Trades & Services : Property & Facilities Management News
Equans Extends FM Partnership with Manchester City Council

Equans Extends FM Partnership with Manchester City Council

Equans will continue to provide FM services across Manchester City Council’s public buildings estate. The three-year contract extension will see the energy and facilities management specialist providing responsive repairs and planned preventative maintenance to industry-standard specifications across the Council’s portfolio of 258 buildings. As part of the contract, which originally

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Workman readies for growth with 49 promotions

Workman readies for growth with 49 promotions

Independent commercial property management and building consultancy firm, Workman LLP, has made 49 promotions across the business, including six new partners. Charting an upward trajectory, it currently manages more than 4,000 properties, with a capital value of approximately £20 billion and rising. The latest promotions extend across the firm’s 11-strong

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Derwent FM Secures Integrated Facilities Management Deal at RCA

Derwent FM Secures Integrated Facilities Management Deal at RCA

The Royal College of Art (RCA) has awarded Derwent Facilities Management (FM) an integrated facilities management (IFM) contract to manage its estate for the next five years, subject to contract. The contract encompasses responsibility for all hard and soft services, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning, mechanical and electrical maintenance,

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IWFM calls on next UK Government to act on four key WFM areas

IWFM calls on next UK Government to act on four key WFM areas

Ahead of this week’s UK election, we’ve highlighted four key areas the next Government needs to act on to ‘stimulate and sustain’ the national workplace and facilities management (WFM) profession and sector.   The ‘Priorities for the next Government: 2024 general election manifesto’ publication highlights the challenges faced by the next

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Almost half of facility maintenance professionals struggle significantly with systems integration

Almost half of facility maintenance professionals struggle significantly with systems integration

Nearly half of building maintenance professionals state that systems integration is one of their most significant struggles, according to a recent poll by SFG20, the industry standard for facility maintenance specifications.  Using this industry insight, SFG20 have developed an Application Programming Interface (API) that streamlines the integration between SFG20 content

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New Business and Mobilisation Manager appointed at Rendall & Rittner

New Business and Mobilisation Manager appointed at Rendall & Rittner

Leading property management agent Rendall & Rittner has strengthened its new client service offering, appointing Amaly Hind as New Business and Mobilisation Manager, expanding its team and capacity. With 15 years of experience working in property management, Amaly will support Rendall & Rittner as it continues to expand its growing

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

Trades : Property & Facilities Management News

Equans Extends FM Partnership with Manchester City Council

Equans Extends FM Partnership with Manchester City Council

Equans will continue to provide FM services across Manchester City Council’s public buildings estate. The three-year contract extension will see the energy and facilities management specialist providing responsive repairs and planned preventative maintenance to industry-standard specifications across the Council’s portfolio of 258 buildings. As part of the contract, which originally commenced in 2019, Equans has responsibility for repairing and maintaining Grade 1 and Grade 2 listed buildings, including Manchester Town Hall – as well as care facilities where 24-hour service delivery is paramount. As the partnership evolves into its next phase, Equans is collaborating with Manchester City Council to work towards the city’s target of becoming net zero by 2038. This will be evident in the way Equans conducts its own operations and through targeted decarbonisation activities across the council’s property portfolio. Richard Carmichael, Managing Director for Local Authority Services at Equans UK & Ireland, said: “This is a terrific opportunity for us to build on an already strong and successful partnership with Manchester City Council and draw on our broader expertise in decarbonisation to help the city of Manchester reach its impressive zero carbon ambitions. “Beyond service delivery, the partnership with Manchester City Council extends to supporting local priorities such as job creation, social welfare, and innovation. We are thoroughly committed to continuing to undertake social value activities across the region to help improve prosperity in the area; including employment opportunities and community fundraising.” This contract award follows the recent three-year extension with Manchester City Council Housing, which will see Equans providing ongoing maintenance and repairs to 12,000 homes and carrying out refurbishment and adaptations on behalf of the council until 2027. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Workman readies for growth with 49 promotions

Workman readies for growth with 49 promotions

Independent commercial property management and building consultancy firm, Workman LLP, has made 49 promotions across the business, including six new partners. Charting an upward trajectory, it currently manages more than 4,000 properties, with a capital value of approximately £20 billion and rising. The latest promotions extend across the firm’s 11-strong nationwide office network and cover vital sectors. These include core property management and building consultancy, along with high-growth services, such as building technology, ESG, and project management. The geographic spread and multi-disciplinary nature of the promotions highlights continued growth across all parts of the business. The new partners are: Matthew Pateman, Managing Partner, said: “Investment in our people continues to be a cornerstone of the Workman culture, and these promotions are shining examples of the career development and progression on offer here. Talent is the driver of positive change, so the energy, determination, and dedication of our teams deserves to be recognised and rewarded. Our recent promotions are testament to these individuals’ commitment to delivering the highest standards of service to our valued clients. I congratulate every one of this year’s group and look forward to working alongside them, as they continue to develop in their careers.” These latest promotions come after the firm recruited 46 graduates and apprentices across the business during 2023, with more planned for 2024, to continue to develop the talent of the future. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Kimpton and ACC Liverpool Buzzing about Bees: Welcoming 140,000 Honeybees on World Bee Day

Kimpton and ACC Liverpool Buzzing about Bees: Welcoming 140,000 Honeybees on World Bee Day

You will have to excuse the flowery copy on this one, but we’re buzzing to announce that the ACC Liverpool Group marked this year’s annual World Bee Day by welcoming some new and very exciting VIPs…that’s ‘Very Important Pollinators’, to its waterfront site with support from Hard FM partner, Kimpton. The project was made possible by the support and sponsorship of a number of supply partners, co-ordinated by experts in bee husbandry. These included Sunlight Bees, Kimpton, Sodexo Live! and members of Kimpton’s supply chain Ultra Civils, Metro Rod, ADC, North West MEWPS, AHS, AWS, and Service Graphics who all donated towards the cost. World Bee Day was marked by a community of more than 140,000 honeybees, who were officially welcomed to Liverpool’s event campus in two brand new beehives, each with its own queen bee. Supported by Wirral beekeepers Sunlight Bees, the hives have been installed in a newly planted wildflower garden on the site and following a competition on ACC Liverpool Group’s social media channels, the hives were named Oh BeeHive! and Let it Beehive! The introduction of beehives and wildflowers to the site is an important development in ACC Liverpool Group’s sustainability journey. This initiative aims to increase the biodiversity on Liverpool’s event campus and showcases their commitment to environmental sustainability. Habitats in urban areas that include wildflowers, grasses, and flowering plants attract insects and other invertebrates like butterflies, spiders, and millipedes, as well as birds and mammals. Bees pollinate our wild trees and wildflowers, which support other insects, and in turn support birds, bats, and other mammals by creating bee-friendly environments. Members of the ACCL staff, some of the Kimpton team, and other sponsors of the project enjoyed bee-themed refreshments at the launch, and sunflower seedlings were handed out for people to take home and nurture before bringing them back to be planted in the wildflower garden in the summer. Eddie dos Santos, Director of Operations at ACC Liverpool, said: “We know how important it is that we minimise the environmental impact of our operations to do our bit to tackle the climate crisis. The arrival of these beehives on-site marks a key milestone in our sustainability journey. They have captured the imagination of our colleagues, and we hope the public will be equally excited by the development. We’re grateful to Sunlight Bees for their advice and guidance and to our ever-supportive suppliers who have made the project happen.” Matt Breakwell, Business Development Manager from Kimpton said “A crucial part of our ongoing relationship with ACC Liverpool is working in partnership to support their Sustainability Strategy. Having already completed a number of decarbonisation projects, we were delighted to be able to deliver the bees’ new home with the help of the specialist suppliers that support us to deliver the FM contract.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Derwent FM Secures Integrated Facilities Management Deal at RCA

Derwent FM Secures Integrated Facilities Management Deal at RCA

The Royal College of Art (RCA) has awarded Derwent Facilities Management (FM) an integrated facilities management (IFM) contract to manage its estate for the next five years, subject to contract. The contract encompasses responsibility for all hard and soft services, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning, mechanical and electrical maintenance, cleaning, security, pest control, grounds maintenance, transportation, and more. These services will be provided across 12 buildings at RCA’s three campuses in South Kensington, Battersea, and White City. Founded in 1837, the RCA has been rated the world’s top art and design university for the past ten years by QS World University Rankings. It is the world’s most influential institution for postgraduate art and design studies, with 3,000 students. Eamonn Tierney, Managing Director at Derwent FM, said: “Derwent FM are hugely proud to have been awarded the contract with The Royal College of Art, an iconic and prestigious educational institution, and look forward to working in partnership to deliver our services to the highest possible standards. “RCA is world-renowned, and to support that, its facilities must run to the very best standards, and that is what we provide. We’re really looking forward to managing such important buildings and facilities and supporting the continued success of RCA and its students.” Paul Draper, Director of Estates at RCA, said: “Student experience and customer service are at the heart of everything we do here as the RCA’s Estates team. “Our estate is not merely a collection of buildings; it is the backbone of our academic pursuits. The goal from the outset was to create a world-class environment for learning, research, and collaboration, ensuring that the Royal College of Art remains at the very forefront of higher education. “Derwent’s team were very impressive in being able to demonstrate their affinity and knowledge to support that ambition, and their pure enthusiasm to deliver our vision.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Senior Level Promotion Enhances Colliers' Strategic FM Consulting Capability

Senior Level Promotion Enhances Colliers’ Strategic FM Consulting Capability

Colliers EMEA has bolstered its Facilities Management Advisory service to Occupiers by appointing Denise Hoogendoorn as Director of Strategic Consulting. Hoogendoorn joins the EMEA Enterprise FM Advisory team from her previous role leading Colliers’ Occupier Consultancy Service in the Netherlands. In her new position, she will continue to work with clients across all sectors and global markets, spearheading the strategic development and growth of innovative delivery models that incorporate dynamic FM solutions tailored to occupiers’ varying operating models and occupancy strategies. Nicholas Marsh, Head of Enterprise Consulting, EMEA Occupier Services, stated: “We’re delighted to have Denise onboard. Over the last 10 years, she has been a driving force behind the development and success of our FM business in the Netherlands. Her unique skills and experience will further strengthen our strategic FM consulting capabilities – both regionally and globally – and extend our support to even more organisations.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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IWFM calls on next UK Government to act on four key WFM areas

IWFM calls on next UK Government to act on four key WFM areas

Ahead of this week’s UK election, we’ve highlighted four key areas the next Government needs to act on to ‘stimulate and sustain’ the national workplace and facilities management (WFM) profession and sector.   The ‘Priorities for the next Government: 2024 general election manifesto’ publication highlights the challenges faced by the next Government, including economic malaise, decarbonising the country’s infrastructure and habits, investing in education and health, all in a challenging and persistent negative fiscal environment.  The publication also details how WFM is a major contributor to the UK economy; for instance, outsourced sector/service providers represent about 5% of all UK enterprises, of which 250 key WFM enterprises had a turnover of £50 million or more each. Drawing on recent research, IWFM’s Market Outlook Survey 2024 report, five major priorities emerged for our members:   1. Focus on growing the economy   2. Develop a coherent plan to achieve net zero   3. Reduce uncertainly around government policy   4. Provide support to people to help with the cost of living   5. Develop an overarching skills strategy / make it easier to recruit talent from outside the UK / encourage staff back to offices in town centres / reduce business taxes.  We identified four key areas to realise these priorities, all of which are cross cutting to a degree: skills; sustainability; building safety; information management, data and technology.  Our Head of Policy & Research, Sofie Hooper, said, ‘Along with the UK at large, WFM as a profession and sector are facing seismic challenges which threaten their prospects. However, their contribution represents a huge source of value across broad areas: increasing organisational productivity and providing workplace wellbeing, delivering net zero and mitigating climate change across our buildings, delivering safe homes and providing the right information to the right people at the right time.   ‘Fortunately, actionable steps can be taken to address immediate issues and get match fit for future conditions. IWFM calls on the next UK Government to act on this publication and the many resources we’ve created to enhance our sector and profession.’    Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Rendall & Rittner Receives Managing Agent of the Year Award at ACE Awards 2024

Rendall & Rittner Receives Managing Agent of the Year Award at ACE Awards 2024

Leading managing agent Rendall & Rittner is thrilled to have received two prestigious awards at this year’s ACE Awards: ‘Managing Agent of the Year (15,001+ units)’ and ‘Resident Engagement Initiative’. This marks the fifth occasion that Rendall & Rittner has received the renowned Managing Agent of the Year award in the 6 years the awards have taken place. This achievement also follows the company’s recent ‘Property Manager of the Year’ award win at the RESI awards, meaning Rendall & Rittner currently holds the sector’s two most coveted awards. The ACE Awards were presented at an awards dinner in London’s Old Billingsgate market on Friday 21st June. Hosted by The Property Institute (formerly ARMA and IRPM), the awards unite industry-leading managing agents, developers, and suppliers to celebrate the ‘leading lights among UK managing agents’. The Managing Agent of the Year Award reflects Rendall & Rittner’s commitment to being a respected, responsible and trusted partner. With a portfolio of over 80,000 homes across the UK, Rendall & Rittner’s people led, technology enabled, service driven approach drives the company forward for the benefit of its customers, clients and residents. With each award entry vigorously scrutinised by an independent judging panel of senior property professionals, Rendall & Rittner’s success amongst such tough competition highlights a clear commitment to innovation and delivering exceptional service levels. Rendall & Rittner was also presented with the inaugural Resident Engagement Initiative award, acknowledging the careful consideration placed on enhancing the experience of residents and developing a greater sense of community at developments across the portfolio. Supported by its Operations Team, Rendall & Rittner organises and runs a wide ranging calendar of activities and events, including festive gatherings, open mic nights, Recycle Week, wildlife photography competitions and F1 simulator events in partnership with Sky. Resident communication is also a priority for the managing agent, ensuring residents are regularly engaged on key topics such as building safety, façade remediation, and the cost of living. Richard Daver, Group CEO at Rendall & Rittner comments: “At Rendall & Rittner, our strategic focus on driving change and innovation for our clients, customers and residents is at the forefront of everything we do. We are therefore thrilled that the ACE Awards judges have recognised the enthusiasm and dedication of our people once again this year as we continue to seek opportunities to enhance our service offering. Receiving both the prestigious Managing Agent of the Year and Resident Engagement Initiative awards is testament to the contribution and effort of all our people, especially so soon after being named Property Manager of the Year at the RESI awards.” For further information please visit: www.rendallandrittner.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Almost half of facility maintenance professionals struggle significantly with systems integration

Almost half of facility maintenance professionals struggle significantly with systems integration

Nearly half of building maintenance professionals state that systems integration is one of their most significant struggles, according to a recent poll by SFG20, the industry standard for facility maintenance specifications.  Using this industry insight, SFG20 have developed an Application Programming Interface (API) that streamlines the integration between SFG20 content and FM systems used for operational activity.  Almost 90% of FM professionals agreed on the benefit of implementing SFG20’s new ‘smart’ software, driven by new features such as automatic notifications that advise users when updates are made to the SFG20 standard.  The new API makes SFG20 content available and accessible to all via the common FM systems used for operational activity i.e., CAFMs, IWFMs, CMMS etc. As users are notified of updates to SFG20’s content, they can choose when to accept them. SFG20 guidance will then automatically flow into their FM system. The API is also bi-directional, meaning that once work has been completed this information can flow back to SFG20 who will be able to provide reporting and insight around levels of compliance and value derived from their FM provider. Paul Bullard, Product and Professional Services Director at SFG20, says:  “Our new freely available API will allow users to access and work with the SFG20 standard more efficiently than ever. By receiving updates to SFG20’s maintenance schedules and having this content automatically integrated into various FM systems, facility maintenance professionals remove the risk of falling off the standard and becoming non-compliant.  The API comes at no cost, and allows any FM system to link in. SFG20 also provides support with the integration process, thereby removing any potential barriers and making it as easy as possible to carry out maintenance work and achieve compliance.”  “To find out more about SFG20’s new open API solution, please visit their software integration page, which details the benefits of their open API, from improved efficiency, greater control, and standard compliance.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Health and safety workloads have never been more demanding, says new industry report

Health and safety workloads have never been more demanding, says new industry report

New legislation and an increased focus on best practice are leading to heavier workloads and excess pressure on property and facilities managers, according to a new report from health, safety and property compliance firm William Martin. When compiling its first annual property compliance report, the firm examined data from 20,000 risk assessments and survey reports that were uploaded to its compliance management software, Meridian, between April 2023 and March 2024. Figures showed almost 327,000 health and safety actions were raised across all disciplines, a 22% increase on the previous year. Commenting on the increase, Phil Jones, Managing Director at William Martin said: “The property and facilities management industry shoulders a huge responsibility when it comes to upholding the highest standards of health and safety. Alongside the introduction of recent laws such as the Building Safety Act 2022, we’re undoubtedly seeing a far greater focus from organisations on ensuring best practice and continuous improvement, rather than just compliance. “I’ve always believed that abiding by legislation should be the minimum benchmark rather than the final goal, so this positive step towards safer working environments is something I welcome. However, the downside is the extra pressure this is putting on those responsible for health and safety, due in no small part to the increased reporting that’s required to demonstrate high performance. But because abandoning best practice is not an option, this is something the industry needs to find a way to deal with.” Beyond this headline increase, the report identifies 10 key health and safety trends, which include: Phil Jones added: “Workload burdens are undoubtedly contributing to some of the more worrying trends identified in our report, such as the unacceptable length of time it’s taking to address Priority 1 actions, and poor record-keeping around lift safety. “Tech and AI can form part of the solution, by reducing the scope for human error, and reducing the chances of risks being missed or reports being misfiled. Using tech to work smarter rather than harder also frees up time to focus on the activities that will actually drive change and reduce risk. “The key trends and insights contained in this report will hopefully inform property and facilities management professionals on what should be the key focus areas within their own businesses. We are already planning to publish this data annually, which will enable longer term industry trends to be identified.” The full report is available to download from the William Martin website here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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New Business and Mobilisation Manager appointed at Rendall & Rittner

New Business and Mobilisation Manager appointed at Rendall & Rittner

Leading property management agent Rendall & Rittner has strengthened its new client service offering, appointing Amaly Hind as New Business and Mobilisation Manager, expanding its team and capacity. With 15 years of experience working in property management, Amaly will support Rendall & Rittner as it continues to expand its growing portfolio. Having started her career at Rendall & Rittner in 2009, Amaly helped establish Rendall & Rittner’s North division, before expanding her knowledge at other firms across the Greater Manchester area. Working for a high-end residential retirement developer, Amaly was responsible for overseeing the company’s portfolio in the Midlands and North, developing an interest in the mobilisation of new schemes. In 2020, Amaly returned to Rendall & Rittner, where she has been managing significant changes to health and safety processes in line with the evolving Building Safety Act legislation. As New Business and Mobilisation Manager, Amaly is responsible for overseeing the acquisition and onboarding of new clients, before handing them over to Rendall & Rittner’s property teams for ongoing management. Amaly’s previous experience in mobilisations, and more recently in understanding new requirements under the Building Safety Act, will allow her to deliver a smooth experience for new clients and developments. Amaly said: “Through my role as New Business and Mobilisation Manager, I am looking forward to applying my existing knowledge of property management in new ways. Over the past 15 years, I have gained an in-depth knowledge of a range of different elements that affect the ongoing management of developments and am keen to use this to ensure that our onboarding and handover processes are as smooth and comprehensive as possible.” Richard Daver, Group CEO at Rendall & Rittner comments: “Through her previous roles, Amaly has repeatedly proven her ability to deliver exceptional results and her experience across the industry will make her a key asset in expanding the capabilities of our New Business and Mobilisation team. Introducing new clients to everything we can offer at Rendall & Rittner, Amaly will be important in helping us grow our business across the UK, whilst also continuing to deliver an unrivalled residential property management service.” For further information please visit: www.rendallandrittner.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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