Tom Roche, Secretary of the Business Sprinkler Alliance who will be exhibiting at Facilities & Estates Management Live.

As many reflect on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and its recommendations, it’s important to recognise that the issues brought to light extend far beyond high-rise residential buildings. The challenges highlighted by this tragedy and highlighted in the report are not confined to one type of building or one type of issue, but permeate across our entire built environment.

Anyone watching may have seen a focus on high-rise buildings but if they looked close enough they will see that the changes put in place since the tragedy and called for in the Report are across the built environment. After all, if there are challenges with high rise structures why would there not be challenges with offices, warehouses and other buildings. The same contractors from the same industry groups used similar methods whether they be raw materials, regulations and guidance.

One only has to look at the Building Safety Act, born from the Grenfell tragedy in 2022, which has introduced wide-ranging responsibilities for designers and contractors. Importantly, and perhaps less well understood, these apply to all buildings, not just residential high-rises. This broader scope reflects a fundamental truth that the issues we face in fire safety and building regulations were systemic and universal.

One of the items that we have highlighted for some time is the widespread misunderstanding of building regulations and guidance. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry report makes this finding. It highlights that the Approved Document B (ADB), the go-to guidance for fire safety in common buildings, is often misinterpreted or applied incorrectly against the functional requirements of the Building Regulations. This confusion isn’t limited to residential buildings, we see it manifesting in industrial and commercial structures as well, and that causes problems. There are different risks in those buildings, but they still need to be addressed proportionately.

For instance, we are currently investigating a case of a series of large buildings with no internal subdivisions and no sprinkler system. They are beyond the scope of the guidance, Building Regulations and their functional requirements still apply. How does this happen under the current guidance?  The answer lies in the misinterpretation of that guidance and dare I say, a lack of enforcement. The scenario repeats the same issues that contributed to the Grenfell tragedy – misunderstanding of regulations and failure to meet functional requirements. So we need to be honest to see that there are some broader issues, perhaps with differing potential consequences.

The construction industry has long operated on a principle of compliance, meeting the minimum required and as the Report highlights without always fully understanding the intent behind the regulations. Government and industry can show they have acted. Yet many promised actions are yet to materialise and those regulatory items that are currently in operation are showing the signs of growing pains. It comes as no surprise the construction industry is facing a reckoning. With only 50% of submissions to Gateway Two in the new safety regime making it through, and 20% of submissions to Gateway One being rejected, it’s clear that the industry is struggling to adapt to the new reality. This pain is necessary but also indicative of how far we have to go.

One area we have watched closely has been the approach to guidance. A programme was established, an outline plan and now an ageing update still sits on a lonely page on a government website. Much has been promised. It has been good to see positive action on instructing research, engagement and output. There are a collection of items on externals walls, sprinklers in high rise residential buildings, alert systems, a second staircase and lately the removal of national classes with sprinklers in care homes. However, the plans promised so much more. 

However, as I read the Grenfell Tower phase 2 report I have to admit my heart sunk. It rightly highlights what has been apparent for some time that the guidance is not clearly understood by all stakeholders and once again asks for change. It highlights that research, funded by the public purse, struggles to find the light of day. What has become of research awarded from contracts in the last five years? Perhaps an update will be forthcoming as part of the response to the Inquiry report from Government in March 2025. I am left to ask myself again whether it is change we need or total reformation of the guidance. Madness I here some cry, but wait, I have just told you and if you look carefully we appear to be in a loop on guidance doing the same things expecting a different answer. 

If you still think reformation is madness at least indulge me a little more. Should we not at least be asking whether our requirements and guidance are truly delivering the outcomes we desire? I sat in a conversation this morning where we discussed access to buildings and yet we still have not got our minds around egress for some of the most vulnerable. I stare at a picture of the flats in Dagenham and think about the other buildings over the last seven years that have been destroyed by fires leaving hundreds homeless and yet we treat them as some type of success. 

In my world of commercial property, those large compartment buildings that are destroyed by fires and sit for months as rusting hulks after the fire has been wrestled into submission by most of the resource of one regional fire service. Is this a form of success? I cannot help but wonder if we are missing an element of resilience as much as we should? In an era of climate change and evolving urban landscapes, resilience should be at the minds of our building design and safety considerations.

The lessons from Grenfell are not confined to one sector of our built environment. They call for a fundamental reassessment of how we approach building safety across the board. It’s time to stop looking through the narrow end of the telescope and start viewing the bigger picture. Only then can we hope to create a truly safe and resilient built environment for all.

For more information about the BSA visit the www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org

The facilities management industry will continue to thrive in 2025 by embracing big data, human-centric design, and digital transformation, according to the Trends in Facilities Management for 2025 report from CBRE.

The report which can be downloaded here, delves into the high-level drivers reshaping the FM industry, with an analysis of nine trends:

1) AI-optimised facilities management

2) Connected FM technologies

3) The data and insight economy

4) Human-centred workplace strategy

5) Simplification of ESG

6) Cost savings

7) The next generation workforce

8) Rethinking workplace metrics

9) Supply chain designed for strategic impact

Seventy-seven per cent of industry experts who were canvased for their views on key factors that will influence FM purchasing decisions in 2025, listed cost and value for money as the top driver, and 27 per cent thought ESG and sustainability would remain a driving factor. Service quality, innovation, partnership, workplace experience, technology, flexibility and data/insight were also cited as important drivers.

The report concludes that the outlook for 2025 is extremely positive for the facilities management industry. The economy is improving, facilities managers are empowered through more usable data than ever before, and the industry is flooded with innovation.

It also adds: “Organisations are becoming more insistent on working with facilities management providers who deeply understand the idiosyncrasies of their business, industry and facilities. FMs will become more effective at articulating their industry-specific experience and products to meet this demand. This will go hand-in-hand with partnership as the most important driver of facilities management success. People are the heart of facilities management, and this will remain even more pertinent in 2025 as organisations demand more value from their facilities budgets.

Staying ahead in 2025 will ultimately rely on an ongoing and passionate commitment to delivering exceptional value to organisations.”

CBRE Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) is a headline sponsor for Facilities & Estates Management Live.

Bernard Crouch, Managing Director at Acumen FM, tells his experience of networking in the FM sector.

You arrive at your first event, by yourself, you don’t know anyone, you look around? Someone approaches, they ask you, ‘are you here to learn about (insert acronym)’ DDA, RAMS, PHE, BCP, QSHE (or is that SHEQ?)! ‘I err, what does that mean or stand for?’ Not a great start, maybe it is time to leave and not return to this or for that matter any similar event ever!

That is close to how I started my networking journey. My boss suggested that I should try to attend networking events in our sector and so I went along. Everyone was older than me, their social conversations revolved around their houses, holidays, golf, fancy cars and their children. Meanwhile I had a basic company ford car, no house, no children and simply very little in common with them, except work! 

However, I persevered, in part because my manager had convinced me that this was something that I should do.

In time it started to make more sense to me, networking events could lead to job opportunities, either directly offered or via a head-hunter. New friends have been made as well, I remain in contact with many people who I have met over the years.

Here are two examples of how networking has benefited me!

Example one.

After five years selling soft services into large commercial buildings, I was keen to broaden my FM knowledge and experience. At a BIFM event (BIFM now known as IWFM) I got into conversation with the MD of a small but growing FM consultancy. We bumped into each other again at an event the following month. He then invited me in for an interview, and the rest as they say is history. That opportunity (which I doubt would have come about through traditional recruitment channels) enabled me to significantly broaden my FM and Workplace experience and eight years later lead to the point where I felt confident enough to start up my own consultancy.

Example two.

So, twenty years ago I had decided to set up my own consultancy providing FM and workplace related services, including procurement. I did not have a marketing budget, nor did I set out to copy any of my past employers, who typically would maintain a list of past clients and potential future prospects and send out a newsletter every six months or so. I primarily relied on networking to meet new contacts and catch up with old ones. 

To provide an example of this, at a networking event I was chatting to someone, who I knew from networking events. He told me that his company were bidding for an overseas FM project, but didn’t have anyone available to manage the process. That conversation led to sizeable assignment for me which was my first piece of international work.

Best of all is my network of contacts which proves so useful when I need to contact someone and tap into their knowledge or perhaps ask their advice.

Leadership’s appreciation of real estate is growing, but there is significant potential for it to further support business strategy, according to CBRE’s inaugural C-Suite Perspectives report.

C-Suite Perspectives,which canvassed the views of 252 C-Suite leaders across Europe and the US, found that 94% of respondents see real estate as important to achieving core business objectives. According to the research, half of leaders see real estate becoming more important over the next three years, with Chief Executive Officers and Chief Operating Officers (63%) holding this view more strongly. At a sector level, 81% of manufacturing firms anticipate real estate will grow in importance, indicating that they are poised to manage their real estate assets much more proactively than they have in the past.

Most respondents (94%) believe that real estate plays a critical or very important role in shaping corporate culture and 72% said real estate is having a positive impact on achieving core objectives.

CBRE’s research found that leaders want their teams to have the best work environments. Elements that enable adaptability, resilience and continuity, such as increased lease flexibility, cost saving opportunities and better performance metrics, are top priorities.

To extract the most out of their real estate, leaders have become closer to it, with direct reporting lines for corporate real estate teams becoming the norm. Almost all (97%) respondents have a globally or regionally centralised real estate function with a reporting line into the C-Suite, of which 60% is direct.

More than two thirds (68%) of C-Suite leaders said direct reporting lines had been initiated since the pandemic, reflecting the increased alignment of real estate with supporting business transformation. There is a desire to optimise reporting structures further, with 77% of those who currently have an indirect reporting line to the C-Suite intending to switch to direct reporting in the future.

Despite widespread reconfiguration of reporting lines in recent years, C-Suite leaders still desire more influence over real estate decisions. 76% of respondents said that they want more personal influence or involvement, as real estate becomes key in supporting businesses growth plans and enabling business resilience.

Tasos Vezyridis, Head of Thought Leadership Europe, says “our research tells us that above all, leaders seek flexibility and want their real estate to be adaptable to the speed of business change. When viewed as an enabler instead of a cost, real estate can deliver places and spaces where teams and clients come together to generate ideas, innovate and achieve business growth.”

Nigel Dews, Managing Director of Restore (one of our exhibitors at Facilities & Estates Management Live) on how paper-based documents still hold power and why combining physical storage with digitisation can be the best ‘paperlite’ storage solution. 

Many businesses think that digitising their documents and leaning towards a completely digital future is an all or nothing deal, but this isn’t always the case. In fact, there are a variety of reasons why the paperless office didn’t happen.

A common reason is simply that people love paper and like to have the physical evidence in their hand. Also, going digital is not as straight forward as it initially sounds.  If advised correctly, organisations do not need to digitise all paper records as they might have originally believed. Instead, paper-light is a popular approach which means digitising high priority and highly active records while still maintaining a physical presence where it’s most cost effective. Many customers still prefer physical records, or don’t have full digital access, so businesses still need to accommodate customers’ preferences.

LEGAL REASONS

In the case of legal situations, storing paper records instead of digitising is beneficial and sometimes required. UK businesses must retain financial records for at least six years and some documents, such as patient records, may need to be stored longer depending on their nature or if there are any potential legal claims associated with them. Additionally, in the case of legal investigations or audits, having the original paper documents can be crucial. If a company is required to produce these documents, keeping them in their original form ensures compliance with legal requests.

PROTECTING AGAINST DAMAGE:

Digitising important documents to protect against damage may seem to be the safest choice. However, this is not the case. In fact, Restore stores more than 22 million boxes full of important records in highly secure facilities. Storing both digital and physical documents comes with risks, so it’s important to provide the right environment, as well as ensure that proper mitigations and standards are in place to minimise damage during the digitising process, such as correct equipment, handling, and preparation procedures. 

THE COSTS

For documents that are highly active and that need to be accessed by multiple people, digitising reduces costs and allows users the efficiency of accessing from anywhere, anytime. Information being used for downstream processing are often more cost effectively captured and input into relevant customer systems when stored as digital, rather than manual data. This is particularly effective when combined with technology driven decision making and the auto routing of documents (a process that automatically directs documents to the right person or department based on specific criteria) post-digitisation.

For documents that have long retention periods it will be cheaper in the long run to digitise them and destroy the original. However, documents that aren’t as important, and do not need to be accessed as often or kept for a long time, would be more expensive to digitise than to put in long term storage. This is why we suggest a smart, hybrid approach which provides the more cost-effective information management solution for customers by taking activity, length of retention and downstream processing requirements into account. 

SUSTAINABILITY

In terms of IT footprint, there is no real difference between digital and physical as both require systems and servers to maintain the service. Additionally, with both options the paper will be securely destroyed and recycled – it just happens sooner in the case of digitisation. 

One additional environmental impact of keeping paper records is that the documents require physical retrieval from storage facilities, which subsequently has further negative effect and contributes to a greater carbon footprint. Though one way of mitigating this is to have the document retrieved digitally. When a document is digitised, they can be accessed remotely regardless of the location . Furthermore, it is advised to digitise any documents that need specialist temperature-controlled environments, to avoid additional utility emissions. 

Consequently, physical storage offers no difference to digital if a document is not going to be active and does not need returning to the customer. Yet, for any documents that are expected to be retrieved more than once in the duration of their lifetime, digital offers a more sustainable and environmentally friendly outcome. 

SECURITY IMPLICATIONS

When it comes to deciding storing documents electronically is safer security wise than with paper, it is a little more complex. Both options have differing implications and depend on the security measures involved and the level of digitisation. 

Although one of the main advantages of digitising is that accessing the information is a lot easier, it also means that it is likely to be easier for that information to be accessed or misused by malevolent individuals, particularly when compared to the likelihood of someone being able to physically break into a high security facility and access a specific box. Therefore, from a criminal security standpoint, physical storage is probably the safest option.

On the other hand, there is no back up when a document is kept just in physical form. If a document is lost or the box is destroyed prematurely, then that information is permanently lost. 

Taking all of this into consideration, there are inherent risks with both approaches, so having the appropriate standards and measures in place is important to ensure that all reasonable precautions have been taken. 

PRIORITISING DOCUMENTS

There are several factors that will determine which documents should be digitised and in what order of priority. Understanding the documents and associated relevance means we can then work with the customer to conduct an analysis and agree which would provide the most benefits by being digitised. These factors include:

• Budget and required ROI – digitisation requires an immediate upfront cost, so understanding a customer’s budget helps to determine whether physical or digital is the best option. 
• Considering the organisation’s information strategy and available digital maturity – if their processes and systems aren’t set up to handle the digital content/ output then there is no point digitising.
• The number of people who need access to those documents – it is more cost effective and efficient having a digital document if a lot of individuals/ teams need access, and even more so if they are remote workers.
• Level of activity and required access – the more active documents provide faster ROI as it removes the cost and time to physically deliver the original paper document each time. 
• Downstream BPO (business process outsourcing) and the impact on the next stage of processing the information- if the information needs to be available in further systems for processing or needs fast actioning by the customer’s team, having it available digitally speeds up the process and removes the need for manual data capture further downstream.
• Retention period – digitising a document has a higher upfront cost than storing it physically. Analysis of the length of time to realise an ROI of the digitisation in comparison to the document’s retention period will determine the most cost-effective solution. 
•  Information criticality – highly important business information may want to be digitised to ensure that it is backed up in case of damage/ loss of the original.
• Legal/ regulatory requirements – documents that must be retained physically, whether digitised or not, will require additional advantages from digitising to be needed to justify the additional cost.
• Change management – it’s about changing the culture as customers transition from using physical to digital information and the training of systems to access.

The prevailing consensus on whether digitising documents or keeping them, as physical paper is that it overtly depends on many factors. While going entirely paperless is not the best solution for everyone, it’s about finding the right balance and beginning the transition to a digital future can bring many advantages to your organisation. 

Read more of Restore’s case studies here: https://bit.ly/40LhK6Q

The British Council for Offices (BCO) has launched the third edition of its flagship Guide to Fit-Out, which sets out best practice and expert advice on office interior design for occupiers and built environment professionals. 

The Guide is an important resource for occupiers and their design teams seeking to attract and retain talent amid changing working patterns and environmental regulations. It offers recommendations for every stage of the fit-out process, from the selection of materials and procurement processes to regulations for the management of office spaces in-use. It is intended to be used in conjunction with the BCO’s Guide to Specification, which offers a framework for delivering best-in-class workplaces tailored to occupier needs. 

Key guidance for best-in-class office fit-out includes:

• Facilitating hybrid working – through the design of a variety of flexible spaces 
• Adopting human-centric design – to help people feel comfortable and able to do their best work
• Embedding AI and smart building technology – to enable intuitive interaction with building systems
• Minimising life cycle carbon – through circular design and efficient operations to support the net zero transition
• Enhancing well-being – by providing a healthy and productive workplace

This is the first new edition of the Guide to be published since 2011, which now includes standalone sections on health and well-being, fire, acoustics, vertical transportation and structural engineering. These changes reflect the increased importance of these areas for occupiers seeking greater flexibility, adaptability and connectivity from their workspaces.

It highlights the growing importance of offering a variety of amenities and spaces to help meet the changing needs of diverse workforces. It notes a shift in workspace design in reaction to hybrid working patterns, whereby space previously allocated to desks can now be used for collaborative and social spaces, as desks are made to ‘work harder’ through a hot-desking approach. The Guide likewise offers a checklist for multisensory design interventions to promote occupier health and wellbeing, these include connections with nature through the introduction of plants and natural materials. The promotion of active working is covered, through a mix of spaces and furniture for standing, walking and sitting. The Guide also recommends spaces for quiet work and rest, and the use of sports facilities and artwork to alleviate stress and stimulate thought. 

The growing integration of smart technology is reflected throughout, with recommendations included on its application for a host of operational needs, from security and maintenance to managing space and helping to attract talent. 

The Guide offers comprehensive guidance on setting clear, KPI-driven sustainability briefs aimed at reducing the life cycle carbon of offices. Along with monitoring energy use to identify areas for improved efficiency, it encourages occupiers to consider their environmental and social ambitions before deciding on a brief for fit-out.

To help with the reduction of embodied carbon, the Guide outlines the benefits of a circular economy approach to fit-out, whereby incoming and outgoing occupiers can work together with building owners to minimise waste and maximise reuse and retention of furnishings and fixtures. The adoption of materials passport systems is also singled out as a means of increasing opportunities for the reuse of building materials. 

In addition, to help the industry access case studies of best practice, the Guide includes examples from BCO Award-winning projects. The interactive digital publication links to a rich online library that will be updated on an ongoing basis.

The production of the Guide was led by Neil Pennell, Head of Design Innovation and Property Solutions, Landsec and Peter Williams, Senior Technical Advisor, Stanhope – Chair and Deputy Chair respectively of the BCO Technical Affairs Committee. Over 100 industry professionals contributed to and supported the creation of the final document, through participation in working groups or peer reviews. 

Neil Pennell, Head of Design Innovation and Property Solutions at Landsec, said: “The new edition of the Guide to Fit-Out reflects the evolution in the way people use offices over the past decade. With sustainability increasingly influencing business decisions, reducing embodied carbon in the fit-out process is more important than ever and the advice on circularity principles shows how multiple stakeholders can play a part in helping to cut waste during the fit-out process.” 

Peter Williams, Senior Technical Advisor at Stanhope, said: “The Guide is ultimately a tool for attracting and retaining the best workforce possible. The pandemic accelerated changes that were already in train in the sector, meaning that office spaces now need to work harder to set themselves apart. By creating sustainable, human-centric and tech-enabled workplaces, office occupiers can offer an experience that simply can’t be recreated in the home working environment. The increased flexibility we’re seeing in office design is recognition that offices are ultimately spaces for people to come together, spark new ideas and collaborate.”

Richard Kauntze, Chief Executive at British Council for Offices, said: “The BCO Guide to Fit-Out is not just theoretical but highly practical. In today’s climate, the importance of health, wellbeing, and sustainability cannot be overstated. Encapsulating the latest industry trends, the new edition of the Guide is an indispensable resource in the current era of rapid workplace transformation. This is essential reading for anyone involved in office design and fit-out, reaffirming the BCO’s role as a leader in shaping the future of work environments.”

Plans for the redevelopment of 99 Bishopsgate have been approved today by the City of London’s Planning Committee. The scheme will deliver over 1 million sq ft of best-in-class office space, alongside more than 60,000 sq ft of vibrant public and cultural amenities, reshaping the northern gateway to the City.

The development will also introduce extensive public realm enhancements, including a dynamic 7-day-a-week City Market and new pedestrian connections, improving access between Liverpool Street Station and the heart of the City.

A visibly green 54-storey tower will prioritise sustainability and occupier wellbeing with extensive vertical gardens enhancing urban greening.

A new, prominent standalone 6-storey cultural building will offer performance, exhibition, and studio spaces.

The City of London’s Planning Committee has today approved Brookfield Properties’ redevelopment plans for 99 Bishopsgate, a new 54-storey office tower of exceptional design quality combined with over 60,000 sq ft of vibrant and inclusive public and cultural amenities, set to transform the northern gateway into the City Cluster. 

Meeting the evolving needs of the future City workforce, the development is expected to deliver 1 million sq ft of best-in-class office accommodation in 2031, contributing 8.3% of the additional office space required by the City by 2040 to support employment growth and solidify the City’s position as a leading global financial district. 

Designed by RSHP, the scheme will significantly enhance the experience for workers and visitors while demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability. 99 Bishopsgate prioritizes adaptive reuse, retaining the existing foundations, which make up nearly 50% of the building’s mass, to reduce embodied carbon. Vertical gardens and expansive terrace spaces will enhance employee well-being and foster biodiversity, while urban greening initiatives at ground level will further enrich the visitor experience.

The development will also introduce seamless new pedestrian routes, connecting Liverpool Street Station to the heart of the City. These routes will be animated by extensive landscaping, the City Market—a vibrant 7-day-a-week food and beverage destination—and Open Gate, a striking standalone 6-storey cultural building designed to attract new audiences.

Positioned at the junction of Old Broad Street and Wormwood Street, Open Gate reflects input from young creatives across London. Envisioned as a hub for community engagement, artistic expression, and collective enrichment, it will be anchored by Intermission Youth, a dynamic theatre group that uses Shakespeare to empower underrepresented voices and foster inclusivity in the arts. This partnership ensures the space will serve as a vital resource for young people while contributing to the cultural vibrancy of the City of London. 

Brookfield Properties will contribute significantly to the local community, investing over £70 million through its Section 106 obligations. The development is also expected to act as a catalyst for economic growth, generating an estimated 7,500+ new jobs and injecting an anticipated £8.5 million per annum into the local economy through increased worker spending.

Dan Scanlon, President at Brookfield Properties, said:

“We are delighted with today’s decision from the City of London to approve our plans for 99 Bishopsgate, affirming our continued commitment to invest and develop in the City. 

Our proposals for 99 Bishopsgate will be transformational, delivering a scheme of exceptional design quality which aptly combines best-in-class office space with newly created pedestrian routes and significant public and cultural amenity. 

As the demand for high quality commercial space intensifies, we look forward to delivering 1 million sq ft of desirable, well-being focussed office space to support employment growth in London’s globally competitive financial district. We are also particularly pleased that our ongoing engagement with young creatives has culminated in a cultural offer that is unique in the City and will deliver wide-ranging benefits for diverse groups, helping to change perceptions and attract new audiences to the City.

I would like to thank our expert professional team and the City’s design and planning officers for their collaboration and efforts to reach this important milestone, shaping a scheme which will transform this strategic site and showcase the ambitions and appeal of the City to all.”

Graham Stirk, Senior Design Partner at RSHP, said:

99 Bishopsgate reimagines the northern gateway to London’s financial district, honouring its historic heritage and context. Building on our Whole Life and Operational Carbon assessments, retaining the piled raft foundation generates a series of architectural and engineering features that manifest themselves in the overall architectural composition and language of our proposals. 

The structure creates a simple, flexible office floorplate and provides a visual framework that allows the building to be legible when viewed from distance, and at pedestrian level. This defines several small-scale façade typologies that reflect the functional office and wintergarden activities within. Terraces conceptually allow landscape to erode the structural framework creating a creating a visibly green building that defines the distinct character to the architecture. 

At ground level, 18m-high public arcades, a publicly accessible cultural building and a vibrant City Market are all provided within an enhanced step-free public realm, blending historical significance with sustainable, innovative design for a revitalized urban experience.”

Demanding requirements for clinical environments and squeezed budgets across the NHS are two of the key challenges for real estate professionals working in the health sector in the experience of property and construction specialists Watts Group. 

The NHS is one of the largest landowners in England. For consultants used to working on commercial projects, it is vital to understand that different priorities apply with the NHS and other health environments, experts at Watts say.

Rob Burke, the Lead Director for Building Surveying in London and the South at UK-wide Watts Group, says those challenges are manifest on NHS projects of all sizes from major fitouts to minor maintenance programmes and even new builds. For anything affecting existing real estate, there is a third hurdle that makes finding solutions in hospital environments particularly tricky – lack of space. 

Space efficiency

In 2016, a report by Lord Carter highlighted the potential to save more than £1 billion by enhancing estate efficiency across the NHS in England. In the nine years to 2023, the cost of occupying and operating buildings across NHS secondary care fell 2.5 per cent to just under £12 billion, and the amount of floor area per patient attendance fell by seven per cent. Those falls came against a backdrop where the number of patients using the facilities rose by nearly 14 million. 

Space in existing hospitals is frequently squeezed to capacity and sometimes beyond. Fluctuation in demand for space, for example during winter flu outbreaks, is another factor that is pretty alien to the commercial sector. Even so, a talented project manager would be able to make useful recommendations for changes to a hospital layout that could improve efficiency and optimise space usage. 

Watts Group has performed audits on NHS properties ranging from high level technical and strategic reviews to the more prosaic such as the study of a single room to assess how it could be reused. “Often, the first priority is for NHS managers to get a handle on what real estate they have,” explains Rob Burke. “With accurate data, it is much easier to make the right decisions about how to manage that space going forward.”

Part of that process will be assessing which spaces might be reused in specific ways. For example, some rooms might be repurposed for radiography while others would be unsuitable for conversion.

Breadth of Experience

Watts Group is currently managing Technical Due Diligence (TDD) on the possible acquisition of 100,000 sq ft of mixed-use accommodation for an NHS client in the Midlands.

The project is imperative as the client is considering a very long lease on the building. The Watts team’s role includes a full TDD survey of the building and its services, as well as dilapidations advice to estimate the likely costs for capital repairs and replacement up to the first break clause in the contract in 12 years.

Clinical challenges

The challenges with working in clinical environments compared with most other kinds of real estate are fairly obvious, but one of the effects of this is that it makes extending clinical spaces to new locations much harder than other use types.

 “In particular, you can’t easily repurpose other kinds of real estate for clinical purposes,” says Rob. “At the most basic, if a hospital was to take one floor of an office block that was mostly occupied by commercial tenants, there would be problems with large numbers of patients visiting the shared reception area.”

 Converting such a space to health needs away from central resources in the main hospital would be difficult if not impossible. In the main hospital, it’s possible to quickly mobilise high performance flooring or clean air kit but away from the complex, that would not be so easy. Challenges like these require lateral thinking, says Rob. “For example, could moving the accounts team to an office free up space in the main hospital that could more easily be repurposed as, say, a treatment room or operating theatre?” he asks.

Compliance

When it comes to compliance, different rules may apply to maintenance of different spaces across a hospital estate, for example. “A tear in the floor covering of an office might not be a priority for repair but the same damage in a clean environment would need urgent remediation,” Rob points out.
 Construction

When it comes to new builds, Steve Harper has first-hand experience of multi-million-pound projects with household name hospitals.

Budgets for these kinds of projects may be enormous but that doesn’t allow for any profligacy, says Steve, who is National Director of Cost Management at Watts Group. “With any project, you have to be cost conscious,” he points out. “As QS on these projects, you are always looking at ways to value engineer and get the maximum from the contractors. It’s about making sure you understand the brief and that your tender documents are completely accurate.”

Compared with the private sector, Steve’s experience is that there is more scrutiny over expenditure because these projects are financed by public money and charitable donations. Typically, QS are reporting to senior management of the NHS Trust as well as the Trust’s real estate team with very strict requirements including explaining the details on changes to the construction programme and budgets and allocating responsibility for those.

A factor affecting many health estates is their location in built up areas. New works may attract noise complaints, despite being in the public interest. Road congestion is an issue, especially in emergencies. At St George’s Hospital at Tooting, London, Steve managed a contract that included a helipad on the roof of one of the blocks for an emergency ambulance- when estates can’t expand, sometimes the only way is up.

Maintenance

Watts Group’s Vickie Oni has first-hand experience of managing NHS real estate at the coalface. Now a Project Manager at Watts, she says the multitude of maintenance issues and other challenges facing most hospitals would in almost all cases be best solved by rebuilding the entire facility. That is not entirely out of the question.

Ambitious plans announced by the previous government for 40 new hospitals are progressing, though the definition of a new hospital has been somewhat watered down. Nevertheless, in a “start from scratch” scenario, M&E teams such as those at Watts Group can build strategies and technologies into the design, for example to minimise the spread of pathogens, that would go beyond anything possible in a smaller-scale refit. Even at that smaller-scale level, however, there is still much scope for improvement under the M&E banner with improvements such as installing technology like advanced air filters and bacterial screens.

NHS budgets don’t generally allow for a wholesale rebuild of the entire health sector estate so in most existing hospitals, there is a sense among managers and maintenance teams of trying to make things work even when it feels that the odds are stacked against you, explains Vickie.

The process begins with the Quality Care Commission setting budgets for the hospital that need to be distributed and used within the year for which they are allocated. Senior members of the maintenance team will tour the hospital and prioritise what needs to be done, on both the patient side such as a ward refit and the staff side such as upgraded staff facilities.

Once maintenance is scheduled, it is not always as simple as carrying it out, Vickie recalls. “If we were looking at refurbishing a ward, for example, we would often come across blocks in the road, generally technical issues, and these would frequently have a knock-on effect. An asbestos survey could suggest specific work to address an issue, but a related review of air quality might also raise questions about how old the hospital’s M&E systems are.

People Power  

In the NHS, there are a lot of people involved in decisions and a lot of approvals required, even down to the choice of paints that can be used.

It is usual for multiple people, both in-house NHS managers and private consultancies, to be involved with new builds, refits and estate maintenance, whereas in the private sector, whether residential or commercial buildings, there might be a single point of contact.

Last Word

From basic estate maintenance to new builds, the expertise of project managers, M&E consultants and other real estate professionals can be invaluable. For their part, the consultants must understand the NHS environment and adapt their thinking and methodologies to maximise value.
 About Watts

Watts is recognised as one of the UK’s leading independent property and construction consultancies providing a range of services including building surveying, cost management, independent monitoring, project management and public sector specialisms.

The Sustainable Restaurant Association have shared the 2025 sustainability trends for hospitality, packed with insights for forward-thinking operators.

1. TALKIN’ ‘BOUT REGENERATION 

While regenerative agriculture as yet lacks a clear, legal definition, the concept of farming in ways that restore nature, protect biodiversity and replenish soils is gaining traction among industry, governments — and customers. As technology has improved and AI has entered the arena, farmers can now use data to tailor their approach at a localised level and apply regenerative practices in the most effective ways.  

What does this mean for restaurants? In addition to the chance to work with thoughtfully produced, high-quality ingredients, it means an opportunity to have a positive impact on nature through your procurement choices, as well as a powerful narrative to share with your customers. 

2. WASTED NO MORE 

Driven by the need to reduce costs and cut carbon emissions (and by increasingly stringent legislative requirements, like the Simpler Recycling law that will come into effect in the UK from March 31st), more businesses are taking a more exacting look at their waste. 2025 will see more innovative packaging alternatives to plastic, including new, planet-friendly biodegradable or home compostable materials (made from things like seaweed) as well as more reusable solutions designed with circularity in mind.  

When it comes to food waste, the lines between primary products and by-products are blurring, and more chefs are planning their menus in ways that use every part of each ingredient, often across multiple dishes. In 2025 and the years ahead, the idea of wasting food will become increasingly socially unacceptable.

3. AI IS COMING TO DINNER 

The advent of AI and improvements in automation are reshaping the dining experience, from handling reservations to offering data-driven menu suggestions based on customer preferences. Their applications are also revolutionising back-of-house operations, improving speed, accuracy and efficiency. Expect to see more automation in managing kitchen tasks like dishwashing, waste segregation and stock control, all of which will have a significant positive impact on metrics like water use, waste and carbon footprints. 

4. HEALTH IN THE TIME OF OZEMPIC 

Health and wellness have featured on food trend lists like this one for years and show no signs of disappearing from the discourse. What is notable this year is the growing impact of GLP-1 weight management drugs like Ozempic, which are increasingly prevalent and changing how – and how much – many people eat. Research suggests that restaurants and other F&B outlets that offer lighter, healthier options will be better placed to handle this shift. Offering the same menu items in various sizes – for example, small plate, main course and sharing – is another way to cater for a variety of appetites while avoiding plate waste. 

Elsewhere in wellness trends, interest in foods that perform specific functions in our body continues to grow; think mushrooms that support memory and cognitive health, or microbiome-friendly fermented foods. Meanwhile, plant-based eating has seen a retreat from ultra-processed meat alternatives, with consumers in 2025 more likely to want natural, whole-food dishes. The most popular proteins on our plates will come from legumes and pulses, tofu, tempeh and seitan, mushrooms, nuts and other plant-based sources. 

5. FAST FOOD MADE GOOD 

Speaking of health, the rise of nourishing, high-quality fast-food options is by no means over. Customers are increasingly interested in food that is healthy and sustainable as well as delicious, and they want fast, casual food options that reflect this demand. 2025 will welcome more QSRs and high street eateries that focus on fresh, locally sourced wholefood ingredients, including plenty of plant-rich dishes. 

Nostalgia has a role to play in this; since the advent of the pandemic, continued economic and social uncertainty has led consumers to seek solace in classic comfort foods. In 2025, we’ll see more menus that offer healthy, creative, modernised and often plant-based iterations of familiar favourites. 

6. FLEXIBILITY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME 

Restaurants are operating in a highly pressurised business environment and dealing with multiple, concurrent challenges on a daily basis — so the most successful F&B businesses in the years ahead will be those who find new ways of becoming more flexible and adaptable. Driven by supply chain disruptions and a growing consumer interest in local food and provenance, restaurant operators are seeing the value in building short, resilient supply chains and working directly with small-scale local growers, fishers and producers. This will translate into shorter, more agile menus that can adapt based on ingredient availability. 

What a restaurant looks like is evolving, too; with lower overheads and great adaptability, food trucks and pop-ups are more popular than ever, allowing operators to test new offerings without taking the financial leap of opening a physical, full-service site. ‘Ghost kitchens’ that service only takeaway orders are also gaining traction as a cost-effective solution.  

7. YOU CAN GO YOUR OWN WAY 

Oliver Truesdale-Jutras, founding member and current Chairman of Singapore’s F&B Sustainability Council, recently spoke with us about what he calls a ‘monoculture of the mind’. “Chefs are pulling from social media, using a standardised global palette of ingredients pushed by massive distributors, and following a well-charted path to the same tired awards,” he said. “Food that could be produced anywhere is being made everywhere […] Instead of making menus anyone could create with common ingredients, chefs should craft menus only they could envision — specific to their time and place. This would make food scenes more unique, exciting and sustainable by championing indigenous products, seasonality and local farms, and reinvesting in communities.”  

In 2025, we hope to see more rebel chefs carving out their own path, rather than regurgitating more iterations of the same tired dishes. We often speak about the urgent need for more diversity in our diets and on our menus; here’s where adding that diversity can really help differentiate your brand. Think rare breeds of livestock that are unique to your area, heritage grains and pulses, less commonly eaten but plentiful varieties of seafood or invasive species that pose a threat to local ecosystems. Explore the culinary traditions of your region and how they can be adapted for modern plates and palates. Find inspiration outside of what other chefs are doing on Instagram, tap into your creativity and make your menu truly your own. 

8. ADD THAT VALUE 

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, people still want the opportunity to treat themselves – so they’re increasingly looking for out-of-home meals that feel like real value for their hard-earned money. Restaurants need to create memorable dining experiences by using high-quality and unique ingredients (like those we just mentioned), leveraging the power of provenance and storytelling, and adding personalised touches.  

Here, again, flexibility has a role to play; today’s customer wants customisable options depending on their tastes, dietary preferences, allergies and appetite level. Digitalised ordering systems that include data-driven insights can make all of this more achievable, creating added value based on individual histories. It’s all about arming front-of-house staff with the right information. If servers know that a particular guest has a sweet tooth, they can call their attention to a new dessert option; someone who only ever orders meat-free meals could be offered a vegetarian-only menu. While small, these gestures make sure that your customers feel valued and understood, helping your restaurant stand out from the rest. 

9. COMMUNITY IS KING 

We’re always quick to point to social impact as a crucial part of what it means to be a sustainable operation. With more people seeking connection in an increasingly isolated society, the need for restaurants to act as community hubs has never been more clear. Fostering a sense of community by engaging with local activities, hosting events, hiring local people and working in collaboration with other local businesses will boost reputation and build customer loyalty, helping restaurants to thrive. Whether it’s starting a book club, stocking beer from the brewery down the road, hosting cooking classes on quiet Monday evenings, donating excess food to a local shelter or organising team volunteer days at a local charity, give back to your community and it will give back to you.

Orega, the flexible workspace provider, has now fully let its high spec flexible office space at 51 Lime Street in the City of London- in nine months, beating time expectations.

The 36,000 sq ft office space, run under a Corporate Management Agreement with WTW now names several financial service and insurance businesses among its occupiers including SAP Fioneer, who provides software solutions for financial services and insurance businesses.

Orega’s space at Lime Street was launched in April 2024 and is part of the flex operator’s successful London letting story. Orega has now “sold” some 60,000 sq ft of space in London since April.

Other London successes include at 70, Mark Lane, London EC3, where Orega launched 27,832 sq ft flexible workspace in July 2023. This building is also nearly fully let, with occupancy rates at 91%. 

51 Lime Street, designed by Norman Foster and located in the centre of the City opposite the Lloyd’s Building, is one of the City’s most iconic developments with 44,000 sq m of space in one of the taller buildings in the City.  

Orega’s managed office space in the building has been designed to be a modern, flexible base for the City’s professional and financial businesses, providing a large number of workstations on the 6th and 7th floors of the 27-storey tower. There are additional substantial collaboration, restaurant, terrace, meeting and event spaces.

Susan Loftus, Partnerfrom SAP Fioneer said, “We are extremely pleased to have our London Headquarters at Orega Lime Street.  The building, offices and common areas are well designed, fit-for-purpose and welcoming.  We especially like 51 Lime Street kitchen for its convenience and meal offerings.  

The Orega Lime Street Team provides superior service and support – they are professional, highly organized, and customer service focused.  Our office is a positive reflection of our company and our brand.”

A second spokesman, the global head of property services from a leading insurance business added, “Orega has helped deliver a turnkey solution that optimises our needs with cost effective, dedicated workspace and which also supports our flexible working strategy.  The customer mobilisation experience, quality of facilities and translation of our needs has been excellent.”

Commenting Alan Pepper, CEO of Orega said, “Demand for high spec flexible office accommodation in London is still high, particularly in iconic buildings in prime locations. As businesses continue to need to attract and keep the best staff, as well as encourage back to the office working, they want the highest standards but also the ease of not managing their space themselves. At the same time, they continue to want flexibility and to not be tied into long leases.”

“Our office space at Lime Street has met these criteria as the testimonials show. We are delighted in the building’s success.”

“We are continuing to look for similar office space in the London market to help meet this growing demand for flex space.”