Skanska, one of the world’s leading project development and construction groups, is launching a new initiative to make its Mental Health First Aiders more visible. All employees from its infrastructure business who have undertaken Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England’s Mental Health First Aid course, will now be able to
Skanska delivers facilities management (FM) with a focus on sustainability and customer service. Supporting more than 65 organisations across over 3,000 locations nationwide, here we explore how they use SMART technology to create ‘healthy’ buildings that their customers love. “FM is all about people and culture” declared Adam McDonald, Managing
London’s St James’s district benefits from new office, retail and restaurant space with the completion of a multi-use development. 35,000 sq ft of office space was delivered over the first to sixth floors, with 11,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space at ground and basement levels. The Marq project
Cambridge biomedical campus has just welcomed a new state of the art hospital, as final touches approached completion. The Royal Papworth Hospital, which will house five operating theatres, five catheter laboratories (for non-surgical procedures) and two hybrid theatres, was delivered by Skanska. “We’re delighted to hand over the building to
Skanska and PTSG has joined together in order to win a five-year high-level cleaning project for the City of London Corporation. The two companies have been awarded this contract following a successful collaborative tender. This extensive contract was awarded to the project development and construction group Skanska and will be
Skanska, the global construction company, has been operational for 125 years. The well-established business still has modern commitments to sustainability and their future. Skanska’s regional engineering site in South Yorkshire is demonstrative of the company’s intention to be green and their work towards being carbon-free. The facility has been part
A joint venture of Swedish giant Skanska with local companies Forest Traffic Services and RK Bell, the Somerset Infrastructure Alliance, has started work on delivering site infrastructure services for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power project. Somerset Infrastructure Alliance will carry out fencing, signage, landscaping and site road maintenance, and
Skanska, one of the world’s leading project development and construction groups, is launching a new initiative to make its Mental Health First Aiders more visible. All employees from its infrastructure business who have undertaken Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England’s Mental Health First Aid course, will now be able to display a Mental Health First Aider sticker on their construction hard hat. Skanska has been working with MHFA England since 2016, when it began a campaign to place greater focus on mental health and wellbeing. It wanted to remove the stigma attached to mental ill health. In February of that year, it became one of the first construction companies to sign the ‘Time to Change’ pledge, after Skanska UK’s President and CEO, Gregor Craig, had been inspired to act by his personal experiences of mental ill health. The launch of this simple signposting initiative is a further indication of Skanska’s commitment to putting its people at the heart of the business. Through its sector leading mental health and wellbeing strategy, led by Tricia O’Neill, UK Head of Health Risk Management, Skanska is creating a working culture where its 3,300 UK employees feel valued, able to contribute and reach their potential. The project has been rolled out across Skanska’s M42 Junction 6 Improvement Scheme.– a £255 million project to improve junction 6 of the M42. The scheme, delivered on behalf of National Highways, provides a comprehensive upgrade of the junction near Birmingham Airport, allowing better movement of traffic on and off the A45. Out of the hundred or so people currently working on the project, eight are Mental Health First Aiders. From today they will proudly display their qualification sticker on their safety helmets. This means that everyone on site, no matter their role, will know who they can talk to, should they need support. Speaking about Skanska’s wellbeing and mental health strategy and the wider challenges faced by people in the construction sector, Tricia O’Neill said, “As a contractor, you are starting new jobs all the time and having to drop into new places and sites without a network. It’s difficult to build communities. You will often spend long periods away from your family, friends, and your GP. If you’re only there for a few months, people may not get to know you, meaning recognising if someone is struggling and offering the right support and signposting becomes more difficult.” Acknowledging the need for training to be part of the Skanska approach, focus groups were organised to discuss introducing mental health training. Tricia was pleased with the enthusiasm, saying, “60 people turned up, so it immediately felt like we were beginning to talk about the right things. We booked some half day courses with MHFA England, and by May 2016 we had developed our mental health network and had a real groundswell of positive opinion.” Through MHFA England training, Skanska began to empower a network of mental health ambassadors. They gained the skills and knowledge to spot the signs of mental ill health, including stress and anxiety, and offer support and guidance to a range of wellbeing initiatives offered by Skanska. These include the employee assistance programme run by UK provider Health Assured, which offers around-the-clock support and counselling. Since 2016, more than 55% of employees at Skanska have been trained in the MHFA England Mental Health Aware course or as Mental Health First Aiders. It has been a KPI for all line managers and executive staff to attend MHFA England training. “My vision is to have mental health literacy across our network and cover all sites at Skanska ensuring resources are available to everyone no matter where they work,” reflected Tricia. Ken Reid, Health, Safety and Wellbeing Manager, who is a trained Mental Health First Aider and works on the M42 highways improvement scheme said, “Having our Mental Health First Aiders visible on site is helping to normalise conversations around mental ill health and remove the stigma surrounding it. The sticker easily identifies those who are trained and can provide support. People know who to speak to quickly, and if necessary, discreetly, so that they can get the help they need.” Ken goes on to talk about the benefits of becoming a Mental Health First Aider, “The last couple of years have been tough. We have noticed that more people than ever are coming forward to say they feel lonely and isolated. The training from Mental Health First Aid England has given me greater awareness of others’ emotional wellbeing. My fellow Mental Health First Aiders and I listen and offer guidance on where to get the right support. It can be as simple as offering to have a cuppa and a chat with a colleague – as the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved.” Skanska UK Highways Director, Glennan Blackmore said, “The idea of stickers, identifying Mental Health First Aiders is such a simple one but the impact for those on site could be potentially life changing. My hope is that this initiative will be adopted across the industry, helping to reduce the stigma surrounding mental ill health.” Simon Blake, Chief Executive of MHFA England said: “It is wonderful to see Skanska’s ongoing commitment to the mental health of its people. It’s ambition to train its staff in mental health awareness is impressive. The training will only create change if people know where to turn if they need support and feel safe and confident doing so. This initiative helps that. I love the simplicity of it and hope that it will be rolled out more widely across the sector.” National Highways Programme Leader Anita Prashar, said, “At National Highways we want everyone to get Home Safe and Well. This is a great initiative and we’re delighted to support it. The mental health of our colleagues is incredibly important.” Find out more about Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England training at www.mhfaengland.org
Skanska delivers facilities management (FM) with a focus on sustainability and customer service. Supporting more than 65 organisations across over 3,000 locations nationwide, here we explore how they use SMART technology to create ‘healthy’ buildings that their customers love. “FM is all about people and culture” declared Adam McDonald, Managing Director of Skanska’s Building Services operation, when we sat down together. Adding, “We value and take care of our people with an injury-free environment (IFE) approach. I’m proud to say we have a culture of care and support, which enables us to deliver the best front-line service to our customers.” If anyone’s at the forefront of putting the customer first, Skanska certainly are. As a company that develops, builds and maintains some of the UK’s iconic buildings including the Gherkin and MoD Main Building, Skanska really are at the forefront of developing the best offers for their customers. It’s going down well too – their research shows that 70% of existing customers have worked with their facilities management team for at least 10 years or more. But how do they do it? Sustainability is a much talked about focus right now, as Skanska’s customers continue to enquire about how it can better assist them to achieve their goals. Laura Mayhew-Manchon, Environmental Manager, said: “We’re pushing the boundaries in carbon reduction – we’ve set a target of net zero carbon reduction by 2045, and we’re including all of our supply chain, not just our own immediate operations.” But you need to have the right team and processes in place to make sure commitments stick, which is where the company’s embrace of technology benefits them. We were keen to delve into how other organisations can use technology to make a difference, both internally and to customers. So, we asked Laura: What are the most consistently missed tech opportunities? Laura revealed, “Better connected assets and equipment will support improved building user experience, use and functionality. That’s the first thing. But ultimately, for FM teams, the data these produce and how we use and interpret it is key in delivering effective, efficient FM that drives optimal building performance.” This supports IWFM’s research that better understanding of technology and data, which includes upskilling existing staff as well as bringing new skills in, is crucial to better performance. In turn, this can create ‘healthy’ buildings. So, what defines a ‘healthy building’? According to Laura, “spaces where the relationship between the building, energy, occupant satisfaction and wellbeing is reviewed continually.” Those final words, ‘reviewed continually’, are undoubtedly the most important. Much of the profession implements change and then forgets to make time to review those changes and to develop them for better results. But, if we’re to see meaningful change in our profession, it’s something we absolutely must do. Acknowledging how customers, or communities, engage with buildings is crucial. “You also need to design the delivery solution around the customer. For example, our City of London contract has delivery teams aligned to customer type rather than geography,” said Adam McDonald. Adding, “Procuring the supply chain sustainably and locally helps, too. We have committed to procuring within a certain radius of contracts, paying them on time (Skanska adheres to the fair payment charter) and training them via the Supply Chain Sustainability School.” Which brings us to our final point: What’s next? For Skanska, it’s about having “engaged, well-trained, positive people to help drive quality FM service delivery. As a profession, we need simpler and more effective procurement models that are driven by service quality rather than price,” Adam said. So, what did we learn? Sustainability is top of the agenda, and that can be driven by technology. As a profession, we need to upskill and make sure we always put the customer first, and those customers can differ considerably from building to building. We must also aim to create ‘healthy buildings’ – spaces where the relationship between the building, energy, occupant satisfaction and wellbeing work as one and, more importantly, is reviewed continually. Skanska is sponsoring this year’s IWFM Awards. Find out more about they’re current work through the Awards website.
London’s St James’s district benefits from new office, retail and restaurant space with the completion of a multi-use development. 35,000 sq ft of office space was delivered over the first to sixth floors, with 11,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space at ground and basement levels. The Marq project has been completed by Skanska for its client The Crown Estate. “Handing this project over on time, within budget and to such a high standard is a fantastic achievement. Working together with all of our stakeholders has created a strong working ethic that has delivered our customer’s requirements and it’s a building that they can be proud of,” said Richard Kirkpatrick, Project Director. The development features three pieces of bespoke artwork by Jacqueline Poncelet, with two external elements – splay corner and gates – being complemented by an interior wall-based artwork. Moreover, the building is on target to achieve a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating for the office space and a WELL Building Core and Shell Gold certification. On this project Skanska was also supported by Rolfe Judd (architects), Waterman Group (structural engineers) and Watkins Payne Partnership (services engineers). “This has been a complex project at a busy location with several constraints on the site. It has been an exciting project for us, involving creative engineering in close proximity to nearby buildings and busy streets. The structural works have gone very smoothly thanks to close collaboration between all parties. The project is a great credit to all involved,” commented Richard Whitehead, Board Director of Structures at Waterman.
Cambridge biomedical campus has just welcomed a new state of the art hospital, as final touches approached completion. The Royal Papworth Hospital, which will house five operating theatres, five catheter laboratories (for non-surgical procedures) and two hybrid theatres, was delivered by Skanska. “We’re delighted to hand over the building to our customer. We look forward to watching its transformation with the latest medical equipment into a world-class facility. The thousands of hours of work by our people and the supply chain will leave a positive lasting legacy for Cambridge, the UK and beyond,” commented Charlie Norris, Project Director for Skanska. Patients will benefit from approximately 310 beds, including a 46-bed critical care unit, with most patients having their own single, en-suite rooms. Other key features include a specialist air filtering system in the hospital’s cystic fibrosis department to minimise the spread of airborne infections, and a link corridor to the adjacent Addenbrooke’s Hospital to support the transfer of patients needing treatment in the two hospitals. Royal Papworth staff will move from their existing hospital in Papworth Everard to the new facility, which will continue to enable staff deliver excellent care to patients suffering from heart and lung disease. “It is incredibly exciting to be able to walk through the hospital without hard hats and high-vis jackets and really imagine this impressive building as a fully-functioning heart and lung hospital. After many years of planning, we are now just months away from moving in and starting to realise the huge benefits that the new building and its location on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus will bring for our patients and staff,” said Stephen Posey, Chief Executive at Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. All of Royal Papworth’s clinical services will be moved to the new facility during a three-week move period from 23 April 2019.
Skanska and PTSG has joined together in order to win a five-year high-level cleaning project for the City of London Corporation. The two companies have been awarded this contract following a successful collaborative tender. This extensive contract was awarded to the project development and construction group Skanska and will be delivered by the Premier Technical Services Group PLC, or PTSG. The contract will consist of a variety of different high-level cleaning projects and will involve maintenance to the capital’s most iconic buildings PTSG, the specialist services provider will carry out work such as gutter cleaning, which will require a range of high-level access methods such as abseiling, MEWP and rope access that will allow workers to reach even the most challenging of areas and buildings. Most of the cleaning services that will be delivered as a part of this contract will be performed by operatives using skyvacs in order to carefully clean the gutters and downpipes, while also working to remove any debris that has been built up over time. Skanska and PTSG have been working together as a collaborative team for a number of years now and have benefitted from an exceptional working ethos. Skanska has selected the specialist services provider for a number of their high-profile facilities management contracts and have expressed their intention to continue to work for them as a part of their commitment to deliver excellent customer service. The cleaning and maintenance contract has been awarded as a part of the City of London Corporation’s £4.6 million contract awarded to Skanska and PTSG includes a scheme of work that helps to clear blocked guttering before it can lead to flood damage, damp and water ingress, problems that would be much costlier to repair. This contract is an addition to Skanska’s impressive portfolio of Facilities Management sector clients.
Skanska, the global construction company, has been operational for 125 years. The well-established business still has modern commitments to sustainability and their future. Skanska’s regional engineering site in South Yorkshire is demonstrative of the company’s intention to be green and their work towards being carbon-free. The facility has been part of a four-year project that has led to a zero carbon office facility being produced. This project and the completed facility has managed to achieve a 94.6% BREEAM Outstanding score. The facility, Bentley Works is the engineering and manufacturing facility for Skanska UK. The facility is located 3km north of Doncaster and it is thought that the project costs £14 million. The company acted as both developer and main contractor as part of this project and were involved in the demolition of the buildings that were previously on the site. The new sustainable facility has been developed on the site of some office and workshop buildings, that were torn down in order to make way for the 1,800 sq. m. office building. The floor space for the office building is separated over two floors and the facility also has 3,135 Sq. m. workshop for fabrication and machines. There is a workshop building and a paint shop building that were saved from demolition, which has undergone refurbishment. The buildings on the project are classed as “Deep Green” which essentially means that they have a near zero impact on the environment as well as being designed to be future proof. The environmental rating of this project is the best ratings received by Skanska. The project is also a UK first and was designed in conjunction with BREEAM methodology. The features of the project that made it more sustainable include Skanska not sending any waste to landfill and employing local contractors. Only employing contractors from the Yorkshire area means that they also provided a boost to the local economy.
A joint venture of Swedish giant Skanska with local companies Forest Traffic Services and RK Bell, the Somerset Infrastructure Alliance, has started work on delivering site infrastructure services for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power project. Somerset Infrastructure Alliance will carry out fencing, signage, landscaping and site road maintenance, and will also deliver a number of logistical services to help move vehicles around the site, including minor civil works, winter maintenance, traffic management, site cleaning and footway and carriageway maintenance. The alliance will also be responsible to the co-ordination of all work carried out away from the main construction areas. Simon White, Operations Director at Skanska, commented: “We are proud to be contributing to this project. The unique alliance arrangement that has been created with our local partners is aimed at delivering the project in a highly collaborative way whilst building a local legacy of skills and employment.” Meanwhile, Forest Traffic Services Managing Director, Ross Williams, said they are pleased to be part of the alliance which will deliver site infrastructure services for such an important scheme, adding: “We are looking forward to working in this innovative and collaborative way with our alliance partners to provide a best quality and highly responsive service. “This major opportunity gives us the confidence to make a major investment in recruiting and training additional local staff.” RK Bell managing director Nick Bell added: “This is a fantastic opportunity to move into the new nuclear build sector in a collaborative way, sharing skills and knowledge along the journey. “It has given us an opportunity to continually raise the bar across the business whilst enabling us to invest in higher levels of training and apprentice schemes. Choosing the right partners, who can work well together to deliver on the client’s requirements, has been a clear priority.”
