Make 2024 the year of retrofi t


BESA has urged the UK government to help accelerate growth in the number of whole building retrofi t projects carried out during 2024.


most current systems were not set up to easily audit work and provide evidence of compliance. Existing systems also hinder collaboration across supply chains because they do not integrate seamlessly which results in too much manual data entry and importing. The pressure on FM budgets has also increased exponentially over the past


two years driven by the UK’s highest level of infl ation in decades. This makes it even more important that FMs have access to a system that can streamline workfl ows and focuses closely on ensuring compliance while managing costs and avoids over or under-maintaining assets. SFG20 can give users automated update notifi cations when changes are made to its content. Users can then review and control when to implement the changes. Once changes are accepted, those updates can fl ow through to SFG20 software integration partners via a newly developed application programme interface (API). Most importantly for many FMs, Facilities-iQ eliminates the need to manually


input information into CAFM - and other third-party FM systems - and supports collaboration. The API is confi gured to provide seamless data transfer of SFG20’s structured technical content to its digital partners. Maintenance work can then be carried out in full confi dence that tasks are being completed in line with the latest industry guidance. Facilities-iQ improves collaboration and risk management for everyone in the supply chain from building owners and property managers to contractors and consultants. Once property managers have created a maintenance plan, they are able to share it with stakeholders via secure sharing links which can be used for invitations to tender, quotations, or to help FM contractors plan and carry out the work. A major benefi t of this new software solution is that it allows users to tailor


SFG20 content to suit the unique needs of their facility, while still benefi ting from automated updates whenever the industry standard changes in line with the regulatory landscape. This means users have the benefi t of a dynamically updating library of best practice and compliance information combined with their own unique knowledge of a site and its assets. This helps them accurately target resources, including external contractors, to minimise costs and improve effi ciency.


Transparent Facilities-iQ is the latest innovation in the 30-year journey of SFG20, which was


created by members of the Building Engineering Services Association (then the HVCA) to ensure work could be carried out in a consistent and transparent way. “This launch is very much in tune with this new era of digital facilities management,” said SFG20 managing director Kirsty Cogan. “We have come a long way from the paper-based schedules created by those pioneering HVCA members whose work was also revolutionary in its day. “Today’s industry can now harness the power of the latest software tools to


transform the way they manage their valuable and complex assets. As well as helping them achieve compliance with their increasingly onerous regulatory responsibilities, Facilities-iQ is a great way for FMs to provide evidence of how their work adds value by making our built environment safer, healthier, and more comfortable.” It is no coincidence that this new approach is being unveiled at the start of a year when there is everything to play for in the rapidly evolving world of digital FM. www.sfg20.co.uk


T


he Association believes only “a holistic approach to building performance” will unlock the full potential of the building services industry to cut carbon emissions, improve energy


security, and reduce consumers’ bills. BESA welcomed the allocation of an extra £1.5bn to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), as part of a wider £6bn push to improve


building energy effi ciency but said the Future Homes and Buildings Standards, due to come into force next year, should be more focused on whole building solutions. The Association also sought to downplay the potential of hydrogen for heating buildings saying it only had “limited feasibility” due to a range of fi nancial and technical diffi culties. “There is a danger that hydrogen becomes a damaging distraction because of


vested interests trying to keep it in the decarbonisation picture, but it will only play a very minor role in buildings long-term,” said BESA technical director Graeme Fox. “It certainly could play some part in industrial and transport sectors, but not home heating – the infrastructure issues are too complex and the costs too high,” he added. “We need to keep focused on full building retrofi ts that make best use of energy effi cient design and existing low carbon heating and cooling solutions.”


Uplift


There was a surge of applications for heat pump installation grants in late 2023 following the uplift in the BUS scheme to £7,500 per installation. The Association also welcomed the addition of a £400m energy effi ciency grant, set to launch in 2025, which is intended to help households in England make wider improvements to their homes including installing larger radiators and insulation. A total of £1.545bn was added to the BUS fund to run from 2025-2028, but BESA said this could be bolstered with some additional funding for 2024 to keep up the momentum in the heat pump market. Over 4,000 contractors are now certifi ed to install heat pumps and manufacturers’ eff orts to improve the eff ectiveness of the technology are bearing fruit with more high temperature models coming onto the market, the Association added. The government is also consulting until March 6th on proposals for the


upcoming Future Homes and Buildings Standards, which would, in eff ect, outlaw the use of gas boilers in new homes from 2025 onwards. It is also inviting feedback on proposed changes to the Building Regulations and calculation methods. “The government consultation pretty much rules out hydrogen-ready boilers


too, but there are a number of exciting developments with heat pumps, including new high temperature models that could unlock further potential in that market,” said Fox. “The new funding and standards are a great opportunity to cement whole building retrofi t as the way forward. The debate needs to move beyond individual technologies to the holistic approaches that make the best of the practical solutions we already have.” BESA also believes that ESG (environmental, social and governance) reporting


will have an impact on building energy effi ciency this year as clients come under pressure to be fully transparent about their net zero strategies to bolster their corporate reputations. In addition, all newly leased commercial buildings will need to achieve EPC


ratings of C or higher from 2025 – with existing leases required to meet the same target by 2028 – and the Association said this could unlock greater investment this year as landlords seek to meet the deadlines. “2024 could be a big year for accelerating whole building retrofi ts to drive better energy performance, and the consultation is another opportunity for the government to send positive and supportive signals to the market,” said Fox. “Let’s turn the Boiler Upgrade Scheme into the Building Upgrade Scheme.”


DOWNLOAD THE HVR APP NOW January 2024 9


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