100 million over seven years, the government. It will provide public bodies with a physical space to host their computer servers and systems that aren’t in ‘the cloud’. In the past, individual departments paid different amounts to either build their own centres or outsource the service as part of their own locked-in IT contracts. This deal will provide a cross-government approach to buying data hosting services and will save up to £105 million for the taxpayer by using the government’s combined buying power. It will also allow government to tap into “the latest advances in industry and improve energy efficiency – using data centres that are equipped with the
“The government has vacated 2,018 buildings – the equivalent of one a day – since 2010”
Maude said: “As part of this government’s long-term economic plan, we’re determined to utilise our unique buying power and become a more intelligent customer. It doesn’t make sense for departments to host their servers in different ways and at different costs, and in the past Whitehall wasn’t even sure how many of these centres there were.” A number of initiatives to help deliver further savings were also mentioned. These include: recruiting 25 new commercial experts to drive further savings from supplier contracts and improve commercial capability across the civil service; publishing more detail on the government’s Functional Leadership model; launching a Project Leadership Programme with Cranfield University to improve project management skills; and reviewing telecommunications and digital infrastructure to identify networks that could be used more efficiently to enhance connectivity, both within government and for the public. The State Of The Estate report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/state-of-theestate-2014
FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 11
31/03/2015 17:20
FM BUSINESS SIGN UP FOR FM WORLD DAILY AT FM-WORLD.CO.UK
ANALYSIS
Big outsourcers set to profit from shrinking state GRAEME DAVIES newsdesk@fm-world.co.uk
Among the many tweaks made in the Budget, chancellor George Osborne made one concession that could prove to be hugely significant to the outsourcing sector, and many FM companies within it. Beneath the headlines, which were, predictably, about the favours for core voters such as pensioners, was a move to
withdraw VAT charges on private sector bids for public sector contracts. In a boost to the industry, and possibly a hint that the government expects to be pushing a lot more business the way of the private sector, Osborne levelled the playing field between internal incumbents and external bidders. And there will be no consultation – the new rule will be introduced on 1 April.
Observers took the budget move to be a clear indication that the trend to outsourcing will continue, if not accelerate. Indeed, during the first four years of the coalition government, £88 billion was spent on government outsourcing as it desperately shrank the size of the state in a bid to wrestle the public finances back under control. This figure was almost double the £45 billion spent by Labour in its previous four years in office. There were clear signs in the Budget that the Conservative elements in the government, if they are re-elected, wish to continue shrinking the public sector in the first few years of the next Parliament at least. True, improving economic conditions mean the cuts to public services no longer have to be as draconian as previously flagged, but they will still be significant as Osborne looks to eliminate the budget
Contract wins
NEW BUSINESS Bellrock is to manage a range of property services at Domino’s Pizza restaurants in the UK. Bellrock will oversee lease renewals, rent reviews and break options, as well as managing and reviewing service charge and insurance liabilities on the entire portfolio of more than 800 stores in the UK. Bilfinger Europa has won a deal worth in excess of £5 million to deliver TFM for Resorts World Birmingham, a £150 million development from casino operators Genting UK. The threeyear deal will see Bilfinger deliver FM services at the venue located at the National Exhibition Centre campus. Resorts World is scheduled to open this summer. 12 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
12-13_BusinessNews.indd 12
Sodexo Prestige has secured a threeyear contract extension with Aberdeen Football Club. Sodexo Prestige plans to enhance its product packages for match-day hospitality and retail while continuing to develop the packages available for conferences and events. The company has been catering at the club’s Pittodrie stadium for 18 years, with everything from hospitality packages to pies falling under Sodexo Prestige’s remit. Servest Group has won a three-year contract with the global art business Sotheby’s to provide cleaning services to locations in London. The contract will see Servest provide core cleaning, washroom, laundry, consumables and pest control services to all of Sotheby’s
properties on New Bond Street and to the Sotheby’s fine art storage facility in Greenford. Robertson Facilities Management has secured a contract worth £450,000 with Teesside University’s Darlington campus. The three-year contract allows for additional staff to be employed, adding to the existing team’s size. They will provide soft FM for the campus, including security, catering, portering and cleaning functions. As part of a wider commitment to the local community, Robertson will also work with the university to provide apprenticeships and work experience programmes to students studying at the Darlington campus. G4S Facilities Mamagement’s cleaning contract at Sunderland Royal Hospital has been extended for three years. New services have also been added by taking on the delivery of ward hostess services at the 970-bed healthcare site. The contract, which has been in place since 2011, is worth £3.5 million a year. It will be boosted by an extra £600k a year following the addition of the ward hostess service.
deficit within the next five years. This bodes well for the private sector. And the latest research into the FM market suggests that outsourcing is likely to remain a healthy source of growth, with local authority business in particular seen to be a potential and consistent driver of growth. AMA Research suggested that the £19.5 billion spent on outsourcing facilities management in 2014 would grow by 5 per cent a year over the next few years to reach £23.2 billion by 2018 with the trend for larger ‘one-stop shop’ contracts continuing to grow during that time. Local authority work is expected to make up around half of the public sector outsourcing over the coming years, but the private corporate sector will account for half of all FM outsourcing, according to AMA. Meanwhile, as public sector work still heads the way of private sector operators, the government has moved to improve transparency across the sector by proposing the introduction of new disclosure rules on public sector outsourcing contracts with private companies. Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude has proposed the introduction of a standardised transparency clause into contracts, which would require providers to publish more information about their operations within contracts, and in a standard format. It is also proposed that all government contracts become subject to audit by the National Audit Office as the government tries to reduce the risk of further embarrassing contractual failures such as those of Serco and G4S – and show taxpayers that they are getting value for money. Graeme Davies writes for Investors Chronicle
www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 16:36
CBRE confirms acquisition of Johnson Controls’ services arm CBRE Group, Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Global WorkPlace Solutions (GWS) business of Johnson Controls, Inc. The purchase price is $1.475 billion (£999 million), payable in cash, or $1.3 billion (£880 million) net of the present value of estimated tax benefits, and with customary post-closing adjustments for working capital and other items. GWS will operate as part of CBRE’s Global Corporate Services (GCS) business, which has increased revenue at a double-digit compound annual growth rate over the past decade, as more major corporations and other institutions outsource their real estate services. When the transaction is completed, the
CBRE and Johnson Controls have announced a 10-year strategic relationship
full range of combined occupier services – notably including CBRE’s leasing expertise and GWS’s engineering expertise – will be available to the clients of both companies. CBRE and Johnson Controls also announced a 10-year
BUSINESS BRIEFS
strategic relationship. CBRE will provide Johnson Controls with a full suite of integrated corporate real estate services (including FM, project management and transaction services) on more than 50 million square feet and Johnson Controls will offer a factory-direct relationship on HVAC equipment, building automation systems and related services to CBRE for its managed properties. In addition, the companies will jointly fund an innovation lab that will develop leading-edge energy management solutions to lower costs and enhance their clients’ work environments. Bill Concannon, chief executive officer, GCS for CBRE, said: “The GWS team bring leadership and expertise in many areas that are vital to our clients.”
GETTY/ALAMY
Steady stream of FM suppliers commit to Living Wage Incentive FM Group and OCS Group have become the latest facilities management service providers to be accredited as a Living Wage provider for employees in their central services teams. Incentive FM Group is also joining with OCS in providing a Living Wage option for clients both new business tenders and for existing clients. The Living Wage is calculated by the GLA in London and the Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP), against the basic cost of living in the UK. Currently it is £9.15 in London and £7.85 in the rest of the country. Rhys Moore, director of the Living Wage Foundation, www.fm-world.co.uk
12-13_BusinessNews.indd 13
The Living Wage Foundation said OCS Group’s move would be influential in the market
G4S and VPS join forces Security provider G4S and vacant property firm VPS are combining resources to create a new vacant property services operation. As G4S’s preferred supplier for vacant property services, VPS will provide wireless alarm monitoring systems, industryleading standalone SmartTower CCTV, perimeter protection products and other services. At the same time, G4S will become VPS’s preferred supplier for a range of manned security and monitoring services including mobile patrol, alarm response and key holding, providing unrivalled nationwide coverage.
ISS signs with NHS trust The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust (TRFT) has appointed ISS Healthcare to deliver enhanced catering services to patients, staff and visitors at Rotherham Hospital. The contract, starting this month, will modernise how meals are delivered and served on wards. New features include an electronic meal ordering system, ward hostesses and a hydration trolley providing hot drinks and chilled water throughout the day.
Centerplate in observation win said: “The scale of OCS Group’s influence in the market, coupled with the scale of the company’s commitment to offering a Living Wage bid to all prospective clients, will help to set a new standard for recruiting and retaining quality people in facilities management.” Incentive FM Group’s managing director, Martin Reed,
said: “We recognise that there are challenges for our clients on this journey, but we are working closely with them to help identify efficient solutions.” “Well-trained and wellmotivated people are critical to our business and our ability to deliver top-quality services“ said Chris Cracknell, chief executive officer at OCS Group.
Caterer Centerplate has landed a contract with Brighton i360 – an observation tower and events venue currently being built on Brighton beach. The 162-metre attraction, opening in summer 2016, will include facilities for conferences, corporate and private events. Centerplate will carry out all catering and hospitality services at the venue, including its brasserie restaurant. Other plans include pop-up dining events. FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 13
31/03/2015 16:37
FM BUSINESS
IN FOCUS
provision are going up – mainly because of the high proportion of labour costs in services. “So along with passing the pressure to cut costs to suppliers, clients have also chosen to reduce the level of service they buy or the frequency with which they buy recurring amenities such as refuse collection. From weekly collections being the norm, councils such as York, for example, are now considering a move from collections every two weeks to every three weeks.”
The interviewee: Chris Cracknell, chief executive of OCS The issue: The Living Wage in FM
Valued workers perform better
Running risks Last month support services provider OCS Group became yet another FM operator to gain recognition as a Living Wagepaying organisation (see page 13). The Living Wage Foundation awarded the accreditation to the company, which employs 91,000 people worldwide and 26,000 across the UK. It will pay the Living Wage to all staff directly employed at its UK headquarters. It also plans to offer a Living Wage bid in proposals to all new prospective and current clients alongside its market rate bid. Employers are starting to see the benefits of paying the Living Wage. Brent Council has gone further by agreeing to become the first local authority in the country to approve new business rate incentives to pay the Living Wage. Rhys Moore, director of the Living Wage Foundation, said OCS’s take-up of the Living Wage “will help to set a new standard for recruiting and retaining quality people in FM. The benefits the Living Wage brings to staff and business are clear. FM is an important sector in the UK in terms of the value it adds and the number of people it employs.” OCS’s recognition follows in the footsteps of other FM organisations, such as ISS Facility Services, Julius Rutherfoord, Principle Cleaning Services and 14 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
14_BusinessFocus.indd 14
now also Incentive FM (see page 13). The Living Wage is calculated annually by the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University. The London rate is set by the Greater London Authority. The current rates are £7.85 an hour in the UK and £9.15 an hour in London.
More trust needed Chris Cracknell, CEO at OCS Group, told FM World that there should be more trust between clients and their outsourced service providers. “The failure by some poorquality operators on the fringes of the industry to invest in training – and, in some cases, to resist paying the minimum wage – undermines trust and harms the image of the FM market,” says Cracknell. “These poor – and illegal – practices also contribute to the lingering image of support services as a menial industry, which is wrong. OCS has become a Living Wage Service Provider because all the
evidence from studies carried out in organisations that have implemented the Living Wage is that the Living Wage improves employee loyalty. This, in turn, translates into high levels of retention, lower absenteeism and better quality of service to our clients. Well-trained and wellmotivated people are critical to our business.” Says Cracknell: “Management guru Tom Peters, author of In Search Of Excellence, captured this well some years ago with the observation from an airline CEO that if passengers see a stain on their seat, they think the airline does not do its engine maintenance correctly. “In the case of hospitals and catering, high standards of FM can be critical, with patients at risk of illness or even death if professional standards of cleanliness are not met.” But he recognises that there are pressures on private and public sector to cut costs at a time when the absolute costs of
“These poor – and illegal – practices also contribute to the lingering image of support services as a menial industry”
Yet these cuts in provision have risks and consequences. There are reports of rat infestations rising by 50 per cent in some areas of the country, with pest control experts blaming infrequent bin collections as the cause. He says: “FM should be more confident and show how it adds value. Facilities services providers survive by providing value. Our clients want valuefor-money solutions that work and solve problems in managing their properties and other assets. Moreover, clients want to deal with well-trained people who can solve their FM problems in creative ways that add value to their own operations.” He believes that a way of doing this is by FM “pull[ing] together in a more unified way to increase the provision of apprenticeships in the sector and show its contribution to society”. “This is an important step which will also help to show that FM sector offers a compelling career path for bright, capable young people. More widespread and formalised apprenticeships would also demonstrate the increasing professionalism of facilities services and give extra visibility of the contribution that FM makes to society.” HERPREET GREWAL newsdesk@fm-world.co.uk
www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 12:36
The electrical inspection and testing specialists • • • •
Fixed Wire Electrical Test and Inspections Portable Appliance Testing Load Monitoring/Recording Thermographic Surveys
As a leading key service provider we operate throughout the UK and Channel Islands providing a very competitive “best value” service which has become very well recognised throughout the Facilities Management market Please contact us for immediate attention Email: qcltd@quantectest.co.uk Phone: (01634) 865750 Fax: (01634) 861195
www.quantectest.co.uk Quantec Nov13.indd 1
31/10/2013 09:55
Your Career Our Courses Leading FM Training Provider for over 20 years
+44 (0)20 7404 4440 info@bifm-training.co.uk | www.bifm-training.com APPROVED BY MoD IN SUPPORT OF THE ELC SCHEME
ELC
PROVIDER NUMBER
4000
FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 15 Quadrelict QPV.indd 1
p15_FMW090415.indd 015
24/03/2015 10:03
27/03/2015 12:26
FM OPINION
THE DIARISTS
AN ADVENTURE IN SPACE AND TIME
‘
ROGER AMOS
is head of property and HR shared services at Ealing Council
A large organisation will often debate its requirements for its corporate office space. In Ealing all our workspace is open-plan with banks of desks and, for most, a standard IT platform accessed online through ‘thin client’ devices. There are also plenty of meeting rooms scattered around. These days being open-plan is not the phenomenon it was a decade ago. I recently read a blog by Richard Branson, who had looked around Facebook’s HQ. Branson said founder Mark Zuckerberg had his desk in the middle of the office, among his team. The theory is that if you want to know what your team is thinking it makes sense to be among them. With every open-plan or flexible working environment there’s a ‘clear desk’ policy
lurking in the shadows, demanding a certain level of tidiness. I wonder how the three visionaries Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein and Mark Twain would have got on because apparently they all kept messy workspaces. The home-working debate has never really been properly conquered either and, while ICT development has made that a far greater possibility these days, it remains a hot topic. Like most local authorities, we have to consider what customer-
“WIRELESS HOTSPOTS, THIN CLIENT ACCESS AND ‘FOLLOW ME’ PRINTERS ARE NOW COMMON. WE CARRY SMARTPHONES THESE DAYS, SO DO WE NEED DESK PHONES?”
facing services are to be run from our HQ and that has to be factored in to the location. As more of our services go online it is important that as property and FM professionals we consider the impact of this on office and customer-facing space needs. I’ve written before about how FM meets ICT and can’t emphasise enough the importance of aligning the two strategies. Wireless hotspots, thin client access and ‘follow me’ printers are now commonplace. We carry smartphones these days, so do we really need desk phones? ICT can also be a great tool to gauge actual occupancy levels trends and this data is useful when defining actual, as opposed to the perceived. Maximising the available occupancy is a two-way street; it relies on its users making the most of it.
BEST OF THE WEB Views and comments from across the web What connections are there between customer satisfaction and green-certified buildings? (BIFM group) Brendan Murray: In a commercial property it definitely makes those who place green matters high on their personal agenda more satisfied. They can see they are occupying a building (and working for an organisation) that is making a positive, tangible impact on carbon emissions, energy 16 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
16_Opinion.indd 16
reductions, etc. For those people, knowing that the heat they feel coming from the radiator is generated from biomass boilers, and that the electricity they are using is purchased on a green tariff gives them a definite feeling of satisfaction. For those who do not place green matters high on their personal agenda, the heat they feel coming from the radiator is simply heat, its source is at worst irrelevant, at best not consciously considered.
Ian Jones: A good team, well led, works anywhere. I have worked in some odd places, not in green or sustainable places, but Portakabins, tents, a large warehouse, even a crypt. Customer satisfaction in terms of surroundings didn’t really come into it; we had a shared goal, we had a great team – and we got on with it. The common denominator was the person leading the team – we’d have worked anywhere just to work with them.
Security provision: In-house or subbed out? (BIFM group) John Morgan: Have worked for several companies over the years and find that having an in-house team with a contractor on a standby contract works best! Lisa Wragg: I’d outsource every time as have tried both in-house and outsource. Last-minute sick leave, etc, who do you have to cover? The onus is on the third party to deliver for you. You can
still have control of the officers sent to site but the hassle is taken away. But you can struggle to get the calibre you require. Martin Heneaghan: You need to consider the liability implications involved in security and whether or not it’s worth the risk of bringing in-house. Also what many people are unaware of is that in certain circumstances when security is in-house the person instructing guards should also be licensed. www.fm-world.co.uk
30/03/2015 14:11
You can follow us at twitter.com/FM_World www.tinyurl.com/fmthinktank
BEST OF THE
FMWORLD BLOGS Less is more Gemma Reucroft, People Stuff Periodically I find it necessary to have a good old rant blog about policies and procedures. Almost every people policy I have ever seen is about twice as long as it really needs to be, and plenty of them are full of irrelevant and unhelpful content. 1. Stating the obvious. If it is obvious, you don’t need to state it. 2. Trying to cover every eventuality. You can’t, so don’t try. Amending your policies to principle-led ones will force people out of their comfort zones to think for themselves. 3. Stick to your principles. If you can’t say it in a couple of pages, maybe this is telling you something about people stuff or management capability at your place. 4. Having too many. If your approach to redundancy is to do no more than the statutory minimum, then you don’t need to have a policy at all. When it comes to discipline and grievance follow the ACAS code. There are policies you do need. Social media is a good example, for no more reason than you might lose an ET without one. 5. Not being flexible. Rules are made to be broken. Yes, I mean you, if you still block social media on your corporate website based on a decision taken in 2004. Apply common sense. 6. Swallowing a dictionary. Write like you speak. That is all. 7. Getting people to sign them. If there was ever a signal saying ‘we don’t trust you’ it’s making people sign HR policies. From an HR view, it does your reputation no favours. Your people policies and procedures are more than the sum of their parts. They are subtle signals about your culture, windows to the organisational world. Read the full article at www.tinyurl.com/omqwcjf
Asset sharing: the new task for facility management Kim Tjoa, Collaborative Consumption We are in the midst of a transition to a circular, sharing economy in which we make more efficient use of everything we already have. The development to a sharing economy presents a huge chance for procurement and facility professionals. Why not explore the possibility of sharing underused company assets (equipment, services, real estate and personnel) to save money or generate additional income? Expensive equipment is idle, rooms are empty and important knowledge is not being used the way it could be at organisations around the world. It would be a shame to not do anything with these assets as anything that stands idle is definitely not sustainable. Online sharing platforms such as www.FLOOW2.com allow every organisation to make supply and demand transparent. In a sharing marketplace assets like trucks, cars, printing equipment, furniture, dining facilities, meeting rooms and the knowledge, skills and time of personnel can become commercially visible for fellow organisations. The advantages of sharing assets are twofold. Businesses are able to save costs when they rent from each other instead of investing in buying equipment or the hiring of staff and they are able to generate additional income by temporarily renting out assets. Fewer new products will have to be produced – a more healthy use of resources and energy. The switch to asset sharing will not be easy. Management has to be on board and an organisation has to be ready and know how to embrace this addition to their business. FMs must advise executives, and make an inventory of supply and demand. They could implement the model in daily business and make sure that every employee knows that if an item available is not available or if they are in need of something, that it’s better look for it at our neighbours before anything else. Read the full article at www.tinyurl.com/lfpnv9q
www.fm-world.co.uk
17_Opinion.indd 17
FIVE MINUTES WITH NAME: Laurance Bird JOB TITLE: Director, Carpet Recycling UK
Diversion of carpet from landfill continues its upward trend, rising to 113,000 tonnes reused, recycled or recovered for energy in 2014. That’s an increase of 6,000 tonnes on 2013, representing a diversion rate of 28 per cent. About 400,000 tonnes of waste carpet arises each year in the UK. The industry body’s success in finding alternative outlets means it has already exceeded its original goal, set in 2008, to achieve 25 per cent diversion by 2015. Energy recovery was 73,000 tonnes (65 per cent) of the total diversion. This follows the general UK trend for Municpal Solid Waste (MSW) incineration as capacity increases, plus demand from the cement industry for the benefits of carpet in Solids Recovered Fuel (SRF). Recycling growth was strong as retailers and flooring contractors saw the benefits of capturing fitting offcuts for recycling. Energy recovery was 73,000 tonnes (65 per cent) of the total diversion. This follows a general trend for MSW incineration as capacity increases. Carpet tiles were a success story; more than 1.2 million or 330,000 square metres were collected and diverted from landfill in 2014. Growing carpet tile reuse is expected to rise further in 2015 as initiatives such as the WRAP Carpet Recycling Guide (produced by CRUK) raises awareness among FM professionals to the opportunities and benefits of reuse and recycling opportunities. Our 2014 achievements demonstrate that carpet is now regarded as a valuable resource that can be reused in a variety of innovative applications. CRUK grew by 10 per cent from 78 members in January 2014 to 86 this January, thanks to ongoing recognition by the carpet recycling supply chain of the benefits of working together to implement sustainability within the carpet sector. FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 17
31/03/2015 08:53
FM FEATURE
AIRBUS UK, FILTON
MARTIN READ
Above: the open-plan Barnwell House Top right: the Aeolus sculpture 18 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
18-22_Airbus.indd 18
www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 14:14
AIRBUS UK, FILTON
FACTS & FIGURES CONSTRUCTION PROJECT SUPPLIERS: CAPITA SYMONDS: PROJECT MANAGEMENT, ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, ACOUSTICS, LANDSCAPE DESIGN, STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, COST MANAGEMENT, CDMC, BREEAM CONSULTANCY AECOM: M&E DESIGN INPUT HARROW GREEN: ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES (RECYCLING; RESALE OF REDUNDANT FURNITURE IT AND RELATED OFFICE EQUIPMENT); RELOCATION OF STAFF; DISCONNECTION AND MIGRATION OF IT EQUIPMENT BETWEEN BUILDINGS KINNARPS: OFFICE FURNITURE FM SERVICE SUPPLIERS NORLAND MANAGED SERVICES: CLEANING, M&E, FRONT OF HOUSE ARAMARK: CATERING, CONCIERGE OUTSOURCED FM PERSONNEL: CIRCA 100
A HIGHER PLANE Airbus UK’s project to re-shape its 118-acre aerospace engineering site and transform the working lives of the more than 4,000 people working there had the FM team at its heart, reports Martin Read
A
rriving through the gates at Airbus’s new aerospace park in Filton, Bristol, you’re greeted by Aeolus, a 10-tonne sculpture named after the keeper of the winds in Greek mythology. And there’s no doubt that the winds of change have blown around this 12-acre complex. Aeolus was sited to mark the completion of Airbus’s £70 million investment in re-shaping its Filton site. It’s been quite a project, including careful refurbishment of the art deco Pegasus House (now a 400-capacity office block); construction of the entirely new four-storey Barnwell House (now home to more than 2,400 personnel); the refitting of other www.fm-world.co.uk
18-22_Airbus.indd 19
buildings and development of a new data centre, cycling facilities, shower blocks and more. Airbus is a major employer in the South-West. Those working at its Filton site work in two broad areas – product development (design, manufacturing, research, development and testing) and business support (procurement, finance and customer service). The open-plan, multi-atrium, four-storey Barnwell House is the most prominent of the buildings. But just across from it, Pegasus House was a much neglected art deco landmark, built in 1936 but badly damaged by fire and water having lain vacant since 1992. Its restoration and renovation, in line with the requirements of English Heritage, has made it as much
a centrepiece of the park as its Barnwell big brother. The two buildings are the most obvious evidence of a transformational project that has changed the working lives of thousands.
The master plan The move to reshape Filton and construct the Airbus Aerospace Park had several drivers including the need to invest in the future development of Airbus in the UK while at the same time protecting the heritage of the site. But also key was the consolidation of 20 older units into one highly efficient and contemporary office block, Barnwell House, with all its concomitant communication and workgroup benefits. FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 19
31/03/2015 14:15
FM FEATURE
AIRBUS UK, FILTON
MARTIN READ
Airbus UK’s Filton FM team pictured outside Pegasus House (with Barnwell House in the background)
Before this consolidation, Airbus’s engineering, design, customer and business support employees worked in a series of smaller permanent and prefabricated buildings spread across a large area. For an international business with teams often comprising British, French, German and Spanish nationals – with many coming together on short-term specialist project teams (known within Airbus as ‘plateaus’) – the situation was far from ideal.
FM’s involvement Office accommodation that could be easily adaptable to requirements, that made maximum use of natural ventilation, and that had a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating, was the order of the day. Just as important as this revolution in the quality and capability of office space was the need to fundamentally change the workplace experience for employees – and it’s here that 20 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
18-22_Airbus.indd 20
Filton’s FM team has had most impact. The project’s aim, in the words of Airbus’s UK head of Facility Management and Real Estate Lorraine Harvey, was to “shape the future for our employees at Filton by providing excellent new modern working facilities”. The FM team has certainly helped to achieve that. Throughout a two-year move, it oversaw 5,000 moves and helped to ensure that staff were engaged and supported in fundamental changes to their working lives. Many employees had spent the previous 10 to 15 years in the same space – now they were being asked not just to relocate, but also to make big changes to existing working practice. As construction and refitting went on, the site’s 20 buildings were gradually vacated and the workforce introduced to their new surroundings. “Closing down each building in line with the migration of people across the site was a very complex operation,” recalls Harvey.
Cultural change “Part of the requirement was to change our working culture, and we did that by various means,” she adds. “We introduced hotdesking and a variety of meeting room options, from coffee pods, an informal area where people could have a coffee and a meeting, through to breakout ‘think tanks’ and formal meeting rooms for video conferences. “There were a lot of initial
The FM team works to ensure the needs of the A400M wing manufacturing unit are met
www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 14:15
AIRBUS UK, FILTON
concerns,” continues Harvey, “particularly about noise from phone calls and that sort of thing. So we had open forums where we could show people desk layouts so that they could see what a typical layout looked like and sit at their new desk.” A huge benefit of the project has been the enabling of co-worker groups to be situated closer to each other. Creating temporary space for ‘plateau’ team members and international guests from Airbus’s sites across Europe is considerably easier today.
FM team structure Despite the consolidation project, the FM team today maintains 24,000 assets and 70 buildings. It consists of four key departments – general services; maintenance & energy; performance and improvement; and land and building. Norland Managed Services became the prime service provider on site in November 2014, delivering both hard and soft services. In addition, Aramark provides catering across the six Starbucks and Costa branded coffee shops and main site canteen. The FM team’s technical specialists now monitor the performance of building services equipment such as sprinklers and air conditioning systems, liaising with the relevant supplier to deal with any issues arising. Lorraine Harvey explains that the focus for FM is now on management of its supply chain: “Our aim is to leverage best value out of the supply chain.” Supply chain and customer relationship management training has been introduced to drive the change in focus to one of customer expectation management and day-to-day supplier liaison. “My job as site manager is www.fm-world.co.uk
18-22_Airbus.indd 21
to take the lead as customer relationship management,” says Paul Malfatti, the facilities site manager for Filton. “FM delivers delivers services on behalf of six operational functions – Procurement, HR, Finance, Engineering and Design, A400M Manufacturing and ICT”. “We have a lot of intelligent engineers on site so, for example, they can work out the airflow in a building and use that to present an argument for having more air conditioning in their particular workspace. You can’t just fob them off!” Most of the new facilities are for use by the firm’s office-bound population. But for workers in the A400M manufacturing facility at the other end of the Filton site, the FM team has been keen to avoid them feeling excluded from the new world.
“Certainly that was one of the challenges at the beginning,” says Harvey. “It’s our job to deliver a universal standard across the site, whether in the old or the new facilities. So we do a lot of work with our catering provider Aramark to provide pop-up barbecues and various themed events, essentially taking the service to the customer.”
FACTS
New build: Barnwell House Dimensions: 25,000 sq m over four floors Open-plan, four atria Naturally ventilated (50kw/Hr energy consumption) BREAMM Rating: Very Good
Restorations & re-fits
FM’s role today Different types of worker require different services, with the vending machines and a cafe in Avon House close to the manufacturing unit. “Our challenge is to continually develop that end of the site; it’s FM’s responsibility to make sure that all of customers are happy, wherever they work,” says Harvey.
Pegasus House Dimensions: 3,600 sq.m. inc. 300-seat auditorium Built: 1935/6 Five storeys, Grade 2 listed
Old Filton House Built: Middle 1700s Three storeys, Grade 2 listed Externally restored as part of the scheme, with 19th and 20th century additions demolished.
Airbus in the UK At Broughton in Flintshire, Wales, more than 6,000 people are involved in wing manufacture and assembly for Airbus commercial airliners. At Filton, Bristol, the firm’s UK headquarters is home to more than 4,500 people working in design, manufacturing, testing, procurement, finance and customer services.
From above, the scale of the Filton complex becomes apparent. Right: Pegasus House was painstakingly restored
Airbus has a supply chain comprising more than 400 companies. GKN, one of the largest, shares the Filton site and employs 1,700 people producing structural subassemblies and machined components. (GKN runs its own FM team.)
FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 21
31/03/2015 14:16
FM FEATURE
AIRBUS UK, FILTON
The reshaping project has certainly helped to raise the profile of the FM team. Each of the buildings has someone designated as a building custodian (in the two main offices there are custodians for each floor), and these custodians liaise with the FM team. “I meet with Filton’s senior leadership once a month to discuss master-planning and corporate issues,” says Malfatti, “while other members of the FM team meet with our building custodians about their day-today concerns. At an individual building level, the custodians are our customers. It’s an excellent source of information that helps us manage our suppliers.” Remaining high on the agenda is team-to-customer communication, through the Airbus TV channel broadcasting across the site, the regular site magazine and strategically positioned signage and pop-up banners. Malfatti shows me an insert into the site magazine explaining what the FM team is doing that month. “This is what has driven our profile on site,” he says. And indeed, the team’s communications have made a huge difference. “We don’t just run the graphics department – we’re probably its biggest customers,” says Malfatti. “If we’ve just conducted an office move, we’ll put up a pop-up poster in that area explaining what we’ve just done. Similarly, we’ve just adapted some lobbies where draughts were coming in, putting up notices explaining ‘we will be working here shortly, this is what we’re doing, this is why we are doing it’. “Feedback from communicating in this way has been excellent because our customers know what is going on, if there is going to be some 22 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
18-22_Airbus.indd 22
MARTIN READ
reducing parking in line with local planning requirements is a constant challenge.
The future
Caption to go in this space in here please about pics in here please
banging and knocking, for example – and they can tailor their day to suit. Also, there’s an educational aim; if we’re cleaning up a coffee spill we’ll position a pop-up that says ‘if you spill your coffee that’s fine, but you need to let us know – so here’s the number to ring’.” The twin effects of this planning and communication have made the FM department far more visible. “When winter is coming and heating set to the standard 19 degrees, we’ll put up signs explaining that this is the case and suggesting workers wear extra layers if necessary. It prevents all sorts of complaints and helps us achieve our energy targets.” The FM team also promotes its activities in a newsletter, and it has also introduced an annual report telling Filton customers what it has done on their behalf.
Current situation Between them, Norland Managed Services and Aramark have over 100 people on site. Norland provides M&E, building fabric, cleaning, waste management, transportation, mailroom and grounds maintenance services for the main site. Aramark provides catering and concierge. As well as settling the service down, the FM team hopes that 2015 will see a significant expansion in its delivery of concierge services.
“Through Aramark we’re now offering flower delivery, tailoring, shoe repairs and dry cleaning,” says Malfatti, “but we’re also looking at any other elements that we think of that can improve a person’s day in the office.” With prospective Christmas markets, bike repair service and online parcel storage facilities being discussed, ‘concierge’ is perhaps too limiting a term for what the FM team has in mind. “Think of it as a ‘Life At Filton’ brand,” suggests Malfatti. “We’ve been talking about having cook chilled food (lasaganes, pizza, etc) delivered so that they can take-out in the evening, helping people to plan their evenings while on site. And this is where our focus on supply chain is moving. Soon, we hope to offer a service by which users will send a text to have coffees delivered directly to them in their meetings.” The FM team is also in charge of the Filton site’s travel plan and has implemented a huge cycleto-work scheme. The team is in charge of the cycle storage and shower block, facilities that have led to a surge in cyclists among the Filton workforce. Additional services being considered are the vending of cycle repair and personal grooming kits. Responsibility for maintaining the site’s car parks also sits with FM. The challenge of
“We’re in a good state now,” says Harvey. The Airbus global FM team is introducing a bespoke CAFM system, dubbed AFMIS (Airbus FM Information System). The helpdesk module, MyFM, is being trialled in Toulouse. “Our focus is on CRM, SCM and AFMIS – so it’s back to the day job! We know what we’ve got, we know our customer, we know our supplier – it’s now a case of ensuring that they maintain the standards we expect. “And we’re still concentrating on the people element. Our employees have gone from working in pre-fabs to using world-class facilities.” The pressure on FM to perform may be different, but it’s no less acute. “We have six customer functions, each with different teams, different channels into central teams and different objectives. We also have our blue-collar environment where expectations are different. We face many different kinds of pressure, but the team always meet the challenge! “The next big thing for us is to masterplan the future,” says Harvey. “Ten years ago, people sat down with a blank piece of paper and drew the plan for Airbus aerospace park. Now it’s time for me and the team, with the direction of Filton leaders, to work out what we should do next.” The level of change at Filton, and FM’s role in managing it, has been extraordinary. Malfatti’s plans for a ‘Life at Filton’ brand illustrates the level of ambition for a team that started this project only three years ago. Clearly, the winds of change are still blowing. FM www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 14:16
N O W B O O K THE COMPETITIVE EDGE Gaining competitive advantage through the workplace
13 May 2015, Kings Place, London As a delegate get to hear how outstanding facilities and workplace management helps drive organisational performance through higher productivity, improved talent acquisition and retention, new efficiencies and support for the brand. Hosted by Daisy McAndrew, former economics editor for ITV News.
Book now at www.thinkfm.com/book +44 (0)1279 712 640 Headline Sponsor
www.thinkfm.com thinkfm@bifm.org.uk #ThinkFM +44 (0)1279 712 640
Brought to you by
Conference Partners
BIFM Think FM 186x123 120215.indd 1
30/03/2015 12:42
FM CALENDAR APRIL
YOUR CAREER OUR COURSES TRAINING FMs FOR OVER 20 YEARS
Telephone
+44 (0)20 7404 4440
facebook.com/bifmtraining
13-17 14-16 14 15-16 15-16 15 16 16 21-23 21-23 22-23 23 22-23 27 28-29
NEBOSH Week 2 Understanding FM Building Surveying & Maintenance Managing Building Services Effective Space Planning Using client-centred FM to drive efficiency FM Contract Models Personal Effectiveness Skills Professional FM 1 Team Leading Advanced Building Services - the Next Step IOSH Managing Accessibility Managing Catering Contracts NEBOSH Exam Introducing and Leading Change in FM
info@bifm-training.co.uk | www.bifm-training.com
twitter.com/bifmtraining
linkedin.com/company/bifm-training
FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 23
p23_FMW090415.indd 023
30/03/2015 12:44
FM FEATURE
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN BUILDING PRODUCTS
ELISABETH JEFFRIES
NANO STATE
Moisture-resistant cardboard is just the latest, perhaps unlikeliest form of nanomaterial to influence the building products market. Elisabeth Jeffries looks at the pros and cons of specifying products with a nanotech component
24 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
24-27_Nanotech.indd 24
www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 15:24
NANOTECHNOLOGY
Green credentials Not many environmentally friendly fittings in the buildings sector are promoted on the basis of this technique, though. Some owe their ‘green’ credentials to other materials and technologies. www.fm-world.co.uk
24-27_Nanotech.indd 25
However, a segment of the FM profession may be unwittingly introducing smarter and greener building and retrofit products based on nanomaterials. Still under development, nanotechnology has been the source of awardwinning discoveries and inventions, such as carbon nanotubes – molecules with unusual properties – and graphene, a lattice material one atom thick. Its use has been developed for many industries, from electronics to cosmetics and food production, and it involves manipulating and investigating matter at an atomic or molecular scale. As Dr Karl Haas, of German industrial research foundation the Fraunhofer Institute, explains that producers now often shy away from using the nanomaterials label. “In the first decade of this century, people added ‘nano’ onto products to look as if they were inventing something new. But if there is no special function arising from nanotechnology, you may not want it.” Examples of special functions include better material properties such as fire resistance, achieved through the integration of nanoparticles. Conversely, some ordinary materials change once used, losing or revealing nanostructures. But as years have passed, the mood has changed and nanomaterials have become less trendy. New European rules now require more chemicals testing. Nanomaterials have come under greater scrutiny. “Consumer applications have attracted questions on safety, so many manufacturers have not included nanomaterials or nanotechnology onto the product description. Its promises were too big in the beginning. But they still have nanomaterials or nanostructures in their products,” he says.
Concrete performance In the buildings industry, nanostructures are sometimes present, but are not always connected to ‘green’ features. Instead, they may produce superior performance. A common example is silica fume, a tiny, nano silica particle used as an additive, which is 100 times smaller than normal cement particles.
ISTOCK
L
ightweight, self-cleaning, water-repellent, fireresistant – ducting from the supplier Gatorduct seems a promising environmentally friendly product, attracting a Big Innovation Pitch prize from Marks and Spencer (M&S) at the 2015 Ecobuild exhibition in March. Instead of the galvanised sheet metal used for decades in air conditioning ducts, the company has modified an existing, lighter material – cardboard. Coating added to the cardboard gives the product a number of characteristics not always associated with this commonplace material, such as moisture resistance. It is recyclable and more energyefficient. The source of this wizardry? The obscure science of nanotechnology. Often used to justify a ‘green’ tag, this technique could transform building materials, and has helped propel Gatorduct to the top of a major shortlist of eco-friendly products. In search of an innovative way to improve current types of ducting, the company identified a chemicals R&D specialist that came up with Gatorskin, an innovation based on nanotechnology. “It’s a green solution for certain projects,” says Luke Scruton, who bases this claim on its lightness, sustainability and production methods. By contrast, the techniques used for galvanised sheet metal “have not changed for over 100 years,” he says, and are “hot, toxic and fatty”. End-of-life metal ductwork “can’t be recycled because it is full of cutting oils”, he says. By contrast, the cardboard used for Gatorduct is recyclable. Gatorduct’s leakage rate has been certified by BSRIA, and the product is in line with several industrial standards related to cleaning methods and fire resistance. It has been piloted in several projects and is currently undergoing heavy testing on behalf of M&S.
FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 25
31/03/2015 15:24
FM FEATURE
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN BUILDING PRODUCTS
Silica is contained in the usual mix of conventional concrete, but the intentional addition of the nanoparticle improves the particle packing of the concrete matrix. It is used to produce ultra highperformance concrete, which has better mechanical properties. The construction industry has already made use of these characteristics for many years. Fortunately, the nanoparticles are hydrated when silica fume reacts to form the cement or concrete matrix, so it loses its nano character. This makes it safe to drill through. But as Dr Haas points out: “The addition of nanomaterials to concrete is very limited in any case because it is very expensive.” Nanostructures sometimes enhance another common building product – insulation. Some types of polymer nanofoams, as well as aerogels, provide good insulation performance. They can be up to eight times as effective as traditional insulation materials, not through the introduction of nanoparticles, but through the formation of nanoholes. Typically, they are silica or carbon-based, and air is approximately 96 per cent of the volume of the insulation material. Some well-known producers include German chemicals company BASF and US company Aspen Aerogels. Applications include hot and cold protection of roofs, energy efficiency, sound isolation and exceptional fire protection – so the environmental benefits are clear. But of all the nanoproducts introduced into the buildings sector, coatings and paints have probably been the most successful. Decorative coatings are considered the most abundant, but high-performance construction coatings have also become more common. Since nano-sized ingredients are transparent, they allow a wider range of possible applications where the underlying surface needs to remain visible before the coating is added. This includes wood and glass, for example. Saint-Gobain and Pilkington Active are examples of brands in this segment. Glass façades for buildings provide great scope for nanotechnological innovations.
ELISABETH JEFFRIES
96% TYPICALLY, NANOFOAMS ARE SILICA OR CARBON-BASED. AIR IS APPROXIMATELY 96 PER CENT OF THE VOLUME OF THE INSULATION MATERIAL.
coatings are well-established products in this area, while scratch resistant lacquers are a developing application for wood and parquet floors. But they may be at least 10 per cent more costly than conventional paints and coatings. Haas suggests this may limit their appeal. “After self-cleaning coatings were introduced, there was not much response from the market so some producers have removed it, because buildings are a cost-sensitive sector,” he says. FMs in offices and housing may often be unaware of the inclusion of nanoparticles. But they have implications for health and safety during retrofit and demolition, as well as in manufacturing companies. Some of their effects are not fully understood. But Haas indicates that the most common end-user products in the built
“In the first decade of this century, people added ‘nano’ onto products to look as if they were inventing something new ”
Coating applications New additives introduce properties to otherwise non-transparent coatings, such as high scratch or ultraviolet resistance, infrared absorption or reflection, fire resistance, electrical conductivity, anti-bacterial and self-cleaning properties. Some of these could be validated as the basis for environmentally friendly claims. For instance, thin film coatings have emerged that selectively filter out particular ranges of unwanted infrared light that would otherwise heat up the interior of the building. Anti-bacterial and self-cleaning 26 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
24-27_Nanotech.indd 26
www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 15:24
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN BUILDING PRODUCTS
environment are likely to be very safe. “Coatings contain nanoparticles when they are manufactured – the nanoparticle is used in the intermediate stage while processing the coating,” says Dr Haas. The point at which they are used may affect the level of hazard. Because manufacturers in the paint industry introduce them into the dispersion well before it reaches merchants’ shelves, there is little knowledge of its use. NanoTIO2 (titanium dioxide) is a case in point. It is used for self-cleaning coatings, and is relatively familiar in the buildings industry. But Haas, an independent expert, considers nanoparticles a very minor risk once coated onto the surface. “It’s very hard to release them once they are already integrated into a product… the only problem that could possibly occur is in the mechanical treatment of a surface,” he says.
CARDBOARD DUCTS
IF IT LOOKS LIKE A DUCT… Heavy-duty corrugated cardboard produced by packaging company TriWall forms the basis for Gatorduct, a new type of ducting available for air conditioning. According to Cosaf Environments, the project management company responsible for the invention of Gatorduct, the use of a ‘revolutionary’ coating named Gatorskin provides the ducting with unique advantages. According to company literature, the product is water-repellent and fire-retardant (a claim that Big Innovation Pitch judges found difficult to believe), and because it also has greater insulation properties than sheet metal, it requires an average of 50 per cent less insulation. “It is also very lightweight and strong,” says Gatorduct operations manager Luke Scruton, and therefore it needs less material than conventional types of ducting. He says it is unlike other types of air conditioning, not just in terms of the typical material used but also condensation. “Water usually drips from air conditioning ducts. You need to protect them from condensation. This coating has made the ducting waterproof,” he says.
Health risks Existing health and safety legislation should cover any risk, and appropriate protection measures need to be taken. “Only freely floating airborne nanoparticles can cause harm. It is not a good idea to inhale fine particles or powders, but that is valid as a general statement and with any material,” says Haas. Nevertheless, it is fair to say the jury is still out, with discussions in progress at EU level on the types of nanomaterials that should be labelled. ‘Green’ merits look convincing at first glance. But a scratch on the surface reveals a less clear conclusion. “The lifecycle assessment of coatings is a big area of contention,” says Dr Haas. “It is true that thinner coatings provide the benefit of using fewer materials. But you need a great deal more energy to generate them using nanomaterials than you would when you generate them normally. It is not a very resource-efficient process. We need much more information on how nanomaterials and nanoparticles are produced under industrial conditions, but manufacturers will not tell you.” Many of these nano-products have big potential, but their development is still obstructed by a lack of data, creating uncertainties about long-term technical material performance and health risks. Databases of products containing nanomaterials are under construction, which will help establish how common they are. Once some of these uncertainties have been dispelled, they are likely to become more popular in the built environment. But it could mean a few more years of experimentation. In the meantime, claims of environmentally friendly performance need to be carefully examined, and the additional cost fully justified. FM www.fm-world.co.uk
24-27_Nanotech.indd 27
One option for anyone specifying cardboard ducting is the ability to print messaging or other content on to it, as the example pictured right shows.
FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 27
31/03/2015 16:37
FM FEATURE
DATA CENTRE DELIVERY
DAVID CAMERON
CENTRAL
INTELLIGENCE Data centre construction projects are imperfect, with a traditional project team structure limiting transfer of essential knowledge to operations team – that’s the view of David Cameron (no relation) of risk management consultancy Operational Intelligence. Here he puts the case for those operating the centres to have more input
F
IMAGE SOURCE
ew would argue against inclusion of the Integrated Systems Test (IST) as an accepted part of the data centre delivery model in a new build or refurbishment project delivery plan. Definitions of an IST varies from project to project but, broadly speaking, they involve the final demonstration of a data centre’s critical infrastructure in order to determine whether designed levels of resilience and redundancy work in practice.
Team structures There are many data centre project team structure
28 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
28_31_IST.indd 28
arrangements but, in principle, a client engages with a design team to produce a design reflecting its needs. A contractor is then engaged to deliver the project. At this early stage the extent of systems commissioning (Level 4 commissioning) and IST (Level 5 commissioning) is identified only as an overview. The Kolb learning cycle states that to learn effectively we must touch all four of its quadrants, valuing experience, reflection, design and experience equally. The difficulty in the construction industry is that these quadrants tend to be dominated by different business sectors,
becoming barriers to effective communication, learning and effective transfer of knowledge. In addition, there also tend to be contractual boundaries. The interface between client and designer (or design build contractor) is particularly important. In the US, ASHRAE has proposed the development of an ‘owner’s project requirement’ (OPR) document that identifies what the client requires and a ‘basis of design’ document (BOD) identifying how it will work. There is a tendency for concept design reports to be superseded by the detailed design. The BOD, however, is intended to be modified throughout the project so that at handover it reflects the installed systems and commissioning that has taken place. The two remaining interfaces vary from project to project with little consistency.
Soft focus The transfer of knowledge from construction to operations teams is always difficult, regardless of the type of project being delivered. This can impact on both risk of downtime and energy efficiency, and the latter has been identified by BSRIA
as a problem area with regard to energy performance of commercial office buildings. It’s this that led to the development of BSRIA’s ‘soft landings’ framework. Looking at each of the construction handover deliverables (see box) allows us to consider how much more effective the traditional handover process could be.
Capacity performance Demonstrating capacity performance of equipment at full load conditions is important in showing that the supplier has delivered an appropriately sized item of plant. However, there is far more that can be gained for this period of testing. Of particular relevance to the operations team is the energy and stability performance at no-load conditions. Full-load performance is important for contractual reasons – but from an operations perspective part-load performance is far more relevant. Many data centre facilities are running at part load in an inefficient way purely because the facility was optimised to full load conditions during commissioning. The operations www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 15:25
28_31_IST.indd 29
31/03/2015 15:26
FM FEATURE
DATA CENTRE DELIVERY
DAVID CAMERON
team has no reference point to make changes to optimise performance, concerned that any change it makes might remove the contractual responsibility from the design/construction team. Clearly, this is a barrier to effective energy optimisation.
Automatic recovery Automatic recover under pre-defined failure events is generally used to demonstrate the satisfaction of failure scenarios identified within the specification. For basic concurrent maintainability, a good demonstration would be the independent isolation and reinstatement of all component parts of the critical services infrastructure for an extended period. Satisfactory demonstration of this requirement would fulfil the contractual obligations, however, it does not demonstrate how the systems will operate under failure events. This is an area of divergence from the contractual obligations on the installation contractor and the requirements of the operations team. Within a concurrently maintainable design components can and will fail and although such failures may be acceptable within the design, it’s still important that the operations team understand the implications of such failure events, but more importantly how they would recover from them.
ISTOCK
Alarm reporting A principal reason for total mains failure test is that it generates the most alarms and as a result bombards the monitoring station with hundreds of alarm reports, all of differing priorities. Consultants, contractors and specialists will each have an idea of how these alarms should be prioritised and who should be
30 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
28_31_IST.indd 30
BOX 1
CONSTRUCTION HANDOVER DELIVERABLES 1. Capacity performance of the equipment (normally but not exclusively at full design load) 2. Automatic recovery from pre-defined failure events 3. Demonstration that pre-defined failure events are notified to a monitoring system. 4. Demonstration that critical plant status (monitoring and measurement) is notified to a monitoring system. 5. Collation of a set of operation and maintenance manuals. 6. Collation of a set of record drawings. 7. Arrangement for specialist suppliers to provide handover training.
notified, and how. The tendency is always to over-prioritise on the basis that no one ever got criticised for categorising a lowpriority alarm as a high-priority alarm. Once the facility is handed over to the operations team, their next opportunity to witness a full mains failure event is likely to be a real event. Following such an event the alarm priorities
are often modified, so the alarm priority list developed by an operations team will be different as their terms of reference and experience are totally different. Therefore, there are benefits in engaging with the operations team during development of the equipment references, graphical and alarm interfaces. O&M documentation needs to be relevant and of use to the operations team – yet they are rarely involved in the review process. Who better to review the documentation? Better still, who better to specify the makeup of the manuals than the operations team? Manuals should include the Basis of Design document and the Close Out Report from the Level 5 commissioning.
Record drawings Record drawings are generally the initial reference point for routine maintenance and fault recovery events. It’s important www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 15:26
DATA CENTRE DELIVERY
that they contain the same references and notation as the equipment in the field. Inaccuracies in equipment references between drawings and plant are cited as contributing factors in failure events where the meantime to recover (MTTR) has been extended becsuse of uncertainty in identifying equipment and circuits in the pressured environment of a reallife scenario. Responsibility for handover training is generally with the installation contractor, but is passed down to the specialist supplier and generally delivered by a commissioning or sales engineer. The focus is always on the specific equipment and often misses its relevance in the overall system and, in particular, operational interfaces. Training is better received when delivered in context because practical experience reinforces theory. The equipment in isolation is important, but it does not operate on its own. It has operational interfaces that also need to be understood, maintained and tested. These interfaces tend to fall between suppliers and they are seldom highlighted during supplier training. The focus of handover training for critical facilities should be the transfer of all knowledge from the construction team to the operations team. This can only be conducted effectively by allowing the operations team time to get familiar with the systems before undertaking any training. To this end, Level 4 and 5 testing are perfect introductions into the operational context of the equipment. Handover training should include: a review of the project brief; presentation of the overall schematics and layout drawings; review of the high-level commissioning plan; the scope www.fm-world.co.uk
28_31_IST.indd 31
“The transfer of knowledge from construction to operations teams is always difficult, regardless of the type of project being delivered”
and purpose of monitoring and control systems; a programme for Level 4 and 5 commissioning; and a detailed review of the asset list. The operations team should be allowed time to review and comment on the failure scenarios covered under the Level 4 and 5 commissioning if tests are to satisfy the objective of maximum information transfer as opposed to satisfaction of a contractual milestone. The operations team must also develop Standard and Emergency Operating Procedures (SOP, EOP). While SOPs can be based on good practice and experience, and as such be similar from project to project, EOPs are site-specific. The order that systems must be recovered is based on dynamic conditions and will vary depending on the failure event. In general, EOPs are site-specific. The starting point for their development should be Level 4 (systems tests) and Level 5 (integrated systems test) commissioning tests.
Conclusion Transfer of knowledge from design/construction teams to operations teams is an evident weakness in both new and legacy data centres. The process needs a change of mindset from all stakeholders including operations, maintenance contractors, construction teams and consultants. But this problem does not sit with any one party – it needs to be addressed as an industry (see box 2). When we talk specifically about energy optimisation we get comments along the lines of “we’re not changing anything, otherwise it becomes our responsibility”. This stops facilities realising significant energy savings. A conservative estimate based on our experience sets this figure at 10 per cent of annual energy consumption and applies to new as well as legacy data centres. We propose two modifications to the existing process. Firstly,
preparation at the outset of the project of a concept design or basis of design document, to be updated throughout the design, construction and commissioning process. This should then form part of the handover documentation, providing readers with a clear overview of the purpose and limitations of the facility. This should also be used as the reference point for future upgrades and there should be an obligation on the operations team to keep it up to date. Secondly, change the final milestone from ‘project handover /completion’ to ‘design and construction knowledge transfer’ – thus providing a better description and focus. There are contractual definitions for practical and project completion; however, provided that knowledge transfer is stated as a key deliverable of practical completion, there should be no contradiction. FM
BOX 2
REASONS CITED FOR FAILING TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS 1. “It’s the client’s fault for not appointing the maintenance team early enough.” 2. “We gave the operations team an open invite to attend, but they were too busy.” 3. “Training and information provided at handover was inadequate, but they were given practical completion anyway.” 4. “We can’t rely on the record documentation so we’re not changing anything.” 5. “Handover documentation gives us a record of what was built and associated commissioning figures – but nothing to say what it was designed to achieve.” 6. “We don’t need to see how it works. Just tell us how to start it, stop it and who to call if it breaks down.” 7. “Everyone who knew anything about the project left once they achieved primary completion. They want to be paid to come back.” 8. “The control system is too complicated so we intend to put it into manual and operate it like that.”
FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 31
31/03/2015 15:27
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Be safe – not a statistic! Don’t compromise on safety when commissioning an electrician says Steve Bratt, Group Chief Executive of the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA). Alarming safety statistics The latest annual accident statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that seven people were killed when working with electricity in areas as diverse as installation, distribution, manufacturing and farming – and many more were severely injured*. Steve Bratt, says, “These and other HSE statistics and studies show how vital it is for all specifiers to be confident they are employing a competent and safe contractor who works to the latest electrical technical standards.” The key to safe installation “The ECA is well aware that many specifiers are not sure what qualifications and certifications an electrical contractor needs to work safely and effectively. However, this dilemma can be overcome simply – by ensuring you commission a member of the ECA for your electrical project or maintenance contract.” ECA registered members undergo regular,
rigorous technical assessments to ensure they carry out safe electrical work, installed to recognised industry standards and practices. The ECA offers a Membership Certification Scheme and once a member’s work has been successfully assessed, they receive a Technical Assessment Certificate endorsed by UKAS (the United Kingdom Accreditation Service). ECA registered members are thoroughly updated and advised on all the latest technical developments, changes to electrical safety and general health and safety regulations, standards and good practice. A key example is Amendment Number 3 to BS 7671:2008 ‘Requirements for Electrical Installations’ which comes into effect this year. Since its publication the ECA’s team of technical experts has been informing and advising members on what the changes will mean in practice. All members also have free access to practical information and advice from professionals on general health and safety issues and to ‘e-RAMS’, the ECA’s risk assessment and method statement software.
SSIP compliant Specifiers can also choose from hundreds of ECA members who are listed as ‘SSIP compliant’ on the ECA website. Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) is an HSE supported umbrella scheme for bodies that assess contractors to a nationally recognised ‘core standard’. SSIP compliant members meet or beat the HSE’s requirements for contractor health and safety capability. Steve Bratt concluded, “Anyone who specifies an ECA member company has immediately taken a major step towards ensuring reliable, high quality work carried out to the highest standards of electrical and general safety.” Visit www.eca.co.uk to find an ECA contractor in your area. *Source: HSE accident statistics for 2013/2014, and construction statistics 2014.
ECA’s Electric Event is open to all This year’s ECA Electric Event at the QEII Conference Centre in Westminster is open to both members and non-members. The exhibition day on Friday 3 July is an ideal opportunity for electrical contractors, specifiers, engineers, consultants and designers to learn about the latest technology and cutting edge innovations from leading industry manufacturers and suppliers. Throughout the day there will also be a programme of free CPD seminars. On Saturday 4 July the ECA will host its annual business conference which this year is entitled ‘Delivering Value Through Innovation’. BBC journalist, Declan Curry, will chair two sessions with expert speakers and panellists from the building services sector and wider construction industry.
32 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
32_Advertorial.indd 32
More information and registration details are available at www.electricevent.co.uk
www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 15:41
FM MONITOR
MARKET INTELLIGENCE
INSIGHT ECONOMY
The figures on this page have been compiled from several sources and are intended as a guide to trends. FM World declines any responsibility for the use of this information.
UK SPACE HEATING MARKET - 2015-2019
VAT rates: Standard rate – 20% Reduced rate – 5% Source: HM Treasury (hmrc.gov.uk)
Bank of England base rate: 0.5% as of 5 March 2015. Source: Bank of England (bankofengland.co.uk)
Consumer Price Index (CPI): This was unchanged in the year to February 2015, that is, a 12-month rate of 0.0%, down from 0.3% in January. The main contributions to the slowdown in the rate came from price movements for a range of recreational goods (particularly data processing equipment, books and games, toys & hobbies), food and furniture & furnishings.
THE UK SPACE HEATING MARKET FORMS A KEY PART OF A TOTAL MARKET, WORTH ABOUT
2011 WINTER
£2 BILLION 2010 2012
BETWEEN + , IT WAS FAIRLY STATIC. BUT SINCE 2013 THE CALL FOR DOMESTIC AND NON-DOMESTIC SPACE HEATING PRODUCTS HAS
SINCE TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN MILD, HITTING DEMAND TO SOME EXTENT
12%
THE SPACE HEATING MARKET IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE GROWN BY 4% IN 2014, WITH SIMILAR GROWTH PREDICTED FOR 2015
PICKED UP
4%
2019
IT IS ESTIMATED BY THAT THE UK SPACE HEATING MARKET WILL HAVE GROWN BY 12% COMPARED WITH THE MARKET SIZE IN 2015 SOURCE: AMA RESEARCH
Source: (www.ons.gov.uk)
EMPLOYMENT
Hourly rate from 1 Oct 2014
Aged 21 and above
£6.50 (up from £6.31)
Aged 18 to 20 inclusive
£5.13 (up from £5.03)
Aged under 18 (but above compulsory school age)
£3.79 (up from £3.72)
UK LABOUR MARKET
UK PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED
PARTICIPATION RATES HIGHEST IN THE UK FOR THOSE AGED 25-49
450
Other health check and social work HM Forces Construction
Police
400
In the final quarter of 2014, 86.3% of people aged 25-49 were participating in the labour market. This compares with 75.3% of those between 50-state pension age, 62.8% of those aged 16-24 and 12.1% of those over their state pension age
100
350 300
80
250
60
PERCENTAGE
Category of worker
EMPLOYMENT
THOUSANDS
National Minimum Wage The following rates came into effect on 1 October 2014:
200 150
16-24 25-49 50 50 state aged pension Over state aged pension
40
Participation among those aged 50-state pension age has been increasing over the past two decades
20
100 Apprentice rate, for apprentices under 19 or 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship
£2.73 (up from £2.68)
99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14
Category of worker
Hourly rate from Nov 2014
UK Living Wage
£7.85 per hour
London Living Wage
£9.15 per hour
33_Insight.indd 33
94
0
UK Living Wage: NOTE: The following rates are set by the Living Wage Foundation:
www.fm-world.co.uk
0 50
Public sector employment fell by 6,000 from Q3 2014 to 5.397 million, its lowest level since the start of data collection in 1999. Public bodies employed 177,000 – 6,000 lower than at Q3 2014 and 300,000 lower than two years ago. This follows privatisation of Royal Mail plc and Lloyds Banking Group. Private sector employment grew by 149,000 to 25.542m compared with Q3 2014. Source: www.ons.gov.uk
96
98
2000
02
04
06
08
10
12
14
Participation among those aged 16-24 has been decreasing over the past two decades due to reasons including more people of this age group continuing into further education
The largest increase in UK labour market participation over the last two decades has been from people aged 50 through to state pension age. This group has increased from 68.5 per cent to 75.3 per cent between 1994 and 2014. Conversely, there has been a large fall in the participation rate for the youngest age group of 16-24 year olds, from 73.1 per Source: www.ons.gov.uk cent to 62.8 per cent. FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 33
30/03/2015 14:12
FM MONITOR ROGER SALMON
LEGAL UPDATE
Roger Salmon is chief executive of the Textile Services Association
WORKW EAR – A S K A P RO FESS I O NA L
oger Salmon explains that it is economic, R best practice and good governance to adhere to legislation on workwear and choose a professional option Clothes can define you, but if you work in the service sector you often don’t have a choice of uniform, PPE or workwear. There is a choice about the care of the clothes you wear. But that choice needs to be made by the employer – the FM – and not the employees. The implications of making the wrong choice are set to become more severe if recommendations to turn European Union directives on workwear into legislation – covering the whole garment life cycle from manufacture and supply to aftercare – are realised. Protective clothing refers to garments designed to protect the wearer’s body from injury caused by blunt impacts, electrical hazards, heat, chemicals or infection. For jobrelated occupational health & safety purposes, garments such as flame-retardant overalls, chemical-resistant aprons or anti-viral barrier garments exist. When they are not cared for properly they will not do their job – and that is the fault of the company providing the protective clothing.
What are the rules? FMs and all service solution providers have a duty of care to their staff. You must know the rules or you are not meeting your legal obligations. There are eight European guidelines ranging 34 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
34 Legal update.indd 34
from EN 471-ISO 20471 regarding high visibility, to EN 14058 and EN 342 about ensembles garments for protection against cool environments and EN 13034 covering requirements for chemical protective clothing. The standards mainly apply to the manufacture and supply of the garments, however, it is the after care that is going to be critical to their whole life and the performance of the clothing. Simply supplying your employees with protective clothing that meets European standards in that it ‘preserves the health and safety of users’ and ‘provides adequate protection against all risks encountered’ fulfils only one part of your legal responsibility. As an employer, you are not only responsible for selecting and supplying suitable protective clothing for the specific hazards of the job, but also for its correct care. Correct maintenance means professional care – not washing at home. It involves more than keeping a protective garment looking clean and fresh. Some garments have protective coatings that require special cleaning;
others have to be checked for holes or dangerous residues that can compromise your employees’ safety. Every garment also has a limited number of times it can be cleaned while retaining its protective qualities, so this also needs to be monitored to ensure that the garment can be replaced at the appropriate time.
Duty of care Garments with high visibility and protection against chemicals, extreme heat or cold are easy examples, but there is also a cost for not caring for something as mundane as a woollen jumper. We are aware of public bodies where staff are given uniform sweaters and then regularly supplied with replacements because they have washed them at home and shrunk them – repeatedly. So, the duty of care covers the legal obligations around protection and the responsible management of budgets, especially public money. Decision-makers are recognising this and our members are seeing some changes in attitude, particularly in the food production market. Keith Donovan, commercial director at Clean, said: “There is a growing trend for companies to move from domestic care to professional, industrial care for their workwear garments because they know it gives better control and compliance. Cost control and accountability are extremely
“The duty of care covers the legal obligations around protection and the responsible management of budgets, especially public money”
difficult (if not impossible) to measure when adopting a ‘domestic wash’ approach. You cannot track garments and you have no idea if they are clean, let alone if they are technically ‘fit for purpose’.”
Washed up The best approach is to form a partnership with a professional, full service provider to provide your employees with physical protection and your company with legal protection over the full lifetime of a protective garment. A full service company will check each garment every time it is laundered and has staff with the skills, facilities and equipment to ensure that every garment it sends you meets the requirements of the many European standards that apply. Full service extends the lifetime of a garment as it is given the optimum care at each laundering. The service provider manages your protective clothing inventory and carries out regular reviews to ensure the correct levels. You should also save on staffing costs for managing your protective clothing. Another benefit is you don’t need to hold stock for emergencies or seasonal peaks as your supplier takes care of this. You’ll also know that the laundry will have efficient equipment designed to make the best use of water, energy and chemicals - and waste treatment will be closely monitored to meet the most stringent environmental standards. This approach is not just best practice; it is good governance. And if EU guidance becomes law this spring, then not pursuing best practice will have severe consequences. FM www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 14:12
FM MONITOR DAVID DAVIS
HOW TO...
David Davis is pre-construction director at G&H Building Services
M &E IN EDU CAT I O N FACI L I T I ES
arrying out mechanical and electrical engineering during a school day requires a clear strategy – so do your homework, says David Davis
C
Although all the usual health and safety considerations are needed when working on-site, adding pupils, staff and term times presents a host of unique challenges to be factored in. Environments such as schools require far greater management and communication with both the main contractor and client team. Programmes are usually tight to ensure that the curriculum is not affected yet at the same time, invasive works have to be carried out during the limited school holiday periods. Several steps need to be taken before you arrive on site to meet government legislation.
1⁄
Get vetted
Your workforce, including office staff, must comply with the Department for Education’s Keeping Children Safe in Education regulations and must be checked under the Disclosure and Barring Service, the new name for the Criminal Records Bureau. One of the key elements of the regulations involves what isn’t permissible when working near pupils. For example, engineers and operatives may be walking between work areas in corridors where pupils and students may be, yet they are not allowed to communicate with them. This can be unnatural to manage, especially if pupils are showing a keen interest in the work or, conversely, the students www.fm-world.co.uk
35 Best Practice M&E Education.indd 35
can be rude to operatives to generate a reaction.
2⁄
The right psychology
Given this unusual scenario, management should spend time explaining to its workforce how projects in education facilities are different. Staff should understand the implications and manage the scenario in a professional manner should it occur. Training needs to be geared around pupil protection as well as the usual H&S concerns. The psychology of working on school projects can’t be underestimated. Projects are usually long from an M&E perspective and intense because of the variety of self-imposed deadlines that need to be set given the limited access time. This requires a degree of commitment from the workforce. They are required on-site long before the bell rings at the start of a day, after pupils have gone home and over weekends.
3⁄
Learn the school rules Maximising the
chance to access classrooms and staff rooms that are not available during term-time requires close and regular liaison with the school and main contractor to ensure that other planned works do not clash during these limited windows of opportunity. Each school, college or university has different rules for those managing its facilities. The best way to plan the works is to have good, regular communication lines established. When power needs to be decommissioned, this can’t be done when lessons are being taught. Invasive M&E that requires access to classroom ceilings or particularly noisy work, for example, can’t take place when there’s a room full of pupils studying, even in adjacent rooms. Equally, there can’t be any downtime so detailed planning and regular analysis of progress is required. Plans need to be refined at daily meetings.
4⁄
Do your homework
The importance of surveying the existing systems cannot be underestimated as some of the facilities may not have accurate or up-to-date records and may well need bringing in line with current legislation before being modified. Being aware of this at the outset makes a big difference to the whole operation from a time and cost perspective.
“Operatives may be walking between work areas in corridors where pupils and students may be, yet they are not allowed to communicate with them”
If you uncover antiquated systems on a project, you and the client are going to be in for a nasty financial surprise because on certain systems you can become liable as you will ‘own’ the system. This can have huge implications. Projects will overrun and put your timetable out of sync; the workforce you’ve assigned to your next job won’t be available at the envisaged time; and there will be an increase in labour costs.
5⁄
Logistical challenges
Complex schemes involving new-build and refurbishment of existing premises provide differing logistical challenges. Meticulously planned just-in-time delivery is vital to getting materials on-site at without disrupting other contractors or the school itself as the storage areas are generally limited because of site restrictions. Once again, regular liaison is crucial. It’s important to factor in some time for other contractors in case their work overruns and always have a plan B to make sure there’s no downtime.
6⁄
Specialist equipment
Allowance has to be made for more storage areas and secure tool vaults to avoid any tools to be left unattended. Normal site barriers have to be full height non-vision to discourage pupils from entering the workspace. The use of batterypowered hand tools is best practice as it reduces the need for trailing power leads. FM
Further information: Disclousure and Barring Service tinyurl.com/disclosurebarringservice
FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 35
30/03/2015 14:12
FM MONITOR DAVID WILSON
HOW TO...
David Wilson is sales director at Smart Vend Solutions
IN TROD U CE VE N DI N G TO YO UR BUS I N ESS
ark as dishwater’ instant coffee and frustratingly common machine breakdowns are becoming a thing of the past, says David Wilson
D
Modern automatic vending machines offer an incredible array of innovative, efficient and profitable catering answers for your business. Every workplace is unique and there is rarely anyone on site that understands this better than an FM. The growing number of companies choosing to invest in vending machines is testament to a decade of unparallelled progress in the industry, which now promises greater return on investment (ROI) than ever and transformative day-to-day cost and time savings for FMs.
1⁄
Selecting your vending machine
You can choose from freestanding units to smaller tabletop machines perfect for smaller kitchens, and those equipped with bidirectional monitoring plus cashless payment systems. The first consideration should always be: ‘what do you need the machine to do?’ Will it stand alongside your existing catering and kitchen offers, or is it perhaps predominately to feed staff working unsociable hours? Do you require it to serve snacks or full meals; hot or cold meals, food and drink? An industry-wide trend has seen operators and manufacturers shift the emphasis of machine design to product quality and user experience 36 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
36_How to_indd.indd 36
rather than pure speed of service and convenience. There is still a knowledge gap among FMs regarding the possibilities of these machines, so educate yourself about what is available.
2⁄
Provide quality produce
Technological advancements in the vending industry balanced against the recession-induced need for maximised ROI have resulted in the world’s most costefficient machines. The modern customer will go out of their way to purchase barista-style full-bean coffee or leaf tea ahead of the cheap instant version. Therefore, while more expensive to buy than their predecessors, vending machines equipped with quality produce which charge higher retail prices for food items have proved to be far more cost-efficient in both the short and long term.
3⁄
Seasonal choices
Another common consideration is whether the food items your machines will stock are to be subsidised by your
firm or whether you wish the machines to be programmed to offer meal deals or even linked to a user-database to reward loyalty. Ensure that your operator is flexible so that your machines are able to maximise ROI all year round. For example, staff are more likely to purchase bottles of water than hot drinks in summer.
member of staff who arrives to clean and restock the machine should be the only person you see. If the machine reports a rare serious fault, some operators now offer a ‘box pool’ system, whereby, rather than fixing the machine on site, a new machine is wheeled in as a replacement as the other is taken for repair.
4⁄
5⁄
Automated monitoring
Using an ‘AlwaysOn’ connection rather than the old ‘dial-up’ system means that sudden changes in demand can be quickly identified and accounted for, with additional capabilities for automatic stock ordering. The new use of bidirectional monitoring also allows you and the machine operator live access to each machine’s stock level and purchase records while also allowing you to remotely reconfigure ingredient settings. In this era of increasingly reliable technology, the sight of an ‘out of order’ sign will turn many customers away for good. To reduce machine downtime periods new back-end telemetry technology has enabled reallife maintenance reports and even remote bug-fixing. The next generation of machines is designed to contain simple and effective spring mechanisms and no potentially faulty motors. As the FM, you should only ever have one point of contact with your operator and the
“The modern customer will go out of their way to purchase barista-style full-bean coffee or leaf tea ahead of the cheap instant version”
Food on the move
It’s vital to position a vending machine correctly. The last thing you want to do is create a blockage in a key access corridor, but it is imperative to maximise visibility of the machine. Likewise, although the operating noise of machines has been reduced significantly, you may wish not to place the machine in a quiet office. Considerations such as elevator weight restrictions and door accesses have proved an obstacle to vending machine delivery on occasion, so make sure you take everything into account.
6⁄
What do your staff need?
If your staff are using a machine on the fifth floor they will expect the same system as the first floor. By linking machines together through back-end telemetry, you can increase customer satisfaction and again increase ROI. The use of user-database information that enables your machines to remember the purchase history of a user and also recognise them by facial data can both enhance the customer experience and speed the transaction. This could be made even faster with the introduction of a cashless payment system. FM www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 15:01
FM MONITOR JULIE HULME
HOW TO...
Julie Hulme is business development manager of the FM sector at Moneypenny
IM PROVIN G CON CI ERGE S ERV I CES
here are five key matters that FMs need to consider to improve service quality when implementing a new strategy in concierge services, explains Julie Hulme
T
Those of us who recently watched Channel 4’s The Billion Pound Hotel – a behind-thescenes look at the ‘7-star’ Burj Al Arab in Dubai – will remember Oscar, its concierge manager. Holder of the coveted ‘Les Clefs D’Or’ (the golden keys for the best concierges in the industry), Oscar is a man on a mission to provide his guests with outstanding service every time. Our visitors may not be arriving by helicopter or RollsRoyce and we may not have a reception area dripping in gold, but what’s stopping us from thinking like Oscar when it comes to implementing a front-of-house (FOH) strategy?
1⁄
What is your FOH like?
If you are going to implement change, make sure it’s for the better. Brent Council met with criticism for ‘de-personalising’ the customer experience when it introduced Shanice, the £12,000 ‘hologram receptionist’, in 2013. Whether technology should replace people is another argument, but there has been a move towards different approaches to FOH. Think about your model and how you can combine a ‘wow’ first impression with a practical, cost-efficient delivery. Do you bundle your concierge FOH activities with your switchboard? www.fm-world.co.uk
37_HowTo.indd 37
Businesses are seeing the benefits of separating their switchboard operation from the concierge FOH function by directing calls to a dedicated destination within the business or engaging a specialist provider such as a switchboard partner to deal with each separately. Meeting visitor needs in the lobby area while juggling telephone callers can be a challenge, often resulting in one not receiving full attention.
2⁄
Get it right every time
Conveying a consistently good image and the same standards of customer service, both in person and over the phone, whatever the time of day, makes for a strong reputation and confidence in what you do. No one can be at their post 24 hours a day; staff may be off sick, on leave, having lunch or simply away from their desk, so can you guarantee that there aren’t service fluctuations? Too often there is a marked difference in the quality of the response at lunchtime, before 8am or after 5pm, with
security guards taking over from receptionists out of hours. We operate in a global economy with clients in different time zones expecting an excellent service every time. Have your ‘sense of welcome’ covered whatever is happening to your business internally. In a 2014 paper Defining Service Excellence In Facilities Management, researchers from Sheffield Hallam University found that quality, timeliness and consistency were a precondition to service excellence, but it is the unexpected extra that elevates the good to exceptional – ‘from the surprising but pleasing gesture, to the resolution of an unexpected problem or issue’.
3⁄
When space is of the essence
FOH services, whether concierge, security, porters or receptionists, present the face of the company. But you don’t have to operate from large, fancy premises to deliver great service. With the cost of office space at a premium and the increasingly diverse ways we all work, think about what happens in your reception area that doesn’t need to and how you might use the space in a more creative and cost-effective way. Do you want waiting visitors to be able to hear all your phone calls? If others in the business are more agile with flexible seating
“How can you determine the ROI on your front-of-house spend if you have no idea of the operation’s value to the wider business?”
arrangements, perhaps there is scope to be less traditional with your FOH setup.
4⁄
To outsource or not?
With a wider array than ever of outsourced opportunities, don’t be afraid to take a completely fresh look at your operation. Depending on what element of your FOH delivery you choose to outsource, your team structure and way of working can take on a different look. As well as potential cost savings, outsourced specialists can take the pressure off and improve service while delivering the expertise and business continuity you need to guarantee FOH resilience in an emergency or internal resource issue.
5⁄
Use data wisely
How can you determine the ROI on your FOH spend if you have no idea of the operation’s value to the wider business? Have a robust procedure in place to capture the facts and figures you need to really understand what’s happening – from call volumes, types and trend patterns to the numbers coming through your doors and the reasons why. The results may surprise you – a person you think is doing one job may actually be doing a whole lot more (or less) – handling sales opportunities, for example. The more you get to grips with the demands on your reception desk and switchboard, the more informed your management reporting and decision-making will be. FM FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 37
31/03/2015 12:38
BIFM NEWS BIFM.ORG.UK
International Women’s Day Award finalists and the Women In FM committee WIFM
International Women’s Day
Thanks to Invesco for hosting the event, to BaxterStorey for the catering, and Stuart Butcher of Cameyera for the photography. i See details of all BIFM groups at www.bifm.org.uk/groups
International Women’s Day (8 March) was marked by the BIFM Women in FM group and Women in the City with a joint event, and an award. Given that men have played a pivotal role in helping women to develop in the workplace over the years, a recognition award was created to identify, recognise and reward male champions. were: Mohammed Hussain (systems commissioning manager, NHS England), David Emanuel (managing director, i-fm.net), Simon Esner (director, BaxterStorey), Mark Freed (director, E2W Limited), David Howorth (managing director, Mitie Client Services), Gary Zetter (regional director, Mitie).
● Finalists
Winner: Nick Thompson (divisional managing director, technical Services, Sodexo UK&I) ●
There were some very impactful speakers at the event. Debra Ward and Denise Harrison shared their global story, and reminded the audience that “your playing small does not serve the world”. Andy Woodfield was a real hit, and had the audience laughing throughout his 30-minute slot. He offered some valuable (and serious) gems, such as “stop telling people what’s wrong with them – tell them about a time when they were at their best”, and “difference is something we all have in common“. Finally, Sarah Higson and Korto Williams from ActionAid gave an insightful overview into what the charity does to help more than 15 million people around the world every year through its local, national and global work. 38 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
38_40_BIFMNews.indd 38
WORLD FM DAY
Get involved Once a year the global facilities management community comes together to celebrate World FM Day. This year World FM Day will be celebrated on 10 June 2015. World FM Day is instigated by Global FM and supported by NJW, to recognise the vital work that FM professionals and the facilities management industry contributes to business worldwide. It aims to raise the profile of the FM profession anywhere in the world and provides an opportunity for FMs to share knowledge, experience, success and challenges. Visit the Global FM website at www.globalfm.org to find out how to be part of World FM Day i
skills or career opportunities, the BIFM Careers Zone is being designed to provide advice, support, and practical help. BIFM will be hosting and coordinating a series of advice clinics, workshops and seminars, together with training partners, careers experts, skills coaches and specialist recruiters. i See more at www.facilitiesshow.com
RISK & BUSINESS CONTINUITY
Spring BIFM Careers Business Resilience Zone Forum Exclusively supported by BIFM, FACILITIES SHOW
Facilities Show will take place at ExCeL London, between 16-18 June, bringing together more than 10,000 visitors and 300 exhibitors for unparallelled networking, sourcing and educational opportunities. With many new and exciting features planned for the show floor this year, including the BIFM Careers Zone, Facilities Show is a must-attend event for all those in the facilities industry. For those looking at CPD, formal qualifications, management
The next BIFM Risk & Business Continuity SIG Spring Business Resilience Forum will be in Peterborough on 22 April, and is free to attend. For FMs who have responsibility for incident management and/or business continuity planning, the Business Resilience Forum meetings bring together supplier and industry experts to network and share knowledge and insights on current issues facing
continuity managers and facilities professionals. Attendance is free and offers a morning of formal presentations from industry experts, networking sessions together with ’meet supplier’ area. The agenda includes: ● 08.30-09.20 – registration and breakfast ● 09.20-09.30 – Welcome – Amanda Johnson, DSM Continuity and Steve Dance, BIFM Risk & Business Continuity SIG ● 09.30-10.00 – Business Interruption Risks – Pete Holmes, Aviva ● 10.00-10.30 – Why invest in ISO 22301? – Ken Clark, ARM Ltd ● 10.30-11.00 – Coffee and networking ● 11.00-11.30 – Getting the executive buy-in – Lyndon Bird, FBCI ● 11.30-12.00 – Business Resilience; beyond the badge! – Andy Kendall and Stuart Holman, Anglian Water. i Confirm your place at www.bit.ly/19Mxz28
www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 08:54
Please send your news items to communications@bifm.org.uk or call +44 (0)1279 712 620 James Sutton is COO of BIFM
BIFM AWARDS
People, impact, innovation
BIFM COMMENT IN SEARCH OF THE COMPETITIVE EDGE AT THE THINKFM CONFERENCE
The BIFM Awards recognise and showcase best-in-class FM and evidence its impact on business, the economy and society. Entries in the following categories close on 22 May: People: ● Facilities Manager of the Year (enter or nominate) A role model who has delivered cutting-edge service, is an ambassador, has achieved notable career success and who demonstrates support and commitment to the wider FM profession. ● Rising Talent in Facilities Management (enter or nominate) Recognising an individual who has made a significant impact and contribution to their organisation and to FM. ● BIFM Lifetime Achievement Award (nominate by 31 July) Recognising individuals who have made a significant contribution to FM over the course of their career. ● Learning and Career Development For FM teams and organisations to demonstrate the contribution learning and career development has made to success.
Team of the Year Recognises exemplar FM teams that deliver innovation and value to their organisation and customers. ●
Impact: ● Brand Impact Initiatives working to support the brand of a customer, or project teams who have developed and promoted the brand of the organisation they work for.
www.fm-world.co.uk
38_40_BIFMNews.indd 39
hether you are a private organisation, a public service or a charity; you’ll have set yourself an aim and will look at what you can do to reach that. Find any rower or cyclist who was part of any Olympic team and you’ll hear talk of ‘marginal gains’, the idea that hundreds of small improvements can combine to create a profound impact on performance. What is it that can push organisations that little bit further up the league tables, secure consumer spend from competing organisations or simply improve on last year’s achievements? There are quite a few things really. You could look at the marketing mix which includes things like products, price and promotions. It might be the quality of your service or your cash balance. However, an area we think is sometimes overlooked is the workplace. The ‘place’ provided, the services within it and the tools supplied can be the difference between achieving your aims and being an ‘also ran’. An amazing statistic from the Leesman Index shows that only 54 per cent of those surveyed (upwards of 87,000) believe that their workplaces allow them to be productive. It’s a concern when you consider that people and place are often the top two spend lines on any budget and this appears, in some cases, to be going to waste. How do we ensure that the investment in the environment is best placed to get the most from the investment in your talent; you can’t look at the two in isolation. When we sat down to look at how we follow up on the success of last year’s ThinkFM we decided that we wanted to explore the idea of how workplaces can get organisations that edge. We wanted to learn from those that were at the heart of the projects that have made a significant impact; this isn’t just about good FM, this is about how the FM teams have worked alongside their colleagues as part of a concerted effort to improve organisational performance. The speakers we are working with will help paint that picture. David Coplin, Chief Envisaging Officer at Microsoft, will talk us through how organisations are coping with the digital deluge. We’ll hear from Munish Datta, Head of Plan A and FM at Marks & Spencer, on how their sustainability programme was applied to their property and what impact that has had on achieving their aims. Jim Hood, Director of Customer Services Wellcome Genome Campus, will tell us how his team have made sure that are meeting the needs of science now and in the future. And there is more to come. Every organisation is different. They have unique aspirations and different market conditions to operate in but what is consistent is that the way that they approach the workplace could be the difference.
W
“FIND ANY ROWER OR CYCLIST WHO WAS PART OF ANY OLYMPIC SIDE AND YOU’LL HEAR TALK OF ‘MARGINAL GAINS’ ”
i
www.thinkfm.com
FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 39
31/03/2015 08:55
BIFM NEWS BIFM.ORG.UK
● Impact on Customer Experience How an initiative/practice has impacted on customer experience, its link into business objectives and organisation-wide customer experience principles and programmes. ● Impact on Sustainability Identifying and rewarding sustainable and environmental initiatives that can objectively demonstrate the positive impact that they have had on the organisation and society at large. ● Impact on the Workplace Working environments or direct FM activities, systems and processes that not only deliver sustainable and functional workplaces.
Societal Impact For initiatives demonstrating impact of the profession on the fabric of society including the wellbeing of individuals, productivity of industry, economic health and the natural environment. ●
Innovation ● Innovation in Technology & Systems Recognising the most innovative application of systems or technology in FM, the primary measure of success will be how the innovation improved the solution to a problem or challenge. ● New Product or Service of the Year Recognising the product or service that through its development and utilisation has had the most positive impact in the work and/ or social environment in which we live.
Full details on all the categories and full criteria is available on www. bifmawards.org. Good luck with your entry(ies). Tickets and tables are now available for the Awards ceremony taking place on Monday 12 October at The Grosvenor House Hotel, London. i For full details go to www.bifmawards.org/the-ceremony
BIFM MEMBERSHIP
New organisation members BIFM would like to welcome: ● Airborne Environmental Consultants Ltd ● BPD Zenith Limited ● ESL Facility Services Group Limited ● ISS Ireland Ltd ● Jones Lang LaSalle Resources ● Jones Lang LaSalle Services ● Lamps and Electrical Direct Ltd ● Lincoln Property Solutions Ltd ● Lorne Stewart PLC ● McArthurGlen UK Limited ● Midasplayer Com Limited ● MSL Property Care Services LTD ● University of Cambridge: Estate Management i Learn more about corporate or group membership at www.bifm.org. uk/corporatemembership, email corporate@bifm.org.uk or call +44 (0) 1279 712675
BIFM TRAINING ‘AGILE WORKING’ IS COMING TO YOU SOON
ny organisation failing to embrace changes in the way people now work will mark itself out as being more costly, wasteful, and less efficient than its peers. Often the focus is on how technical gizmos and the internet are agents of this change, but the real effect on people and organisations is how these enable widely different and flexible ways of working, in the office, on the move, at different times, in different locations, in new ways, and anywhere. While certain functions still require employees to be in fixed places for fixed hours that’s no longer true for many roles and organisations. What is agile working, what does it look like? ● People enabled to make choices about where, when and how they work; ● People enabled to work effectively with those they need to such as team colleagues, other teams, customers, partners, and both in and out of the office; ● Resources are ‘ours’ to share, not ‘mine’ to own; ● Workplaces that enable people to do their best work; ● Spaces allocated based on function, not hierarchy; ● The ability to change teams and groups at pace; ● Breaking down territories, boundaries, silos; ● The most efficient use of valuable building assets; ● Access to several shared spaces close to team zones; ● Spaces equipped to be as effective as they can be; ● Releasing spaces for use by others when not needed; ● Being able to access applications, data and files from any location in which they work; and ● Able to get phone calls from anywhere they work. Benefits for individuals and the organisations Whilst agile working is driven by the potentially huge cost savings in space and real estate terms, when linked to business objectives the initiative will deliver true value across the business, not just to the bottom line. How can change be implemented? Agile working puts people at the heart of the process, and consider what is required to deliver sustainable behavioural change as part of a move to agile ways of working. You’ll need a clear framework and implementation model setting out elements of the process, why they are necessary, their interdependencies, and need to consider the key issues. BIFM Training runs a course drawing on examples of how agile working works in the real world, using practical examples and case studies. Martin Davies, director of training, BIFM Training (Quadrilect Limited)
A
i Making the Change to Agile Working – 3rd June & 11th November 2015. Details available at www.bifm-training.com
40 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
38_40_BIFMNews.indd 40
www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 08:55
FM DIARY INDUSTRY EVENTS 30 April | Electrical safety management workshop Organised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, supported by BIFM. A step-by-step guide to the code of practice for electrical safety management. Venue: Strand Place Hotel, London Contact: Visit www.theiet.org/ electrical-safety to buy tickets. 13 May | ThinkFM – The Competitive Edge: gaining competitive advantage through the workplace The ThinkFM conference will be held at Kings Place, London. Confirmed speakers include Munish Datta, head of plan A and FM, Marks & Spencer; Monica Parker, founder, Hatch; Dave Coplin, chief envisaging officer, Microsoft; and Frank Van Massenhove, FPS Social Security. Venue: Kings Place, London Contact: Visit www.thinkfm.com. Sponsorship and advertising opportunities available. 22 May | ISO awareness training session by QUADRA Hosted by BIFM Ireland region’s North branch, this is designed to keep BIFM members informed of updates and forthcoming changes to ISO standards. It will be run by Gavin Kane of QUADRA. Venue: Old Common Room, Queens University, Belfast BT7 1NN Contact: For more information contact Dan Uprichard, email danuprichard@ymail.com, call 07831 548803, or visit www.tinyurl.com/ln6wa5l 1-3 June | EFMC 2015 The BIFM, IFMA and EuroFM have partnered to hold the European Facility Management Conference. BIFM members receive a 10 per cent discount on tickets. Venue: Glasgow Contact: To find out more, visit www.emfc-conference.com 16-18 June | Facilities Show The annual conference, in association with BIFM, and colocated with IFSEC International, FIREX International, Safety & Health Expo, Energy & Environment Expo and Service Management Expo, returns to ExCeL. Speakers include Baroness Karren Brady and Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE. Venue: ExCeL, London Contact: To find out more, visit www.facilitiesshow.com www.fm-world.co.uk 41 | 8 MAY 2014 | FM WORLD
41_Diary.indd 41
Send details of your event to editorial@fm–world.co.uk or call 020 7880 6229
23 July | BIFM AGM 2015 Details to be made available shortly. Venue: London, TBC. Contact: Visit www.bifm.org.uk or email membership@bifm.org.uk 12 October | BIFM Awards The BIFM’s annual awards ceremony, bringing together the leaders in the sector with the winners to celebrate excellence in FM and giving national recognition to the leaders in the profession. Sponsorship opportunities available. Venue: Grosvenor House, London Contact: Visit www.bifmawards.org or email awards@bifm.org.uk Follow @BIFMAwards on Twitter.
MIDLANDS REGION
SOUTH REGION
6 May | Health & Safety: Where does the buck stop? Client or contractor? Hosted by the Health and Safety Laboratory. Keynote speaker, Peter Hall, President of the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management. Further presentations on major injuries in the workplace. From 8am. Venue: Health & Safety Laboratory, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 9JN Contact: Email Nicola Lathbury at nicola@hexagonfm.co.uk or visit www.tinyurl.com/midhealthsafety
29 April | Engineering a problem The latest updates on hard service facilities management. Venue: Old Mutual House, Portland Terrace, Southampton SO14 7EJ Contact: Email Ian Fielder at ian.r.fielder@gmail.com
CHANNEL ISLANDS REGION
NORTH REGION
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
14 April | Jersey – project management A breakfast seminar on project management, presented by Rebecca Keating at G4S. 8am. Venue: Orchard Suite, Pomme D’Or Hotel, St Helier, Jersey Contact: Susan Leonard, email susan.j.leonard@barclays.com or visit tinyurl.com/jerseypm2015 to book tickets.
14 April | BIFM Sheffield & South Yorkshire Group: Networking event at Nestlé, York Held in conjunction with colleagues from Leeds and Hull. Presentation and mini-tour of one of Nestlé’s factories. Venue: Nestlé Confectionery UK Haxby Road York YO31 8TA Contact: Bob Rabagliati, email bailiff@trinity-estates.org.uk, call 01777 703718 or visit www.bifmnestle.eventbrite.co.uk
15 April | The Rise of Specialist Roles in FM (Rising FMs) What are the roles of customer service managers, asset managers, space planning and technical compliance? And what are employers looking for? This meeting puts these questions to a group of FM recruitment specialists. Venue: ActionAid, 33-39 Bowling Green Lane, London EC1R 0BJ Contact: Jason Gurd, 07984 29518 RisingFMs@gmail.com. Booking details to come.
EAST REGION 21 April | BRE present on BREEAM & show refurbishment Hosted with the BIFM Sustainability SIG, the Building Research Establishment present on new BREEAM refurbishment standards and the use of postoccupancy evaluation. Venue: Building Research Establishment, Bucknalls Lane, Watford WD25 9XX Contact: Email Lucy Black at lucy@bigpondconsulting.com or visit tinyurl.com/eastbreeam to book tickets. IRELAND BRANCH 24 April | Technical tour of CHP plant at Coca-Cola The exact recipe of Coca-Cola must be the world’s best-kept secret. Many have tried, none has succeeded. At this BIFM members technical tour all attending should wear firm, sound shoes, preferably safety shoes, but hi-vis, safety glasses and hard hats will be provided. Venue: Coca-Cola HBC Northern Ireland, Knockmore Hill, 12 Lissue Road, Lisburn BT28 2SZ Contact: Email Dan Uprichard, at danuprichard@ymail.com or visit www.tinyurl.com/k7sfmtt
14 May | Key learning event – performance management A joint event with the Women in FM special interest group. The event will focus on effective management of performance in facilities management. Speakers include Emma Bailey, Interim FM Solutions, Lucy Jeynes, Larch Consulting, and Lucy Black, Facilities Analysis Limited. Venue: NHS Property Services, 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BN Contact: Email Mark Whittaker at mark.a.whittaker@integral.co.uk to register interest. Tickets to be released later this month. SCOTLAND REGION 25 April | 2015 Gala Ball and Recognition Awards The region’s awards evening, sponsored by Richard Irvin Energy Solutions, will see FM Professional of the Year, FM Team of the Year and FM Project of the Year awarded. Tickets cost £80 + VAT per person. Venue: The Marriott Hotel, 500 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8RR Contact: Email kylie@klevents. co.uk or visit www.tinyurl.com/ bifmscotgala2015 to book tickets.
27 May | Engineering a problem The latest updates on employment law in facilities management. Venue: West Sussex County Hall, Chichester. Contact: Email Ian Fielder at ian.r.fielder@gmail.com
15 April | The 128-acre challenge: FM at ACS Schools, Cobham Education SIG professionals tour the 128-acre campus at Cobham. It includes state-of-the-art sports, arts and academic facilities. FM Oren Gershon examines the challenges of managing the diverse site that supports children from 3-18 and plays host to corporate groups outside term-time. Venue: Council Chamber, ACS Cobham, Portsmouth Rd, Cobham Contact: Oren Gershon ogershon@ acs-schools.com, 07738 718290, or visit www.tinyurl.com/memmvv8 22 April | Business Resilience Forum 2015 The BIFM Risk and Business Continuity Management SIG brings together speakers from Aviva, ARM Holdings & the BCI who will provide presentations on gaining management commitment to BCM, issues associated with ISO22301 Compliance and insurance management. Venue: The Old Hangar, Elton Road, Sibson, Peterborough PE8 6NE Contact: Steve Dance at steve. dance@riskcentric.co.uk or visit www.tinyurl.com/busresforum15 FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 41 www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 14:17
FM FEATURE
THE WORKPLACE CONVERSATION
WORKPLACECONVERSATION.COM
TALKING SHOP
STAGE 4: THE DEBATE
“ALIGNING WORKPLACE WITH OVERALL STRATEGY” The Workplace Conversation has reached stage 4 – with plenty of ideas put forward to address the key challenge outlined above. Here are some of them: • Introduction of a 21st century ‘Best Place to Work’ honour and standard. • Identification and support of cross-function projects involving the workplace. • An online ‘future workplace’ improvement document to which all workplace users can contribute. • A Workplace wiki knowledge-sharing platform. • An Outreach Engagement Programme for all those involved in workplace management, supported by an online Workplace Management Community hub. • Vision Statements that position the workplace in terms of talent management, productivity & innovation. • Adoption of a Communities Perspective, ‘mapping communities within the workplace and understanding how they overlap’. These ideas and more are now being assessed online by the crowd before the best of them – as voted for by workplaceconversation.com visitors – are put forward for debate at stage 5. Meanwhile, below are some of the quotes from the Workplace Conversation over the past two weeks to get you in the mood to take part.
ADOPTING A WORKPLACE COMMUNITIES MODEL What if thinking ‘epic’ is required? A twopronged attack of the problem. I think all the thinking here is exactly what’s needed for an awesome future of work. But are we being bold enough, disruptive enough, crazy enough? Carrot: We create 21st century metrics that go far beyond today’s “Best Place to Work” lists... We incorporate all the ideas present here into a NEW 21st century Best Place to Work honour and standard. We create awards. We create revenue streams by helping organisations get there. We become the thought leader for 21st century metrics and ways of being.
Bill Jensen
They say a team is as strong as its weakest link. So to strengthen the team, or community, find the weakest link and strengthen it. Daniel Rodger
42 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
42 Workplace conversation.indd 42
WORKPLACE OWNERSHIP
I feel what is lacking is an objective view, free from sales angles, workplace solutions tied to specific products and sensationalist ‘Google-esque’ case studies. The answer could be the Workplace WIKIpedia – a common ground hosted by BIFM and CIPD, but content generated by its members. In summary, it would: • Develop mutual appreciation of the workplace strands, through inviting people behind the scenes • Leverage the knowledge of the community • Provide a diagnostic tool to offer ‘real’ solutions • Cross-fertilise the FM, HR, IT and Design communities Dan Pilling
THE WORKPLACE CONVERSATION PROCESS 1) (Stage complete) Thoughts on how best to improve the current workplace were sought from FM and HR professionals.
2) (Stage complete) This was the opportunity to shape the rest of the conversation by deciding what key challenge the project should be trying to solve. The challenge that got the most votes went forward to Stage 3.
3) 19th March-6th April The challenge set at Stage 2 (‘aligning workplace and overall strategy’) was opened up for debate. Ideas for solving it were reviewed and given a thumbs-up with the ideas getting the most support from participants form the shortlist for discussion in Stage 4.
4) 7th-30th April The best ideas for resolving the challenge are now opened up for a focused debate. Have another read of them. Would they work in the real world? They might need developing, but are they practical enough to actually work? The ideas with most support from participants will go on to Stage 5.
5) 21st April-4th May The Workplace Conversation’s panel of experts from the world of FM and HR examine the 10 remaining ideas, deciding which they think should be declared the winner. (You’ll be able to continue the debate at workplaceconversation.com while the panel discusses the ideas offline.)
6) 5th May The winning idea is announced.
www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 17:12
FM PEOPLE
MOVERS & SHAKERS
BEHIND
DATA
THE JOB NAME: Pauline Campbell JOB TITLE: Head of facilities ORGANISATION: BAFTA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts
Key responsibilities
I am responsible for the maintenance, security, compliance and health & safety of the Grade 2 listed London headquarters of BAFTA and the offices of the charity.
PAULINE CAMPBELL
TOPIC TRENDS Any interesting tales to tell?
Having an H&S background, I write a lot of risk assessments. The most unique one was to write a safety brief for a burlesque dancer who wanted to end her act with flaming nipple tassels. Oddly, I had no problem finding volunteers for the fire watch! What’s been your career high point to date?
Opening Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Beautiful Game. It was my first West End show as theatre manager. Prior to opening we refurbished the Cambridge Theatre to restore it to its art deco glory. It was a world premiere and ALW owned the building so there was pressure for it to be perfect. If I wasn’t in FM, I’d probably be…
Running a wool shop. I am an ardent knitter.
OUR INTERVIEWEE RATES THE IMPORTANCE OF CURRENT FM TOPICS OUT OF 10. THE ‘AVERAGE’ SCORE (IN GREEN) IS TAKEN FROM OTHER RECENT INTERVIEWEES.
Ensuring compliance with legislation
9
10
AVERAGE
PAULINE CAMPBELL
Introducing/ working with new forms of IT
5 What attracted you to the job?
Everyone knows BAFTA for the awards, and rightly so, but it’s also a charity, which supports Invoicing – I didn’t even have to think about that! young people getting into film, TV and games regardless of their backgrounds. To be part of that, If you could change one even in a small way, was really thing about the industry, attractive. The fact that I get WHAT SINGLE PIECE what would it be? to look after one of the most OF ADVICE WOULD YOU I would wave a wand and beautiful buildings in London – GIVE TO A YOUNG FM ensure that no one ever needs 195 Piccadilly – is a bonus. STARTING OUT? to hear “don’t you worry “Pick an industry you love. My top perk at work is… yourself about it, love” again! I get to see all the new films Being an FM in a banking Which “FM myth” would you in the comfort of the Princess environment is very different most like to put an end to? Anne Theatre, the beautiful to being an FM for somewhere That we just do maintenance! cinema at our HQ, oh, and an like BAFTA” opportunity to strut my stuff How do you think facilities on the red carpet each year! How did you get into facilities management and what attracted you to the industry?
In a non-traditional route. I always wanted to be a theatre manager, so I trained as a chef! (to quote my mother, ‘theatre is fickle; get a trade to fall back on’). I went from catering manager in a regional theatre to a trainee theatre manager in the West End. 16 years on, I was managing the Palace Theatre and looking for a role that gave me more regular hours. Theatre management is facilitiesorientated so the change was organic. What has been your biggest career challenge to date?
I am not from a technical or engineering background so I have to work really hard to understand this discipline and spend a lot of time reading regulations. I try to surround myself with people I can trust. www.fm-world.co.uk
43_Behind the Job.indd 43
3
If you could give away one of your responsibilities to an unsuspecting colleague, what would it be?
Working on energy-efficiency initiatives
7 10
Adapting to flexible working
5 8
management has changed in the last five years?
I think it has become more respected. It has developed into a thriving industry with many FMs shaping strategy in major companies. And how will it change in the next five years?
It’s all about the planet. Our industry will be leading the way in sustainability. BAFTA is doing its bit as well, promoting sustainable production in film and TV with its albert+ mark of sustainability. So it’s something I’m very much aware of.
Maintaining service levels while cutting costs
8 10
Do your friends understand what FM is?
In the main, but if my husband wants to push my buttons he calls me the janitor! Have you got a story to tell? We are looking for facilities managers to feature in Behind the Job. Contact the team at editorial@fm-world.co.uk for more information
Adapting FM to changing corporate circumstances
8
8
FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 43
30/03/2015 14:13
Appointments
Call the sales team on 020 7324 2755 or email jobs@fm-world.co.uk For full media information take a look at www.fm-world.co.uk/mediapack
FM opportunities Director of Change and Operations London • £85,000 A new position within an industry leading real estate firm has been created to drive operational excellence across three core functions of the business. This role is central to the company’s mandate of streamlining more efficient business processes and leading major internal projects, which will include IT integration across new and existing sites and refurbishment or fit outs. You will have ownership of the CAPEX budget and be the face of the business in leading lease negotiations for new offices, as well as renewing existing ones. Crucial to your success will be your ability to engage key stakeholders and influence change. Ref: DaB1260751
Technical Services Engineer London • £28,000 - £30,000 A global finance and accountancy firm, known for nurturing the best talent in the industry, has an immediate need for a Technical Services Engineer to join its progressive team. Providing support for our client’s technical services and infrastructure, you will liaise with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that the technical services are in line with best environmental practice. You will have experience with M&E engineering, as well as a relevant degree in Building Services or Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and you will have previously managed projects to time and specification. Ref: CS1260681
Offices globally www.cobaltrecruitment.com Please apply for either of the above roles by emailing apply@cobaltrecruitment.com or call 020 7478 2500 to speak with David Bremner or Chris Sycamore quoting the relevant reference number.
PLAN YOUR NEXT MOVE
on the move
The power of people
JOBS
See latest job listings Create job alerts by email Save and email jobs from mobile Apply for jobs by saving your CV to your profile Keep track of your activity
Go to www.fm-world.co.uk/jobs 44 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
RECR_FMW090415.indd 044
jobs.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 10:08
Our people add the exceptional BTFS is a lively team of exceptional facilities management professionals who are totally committed to supporting our customers across the UK and Ireland. Different characters and varied backgrounds make for a dynamic group. We’re united in the great pride we all have for this business and the contribution each individual makes. We’re now looking to strengthen our facilities services team with people who have big ambitions and want to succeed in a high-profile customer facing role. We have 22 brand new positions across the country to challenge and reward the right candidates. Our Facilities Services Managers act as the main customer point of contact, managing the workflow of a large multi-disciplined team. You’ll need a good understanding of the role of FM but more importantly you’ll be a master of customer relationships and enjoy finding solutions to problems from the very complex to the everyday. We have vacancies at the following locations: London/ West Midlands/ Yorkshire/ Essex/ Newcastle/ Darlington/ Ipswich/ Belfast/ Dundee/ Hertfordshire/ Buckinghamshire/ Northampton/ Hereford/ Hampshire
Help us grow Having recently joined us on a mission to grow the business our Business Development Director is now looking to recruit a Business Development Manager and a Bid Writer. His plans are impressive and not for the faint-hearted so only the tough and tenacious should apply. The Business Development Manager will thrive on making connections, networking, developing a strong pipeline of opportunities as well as organically growing existing accounts. Working closely together with colleagues in the New Business team, the Bid Writer will be responsible for managing, proposal writing and estimating on all new prospects. You will already have considerable experience within the FM sector. If any of these vacancies float your boat we’d love to see your CV. Email your contact details and full CV to us at kellie.newell@bt.com or Janay.craven@bt.com and we’ll be in touch. If none of these are quite what you’re looking for but if you think BTFS could be the place for you why not send your CV anyway as we’re always on the lookout for the exceptional. We look forward to hearing from you. We’ll talk money, benefits and all the trimmings when we speak.
Keep up to date with our latest roles by joining our Careers Group on Linked in, or visit our website www.bt.com/btfs
BTFS FP.indd 1 jobs.fm-world.co.uk
RECR_FMW090415.indd 045
30/03/2015 17:28 FM WORLD | 9 APRIL 2015 | 45
31/03/2015 10:03
REQUESTS
Unless otherwise stated, all surveys mentioned on this page will keep your contact details confidential at all times and not use them for commercial purposes.
SURVEYS/POLLS/EVENTS/RESEARCH
CALLS TO
ACTION HERE’S WHERE WE BRING TOGETHER ALL THE LATEST REQUESTS FOR YOUR INPUT – AND THE REASONS WHY IT’S WORTH YOUR WHILE TO GET INVOLVED ( = DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES)
THE WORKPLACE CONVERSATION What An online debate about the future of the workplace. Commitment Comment and response to suggestions for organisational change. The level of commitment up to you. Why It’s an opportunity to have your say and engage with others on an important topic. Notes We’re at stage 4 of this process, with ideas being generated to respond to the following challenge: ‘aligning workplace with overall strategy’. The idea that wins out in this process will be published in May and presented at ThinkFM. www.theworkplaceconversation.com
ANNUAL SALARY SURVEY 2015 What Our 10th annual salary survey will report on your remuneration, prospects and appetite for changing jobs in 2015. Commitment It's an online survey comprising a mix of multiple choice checkbox and typed responses. It should take you no more than 10 minutes to complete. Why Your responses will influence our forthcoming ‘Pay & Prospects’ edition – and as an added incentive, one person from all those who complete the survey will be selected at random to receive £300. Notes There’s to be a presentation on the results at this year’s Facilities Show in June. http://tinyurl.com/ FMWorldSalarySurvey-2015 Friday 1st May 2015
Thursday 30th April 2015 (stage 4)
2015 ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY IN FM SURVEY What 9th annual survey seeking to establish how FMs are engaging with the sustainability agenda. The project is led by the BIFM Sustainability SIG. Commitment An online survey comprising check-box and typed responses. Should take no more than 10 minutes. Why An opportunity to have your say on a key topic for FM. Notes Open to FM practitioners in any organisation and those in the FM industry including full and single-line service providers, suppliers and consultants. www.bifm.org. uk/bifm/knowledge/ sustainabilityinfm/2015 Friday 10th April 2015
What The BIFM Awards celebrate the industry's best individuals and projects. Commitment A £225+VAT application fee per submission (you may enter multiple categories). You’ll also need to prepare a report for review, host a site visit from judges and give a presentation. Why The awards are widely regarded as the most prestigious awards in the industry. Those nominated can benefit significantly from greater awareness of the FM function within their organisation and beyond. Notes The process culminates in awards night at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, 12th October. www.bifmawards.org 22nd May 2015
IN THE NEXT ISSUE OUT 23 APRIL
CASE STUDY: NHS – INNOVATION IN FM SUMMIT /// FEATURE: WHAT BIM LEVEL 3 MEANS FOR FM SERVICE PROVIDERS /// GENERAL ELECTION: WHAT THE PARTIES ARE PROMISING /// BIOPHILIC DESIGN /// PREVENTING RODENT INFESTATION /// DESIGN TRENDS IN COLLABORATIVE SPACES /// ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND BUSINESS ANALYSIS 46 | 9 APRIL 2015 | FM WORLD
46_Call to action.indd 46
www.fm-world.co.uk
31/03/2015 17:40
EN T CLO RIES 22 SE MA Y
Entries are now open for the 2015 BIFM Awards. It’s time to inspire your peers with examples of progressive facilities management in action: B E PA R T O F T H E 2 0 1 5 B I F M A W A R D S
SPONSORS
FM Team of the Year
Societal Impact
Learning and Career Development
Brand Impact
Innovation in Technology and Systems
Impact on the Workplace
New Product or Service of the Year
Rising Talent in Facilities Management
Impact on Customer Experience
Facilities Manager of the Year
Impact on Sustainability
Lifetime Achievement Award
www.bifmawards.org
awards@bifm.org.uk
BIFM Awards 186x123.indd 1
26/03/2015 12:02
18 - 20 MAY 2015 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE www.fm-expo.com
EXHIBITION I CONFERENCE I TRAINING
BRINGING THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY TOGETHER
Register for FREE entry www.fm-expo.com
Principal Intelligence Partner
Innovation Sponsor
Sustainability Sponsor
The Smart FM Sponsor
Supported by
Security Sponsor
Supporting Association
Co-located with
Integrated FM • Health & Safety • Landscaping • Maintenance • Cleaning • Waste Management • Security • Air Control • Software
p47_FMW090415.indd 2
26/03/2015 12:07
We do everything by word of MOUSE
Access & Safety
Electrical Services
High Level Cleaning
Specialist M&E
>> Safety Testing
>> Lightning Protection
>> Window Cleaning
>> Safety Installation
>> Fixed Wire Testing
>> Gutter Cleaning
>> Specialist Air Conditioning
>> Cradle Maintenance
>> PAT Testing
>> Building Cleaning
>> Insurance Inspections
>> Cradle Installation
>> Fire Alarm & Extinguishers
>> Pressure Washing, GrafďŹ ti & Chewing Gum Removal
>> Training >> Consultancy
Protecting People, Property and Places with industry-leading technical services.
Memorable, Outstanding, Unique, Service, Experience
www.ptsg.co.uk 01977 668 771 info@ptsg.co.uk 13-14 Flemming Court, Whistler Drive, Glasshoughton, Castleford, WF10 5HW
With nine ofďŹ ces across the UK, PTSG offers full nationwide coverage.
p48_FMW090415.indd 2
26/03/2015 10:49