Johnson Controls named to prominent Climate Leaders 2022 list

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

Johnson Controls has been named to the FT Climate Leaders in Europe list for a second consecutive year.

Europe’s 2022 Climate Leaders list recognizes companies across Europe that have shown the highest reduction of their emissions intensity between 2015 and 2020, which is measured by greenhouse gas emissions relative to revenue. Johnson Controls was one of only 400 companies selected from more than 4,000 across Europe.

“Being recognized by the Financial Times for a second consecutive year as a climate leader in Europe is a particularly meaningful and illustrious honor for us,” said Tomas Brannemo, vice president and president, Building Solutions Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America, Johnson Controls. “Sustainability has always been one of our key strategic pillars and as the critical climate change battle continues, it is important for Johnson Controls to keep leading the way in cutting emissions and delivering clean, smart and sustainable solutions for our customers and communities around the world.”

For the second time, FT and research firm Statista compiled a list of European invited companies that have achieved the greatest reduction in emissions intensity. Additionally, Statista analyzed publicly available data from financial and non-financial reports to determine Europe’s climate leaders.

Among the earliest industrial companies to report emissions and pledge emission reductions, Johnson Controls has made tremendous progress – reducing carbon emissions and energy intensity by more than 70 percent since 2002. It was recently named #1 in its industry group and #12 overall as one of the 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World and is one of just 45 corporations awarded the Terra Carta Seal which recognizes private sector companies who are creating genuinely sustainable markets.

While Johnson Controls reports their emissions in all three scopes, the ranking accounts for scope 1 and scope 2 emissions only since not all companies named to the list publish their scope 3 emissions. Since 2017, Johnson Controls has achieved a 38% reduction of scope 1 and 2 emissions, eliminating more than 415,000 metric tons of CO2e.

Research shows that almost 40% of greenhouse gases come from buildings, and as the EU seeks to become carbon neutral by 2050, Johnson Controls remains at the forefront of effectively turning the ambition into a reality through the decarbonization of buildings. Last year, the European Commission committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions from their 1990 levels by at least 55% by 2030 under the European Green Deal. The European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive will be an important pathway on how to drive down carbon emissions from buildings.

Through the deployment of its OpenBlue digital platform, Johnson Controls utilizes digitalization as a key enabler for the building renovation wave in Europe and the rest of the world. OpenBlue net zero solutions allow for the sustainable optimization of buildings, and Johnson Controls has seen a significant improvement in environmental impact by helping customers consume less energy, conserve resources, and identify pathways to achieving healthy, net zero carbon communities.

“Our Sustainability efforts boost our customers’ bottom line and help protect the planet by enhancing efficiency and cutting waste. We put the best technology to work so that buildings become flexible assets that are part of the smart, clean infrastructure needed to meet carbon reduction goals,” said Katie McGinty, vice president & chief sustainability and external relations officer at Johnson Controls. “Being at the forefront helping to drive efforts to tackle global climate change is part of our DNA, and we are dedicated to supporting a healthy planet, healthy people and healthy places.”

Johnson Controls continues to take significant steps to further improve its environmental impact and has committed to achieving net zero Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 2040 – ten years ahead of the Paris Climate Agreement goal. By 2030, the company aims to cut its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 55 percent and Scope 3 emissions by 16 percent. These ambitious 2030 emissions reduction targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

Buildings in Cleveland are falling short of fire protection maintenance systems

by Americas - Breaking NewsBreaking NewsBuilding ManagementIndustry Sectors

An investigative news channel unit has found that half of Cleveland’s commercial buildings are not up to the fire code when it comes to maintaining critical fire protection. 19 Investigates says ‘Fire alarms, sprinklers and fire doors can save lives, But they’re no good if they are not maintained. They need to be inspected routinely to make sure they’re working properly.’

The Cleveland Fire Department officials told the news outlet the problem stems from business owners who aren’t getting these systems checked often enough. And fire inspectors are having a hard time keeping track of thousands of commercial properties across the city.

At a public safety meeting last week, officials estimated about half of commercial buildings in Cleveland do not properly maintain their fire protection systems as required by law. “We project we’re at about 50% compliance,” said Battalion Chief Gregory Lightcap.

Lightcap said the fire department does not have a database to track this. They want to hire an outside company to build one and notify businesses when maintenance is due.
Lightcap said many cities using services like this have gone to more than 90% compliance in a couple of years.

“So we would have a dashboard where we see these issues in red are where we need to direct our energy at in doing code enforcement, because the non-official stuff has not worked up until that point,” Lightcap told city council members at the safety committee meeting.

Alarmed by what we uncovered, we went to Mike Polensek, chair of the Public Safety Committee, for his take on this. “There’s a reason why we have a code, a basic fire, and protection code. It’s for protection,” Polsensek said.

“As a citizen walking into any building, is that a concern knowing they may not be up to date?” Investigator Sara Goldenberg asked.

“Of course it is, because there’s a code, a city code. And that’s been the problem, is it has not been enforced over the years. And now they’re telling us at the table that they don’t have the manpower, the sheer manpower to inspect all of these buildings,” Polensek said.

Polensek said unfortunately he is not surprised by these numbers. He wants to see the city and building owners step up to address the problem—quickly. “Why hasn’t there been enforcement, why hasn’t anyone been prosecuted?” he said. “And cited, and put in housing court if they refuse to make the repairs? None of us can understand why this has broken down as bad as it has.”

Fire officials said these changes would better educate business owners on fire code safety, instead of inspectors just issuing violation notices. City council is waiting to see the proposed legislation from the fire department.

Gregg’s deploys active fire prevention system at new facility

by ActiveFeatured NewsIndustrialIndustry Sectors

Greggs, a UK-founded fast food service chain, deployed an active fire prevention system at its new deep-freeze high-bay warehouse at its factory near Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.

The factory occupies 90,530 cubic metre, and the fire fire protection systems were provided by Wagner. Owing to the warehouse running several automated systems, there tends to be a higher risk of fire than traditional warehouses. This is due to the large amount of electrical equipment in the warehouse.

The high bay warehouse was difficult to protect by traditional methods due to the combination of its height, densely packed stored goods and deep-freeze operating temperature, Global Cold Chain News reported.

The automated high-bay warehouse stands at 23 metres tall and has a storage capacity with upwards of 14,000 pallet bays.

The warehouse is operated at -20°, where savoury baked goods will be stored frozen packaged in plastic trays or cardboard boxes, in both cases on wooden pallets. Something else, that had to be kept in mind: the warehouse is directly connected to the factory. If a fire occurs, it must not spread.

Gregg’s fire prevention system uses OxyReduct, that builds a protective atmosphere in the protected area with a permanently reduced oxygen level through the controlled introduction of nitrogen. This reduces the oxygen levels to prevent the spread of fires, taking the individual ignition thresholds of the most critical materials found in the warehouse into consideration. Sensors continuously measure the oxygen concentration in the protected area, working with the OxyControl system to maintain a constant oxygen operation concentration.

As a smouldering fire can still result despite oxygen reduction, the active fire prevention strategy also includes an early smoke detection system with air sampling smoke detectors.

West Yorkshire council homes to get £21million fire safety improvements

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsFire DoorsIndustry SectorsProducts

Councillors of Kirklees in England’s West Yorkshire district are being asked to approve works that will upgrade fire safety measures across all council-owned low-rise flats.

A £21million investment programme will be proposed at the council’s cabinet meeting, on April 5. This will see all 865 low-rise blocks across Kirklees benefit from improved fire protection measures over the next two years.  

The work will involve six-storey blocks, as well as retirement living schemes and low-rise buildings, and comes as work is already underway upgrading the council’s high-rise blocks including flats at Buxton House, Harold Wilson Court and Berry Brow.

Work will start in May 2022 when approved contractors Fortem Solutions Limited will start the process of independently surveying every low-rise block in Kirklees to identify and carry out the fire safety works needed.

These surveys will inform what works are necessary on a per building basis and are likely to include:

  • Replacing fire doors to homes and communal areas
  • Compartmentation
  • Upgrading smoke and heat alarms
  • Emergency lighting
  • New fire signage. 

Both tenants and leaseholders have been informed of the programme of works planned.

David Shepherd, Strategic Director of Growth and Regeneration, said: “Since transfer from KNH, the council has focused on and prioritised investment to ensure our tenants are safe in their homes. This is part of that on-going commitment to keeping our tenants in low rise buildings as safe as possible.

“The investment will see all 865 low-rise buildings individually surveyed and safety upgrades made to the highest standard to further ensure the safety of all our tenants and leaseholders in the event of a fire.”

These works are part of the £90 million improvements programme currently being rolled out across social housing in Kirklees. The early part of the programme focused on high rise flats and has already seen major fire safety improvements completed at Buxton House in Huddersfield town centre.

Plans for Fire Safety Support Hub in Cardiff turned down

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsFire SuppressionIndustry SectorsProducts

Plans for a new fire safety support hub in Cardiff have been turned down. The hub was proposed to help victims of the cladding scandal. Currently, thousands in the city are still living in apartments at serious risk of fire, five years after the Grenfell Tower disaster, with many facing gigantic bills for work to make their homes safe.

A fire safety support hub could help those affected with financial and legal advice, as well as signposting and counselling for those suffering from mental health issues, councillors said. Liberal Democrats in Cardiff put forward a motion on Thursday, March 17 to set up a hub, with backing from other opposition councillors.

But this was voted down by the ruling Labour group. Councillor Rhys Taylor, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: “Five years on and people are still trapped in potentially unsafe homes, and are paying the price both financially and mentally for the mistakes of developers.

“Leaseholders in some instances have faced bills of thousands of pounds due to be paid with less than 28 days’ notice. That’s because kettles have more consumer protection than the leaseholders who are trapped in this scandal. People are looking to pay their whole life savings to meet these bills, and war veterans are even considering selling their medals, Wales Online reported.

“In June, management companies will be issuing the second half of annual services charges. For the Celestia buildings in Cardiff Bay, that’s half of the £2.4m needed to repair defects. If leaseholders can’t pay, of which there will be many, they’ll be pursued by debtors. A support hub would provide help and advice for people in these situations.”

Extra costs heaped onto affected residents include skyrocketing insurance premiums, service charges, patrolling fire wardens, and remediation work like replacing cladding. Many of the issues faced by affected residents in Cardiff are complex and technical, including fraudulent fire safety certificates and inadequate wall inspections.

Lots of residents also suffer from poor mental health as a result of the issues, according to recent surveys. Labour said the fire safety issues were difficult to address and had previously explored council tax residents for affected residents, but later ruled this out as too expensive.

Cllr Lynda Thorne, cabinet member for housing, dismissed the motion as a pre-election stunt. She said: “This administration is committed to doing all we can to help and support all those residents affected by the plethora of faults and design failures built into these developments. It’s a whole gambit of failures that makes this issue so difficult to address. These issues aren’t straightforward.

NFPA annual Conference & Expo to return to live event in Boston

by Industry SectorsPublic Events

In a slightly delayed celebration of its 125thanniversary, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) will return to an in-person event for its annual Conference & Expo (C&E) at the Boston Convention Center in Boston, Mass., June 6-9, 2022. While the event has been held online the past two years due to the pandemic, this year will once again bring together thousands of the industry’s leading professionals who will attend more than 110 educational sessions and special events. It will be kicked off with a keynote on leadership by Admiral William H. McRaven.

Jim Pauley, CEO and President, NFPA said: “We are excited to welcome the huge community of fire, electrical and life safety professionals back to a live C&E. Not only are the programmatic line-up and exhibits more valuable in person, but attendees learn so much from each other being in the same place.”

Educational sessions will address the latest issues, challenges, and opportunities for today’s fire and life safety practitioners, including the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem; code compliance; emergency preparedness and response; emerging technologies; global issues; public education; building and life safety and construction; fire protection systems; industrial hazards; electrical safety; and much more.

In addition, the NFPA Spotlight on Public Education (SOPE) will be held on June 6-7, covering a wide range of public education issues, such as fire and fall prevention among older adults; youth fire-setting education and intervention; and community risk reduction (CRR), to name a few. SOPE attendees are also invited to participate in a CRR workshop on June 8, which will support and assist CRR professionals in developing a community risk assessment (CRA).

This year’s expo will feature more than 300 exhibitors showcasing the latest products and services needed to comply with prevailing codes and standards for design, construction, and operation of the built environment. The NFPA booth will showcase its latest initiatives, programs, and resources, including a dedicated area for live NFPA LiNK demonstrations, highlighting the full capabilities of dynamic, digital access to NFPA codes and standards and related material. The expo floor will also feature specialty NFPA booths showcasing electric vehicles, wildfire virtual reality, and CRAIG 1300™, the digital tool that collects and analyzes community data in support of CRR.

The 2022 NFPA Technical Meeting, which will begin on June 8 at 1:00 pm EST, will consist of two days this year in anticipation of increased participation and interest in the continuation of cycling NFPA standards. More details about which certified amending motions will be debated and acted upon will be available online as soon as the agenda is finalized.

General session will be held on Monday, June 7 and will include presentations by NFPA President Jim Pauley, Board of Directors Chair Amy Acton, and Keynote Speaker Admiral William H. McRaven, USN (Ret.).

Grenfell inquiry recommendations not enacted by government

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementIndustry Sectors

Changes in guidelines and recommendations made by the inquiry committee following the Grenfell disaster are yet to be acted on, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has stated.

The guidelines for large-scale evacuations, published in October 2019, have been “failed to complete a single recommendation” from the first phase of a public inquiry into the devastating Grenfell Tower fire.

The inquiry, which looked at where the June 2017 fire originated and how it spread to kill 72 residents in the north Kensington tower block, published its findings in a report in October 2019, The Guardian reported.

The report recommends vital changes that require the owners of high-rise residential building to carry out regular inspections of lifts, share floorplan details, and cladding materials with their local fire and rescue service. It also urged the development of national guidelines for large-scale evacuations.

To date, none of these recommendations has been implemented, and no deadline has been provided by the government for when they will be, according to the mayor’s office, it was reported.

A spokesperson for the Justice4Grenfell campaign said: “From the day of the fire, there has been no real political will for accountability or action. It is in the gift of the government to grant an inquiry; they agree the terms of reference; they appoint the judge; yet there is no legal requirement for them to take on board recommendations and findings of [the] inquiries.”

Khan said he was “extremely concerned” by the lack of progress made by the government since the first phase of the inquiry was published more than two years ago. On the other hand, Khan said, the London fire brigade had completed 26 out of 29 recommendations directed towards them and other fire and rescue services. Various safety regulations have been introduced by the brigade, such as the use of smoke hoods to aid in the rescue of civilians in smoke-filled environments, and the use of 32-metre and 64-metre ladders to help tackle fires in high-rise buildings. It has also, the mayor said, rolled out an extensive training programme specifically for the brigade’s updated response to high-rise fires.

FireAngel to showcase IoT solution at The Fire Safety Event 2022

by Featured NewsIndustry SectorsPublic Events

FireAngel will be exhibiting on Stand 3A/E50 at this year’s Fire & Safety Event, showcasing its social housing IoT solution, FireAngel Connected, to a network of fire safety managers, health and safety officers, risk assessors and consultants. 

Continuing to fulfil its mission to protect and save lives with innovative, cutting-edge home safety technology, FireAngel Connected is the most technologically advanced fire safety solution for social housing in the fire safety market. 

FireAngel Connected offers a cloud and IoT-based solution to help social housing landlords monitor fire risk, gas safety, water leaks and electrical appliances throughout their properties from a single remote platform.  

Data monitored in real-time can alert social landlords to the status of heat, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in a property if triggered or in need of maintenance, in turn, eliminating wasteful visits, staff time and administration fees. 

With the unique automated AI capabilities of FireAngel Predict built in – the only solution of its kind in the market – an instant, real-time fire risk level unique to each property is provided, enabling active intervention before a fire starts.  

As housing associations navigate the Fire Safety Act 2021, rising maintenance costs and the government’s White Paper on social housing, there has never been a greater need for solutions that can unlock cost savings, accelerate operational efficiencies and, ultimately, protect tenant safety. 

Nick Rutter, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, FireAngel said: “IoT and AI advancements are driving technological innovation in housing associations and strengthening the golden thread of information for buildings.” FireAngel will be located at stand 3A/E50. 

TBA Firefly set to show expanded range to FIREX

by Featured NewsFire SuppressionIndustry SectorsProductsPublic Events

TBA Firefly is set to display a wide array of products at the 2022 FIREX show in London’s Excel Centre. The company is looking to building on its success of 2021 in terms of winning new business and the scale of the contracts the company was involved in delivering.

Among its products the company will display its recent launches such as Penowrap and the FR120 Access Panel, as well as its versatile Athena fire barrier, suited for timber lofts.

The new 600 x 600mm, IFC certified panel has been developed to facilitate regular maintenance access to roof spaces and other fire compartments, created using the Firefly barriers and offers two hours fire resistance.  

Penowrap, meanwhile, is a lightweight and flexible wrap which complements other TBA Firefly flexible fire barrier systems: intended to protect steel or timber structural members up to 300mm beyond the main barrier, giving additional protection.

Simon James, marketing manager, Firefly’s said: “Firex gives us an ideal opportunity to showcase our product range to key players in the industry, including existing clients and those companies not yet familiar with the products we offer. We serve a specialist part of the passive fire protection market, offering some unique solutions, all supported by the relevant accreditations and full technical back-up.”  

IFSEC and FIREX to conduct live installer training courses

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IFSEC and FIREX International are set to host, for the first time, in-person training sessions for installers, integrators, and engineers.

These focused training sessions will ensure professionals remain on top of the latest best practices in security and fire, and secure CPD points to keep up with the growing push for competency requirements.

The ‘skills gap’ is one of the most pressing challenges in the UK’s fire and security technical installation sector at present. While not a new issue, it is one that has continued over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic – in a survey undertaken by IFSEC in 2021, 93% of installers answered CPD or professional qualifications would aid them in their work.    

Furthermore, following Dame Judith Hackitt’s report into the failings at Grenfell Tower in 2017, installer competency in fire, emergency and security systems has been put under the spotlight, with a renewed push from government and the wider industry to ensure appropriate standards of quality are met. The ECS (Electrotechnical Certification Scheme) requirements for cards in the fire and security sector in England are changing as a result, with updated requirements to achieve both the Systems Technician (also known as the Gold Card) Level 3 cards and the Level 2 Operative Card, where work can be carried out and signed off unsupervised.

In line with the push for improved competency standards and updated CPD requirements that come with the ECS changes, and to support those looking to develop their expertise, IFSEC and FIREX International will be hosting a programme of CPD-accredited in-person training sessions dedicated to the installer and integrator fire and security community.

Book your place on the available courses here

Gerry Dunphy, event director of IFSEC and FIREX International, said: “Skills and competency are now at the forefront of the security and fire safety professions, so we’re delighted to be able to introduce focused and relevant training sessions into the shows. IFSEC & FIREX Training is an important addition as visiting customers can not only view and experience the latest technology and speak to market leading vendors, they can now partake in high calibre CPD training sessions to ensure they’re keeping up with current trends, standards and innovations. It means the shows truly become fully rounded experiences for installers and engineers”.

Trevor Jenks, training manager at the SSAIB, is working with IFSEC and FIREX to ensure the training sessions are relevant and provide genuine value to attendees. Trevor adds: “I’m thrilled to be working with the IFSEC and FIREX team on this initiative. The skillset required in the industry is constantly evolving, and attending high quality training from knowledgeable trainers is more important than ever.”

What will IFSEC & FIREX Training offer?

The prospectus of available courses on offer at the event will cover a variety of key topics that were selected by installers as areas of interest in a survey undertaken by IFSEC & FIREX in 2021.

Courses will be delivered in two distinct manners, both of which were highlighted as important methods of training for fire and security installers in the same survey:

  1. Courses delivered by independent security and fire training organisations
  2. Courses delivered by manufacturers – these will be vetted by an independent consultant to ensure the quality of training is of a high standard and isn’t a ‘sales pitch’. The sessions will also look at technological innovations which meet new industry codes and standards that installers should be aware of.

Topics being covered include:

  • ECS Systems Operative – Fire, Emergency and Security Systems (FESS) by Skills for Security
  • Introduction to Fire Detection & Alarms by Fire Industry Association (FIA)
  • Cyber Security by Hikvision
  • Digital Service Masterclass by Texecom
  • Optical Fibre Overview and Fusion Splicing Workshop by Tavcom Training
  • Introduction to fire doors and fire protection in buildings by Warringtonfire


View the full agenda with further details on each session, here.

A small fee will be charged per session to encourage attendance, though heavily subsidised from the original costs as part of IFSEC and FIREX’s ongoing support in helping to address the skills gap. To ensure sessions remain focused, there are a limited number of spaces available on each. Welcome refreshments, as well as lunch vouchers for all delegates will also be included in the price.

Each course will start in the morning or around midday and last anywhere between 4-6 hours, to ensure delegates receive an appropriate level of training, while also allowing for plenty of time to speak to suppliers and catch up with likeminded professionals on the show floor. Courses will be hosted away from the show floor in the gallery suites at London’s ExCeL on the same days as IFSEC and FIREX, taking place between 17-19 May.

Crucially, all delegates will receive proof of attendance for CPD (Continuing Professional Development) records – a key requirement of the updated ECS cards renewal scheme.  

The initiative has received wide-ranging backing from across the sector, with support coming from the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), Fire Industry Association (FIA), Security Systems Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB), National Security Inspectorate (NSI), Skills for Security and the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP).