collaboration across public and private organisations in the UK, as well as recognising the importance of collaborative working on a global scale. This increasing intimacy with clients’


day-to-day business practices means FM professionals should be ideally placed to provide expert advice and business solutions for organisations. By taking direct responsibility for services and infrastructure, FM companies can see where operations can be made more efficient, reduce energy and resource consumption, and help achieve cost savings.


GLOBAL IMPACTS LOCAL Organisations are now facing the


ever-increasing challenge of managing their operations against a background of global social and economic development that they cannot influence. The world’s population, for example, continues to increase, having already reached seven billion in 2011. UN statistics suggest a high median figure of ten billion living inhabitants by 20501


.


The expanding world population is demanding and using more resources both at a human and industrial level. This has intensified the already rapid depletion of finite carbon-based energy and natural resources, which in turn continually pushes their costs ever higher – directly impacting the running costs of most businesses and also adding to UK inflation, amongst other considerations. From being a net exporter of energy for most of the last 30 years – thanks mainly to North Sea oil and gas – the UK has now become a net importer, importing 27.1% of our primary energy supplies in 20092


.


At present, the technology is not available to entirely replace our diminishing carbon-based energy sources with viable, renewable energy, so a reduction in the costs of energy is unlikely. Therefore to mitigate the resultant impact on overall business costs, management of energy consumption within organisations is ever more critical and FM organisations are in the perfect position to help.


CARBON EMISSIONS


Global growth is also exacerbating climate change by releasing more carbon emissions into the environment. China is


now the world’s greatest producer of CO2 emissions, with 23.33% of the global total. India is third, with 5.78%. The UK is ninth, with 1.73%4


.


In the last 100 years, the Earth's average surface temperature has increased by around 0.8°C, with about


PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 2 ISSUE 6


Fig 1. Cost- effective energy efficiency measures in non-domestic UK buildings. Source: Building the future today, Carbon Trust.


23


two thirds of the increase occurring over the last three decades5


.


The majority of scientists studying climate change now agree there is a direct relationship between increasing global temperatures and the flow and strength of the planet’s winds and weather patterns. Global warming will trigger more extreme weather events, which will have a financial as well as a human impact.6 In the UK, we will see stronger winds and more intense periods of rainfall. Buildings may have to be modified or rebuilt; for example, to withstand more frequent severe storms. Increased flooding and rising water tables will affect buildings and utilities infrastructure and may block or damage roads, leading to traffic disruption. FM companies can help minimise these impacts; for example EMCOR UK has developed adverse weather planning procedures with many clients, which help to reduce the business risks and impacts of the above. Global public reaction to the 2011 UN climate talks in Durban7


demonstrates


that there is greater pressure on the industrialised nations to be accountable for and reduce their energy and raw material consumption. This pressure will be felt by organisations of all sizes as governments legislate to minimise their nation’s carbon footprint. The UK Government, for example, has set one of the world’s most ambitious carbon emission reduction targets – 50% by 2025 and at least 80% by 20508


.


It is clear that organisations need to improve building and operating efficiency, to save on energy costs, ensure compliance with legislation and satisfy stakeholders’ concerns. Where new builds are concerned, it is important to consider sustainability solutions at the design and specification stage, in order to give projects a greater chance of achieving these goals. For example, maximising use of natural lighting and ventilation in building design, and also reducing


reliance on energy purchase by utilising ground source heat pumps and solar panels. Taking 80% of carbon emissions out of a building’s operations is a major challenge with new buildings, but becomes harder still with older, less efficient ones. FM businesses, such as EMCOR, have up-to-date knowledge of the equipment and practices that will deliver the greatest energy efficiency, be that by developing smarter, energy-led maintenance regimes, or by installing intelligent room-booking systems that switch on heating and lighting only when a room is about to be used.


In the current economic climate, fewer businesses can afford the major capital investment required for entirely new, energy efficient infrastructure and therefore it has become increasingly essential to implement energy and resource saving improvements within older buildings. Identifying areas for improvement within the existing infrastructure makes close co-operation between client and FM partner even more vital. For example EMCOR UK has worked with a long-standing Government client to implement energy efficient, light-sensitive lighting and heat-recoverable air conditioning solutions within a number of sites, whilst still adhering to English Heritage requirements. The Carbon Trust has identified that for existing non-domestic buildings, 70% of cost-effective emissions reductions (with corresponding reductions in energy consumption) can be achieved by fairly straightforward heating and cooling measures. The remainder of the cost- effective reductions are achieved by lighting, energy management, insulation and process efficiency.


Many of these reductions are within the remit of FM companies, which can recommend and implement not only technical solutions to realise these savings, but also improved policies and processes.


t


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40