A bale a day keeps collections at bay
One of the UK’s biggest water companies has continued to demonstrate its concern for all things environmental with the introduction of cardboard compactors at three of its sites.
Northumbrian Water, which also owns Essex and Suffolk Water, takes its responsibility for looking after the environment very seriously – from the quality of its drinking water and waste water treatment to the recycling of office materials.
Latest in a long line of initiatives is the purchase, from Teesside-based Greenbank, of cardboard compactors for three of its sites.
The machines compress cardboard into small bales meaning that they take up less storage space and reduce the number of skip collections.
Initially placed at offices at Pity Me near Durham in the North East, the machine was so successful that Facilities Manager Dave Whiteley ordered another for Hanningfield in Essex and then, a few months later, a third one also to be used in the North East.
“We accumulate a massive amount of cardboard, mainly packaging from paper deliveries, PC boxes and catering items used by our restaurants,” Dave explained.
“Before we bought the compactors, we used to put the cardboard into skips.
Each site now produces at least three or four bales a week, sometimes one daily, so you can see how much material we produce and how much space it took up previously while awaiting collection.”
Greenbank area account manager Adrian Saltmarsh, who liaises with Northumbrian Water, said that, while customers are always keen to make a cost saving, the compactors also provide a neater and safer storage environment, which is especially important around office areas.
“We knew Northumbrian Water must be pleased with our machines when they came back for another – and another!” he added. Further information is available from Greenbank on 01642 242294 or email: sales@greenbankcompactors.co.uk

Multi service FM approach at Leicester County Council
Leicester County Council is one of the largest local authorities in the UK and was voted 2009 Council of the year.
Sherwood Cleaning Group has been working with LCC for over 12 years and has just been awarded a 5 year ‘multi service’ contract encompassing cleaning, waste management and security. The new contract will see Sherwood manage over 250 buildings going forward including schools, libraries and council offices.
Graham Read, Corporate Facilities Manager at LCC, discussed how the Council managed the process.
LCC made the decision to look at asset management and multi service provision throughout the authority. The indications were that considerable savings could be made with a ‘multi service’ approach. Cost savings were expected with regard to administration, management and purchase supply.
The award to Sherwood was based on a 60% price and 40% quality ratio. This was to ensure that value for money was achieved without reduction in standards of service. The award process involved service users, affected staff and trade unions.
An integral part of the contract is the development of an in-house audit system that collates FM contractual data. All service users, the client and Sherwood access timely information on all areas of contract delivery.
Stuart Buswell, Managing Director of Sherwood stated that joint exploration of new service initiatives and ongoing improvements are planned. This will include the development of the ‘open book’ approach to the whole service provision.
Graham Read, LCC commented; ‘we are pleased with the way we have been able to work with Sherwood’s, not only on the new contract and specification, but also in looking at developments. One of their main strengths is the commitment by senior management to be involved with the contract on a local level. At all levels of LCC there is regular liaison with regard to contract provision.’
‘We look forward to building on our excellent working partnership with Sherwood’s.’
The Sherwood Group is now part of Servest Group Limited. The total UK operation saw 33% growth in 2008; a further 30% is expected for 2009 taking Company turnover to over £40 Million.  www.sherwoodcleaning.co.uk Tel 01284 703535

Outlook gloomy for South Coast property developers, warns Adams & Remers
The immediate outlook for property developers along the South Coast remains gloomy as banks continue to seek to reduce their exposure to the property market, reports solicitors Adams & Remers.
Adams & Remers, whose clients include investors, lenders and developers along the South Coast, points to anecdotal evidence from two large institutional lenders who are both under instructions to turn down any requests for funding to develop or build property, despite an increasingly buoyant local property market.
David Platt, a partner and head of Adams & Remers Commercial Property team says: “There are developers across the South East sitting on land banks that they wish to develop and bring to the market, particularly now as the housing market is beginning to show signs of recovery. However the banks continue to show no appetite to fund such development. Developers can unfortunately expect to continue to see a near complete lack of funding for quite some time yet.”
However the picture isn’t entirely gloomy. There are a number of niche areas where developers can still relatively easily find access to funding.
“Developers are finding it relatively easy to obtain funding for healthcare related projects as the government or primary care trusts will usually fund all or part of the development,” says David. 
“Developers are also seeing profitable work in developing affordable housing schemes, including accommodation for key workers and students. Developers will buy land and develop, with a registered social landlord, university or employer funding the project via staged payments. The only downside is that any profit the developer makes is held back until the project is completed.”
Adams & Remers reports one interesting twist in funding property development. “If a company wished to borrow to finance the acquisition of new build premises for the company’s own use it should be able to obtain bank finance. Problems only arise if the property developer itself is seeking bank finance for the development, and there seems to be no light yet at the end of that tunnel.”

The Future of Energy heads to London as business thrives
The UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband, spoke at the recent World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi to highlight the UK’s leading role in meeting the global challenge of combating climate change with renewable energy.
With over 9,000 international business leaders and politicians attending the Summit on the opening day, this event has once again provided a platform for debate and finding solutions within the growing renewable and alternative energy market place.
The UK government will be developing an even closer relationship with the Future Energy series of events as the next event moves to London in October. The European Future Energy Forum 2010, in association with Masdar, will be taking place in ExCeL London, October 19/21 and will be the fifth event in the series since the initiative was launched in 2008.
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband said:
“The European Future Energy Forum, which we’ll be hosting in London in October, is an opportunity to show the world the huge strides we’re taking in the UK to develop renewable and low carbon technologies. It will help bring businesses together to identify investment opportunities as we develop the low carbon energy supply we need.”
Ed Miliband took time to visit Masdar’s stand at the Summit and met with CEO Dr Sultan Al Jaber, who has been instrumental in the development of the Future Energy debate, as Abu Dhabi continues to emerge as a leading hub in the renewable energy field.
“We now look forward to building on this platform in the UK in October” said Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar. “We will take the opportunity to share knowledge, advance solutions and explore partnerships within a European market.”
The cutting edge conference in London will build on the discussions in Abu Dhabi this week with special focus on necessary requirements both financially and in terms of infrastructure to enable projects to move forward. A first glimpse of the planned programme includes sessions raising questions such as ‘Where is the money coming from?’ and ‘how do we bridge the technology gap?’

Tyco Electronics' AMP NETCONNECT network cabling system provides high-performance communications for Fidessa's new data centre
An advanced network cabling system from the AMP NETCONNECT business unit of Tyco Electronics forms the heart of the internal communications system at a new data centre for Fidessa group plc, a major international supplier of financial markets trading solutions.
The system, designed and installed by Maxima, an approved AMP NETCONNECT partner, includes both Category 6 UTP (unshielded twisted pair) copper and OM3 multimode 50/125 fibre-optic cabling, and is housed in a new purpose-built facility known as Sentrum IV on the outskirts of Woking, Surrey.
Fidessa group plc is a leading supplier of multi-asset trading, portfolio analysis, decision support, compliance, market data and connectivity solutions for firms involved in trading the world's financial markets.
Headquartered in London and with regional operations across Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East, Fidessa supports over 24,000 users across 730 clients, serving a broad spectrum of customers from major investment banks and asset managers through to specialist niche brokers and hedge funds.
The nature of the company's business means that its data-centre capabilities and the associated communications infrastructure are of vital importance, and the Sentrum IV facility is the latest and most advanced of these centres. In selecting the main contractor for the new centre, it was natural that Fidessa should turn to Maxima, who have worked with Fidessa over a number of years - most recently on the company's GS2 data centre in London.
"The Maxima team has detailed knowledge of our requirements and the design and installation practices that we expect from our suppliers", comments Mark Brewer, Production Services Manager at Fidessa: "Not only do they ensure that project installations always run smoothly: they are also willing and able to offer innovative solutions that relate specifically to the needs of our industry."
One of the specific requirements for the Sentrum IV data centre relates to the fact that Fidessa will use it as a showcase facility for existing and potential clients. This meant that the 'public' areas needed to be as clean and tidy as possible, with any cabling hidden away beneath floors or in purpose-designed cabinets. Maxima designed the sub-floor cable support system to ensure that cable capacity was not compromised.
The installation proposed and implemented by Maxima includes a total of 125 APC server, communications and switch cabinets incorporating 250 intelligent power units, along with sixteen AMP NETCONNECT cross-connect central patch frames. The fully ISO/IEC 11801 compliant Category 6 copper and OM3 fibre cabling system includes over 9500 Category 6 AMP SL connections and over 6300 OM3 LC AMP connections.
The system carries Tyco Electronics' 25-year warranty, which will allow Fidessa to accommodate the growing bandwidth needs of IP convergence, reduce expenses associated with download, upload and backup time, and reduce costs associated with future upgrades.
An important feature of the installation is the use of the recently introduced AMP NETCONNECT Hi-D (high-density) network cabling system to provide a centralised high-density cross-connect patching system. The Hi-D network cabling system is positioned at the heart of the data-centre facility to allow for all the server, communications and switch cabinets to connect with the copper and fibre cabling through a centrally located cross-connect facility.
More information on AMP NETCONNECT products can be found at www.ampnetconnect.eu. www.tycoelectronics.com

Armstrong Ceilings go green again
Following its debut at Ecobuild last year with its End Of Life (EOL) recycling scheme, interior solutions provider Armstrong Ceilings is proving in 2010 that it was no one-hit wonder by showcasing a second green scheme.
The Off Cut Recycling (OCR) scheme run by Armstrong involves storing off cut ceiling tiles from new ceiling installations on site in specially supplied bags that are collected by the company to be recycled into new ceiling tiles.
The scheme is believed to have played a major part in Armstrong Ceilings, a member of the UK Green Building Council, being shortlisted for a manufacturer’s award at the Sustain magazine awards that will be presented at a special dinner on March 2nd - the first day of Ecobuild.
Details of how the scheme was employed on Armstrong’s current OCR flagship project, the £582 million University Hospital, Birmingham, where ceiling off-cuts were recycled and used again as new tiles in “green rooms” on site, are available on the company’s stand (2372) at Ecobuild.
Unlike other manufacturers, Armstrong does not charge contractors for this service, neither does it for its EOL recycling scheme for refurbishment/strip out projects where used tiles are 100% recycled into the mix and processed into new ceiling tiles. This scheme has recently been extended to include smaller quantities and more products.
Apart from helping to reduce the 25 million tonnes of construction waste that goes to landfill every year (more than 80 tonnes of new ceilings have been recycled this way to date by the two schemes), Armstrong aims to minimise the environmental impact even further with reverse logistics by scheduling truck deliveries to collect old ceiling tiles from site.
The only UK ceiling manufacturer with a BRE Ecopoint profile and the capability of calculating (according to ISO 14021) exactly what degree of recycled content its tiles comprise, its aim is to develop a network of sustainable suppliers through a distributor recycling initiative.
Also available on Armstrong’s stand will be the latest edition of its popular A Book for architects and specifiers which showcases design, innovation and environmental solutions through a selection of stunning case studies in the transport, office, retail and leisure, healthcare and education sectors.
These use the full range of Armstrong solutions, from wet felt, soft mineral fibre, metal and wood veneer tiles, through canopies and suspension and perimeter systems, to intelligent ceilings.
More information:
sales-support@armstrong.com

Magenta is the New Green!
Hot on the heels of its success at the Security Excellence Awards, Magenta Security Services has been awarded first place in the Green Business Category of the Green Guardian Awards run by Newsquest.
The awards are a prestigious regional accolade for the firm which received the Environmental Initiative of the Year Award at the Security Excellence Awards in late 2009.
Magenta Security Services, managing director, Abbey Petkar said:  "This award demonstrates that our environmental and CSR policies go beyond the levels expected in the security industry and place us firmly in the vanguard of ethical companies across all sectors."
"As a company we continually strive to improve our environmental impact.  These awards are testimony to the hard work and effort put in across the whole company.  However, they are just a starting point and we are already implementing new initiatives to improve our global impact over the course of the next 12 months."
Magenta's extensive environmental policies and successes have been championed and driven forward by the company's managing director, Abbey Petkar.  This has ensured board level support for all new policies and buy-in across the whole company.

MidiRO on the big screen
ELGA Process Water helps to improve the view for military pilots
Oxfordshire based Optical Filters Ltd is the world leader in the design and manufacture of electromagnetic interference (EMI) screening systems for displays in military vehicles, tempest monitors and industrial equipment.
A reverse osmosis plant from ELGA Process Water proved a cost effective solution when Optical Filters experienced production problems with their optical screen meshes.  “The higher quality water produced by the system has enhanced our process and improved product rejection by about 70%”, says Technical Sales Manager, David Payne.
The blackened copper mesh screens are manufactured to a high tolerance and the final water rinse is critical to product quality. In spite of softening the hard local mains water, the rinse left streaks on the surface of the mesh resulting in a lot of unusable product. ELGA Process Water recommended replacing the old water softener with an enhanced system, consisting of a selectron softener and carbon filter followed by a MidiRO™ 750 reverse osmosis unit. The water produced by the system is much higher quality than Optical Filters had previously used. Not only does it soften the water but the leading edge membranes in the MidiRO remove over 95% of the dissolved salts in the water along with any particulate material and even bacteria.
The MidiRO™ range consists of five free standing models, which produce from 90 to 800 l/h of permeate and are equipped with a 1µm prefilter and a control panel which gives a clear display of water conductivity, temperature and operational status and alarm logging facilities.
All models feature an automatic timed re-circulation rinse to avoid membrane fouling during inactive periods and automatic treated water diversion on start up until normal operating quality is reached. The controller can also output conductivity values to a PLC.
The MidiRO™ is supported by ELGA Process Water’s comprehensive after sales service and the Hydrex® 4000 range of water treatment chemicals.
Visit www.elgaprocesswater.co.uk for full details of MidiRO™ and other water treatment solutions and technologies.

Capacity doubled thanks to goods lift
A clinical waste management company has doubled its storage capacity after a call for help was answered by Greenbank.
The Middlesbrough-based waste management company designed a solution to SRCL’s problem of safely getting bins onto its mezzanine floor.
Installed 18 months earlier, it had been taking three men to move two bins at a time into the newly-created storage area – one to load them onto a fork lift truck, one to operate the vehicle and one to unload the bins onto the higher floor.
Now, thanks to a special goods lift system devised by Greenbank, just one man can transfer six bins at once.
Steve Simms, General Manager at SRCL’s Bridgend site, said the goods lift had had a huge impact on the way they operated, especially as two of that three-man team were now back doing the work they were taken on to do in the first place – washing more bins, loading the content onto trailers and all the related administration.
“We had spent money on the mezzanine floor and then found that we couldn’t fully utilise it. Now though we have been able to almost double our storage capacity from 400 bins to nearly 800,” he explained.
“The goods lift is much better from a health and safety point of view; it also speeds up the job. Furthermore, using the forklift involved operating with the shutter door open which contributed to heat loss from the building, Now that the doors are closed this helps keep our employees warm, and reduces heating costs.”
SRCL’s Bridgend site deals with medical waste from the South Wales as well as the South West of England from Bristol and Gloucestershire.
Greenbank has also installed a goods lift system at one of SRCL’s other sites in Oldham which stores similar materials from Lancashire and Greater Manchester.
Greenbank’s Managing Director Duncan Evershed said the goods lift system was unique to SRCL in that it resolved their specific issues but there was no reason why a similar system could not be explored for other clients.
“Moving bins off the ground floor level could be the ideal solution for many firms who might be thinking they need move to larger premises,” he explained.
“In that respect, the installation of a goods lift could save them thousands, if not millions, of pounds and enable their business to not just continue operating but to expand too as we help them to maximise their storage area.” Further information is available from Greenbank on 01642 242294 or email: sales@greenbankcompactors.co.uk

Irish Hospital First to Harness Copper Technology to Fight Infections
An Irish hospital is the first in the world to embrace the latest science by specifying hygienic copper door handles throughout in a bid to reduce healthcare associated infections such as MRSA, providing the best possible solid protection to its patients.
St Francis Private Hospital, a 140-bed facility located in Mullingar, County Westmeath, and its associated nursing home, St Clair’s, made the decision after examining the compelling evidence from the clinical trial at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, which showed that copper surfaces such as taps, toilet seats and door pushplates can reduce microbial contamination by 90-100%.
The General Manager and Director of Nursing, Noeleen Sheridan, explains the landmark decision: ‘All healthcare facilities are acutely aware of the risks from the spread of germs and the high costs of negating them. As it is estimated that 80% of infections are spread by touch, keeping surfaces like door handles as germ free as possible will impact on the spread of infection.  Our decision to specify antimicrobial copper products is based on this conviction, and the compelling evidence from the Selly Oak clinical trial.’
Professor Tom Elliott, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust’s Deputy Medical Director and leader of the Selly Oak copper clinical trial, believes copper could play a key role in helping to contain healthcare associated infections.

Mitie wins university contract
Mitie has been awarded a three-year contract to deliver reception services at London South Bank University (LSBU) in Southwark. With a team of 24, Mitie will manage the reception areas within 11 University campus buildings, serving students, staff, visitors and members of the public.
The University were looking for a supplier who could deliver a customer focused and professional reception service that creates an excellent lasting impression of LSBU. As specialists in providing five star front-of-house services, Mitie’s client services team were able to offer bespoke customer service training and a proven track record in delivery, while bringing value for money and a flexible approach across the reception contract.
Colin Holland, Head of Security at LSBU, comments:
“We recognise the significance of our reception areas and the importance of both the image they create and the services they provide for our students, visitors and staff in reflecting the professional aims of our University. During the tender process, LSBU was particularly impressed by the emphasis placed by MITIE on its approach to quality and delivery of exceptional and professional customer services. LSBU looks forward to the commencement of the contract with MITIE and the changes it will bring.”