October 2014
12
Portakabin Publishes New Report ‘Exploring the Myths of Modular
Construction’
INSIDE:
14
34
41
Sustainable
Practice
in the Higher
Education
Sector
Shedding
More Light
on Energy
Efficiency
New
Foodbank
Has New
Roof
Cover Story:
Portakabin Publishes New
Report - ‘Exploring the
Myth of Modular
Construction’
See Page 12
October 2014
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Highlights
5
Rochdale’s
Number One
Riverside
Named as
UK’s Top
Workplace
2014
7
Sodexo
Launches
Honest Café at
Southampton
Solent
University
20
NHS Could
Save £1.5
Billion by
Improving
Estate
Efficiency
25
Getting ready
for HECA
37
Latest
Sustainability
News From BSI
13
Commonwealth
Games Big
Clean Up
photographs in PSEM.
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ISSN 2046-5920 (Print)
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Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
news
news
Landmarc recognised in prestigious
MOD Sanctuary Awards
L
andmarc Support Services (Landmarc),
the international provider of training and
infrastructure solutions, has been
recognised in the Heritage Projects category
of the prestigious Ministry of Defence (MOD)
Sanctuary awards for its restoration work on
Scraesdon Fort in South East Cornwall. The
award was made at a ceremony today in MOD
Main Building in Whitehall, London.
The Sanctuary Awards aim to recognise
and encourage initiatives that benefit wildlife,
archaeology, environmental improvement or
community awareness of conservation on MOD
property. Considered to be one of the most
complete examples of its type in the country, this
Grade II listed building, which is also an Ancient
Scheduled Monument, was originally built in
Victorian times to protect Plymouth Sound from
enemy naval attack. The Fort was later used to
train troops before deployment in the First and Second World Wars
and in recent years has become increasingly important for modern
warfare training.
Landmarc, working in collaboration with the Defence Infrastructure
Organisation (DIO) – the MOD’s property and services provider undertook a six-month project to restore Scraesdon Fort to its former
glory, with the ultimate aim of helping to remove it from the Heritage
at Risk register, whilst improving the safe use of the site for both
military and civilian users.
Work included the removal of trees and vegetation within the dry
moat which, as well as affecting drainage, was also threatening the
fabric of the Fort walls. In addition to this, the access bridge to the
Fort had become corroded and was not safe for vehicle or pedestrian
access. A second project was therefore commissioned to restore the
bridge as sympathetically as possible.
Tom Theed, Landmarc’s Supervising Officer for the project said:
“Receiving this Sanctuary award means a lot to Landmarc as this
was an extremely important conservation project for all involved.
The scale and importance of what had to be done was vast and
presented many technical and logistical challenges.
“The team gave careful consideration to the risks likely to be
encountered and mitigated these by undertaking detailed surveys
before the work commenced, which involved a great deal of
consultation with stakeholders and specialists.
“Now work is complete, users can fully appreciate the structure as
it was intended to look when it was first built. Working in partnership
with DIO and English Heritage was crucial to the success of the
project, and it’s by combining this expertise that we were able to
preserve a significant historical monument for future generations to
enjoy, as well as securing its use as a valuable and complex training
feature for the MOD.”
Julia Powell, Chair of the MOD Sanctuary Award Board, said: “We
were extremely impressed by the project’s achievement in restoring
and preserving this historical building whilst securing its future as a
valuable training feature. The project team was able to overcome
many challenges to achieve lasting results as well as ensuring the
value of investment was fully utilised, whilst taking into consideration
the sensitivity of the works needed.”
communications@landmarc.mod.uk
www.landmarcsolutions.com
NHS Supply Chain offers even more flexibility and choice for trusts
through new Leasing Solutions Framework
N
HS Supply Chain is proud to announce that it has recently
awarded a new Leasing Solutions framework. Refined over
the last five years, the new framework gives trusts the
ability to access equipment on terms that best meet their needs.
Lease arrangements are available over six different equipment
groups, for both operating and finance lease formats.
Over 80 acute NHS trusts have accessed NHS Supply Chain’s
Leasing Solutions framework since August 2009, facilitating nearly
400 leases with a value of almost £65 million. This figure is set to
rise as more trusts realise that using NHS Supply Chain’s framework
could result in further savings on their leasing arrangements.
NHS Supply Chain’s Leasing Solutions offer the flexible no retainer
fee structure allowing trusts to access the framework on a project by
project basis when required.
NHS Supply Chain understands the NHS’s need to reduce costs so
has capped its arrangement fee. The one-off fee is simple to
understand and fully transparent, ensuring it remains competitive
against other providers.
The Leasing Solutions framework can be used to fund the purchase
of assets sourced either directly by the Trust or via the framework
agreement, ensuring flexibility regardless of the route to purchase.
NHS Supply Chain’s specialist team of experts is always on hand
to support trusts from start to finish. From identification of the asset
requirement, through the lease quotation process, the award stages,
equipment acceptance and lease commencement, NHS Supply
Chain is on hand to help trusts save money.
On-going support is provided in the form of lease portfolio
reporting, within which the trust will be notified of agreements due to
expire. This will provide sufficient time for a measured evaluation of
the options available upon lease expiry.
The leasing solutions framework aims to provide trusts with
flexibility to continually update or replace assets and procure the
latest technology on the most cost effective terms.
Jonathan Smith (Buyer, leasing) NHS Supply Chain said of the
extension: “Through consultation with both NHS trusts and the
medical equipment leasing market NHS Supply Chain has developed
a fully compliant Leasing Solutions framework governed by Supply
Chain standard leasing specific terms and conditions, designed to
provide both benefit and protection for all parties.
“We are offering NHS trusts the opportunity to benefit from
optimum terms and conditions for equipment leasing. The Leasing
Solutions framework provides flexibility in leasing arrangements
whilst covering a wide range of assets meeting the NHS’s varying
equipment needs.
“With full service support provided and a fully compliant quotation
tendering process, we are ideally placed to meet trusts’ needs for
modern and cost efficient
equipment on terms that suit them.
“Our leasing solutions
framework goes from strength to
strength and continues to offer
trusts the opportunity to save
considerable amounts of money”
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
ROCHDALE’S NUMBER ONE RIVERSIDE
NAMED AS UK’S TOP WORKPLACE 2014
Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council building scoops top prize at
British Council for Offices National Awards
N
umber One Riverside on Smith Street in Rochdale was
named as the 2014 best workplace in the country at the
British Council for Offices’ (BCO) annual National Awards in
London last night.
The office was also recognised as the Best Corporate Workplace in
the UK, and topped a list of six other award winners recognised for
excellence in office space to be named 2014 Best of the Best.
The other award winners were:
• Commercial Workplace: One Eagle Place, London
• Refurbished & recycled: The Council House Derby
• Fit Out of Workplace: Arthur J. Gallagher, The Walbrook
Building, London
• Project up to 2,000m2: Argent 4 Stable Street, London
• Innovation: The Sharp Project, Manchester
• Test of Time: Guardian News & Media, Kings Place, London
The BCO’s respected National Awards programme recognises top
quality office design and functionality and sets the standard for
excellence across the office sector in the UK. Over 1,200 of the
country’s top designers, developers, architects and occupiers, who
won their category in the 2014 Regional Awards programme, attended last night’s National Awards dinner, hoping to take home the
National Award for their category.
Number One Riverside was singled out by the judges for its
transformation of the estate from 33 buildings into one. The project
is iconic in representing the first phase of regeneration in the
borough of Rochdale, providing a new civic office that promotes new
ways of working and creates a sense of community, engagement and
social transparency.
The brief was to create a modern and contemporary workplace but
also to ensure the accommodation could deliver space for a number
of alternative uses such as a public library, cafe areas and of course
the workplace. The judges were won over with how the designers
not only met the brief perfectly, seamlessly incorporating central
customer service and public library spaces with different types of
private meeting spaces, but with how they also created a landmark
building that has acted as a catalyst for much needed investment in
Rochdale town centre.
Tim Robinson, Head of Property Asset Management at Knight
Frank LLP and BCO Awards Chairman commented: “Number One
Riverside is a true catalyst that will facilitate the transformation and
regeneration of the borough of Rochdale. The competition in this
year’s National Awards is as tough as ever, with expectations set very
high, but this project united the judges in its success and importance
as a focal point for Rochdale.”
Richard Kauntze, Chief Executive of the BCO, said: “Each of the
buildings recognised in this year’s National Awards represent the
very best in visionary office design and functionality.
They demonstrate how taking an occupier-centric approach can
create innovative and efficient spaces that, as an industry, we can be
very proud of.
Together, the winning buildings reflect a strong sense of confidence
and positivity in the office sector. Number One Riverside, the 2014
Best of the Best winner, is the epitome of this with the confidence
taken in its original brief and concept leading to it becoming a new
benchmark for semi-public buildings. All shortlisted and winning
entrants should be congratulated on their efforts in continuing to
showcase the impact intelligent office design can have to
businesses.”
For more information about the awards and the winners this year
visit the BCO website (www.bco.org.uk).
IBI Group Transforms Accident and
Emergency Department for Children in
Oldham
I
BI Group has completed a £4million refurbishment and
expansion of the accident and emergency services at The Royal
Oldham Hospital to include dedicated paediatric facilities.
The redevelopment has enabled the hospital to serve growing
patient numbers, providing more treatment bays, support
accommodation and improved links to critical care facilities.
“Our design supports the patient journey through a carefully
considered layout and interior design strategy,” said IBI Group’s
Neil Donelon. “The team worked closely with The Pennine Acute
Hospitals NHS Trust to create a non clinical environment for adults
and children alike, helping to reduce the anxiety patients experience
when visiting A&E.”
IBI Group’s interior design team developed a themed children’s
admission area and a welcoming adult reception as part of the
design strategy. The paediatric facility is fun and engaging,
incorporating a reception desk that resembles a bus with working
headlights and scrolling information display. The waiting and play
area are themed around an urban park with roads, pavement and
grass surfaces suggested within the floor covering. Wall protection
represents fences, hedges and trees and a replica illuminated traffic
light leads the route through to the paediatric treatment area where
the urban theme continues with highway signage and double yellow
lines.
The reconfiguration project was phased to keep the busy A&E
department fully functioning throughout the works conducted by Vinci
Construction UK. www.ibigroup.com
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
news
news
Cash injection for Heat Network
E
nfield Council has received £183,000 from the government to
help drive forward the development of an innovative project to
provide low carbon heating to homes across the Lee Valley.
The Lee Valley Heat Network, which was launched in July, aims
to create an energy solution for the area through a system of pipes
that moves heat in the form of hot water from where it is created, to
where it is needed, in a similar way to an electricity network.
The money will be spent over the next year, as part of the final
stage development costs. The Lee Valley Heat Network is due to
supply its first heat to new homes at Ladderswood in autumn 2015,
at Alma Road in autumn 2016 and the first stage of Meridian Water
by autumn 2017.
Cllr Alan Sitkin, Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic
Development, said “This money is going to give this hugely ambitious
scheme a big boost. We want to provide heating to thousands of
homes and businesses across the Lee Valley in the first phase of this
project.
“For the first time, we will be supplying our communities with low
carbon energy from local heat sources, while creating hundreds of
jobs in the process, this will revolutionise the way we heat our homes
and provide energy to business.
“We are also setting ourselves up as an ‘ethical operator’ in
what is currently an unregulated heat market, helping protect local
consumers by ensuring a fair price for their heat. We look forward to
working with other authorities to roll out this exciting model across
the capital in years to come.”
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said: “Recovering
wasted heat from industrial plants or landfill sites means we can heat
our homes and businesses more efficiently, as well as helping to drive
down energy bills.
“Improving the way we heat our buildings and helping local
authorities fund innovative and more efficient ways of supplying
lower carbon heat will also reduce our dependency on costly,
imported gas.”
The first phase of the Lee
Valley Heat Network - a city-scale
scheme - will focus on Enfield
Council’s flagship £1.5 billion
Meridian Water development.
North London Waste Authority’s
Energy-from-Waste facility at the
nearby Edmonton EcoPark has
the capacity to supply low carbon
heat to 5,000 new homes at
Meridian Water and businesses
in the Lee Valley. A further 1,800
homes on the Ladderswood, Alma
and New Avenue estates could
also benefit.
The Lee Valley Heat Network will reduce the carbon footprint of
homes heated by the network by an estimated 50 per cent compared
with conventional fuels.
The heat network complements Enfield Council’s work to bring
enhanced transport infrastructure to the area too, with improved rail
and cycling facilities in the borough.
Network Rail and The Greater London Authority have identified
£80 million to deliver three-tracking of the railway which runs
throughout the Lee Valley, which will enable a four trains per hour
train service at Angel Road Station (soon to be renamed Meridian
Water Station) from 2017, along with improvements to the station
itself.
Enfield Council has also successfully bid for £30 million of funding
from the Mayor of London Office to significantly improve cycling
facilities in the borough.
To find out more about the Lee Valley Heat Network:
www.leevalleyheatnetwork.co.uk
To find out more about Enfield 2020:
www.enfield.gov.uk/enfield2020
£15million redevelopment of regional NHS unit
T
he fifteen million pound redevelopment of a regional medium
secure unit has been completed by South West Yorkshire
Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
Newton Lodge (The Yorkshire Centre for Forensic Psychiatry) is
a 100 bed medium secure mental health unit based at Fieldhead,
Ouchthorpe Lane in Wakefield. It provides care and treatment for
people from across the Yorkshire and Humber region; people who
require NHS mental health care in a secure environment.
The three year project has included demolishing and rebuilding,
as well as refurbishment of existing buildings that were
originally opened in 1984. This has included the new build and
refurbishment of four wards – providing modern and purpose built
accommodation, including en-suite facilities and vastly improved
communal and therapy areas.
The development of a £4.8m activity centre was a key part of the
scheme and features a full size sports hall, gym, art room, workshops
and a music room.
A primary healthcare suite is also included which boasts treatment
and consulting rooms as well as a dental suite. This means people in
Newton Lodge can get exactly the same standard of NHS care as the
rest of the country, but within a medium secure environment.
Dr Adrian Berry, Trust medical director, said, “We have invested
heavily to develop, improve and extend our facilities. This has been
a huge project involving work on almost all original parts of the unit
that were first built in 1984 and now brought right up to date.
“Newton Lodge is now unrecognisable compared to how it was
three years ago.
“We’re created environments that support an individual’s recovery
and we’ve also changed the way we work to promote this recovery
focus. As a result, we’ve seen a reduction in the length of stay,
particularly amongst people who, in the past, would have stayed
here for quite a long time.
We now have a truly 21st century facility ideal for modern mental
health care.”
Steven Michael, chief executive, added, “The redevelopment marks
a significant investment for the Yorkshire and Humber region and the
quality of care for local people
The facilities are first class; a modern therapeutic environment
that respects people’s privacy and dignity whilst promoting recovery.
Our sports hall and activity centre is particularly impressive – it helps
people get off the wards and be active. This is not only good for their
physical health but also their mental health.
We now have an outstanding building supporting the highest
quality care which continues to be the focus of all our dedicated staff
within this service.”
The Trust funded the redevelopment with its own capital finances
and is not tied into any private company for maintenance. Interserve
Construction Limited were construction partners on the scheme which
was delivered on time and to budget.
To view footage from inside the unit and pictures of the new
service, visit http://www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk/newton-lodge
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
npower survey: British businesses say
economic case for Government
energy policy has not been made
•
•
•
•
59% of British businesses are not confident that current Government energy policies reflect their needs
73% of respondents think their business would be concerned about possible cost implications of Contracts for
Difference, which could see bills increase by 10% by 2020,with over a quarter saying their business would be
unwilling for their energy bills to increase in order to help fund Government low carbon energy schemes
This comes as British businesses ranked energy affordability as a key issue
npower has launched The Twenty Per Cent Imperative report to help businesses achieve annual savings of
£4bn on their energy bills over the next 10 years
W
ith Party Conference season underway, new research from
npower shows that business leaders are still unconvinced
by the economic case for Government energy policy.
The data reveals that 59% of businesses surveyed were ‘not very
confident’ or ‘not at all confident’ that current energy policies reflect
the needs of business in Britain, while 62% expressed a similar lack
of confidence in planned energy policies. Included amongst the
planned policies is the Government’s flagship Electricity Market
Reform (EMR), which is designed to help the UK transition to a
low-carbon economy.
The findings demonstrate that businesses aren’t willing for their
energy bills to increase in order to financially support low carbon
energy schemes, such as those proposed through the EMR. 81%
of the 600 senior decision makers surveyed by npower ranked
affordability as an important energy related issue for their
businesses, ahead of security of supply (77%) and the move to a
low carbon economy (41%).
Over a quarter (28%) of respondents said their business would not
be willing for energy bills to increase at all to help fund low carbon
energy schemes. A further 30% said it was ‘unlikely’ that their
business would be willing to see their bills increase to help fund
these schemes.
The Contracts for Difference (CfD) initiative, for example,
guarantees companies with the ability to produce electricity a fixed
price for using low carbon technologies. The difference between
the wholesale market price and the guaranteed fixed price is paid
to those producing the electricity by the Government-owned Low
Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC).This comes as a cost to energy
suppliers, who must then pass this additional cost on to customers
in their energy bills directly impacting the latter’s bottom line. Not
surprisingly, when told that Government estimates that CfDs will
increase energy bills by 10% by 2020, 73% expressed concern about
this.
Wayne Mitchell, head of industrial and commercial at npower,
commented: “This survey has revealed just how sceptical businesses
are by the effectiveness and impact of energy policies – the very
policies that are going to have far-reaching and long-term
impacts on their businesses. As political parties consider their energy
manifestos, there is a clear case here for Government and the wider
energy industry to work together to better educate businesses about
the importance of these policy initiatives in securing the UK’s energy
future and the competitiveness of UK plc.
“The cost of energy bills remains the key issue for business leaders.
That’s why we are committed to working with businesses across a
wide range of sectors to help make their energy budgets as
affordable as possible. What we focus on is the long term; we work
with our customers to drive down consumption by increasing
knowledge of the changing policy landscape and implementing
energy solutions.”
With energy prices expected to continue increasing over the
long term under EMR policy, improved efficiency and demand side
management become especially critical. The survey findings come
as npower launches The Twenty Per Cent Imperative, which includes
guidelines for how UK businesses can cut energy costs. The paper
calculates that if the UK’s large businesses put energy reduction
initiatives in place now, they could collectively realise annual savings
in excess of £4 billion over the next 10 years if energy inflation
continues on its current trajectory.
“The reality is that bills are increasing and the onus is on energy
suppliers and businesses to limit the impact of this. The Twenty Per
Cent Imperative report, for example, shows the tangible benefit to a
business’ bottom line from making small changes to the way they use
energy,” said Mitchell.
Sodexo launches Honest Café at Southampton Solent University
S
odexo, the world’s largest services company, has launched
a new vending concept at Southampton Solent University to
encourage healthy eating.
The Honest Café vending area sees Southampton Solent University
become the first university to offer a healthy eating vending area
which strikes soft drinks high in sugar and snacks high in fat from
the menu.
The vending area offers health-conscious snacks with locally
sourced low calorie organic options, a selection of juices, fruit
teas, flavoured popcorn, baked vegetable snacks and Fairtrade
hot drink choices.
Honest Café replaces a former Aspretto coffee bar in the Sir
Christopher Cockerell building at its East Park Terrace campus.
Managing director, Tim Varney co-designed, constructed and
painted the vending machines and installing signage using reclaimed
palettes and recycled hessian.
Nick Hayter, Sodexo’s group account manager for Southampton
Solent University, said: “We have a commitment to the university, to
continue our growth in promoting a healthy lifestyle, and with this in
mind, it’s fantastic to be able to offer a vending solution that matches
our business direction.”
Bryan Carroll, assistant director at Southampton Solent University,
said: “It’s great to see the ‘Honest Café’ installed at Southampton
Solent University. This is the first ever example of this type of offer in
the country and vending will never be quite the same again.”
The installation of this new feature comes just weeks after Sodexo’s
on-campus catering facilities were awarded a prestigious ‘Silver
Status’ catering mark as part of the Soil Association’s commitment
to venues who recognise ethically-sourced produce free from
controversial additives.
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
News
news
UK University Estates
Turnover Hits £27 billion
•University Sector Turnover Equivalent To Fourth Largest FTSE Company
•Higher Education Capital Expenditure Greater Than Entire
Crossrail Budget
•Universities Occupy 26 million m2 (280 million sq ft ) – Over 2.5 Times
The Size Of The Government’s Estate (10 million m2 (107 million sq ft )
T
oday, the Association of University Directors of Estate (AUDE)
releases its comprehensive annual report which details the
impact of University estates and facilities across the UK.
The report titled ‘Higher Education Estates Statistics Report 2014’
shows the University sector has a turnover of £27.3 billion, spends
£2bn (excluding residential) per annum and occupies 26 million m2
(280 million sq ft).
Breaking this down, in comparison to FTSE listed companies the
University sector would follow Tesco (£63bn), Vodafone (£38.3bn),
SSE (£30.6bn) into fourth spot with Sainsbury’s just behind with a
turnover of £23.9bn. In terms of capital expenditure on University
estates, excluding residential, the spend was £2bn between 20122013 which equates to more than the average annual Crossrail
budget (£14.8bn spread across 9 years between 2009-18). In terms
of size, UK universities occupy an area just shy of the NHS estate (30
million m2, 322 million sq ft) but more than two and a half times the
Governments own estate (10 million m2, 107 million sq ft).
The sector has felt monumental changes over the past 5 years
with tuition fees trebling in England, income declining in real terms,
competition growing and any surplus income or space under
significant pressure and demand. Up to 2010 the sector saw
year-on-year increases in income - greater than inflation but now
copes with the fact that its income has not been as fast growing with
ever increasing costs. The report also reveals the substantial
investment made into estates - £2bn in 2012/13 - with such funding
increasingly coming from internal University sources rather than
from the Government.
Energy and emissions is another key focus of the report and with
these costs expected to continue to rise, the sector is at the forefront
for carbon reduction strategies. At present, this is yet to materialise
into reduced energy consumption, however, it holds the increase in
consumption to a manageable level as buildings become ever more
complex.
Excellent work has been done across the sector to date and a
theme of continuous improvement is apparent. The annual report
highlights some of the key trends to date, examples of which include:
•
University estates and facilities are accessed by 2.4 million
members of the British population
•
Investment, excluding residential, in the academic estate has
risen by £170m or 9% from 2011-12
•
The size of the estate remains stable with older buildings
demolished and new buildings producing more balanced space
•
Total property costs slightly reducing, despite significant upward
pressure on the increasing cost of energy and other factors
outside the control of Universities
•
Improved income per m2
•
A reduction in space with efficiencies being introduced and
greater utilisation
•
Overall carbon emissions remaining stable, showing the
previous upward trend has been halted, and reducing when
calculated by FTE
•
Functional suitability and condition of buildings improving and
the age of the estate getting younger
•
Increased residential capital expenditure
Andrew Burgess AUDE Chairman and Deputy Chief Operating
Officer of Loughborough University, said: ”The EMS report once
again shows the magnitude of what the HE Estates sector produces
annually, in terms of the work it delivers, the scale it covers and the
people it provides for. This report undoubtedly shows that good
quality estates management translates into a better staff and student
experience which, in a climate of increased tuition fees, less income
and added competition, is more valuable than ever. The University
Estates sector is often taken for granted but through demonstrating
that its annual turnover is larger than 346 of the FTSE 350 top
revenues, I hope that people will appreciate the size, quality and
impact of HE estates to both local and the UK economy.”
Sir Ian Diamond, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of
Aberdeen, said: “The HE sector has undergone Copernican changes
in recent years as the effects of budget cuts, tuition fees and soaring
energy prices pile pressure onto a body already providing so much
for so many. This report shines a light on exemplary practice and
should be mandatory reading for anybody facing cuts and similar
changes. The University estate is, quite literally, the building blocks
of our nation’s academia and future and should be supported and
celebrated at every opportunity.”
The report which was completed by every UK-wide institution
creates a robust and complete picture for the entire sector. The report
has been written, for the second consecutive year by CBRE, the
global experts in commercial real estate services.
George Griffith, from CBRE who was involved in authoring the
report said: “The size and complexity of the University estate is
something that is a constant source of surprise to the wider public,
and those in the property industry. Few people realise that the estate
is almost as large as the NHS or the resources that go into its
management and ongoing development. It is clear University estates
management underpins our future generations’ development with
the sector contributing substantially to the public purse in the
process. This data will become a benchmark to analyse how
continuous improvements can be made now and going forward.”
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
www.cbre.com
BCO launches new edition of its Guide
to Specification
Property industry’s ‘standards bible’ from British Council for Offices
available online now
T
oday, the British Council for Offices (BCO) launched the
latest edition of its Guide to Specification, providing guidance
on industry standards for workplaces across the UK, from
the analysis of occupier densities to the legal issues affecting office
development.
The BCO’s landmark publication was last published in 2009, and
the 2014 edition includes updated guidance on occupier densities
and details on how the increasing popularity of cycling to work has
impacted the specification of buildings. It also includes details on
how changes to work patterns and trends translates to a reduction
in the small power loads required at desks, as well as all other
aspects of office specification. The Guide is now available in a new
interactive online version, which is available for members to buy from
the BCO website.
The authors of the 2014 Guide reviewed the recommended
workplace density to take into account the ever more diverse way
businesses are now using their workspaces. The report warns that if
workplace density is considered in isolation, it may overstate the
demands placed on building infrastructure, or result in over
provision if used as the basis for design. This view has led the
authors to recommend that effective density, expressed as NIA (net
internal area) per person, provides a better insight into the demands
on buildings.
The research conducted for the 2014 Guide found that most office
space use falls between 8-13m² per person, which was reflected in
the 2009 Guide, but the new guide recognises the shift to the higher
density end of this scale. It also illustrates the impact of designing
buildings at one person per 8m² as well as the more commonly
adopted average density of 10m² per person.
This edition of the Specification includes guidance on facilities
for cyclists in workplaces for the first time, recommending one cycle
space per 10 staff and one shower per 100 employees, mirroring the
evolving face of travel to and from the office. Currently the trend is
for more men to cycle to work so the Guide recommends 60% of the
facilities should be designated for men and 40% for women.
The 2014 Guide also provides updated guidance on small power
loads, which follows the 2009 Guide to Specification that
recommended 25 W/m². Recent research carried out for the BCO
found that power consumption now rarely exceeds 19 W/m². This
reduction in power demand at desks has largely been due to
advances in computer equipment and new ways of working, with
employees using multiple devices and more people spending less
time at their desks and working flexibly. The 2014 Guide
recommends an on floor distribution allowance of 20-25 W/m²
depending on the density of occupation and a diversified load over
1000m² of 13-15 W/m².
Richard Kauntze, Chief Executive of the BCO, commented on the
launch of the 2014 Guide to Specification: “As an industry we need
to focus more on our customer, the employees who occupy the office
day in, day out, and the diverse and ranging needs of these people.
The BCO’s Guide to Specification reflects our long held view that
there isn’t a one size fits all approach, and includes invaluable advice
for occupiers and the latest thinking on how to make the most of
offices.
“Property is a significant expense for businesses, but if it is
understood properly and used efficiently it is a resource that can be
optimised to deliver real benefits in employee performance through
increased productivity and wellbeing.”
The 2014 Guide includes details on all aspects of office
specification, including the recommended temperature for comfort
conditions in both air-conditioned and non air-conditioned offices,
structural loadings, key spacial design dimensions and sustainability
criteria - everything required to specify a healthy, safe, efficient and
productive workspace.
The authors are predominantly the same professional team that
produced the 2009 edition, and the editors are Neil Pennell (Land
Securities), Geoff Harris (TIAA Henderson Real Estate) and Peter
Williams (AECOM)
www.bco.org.uk
Sodexo wins FM contract at
Northumbria University
S
odexo, the world’s largest
services company, has
won a four-year facilities
management contract with
Northumbria University,
Newcastle.
The £500k per year deal will
see Sodexo provide a range of
FM services at the university’s
brand new 993-bed student
accommodation at Trinity
Square, Gateshead.
Reception, helpdesk, energy
management, mechanical and
electrical maintenance, cleaning
and horticultural services are
among those to be managed
by Sodexo at the site from
September 2014.
Northumbria University is
a research - rich, business
focused university with a global
reputation for academic
excellence. It is one of the largest
universities in the UK with more
than 33,000 students from 135
countries. In 2013, it received
its highest number of applicants
and is currently ranked within
the UK’s top 10 for the number
of graduates entering
professional employment.
Matthew Garner, head
of projects and programme
management at Sodexo, said:
“We are pleased to be working
in partnership with the largest
university in the North East,
delivering a wide range of
services from technical services
and capital works to landscape
and soft services, as well as
looking to fill a student
ambassador role, all of which
will enhance the quality of life
for students at Trinity Square.”
Damon Kent, Director of
Campus Services at
Northumbria University, said:
“Trinity Square represents the
latest significant development
investment by Northumbria
and we are really pleased to
be embarking on an exciting
new partnership with Sodexo.
This will provide Northumbria
students with first class
accommodation and an
outstanding living experience”
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
NEWS
NEWS
National Energy Foundation
launches ‘Working together
towards an energy-literate
UK’ programme
T
he National Energy Foundation launches a programme of
10 ‘Big Ideas’ - projects to help improve the nation’s energy
literacy. The launch follows a nationally representative survey
which throws light on how much the British public really knows about
energy.
As part of the National Energy Foundation’s 25-year anniversary
activities, the Working together towards an energy-literate UK
programme of 10 ‘Big Ideas’ was launched in a presentation by
the Foundation’s Chief Executive, Dr Kerry Mashford, to an invited
audience at a reception hosted by Dame Mary Archer at her London
penthouse.
The reception was an opportunity to share ideas and showcase a
series of ‘Big Ideas’ projects (costed at around £1.3 million) which
contribute to addressing the issues revealed in the survey, in
partnership with other organisations and funders.
Guests at the reception were invited to participate in NEF’s project
ideas and work together towards an energy literate UK. They were
asked to give a steer to the Foundation’s future charitable work by
choosing the most impactful projects to take forward first; and the
Foundation now looks forward to working with partners to bring to
fruition as many of these exciting projects as possible:
Road-Test Your Home: As cars are road-tested by journalists,
25 householders will be invited to offer their homes for ‘testing’ to
establish how well they perform in providing energy efficient,
comfortable, healthy homes. The results will be published as a
regular feature in a magazine or weekend newspaper.
Mystery Energy Shopper: Where do homeowners seek advice
on energy efficient home improvements? And what’s the quality of
that advice when they get it? Merchants, builders, developers and
tradespeople will be mystery shopped to establish how effective they
are at helping their customers, and the results will be published.
NEF Home Movie Channel: 25 short films will provide the ‘what,
why and how-to’ on a range of topics from insulating your floor to
understanding controls, ventilation and appliance use - and will bust
some common myths with fun and humour ….
Aspiring SuperHomers: Building on the success of the existing
183 SuperHomes , 25 householders who aspire to living in low
energy, low-carbon homes will be helped to achieve their goal; they
will learn from existing SuperHomers about what to do and how to
do it; and the Foundation will learn about them. This will bring NEF
closer to its goal of having a SuperHome in every community.
Green Stripes: An opportunity to invest in the training and
certification scheme that will answer the needs of building owners,
10
developers, contractors, occupants and operators, ensuring staff
– and those in the supply chain - understand what makes a building
‘low-energy’ and how their actions contribute.
Powering Down the Third Sector: 25 one-day courses for
school governors, community building managers and charities,
looking to reduce their energy bills and improve building
performance for their users.
Building Performance Exchange: Interviews of 25 individuals
and companies in the buildings supply chain who’ve learned crucial
lessons about specifying, designing, delivering and operating
buildings to achieve high levels of energy efficiency, enabling these
lessons to be shared with others.
Improving Charity Buildings: The aim is to deliver substantial
improvements in the energy performance of 25 charity buildings,
thereby saving the charities money on their energy bills that they
can devote to their core charitable purpose - sharing their stories to
inform and inspire others.
Energy HotHouse: Big energy challenge projects will be identified
each year, bringing together talented interns over 6-8 weeks each
summer to work together under professional guidance to solve
problems and deliver tools, solutions and knowledge.
Duke of Edinburgh Energy Envoys: Harnessing the energy
and enthusiasm of young people in the volunteering element of their
Bronze, Silver and Gold DofE Awards; helping them to become more
energy-literate themselves and to work with their schools and
communities to spread the message and save energy.
Kerry Mashford, Chief Executive of the National Energy
Foundation, commented: “Improving the use of energy in buildings
is the National Energy Foundation’s overarching objective. Over the
past few months, we’ve been giving some serious thought to the big
energy issues facing the UK, with a view to achieving significant
impact in terms of reducing energy consumption, improving energy
security and reducing fuel poverty.
“We’re looking for support and feedback from potential partners
to take forward a number of high-impact projects to improve the
energy performance of new and existing buildings, and inspire others
to do the same.”
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
david.dean@nef.org.uk
3M Blue Sky Warranty
Provides Peace of
Mind Amidst New
F-gas Regulation
3
M is pleased to announce that its Blue Sky Warranty for
Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid by 3M provides the fire
suppression industry with peace of mind in light of the recent
approval of the new EU F-gas Regulation*. Novec 1230 fluid
addresses the industry’s needs for clean agent fire protection
while offering an environmentally sustainable alternative to
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
HFCs are impacted by the latest F-gas Regulation, which come into
effect in January 2015. However, Novec 1230 fluid is not affected by
any existing or future legislation including the new F-gas Regulation.
To provide extra reassurance to customers, so they are comfortable
and confident in specifying Novec 1230 fluid, 3M is offering the Blue
Sky Warranty for a period of 20 years. The Blue Sky Warranty is a
global warranty – providing peace of mind directly to the regions
impacted by the F-gas Regulation.
In March 2014, the European Parliament voted to support a
European Commission proposal to cut the use of hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs) 79 per cent below average 2009-2012 CO2 equivalent levels
by 2030. Under the regulations, HFC producers will be allocated a
production/import quota for HFCs. Because the quota will be in CO2
equivalent and HFCs sold into fire suppression have some of the
highest global warming potentials (GWPs) relative to other sectors,
this framework does not favour HFCs sold into fire suppression. Thus
they are likely to be more severely impacted than HFCs sold into
other sectors. HFC-227ea, HFC-125 and HFC-236fa are targeted in
the overall scope of the regulation. HFC-23 will be prohibited from
being placed on the market after 1 January 2016. Therefore,
practical implications of the new ruling affect not just emission levels,
but also the production and importation of HFCs.
“It is a mistake to think that the F-gas Regulation can be dismissed
on the basis that HFCs have low emissions in fire suppression,” says
Bart Goeman, business development manager for 3M
Electronics Materials Solutions Division. “The F-gas Regulation is
about reducing the use of HFCs through the cap and phase-down
of the production and importation of HFCs. Plus, given that fire
suppression systems can easily be in situ for 20 or more years, any
HFC-based system already installed or purchased over the next few
years will likely be affected by the F-gas Regulation. So, suddenly
purchases of HFC-based fire suppression systems will not only be
faced with immediate price consequences, there will also be more
potential future recharge costs and end of life costs when a system is
ultimately decommissioned.
“With our Blue Sky Warranty, we are the only organisation
offering global assurance for our synthetic clean agent fire
suppression fluid,” continued Goeman.
“This reassurance, in addition to the high level of performance,
effectiveness and wide margin of human safety makes Novec 1230
fluid an ideal solution for those looking to move away from HFCs.”
Details of the 3M Blue Sky Warranty
3M warrants, for a period of 20 years after original installation
and subject to noted requirements, that Novec 1230 Fire Protection
Fluid by 3M, installed in an approved fire suppression system, will
not be restricted for use in fire protection due to its Ozone
Depletion Potential (ODP) or Global Warming Potential (GWP) and is
not targeted for phase-down by the Montreal Protocol, nor subject to
the European F-gas Regulation targeting the phase-down of
production and import of HFCs into Europe; and will not be affected
by US EPA SNAP regulations which would render it either
unacceptable or acceptable subject to narrow use limits.
More about Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid
Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is a next-generation HFC and
halon replacement, designed to balance concerns for human safety,
performance and the environment. It has zero ozone-depletion
potential, an atmospheric lifetime of just five days and a global
warming potential of less than one. It is non-conductive, non
corrosive and fast-evaporating – designed to protect sensitive
components and other critical assets. Applications include data
centres, data processing and control rooms, telecommunications,
marine applications, oil and gas applications, and museums and
historical archives. Novec 1230 fluid leaves no residue and does not
damage equipment or disrupt the working environment.
For more information visit
http://www.3m.co.uk/Novec1230PressRoom
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
11
News
FEATURE - VACANT PROPERTY
PORTAKABIN PUBLISHES NEW REPORT –
‘EXPLODING THE MYTHS OF MODULAR
CONSTRUCTION’
Commonwealth Games
Big Clean Up
- By Louis Fordham, regional director Scotland at Orbis, the vacant
property and clean and clear specialist
I
T
he Portakabin Group, the UK’s leading modular building
manufacturer, has published a new report to help building
occupiers, architects and contractors separate the
misconceptions about modular construction from the facts.
The report titled ‘Exploding the Myths of Modular Construction’ is
the latest in a series of free guides from the Portakabin Group, which
can be downloaded from its website – www.portakabin.co.uk/reports.
Commenting on the report, Kevin Jones, Director of Business
Development at the Portakabin Group, said, “Modular construction
has changed radically over the past 60 years so it can be difficult
to tell just what is fact or fiction when it comes to assessing the
approach and whether it is suitable for a particular project.”
“Add to that the diversity of suppliers – from sellers of low value
second hand cabins to manufacturers of multi-storey, purpose
designed landmark buildings – and the ingrained perception issues
that stem from the draughty, leaking prefabricated classrooms that
were supposed to be temporary but had to be endured by schools
across the country for too many years, and it is easy to see why the
picture is confusing.”
“This myth-busting report addresses some of the most common
misconceptions about modular construction to help organisations
and specifiers in every sector have a much clearer understanding
about the potential of this highly efficient alternative to site-based
building methods.”
12
The myths covered in the report include:
• Modular means temporary
• Modular is all about ugly grey boxes
• Modular buildings have bouncy floors
• Modular construction is restrictive in design
• Modular means sub-standard accommodation.
The reality with a modular solution is that the construction
process is simply being moved off site and into a controlled factory
environment. The building materials, such as the steel frame, remain
the same, and modular schemes generally have to meet exactly the
same Building Regulations and standards as facilities built using
site-based methods. However the benefits include improved
quality, much greater certainty of completion on time and on budget,
programme times reduced by up to 50 per cent, and significantly
less disruption on site.
Applications for modular solutions from the Portakabin Group are
diverse and include open plan office accommodation, landmark
headquarters buildings, canteens, training suites, showers and
changing rooms, health centres and ward buildings, teaching blocks
and even complete schools – for permanent and interim applications.
The Portakabin Group has the resources to deliver both bespoke
projects and standardised accommodation solutions to organisations
in public and private sectors, in the most challenging timescales and
with less impact on the environment.
To download a copy of the new report, visit
www.portakabin.co.uk/reports.
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
n the run up to the 2014 Commonwealth
Games, Glasgow put in a gold medal
effort to make the city look spick and
span in time for the influx of athletes,
dignitaries and visitors.
Around 4,950 athletes from 71 different
nations competed from 23 July to 3 August
in 18 different sports, making the games
the largest multi-sport event ever held in
Scotland. With more than a million visitors
attending events across the city, if ever there
was a time for Glasgow to look its best, this
was it.
Many of the venues hosting the games
are located in the east end, a dilapidated
and deprived area of the city. Celtic Park
football stadium, the Emirates Arena and
Chris Hoy velodrome, and the Athlete’s
Village are all in the east end and all played
an integral part in the Games.
Along the key routes to these venues,
and others, Glasgow carried out a wide
range of regeneration and clean and clear
work, with experts such as clean and clear
specialist Orbis undertaking work in parts
of city. By the time the 4,500 competing
athletes and thousands of fans made their
way to Celtic Park on 23 July for the opening
ceremony, the east end had been given a
new lease of life.
Streets, pathways, parks, open spaces,
vacant sites, shop fronts and buildings
were cleaned and tidied. Premises in the
east end institution the Barras market were
refurbished and upgraded, shop fronts were
painted, pubs were given new signage and
there were all sorts of other communityled-regeneration initiatives. Street sweepers
roamed, roads were repaired, and even the
River Clyde was cleared.
Specific buildings in the east end were
also targeted for cleaning. Clean and clear
specialist Orbis undertook a specialised
six-week project for City Building Glasgow,
a building contractor delivering services to
Glasgow City Council, to jet-wash three
20-storey high-rise buildings on Charles
Street in Royston. At around 58 metres
tall, these buildings are visible from across
the east end, hardly ideal given that they
were covered in green algae, caused by
Glasgow’s famously wet weather, and they
looked far from their original cream and
red colour. Orbis erected cranes around the
buildings, and a mast climber platform
provided the Orbis cleaning team with
access to each level. Specialised cleaning
products and a cold water jet-wash were
used to remove the algae and dirt and to
return the render to its original colour.
In the town centre, George Square, a
main visitor gathering place and the location
of the official Glasgow 2014 superstore, was
also revamped. The square was recoated,
statues were cleaned and grass beds were
reinstated, to name just a few of the works
that contractors undertook on behalf of
Glasgow 2014 and Glasgow City Council.
Overlooking George Square is the
council’s headquarters, City Chambers, a
beautiful building designed in the ornate
Beaux arts style. In preparation for the
building being used to host dinners,
functions and receptions for athletes and
dignitaries, Orbis worked to clean the inside
of the building from top to bottom. The
Orbis team dusted it, cleared trade waste,
washed windows, fixed woodwork and
provided preventative pest control work.
The mass tidy up even reached areas
of the city unlikely to be seen by visitors. In
residential areas, Orbis took on work like
cleaning slabs and cobbled stone areas with
pressure washers and tending to gardens.
And that’s not to mention the work
that took place inside the venues.
According to the official figures, Glasgow
2014 offered companies the opportunity to
bid for contracts worth £3.8m to provide
cleaning as well as housekeeping and
laundering services to ensure that the
Athletes’ Village and venues looked their
best at all times.
And as Glasgow woke up with a
hangover after the closing ceremony, which
saw 1.6 million people tune in to watch
performances by Kylie Minogue and Lulu
and tributes to the Team Scotland athletes,
fortunately there wasn’t too much cleaning
up to do. A spokeswoman for Glasgow City
Council confirmed at the time that there was
“no need for a major clean up operation” as
so much hard work had gone in throughout
the Games “to keep the city looking its best”.
All the more time then for Glasgow to bask
in the glory of its gold standard Games
legacy.
About Orbis
Orbis provides a complete vacant
property service for commercial property and
social housing. From securing the property
with the right type of protection whether
that be sitex screens, alarms, guardians or
manned guarding and cleaning and
clearing it of debris, to monitoring it through
regular inspections, CCTV and alarms, Orbis
ensures properties are legally and insurance
compliant, reducing the risks for property
owners.
All services are backed up by Aura,
Orbis’s real-time web-based workflow
system; enabling customers to instruct,
control and track the progress of work
undertaken through Orbis. Orbis’s in-house
BS5979 Cat II Alarm Response Centre (ARC)
monitors all intruder, fire and cctv alarms,
whilst under a BS8484 accredited platform
Orbis supports its lone workers 24/7/365
ensuring Orbis keeps control of all security
delivery and risks nothing in its outsourcing.
In the UK the vacant property security
company protects more than 50,000
properties as well as 20,000 lone
workers, cleans 20,000 properties annually
and provides infection control, long-term
mould eradication and access control. The
company generates a combined turnover of
in excess of £30 million and employs more
than 500 people.
Orbis is owned by a consortium of
investors focused on long-term growth and
business development.
www.orbisprotect.com | 0800 083 0850
info@orbisprotect.com
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
13
Feature
FEATURE
sustainable practice in
the higher education
sector
The issues
Investing in environmental and
sustainability performance has long been
a key priority for Facilities Managers – with
high proportions of FM budgets put towards
sustainability initiatives such as
improvements in energy efficiency. Energy
efficiency has been at the forefront of
change – in part because it is an area where
FMs can make a difference, where action
can result in real cost savings, and also
because it has become heavily regulated in
the developed world. But it is by no means
the only element of sustainable business of
interest to the facilities management sector.
Strategic approach
“FMs make so many decisions about the
impact on working efficiently and
sustainable business, yet FM doesn’t seem to
be recognised as the place that is the home
of sustainability,” maintained a member of
Workplace Law’s Smart Steps to Sustainable
FM Focus Group in May 2013.
F
or any environmental or
sustainable issue to be fully taken
on board by an organisation,
management buy- in and strong
leadership are vital. Research
Workplace Law has undertaken in the sector
in the UK has raised challenges such as
“getting people at the very top of an
organisation engaged with [sustainability]”,
and it is this barrier that most cite as the
reason to why there is little direct correlation
between the day-to-day management of
estates departments and long-term strategic
thinking.
Further UK research conducted for
ThinkFM 2013 revealed that well over a
third of client organisations do not believe
that senior managers in their organisation
clearly demonstrate leadership towards
environmental and sustainability issues.
Even facilities management service
providers, who have FM as their core
business, are not seeing this leadership from
their senior management teams in a third of
cases. The development of global standards
in sustainable practice is likely to prompt
greater strategic input from business leaders.
The world’s leading voluntary standard
in Environmental Management, ISO 14001,
has been adopted by more than 250,000
organisations in 155 countries, and is due
for revision in 2015.
According to Martin Baxter,
Executive Director – Policy at IEMA and
lead UK ISO 14001 representative:
“The proposed changes link EMS into
organisational strategy and top
management much more, and require
environmental management to be
integrated into core organisational
processes, rather than sit on the side. The
revised draft provides greater focus on risks
14
next five years. When asked to identify the
factors preventing the implementation of
better environmental management within
their organisation, clients in the 2013
Workplace Law survey considered the
biggest issue was a lack of engagement
by staff.
Cost was given as the second reason for
not implementing greater measures, while
generally being too busy with the day job to
give it any focus was the third reason.
As cited in RICS’ Raising the Bar research
in 2011, ‘heads of facilities are still buried in
day-to-day operations’. What can be done
to ensure the concept of sustainability rises
above the day-to-day, and becomes part of
strategic thinking? How does FM engage the
C-Suite (and staff) with environmental
management, to ensure businesses are
prepared for the future?
and opportunities, particularly the positive
side of an EMS and how it can add value to
the organisation.”
While the need to create efficiencies and
a renewed focus on corporate responsibility
are key drivers, Workplace Law’s Head of
Environment, Peter Watts, identifies resource
scarcity as becoming increasingly recognised
as a major factor in determining corporate
sustainable behaviour.
“According to the US National
Intelligence Council’s Global Trends 2030
report, environmental impacts pose a
security threat: demand for food, water, and
energy will grow by approximately 35, 40
and 50% respectively in the next 17 years”,
says Watts.
“The report argues that scarcities can
be avoided, but only if coordinated steps are
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
taken to improve productivity and efficiency
across a raft of industries and economies.”
Research undertaken by the Carbon
Trust among C-Level execs in Brazil, China,
Korea, UK and the US in 2013 echoes both
themes: the threat of resource scarcity and
inaction by business leaders. When resource
shortages do become a reality, 60% of
organisations think the cost of their products
and services will need to increase, 55% that
they will need to engage in fewer markets,
and 43% that they will deliver a less varied
service or product offering. Only 39% of
businesses have either made changes, or
are planning to make changes in the next
three years, to the way they do business in
order to combat resource scarcity.
Nearly half (46%) recognise the problem
but don’t plan to take action for at least the
There is sentiment in both the US and
UK that professional and trade bodies in
the facilities management industry have
been slow to fully engage with the
sustainability agenda. Indeed, sustainability
is a recent ‘add-on’ to the FM role, with 74%
of suppliers and 54% of clients claiming that
environmental management wasn’t part of
their remit just five years ago.
Yet the same Workplace Law research
indicates that in 60% of client organisations
the responsibility for sustainability falls
under the remit of the Premises or Facilities
Director. Only 23% of organisations have a
dedicated sustainability team. So there can
be little doubt that sustainability is indeed
part of the FM role, at both operational and
strategic levels.
It is safe to say that up to 50% of a
facilities manager’s role could include an
environmental remit. Environmental issues
encompassed within the role of an FM can
include:
•
Energy use and efficiency
•
Water consumption, efficiency and
management
•
Waste management
•
Chemical handling and storage
•
Disaster / incident management /
business continuity
•
Climate change risks – e.g. increased
flooding risk
•
Procurement and resource use
minimisation
•
Environmental monitoring and
reporting
•
Management system certification (e.g.
ISO 14001)
•
Greenhouse gas reporting and carbon
footprinting
•
Environmental legal compliance.
So, if environmental management is
increasingly falling under the FM’s remit,
what are the key objectives required by the
FM function to manage this effectively, and
what indeed are the core competencies
required? What might be considered good
practice?
As illustrated in recent research into
sustainability in the FM industry, there are
three core elements of a strategic approach
to sustainable practice in FM, which relate
to management and compliance,
environmental performance, and social
performance. As shown in figure 4.2, the
majority of FM companies benchmarked in
the Sustainable FM Index are performing
well in terms of Environmental Management
Systems, a trend largely due to the industry
standard certifications and verifications that
exist within this area. Most companies also
scored well in terms of climate change
mitigation, especially in terms of CO2
reduction, with transport identified as an
area of weakness.
However, although social sustainability
among the companies was reasonable
overall, there is a lack of consensus in terms
of what exactly is to be reported on and
measured within this category, and how
organisations should achieve this, which
means that while commitment is evident,
reporting is hugely inconsistent, making
comparison difficult.
This inconsistency can be identified on
two fronts: a lack of an established social
impact measurement framework, and a lack
of quantifiable measures. It is important
these elements are addressed as, within the
educational sector, prospective students
consider the green credentials of an
institution as an integral part of their college
selection process, as both case studies
overleaf help to illustrate.
Indeed, as environmental management
becomes a more integrated part of the FM
role, it is important that FM champions the
discipline, incorporating sustainability into
the FM ‘brand’. As the facilities management
industry struggles to prove its worth, and
highlight its professionalism, the
opportunity to use the topical and ‘sexy’
subject of environmental management is
perhaps too good to miss.
www.rics.org/uk
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
15
Feature
FEATURE
Case study:
University of Cambridge
A
n institution that has led from
the front over the past few
years, in keeping with its overall
ethos, is the University of
Cambridge, a leading player
in the global education marketplace. In
2007, the University made the decision to
improve its FM provision by consolidating
its services within the Estate Management
Division. Since 2012, the University has also
invested heavily in environmental
sustainability, creating a new Environment
and Energy Section that is closely aligned to
the Facilities Management team.
Steve Matthews, Facilities Support
Manager, discussed how the University
has progressed environmentally from an
operational focus – concentrating on
reducing pollution and improving
recycling rates – to a more strategic
and holistic approach.
“I think it was the fact that we realised
we weren’t doing enough, and it was like,
‘Where are we on this? We should be
doing more’,” says Steve Matthews. “It’s
the University of Cambridge. We should
be leading the way. And they said, ‘Yes,
let’s get this sorted.’ They’ve got two
floors now. They’ve got it all nicely laid
out. They’ve got likeminded people
working in there, good skillsets. They
don’t say, ‘No, it’s nothing to do with me.’
They support, they help, and they use
us as we use them, so it’s really, really
good.”
Adds Catrin Darsley, Environmental
Coordinator at the University: “The
Environment and Energy Section has more
than doubled in size over the last 12
months, emphasising the growing
importance of these areas to Cambridge.
We run the Green Impact programme
as a toolkit for staff and students to
directly improve their department’s
sustainability credentials, and the criteria
for these awards cover all three
sustainability areas.”
Other initiatives created by the FM
team include the ‘Living Laboratory for
Sustainability’, which started in 2012, and
supports student projects on the estate
itself, covering everything from
biodiversity studies to technical analyses
of on-site renewable technology
efficiency. Literature and communication
systems help to embed environmental
sustainability in the workplace, promoting
recycling techniques, reminding people
to turn lights off, and encouraging water
efficiency and paper use reduction.
From a carbon reduction perspective,
the University has a fund of £2m a year
to implement carbon and energy
reduction initiatives. The Energy and
Carbon Reduction Project particularly
works with high-energy use departments
to make positive and long-term changes
across their operations and working
practices, such as improving the
efficiency of climate-conditioned areas
in the University Library and engaging
the entire Department of Chemistry in a
‘Shut the Sash’ campaign to minimise the
impact of their 380 fume cupboards.
A class of its own
All very commendable initiatives, and
the type of action one would expect to see
from one of the country’s top universities.
So how does the FM team leverage itself
as a Russell Group facilities department,
and ensure its voice is heard?
“On the other side,” says Matthews,
“we have made ourselves known and we
have attended meetings, sometimes when
we’ve not been invited, just so we can get
in and find out what’s going on. From
this, we have achieved what we want,
where we get involved in everything. Just
this morning I’ve been given plans for
a new building for our input and asked
‘What do you think? How will this impact
of communication between their
environmental contact, operations, FM,
and management.
As Matthews concludes: “We see it
as a joint effort. FM and EM are one. We
are there to achieve the same end. The
University should provide the most
cost-effective and economic services
possible, in line with environmental
needs. We want to reduce everything
down as far as possible.”
Lessons learnt
on the site?’ So we’re looking at the
infrastructure, how it will affect the roads,
waste, window-cleaning, cleaning
cupboards, car parking on-site, and so
on. All this falls under FM, so we’ll have
a big input at a very early stage and
they’ll take our points on-board and act
upon them.”
The Environment and Energy Section
works to reduce the University of
Cambridge’s environmental impact
across a range of areas. The Carbon
Management Plan and the investment that
goes into this prioritises energy and
carbon efficiency and emissions
reduction, and the University has set itself
a target of 34% emissions reduction
between 2005 and 202010. The
University’s Travel Plan provides a number
of different incentives and ways for staff to
commute, and aims to support the
University in having no more than 25% of
staff driving as sole occupants to work11.
This initiative has come about partly by
working with the FM department to
increase car- sharing designated
parking, and the number of electric
vehicle charging points.
In addition, the University encourages
use of Cambridge’s Park & Ride
system, and has a Park & Cycle site on
the outskirts of the city to help reduce the
amount of cars in the city centre. Other
initiatives have included reducing the
number of parking bays and replacing
them with protected bike parking – some
additional 200 bike parking spaces can
be accommodated by just 12 parking
bays.
Engaging stakeholders
As with the UEA, the University takes
advantage of the fact it has a variety of
stakeholders interested in its performance,
and gets the support and buy-in of both
students and staff.
16
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
As part of ‘Switch Off Week’ in 2013,
the University encouraged everyone to
wear a jumper and switch off the heating,
amongst other things, and saved £5,000
on energy use over the week12. The
Energy and Carbon Reduction Project ran
an ideas competition for the week’s
savings, and pledged to reinvest £50,000
on the winning entry. Encouraging
students to be ‘NETpositive’ and
supporting an Environment and Energy
Coordinator staff champion network also
helps get the message across to the wider
University body. The increased
communication, including through the
monthly ‘Greenlines’ sustainability
newsletter13, and support from the
Pro-Vice-Chancellor to Heads of
Departments, has seen enhanced
interest and action by both departments
and individuals.
Says Darsley: “Other peer
organisations have found that embedding
the ‘green’ message into their business
case and having a strong student
engagement focus has increased
participation in those types of activities;
I think that most students are looking
for the best university experience they
can find, and even students not initially
inspired by the environmental or social
agenda can find things they enjoy as long
as they’re made aware of the
opportunities.”
This goes back to the concept of
brand, and FM being the ambassador of
environmental issues.
When Cambridge realised that it
could improve the relevance of its
Environmental Policy to the wider
University, the decision was made to
develop its environmental credentials
and increase the size and visibility of its
environmental management team – which
now works even more closely with the
facilities team.
Key recent initiatives include the
Green Impact programme14, which has
engaged 1,177 staff, over 606
initiatives, the combined results of which
have saved the University £36,067, in
addition to 230 tonnes of CO2. The
Environment and Energy Section and
FM team are also working to agreed
University targets to reduce emissions by
34% by 2020, and encourage car sharing
so as to have no more than 25% of staff
driving as sole occupants to work. The FM
team is truly driving sustainable change,
and ensuring environmental management
remains at the top of the agenda.
The University encourages green
buy-in by students, staff and other
stakeholders with a range of initiatives
including an innovative ‘Switch Off Week’
and various other centrally-organised
events, as well as promoting departmental
ideas and event case studies.
Finally, in the spirit of innovation and
leading from the front, the University
advocates a joined-up thinking approach,
which engages all departments and
stakeholders to help embed sustainability
throughout the University by ensuring that
environmental successes and ideas are
communicated effectively throughout the
organisation.
www.rics.org/uk
A joined-up approach
With such joined-up thinking across
departments and stakeholders,
concerted effort can reap dividends.
Without engaging with FM it’s
impossible to really embed sustainability
in an organisation. The University
maintains that its strongest ‘green’
departments are those with a strong line
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
17
Feature - ASBESTOS
Flooring
1.3 MILLION TRADESPEOPLE
AT RISK FROM DANGERS OF
ASBESTOS
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launches new safety campaign
T
radespeople, including
construction workers, carpenters
and painters and decorators,
could come into contact with
deadly asbestos on average more
than 100 times a year according to a new
survey commissioned by the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE.
As well as illustrating how often
tradespeople can be exposed to asbestos,
the survey revealed some common myths
believed by those at risk, with more than one
in seven (14 per cent) believing that drinking
a glass of water will help protect them from
the deadly dust and one in four (27 per cent)
thinking that opening a window will help to
keep them safe.
As part of its new safety campaign, HSE
is encouraging all tradespeople to visit a new
asbestos safety web app. The free Beware
Asbestos web app, for phones, tablets and
laptops leads tradespeople through a list of
simple multiple-choice questions about the
type of building they are working in, the job
that they’re doing, and the type of asbestos
containing material they are working on.
Depending on their answers, they will
be:
•
told to stop work and get a licensed
asbestos contractor if the asbestos risk
is too high;
•
taken to a simple how-to guide giving
them easy to follow step-by-step
information for lower risk asbestos
work;
18
•
told if there is no asbestos risk and so
they are safe to continue work.
The HSE campaign will also see
200,000 asbestos safety kits distributed
at TradePoint stores across Great Britain.
The kits include simple information to help
tradespeople identify where they could come
into contact with asbestos and how they can
stay safe. They also include a free pair of
Type 5 disposable overalls to support safer
working with asbestos.
Every week, 20 tradespeople, on
average, die from asbestos related diseases.
The new survey has revealed that
painters and decorators and construction
workers are the least confident in their
ability to deal with asbestos. Just over
half (55 per cent) of construction workers
said they know how to protect themselves
from the risk and only half of painters and
decorators. Carpenters and joiners, and
plumbers were more confident on how to
protect themselves at 70 per cent and 71 per
cent respectively.
Asbestos can be found in walls and
ceilings, or the structure of a building, as
well as a host of other places like floor tiles,
boilers, toilet cisterns, guttering and soffits.
It can be disturbed by basic maintenance
work like drilling holes and sanding and
once disturbed, the microscopic fibres can
prove lethal if breathed in, causing lung
disease and cancer.
Only a third (30 per cent) of all those
asked, were able to identify all the correct
measures for safe asbestos working, whilst
more than half (57 per cent) made at least
one potentially lethal mistake in trying to
identify how to stay safe.
The research, undertaken by Censuswide
in September 2014, shows that while more
than half (53 per cent) knew that asbestos
could be in old buildings built before 1970,
only 15 per cent knew that it could still be
found in buildings built up to the year 2000.
And although many of those surveyed
could pinpoint some asbestos-containing
materials, others were clueless, with only 19
per cent recognising it could also be hidden
in common fixtures such as toilet seats and
cisterns.
To encourage tradespeople to think
about asbestos on every job so they are
prepared to deal with the danger, HSE has
launched this new safety campaign. Mark
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
Harper, Minister responsible for Health and
Safety, launched the campaign at the
TradePoint store in Cricklewood on
Wednesday (8 October).
Philip White, HSE’s Chief
Inspector for Construction, said: “Asbestos is
still a very real danger and the survey
findings suggest that the people who come
into contact with it regularly often don’t know
where it could be and worryingly don’t know
how to deal with it correctly, which could
put them in harm’s way. Our new campaign
aims to help tradespeople understand some
of the simple steps they can take to stay safe.
Our new web app is designed for use on
a job so workers can easily identify if they
are likely to face danger and can then get
straight forward advice to help them do the
job safely.”
Mark Harper, Minister responsible for
Health and Safety, said: “The number dying
every year from asbestos related-diseases is
unacceptably high. Despite being banned in
the construction industry, asbestos exposure
remains a very serious risk to tradespeople.
This safety campaign is about highlighting
the risks and easy measures people can take
to protect themselves. We hope the safety kits
and the web app will encourage people to
be aware of the risks, think twice, and take
precautions to stay safe.”
John Gurr, Commercial Manager for
TradePoint, said: “TradePoint is delighted to
be involved in this HSE campaign and to be
distributing 200,000 asbestos safety kits to
tradespeople through our 153 TradePoint
counter stores. In addition, we will be
encouraging TradePoint members to
download the Beware Asbestos web app.
The web app and the safety kit help raise
awareness of the very real and often unseen
risks posed by asbestos to tradespeople. We
believe our actions will raise awareness of
the threat and help tradespeople to protect
themselves against the danger of asbestos.”
ALTRO PROVIDES FIRST
CLASS BATHROOM
SOLUTION FOR
UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
A
ltro has delivered an integrated
flooring and wall cladding
solution for Ormond College
at the University of Melbourne.
Ormond College is the largest
residential college at the University, with
more than 400 students and 80 permanent
and casual staff.
The college needed practical, easily
maintained flooring and wall cladding for
new bathroom installations. They selected
Altro Aquarius™ safety flooring to provide
a surface that would be slip-resistant in wet
and dry, shoe and barefoot environments
- perfect for their ensuite refurbishment.
For the ensuite walls, they selected Altro
Whiterock™ wall cladding. Ormond College
loved the fact that it is impact resistant and
that they no longer needed to worry about
repairs to grout, cracks or chips.
They were impressed with the product’s
high end look to match their building design
whilst providing safe, easy to clean, hygienic
and durable surfaces. The bathrooms, being
a wet and dry environment, needed flooring
that would be safe under both conditions
and under bare feet as well as different
types of shoes. With a TRRL ≥36 and Class B
safety rating, along with Altro’s long
warranties, 15 years sustained slip-resistance
and reputation, they knew they were in safe
hands.
Dennis Stammer, Maintenance
Manager at Ormond College said, “I have
experienced Altro in the past and not only
do they have excellent customer service but
high quality, top of the range products as
well. The bathrooms that we installed using
Altro safety flooring and Altro Whiterock
wall cladding were reasonably priced and of
very high quality. I would only recommend
and use Altro Aquarius and Altro Whiterock
products.”
www.altro.com
To download the web app please visit
www.beware-asbestos.info/news
For more information visit
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
19
Property Management
NHS could save £1.5 billion by improving estate efficiency
I
n recent years, the health service in
the UK has taken significant strides in
improving the use of its land estate
resources and there’s no doubt that this
should be applauded, particularly with
unused and surplus space declining by 39%
since 2008. But despite this, the NHS is still
losing out on the opportunity to save £1.5
billion a year – money that could be used to
fund an estimated 260,000 major front-line
services.
As EC Harris’ fifth NHS Estates Efficiency
Review showed last week, the total ‘wasted’
space within the NHS estate is 1,306,000m²,
equivalent to the entire area occupied by
some 13.5 NHS Trusts. Although this is a
reduction from 2008, there is still a 4.8%
surplus of unused space. This represents
an opportunity to reduce the total estates
operational cost in the NHS and to
potentially generate a capital receipt for
investment.
The best Trusts operate their estates
relatively well and in fact, 20 of the most
efficient Trusts are operating at just under
100% efficiency due to waste minimisation – for example, Blackburn with Darwen
Teaching Care Trust and King’s College
Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. It should
also be noted that few large organisations
can operate with 100% utilisation of their
estate because rapid market and
technological developments can quickly
subsume their plans and require some
flexibility. However, efficient usage of
available space and disposal of outdated
and obsolete assets can reap huge benefits
for almost all Trusts.
Our analysis showed that progress has
been made in increasing the proportion of
NHS buildings that have been recently built,
and the proportion built since 2005 has
increased markedly. It is positive to see that
the proportion of post-2005 estates has risen
steadily over the past five years and now
stands at over 20%. In 1995, around half of
the entire NHS estate consisted of pre-1948
buildings, but that figure has fallen to just
15% now. This trend is very welcome as it
can only enhance the delivery of modern
healthcare through improved operational
performance, infection control, privacy and
dignity.
Improvements have also been made in
the CO2 emissions generated by the NHS,
which were standing at over 25 million
tonnes in 2007 and as part of the 2008
Climate Change Act were subject to a 10%
target reduction by 2015. Since then the
NHS has achieved an average of over 1%
per annum and it is now subject to a further
plan to reduce levels by 80% before 2050.
This is an important consideration for
hospitals – the growth of renewable energy
and reduction in consumption through
20
passive and active elements is crucial to the
financial bottom line of NHS organisations.
On the opposite side of the coin, Trusts
operating at an average efficiency still cost
too much and the least efficient are far from
reaching their potential and are wasting
resources. For instance, six of the least
efficient Trusts have as much as a quarter
of their space utilised, including one North
West England PCT, a London Mental Health
Unit and two Acute Trusts. Whilst plans for
such developments are often ‘in train’, it’s
the lengthy gestation process that is of
concern. We also come across many Trusts
that do not understand the metrics,
performance requirements or structure
needed to generate better practice.
The overall NHS budget deficit estimated
at around a further £30 billion by 2022,
provides even more reason for savings to be
created and improvements to be made in
achieving a more uniform estate and facility
management spend. To achieve this, there
are some key levers to address, from
embracing best practice in asset
management, collaboration on procurement
and facilities management to better
commercial strategic capital procurement
and governance, and accepting the
importance and future of renewable energy.
The NHS returns in 2013 have
suggested that surplus land could generate
some 14,794 houses. This doesn’t take into
account the extra estate that could be
progressed for sale where market rates in
some urban areas are now reaching £2
million per hectare. If this could be realised,
there are 45 estates with more than one
acre, 17 with at least three to six combined
acres and six with up to ten acres available
for development. This still leaves further
opportunities for Trust and NHS mergers and
reconfiguration of estates.
At EC Harris, we have achieved savings
of around £60 million for three NHS Trusts
through effective procurement of estates
facilities management and operational
service over the FM contracts’ lifetime.
Nottingham University Hospital NHS
Trusts is a great example of what can be
achieved by reducing the estates and
facilities management cost base whilst
improving outcomes. The Trust required our
help in market testing their services in order
to support their vision to provide a ‘patient
first’ solution with sustainable, year-on-year
savings. Through combining estates and
facilities management services to deliver
an asset-led transformation partnership,
we delivered a step-change to the strategic
and operational management of the Trust’s
estate and realised financial savings of more
than 13% against their current spend, over
the contract term.
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
Based on our experience, we believe
there are certain measures which should
be put in place to achieve a more effective
healthcare delivery. Here are our top ten
tips:
1. Less efficient Trusts should partner with
stronger ones or use hospital chains to
enable the sharing of best practice;
2. Clinical and leadership teams should be
aligned within Trusts to ensure the estate
is geared towards medium and
long-term functionality;
3. NHS organisations should embrace new
operating models and strategic estates
partnerships to work with private sector
partners in order to help operate and
drive better performance;
4. Identify and follow best practice by
sending teams out to see what is
happening in the market to increase
motivation and find new ideas;
5. Collaborate and learn from partners,
neighbouring Trusts, private sector
operators and consultancies;
6. Low-performing assets which are
unlikely to contribute to or maximise the
organisation proceeds should be
disposed to cut costs;
7. Implement standardisation and flexibility
to progress more quickly – it’s important
to follow guidance to ensure that parity
with national standards is achieved;
8. Estate and financial teams in NHS
organisations should be aligned to
improve efficiencies and realise
savings;
9. Estate teams should embrace change
and be ruthless in operating contracts
and internal developments; and
10. NHS organisations should look for
opportunities to work with public sector
partners in Local Government,
education, life-sciences, rehabilitation
and elderly care to focus on community
solutions which financially benefit all
parties – this includes opportunities of
vertical integration.
Focusing on addressing these issues will
do much to deliver better healthcare
outcomes more efficiently – the NHS will be
well on its way to achieving the potential
£1.5 billion saving, which could be
transferred into more than 260,000 knee
and shoulder replacements, hernias,
caesareans, hip operations, CABGs and
cataracts, to name a few.
Likewise, if the footprint of the estate
was reduced, a significant sum could be
saved on the space that currently has to be
operated and maintained. It would also offer
a substantial capital receipt which could
reduce the current high risk and critical
backlog and provide a payback of
government debt or investment into front-line
public services.
Britain’s
“Greenest”
Hospital set
to cut energy
consumption
by further 20%
as annual
savings reach
£470k
H
aving slashed its energy consumption by 26 per
cent in less than five years, the University Hospital
of South Manchester in Wythenshawe [UHSM] is
striving to cut another fifth before 2018.
Mark Foden, Energy and Environment
manager, says this second five-year plan will focus on
reducing electricity consumption. “This is a very tough target
and the low hanging fruit have all gone. But new technology is
coming along.” The process of introducing new technology has
started with the purchase of seven super low loss amorphous
transformers from Wilson Power Solutions Ltd. These
transformers use an innovative core material that reduces
operational losses by up to 75%.
The first two began operation in March 2013 with the
remaining units having been installed in the first half of 2014.
“The first two have already saved us £31,000 through a
combination of reduced transformer losses and voltage
management and the payback on all seven should be achieved
within four years.”
Lighting is also a target in the second phase. “We started
with T5s and now we are moving on to LEDs,” reports Foden.
“We shall also target replacing inefficient chillers.” More efficient
lighting, heat exchangers and building controls are just some
of the improvements made in the first phase. In addition, the
specialist cystic fibrosis centre is heated and cooled by a ground
source heat pump (GSHP). Plus biomass boilers have replaced
two of the hospital’s gas boilers that heat the building.
A second, smaller 200kW biomass boiler, which has been
operating in the Cardiac Centre for three years makes the centre
self-sufficient in heating. The savings made now reach £470,000
which can be returned to patient care, reports Foden. “They are
mitigating the rising costs of energy and all the time our budgets
are being squeezed.” Foden believes that the NHS could pick
up some lessons from UHSM. “I don’t think there are too many
hospitals moving on to a second phase. But there is no reason
why a lot of what we have done couldn’t be transferred to other
hospitals.”
www.wilsonpowersolutions.co.uk
United Biscuits
SAVES
9 MILLION
kWh PER YEAR
PAYBACK
FROM ONLY
5 MONTHS
TO 2.5 YEARS
EXCEEDS
THE UK’S MOST
ENERGY EFFICIENT
DISTRIBUTION
TRANSFORMER
NEW EU ECO
DESIGN DIRECTIVE
SPECIFICATIONS
COMING INTO FORCE
JULY 2015
THE WILSON E2 SUPER LOW LOSS
TRANSFORMER IS THE UK’S MOST ENERGY
EFFICIENT DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMER WITH
THE LOWEST COMBINED TRANSFORMER LOSSES.
Installing Wilson e2 transformers at
Whipps Cross hospital is an effortless
way of driving down operating costs
and lower emissions.
Director of Estates & Facilities,
Whipps Cross University Hospital - NHS Trust
With in-built Voltage management
capabilities, it not only provides guaranteed
savings through reduced transformer losses
but can also deliver the required supply
Voltage to your site.
If you are supplied by MV/HV voltage from
the grid (11kV) the Wilson e2 is the most
cost effective Voltage management solution
available today.
We’re happy to recommend the Wilson
e2 transformer as part of an integrated
approach to energy savings.
Tesco Technical Standards Manager
FIND OUT HOW YOUR ORGANISATION
CAN BENEFIT, CALL OUR ENGINEERING TEAM:
CALL +44 (0)113 271 7588
www.wilsonpowersolutions.co.uk
Energy
Energy
Energy Assets
Launches Dynamic
Load Switching within
Multi-Utility Control
Platform
Protecting critical
energy supplies
nergy Assets, the UK’s leading independent industrial
and commercial (I&C) metering business, has launched a
multi-utility platform that combines energy data
collection and analysis with the ability to control electrical
loads remotely and on-demand.
The company’s new ‘MU+C’ (Multi-Utility + Control) system will
transform the ability of I&C organisations to monitor, manage and
actively control energy consumption.
In what is a UK first, not only will I&C users now be able to
aggregate and analyse data through a single Automated Meter
Reading (AMR) platform covering gas, power and water, they’ll
also be able to switch electrical loads using the Energy Assets’
Z-LYNK system.
“Private and public sector organisations have long been able to
collect and analyse consumption data – but what’s been missing until
now has been a dynamic and easy means of controlling electrical
loads remotely and instantaneously,” says Kenny Cameron, Director
of Strategic Development at Energy Assets Group plc.
“Through MU+C, this is about to change. Now, I&C energy
users – from manufacturers and retailers to hospitals and local
authorities – will not only be able to see their consumption data
and analyse it, they’ll also be to control it more effectively than ever
before through remote load switching, either to a schedule or on
demand. This takes control over energy consumption, carbon
reduction and cost to a new level.”
The Energy Assets MU+C package includes:
•
Metering installation & data collection covering gas, power
and water services, using advanced and
smart gas, power
and water meters transmitting half-hourly
consumption data.
•
Data aggregation and analysis via Energy
Assets’ AMR portal, enabling managers to
analyse consumption profiles, create bespoke
‘best/worst’ site reports and set alarms for
performance exceptions covering all utilities.
•
Utility control via the company’s Z-LYNK
system, providing energy users with the ability
to manage electrical loads on demand by
sending command signals over the electricity
network, from 11KV right down to individual
13 amp sockets – and all via a browser or
App interface.
This new multi-utility approach to energy data
and control has been possible by Energy Assets’
acquisition of power metering business Bglobal
Metering and a commercial partnership
established with Zenner, Germany’s third largest
independent manufacturer of meters and data
systems for hot and cold water and heat.
“The MU+C proposition is based on knowing
what you use...and then controlling it,” says Kenny
or all organisations where electricity supplies are critical,
for instance in hospitals or airports, effective planning of
electricity distribution systems is central to the management
of supply. Heating and lighting systems are vital, as well as
ensuring supply is maintained to critical equipment such
as operating theatres, runway lights or control centres. Interruptions
can be costly and have serious consequences and therefore ensuring
the security of the electricity supply is essential in the design of power
distribution systems.
The inclusion of a back up supply as an integral part of the
overall system is a valuable addition. This can be achieved in
conjunction with the local power distribution network operator, to
introduce alternative feeds from the distribution network in
accordance with the medium voltage demand required for the
end user.
Another solution is to work with a specialist third party
contractor to provide an open point in the network, linked to a new
medium voltage or medium voltage/low voltage distribution system,
which forms part of an automated network changeover sequence.
The open point allows supply to be switched during any interruption
to an alternative medium voltage standby supply ensuring on-going
electricity supply can be secured.
E
22
Cameron. “Energy managers can now seize control of local loads
linked to water, lighting, heating, ventilation, and any other
equipment. We’ve estimated that in some cases, this could lead to
energy savings in buildings of around 30% per annum.”
Z-LYNK works by broadcasting short messages over the 11KV
or415V power distribution network, or at a very local level via the
mobile phone network on GPRS, or through an Ethernet connection.
For 11KV sites, a high power transmitter sends command data
over existing power lines to an unlimited number of receivers located
within devices to be controlled. On a 415V network, a low power
transmitter (LPT) installed on the incoming supply enables I&C users
to control every downstream appliance, right down to each 13A
socket, via hard-wired receivers. The key feature of the LPT is that
on a medium to large site it delivers automated site switching
using existing cabling - wherever the power goes, so can the
command signal.
On smaller sites, the same effect can be achieved by sending
control signals via either the mobile phone network on GPRS or
through an Ethernet connection, using a LYNKswitch device to control
up to four local loads. This enables energy managers to exercise
control, for example, over common area heaters, kitchens, internal
lighting etc remotely, either at set times, by associating them with
sensors, or instantaneously ‘on-demand’. This eliminates situations
where appliances or lighting systems are consuming power
unnecessarily.
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
www.energyassets.co.uk
Ensuring electricity supplies can be managed and
maintained effectively is a key factor when planning
distribution systems for critical infrastructure. Don Innis,
Sales Manager at Lucy Electric, looks at the
considerations facing developers.
F
Future-proofing power distribution
systems
With full automation the ultimate aim for modern electricity
distribution systems, managers need to ensure that any equipment
they fit is, at a minimum, automation-ready, to meet future
requirements. Indeed installing remote control and automation
technology as an integral part of the system brings many benefits,
particularly around security of supply.
For example, close monitoring of the electricity supply through
remote terminal units, together with automated load switching, allows
the network to be more responsive and quickly adapt to changing
conditions. Should a fault occur in an automated system, effective
data collection allows this to be rapidly detected and the network to
be automatically reconfigured to isolate the fault, maintaining supply
and allowing the fault to be repaired quickly.
For refurbishment projects, retrofitted automation solutions are
an excellent way of upgrading equipment and can rapidly improve
the quality and reliability of the electricity supply in a very cost
effective way. Retrofit units can also significantly extend the life of
distribution systems.
As specialists in high-performance medium voltage switchgear,
Lucy Electric has many years experience in designing retrofit
actuators suitable for legacy ring main units. These products are
designed to be easily and safely fitted, without system downtime,
while units remain energised.
for infrastructure projects. High quality, reliable equipment that is
simple to operate and maintain throughout the equipment’s lifetime
is a basic requirement. Ideally equipment must also be compact, to
minimise space requirements; easy to upgrade, to meet changing
requirements; and competitively priced.
‘Plug and play’ package substations can offer organisations
a simple, high quality and cost effective solution. Offering many
advantages, such as a single point of contact for sourcing and quick
and easy installation, preconfigured package substations can simply
be placed onto a site or plinth and connected up.
Partnership for complete peace of mind
Highly technical projects that require negotiations with local
power distribution network operator often require expert knowledge
that organisations do not have in-house. Partnering with a
specialist contractor can provide both the technical knowledge and
project management services to ensure that projects deliver the best
value for the organisation long term.
With a flexible and collaborative approach, established expertise
in developing bespoke solutions and dedicated after-sales support
throughout the product lifecycle, Lucy Electric can offer customers
complete peace of mind. Using in-house expertise, Lucy Electric
engineers can work with utility companies and organisations to
create intelligent solutions for the simplest of schemes to the most
complex projects.
http://www.lucyelectric.com
Cost-effective solutions
There are many other considerations which also need to be taken
into account during the planning of electricity distribution systems
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
23
Energy
Energy
Energy Efficiency: the
task ahead for the
modern FM
Wayne Bridgehouse, Head of Facilities Management, Rexel UK,
explains why energy efficiency should be a key consideration for
facilities managers
W
e live in an age in which climate change concerns
and energy security, are driving the issue of
sustainability ever higher up the public and
political agenda. New energy efficient innovations
are being developed and becoming
commonplace like never before and changes in regulation, more
stringent carbon reduction targets, growing public pressure, and
rising energy prices are driving demand from every sector of society
to reduce energy bills and adopt more energy efficient technology.
In this environment, Facilities Managers (FMs) have also seen
a rise in customers demanding contracts that incorporate strict
targets for energy reduction, with stiff penalties for a failure to meet
them. Across the board, the marketplace for FMs has become more
competitive, with risk management pushed increasingly into the
FMs court. But for those that get it right, the ability to deliver a more
energy efficient solution is also an opportunity to demonstrate proven
value and retain long term contracts.
Today, the task for the Facilities Manager is not just to implement
the management of services and processes that support the core
business of a company cost-effectively, but in the most energy
efficient manner possible.
The green agenda
The UK has set itself the target of reducing carbon emissions
by 50 per cent by 2025 and greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per
cent before 2050. The public and private sectors, and in particular
producers and intensive users of energy, are under pressure to adopt
more efficient energy management solutions to help the UK meet
these targets.
An added complication is that customers don’t often own the
buildings they operate in. This can lead to ‘split-incentive’ issues,
where the desires of the organisation may be at odds with the
landlord. Facilities Managers have an important role to play by
helping landlords and their business tenants alike understand that
improving energy management is a fundamental issue that if
addressed correctly, can deliver major cost saving benefits for
both parties.
The path ahead
So, what is the first step FMs should take to meet their customers’
energy saving objectives?
Before investing in the latest energy efficient and renewable
energy products, it is essential to fully understand the energy footprint
of the whole building (or area of a building) as it stands. To do this,
conducting a comprehensive power audit, will provide a better
understanding of where improvements can be made to manage
energy more efficiently, leading to a significantly bigger impact on
energy savings than focusing on individual power circuits.
Electrical experts, including distributers such as Rexel, have the
expertise to conduct audits using data from a range of techniques,
such as harmonic distortion assessments, transformer assessments
and load flow studies, giving a precise picture of a building’s power
24
needs. They can also offer guidance on everything from regulation
and compliance, to suggestions on measurement and monitoring
and provide recommendations for device optimisation.
The use of energy monitoring technology, such as smart and
sub metres to identify opportunities for power factor correction and
voltage optimization, is an important next step before targeting
individual power circuits.
However, some FMs are still wary of installing energy monitoring
systems as they are sometimes perceived as difficult to understand
and inaccurate, requiring specialists to install them and keep track
of the readings, leading to a larger overall investment than some
companies are willing to make.
It therefore important to note that the market in energy
monitoring has come leaps and bounds in the last few years and
today easy-to-install solutions able to monitor and measure energy
down to individual circuits and appliances, are readily available
on the market. These new monitoring tools are non-invasive with
installation completed in a couple of hours via circuit clamps and a
wireless transmitter that sends information to an online web portal.
Designed to capture continuous data at source, including metered
gas, oil and electricity, they offer FMs a holistic view of how a
building uses energy.
FMs can access the information transmitted by these devices from
anywhere using their smartphones and make informed decisions as
to which energy efficiency upgrades their customers should be
investing in.
Being able to monitor and measure a building’s overall energy
consumption provides FMs with fact-based evidence for them and
their customers, which can aid the investment decision-making
process for further energy reductions and should therefore, not be
overlooked.
Leveraging renewables and LED
Solar PV, ground and air source heat pumps and LEDs are just a
few examples of the green technologies that should be considered by
any FM.
Solar PV is an ideal business solution. Solar panels harness the
power of the sun to provide free renewable energy for warehouses,
factories, hospitals and more. Furthermore, subsidies such as the UK
Government’s feed-in-tariffs (FITs) and the Renewable Heat Incentive
(RHI), are readily available for roof mounted solar and renewable
heating, making these an attractive long term investment for
customers.
Changing lighting to LED alternatives is another effective and
simple way for FMs to improve the energy efficiency of a building.
Making the switch from incandescent bulbs to LEDs can reduce the
electricity bill for lighting by up to 90 per cent. LED products will also
normally last for up to 25 times longer, giving approximately 50,000
hours of use. Thanks to the energy savings generated, they make
for a good return on investment, paying for themselves on average
within 2 years.
Lighting controls should also be considered. Lighting control
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
systems that use daylight harvesting technology to offset the amount
of electric lighting needed to properly light a space, can significantly
reduce energy consumption. Daylight harvesting works by installing
T5 batten or recessed modular luminaires with intelligent controls.
Detectors are then placed in a room and as natural daylight
brightens, the artificial lighting level will reduce via the intelligent
controls. In areas such as stairwells and corridors, where lighting is
often required to be on 24/7, but is only used for a limited amount
of time, lighting control systems can also provide a cost-effective
solution by, for example, dimming the lighting level down to five per
cent when unoccupied.
However, it is important to select the right controls for the right
application and with so many lighting solutions to choose from,
bringing in a lighting specialist who can advise on the right products
for the space is an important consideration.
Making ‘the green dream’ a reality
As legislation continues to evolve and the price of energy rises,
there has never been a greater need for the FM to fully understand
the solutions available in order to implement a sustainable strategy
for their customers. With a wealth of experience in advising the
energy sector and expertise in a wide range of innovative energy
efficient solutions, electrical distributors such as Rexel, are well placed
to accompany FMs on their journey to help customers meet their
energy saving targets.
Getting ready for HECA
Dale Hoyland, Local Authority Services Manager, National Energy
Foundation
T
he next Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA)
reporting deadline is 31 March 2015. Under the guidance
produced for the original legislation, “Local authorities
are uniquely placed to assess the needs of their areas and
local residents and to act as catalysts for change. The Act
recognises local authorities’ ability to use their position to improve
the energy efficiency of all residential accommodation (such as
owner-occupied, privately rented and social housing) in their areas.”
(Guidance to English Energy Conservation Authorities issued
pursuant to the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995)
By the end of next March, Councils will have to report on their
actions from their last reports, set out their energy-saving ambitions
and targets, and outline the key actions and partnerships needed to
deliver them.
The HECA guidance also:
•
Requires the publication of a publically-available report on the
council’s plans to achieve improved energy efficiency, and for
the council to report on progress in implementing the proposed
measures every two years.
•
Asks for targets to be set and a timeframe for delivery to be in
place.
•
Encourages working with key local partners, such as social
housing providers and community organisations, to develop
and implement the plan.
•
Encourages the take-up of financial mechanisms from central
Government initiatives such as the Green Deal, Energy
Company Obligation and Renewable Heat Incentives.
It’s quite likely that some councils will need help to achieve
what’s asked of them. Some will struggle with the necessary
resources, skills and tools, while simply making things happen
might also be an issue. During the winter heating season, it’s crucial
that councils ensure that they make best use of all available grants
– helping to tackle fuel poverty and achieve carbon savings for their
local areas.
Here at the National Energy Foundation, we provide tailored,
cost-effective services to suit local authorities’ individual
requirements, enabling them to meet their statutory requirements.
There’s a range of external services a council might need:
•
Expert input into its HECA report. This should align with and
support other activity – for example, help target where
area-based approaches should take place for maximum
benefit, as well as grant/project management.
•
A basis for the roll-out of targeted approaches, with maximum
benefit.
Dale Hoyland is Local Authority Services Manager at the National Energy
Foundation. He leads on HECA, training and Affordable Warmth services
and works closely with many local authorities across the south-east region
and beyond.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Evaluation of its current home energy efficiency improvement
projects.
Feedback and the gathering and disseminating of ideas for
future projects.
Help gaining recognition for successes achieved since its 2012
HECA submission.
An ideal service would be based around:
Data analysis. Obtaining, analysing and interpreting data
relating to buildings, insulation, energy consumption and
socio-economic factors. Based on this analysis, an interpretive
report should be produced, which can be used to inform an
area-based approach to home energy conservation, target
affordable warmth measures and identify funding opportunities.
Policy review. Desktop research and gap analysis of existing
strategies and policies from the council and its key partners.
Information on on-going initiatives should also be considered at
this stage.
Feedback. A strategy workshop involving the council’s key
personnel and stakeholder organisations.
Strategy preparation. The production of a draft strategy and
action plan, which will meet HECA requirements and serve as a
fuel poverty and energy conservation strategy, building on the
work done for the first ‘New HECA’ submission in 2012.
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
25
Energy
Energy
RHI Decoded:
What is its role in the UK carbon economy?
T
his paper was put together following the CBx evening
event in September 2014, to summarise the open
discussion around the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)
opportunities and barriers, and how the scheme interacts
with other government policy and incentives. It describes
real life case studies surrounding the RHI; discussing options for
decarbonising the mains gas supply (including biomethane and
hydrogen), and considers how the gas system might change in the
future as the UK develops a low-carbon economy. Presentations
explored the history and future of UK heat and an overview of current
modelling techniques employed to examine the UK carbon targets
both at whole economy scale and sector interactions. Our DECC
speaker provided insight into accredited installations showing
possible financial returns and updates on latest policy developments,
with industry leaders looking at key challenges, and giving guidance
to those installing new systems.
National energy efficiency and carbon reduction targets state that
the UK should produce 12% of its heat from renewable sources by
2020. The UK national grid are therefore in the process of replacing
91,000km of gas pipelines with polyethylene pipes, under the Iron
Mains Replacement Programme which is to be completed by 2034.
If the gas networks are to be abandoned by 2040, there will be a
number of difficult legacy and compensation issues due to the long
life of the assets, estimated at around 80 years by the national grid.
Gas also remains the cheapest solution for heating homes which
would raise a number of fuel poverty issues.
Only 2% of the UK’s heat is supplied by heat networks, and the
sector is undeveloped due to a historic focus on developing national
scale electricity and gas infrastructure and limited powers devolved to
municipalities to develop local energy systems. New public
management reforms in the 1980s allowed Local Authorities to shift
the service economy, which led to a loss of the technical and financial
capacity to develop municipal infrastructure. As a result, high costs
and uncertainty are just two of barriers to changing the way the UK
heats its population. Despite this, London has approximately 1000
heat networks of varying capacities and systems. Low carbon
infrastructure for cities requires a large amount of space and this
must be integrated in urban planning in order to facilitate more
networks.
The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), designed to financially
reward those who use renewable energy to heat their buildings and
help move the off-gas-grid market to renewable heat, has been
instrumental in generating interest from community groups who are
looking to enhance their access to sustainable heating.
KEY CHALLENGES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The suite of financial incentives and grant schemes on offer
have led to siloed incentives, and a policy network that doesn’t
stack up financially in the order that they should be applied. The
policies work as standalone incentives, but market forces are yet
to drive a logical solution for a homeowner looking to perform
a whole house retrofit.
The financing works differently for each scheme, adding a layer
of complexity for the building owner and skewing the incentives
for scheme uptake; the RHI is a post-paid tariff scheme whereas
there is an upfront grant for energy efficiency measures under
the domestic green deal.
The Energy Companies Obligation (ECO), while successfully
tackling issues of fuel poverty, has the unintended consequence
of decreasing the potential effect of an RHI scheme; reducing
the incentive to tackle the problem, and meaning that a
percentage reduction in bills would have a smaller effect.
Culture is also a major factor in the success of this scheme.
The 85% of UK homeowners that are on-gas are used to their
heating system comprising a boiler in a cupboard that needs
servicing periodically - making the leap to a biomass boiler, a
perceptually more uncertain technology requiring fuel deliveries,
a large one.
Often, in the non-domestic sector, the commercial vs.
renewable balance doesn’t stack up, particularly in London Real
Estate. Unless a developer is involved with the project
post-completion as asset managers, the aim is to meet any
policy at the lowest capital cost which, more often than not,
results in gas-fired boilers or gas-fired CHP being installed.
The majority of non-domestic RHI projects have been
implemented as biomass systems, which can be problematic
in urban areas due to the space needed for fuel delivery and
maintenance in a dense city with high real estate values.
Research into heat systems and the decarbonisation of the gas
grid is not as advanced as other areas. Modelling heat has not
been on the agenda until recently; a combination of competing
priorities and the difficulties associated with modelling heat in a
computational system.
To access our full report, visit:
http://cbxchange.org/news/rhi-decoded/
http://cbxchange.org
In partnership with
EXCEL, LONDON • 19 - 20th NOVEMBER 2014
ESOS ENERGY MONITORING
DEADLINE IMMINENT
-­ ARE YOU READY?
T
he fundamental ESOS question UK businesses and
organisations should be asking themselves right now, is
not “Are we ready for Dec 2015 compliance?” but “Do
we have procedures in place to capture 12 months of
consecutive energy data before then?”. Be warned - the
latest date to start measuring energy consumption is 5th Dec 2014.
So, if you’re not ready for this, you have a mere three months to turn
this around.
ESOS is mandatory to those organisations that meet the well
documented criteria that the government has laid out. By now,
hopefully you should have clarified whether this criteria applies to
your business. The required energy assessments are comprehensive
and must cover energy consumption for buildings, processes and
transportation. Each of these assets must be measured separately in
order to account for and identify areas consuming at least 90% of the
total energy consumption, including any energy that is self generated
such as solar, CHP etc.
The way in which organisations collect this information is
going to vary but the principle underlying aim of ESOS – to highlight
where and how savings can be made - must not be overlooked. This
fundamental objective will ensure, it is hoped, that energy
managers, and those responsible at boardroom level, come to
understand where and how their energy is being utilised, the
associated costs and the related opportunities for increased savings
and efficiencies. With UK natural fossil fuel resources fast depleting
and energy imports and fuel prices rising, this Government
legislation therefore creates an opportunity for UK businesses to
clarify their commitment to environmental responsibility by
becoming less wasteful and more proactive in their approach to
energy efficiency, enabling cost savings in the process.
In order to maximise the potentials of this scheme and before
you start to collect your 12 months of assessment data, apply due
diligence and provide your business with the means to collect specific
and real energy information. Mere data from billing meters is great
for paying the bills but using this for ESOS won’t allow you the
opportunity to breakdown your consumption into vital areas or show
you where to concentrate your efforts for improvements. At best,
you could make an educated guess but not a strong business case.
Bearing in mind that the board will have to add their signatures to
the data collected for ESOS, assuming collective responsibility, then
the need for hard evidence to justify and explain energy use suddenly
becomes clearer. Making any strategic decisions and key investments
at boardroom level without all detailed information is a dangerous
game so collecting accurate and advanced consumption data is the
only way forward to ensure the right decisions can be made in the
right way.
My advice to energy managers, operations managers and their
counterparts is to see the ESOS scheme as a reason for delivering
a responsible and proactive energy saving strategy for 2015, using
detailed, comprehensive monitoring, and to begin the process of
implementing this right now. Of course this will involve some time
and effort, but by collecting true and meaningful data you can
approach the board with confidence and a clear strategy that is
backed up by real credible data and a measurable payback model.
The alternative is to take no action and complete your ESOS
assessment based on limited data with a box ticking
mentality, but in the long run your business will miss the opportunity
of cost savings and expanding profit margins that your competitors
will be benefitting from.
The ESOS scheme is providing a significant opportunity for UK
businesses to employ best practice techniques in their energy
consumption and Optimal Monitoring can support you in this
process. Optimal Monitoring can help you measure and collect your
consumption data automatically, with simple to use tools to help you
identify where there is genuine waste, thus forming a credible
strategy with a significant, genuine and measured bottom line.
Just don’t forget the clock is ticking - remember, remember the 5th
December...
www.optimalmonitoring.com
Graham Boret, Business Development Director of
Optimal Monitoring, advises energy managers on the
urgency of ESOS data capture.
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
27
Energy
Energy
Rooftop solar:
an obvious boost to
public sector finances
A
study released by Kingspan Energy last month showed
the enormous energy potential of the UK’s large-scale
roof space. One of the key findings of the study, based
on Government data and analysis of existing system
performance, was that the entire 199,738GWh of
annual electricity demand of the private and public sectors could be
met by installing rooftop Photovoltaic (PV) on just 61% of the UK’s
2,500km2 of south-facing large-scale roof space. But until now,
take-up of large scale rooftop solar PV has been disappointing
compared with other nations. In this piece, Peter Turley from
Kingspan Energy explains what they are doing to help drive the
uptake of rooftop solar PV in the public sector and beyond, and
makes a compelling case for all organisations to install solar now.
Unlike some other forms of energy, it doesn’t take much to
persuade people of the benefits of solar. The idea of harnessing
energy directly from the sun captures the imagination in ways that
other technology just can’t, especially when you explain that solar
panels can still work even under the UK’s typically cloudy skies. Of
course, this is helped by the relatively unobtrusive nature of rooftop
solar PV systems when compared with other renewables; an attribute
that has largely protected solar from some of the public perception
issues associated with wind or wave technology. This fact is illustrated
time and again in the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s
(DECC) Public Attitudes Tracker, which puts solar in all its forms as
the most popular form of renewable energy, with 82% approval in
the latest survey.
28
Even more compelling than the public relations case for solar is
the long-term economic one. Large cumulative energy price rises in
recent years, coupled with predictions for further price rises to come,
have made the idea of self-generation attractive to a wide range of
organisations. Add to this concern about energy shortages in the
medium term, whether due to a lack of grid generating capacity or
geopolitical instability, and the attraction becomes stronger. The fear
of blackouts impacting vital services for the long-term simply cannot
be countenanced by some organisations, especially with back-up
systems not designed for prolonged power generation.
But where large-scale rooftop solar has fallen down, until now, is
the upfront capital cost. While most in the public and private sectors
are convinced of the long-term benefits of rooftop self-generation,
the upfront cost of installing solar PV systems has proven prohibitive
to many. It is true that the cost of panels has fallen dramatically in
recent years, and larger, well-capitalised businesses and
organisations are now able to make the investment and benefit from
reduced energy bills and a relatively rapid return on their investment.
But smaller organisations and the public sector often lack the liquidity
to make such an investment. What remains of budgets after years
of successive cuts and reduced cash reserves must be used to cover
day-to-day running costs; there is little room for investment.
Even where the capital is theoretically available, solar’s mid-term
ROI often loses out in the face of the more immediate returns many
shareholders demand, or the political expediency of short-term
investments that will deliver during present terms of office.
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
With the outlook for energy security, price rises and fossil fuel
supplies as it is, not to mention the growing threat of climate change,
this situation clearly cannot continue. It is incumbent on all
stakeholders to do whatever they can to remove the barriers that
have held solar back so far. For Governments, this means a clear
set of incentives to help the industry reach critical mass, and leading
by example in public sector installations. For building owners, this
means a more proactive approach to improving the energy
performance of their assets. For tenants, this means understanding
the impact of energy bills on their organisation, and demanding
buildings that deliver renewable energy at lower cost. Finally, for
solution providers like Kingspan Energy, this means exploring new
models to help more organisations benefit from self-generated
rooftop solar PV. That is why we launched our fully-funded rooftop
solar PV package.
This is a 100% funded solution, with no upfront cost or
capital risk to the end client. In return for a 25 year lease on the roof
space, we design, install and maintain a bespoke optimised solar
PV solution. The electricity generated by the system is supplied to the
building tenant at lower rates than would otherwise be supplied from
the grid, with costs index-linked to RPI rather than subject to volatile
energy wholesale prices.
It means that organisations which lack the capital to invest in
self-funded solutions can still unlock the reduced operational costs,
increased energy security and improved environmental credentials
of rooftop solar PV. Our studies have shown the huge positive impact
this model could have on the UK.
If our fully-funded systems were installed on just 61% of the
country’s south-facing large-scale roof space, it would meet the
entire current demand of the UK public and private sectors. In this
scenario, the total electricity bill for UK organisations would fall from
£20.4bn to £15.3bn – a saving of over £5bn per year annually. To
put that figure into context, it is equivalent to over 5% of the UK’s
annual Education budget, or just shy of the entire annual NHS
budget for Wales. The total annual saving on electricity bills is equal
to 0.32% of UK GDP.
If we look at the figures specifically for the public sector, the
annual sector demand of 18,822 GWh of electricity, which currently
costs £1.9bn, would cost just £1.4bn under completely fully-funded
systems. This gives a potential annual saving to the sector of £479m
every year; money which could be reinvested elsewhere to deliver
enormous benefits.
The average British organisation with a half-hourly meter
(effectively any medium-sized concern) would save £31,147 on
annual electricity bills immediately, with no capital outlay.
Of course, these figures are only based on the adoption of our
fully-funded solution on 61% of the UK’s south-facing roof space.
Every organisation that opts for a self-funded solution, like the ones
we have provided to many clients, will bring the overall electricity bill
down even further.
Clearly then, there is a compelling case for UK large-scale
rooftop solar, and fewer obstacles to prevent its widespread adoption
across the UK. For the public sector, pressure on budgets is unlikely
to ease any time soon, and as the challenge of protecting essential
services becomes even more difficult, reducing energy costs will
become a more important goal. Particularly as they are one of the
few remaining variable costs that can be managed without a
negative impact on services.
The Government has already recognised this opportunity,
committing to installing at least 1GW of rooftop solar PV capacity
on the public sector estate. Speaking at the unveiling of Kingspan’s
report, Amber Rudd MP, Minister at the Department for Energy and
Climate Change, reiterated the Government’s ambition for the
growth of solar on roofs and brownfield sites, and lauded the huge
benefits from solar highlighted in Kingspan’s study.
Other organisations are playing their part, with the British
Photovoltaic Association launching its ‘Powering Knowledge’
campaign just after the publication of Kingspan’s study, aiming to
reduce the £500m British schools spend on electricity each year.
Again, under the fully-funded model, the annual energy bill saving
for schools here would be approximately £125m, or enough to build
eight additional new schools every year. The ‘Powering Knowledge’
campaign has the support of both DECC and the Department for
Education, with the Government keen to make the most of the
potential savings on offer.
The opportunity rooftop solar PV presents to the public sector,
and the UK as a whole, is clear. With innovate funding models like
Kingspan Energy’s, and a firm push from the Government and the
industry to drive increased uptake of solar across the sector, the next
year ought to see a significant change in the number of public
organisations benefitting from rooftop solar PV. This will result in
lower bills, increased security and leaner organisations better able
to invest in the services they exist to provide. Simply put, fully-funded
rooftop solar PV could provide an immediate and much-needed
financial boost to the public sector, and every public sector estate
manager should now be considering whether it is an appropriate
solution for their premises.
www.kingspanpanels.co.uk
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
29
Energy
Have Greater Control
of Your Building’s
Performance
T
he efficiency of a heating and hot water system is
paramount to the energy compliance of a building and
specifiers, contractors and local authorities alike are
turning to the latest technology available to address this
pressing issue. Leading plumbing and heating systems
manufacturer, Pegler Yorkshire, has developed an energy
management solution that simplifies the emerging technology
and delivers results.
Sindar Singh, Climate Control Market Manager for Pegler
Yorkshire said: “The traditional method primarily chosen for meeting
the needs of a multi-occupancy or district heating system has been
through decentralised systems with individual gas fired boilers but
while this system is effective, it can be prone to so many problems
and inefficiencies. The development of the Heat Interface Unit (HIU)
has revolutionised the approach to delivering heat and hot water and
while not a new concept, the latest products offer a range of features
that leave many older systems looking obsolete.”
Pegler Yorkshire’s energy efficient solutions for centralised boiler
plants include HIUs from the globally renowned Meibes range. A HIU
offers many benefits over decentralised systems such as improved
energy efficiency, improvement to SAP ratings, no gas installation
throughout the building, ease of access to heating plant for
maintenance and a simple integrated solution of low carbon and
renewable heat sources, making it easier for planning consent.
The Meibes range of HIUs are designed to meet the needs of UK
systems and applications and, whilst the market will continue to have
bespoke units to suit the individual projects, Pegler Yorkshire has
developed specific solutions for more repetitive applications types
forming part of its climate strategy to improve building performance.
The Meibes units in particular are designed to go the extra mile with
features that promote high engineering and reliability. All benefit
from a patented Proportional Modulating valve that intelligently
prioritises the requirement for domestic hot water over heating, in
a similar way to a combi boiler. They operates on a ‘no demand
no flow’ basis which minimises the demand on the main network,
reduces energy consumption and ensures the apartment is not over
heated.
A recent study by the Building Services Research and Information
Association (BSRIA) has reported the use of HIUs to increase by 17
percent annually. Which, in general, is driven by the need for more
urban regeneration by Local Authorities, compliance to SAP Ratings
and compliance to Part L of Building Regulations.
“Meibes HIUs deliver benefits for all parties in the supply chain
from initial system design through to everyday operation and
maintenance.” commented Sindar. “There are lower capital costs
for one which is a key consideration in any project, they also don’t
require complicated heating and pipework system designs, there is
no hot water storage necessary and as they help improve energy
efficiency whilst facilitating integration of different heat sources it’s
generally easier to gain planning consent.
“For contactors there is the ease of installation and time saving
as well as an annual servicing requirement. However I would say
property managers are the biggest winners from this technology, they
benefit from a single plant room, no requirement to enter individual
apartments for routine maintenance, the ability to data capture and
provide heat metering for billing residents and reduced energy
consumption as well as being easily able to include renewable
solutions into their building, therefore complying with Government
directives.”
The Meibes HIU range benefits from a number of different
models to suit a variety of applications, which means that
choosing the right system just got a whole lot easier. The
comprehensive range comprising; Indirect, Direct and Indirect for
Cylinder Systems, ensures they can be used with a wide range of
configurations. And, benefit from additional features such as fix rails
for faster installation, heat meters for accurate measurement of heat
energy use and data extraction.
Sindar concluded: “As with so many modern products, the
challenge is not simply to do the job of old systems more efficiently,
but to deliver tangible benefits for all parties. And as a company
dedicated to product innovation, we believe the Meibes HIU range
does just that!”
For further information about any of Pegler Yorkshire’s products
call 0844 243 4400, email brochures@pegleryorkshire.co.uk or visit
www.pegleryorkshire.co.uk.
30
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
in partnership with
A
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Renewable Heat from British Gas
Peace of mind from a lifetime partner
ECOBLOX Pre-fabricated 198kW packaged plant room
• High quality Austrian manufactured Froling
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• 5 years warranty on boilers*
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• Plug and Play solutions
• RHI compliant
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British Gas New Heating Ltd, t/a Econergy
T: 0870 0545 554 E: admin@econergy.ltd.uk
Econergy, The Exchange, Colworth Science Park,
Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ
For further details
contact Adam West
on 0870 0545 554
www.econergy.ltd.uk/ecoblox
Energy - Lighting
Energy - District Heating
DISTRICT HEATING CASE STUDY:
COAST & COUNTRY HOUSING
A
s many social housing providers around the UK face
rising energy bills and an increased risk of fuel poverty
for tenants, one such organisation in the north of
England has invested in an innovative communal
heating system to improve heating and hot water
efficiency whilst significantly reducing maintenance costs.
Whilst suffering ongoing issues with the communal combination
boilers during Coast & Country’s development of eight residential
apartments in Marske by the Sea, North Yorkshire, the decision was
taken to invest in a new heating system that would give tenants an
uninterrupted supply of heating and hot water.
Following a detailed assessment of the various options available,
Coast & Country contacted Bosch Commercial & Industrial Heating,
which specialises in the design of bespoke district heating systems.
The preference from the outset was to minimise disruption for
tenants and ensure the radiators, that were already in-situ within
each single bedroom flat, could be used. Bosch proposed a system
which combined a central boiler cascade with a network of Heat
Distribution Units (HDUs).
Having utilised a single system previously, which placed each
of the eight properties on the same heating circuit, the new system
ensures each HDU operates on its own dedicated circuit. The eight
HDUs are fed by a 100kW GB162 condensing boiler, which is
capable of modulating to just 20 per cent of total output, ensuring
provision of heating and hot water remains at its most efficient even
when demand varies.
Each HDU comprises of two heat exchangers; one for providing
instant domestic hot water (DHW) at a regulated temperature and the
second for space heating within the property. The system operates
indirectly, meaning the primary heating circuit is hydraulically
separated from the property’s space heating via a plate heat
exchanger. The unit operates only when hot water or space heating
is required, ensuring energy efficient operation.
Rob Wilcox, Gas Services Manager at Coast & Country Housing
said: “The ongoing maintenance issues with our previous heating
system had not only put our tenants at great inconvenience, but
also proved extremely costly. Like the vast majority of social
housing providers, the comfort of our tenants is always one of our
main priorities, so we took the step of replacing it with a more
effective and efficient system.
“We were unable to accommodate gas boilers in each flat due to
space and fluing difficulties and the HDU’s have provided an
excellent solution. The new Heat Distribution Units have been
introduced seamlessly with no major disruption to our residents’
existing radiators, which was a huge advantage for us. The other plus
point is our tenants now have greater control over their hot water
and heating system. We are now monitoring energy costs and are
very hopeful on seeing significant savings for our tenants. I believe
this type of system is the way forward for similar schemes and are
now planning others for later this year.”
Coast & Country installed the HDU’s with meters fitted allowing
them to monitor energy with plans to set up remote monitoring in the
future.
Mrs Vivienne Nolan, a tenant who is now reaping the benefits
of the new system added: “The new system is absolutely marvellous.
With the old system, there were times when I only had heating when
others turned theirs off. After four extremely cold winters, I’m really
glad to be able to count on my heating whenever I need it. Coast &
Country’s engineers did a great job and I’m really pleased with how
things have turned out.”
For more information on Bosch Commercial & Industrial
Heating and its bespoke district heating solutions, please visit
www.bosch-industrial.co.uk or call 0330 123 3004.
32
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
Say goodbye to gloomy
outdoor spaces with
LED lighting
W
hen your facilities include communal outside
areas, it’s vital that users feel safe and
comfortable using them. Inefficient or damaged
lighting can lead to poor visibility at ground level
and light pollution to surrounding areas.
Earlsmann’s tailor-made LED lighting solutions offer clear, bright
lighting where it’s needed most - creating safer spaces and
generating energy savings of up to 65%.
amount of the light they emit upwards, polluting the night sky and
surrounding areas.
Based on its on-site assessment, Earlsmann selected and
provided three different units for the replacement lighting, which
was installed by Polaris Power and Data. Burton bulkhead lighting
was installed to illuminate an unlit drying area, two 30W Stafford
floodlights were used to light a car park, footpath and grassed area,
and a 20W Lincoln streetlight was chosen to illuminate the roadway
into the estate.
Case study: the Fitzgerald Road Estate,
Redbridge, London
Providing a bespoke lighting solution
– with significant savings
Redbridge Council had become aware that the lighting at the
Fitzgerald Road housing estate was no longer fit for purpose. The
existing 70W sodium lighting was too dim and one street light was
missing following damage by a nearby tree during high winds. This
inefficient lighting was creating dark areas where antisocial
behaviour was taking place, and residents no longer felt safe
walking to and from the parking areas on the estate.
Expert
advice from
Earlsmann
– leaders in
LED lighting
The Council
approached Earlsmann
for help in designing
a new lighting solution
for Fitzgerald Road.
Earlsmann surveyed
the site to establish
the optimum solution,
based on user needs
in each specific area
of the estate. While
on site, the Earlsmann
team noticed that some
of the existing lighting
comprised clear-topped
‘globe’ type units
– which throw a large
Following installation of the new Earlsmann-supplied lighting
units, the area is now well-lit with cool white LED luminaires. The
new lighting provides excellent visibility for residents and creates a
safer, more secure environment by helping to reduce antisocial
behaviour. The precise beam control offered by the cutting-edge LED
technology ensures light pollution is minimised and light is directed
precisely where it is needed.
With just 90W installed power – compared to the 260W used by
the old lighting – the new lighting will pay for itself through ongoing
energy savings of 65%. Simon Thornton, Sales Director at
Earlsmann, said that the Fitzgerald Road project “is the perfect
example of how our wide product range, with the ability to change
beam angles and power rating for each product, enables us to
provide complete solutions for our clients”.
Five-year warranty for total peace of
mind
Earlsmann manufactures its LED lighting units at its factory in the
UK, ensuring a high-quality, reliable product underpinned by a full
five-year warranty. The company provides a comprehensive range of
lighting solutions to suit every interior and exterior application.
Find out more about Earlsmann’s commercial lighting products
at www.earlsmann.co.uk, call 08456 434 740 or email
sales@earlsmann.co.uk
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
33
Energy - Lighting
Energy - Lighting
Shedding more light
on energy efficiency
S
ustaining services while curbing costs can be a tricky
balancing act. Russell Fletcher, sales and marketing
director at Harvard Engineering, explains how the future
can be bright, yet also energy efficient.
Value for money - three words blazing a trail through
public sector organisations required to demonstrate fiscal astuteness
while delivering continued levels of quality to customers.
Investment in new technology demonstrates a willingness to
adapt; a necessity for those aiming to stay ahead of the game while
focusing on the need to reduce carbon emissions and meet legally
binding climate change targets.
In the public sector, where there are often large swathes of land
and numerous roads and premises to monitor and maintain, the task
of reconciling savings and services can be particularly difficult.
With street lighting now included in the Carbon Reduction
Commitment, it’s imperative that local authorities, schools, health
authorities and any other agencies responsible for this important
service are up to speed with the opportunities to upgrade to more
energy-efficient options.
A world-leading British company is lighting the way for
numerous organisations across the UK and the rest of the world,
both in the public and private sector, which are looking to the future
in budgetary and environmental terms.
Increasingly, local authorities are turning to technology offered
by Harvard Engineering to put lighting systems in place that will offer
value for money while maintaining public safety and complying with
environmental legislation.
34
Harvard’s energy-saving lighting solutions have been
developed for both indoor use, in the form of the EyeNut wireless
control system, and for outdoor use, for which the LeafNut system
offers a practical and efficient way of managing and monitoring
street and other external lights.
LeafNut was designed, developed and manufactured in the UK
and has become a multi-award-winning solution to maximising the
potential of street and outdoor lighting.
Too much, and providers can be accused of wasting energy by
leaving street lights blazing away through the night when no one is
awake to need them. Too little, and fears may be raised about the
safety and security of people, homes and businesses.
The flexibility of the LeafNut system allows a happy medium to be
reached and its unique features offer the opportunity to tailor lighting
levels to specific areas - even to an individual lantern.
For example, in a quiet residential area, street lights may be
dimmed in the early hours when people are in bed. This not only
saves energy, and therefore money, but also reduces the amount of
light pollution in the atmosphere - good news for the environment
and also for nocturnal wild animals and birds whose body clocks can
be confused by unnatural levels of light during the hours of darkness.
Lighting can also be dimmed if required along busier roads, but
returned to full brightness immediately in case of an emergency.
The LeafNut solution has already been deployed across more
than 400,000 street lights worldwide and its ground-breaking
wireless technology is delivering significant savings by reducing
carbon emissions and energy consumption.
Using LeafNut, lights can be managed individually or in groups
wirelessly via a laptop or desktop computer from anywhere in the
world. The web-based software allows data to be sent and received
by each lantern - including its power consumption - through a secure
internet connection.
Those responsible for the intensity of the lighting in specific areas
can easily manage and configure the lighting output using a
combination of GPRS and radio frequency. The system has the
additional benefit that any faults in a lantern are reported direct to
the user each morning via email, saving on maintenance “scouting”
costs.
Some local authorities were tempted to turn off many of their
street lights overnight in a bid to save taxpayers money and reduce
the amount of greenhouse gases produced by unnecessary lighting
at off-peak times.
In April this year, a survey by the Campaign to Protect Rural
England (CPRE) revealed that almost one-third of councils surveyed
were switching off street lights, typically between midnight and 5am.
Almost half of the town halls that responded said they were dimming
street lights in their areas, a plan which was said to be “significantly
more popular” among taxpayers than turning off the lights
completely.
CPRE’s report said street lighting in England costs local
authorities about £616 million each year, accounting for 30% of their
carbon emissions. In addition to financial savings, there’s also a
growing movement towards preserving a more natural environment
and allowing us to re-connect with the universe around us.
Emma Marrington, CPRE’s “dark skies” campaigner, said: “We
often hear concerns that changing street lighting can impact on
public safety but our research revealed no evidence to support this.
We’re not advocating changes where they’re not appropriate, but
why shine bright lights on residential streets, quiet roads and open
countryside throughout the night when it’s not needed?”
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
President of the AA, Edmund King, commenting on the survey,
warned that lives were being put at risk where streets were being
plunged into darkness.
So what can be done to tackle an issue with so many facets
- striking a balance between starry skies and public safety, cutting
energy costs while providing an effective service, upgrading and
updating aging stocks of street lights while being conscious of the
impact on the public purse?
The solution proposed by LeafNut not only offers a 21st century
solution designed to adapt lighting to specific areas and
circumstances - it is constantly under review itself. Harvard has
recently launched a range of Retro LED Gear trays allowing local
authorities to reduce the costs and energy consumption of their street
lighting networks.
Quick and easy to install, taking an average of three minutes
per fitting, the gear trays allow SON, SOX and CFL street lights to be
converted to LED without losing lighting performance and without
having to fully replace luminaires - three can be converted for the
cost of one new LED luminaire.
The retrofit solution is able to generate immediate energy savings
of up to 75% and carbon dioxide reductions of up to 75kg per lamp
per year.
The gear trays, which are compatible with Salix funding criteria,
are a boon for hard-pressed local authorities and public bodies that
have to demonstrate to taxpayers and stakeholders through annual
assurance statements that they are providing the best possible value
for money.
Offering an excellent payback period, they are attractive to local
authorities that want to upgrade their street lighting to LED to save
costs and electricity but do not have the capital to do so. They can
also be installed alongside the LeafNut system to provide additional
energy savings.
No less important in terms of safety, saving money and cutting
carbon emissions is the need to control indoor lighting. Harvard’s
EyeNut system offers an ingenious answer to a range of issues and is
perfect for a host of premises and industries.
Wireless and customisable, the control system allows users to
create their own lighting groups and manage their own energy
reports and data output. It also enables the user to have a complete
overview of all light points using an imported image of their building
layout.
It can be easily installed into existing buildings and, with its
intuitive user interface, allows lighting to be configured and
reconfigured with the minimum amount of fuss.
EyeNut offers a range of control strategies to maximise energy
savings and consumption in different areas of a building that are
subject to varying levels of footfall.
Stairwells and entrance lighting areas can be independently
controlled, while occupancy sensors can measure footfall in terms of
different floors or zones. For example, a meeting room that has
limited occupancy during the day may be left unlit until someone
enters, their presence detected by passive infrared (PIR) sensors which
then turn off the lights when no one is there.
Daylight can also play its part in providing energy savings for
EyeNut users, where daylight sensors installed in windows allow lights
to be switched off or dimmed in periods of strong sunlight.
There is huge potential for savings to be made using EyeNut
across multiple locations - offices, hospitals, schools and colleges.
More than 40% of energy consumption in commercial
environments is down to lighting, while across Europe 75% of
controllable lighting is currently not being controlled. With climate
change high on the agenda of governments across the world, and
the need to keep a tight hold on the purse strings across the public
sector being ever present, it makes sense to choose a flexible option
which puts lighting control at your fingertips.
EyeNut’s sophisticated energy mapping tool provides an
easy-to-understand, clear view on energy consumption and offers
the power to manage it, giving flexibility and accountability. Up to
500 EyeNut devices can be managed from a single gateway, while
the central hub can be located on site or managed by Harvard in the
cloud.
For more information on Harvard Engineering’s innovative control
systems, visit www.harvardeng.com
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
35
Sustainability News
Energy - Lighting
Harvard launches
Retro LED Geartrays
H
arvard Engineering, world leader in the design,
development and manufacture of energy saving
lighting solutions, has launched a range of Retro LED
Geartrays to allow local authorities to lower the energy
and costs associated with their street lighting networks,
without having to fully replace luminaires.
The retrofit solution, part of the LEDeng range, allows SON,
SOX and CFL street lights to easily be converted to LED, without
losing lighting performance. The plug-and-play geartrays are easy
to install, taking an average of three minutes per fitting, with instant
energy savings of up to 75% and CO2 reductions of up to 100kg per
lamp per year.
Harvard’s new solution combines the performance benefits of
the company’s CoolLED driver range with its engineering
competence seen in the design and manufacture of the LEDeng light
engine range. The geartrays are conformal coated and offer even
light distribution with 80CRI.
The Retro LED solution also has the additional benefits of a low
capital cost significantly less than the cost of a new LED luminaire.
With a two to three time return on investment, many local authorities
have already installed the Retro LED Geartrays. The solution offers an
energy efficient ‘lights on’ alternative to part-night cells, which switch
street lights off for part of the night.
James Quinn, head of outdoor sales at Harvard Engineering,
commented, “With energy prices ever-increasing and street lighting
now included in the Carbon Reduction Commitment, many local
authorities want to upgrade their street lighting to LED to save energy
and costs but they don’t have the capital costs to do so. Our Retro
LED Geartrays offer a cost-effective solution to upgrade to LED by
utilising existing street lights, with an excellent payback period. Local
authorities can now save money by keeping their street lights on!”
Retro LED Geartrays are currently designed for the Eleco, Beta 5
& 2, and MI26 & MI36 lanterns, with further solutions coming soon
including for the ARC80, Libra, Sapphire 1 & 2 and ZX1.
Russell Fletcher, sales and marketing director at Harvard, added,
“Our Retro LED Geartrays make retrofitting current street lighting to
LED easy. They are the perfect solution for local authorities that want
to upcycle their current street lighting without costly replacement
luminaires.”
The Retro LED Geartrays are compatible with Salix funding
criteria and can also be installed with SmartNight or alongside
Harvard’s LeafNut wireless monitoring and management system for
street lighting, for additional energy savings.
www.harvardeng.com
LATEST SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
FROM BSI:
ISO 14001 revision workshop - tell us
what you think
Environmental performance evaluation
conference
ISO 14001, the international standard for environmental
management systems, is currently undergoing its first major revision
since publication in 1996. At a workshop on 18 November, BSI will
be looking at the latest draft and inviting your views on the changes
to the standard.
Improved environmental performance management provides
greater assurance to stakeholders, potential cost savings and helps
enhance credibility and reputation in the marketplace.
Attendees at this free event will be able to ask the BSI
environmental management committee experts – some of whom
attend the ISO 14001 international meetings – questions on the
draft. Delegates will be able to get a better understanding of the
changes to the standard, feedback their comments to BSI and discuss
ISO 14001 with peers.
To take part in these discussions effectively, you should have read
ISO DIS 14001, which you can find on the BSI Draft Review System
until 31 October, or it is available to buy from the BSI shop.
BSI standard wins prestigious Carbon
Measurement Award
PAS 2070, BSI’s standard for assessment of city-wide greenhouse
gas emissions has won international acclaim at the prestigious City
Climate Leadership Awards. The Awards honour cities all over the
world for excellence in urban sustainability and leadership in the fight
against climate change.
Sustainability Standards Navigator
webinar videos now available
Missed BSI’s Sustainability Standards Navigator webinar on 1
October? Log in to view the Navigator demo and to select the live
Q&A session you would like to see.
BSI’s free event on 7 November will tell you more about how to
apply BS EN ISO 14031 on environmental performance evaluation in
order to achieve real business value, reduce risks, and best respond
to regulation.
BSI invites comment on the following:
ISO 14001 Environmental management system.
Requirements with guidance for use
The latest draft of the world’s most recognized environmental
management standard, which is currently undergoing a major
revision, is now available for public comment.
ISO 14001 helps organizations put systems and processes in
place to boost their environmental performance. Although
international standards are reviewed every five years, ISO 14001 is
having its first major revision since its publication in 1996. Changes
include new terms and definitions that will now be used across
Management System Standards as well as stronger links to top
management, increased focus on the context of the organization,
and recognition of the climate change challenge. The revised
standard is expected to publish in the third quarter of 2015.
Comments are invited up until 31 October 2014.
To learn more, please visit www.bsigroup.com
Your feedback on the content and the functionality of the
Navigator is vital to us, so please visit the Navigator site to explore
the list of sustainability themes and sub-themes, take the Solution
Finder assessment that produces results of most relevance to you,
and tell us how we can improve the site by completing our online
survey, or e-mailing us directly at: Sustainability@bsigroup.com.
36
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
37
Training
Waste and Recycling
Apex vertical transport master
classes take off
A
pex Lifts has successfully
launched a ‘Vertical Transport
Master Class’ programme at its
head office in Sidcup, South East
London. The classes designed
for property and facilities management
teams, teach the basic principles of lifts
operation and safety management.
The classes are already proving popular
with Apex’s existing customers, including
major corporations and housing associations
such as Hanover and Central & Cecil (C&C).
So much so, Apex is now extending the offer
of master classes to non-client organisations
too.
Apex Service manager, John Roberts,
co-hosts the master classes. He says: “All
the feedback we’ve had has been incredibly
positive. Delegates leave the classes able to
deal with any lift problems with much greater
knowledge, and thus in a safer, calmer
fashion. Plus, we have a bit of fun while we
do it. There’s even a trophy up for grabs for
the person who scores highest in the quiz at
the end.”
The master classes use a combination
of classroom education, video and practical
demonstrations to look at different lift
operating systems and common safety
hazards, and how to manage them
efficiently and effectively.
“It is vital those who are managing lifts
have a good understanding of how they
operate, their safety systems and how
hazards can be avoided,” says Warren
Jenchner, Managing Director. “At Apex, we
are always looking at new ways to improve
reliability and safety performance. Educating
those who look after lifts on a day-to-day
basis is sure to have a positive impact.”
To find out more about Apex’s vertical
transport master classes or to register your
interest, contact John Roberts on
JohnR@apexlifts.com
PORTAKABIN HIRE LAUNCHES NEW CPD
PROGRAMME TO GUIDE SPECIFIERS AND
FACILITIES MANAGERS THROUGH THE
PROCUREMENT OF INTERIM BUILDINGS
P
ortakabin Hire, the UK’s leading
interim modular building
specialist, has launched a new
CPD programme ‘Decanting
without Compromise’, to help
architects, contractors, facilities managers,
and other construction professionals procure
and specify accommodation for short-term
use.
The free, one hour-long interactive
seminar can be organised at a time and
venue to suit attendees and a certificate
of attendance will be provided, helping to
maintain professional accreditations.
The RIBA-accredited workshop looks at
some of the perceptions of interim modular
buildings and how the approach has evolved
to compete with site-based construction in
the quality of the finished accommodation
and the diversity of applications.
Interim modular buildings from
Portakabin can accommodate up to 1,000
people in schemes up to three storeys high
and with no internal columns for maximum
flexibility in space planning. And, as the
case studies covered in the workshop
demonstrate, there is no compromise on
appearance or the internal environment.
High levels of natural light can be achieved,
for example, which is important for the
wellbeing of occupiers and employee
productivity.
Other topics in the seminar include:
•
The advantages of interim
accommodation
•
The manufacturing process and quality
controls that should be in place
•
The latest innovations in modular
construction
•
Health and safety considerations
•
How to minimise impact on the
environment
•
Sector-specific case studies, including
decant and surge wards, interim offices
and emergency school buildings
•
What to look for when sourcing a
modular building supplier.
Commenting on the new seminar,
Robert Snook, Director and General
Manager of Portakabin Hire, said, “Interim
modular buildings can provide vital
accommodationfor emergency situations
and deliver continuity of services while a new
scheme is under construction. However, just
because a building is for short-term use,
doesn’t mean there has to be any
compromise whatsoever on the quality of
the accommodation.”
“Our latest CPD presentation is designed
to share the wealth of our hire team’s
experience and to illustrate just what is now
possible even if a building is for short-term
use. No site is too difficult – we can even
install buildings on roof tops and interim
accommodation can be integrated into
existing structures. These are energy efficient
and permanent-standard solutions and with
the additional advantages of no capital
outlay, flexible hire periods and inclusive of
maintenance.”
Portakabin Hire manufactures a wide
range of buildings for interim applications
and has the widest Hire and Visitor Centre
network in the UK. It can deliver both
specially-designed projects and standardised
accommodation solutions in the most
challenging timescales, on difficult sites
with no access, with less disruption and less
impact on the environment.
www.portakabin.co.uk/cpd
information@portakabin.co.uk
0845 401 0010.
38
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
How tackling food
waste can deliver real
budget savings
F
rom on-site catering facilities to
outsourced caterers feeding
thousands of employees,
contractors, visitors and patients
every day across the public sector,
tonnes of food waste simply go to waste.
Statistics for hospitals alone show that
the equivalent of one in five hospital meals
are thrown away, costing £230m a year and
generating 121,000 tonnes of wasted food.
Meanwhile, wider UK industry statistics
estimate that the average cost of food waste
is £2,775 per tonne, a frighteningly high
figure which includes everything from the
cost of purchase to transport, food
preparation, energy and storage.
Yet there is a simple solution to reducing
those figures – segregation of food waste.
Neil Grundon, deputy chairman of
Grundon Waste Management, which has
invested in separate food collection services
and a new anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in
Surrey, says senior public sector managers
need to wake up to the economics of food
waste.
“At a time when budgets are being cut
and savings are being called for, too many
managers are ignoring this golden
opportunity,” he said. “It’s much cheaper to
reduce food wastage at source than it is to
pay for it to be taken away, yet for some
reason it is constantly overlooked as a
potential money-saver.”
Statistics from WRAP research show that
on average:
•
21% of food waste arises from spoilage
•
45% of food waste arises from food
preparation; and
•
34% of food waste is generated from
customer plates
Grundon says streamlining of systems
and processes within on-site catering
facilities and better management of
outsourced suppliers can reduce waste
collection costs and provide valuable
information about the amount of food
being used.
“Policing your food waste can help you
see where mistakes are being made,” he
continued. “In our view, the only items which
should go into food waste are returned
meals, out-of-date food (which is down to
poor purchasing and stock control), or spoilt
food – for example if there has been a fridge
or freezer failure.
“If you’re seeing food waste which
doesn’t meet these three criteria, then it’s
time to review your procedures and ask
difficult questions of your catering team.
By measuring food waste output you gain a
good indicator of the quality of the food and
how big the portion sizes are.
“If there’s very little waste, everyone will
be happy, but if the amount of food waste
is rising, then that should tell you that your
caterers aren’t serving good quality food or
they are simply serving too much.
“Only by measuring the output, will you
start to better measure the input.”
At a time when hospitals in particular
are under the spotlight in terms of the food
they serve to patients, he says any measures
which will save money for re-investment in
buying good quality produce must make
sense.
“We’re talking about hospitals here
because the food served to patients is such
an important part of their recovery, but the
reality is that these rules apply throughout all
the public sector and industry,” he added.
“Why, when it can be so easy, aren’t
more public sector organisations taking steps
to save money.”
By separating out food waste from other
waste its value increases and, although that
can be difficult to achieve in front-of-house
situations, such as hospital cafés where
customers dispose of sandwich wrappers
and drinks cartons along with their food
waste, Grundon says there is no excuse
behind-the-scenes where a range of
specially-designed bins and caddies make
disposal easy.
He concluded: “For every meal that is
consumed in a staff canteen, every lunch at
an event or conference, every dinner which
is served to a hospital patient, there will
inevitably be a certain amount of food waste.
Diverting it away from landfill and into
anaerobic digestion facilities is a win-win
for the organisation concerned because it
saves them money and it provides an
environmentally-friendly approach to
waste disposal.”
With AD increasingly seen as the
Government’s preferred choice for dealing
with food waste, the number of AD plants
nationwide is rising.
Recently Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon
Philip Hammond MP visited the new West
London Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Facility
at Trumps Farm in Surrey, a joint venture
between Agrivert and Grundon.
Opened in June 2014, it is already
operating at full capacity, treating 50,000
tonnes of organic waste per annum, which
includes municipal and commercial food
waste as well as a range of liquid wastes.
The benefits of choosing food waste
segregation are clear and when you
consider statistics that show the recovery
of one tonne of food waste through AD
saves the same amount of greenhouse gas
emissions as taking 2.9 cars off the road or
powering a 100w lightbulb for 3,260 hours,
you can see why AD offers such a
sustainable solution.
For more information, visit
www.grundon.com | info@grundon.com
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
39
Waste and Recycling
Product Showcase
Greater Manchester
leads Europe in
community recycling
R
ecycle for Greater Manchester’s
LIFE+ Up and Forward project
hosted its very first seminar on
Wednesday 3rd September at
Bridgewater Hall, Manchester.
~The seminar attracted environmental and
recycling professionals from across the UK.
The Up & Forward project looks at ways
of encouraging residents to waste less and
recycle more in currently hard to reach
communities. The aim is to carry out projects
that will demonstrate how improved
communication and engagement can
increase waste prevention and recycling in
low performing urban areas.
The project has been running since
June 2013. To date the project has engaged
with communities on 24 different projects in
nine districts and have engaged with over
36,000 people across all the nine councils of
Greater Manchester.
The seminar was an opportunity to
showcase the innovative project and to
share best practice with local authorities and
organisations.
The seminar included a range of
workshops, which included:
•
Creating volunteer opportunities;
discussed how to set up a volunteering
scheme, what are the pros and cons of
having volunteers and examples of how
we had used volunteers.
•
Incorporating faith and culture in
communications explored innovative
ways of communicating with
communities where residents were of a
majority faith or culture or an area with
high diversity. The workshop
identified methods on how to engage
with areas in a culturally sensitive way,
how to incorporate appropriate cultural
messages and the importance of buy-in
from culture and faith leaders.
•
Empowering communities;
identifies how LIFE+ Up and Forward
have encouraged people to work
together to improve recycling and
waste minimisation in their community.
Campaigns have included a recycling
rewards incentive scheme and a
community celebration event.
•
Working with the private rental
sector and incorporating partners;
discussed in detail the importance of
engaging with the private rental sector
and working in partnership with local
schools, colleges and universities,
40
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
community groups and local authorities
across all campaigns to maximise the
success of all projects.
•
Apartments; outlined the problems
associated with recycling in apartments
around Greater Manchester and how
campaigns have worked towards
solving these and introducing improved
recycling systems.
•
Incorporating new media;
showcasing the types of new media
used across all campaigns including
social media, online website, and
videos as well as discussing the
innovative student campaigns which
were developed.
Vice Chair of the Authority Councillor
Nigel Murphy who opened the seminar said:
‘The seminar was a great success
attracting people from across the UK and
Ireland. There has been a real enthusiasm
to learn about what has been achieved in
Greater Manchester and deliver this to other
parts of the UK.’
Thomas Williams, Waste Minimisation
- Commercial and Domestic Recycling Team
Supervisor from Swansea Council said: ‘All
the workshops covered relevant issues and
discussed similar challenges faced in our
authority.”
The Up and Forward project is
continuing to carry out its final campaigns
which will be completed in November 2014.
The project will be hosting another seminar
at the end in March 2015 which will discuss
the achievements and learnings of each of
the campaigns.
If you are interested in attending the
seminar please forward your interest to
Madeeha Murtaza at:
madeeha.murtaza@gmwda.gov.uk
To find out more visit:
www.recycleforgreatermanchester.com/upandforward
NEW FOODBANK HAS NEW ROOF
M
ore and more people in
New Addington are finding
themselves unable to afford
to eat which prompted the
requirement for a new food
bank - offering food parcels, and renewed
hope, to those in need.
The new Salvation Army Vine food bank
in New Addington is providing vital support
to those in difficult financial circumstances
providing food, directing people to relevant
services and providing a listening ear in
times of crisis.
The Salvation Army property department
provided the Croydon based facility with an
old scout hut which was in much need of
refurbishment. This resulted in the
specification of a Sika Liquid Plastics
Decothane waterproofing system for the roof
refurbishment to ensure longevity and
protection for the building.
Registered Sika Liquid Plastics roofing
contractor, Heartfelt Roofing, based in
Surrey, was specified for the job. The
company discounted their labour and
materials in order to help The Salvation
Army with major cost savings on the project.
In order to ensure durability, prolonged
existence and protection of the building,
Sikalastic 625 was specified which has a 10
year material guarantee. Each bolt head and
fixing was bridged with Sika Flexistrip then
installed with Sika Reemat Premium patches,
pre-cut to requirements.
The Vine was opened earlier this year by
the leader of The Salvation Army in the UK
and Ireland, Commissioner Clive Adams.
Representatives from Croydon Council,
which provided the building, attended, along
with many of the businesses and volunteers
who participated in the renovation of the
property.
“It was a lovely opening and everyone
here at The Salvation Army is delighted
with the outcome. The Sika Liquid Plastics
membrane really enhances the look of the
building and the transformation is great,”
Salvation Army church leader Emma Spencer
said.
Mark Baldock, Contracts Manager
at Heartfelt Roofing said there was the
challenge of working with asbestos and
controlling the works. “As a company we
aim to provide the best service possible, and
working with asbestos is difficult but the
finish from our perspective looked great.
“The project was completed on time, on
budget and to everyone’s satisfaction,” he
said.
Led by The Salvation Army, The Vine
food bank is supported by Churches
Together, in New Addington and Fieldway,
an alliance of local churches including St
Edward’s and New Addington Baptist
For more information visit
www.liquidplastics.co.uk
HYGIENIC HOSPITAL ACCESS
FROM TORMAX
I
nstalled in countless busy healthcare
facilities across the world, TORMAX
automatic door systems encourage
no-contact access for staff and visitors,
making a significant contribution to
improved hospital hygiene and security.
“Over the last twelve months we have
seen a noticeable increase in demand from
hospitals, particularly with existing manual
doors being upgraded to automatic swing
doors,” comments MD for TORMAX, Simon
Roberts. “It easy to see why, as an
automated access point allows a patient
gurney to be quickly wheeled in and out of
an operating theatre, for example,
without staff having to touch the doors.
This minimises the potential for the
spreading of germs.”
With over 60 years of experience in
the design, manufacture and installation
of bespoke entrances the TORMAX iMotion
range of automatic operators offers a
technologically advanced solution for almost
any location and environment.
Unique in the marketplace, iMotion door
drives do not incorporate any of the parts
that usually wear out, such as gears and
brushes. This ensures that any TORMAX
entrance will deliver a long life-expectancy
with the absolute minimum of maintenance.
Swipe-card access can be incorporated into
TORMAX any entrance, allowing staff and
patient movement throughout the hospital to
be carefully monitored. iMotion technology
also allows the doors to be
linked to a building’s
management control
system so functions such
as opening speed and
hold-open times can be
quickly adapted to match
requirements.
For operating
theatres that require regular
deep cleaning, TORMAX
offers an IP65-rated door
operator that is specifically
designed to exceed the
requirements of the
European Standard for
resistance to dust and
water penetration.
“The healthcare sector
is an area of growth for
TORMAX UK,” comments
MD, Simon Roberts.
“As facilities become upgraded, door
automation is seen as an essential
component of any hospital refurbishment,
offering improved access, security and
hygiene” sales@tormax.co.uk
www.tormax.co.uk
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
41
Product showcase
Advanced ‘Red Lines’
False Fire Alarms with
AlarmCalm
F
ire systems leader Advanced has
stepped up the fight against
unwanted false alarms with its
new AlarmCalm complete false
alarm management (FAM)
solution.
False and unwanted alarms are among
the biggest issues in Fire today and, with
AlarmCalm, Advanced has taken the high
performance, ease-of-use approach it’s
famous for to deliver a best-in-class solution.
AlarmCalm comprises comprehensive
configuration software for Advanced’s fire
systems and new intelligent alarm
acknowledgement devices called AlarmCalm
Buttons. It delivers a more complete solution
to FAM, that will suit almost any building or
site strategy and promises to radically reduce
false alarms.
AlarmCalm provides total control over
alarm verification periods and
investigation delays to outputs. It allows a
site to be divided into false alarm
management zones called Building Areas
(up to 200 per panel or 40,000 per
network). These are virtual areas that can
be independent of fire zones and can share
grouped or have individual FAM settings.
There is no limit to the number of points in
a Building Area and every device in the area
can be configured precisely.
Alarm verification is one of the key areas
of FAM and AlarmCalm facilitates this in a
number of ways. Verification settings for a
site can be applied incredibly quickly by
assigning all common areas of a building
with group settings, while allowing specific
42
areas to have individual settings. Verification
can be set to on or off, with different settings
for day/night operation.
Verification can be set quickly according
to device type in each Building Area. Heat,
smoke, multi-sensors and other inputs (call
points or any input modules) can be used as
verification inputs and set by device type or
individually per point.
Once a signal is detected AlarmCalm
starts a programmable ‘stage one’
verification time. At the end of this time if the
signal is still present the system will go into
full alarm. During this time the signal can be
confirmed by mode or sensitivity change, for
example an optical heat detector switching
to heat to verify the signal, or by coincidence
detection.
Verification can occur simultaneously
in multiple areas and users can set the
maximum number of Building Areas in
verification at any one time before a full fire
condition is indicated.
There is growing awareness of the role
that residents can play in unwanted false
alarm reduction, especially in HMOs, student
accommodation and apartment buildings.
Advanced’s new intelligent, loop
powered Alarm Acknowledgement device,
the AlarmCalm Button can be used by
residents to manually verify an alarm signal
is due to an issue in their property that
they believe is a false alarm, burnt toast or
shower vapour are common culprits.
By pressing the AlarmCalm Button, a
resident initiates a ‘second stage’ verification
time and (optionally), the local sounder can
Public Sector Estates Management • October 2014
be silenced. If after the second stage time the
signal has cleared, the system will reset to
normal conditions, if the signal in the
detector is still present, a full fire condition
will be signalled. During the second stage
period, a fire condition is also indicated if
the alarm is confirmed by another method
such as sensitivity change or second detector.
AlarmCalm Buttons can only extend
verification time once (before a system reset).
If the burnt toast becomes a real fire, a full
fire condition will be signalled.
Advanced believes AlarmCalm is the
easiest installed and configured FAM system
available. AlarmCalm Buttons are
easily installed on the loop and recognised
in the panel software on auto learn. They are
compatible with a standard UK single-gang
back box, can be flush or surface mounted
and include a configurable LED, buzzer and
slide in label.
Sounders, beacons and relays in each
Building Area can be operated during the
verification period and can be quickly set
by all devices of each type or individually by
point. Sounder ringing styles are also fully
configurable and can utilise a different tone
during verification and alarm periods.
The same approach in the software is
taken with Investigation Delays to Outputs,
meaning a full FAM strategy can be easily set
up and configured.
John Newton, product manager at
Advanced said: “Advanced approaches
problems differently and in AlarmCalm users
have a very powerful automated false alarm
management solution that gives fire
professionals and building managers
unprecedented control and also allows
residents to play a role in verification, a
tactic being employed and recommended in
many territories.
“AlarmCalm builds in a number of
failsafes to ensure misuse cannot delay a full
fire condition, from full control of verification
times to automatic detection by sensitivity
change or an additional device.
“AlarmCalm promises to radically reduce
false and unwanted fire alarms. There’s
nothing like it on the market and it is very
much in demand,” Newton added.
AlarmCalm is currently available on
Advanced’s EN54 2,4&13 approved MxPro
5 and Axis EN fire systems.
More information including links to the
software can be found at the AlarmCalm
microsite alarmcalm.advancedco.com
Public Sector
Sustainability
Awards 2014
London - ExCeL -19th November 2014
Awards to be presented by
Lord Redesdale
For full details visit
www.pssmagazine.co.uk
www.emexlondon.com
Supported By
43
Public Sector Estates Management • July/August
July/August2014
2014
Sponsored By
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