24 June 2016 | Jamie Harris The BIFM is calling for employers to have their say on an FM supervisor apprenticeship, set up as part of the government’s trailblazer initiative. The initiative sees employer groups join in designing apprenticeship schemes. The BIFM and a number of employers have developed a facilities
Castles & Coasts Housing Association, based in Carlisle, has appointed Horbury Property Services, part of the Horbury Group, to provide fire safety services across its housing portfolio. The contract, which started in September, will see Horbury Property Services providing fire door and fire compartmentation remedials followed detailed fire risk assessments.
OCS has been selected by Community Health Partnerships (CHP) to deliver comprehensive cleaning support under a three-year contract worth £50m. The agreement will see OCS providing the highest standard of cleaning services across 180 sites, supporting CHP tenants throughout England. Petra Moss, Managing Director for OCS Healthcare and Education said:
Force drying specialist ForceDryA has conducted a new study that looked into the installation costs of underfloor heating versus traditional radiators, showing that the underfloor heating option is far more economical than is generally perceived. The study was based on data from leading contractors for installations in a one, two
BCA Pulse has found that the average price of used cars has remained steady over the course of May. These levels are currently at a record high for BCA and it looks as though professionally buyers are still bidding strongly on a wide range of different vehicles. BCA the British
Launched by Ocubis, City Pavilion showcases a new, members-only co working space, situated on the 12th floor, Cannon Green development. Boosting five floors of serviced office space offering a sensational 3,000 sq ft rooftop garden, one of the largest private rooftop gardens in the city centre, it becomes an office
FabricAir’s sustainable ventilation solution has a lower carbon footprint than conventional metal ducting, as well as enabling operational energy savings of up to 40%. In fabric ventilation systems require less energy to produce and transport, while also having a much higher and more precise air distribution due to having a
The ballot of members on the BIFM’s proposed name change to the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management has taken place, with those who voted deciding in favour of the proposal by a margin of three to one.The vote, which took place at the BIFM’s annual general meeting in Manchester’s
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is inviting facilities management specialists to a bid for £2.9 billion worth of work. The Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) contracts will provide FM services across the UK defence estate. “DIO is not only one of the largest providers of housing in the UK, with
24 June 2016 | Jamie Harris The BIFM is calling for employers to have their say on an FM supervisor apprenticeship, set up as part of the government’s trailblazer initiative. The initiative sees employer groups join in designing apprenticeship schemes. The BIFM and a number of employers have developed a facilities management apprenticeship aimed at FM supervisors. The consultation, which was opened to responses last month, has been extended until 8 July to get as many views from employers in the sector as possible. Fraser Talbot, professional standards and education manager at BIFM, said: “Developing a trailblazer FM supervisors apprenticeship is the only way in which FM companies will be able to take full advantage of the funding from the Apprenticeship Levy when it is introduced next year. “Therefore we have extended the initial consultation deadline to ensure we have developed a framework that is suitable for industry needs. “It is crucial that employers of all sizes contribute to this process to ensure the new frameworks provide the skilled workforce the industry needs.” The new apprenticeship for FM supervisors aims to prepare an individual for managing a facilities management service, or a group of services, which can be labelled as ‘hard’ (estate/building management) or soft (catering/cleaning/administration/security). All apprentices would be required to supervise others, to understand the contractual requirements and service delivery targets between their employing organisation and the client/customer to achieve service targets. The apprentice will have to provide customer service skills and be proactive in finding solutions to problems. To participate in the employers’ consultation, visit: www.bifm.org.uk/TrailblazerFMSconsultation Download the documents here: Source link
Castles & Coasts Housing Association, based in Carlisle, has appointed Horbury Property Services, part of the Horbury Group, to provide fire safety services across its housing portfolio. The contract, which started in September, will see Horbury Property Services providing fire door and fire compartmentation remedials followed detailed fire risk assessments. Horbury Property Services will be working across 250 different residential schemes on behalf of Castles & Coasts Housing Association, including apartments and houses, as well as supported and sheltered accommodation. Richard Sutton, General Manager at Horbury Property Services, said: “This is the latest in a number of fire safety contract wins with social housing providers. As FIRAS-approved contractors we have the experience and skills to be able to deliver fire safety works to the highest standards to ensure compliance to the regulations.” As well as providing passive fire services, Horbury Property Services provides a full range of works, which can form part of planned maintenance programmes. This includes fire alarm and emergency light testing, plus ceiling and dry wall partitioning inspection, installation, repair and maintenance of fire doors, joinery works, flooring installation, portable appliance testing, electrical testing and installation work, building fabric repairs as well as external cladding and render repairs. In addition, the wider Horbury Group provides painting and decorating, flooring refurbishment and installation, amongst others. The company has its head office in South Yorkshire, plus regional offices in London and South Wales, ensuring a national capability. This regional presence enables its teams to successfully deliver responsive repairs or large planned refurbishment and maintenance programmes. Horbury Property Services is FIRAS certified for the following: Fire Rated Partitions & Ceilings; Fire Rated Timber Doorsets; Penetration Sealing Systems; Cavity Barriers and Fire Door Maintenance. Castles & Coasts Housing Association Limited (CCHA) was formed following the merger of Two Castles Housing Association and Derwent & Solway Housing Association. CCHA owns and manages more than 7,000 homes across the North of England. For more details, visit www.horburypropertyservices.com or call 01709 917555.
OCS has been selected by Community Health Partnerships (CHP) to deliver comprehensive cleaning support under a three-year contract worth £50m. The agreement will see OCS providing the highest standard of cleaning services across 180 sites, supporting CHP tenants throughout England. Petra Moss, Managing Director for OCS Healthcare and Education said: “We are proud of the work OCS has already done with CHP but this contract marks a very significant step in that relationship. We share CHP’s desire to ensure the highest possible standards of cleanliness and are excited that the service we provide in its buildings enables clinical excellence to take place. This partnership is a positive milestone in our mission to ‘Improve Lives’.” Mark Day, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at CHP added: “We’re delighted to be partnering with OCS across the country. Our ambition is to deliver the most effective and best-value space for patients; this contract is an important part of that.” Owned by the Department of Health, CHP is focused on delivering better value to the NHS and its partners against a landscape of unprecedented infrastructure challenges. Starting in September, the partnership between CHP and OCS will ensure that clinicians are able to provide community services within an environment that will speed recovery and prevent infections.
Force drying specialist ForceDryA has conducted a new study that looked into the installation costs of underfloor heating versus traditional radiators, showing that the underfloor heating option is far more economical than is generally perceived. The study was based on data from leading contractors for installations in a one, two and three bedroom property. Three specifications were included: traditional radiators and 75mm sand & cement screed, traditional radiators with a 50mm flowing screed, and a 50mm flowing screed with underfloor heating. The findings showed that, for an 80m2 dwelling, installation costs for the sand and cement approach range from £3,003.72 to £3,483.10; for a 50mm flowing screed with radiators costs start at £3,163.72 to £3,563.10 and for a 50mm flowing screed with underfloor heating costs range from £3,464.63 and £4,082.30. The costs for the underfloor heating approach also includes force drying, which facilitates fast, safe drying of liquid screed floors. This approach reduces drying time typically from around 90 days to as little as 28 days, representing a significant time saving and additional cost saving in the construction process. “There is a perception that underfloor heating is expensive and only practical in commercial terms for installation in higher end properties. However, our study shows that the underfloor heating method is only marginally more expensive to install than radiators, but when combined with force drying with the considerable cost benefits of the time saved factored in, the overall costs could actually be less. This means underfloor heating with a flowing screed can be a viable solution for all kinds of housing, including social and affordable,” said Ross Verity, managing director of ForceDry. Verity also points to the environmental benefits of using liquid gypsum screed flooring, which comprise 98% recycled waste material, require less energy to produce and, because it is thinner, uses less material. These factors result in a carbon footprint over 70% lower than that of sand and cement screeds. “This approach is economical to install, environmentally friendly and performs very efficiently. It can save developers and property owners time and money during build and allows them to offer a superior product specification. Homeowners and tenants then benefit from the comfort, economy and low maintenance this kind of system offers,” he concluded.
BCA Pulse has found that the average price of used cars has remained steady over the course of May. These levels are currently at a record high for BCA and it looks as though professionally buyers are still bidding strongly on a wide range of different vehicles. BCA the British car auctioning business has been operating since 1946, formerly as Southern Counties Car Auctions in order to provide a marketplace to buy and sell used cars. Over around 70 years the company has managed to grow and now sell in excess of one million cars each year. BCA is known for being the largest vehicle remarketing business throughout Europe. The company also works with fleet operators and OEMs and dealers in order to remain a prominent part of the vehicle supply chain in the UK. BAC also offers logistics and technology services for the new vehicles as well as refurbishments and restoration of logistics services in used cars. This business is an important part of the vehicle supply chain therefore the indication that car values are remaining high and stable is surely good news for the rest of the rest of the sector. The figures that have been released for fleet, lease stock, and vehicles that have come from dealer part-exchanges have seen a slight drop month on month. In contrast to this the values for cars that are nearly-new have seen a slight increase. The values reached a record level of £9,090 was reached in April of this year, however May has seen this figure fall by £229, or 2.5% and now sits at £8,861. This is still a high figure and when looking at year on year values, there has been an average rise in values of £600 or 7.2%. It is thought that the increase in value has come from the consistent amount of demand for vehicles and the BCA providing a wide range of stock for buyers to choose from. The sector has also seen more stock that is being sold with lower age and mileage, which will appeal to a wider audience.
Launched by Ocubis, City Pavilion showcases a new, members-only co working space, situated on the 12th floor, Cannon Green development. Boosting five floors of serviced office space offering a sensational 3,000 sq ft rooftop garden, one of the largest private rooftop gardens in the city centre, it becomes an office of dreams. The City Pavilion recently hosted an exclusive yoga session for members on the amazing rooftop, as part of the National Work Life Week, in collaboration with award winning operator of premium boutique fitness studios, Core Collective. Located perfectly next door to Canal Street mainline and Underground Station, City Pavilion forms part of the London office building, Cannon Green, offering a dramatic glass atrium and a huge range of amenities. Co-working and hot-desking spaces feature quirky furnishings and unique features, including showers, bike storage options and even Spanner-the on-site bike repair shop. The latest in technology means you can have the absolute optimal of office experience every day. A divine bar and restaurant called The Listing is at your disposal, with a business lounge offering an all day cafe and bar also available. The on-site Gymbox gym means all your needs are in one space, you can even experience heated lockers, on-site cleaning, bespoke art spread over unique office spaces and superfast Wi-Fi, with fair use of printing facilities and photocopying. Well-appointed meeting rooms are carefully tailored to suit the requirements of the modern business, with a wide range of conference room options complemented by unparalleled room service, you can be sure that all your meeting needs will be met with excellence. Neatly tucked below the rooftop garden you can find the Penthouse Office Suite, the most exclusive space for your work with some of the best views in the city. Other options include the Hot Desk, which is ideal for anyone wanting 24 hour, flexible access to a desk or private office on a daily basis. If you require something more bespoke to you, you can experience all the benefits of the Hot Desk in your own Private Office, with bespoke furnishings, secure access and lockable storage. The Exclusive Desk space boosts the ideal space for someone wanting something more permanent, with fixed, lockable desks in an open environment ideal for collaborative teams. Each space is beautifully furnished with the client in mind, offering an office that becomes a home from home, with remarkable views, elegant art work and countless benefits.
FabricAir’s sustainable ventilation solution has a lower carbon footprint than conventional metal ducting, as well as enabling operational energy savings of up to 40%. In fabric ventilation systems require less energy to produce and transport, while also having a much higher and more precise air distribution due to having a textile-based ventilation rather than the conventional metal ducting. This means that ventilation solutions from FabricAir operate with a lower pressure loss and therefore require less energy to operate. The lower pressure loss can save up to 40% on the power bill. Meeting the OEKO-TEX 100 requirements, FabricAir’s textiles confirm the company’s commitment to environmentally friendly production methods and materials. The expected lifetime of a fabric duct is long; several of the original installations from the 70s are still being used in slaughterhouses around Denmark. Moreover, due to the compact nature of the ducts, they take up significantly less space than metal ducts during transport, with calculations showing that FabricAir Dispersion Systems emit 21.3% less CO2 from transport than corresponding ducts in metal. The additional advantages that come with the usage of FabricAir dispersion technology include even, draft free air dispersion and no condensation issues, which creates the ideal indoor environment. The fabrics do not corrode, which makes this technology especially advantageous in swimming pools and other highly corrosive environments. Using flow models and permeable fabrics prevents dust and other particles from settling inside and onto the duct, rendering the ducts technically maintenance-free; should there be a need for cleaning, the easy suspension methods ensure quick dismantling and reinstallation, and the ducts can simply be washed in a washing machine.
The ballot of members on the BIFM’s proposed name change to the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management has taken place, with those who voted deciding in favour of the proposal by a margin of three to one.The vote, which took place at the BIFM’s annual general meeting in Manchester’s Friends’ Meeting House, was taken as a special resolution; 75 per cent of those who voted opted to support the institute’s manifesto for change, comprising the name change and the move to pursue chartered status. BIFM has called the name change a “springboard” to help “reposition FM and raise the profile of the profession”. During the four-month campaign in support of the proposals, the institute made clear that it would continue to understand and share its members’ pride in their work and status as facilities managers – “and your unwillingness to throw away the history of professional endeavour which that evokes”. Taking advantage of the ‘workplace differentiator’ would, it said, help to “improve your status as a facilities manager”. The chairman of BIFM has responded to members voting at July’s AGM in favour of a special resolution to become the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management. Stephen Roots told members that in voting for the new name, “you have also approved the direction we have set out for the next phase of our proud and progressive professional body”. The institute’s chief executive, Linda Hausmanis, (right) said that the IWFM “will be the professional body for the facilities and workplace profession – working to advance the profession representing those who contribute to workplace productivity and to operating and optimising our built environment”. During the campaign, BIFM had outlined its vision as being “the pioneering facilities and workplace management institution; the catalyst driving change for the future workforce; and the definitive voice enabling people to transform their organisations and their environments, inspiring and creating productivity and performance”. Commenting immediately after the vote at Manchester’s Friends Meeting House, Roots said: “This Special Resolution, quite rightly, required a high level of support to succeed. I want to say to everybody, whether you supported the name change proposal or not, that the board and I are absolutely committed to shaping an inclusive organisation that is fully committed to advancing the FM profession. “The Institute has a role in helping to reset expectations and forge ahead with making workplace and facilities management a career of choice for the coming generation. This mandate means we can really grasp the opportunity presented by the leading-edge associations of workplace to reposition what FMs do. “What we will now do, both in name and in deed, is to reframe expectations of the FM role, adding to it without taking anything away – and that includes our Britishness. “We are changing our name, not our geographical focus, but we do acknowledge that many of our members, including those overseas, have broader outlooks and we will continue to work closely with them as we have done for many years. “We have been preparing the ground for some time to strengthen our foundations and fit ourselves for a future of sustained development. “Our plans to refresh our brand and systems are already in progress and now that you have decided, we will adopt our new name and our new look before the end of the year.”It is expected that the new institute title will be adopted in November of this year. 1. How does all of this affect me? In summary, we aim to reposition FM as a workplace ‘interconnector’ enabling high-performing workplaces, and underlining the value, rather than the cost, of the function. By raising BIFM’s profile and the contribution of its members, we will start to produce information and tools to help members improve their personal status and skills and raise the profile of Workplace and FM more generally. During a period of transition, there will be no change to a member’s post-nominals: ABIFM, MBIFM, CBIFM or FBIFM will remain in use. We will communicate a timeline for the transition to IWFM and after that time a member’s post-nominals will change to e.g. AIWFM, MIWFM, CIWFM and FIWFM. We will communicate new post-nominals to each member at the appropriate time. In line with our pledge to minimise cost, we will send out new certificates as members renew their membership. For those working towards a BIFM qualification the title of their award will depend on the timing of their achievement in relation to the name change. The content and status of the qualification will not change, but once we become the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management on 12 November, qualifications will be named and certificates presented in the new company livery. For example, if you achieve your qualification before 12 November a BIFM Level 4 Diploma in Facilities Management certificate will be issued by BIFM; if you achieve after that date both the qualification and the certificate will be IWFM Level 4 Diploma in Facilities Management. Over time we’ll work to include essential workplace elements within the FM professional standards and they will become The Workplace and FM Professional Standards. Qualifications will be reviewed in 2019, which may result in a revised qualifications suite, but the structures and formats of the existing ones remain valid. Learners who complete their BIFM qualification before November will receive a BIFM-branded certificate. Learners who complete their qualification after November will receive an IWFM-branded certificate. We will announce a detailed timetable of any changes in due course. 2. When will the name actually change? We will become the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management on 12 November 2018. 3. How else will the institute change because of this vote? Things have already changed; we’ve upped our game on policy and research, improved our governance structure and strengthened the team; we’ve process engineered our internal systems to become more customer-focused and are working to develop new member benefits. This is helping us create a framework for ever greater support for FM professionals, not only in terms
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is inviting facilities management specialists to a bid for £2.9 billion worth of work. The Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) contracts will provide FM services across the UK defence estate. “DIO is not only one of the largest providers of housing in the UK, with a stock of nearly 50,000 homes, it is also responsible for managing land and buildings across hundreds of diverse MOD sites,” said DIO’s Commercial Director, Jacqui Rock. “We are pleased to be working with CCS to procure these contracts. We wants to make DIO easier to do business with and adopting this route to market is one of the ways that we hope to achieve this, while enabling us access to a wider, more diverse and increasingly resilient supply base,” he added. This phase of the FDIS programme includes the procurement of new Hard FM arrangements for four Regional Prime contracts and five contracts that will replace the current National Housing Prime. With a collective value of £2.9 billion, excluding additional works, a later stage of the process will procure a National Training Management contract to replace the current National Training Estate Prime. “This procurement is a part of the FM Marketplace, which is changing the way in which central government and the wider public sector procure their FM deals, delivering great value for the taxpayer. We are proud to be working in partnership with DIO and supporting delivery against their commercial strategy for common goods and services,” commented CCS Strategic Category Director – Buildings, Sam Ulyatt. The award of places to suppliers on each of the framework lots is expected to be completed by the end of February 2019, with call off competitions starting soon afterwards.