Trades & Services : Property & Facilities Management News

Derwent fm awarded a place on CPC Framework

Derwent Facilities Management Ltd have been awarded a place on Crescent Purchasing Consortium’s (CPC) framework for the provision of Total Facilities Management Framework Agreement CPC/EK/01/2021. This framework provides access to a broad range of facilities management services including hard and soft FM services as well as a full facilities management

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EMCOR UK: What to do now to create the workplaces of the future

Insight Partner EMCOR explores the third of our megatrends, the future of work… They were live at the IWFM Conference 2021 held on Monday 13 September, As Abraham Lincoln once famously said, ‘The best way to predict your future is to create it’ and that is exactly what is happening now as

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Engie Rebrands FM Arm to Equans

Engie’s facilities management and technical services will fall under the new Equans brand. Equans will operate as an autonomous subsidiary of Engie, with 74,000 employees across 17 countries,managed by Jérôme Stubler and his management team. With annual revenue of over €12 billion, electrical, HVAC, cooling, mechanical, digital & IT and facilities management will

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Derwent fm join Prosper’s Facilities Management DPS

Derwent Facilities Management Ltd have been awarded a place on Prosper’s Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Compliance and Facilities Management Services worth an estimated £250m. This DPS offers a range of compliance, hard and soft FM services as well as a full facilities management provision for public sector organisations across

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Latest Issue
Issue 324 : Jan 2025

Trades : Property & Facilities Management News

Derwent fm awarded a place on CPC Framework

Derwent Facilities Management Ltd have been awarded a place on Crescent Purchasing Consortium’s (CPC) framework for the provision of Total Facilities Management Framework Agreement CPC/EK/01/2021. This framework provides access to a broad range of facilities management services including hard and soft FM services as well as a full facilities management provision – the 8288 members of the consortium will be able to procure facilities management services quickly and easily via this framework. The framework is also open to the wider public sector who can also use this framework to procure. The framework is split into 15 service areas with Derwent fm able to provide services across all 15 areas Grahame Sheeran, Head of Business Development at Derwent fm said “Derwent fm are delighted to be awarded a place on the CPC framework, we look forward to working with the team at CPC to provide their members with top class facilities management services.

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EMCOR UK: What to do now to create the workplaces of the future

Insight Partner EMCOR explores the third of our megatrends, the future of work… They were live at the IWFM Conference 2021 held on Monday 13 September, As Abraham Lincoln once famously said, ‘The best way to predict your future is to create it’ and that is exactly what is happening now as employers seek to modernise workplaces to better suit those who use them. Workplace of the future is about creating destinations of choice where people can collaborate, connect and succeed; delivering personalised experiences and customer choice; are centred around health and wellbeing, are sustainability focussed and digitally SMART.    Clearly the mood has changed. Rather than the workplace simply being thought about as a building, now we are putting the needs of the building occupants front and centre. That means looking at everything from the space and how people use it, maximising technology and digital tools to boost both building and people performance, accommodating new hybrid ways of working, even making workplaces desirable places which not only support but also attract the best employees. At the same time, the wellbeing and sustainability agendas are also colliding with the rise of workplace technology and AI. Ultimately, for people to be at the heart of this new ultra-connected, data-driven world, organisations must now completely realign their culture and their purpose. It’s a heady mix.  Interestingly this change in focus is not simply a ‘nice to have’ – it’s a fundamental paradigm shift. If wellbeing is not at the heart of a wider people engagement and business strategy, organisations are unlikely to succeed or survive into the next decade. Similarly, if sustainability is not a core purpose of business, customers and employees will become disenfranchised. We must achieve our carbon neutral goals. Are employers doing enough? According to our recent poll on the IWFM LinkedIn page, 38% of employees think wellbeing is a top priority in their business; a similar number, 37%, believe it definitely is not. Food for thought? Perhaps. So how can business leaders and facilities managers balance cost pressure and stakeholder demand with reimagining, redesigning and creating sustainable workplaces for the future? It’s a complex challenge which requires critical thinking. But creating environments in which people enjoy enhanced levels of experience, wellbeing and engagement enables networking, collaboration and socialising, and is a clear indication of an organisation’s future intent. ‘We are seeing an unprecedented demand for new workplaces that support the challenge to deliver great work, which promote wellbeing and contribute to more productive outcomes in the context of a flexible work life balance.’ Ian Baker, Head of Workplace Solutions, EMCOR UK Time to find a better way Take a fresh look at workspace, how it should be used and how much you actually need Identify what users think and feel about their workplaces and the services they receive Capture data through employee experience surveys, sensors and monitoring tools, which can be converted into insight and positive action Use evidence-based analytics to change, inspire, adapt and sustain a transformative workplace Optimise building performance using environmental monitoring sensors to measure temperature, light, humidity, CO2 and noise levels Build a next generation culture with SMART workplace technology that connects systems and subsystems into one core data platform Create intuitive, sensitive and adaptable workplace ecosystems. Workplaces need to become a destination of choice; providing people with flexible options of when, where and how they work. But they can also be so much more. Consider the important social elements of the workplace for example. And what about how workplaces can actively encourage and embed shared values and a positive company culture? One thing that has become clear is that creating a sustainable workplace of the future is so much more than the facilities.

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Engie Rebrands FM Arm to Equans

Engie’s facilities management and technical services will fall under the new Equans brand. Equans will operate as an autonomous subsidiary of Engie, with 74,000 employees across 17 countries,managed by Jérôme Stubler and his management team. With annual revenue of over €12 billion, electrical, HVAC, cooling, mechanical, digital & IT and facilities management will all fall under the Equans brand. Catherine MacGregor, Engie CEO, said: “Today marks an important step forward in the implementation of our strategic roadmap. We are very proud to announce the creation of Equans, an autonomous entity within Engie, known in recent months under the project name “Bright”. We are on track to deliver on our simplification plan through the positioning of Equans as a leader in multi-technical services and reaffirming Engie as a leader in the energy transition, refocused on its growth markets and with a more industrial approach.” Jérôme Stubler, Equans CEO, added: “I would like to acknowledge the incredible work which has been accomplished during the last 6 months to create Equans. “Equans is made of state-of-the-art expertise which totally responds to the needs of our clients in delivering the Energy, Industrial and Digital transitions. This is a great moment for the 74,000 employees all over the world. I am very honoured and pleased to lead this fantastic team.”

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Specialist Window Cleaning awarded three-year FM deal with Great Portland Estates

SWC has been awarded a three-year deal with Great Portland Street Estates plc covering its portfolio of over 40 properties across London. The contract award is one of the largest stand-alone window cleaning contracts in the country, which will see the SWC team demonstrating a wide variety of specialist window cleaning techniques including Cradle systems, BMUs, rope access and traditional water fed pole systems in order to provide outstanding window cleaning across the variety of classic and state of the art modern buildings. Some of the notable buildings within the portfolio are 200 Grays Inn Road, brand new Hanover Square and The Hickman. Rebecca Bradley, Head of Property Services at Great Portland Estates plc said: “We were delighted to award SWC with this prestigious contract.  We have a clear strategic focus on London with a varied portfolio of properties.  SWC’s investment in their people, innovative cleaning methods and Health and safety approach, showed us that they are more than capable of offering a service that will cater for all of our buildings.” Gareth Thomas, Managing Director at SWC commented: “We were extremely pleased to win this significant contract. As one of the largest standalone window cleaning contracts in the county, it is a testament to our staff and their willingness to go the extra mile to exceed our client’s expectations.  We look forward to working with Great Portland Estates plc and building our respective businesses.”

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Sodexo wins facilities management contract for Covid-19 test lab in Leamington Spa

Sodexo has won a contract to provide facilities management services at a new Covid-19 laboratory in Leamington Spa, including a contactless “micro market”. The Rosalind Franklin Laboratory in Royal Leamington Spa, which is owned and run by the Department of Health and Social Care, is part of the NHS Test and Trace network, which will increase Covid-19 testing capacity by hundreds of thousands a day in the coming months. The facilities management contract will employ 90 people from the local area to provide services including communal area cleaning, security, grounds maintenance, waste management, logistics, maintenance and 24/7 catering services. The catering services will include a contactless “micro market”, where staff can buy a range of drinks, snacks, sandwiches, salads and hot meals using self-service tills at any time of day. “I am extremely proud that we continue to play our part in the fight against this pandemic, supporting NHS Test and Trace, to increase the UK’s Covid-19 testing capacity,” said Stuart Winters, chief executive of healthcare for Sodexo UK & Ireland. “We know that working in close partnership with our client, being agile and responsive to their needs, is absolutely vital and I am delighted that we have been recognised for our ability to do this for NHS Test and Trace.

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Waste Sorting: How to Train Yourself and Your Family to Sort Trash

Sorting waste remains one of the most effective ways to become more eco-friendly and decrease pollution in your local area. If you would like to take part in this initiative and encourage your family members to start sorting waste, this article might be right for you. Discover some tips on how to train yourself and your family to sort trash. Before You Start Many students get academic assignments related to sorting waste and other eco programs at schools and universities. If you are one of them, you might need more advanced information about recycling activities. Moreover, you can get your essays done even easier if you use an online academic writing solution. Don’t forget to read the reviews of other students when choosing the best site for your needs. For example, there are many essay one day reviews available online. You can also explore a fresh domyessay review or look for more facts about justdomyessay. This way, your learning process will be much easier. If you still would like to write your paper by yourself or just want to know more about sorting trash, continue reading this article to get the freshest facts. Top Tips to Reduce Amount of Trash and Start Sorting It Sorting trash might seem difficult at first glance. However, it is much easier than you might think. If you follow the simple prompts below, you will have an opportunity to become more eco-friendly much easier. Avoid Using Material You Don’t Need The first step to reducing your amount of trash is to avoid using material and packaging you don’t really need. This rule is especially important during shopping. There is nothing new that most shops and retail points offer advanced packaging options to all their customers. However, if you refuse to get an extra bag for carrying your purchases, you will decrease the overall amount of waste you produce. In other words, to have less trash at home, don’t take it to your dwelling. Get Rid Of Things You Don’t Use To reduce the amount of trash, it might be a great idea to arrange a garage sale. For example, you can easily sell or give old chairs, equipment, clothes, and gadgets for free to those who really need them. First, you will become more environmentally friendly. Second, you will help people in need. Third, you can get more free space in your house. For example, before throwing your outdated tablet with a broken screen into the trash bin, think about whether someone might need it. Avoid Plastic There is nothing new that plastic is one of the main sources of pollution. Fortunately, you can decrease its amount. Avoid buying plastic toys and other products that you are likely to throw away soon. If you still need to buy something made from this material, consider choosing recyclable alternatives. For example, there are some recyclable plant pots you can buy for your garden. Buy In A Bulk Reducing packaging waste is also an excellent idea for families who take care of a healthy environment. But how to limit it? You can purchase pasta, cereal, and other products in bulk! This way, you will get the same amount of product but significantly decrease the packaging waste. Moreover, this simple trick might help you save money for something more important. Ban The Bottles How many times do you buy a bottle of water? Just imagine how many plastic bottles you use per year! Therefore, it is better to purchase a reusable water bottle you will take every time you leave home. This easy solution will allow you not to purchase plastic bottles with water and other drinks. Stop Using Straws You will be amazed to discover that Americans throw away about 550 million plastic straws each day. What about using disposable straws? They are the same convenient and easy to use as traditional ones. However, you get a chance to become more environmentally friendly using disposable straws. Use Separate Trash Containers The most effective solution to sort trash is to use several separate containers for different types of waste. You can also use containers of different colors for your convenience. For example, it might be very handy to have separate bins for plastic, glass, and organic waste. You can take out the trash bins when they become full to the local containers for further recycling. All in all, sorting trash initiatives might take your time. If you are not ready to follow all the tips above, it is still good to start small. For example, you can stop using straws and plastic bottles and then move to more advanced initiatives for sorting trash. Even the smallest measures done by each family could help us save our planet from drowning in tons of trash. Just try to be more eco-oriented and see how the environment around you will start changing!

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University of Oxford improves efficiency of estate management with indoor mapping

The University of Oxford has upgraded its estates management processes with a new indoor mapping system to provide more efficient methods of maintaining asset data and how it charges university departments and other tenants for the space they use. Offering easy access to property and interiors data across 300+ buildings and 35,000 spaces using interactive maps, the University chose GIS mapping technology from Esri UK to build the new system, which went live in May 2021. Replacing manual processes, static CAD floorplan drawings and Excel spreadsheets, the new solution combines over 2,000 floorplans into a single interactive map, enabling the university to more easily share data online with building managers and department administrators. A two-way communication tool has also been introduced, so any modifications to lecture theatres, accommodation or classrooms can be easily fed back to the estates team online, replacing a labour-intensive and paper-based annual audit and improving how the university calculates charges for tenants. Consisting of a broad portfolio, the University of Oxford’s estate includes academic buildings, laboratories, student and staff accommodation, commercial buildings for investment and leasing purposes, farms, plus space embedded in a number of hospitals around Oxford. The university charges academic departments and colleges for the space they use and also leases buildings to commercial entities. The University is the oldest in the English-speaking world and has more than 24,000 students. The new indoor mapping system was created by migrating static CAD floorplans and associated building data into the online GIS (Geographic Information System) software from Esri UK. Interactive maps now give an overview of the estate, showing buildings in context of their surroundings down to individual floors, rooms and spaces, while interactive dashboards show floorplans, usage and cost details. “The challenge was to create an indoor mapping system which would provide 24hr access to floorplan and budget information for academic departments and other tenants and keep pace with the dynamic nature of our estate, which has several thousand changes every year, from repurposing an office into a laboratory to minor modifications such as moving internal walls,” explained Lomin Saayman, Information Records Manager, University of Oxford Estates Services. “The Esri UK solution gives us a geographical visualisation of our estate and allows tenants to report any changes so our central asset record is always up-to-date. The old process of confirming what space they occupied used to take around five months and wasted time chasing data, so now the estates team is free to work on other tasks. Overall, the increased visibility and accuracy is helping improve how we inform departments what they will be charged for the year and in how we plan for the future expansion of the estate. Purchasing the software via a Chest agreement also meant it was well within our budget,” concluded Saayman. The new system is already contributing to the spatial planning of a large new laboratory facility being built, by revealing how the old 1960s building was previously used. Plans for the future include adding large or significant assets to the indoor mapping solution, such as an MRI scanner, by scanning items with a 3D scanner and making them visible on the map. “Indoor mapping has made previously difficult to share static floorplan data rapidly accessible and easy to navigate by all stakeholders,” said Rob Nichols, Sales Lead at Esri UK. “Bringing CAD data into a GIS mapping environment has given the university complete situational awareness of its whole estate, allowing it to improve operational efficiency and make accurate decisions.”

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6 Theft-Preventing Tips from Industry Experts that Facility Managers Need to Know

With businesses reopening to the public and employees returning to the office, it’s paramount that facility managers know how to keep all premises safe and secure from any unlawful activity. Theft and business crimes make up 20% of all crime in the UK1. This causes great distress to business owners and can lead to commercial failure. To help companies prepare for coming out of lockdown, safety and security specialists Reece Enterprise, have shared their top seven tips to preventing theft that all facility managers need to know. 1. Risk Assessment To mitigate the risk of being subject to theft crime, the first step businesses need to take is conducting a risk assessment. This will help to identify any potential hazards that may occur within the organisation so the board can identify what to prioritise safety wise. This can involve any security aspect from defective security cameras or blind spots to faulty locks or windows. Risk assessments should be undertaken regularly, at least once a year. A further review is recommended once any changes have been made to business equipment, materials, processes, or people. This is also advised after accidents occur, to ensure their validity. 2. Employee Training As stakeholders, employees are a critical part of any business and play a key role in keeping their workplaces safe and protected. Companies should always carry out full background and employment history checks before hiring people if possible. Once hired, security guidelines and theft policies should be clearly explained during employee inductions. Managers can help to mitigate the risk of internal theft by encouraging staff accountability. There are several actions that can be taken to enforce this, such as enacting policy that requires employees to keep laptops and equipment locked and password protected, encouraging employees to report suspicious activity, and by giving specific access, (for example to a cupboard of stationary) to named employees. 3. Keeping Everything Locked, Keys Included Managers can further minimise risk of theft by ensuring valuable items are locked up, making sure that doors, safes and storage spaces are locked, and by safely storing keys in one secure place, like a reliable key cabinet from Reece Enterprise. From fire-resistant to free-standing, key or wall mounted, with a key or padlock, there are multiple cabinets to choose from that are sure to suit your business needs.  Adding additional locks to doors and shutters or grilles to windows can give further protection. 4. Surveillance Cameras Use of security cameras, such as CCTV, is one of the most common practices that businesses use to fight criminal activity in the UK. Although data protection rules apply for the use of cameras, they are an excellent tool for deterring burglars. They are particularly effective as they provide evidence and visibility. When operating with small budgets, consider installing a limited number of surveillance cameras in the most high-risk areas. Security mirrors in blind spots are also another good alternative. This will create a robust security system for the business. 5. Keeping Records Another key factor in dealing with theft is identifying the unusual activity in the first place. Being organised and staying on top of stock management within the organisation is essential. Track all your inventory, keep on top of your paperwork, and use tags and labels with serial numbers for all the important pieces of equipment to make sure nothing gets lost. 6. Installing Alarms Alarms are one of the most traditional and prevalent types of security system. Alarm systems and security lighting are a go-to measure for discouraging intruders and having them in place can also help to lower insurance premium costs. Consider setting up a BS 4737-4.3:1988 intruder alarm system, this is part of the general requirements that companies need to comply with in accordance with the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) and therefore should be considered. Once set up, managers are advised to arrange for the alarms to be regularly tested and maintained.

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Derwent fm join Prosper’s Facilities Management DPS

Derwent Facilities Management Ltd have been awarded a place on Prosper’s Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Compliance and Facilities Management Services worth an estimated £250m. This DPS offers a range of compliance, hard and soft FM services as well as a full facilities management provision for public sector organisations across the North East of England, Cumbria and North Yorkshire. The DPS caters for specific areas with eight lots including heating services, legionella and water treatment management, extraction/ventilation services, security systems and full FM provision. Neal Grant, Head of Business Development at Derwent fm said “Derwent fm are delighted to be awarded a place on Prosper’s Compliance & FM DPS, we look forward to working with the team at Prosper and expanding our public sector client portfolio in this important geographical region”. Tim Jennett, Head of Procurement – Design at Prosper, said: “It’s great to have Derwent fm on our DPS for Compliance & Facilities Management Services. We think the company will be a good fit on the solution and look forward to working with them.” All Prosper DPSs are compliant solutions and the organisation go through a robust selection process when awarding.

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Mitie appointed to CCS agreement for Covid community testing sites

Mitie has been selected as a supplier on the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) agreement for Covid community testing sites. The appointment extends Mitie’s key role as a supporter of testing services and covers new Covid test sites to be opened as needed by local authorities for short periods – up to 12 weeks. Mitie will potentially offer test site management and support services to local authorities across 11 regions: Yorkshire and Humber, North West, North East, West Midlands, East Midlands, South West, South East, London, and an option to add Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Mitie will be providing registration assistants, processing operatives, security officers and test assistants, as well as cleaning at the sites along with any additional services required by the local authorities. Mitie has been supporting the country directly in its Covid-19 response since the beginning of the pandemic, through community testing centres, the first of which opened in Inverness on 25 April 2020, and essential services for hospitals, including the Nightingale Hospital London and the Ysbyty Calon y Ddraig – Dragon’s Heart Hospital as it is known in English – in Cardiff. More widely, Mitie now operates over 150 testing sites for public and private sector clients, and its colleagues have continued to provide key services at critical sites, such as ports and airports, across the country. Simon Venn, Chief Government & Strategy Officer, Mitie, said: “I am delighted to be extending our vital work at the heart of the UK’s Coronavirus response to support local communities with their testing programmes.  I am proud of the commitment of our Mitie colleagues in delivering these critical services, they truly are frontline heroes. We continue to play our part in keeping the country running and also supporting its recovery.”

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