Thomas Whiffen, Senior Energy Specialist, National Energy Foundation thomas.whiffen@nef.org.uk Photo caption: Thom is a specialist in the sustainable built environment and combines a keen interest in energy use with a depth of knowledge from his process engineering background and years spent researching sustainable energy technologies for the non-domestic built environment.
Considerate Constructors Scheme launches new Monitoring Checklist New Checklist helps tackle key issues: Ensuring the legitimacy of the workforce Attracting and retaining skills The Considerate Constructors Scheme – the national Scheme to improve the image of the construction industry – has launched a new Monitors’ Checklist. The
TowerEight, the leading project and cost management consultancy, has appointed Sam Addison to head its expansion in the office sector. Sam joined Tower8 last month, after 18 years at JLL, where she worked across a large number of multi-national corporate clients including Shell, Microsoft, Nokia Networks, GSK, Scottish Widows
Thomas Whiffen, Senior Energy Specialist, National Energy Foundation thomas.whiffen@nef.org.uk Photo caption: Thom is a specialist in the sustainable built environment and combines a keen interest in energy use with a depth of knowledge from his process engineering background and years spent researching sustainable energy technologies for the non-domestic built environment. Thom has experience of industry and academic collaborations, publishing and presenting work in international journals, and at conferences. If anyone needs convincing of the value of ESOS, we have the evidence. Over the course of the first tranche of ESOS compliance, we worked with a number of organisations and identified hundreds of energy-saving opportunities, the potential value of which was millions of pounds of savings. Using half-hourly energy data, utility bills, finance records and mileage claims, we identified energy savings totalling 29 GWh per year, the equivalent of £12.5 million per year off fuel and utility bills. One particular situation we experienced among our site visits and examination of various plant rooms across the country was at a commercial site where they had an onsite combined heat and power plant. Although they were using the power, they were dumping the heat into the atmosphere, only to use lots of energy heating hot water for their industrial washing facility. On top of that, there was no space heating in their centre during winter. The solution was to re-engineer the systems to produce space heating during the winter and deliver low-carbon pre-heating for the industrial washing facility. Together, these two solutions are set to save £40,000 and 1.7 GWh per year. Our experience and top 12 insights: There was positive engagement from the organisations we audited. The ESOS process improved energy-use record keeping. ESOS also improved energy awareness, and improving the visibility of their energy consumption helped organisations identify energy-saving opportunities. Major energy-saving opportunities were identified through behaviour change initiatives in both buildings and transport – in the case of the latter through reducing the number of miles driven and incentivising improved driving techniques. Major energy efficiency improvements were achieved through modernising the technology used to monitor and control energy, especially in areas of high energy demand. There was scope for energy management behaviour to be improved in all the buildings we audited. Likewise, there was room for all organisations to improve the support they provided to their staff through awareness and training initiatives. Lighting upgrades and boiler replacements reduced lighting and heating demand by 25-50%. Those organisations using fuel card systems were able to provide energy consumption data for their transport systems more easily, and the availability of driver fuel-use data made it easier to undertake behaviour-change programmes. The true benefit and power of ESOS compliance will be in the number and value of energy saving opportunities that are actually implemented. Over the next few months, we’ll be consulting with our clients, revisiting our original audits and working on strategies for implementing the savings we identified. We’ll also consider doing similar work for other ESOS-compliant organisations. The next stage will be to measure the savings and, finally, to prove the business case. Looking ahead, the National Energy Foundation is leading on a new standard (ISO 17747: Determination of Energy Savings in Organizations) which is now at Final Draft International Standard stage. Once approved, it will provide us with a standardised and an internationally recognised method for measuring energy savings, and give us the ability for improved reporting to our clients.
Considerate Constructors Scheme launches new Monitoring Checklist New Checklist helps tackle key issues: Ensuring the legitimacy of the workforce Attracting and retaining skills The Considerate Constructors Scheme – the national Scheme to improve the image of the construction industry – has launched a new Monitors’ Checklist. The Checklist is the key method which Scheme Monitors use to assess and score sites, companies and suppliers’ performance against the Code of Considerate Practice. It comes into effect from 1 February 2016, but there will be a three month transition period until 1 May 2016, to ensure all Scheme registered members have sufficient time to familiarise themselves with the new requirements before any changes affect their scores. As the Scheme carries out around 18,000 sites, companies and supplier visits every year, the information gathered within the Monitors’ Checklist provides an essential barometer of how the industry is improving and the key issues it must tackle. Whilst the 2016 Checklist has undergone changes in all five sections of the Code, the most significant changes are within the ‘Value their Workforce’ section. A number of new questions have been introduced to help the industry tackle the critical issues such as combatting illegal workers and modern slavery on site and in supply chains, as well as attracting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce. New questions include: How does the site assess and monitor the legitimacy and competency of the workforce? What is the site doing to improve its image and the overall image of the industry to attract and retain the workforce necessary for the future of construction? Commenting on the new Checklist, Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said: “Our work to stamp out illegal working involves close collaborative working with lead industry bodies. We are fully supportive of genuine efforts, such as this scheme, to drive compliance with the rules. “Employers within the construction sector have a crucial and ongoing part to play in helping to combat illegal working by ensuring they carry out the straightforward ‘Right to Work’ checks on potential employees.” Chief Executive Edward Hardy said: “Scheme registered sites, companies, suppliers and their clients are demonstrating a continued eagerness to keep raising the bar of considerate construction and improve industry standards across the UK. The new Checklist will be a significant driver in helping to achieve this goal. Mr Hardy added: “The Checklist is reviewed annually to ensure it remains current, relevant and challenging. The new questions including those around the legitimacy of the workforce and attracting and retaining skills are clearly crucial issues for the future of the industry. The Considerate Constructors Scheme is delighted to be at the forefront of challenging the sector to improve performance in these areas”. Find out more about the new Checklist here
TowerEight, the leading project and cost management consultancy, has appointed Sam Addison to head its expansion in the office sector. Sam joined Tower8 last month, after 18 years at JLL, where she worked across a large number of multi-national corporate clients including Shell, Microsoft, Nokia Networks, GSK, Scottish Widows and Mars Pension Fund Trustees. She now joins TowerEight to develop the consultancy’s office expertise and lead its expansion in this key market. Having already completed over 1 million sq ft of office space in the past two years, TowerEight is keen to develop its office expertise and expand in this key market. Last year TowerEight lead on the Amsprop Sugar Building on Cheapside and is currently working on Alderman’s House near Liverpool Street. TowerEight was also recently appointed to fit-out Park House on Oxford Street for Centrica’s traders division. James Morris, Director at TowerEight, said: “In the past four years we have grown strongly in hotels, PRS, student accommodation, healthcare and residential, and the office market was an area we are keen to develop further and become a key strategic part of our growth.” “Sam is the perfect person to lead this development given her experience but also the commitment she displays to her clients and the value she delivers on every project – these are the principles that TowerEight demands for every client.” Sam will bring a technical background across project and cost management as well as programme management services. In her last role at JLL she was leading the corporate occupier PM team, working for clients such as Sky, GSK, Deutsche Bank, Shell and Amazon. “The role at TowerEight represents a new opportunity to use all the experience I have gained in the past 25 years and develop it within an exciting and dynamic new setting,” explained Sam Addison. “The consultancy has grown rapidly in the past four years and its commitment to deliver independent, value-driven services for TowerEight clients presents an exciting challenge. We have ambitious growth plans for this sector, with a target to deliver 1 million sq ft plus of office space by the end of next year.” Sam joined TowerEight as a Project Manager last month.
