According to a recent survey, by SFG20, the industry standard for building maintenance, 34 per cent of facility maintenance professionals do not update their asset registers or do not know how frequently they are updated. Only nine per cent believed their asset registers to be 100 per cent accurate and up to date, with a further 37 per cent stating their register is at most 50 per cent accurate. 

SFG20 surveyed 190 professionals from various sectors to assess challenges and priorities regarding facility management for its State of FM Report 2025. The survey reveals that asset registers were the leading investment priority for respondents over the next three years, spotlighting the industry-wide issue that FM professionals face in keeping their registers complete and updated. 

The report also reveals that almost a third of FM professionals (31 per cent) still keep their asset registers in a spreadsheet. A further five per cent have a mix of software, spreadsheets, and paper-based registers, splitting their assets across different formats. 

Davy Clark, Implementation Consultant at SFG20, said: “One of the most common issues we encounter is the lack of consistency and specificity in asset registers. Too often, assets are recorded with vague descriptions like ‘boiler’ or ‘pump,’ making it incredibly difficult to map them to the correct maintenance tasks. 

“Several factors contribute to this challenge, including the collection of asset data across large estates, which may have been surveyed at different points in time and by different people, causing inconsistencies in data quality and accuracy. 

“This leads to inefficiencies, increased risk, and compliance challenges. Ensuring asset data is consistently structured, complete, and digitally maintained in a single source of truth is essential—not only for effective planned maintenance but also for long-term cost savings and compliance.”

By: Kristen Mierzejewski, Senior Consultant at Acclaro Advisory

Recent months have seen a regression in ESG commitments, from Trump’s election and the rollback of key climate policies in the U.S. to proposed weakening of the CSRD through omnibus regulations. Corporate responses have followed suit, with the six largest U.S. banks withdrawing from the Net-Zero Banking Alliance and several energy companies scaling back low-carbon investment plans. Yet, climate challenges remain urgent: January 2025 was declared the warmest January on record, accompanied by devastating wildfires in California. The World Meteorological Organization has confirmed that 2024 was the hottest year on record, marking the first time global temperatures exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Despite this, sustainability remains a priority for many companies and investors. In the UK, several key pieces of legislation are set to be introduced this year, reinforcing the need for action. Within the Facilities Management (FM) industry, organisations continue to make progress, with many FM leaders identifying new revenue streams and market differentiation through high-return sustainability initiatives.

The SFMI

At the Sustainable Facilities Management Index (SFMI), we work closely with FM leaders to assess and advance their ESG strategies. Established by Acclaro Advisory in 2013, the Sustainable Facilities Management Index (SFMI) is dedicated to driving ESG leadership within the FM sector. Through a unique partnership programme rooted in research, assessments, strategic solutions, and collaboration, the SFMI provides a forward roadmap and challenges the industry to adopt best practices and embrace innovation.

Each year, the SFMI conducts comprehensive assessments, evaluating how FM providers integrate sustainability across 23 ESG criteria. We help FMs learn how to avoid risks, capitalise on opportunities, and become leaders in their industry. Our 23 Criteria each have numerous subtopics to fully understand the policies, strategies, and activities of FMs in achieving a more sustainable business. These criteria cover essential areas of operations and management, ensuring a holistic view of sustainability performance.

Each year, we update and adjust our assessment criteria in order to reflect changes in legislation, frameworks and societal trends affecting the industry. 

2024 Trends

The FM industry is becoming more complex. Beyond supporting workplace and operational property needs, FM providers must now navigate regulatory shifts, societal pressures, economic uncertainty, staffing challenges, and increasing environmental requirements. Despite these headwinds, SFMI assessments indicate steady ESG progress, with rising performance across Governance, Social, and Environmental categories.

Through expert insights and in-depth evaluations, SFMI has identified four dominant sustainability trends shaping the FM sector in 2024:

• Decarbonisation
• Wellbeing
• Social Value
• Risks & Opportunities

These themes reflect the industry’s growing maturity in commercialising sustainability, turning ESG efforts into tangible business benefits. They also underscore the importance of collaboration, innovation, and strategic integration to maintain competitiveness and resilience in an evolving market.

Decarbonisation: Turning Ambitions into Opportunities

FM leaders are at the forefront of transforming decarbonisation from a compliance-driven goal into a dynamic, revenue-generating opportunity. By bringing new service offerings to market that involve decarbonisation, not just for them but for their clients, they are setting new benchmarks for commercial success in FM. 

With a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in decarbonisation, SFMI Partners have matured their approach. This has enabled the development of service offerings, and, due to increasing demand for these services across industries, is driving their commercialisation.

To meet complex client needs, FM providers are diversifying carbon services, including climate risk mapping, EV infrastructure, and sustainable building solutions. Fleet decarbonisation is a major focus, with companies implementing data-driven approaches to optimise EV adoption and mileage reduction. Leadership plays a crucial role in sustaining these efforts, requiring continuous upskilling and strategic foresight to integrate decarbonisation into business growth. Additionally, engaging supply chains to tackle Scope 3 emissions is becoming essential, as FM firms collaborate with suppliers to reduce indirect carbon impacts. By leveraging high-quality data and enhancing governance, FM providers can capitalise on the commercial potential of sustainability while staying ahead in a competitive market.

Wellbeing: The Value of Doing What’s Right

Wellbeing has become a key differentiator for FM providers, with SFMI Partners seeing commercial benefits through improved employee retention, customer satisfaction, and organisational diversity. Last year, wellbeing scores rose, but significant potential remains untapped. The FM sector is expanding beyond traditional health and safety measures, incorporating aspects like sleep, neurodivergence, and menopause into wellbeing initiatives. These efforts reduce absenteeism, enhance employee engagement, and strengthen business performance.

FM leaders are also integrating wellbeing into broader sustainability strategies, linking it with net zero and biodiversity initiatives. Forward-thinking companies are embedding wellbeing into leadership priorities, with executives championing programmes that enhance workplace culture and attract talent. 

However, there remains significant room for growth in integrating wellbeing with nature, decarbonisation and net zero strategies. While wellbeing and nature are beginning to find their place in strategies, they are not yet at the core. The next phase involves refining metrics, deepening integration into contracts, and leveraging nature-based solutions to maximise the commercial and social benefits of wellbeing-focused sustainability strategies.

Social Value: Turning Purpose into Profit

Last year, SFMI partners made significant strides in social value, with scores rising about 14% across the relevant criteria. This reflects a growing recognition that the partners have been giving to this area. As companies expand their social value activities, driven by government mandates or client requirements, measuring the benefits is increasingly proving commercial value of these new approaches. 

Beyond fulfilling regulatory requirements, social value initiatives enhance company reputation, employee satisfaction, and recruitment efforts. FM firms are now demonstrating structured approaches to social impact, ensuring initiatives translate into tangible business benefits.

Innovative programmes, such as one company’s ex-offender employment scheme, highlight how FM providers can drive measurable social outcomes while improving operational efficiency. The industry is also advancing social value tracking, with some companies integrating real-time ESG dashboards to measure impact. Successful FM firms are embedding social value into contracts and linking initiatives to financial performance, strengthening their market position. To sustain this momentum, FM leaders must continue fostering collaboration, refining data measurement, and upskilling teams to turn social value commitments into long-term commercial success.

Risks and Opportunities: Turning Risks into Rewards

As the FM industry faces more risks, SFMI leaders are turning challenges into opportunities. Encouragingly, the majority of SFMI partners are demonstrating a deeper understanding of monetising sustainability, with some already leveraging their expertise to deliver services that enhance both their own sustainability goals and those of their clients. The SFMI’s latest findings reveal that companies with a strong grasp of monetising sustainability are successfully integrating climate risk assessments, decarbonisation strategies, and supply chain improvements into their business models. 

However, challenges such as data reliability, Scope 3 emissions, and ecological risks remain key barriers that require innovative solutions. Yet, these same risks can serve as springboards for innovation. FM leaders that turn these hurdles into opportunities – such as through enhanced decarbonisation services, decarbonising fleets, assessing climate risks, contracts improvements, and upskilling decision makers – are positioning themselves as market leaders in the industry.   

The sector’s governance practices are also evolving, with board-level upskilling enabling companies to better manage risks and improve ESG performance. FM providers that proactively embed sustainability into governance, contracts, and service offerings are positioned to lead the industry, securing long-term financial and environmental resilience. Looking ahead, it’s reasonable to expect that commercialised opportunities will continue to grow, while less monetisable risks may lag. Factors such as regulatory deadlines and potential commercial impact will likely drive prioritisation, with supply chain and climate risks taking precedence. 

Insights & Next Steps

The 2024 SFMI Assessments show significant ESG progress, with Governance leading due to improvements in Diversity and Collaboration. Social aspects, particularly Wellbeing and Sustainable Communities, have strengthened, while Environmental gains are notable in Energy but remain weak in Ecology, Biodiversity, and Water.

Key Takeaways:

• Governance is driving sustainability progress, with further potential in integrating ESG into financial decisions.
• Social Value & Wellbeing are becoming embedded across operations, but Supply Chain Management remains a challenge.
• Environmental Progress is growing, yet critical gaps in Ecology, Biodiversity, and Water demand urgent attention.

Next Steps for FM Leaders:

• Upskill & Assess Risks: Conduct materiality assessments and climate risk evaluations.
• Invest in Sustainability: Allocate resources to pioneering ESG initiatives.
• Turn Risks into Opportunities: Innovate solutions that create both sustainability and commercial value.

By prioritising collaboration, data-driven insights, and strategic investments, FM providers can lead in sustainability while driving business growth.

Join the SFMI 2025 Programme Launch webinar: 

The SFMI is hosting its 2025 Programme Launch webinar on 15^th May at 10am. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the SFMI and discover the plans for this year’s programme. Register now. 

CIBSE are supporters of Facilities & Estates Management Live

This ambitious initiative is set to create a lasting legacy for the building services engineering profession and support future generations of engineers in their journey towards net-zero and sustainable building performance.

A key element of this campaign is the recent opening of CIBSE’s new head office in London, which will serve as a central hub for innovation, knowledge-sharing and lifelong learning. This new space will empower engineers to lead the way in shaping a sustainable built environment.

A home for innovation, learning, and progress

CIBSE’s vision for its new head office is to create a world-class Skills Hub that will serve as a central focal point for both CIBSE members and the wider built environment community. The facilities will feature a modern theatre for lectures, events, and knowledge-sharing, outstanding training facilities to support professional development and collaborative workspaces designed to foster networking, learning and industry engagement.

CIBSE’s CEO, Ruth Carter, commented: “At CIBSE, we are committed to fostering innovation, collaboration and sustainability in the built environment. Our new head office is more than just a new space; it’s a symbol of our commitment to shaping the future of the profession globally and ensuring that the next generation of engineers is equipped to meet the challenges of tomorrow. With the support of our members and partners, we can make this vision a reality and continue driving progress for the building services sector worldwide.”

According to a recent survey, improving compliance and safety continues to be the number one priority for facilities management professionals. However, 14% of respondents expressed uncertainty about meeting building maintenance compliance standards, while only 23% plan to increase their investment in compliance and safety measures.

SFG20, the industry standard for building maintenance, surveyed 190 professionals from various roles in the built environment sector to assess challenges and priorities regarding facility management. The survey reveals that while the industry faces significant pressure, professionals are focused on innovation and improvement, with clear priorities and strategies for 2025.

Compliance and safety as top priority

The survey reveals that improving compliance and safety remains the top priority for facilities management professionals. A significant 77% of respondents reported compliance to be at least a moderate challenge, reflecting the ongoing issue of meeting complex regulatory requirements. 

Budget constraints and cost reduction

Budget constraints are currently the biggest challenge in the industry, as reported by 75% of respondents. At the same time, reducing operational costs is the second biggest priority for FM professionals. Rising energy costs, inflation, and supply chain disruptions all make it increasingly difficult to deliver quality and cost-efficient services within tight budgets.

As organisations strive to meet compliance demands and implement essential safety measures, 40% report a budget decrease over the past year, with 13% citing a significant reduction. 69% of facilities management professionals have the same or less budget than the previous year.

Meanwhile, staffing shortages are widening the talent gap in facilities management, with 80% of professionals reporting their facility management teams are understaffed, and 24% stating they are significantly understaffed.

Technology adoption 

Digital transformation has become a core focus within the FM industry, as organisations seek to lever technology to improve efficiency, reduce operational costs, and enhance compliance. 53% of respondents rated digital transformation as a ‘highly important’ strategic priority for their organisation. 

However, high costs remain a major obstacle to technology adoption in facilities management, with 33% stating it as their main barrier. Many facility management teams work under tight budget constraints, making large-scale investment in digital advancements a struggle. Other challenges revealed were: integration with existing systems (19%), a lack of internal expertise (16%), and a resistance to change within the organisation (17%).

Kirsty Cogan, Managing Director at SFG20, says:

“As the facilities management industry evolves, improving the quality of asset data, achieving compliance, and controlling costs will be the key priorities in 2025. The survey findings highlight the significant pressures faced by professionals in the sector but also show how they are driving change and innovation to address these challenges.

“It’s encouraging to see the industry increasingly prioritising technology as a vital tool for achieving compliance and reducing operating costs. To overcome the significant challenges facing the sector, technology must play a central role. Recognising this, SFG20 are incorporating technologies such as AI search and asset mapping into our software and developing API integrations to assist industry with FM systems connectivity. A great way to start is to build a technology roadmap that is aligned to your organisation’s objectives”

RED Construction Group has announced the completion of 21-25 Bruton Place, with the specialist main contractor’s Special Projects division delivering the project on behalf of Berkeley Estate Asset Management (BEAM). 

The Special Projects team delivered a considered conversion of three existing mews properties covering 15,000 sq ft, into a unified building designed for commercial and office use, linked to Mayfair’s renowned Berkeley Square. The refurbishment involved the removal of existing structural roof and floor slabs, the retention of the front and rear façades, the construction of an external terrace, and the internal installation of a new steel frame alongside an additional Glulam / CLT single storey extension at roof level. A sustainable and innovative approach to the works focused on retaining the architectural character of the area while introducing modern design elements and performance.  

The project completion follows BEAM’s appointment of RED Construction Group on another of its schemes in the capital, to carry out a comprehensive refurbishment of 8 Lancelot Place in Knightsbridge while the building remains occupied. The 35,000 sq ft prominent office development is located at the corner of 8 Lancelot Place and 70 Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, opposite the Grade II listed department store, Harrods. 

Nathan Farrar, Managing Director of RED Special Projects, commented: “Our work on Bruton Place is a great example of Special Projects’ bread and butter. The more complex developments that require specific expertise like this are where our specialism sits, with Bruton Place proving that great outcomes can be delivered for logistically challenging sites. Not only have we completed the works to a high specification, but we have also been appointed by BEAM on the refurbishment of Knightsbridge’s 8 Lancelot Place as a result of the client’s satisfaction in what we deliver.”

Alex Rich at BEAM, added: “Bruton Place’s unique requirements meant that we needed a construction team that understood and could deliver the quality expected of such a distinct historic location. We are so proud of what has been achieved here together and have been particularly impressed by the RED Special Projects team’s ability to overcome the challenges of such a structurally complex refurbishment.”

The completion of Bruton Place follows the news that RED Construction Group’s South West division has completed works of the 4-star Zeal Hotel at Exeter Science Park, finalising the construction of the UK’s first Net Zero hotel for operational carbon without offsetting. 

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.

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.”

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.