INDUSTRY COMMENT: BCIA Testing times


With much of the UK and the wider world operang under lockdown during the Coronavirus pandemic, Terry Sharp, President of the Building Controls Industry Associaon, discusses the importance of remote connecvity in keeping our buildings operang eciently.


W


ell, what a first half of 2020 it has been! We find ourselves in the middle of one of the most


challenging periods the world has faced in our lifetime and we are all adjusting the best we can to a new way of living as we attempt to tackle the Coronavirus outbreak. I am writing this ‘under lockdown’ and I suspect that many of you will be reading this in a similar position.


As an industry we are concerned about the impact this crisis will have not just on our businesses but also on our families, friends, colleagues, clients and customers. The BCIA has been asked for guidance in many areas such as whether we should still be working on construction sites and indeed whether it is safe for us to carry on working at all. As the situation continues to change, often on a daily basis it is clear that nobody has all the answers but throughout the industry there are a number of organisations who are working with the Government and regulatory bodies to provide as much information and guidance as possible. The BCIA is keen to support this work and will continue to do so both now and in the future. Midway through March company employees who could work from home were asked to do so, before the Government imposed a shutdown on all non-essential workplaces. People had to adapt to new work schedules, the number of meetings held virtually through communication platforms like Skype and Zoom increased dramatically and networks have felt the pressure as the country has strived to carry on as normal as much as possible. The social distancing rules mean that many buildings that are usually full


are currently empty, but the plant in these buildings still has to be managed, however, as well as the facilities that continue to be staffed out of necessity. Apart from hospitals and supermarkets, we still have factories, processing plants, warehouses, depots, farms and data centres still needing to function in order for the country to keep running. The effective management of these properties is now more important than ever, and those organisations who have kept up with IoT and web technologies are certainly reaping the benefit during this period of unpredictability.


Limited movement


Effective management of commercial properties is a challenge at the best of times, especially larger premises and those which are part of a large portfolio of properties. With their movements potentially limited therefore, facilities managers in particular have got their work cut out if they have not got an effective remote connectivity system in place. Maintenance call- outs need to be kept to an absolute minimum, so systems that are able to reduce call-outs by analysing the data produced by the plant and providing solutions that can be


implemented without a site visit will really be put to the test and will show their worth.


A return to something resembling normality is hopefully not too far away and we can go back to our regular working routine. Businesses might be understandably cautious at first, and the manner in which we occupy our buildings and interact with colleagues might be a bit different, certainly in the months ahead as we seek to do all we can to avoid another outbreak. Organisations may have to re- evaluate how they use their spaces. This will of course pose a greater problem in buildings with a smaller floor area. Occupancy analytics could therefore play a key role particularly with space optimisation as companies bring employees back to work whilst simultaneously ensuring their health, comfort, and productivity is not negatively affected.


The year so far has tested us all in different ways. It has also tested the technology we rely on to help us out. It is time to see if the smart technology we have invested so much time and money in can stand up and reward those who have trusted in it. I have every faith that it will.


www.bcia.co.uk


BSEE


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BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER JUNE 2020 9


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