London Fire Brigade’s energy portal recognised at Energy Awards

by Featured NewsSustainability

London Fire Brigade’s sustainable energy initiatives

As reported by the London Fire Brigade, the Energy Portal, a module within the Building Energy Management System (BEMS), has been instrumental in reducing energy consumption across its 103 fire stations.

The system, controlling around 65 per cent of the Brigade’s energy usage, was introduced in January 2022.

In July 2024, it won the Building Management Low Carbon Initiative Award at the Energy Awards and was nominated for the Energy Efficient Partnership of the Year.

The Energy Portal provides an accessible and interactive platform for monitoring energy consumption, encouraging staff to reduce energy use, similar to a home smart meter.

The BEMS enables the Brigade’s Technical Assurance team to virtually manage heating and hot water systems and promptly address any issues through an alarm system.

Award-winning energy reduction achievements

Between April 2022 and March 2023, the London Fire Brigade achieved a 17 per cent reduction in energy usage, surpassing its target of 10 per cent.

Mitch Layng, Carbon and Utilities Manager, said: “We are proud to have been recognised at the Energy Awards.

“The implementation of the Energy Portal has been really successful, and we are so pleased by the response and engagement from our staff.

“Collectively, we all have a part to play in the fight against climate change.”

The Brigade’s commitment to sustainability aligns with the Mayor of London’s goal to make the city carbon net zero by 2030.

Energy savings also contribute to financial savings, allowing funds to be reinvested into services.

Carbon net zero strategy and future plans

The London Fire Brigade is developing a comprehensive carbon net zero strategy.

In 2022, it unveiled its first carbon net zero fire station in Walthamstow, featuring electric heat pumps, solar panels, and energy-efficient lighting.

By the end of 2024, five more stations are set to achieve carbon net zero status, with funding secured to decarbonise an additional 12 stations by the end of 2026.

In addition to fire stations, the Brigade’s fleet of emergency response cars is now all-electric.

The development of the first zero-emission pumping appliance is underway.

The Brigade is also introducing hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) to fuel some of its fire engines.

HVO, produced from vegetable fats and oils, reduces vehicle carbon emissions by about 90 per cent.

Warringtonfire’s Birchwood Park laboratory earns award for environmental and social value standards

by Breaking NewsSustainability

Warringtonfire Laboratory at Birchwood Park recognised with Considerate Constructors Bronze Award

Warringtonfire’s upcoming laboratory at Birchwood Park has been recognised with a Considerate Constructors Bronze Award in partnership with main contractor Tilbury Douglas.

The award recognises the efforts of construction sites, organisations, and suppliers who commit to raising environmental and community social value standards.

The Birchwood Park site, which is nearing completion, achieved a perfect 45 out of 45 score.

The site was judged on three pillars: respect for the community, care for the environment, and value for the workforce.

It received top marks in all categories and was praised for its environmental and social policies.

Warringtonfire and Tilbury Douglas implemented various measures to demonstrate the social value of the site.

These included an open doors week, hosting a Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity site presentation on mental health, and promoting health and wellbeing conversations.

The teams also made charitable donations to Warrington Youth Zone and the Trussell Trust Food Bank and purchased sanitary products for the workplace via the Hey Girls social enterprise.

Engineering workshop roller shutter
ESP stacks in west plant room
wall furnace gantry
Wall furnaces with hood support frame

Environmental initiatives and ISO 14001 accreditation

The report highly commended Warringtonfire and Tilbury Douglas for the project’s environmental pledges.

These included a Net Zero 2050 carbon reduction plan, avoiding diesel-powered plant and equipment during construction, promoting the use of HVO fuel, and planting over 50 trees.

Tilbury Douglas’ ISO 14001 accreditation, the international standard for environmental management systems, further reinforced the project’s commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.

Local students from Warrington Vale and Royal College were welcomed to the site throughout National Apprenticeship Week, with several offered future work experience placements.

Iwan Lewis, Project Manager of the site for Tilbury Douglas, said: “Investing in the next generation of construction professionals is a key priority for my team and together with Warringtonfire we have actively engaged in educational outreach activities with Warrington and Vale Royal College to address the skills shortage in the construction and fire stopping industries.”

Future plans for the Birchwood Park laboratory

The 101,000 square foot Birchwood Park site is set to be the new hub for Warringtonfire’s fire testing services.

Due to open its doors in January 2025, it will triple the company’s testing capacity.

The laboratory will have two vertical furnaces, two horizontal furnaces, and one indicative furnace ready for test specimens when it launches, with two more furnaces to be added by the end of 2026.

Phil Shaw, Managing Director at Tilbury Douglas, said: “It’s a great result and evidences the team’s inherent culture on site driving our sustainability strategy, ‘People, Planet, and Performance’, or PPP, which sets out to deliver improved social and environmental outcomes for our business, customers, and supply chain.”

Community impact and outreach

The site has had a notable impact on the local community through various outreach efforts.

Dafydd Llewelyn-Jones, Project Manager for Element Materials Technology, said: “This award recognises all the hard work put into the project, both from our team and Tilbury Douglas.

“We’re particularly proud of our social value scores, especially our outreach with the local community.

“Warrington has always been our home, so it is important that we continue to make valuable contributions to both the next generation and the environment.”

Martin Horne, Regional Director at Tilbury Douglas, said: “We are proud of the value created through our partnership, the successful outcomes achieved, and the alignment of goals and values between our organisations.”

Siemens opens new data center competence center in Chennai, India

by Featured NewsSustainability

Siemens launches new data center hub in Chennai

Siemens inaugurated a new Center of Competence for Data Centers at the Global Infocity Park in Chennai, India, as reported by Siemens.

The 6,000 square metre facility will serve as a regional innovation hub, bringing together over 200 designers, planners, engineers, and project managers.

This new centre aims to enable co-creation with partners and customers across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.

The data center market is experiencing rapid growth, with a projected Compound Annual Growth Rate of 10.9 percent from 2023 to 2030.

The APAC region alone is estimated to invest $75 billion in data centers by 2025, potentially overtaking the US as the highest investing region globally.

Focus on power solutions and sustainability

The expert team in Chennai will concentrate on developing modular and scalable power distribution and power automation solutions.

These solutions aim to reduce installation and commissioning time by up to 60 percent.

Data centers, being one of the most energy-intensive sectors, consumed an estimated 240-340 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2022, representing 1-1.3 percent of global electricity usage.

The new power solutions are crucial for enabling data centers to operate more efficiently.

By integrating real and digital worlds, Siemens seeks to enable the sustainable transformation of data center infrastructure.

This approach is aimed at creating customized solutions to meet specific customer needs and targets.

Global network of technical experts

Remco Sloothaak, Data Centers IEC Business Line Head at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, commented: “Today’s launch of our highly anticipated Center of Competence signifies the importance of the data center market for Siemens, both on a global level, and specifically in APAC.

“With this new facility, we now have a network of technical experts housed across three sites around the world, who are able to provide the very best customer support on a 24/7 basis.”

“The Chennai facility is part of a global network that enhances Siemens’ capability to provide comprehensive customer support, reinforcing their commitment to optimizing operations and sustainability goals.

Commitment to customer vision and efficiency

Ciaran Flanagan, Global Head of Data Center Solutions at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, stated: “The exponential growth in data brings both new challenges and opportunities for our customers.

“We are committed to enabling them to optimize their operations, bringing their vision to life in an efficient way and helping them to reduce both their costs alongside achieving their sustainability goals.

“The launch of our new Chennai facility is the next important milestone in that journey.”

Building services bodies collaborate on net zero and safety

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsSustainability

UK organisations join forces for net zero goals

Two of the UK’s main building services engineering organisations, BESA and CIBSE, have agreed to collaborate more closely on key initiatives, including the push for net zero in the built environment and the delivery of the Building Safety Act.

As reported by BESA, the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) will undertake a series of joint projects aimed at advancing and promoting the practice of building services engineering.

This collaboration is driven by the urgency to transform the built environment to meet decarbonisation and healthcare goals.

CIBSE chief executive Ruth Carter highlighted the importance of this collaboration: “The building services industry is in greater demand than ever as it increasingly accounts for a much larger proportion of the value of construction and facilities management projects.

“Therefore, our supply chains must be more closely aligned, and the different professions more joined up.”

Focus on building safety and air quality

The organisations will deepen their support for each other’s key events, such as national conferences, seminars, and awards, while continuing their successful collaboration on technical guidance.

They will focus on the Building Safety Act, developments related to indoor air quality (IAQ), and retrofitting existing buildings for decarbonisation and heat networks.

The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the industry and its potential to improve productivity will also be explored.

David Frise, BESA’s chief executive officer, noted: “There is now far greater awareness of the role played by the building services profession in addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges, so this is the right time to deliver a programme of joint initiatives.”

Frise also congratulated Fiona Cousins on her election as CIBSE President, praising her focus on “reimagining building performance” to tackle embodied and operational carbon and address issues linked to poor quality buildings.

Historical context and future plans

The partnership between BESA and CIBSE dates back to the founding of BESA in 1904 by engineers who were also members of CIBSE’s predecessor.

Historically, BESA represented engineering contractors, while CIBSE focused on individual engineers’ interests.

This long-standing relationship underpins their current collaborative efforts.

Upcoming joint sessions on the Building Safety Act will be held at the BESA National Conference on October 17 and at CIBSE’s Build2Perform Live event on November 13-14.

Both organisations have also produced guides to improve professional standards in building ventilation and are working to strengthen links with the healthcare profession.

BESA’s revamped NextGen Network will work closely with CIBSE’s Young Engineers’ Network (YEN) to give young building services engineers a stronger collective voice.

BESA will support this year’s CIBSE Young Engineers’ Awards for the first time and remains an active member of the CIBSE Patrons group.

Angus Fire’s fluorine-free foam guide now available for download

by Featured NewsFire SuppressionSustainability

New fluorine-free foam guide released for professional firefighters

Angus Fire Limited has released a new comprehensive fluorine-free foam guide, now available for free download.

As reported by Angus Fire Limited, the guide is tailored for professional firefighters and outlines various types of firefighting foams, application hardware, and techniques.

It aims to enhance understanding of the advantages and limitations of the diverse range of firefighting foam concentrates and hardware available, aiding informed decision-making during emergency responses.

Transitioning to fluorine-free foams: A three-step process

Angus Fire has introduced a three-step process to assist businesses in transitioning to fluorine-free foam concentrates.

This initiative aligns with new legislation and regulations concerning the use of fluorinated chemicals.

The first step, ‘Discover’, involves a pre-planning phase where Angus Fire collaborates with clients to understand their goals, budgets, and key considerations.

This includes evaluating site-specific needs such as fuel types, foam choice, equipment considerations, and Environmental, Social, or Governance policies.

Assessing current systems for compliance

The second step, ‘Assess’, entails a comprehensive review of firefighting systems.

This can be done remotely or on-site and involves auditing existing systems to ensure compliance with new environmental and regulatory standards.

Angus Fire will present a detailed report of their findings, including recommendations on supporting the transition to fluorine-free foams.

The assessment process includes evaluating hardware, operating parameters, and stored fuels to determine necessary measures for compliance when changing foam concentrates.

Implementation and support for the transition

The final step, ‘Deliver’, focuses on the implementation of the transition plan based on the assessment findings.

Angus Fire will work with clients to prioritize action points, modify existing equipment, and provide full support throughout the transition process.

Additionally, all relevant documentation will be provided to obtain approval from the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).

Promat signs up to Science-Based Targets initiative to support net zero economy

by Featured NewsSustainability

Promat joins Science-Based Targets initiative

Passive fire protection specialist Promat, part of the Etex group, has signed up to the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability.

As reported by Promat, the company aims to cut carbon emissions across its operations in support of a net zero economy, in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement.

The pledge involves developing a target-driven action plan to reduce scope 1, 2, and 3 carbon emissions.

Promat has set a target to reduce its scope 1 and 2 ‘direct’ emissions by 35 percent by 2030.

The SBTi is a global scheme established to help companies set clear, evidence-based targets to work towards a net-zero economy.

Promat’s ClearChange sustainability strategy

Promat’s commitment builds on its ClearChange sustainability strategy, which focuses on six key pillars: product design, decarbonisation, delivery and assembly, energy savings, durability, and recycling.

The company outlines its goals to lower embodied carbon in its products by using alternative energy sources, create recyclable packaging, ensure long product lifecycles, support sustainable building design, and reduce waste.

Promat’s comprehensive approach demonstrates its dedication to integrating sustainability into its core operations.

Statements from Promat’s management

Duncan Gardiner, Promat Platform Sustainability and Communications Manager, said: “Promat is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint and promoting a more circular economy by running our operations and designing products with sustainability in mind.”

He added: “While we recognise the challenges in prioritising safety and the journey to adapting to more sustainable solutions, Promat is committed to making changes to support sustainability wherever we can.”

Gardiner further emphasised the importance of decarbonisation for Promat: “Thermal processes are integral to the creation of many of our products, so decarbonisation is a key target for Promat.

“Setting clear targets to make operational changes demonstrates the company’s commitment to supporting a better future and making changes wherever we can.”

Commitment to the Science-Based Targets initiative

Signing up to the SBTi marks a key moment in Promat’s sustainability journey, furthering the efforts outlined in its Road to Sustainability 2030 strategy.

This commitment showcases Promat’s dedication to aligning its operations with global sustainability goals and achieving a net-zero economy.

Gardiner concluded: “Promat is keen to build a future that is both safe and sustainable.”

Blackline Safety achieves carbon neutrality for European operations

by Featured NewsSustainability

Blackline Safety Europe’s carbon neutrality verification

Blackline Safety has announced that its European operations have been independently verified as carbon neutral for all measured emissions during the previous fiscal year, as reported by Blackline Safety.

Certification organisation NQA was responsible for the verification against the internationally recognised standard for carbon neutrality, PAS 2060.

Blackline Safety, headquartered in Canada with offices in the UK, France, U.S., and UAE, manufactures and provides monitoring services for its connected safety wearable and area gas monitors, used by more than 2,200 organisations and protecting over 165,000 workers worldwide.

Carbon neutrality initiative

Lacey Griffin, Blackline Safety’s Quality & Compliance Co-ordinator for UK & Europe, said: “The company began the journey to carbon neutrality across our global business as part of our commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance initiatives, which have been evidenced in our annual ESG report since 2020.”

Last year, Blackline Safety Europe announced the results of its first-ever Carbon Footprint report, commissioned to track both direct and indirect carbon emissions and conducted with carbon consultants Auditel.

Griffin added: “As a result of the report and subsequent emissions reduction plan for each site, we have successfully achieved our goal and verified our status.”

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol

Blackline Safety Europe’s carbon footprint was calculated in line with the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol emission scopes.

This includes direct emissions from the combustion of gas and other fuels, emissions from the generation of purchased electricity and other energy, and emissions by third parties in connection with operational activities.

The company is now working towards gaining the new ISO 14068 Climate Change Management Standard.

Griffin explained: “Blackline Safety understands the importance of protecting the communities in which we operate and the world as a whole, and will continue to play our part in protecting the environment and providing a sustainable future for the generations to come.”

Future commitments

Griffin also stated: “Our European operations will continue to measure our carbon footprint and identify and implement emission reduction plans, while being true to our overarching company values of driving innovation, resiliency, demonstrating leadership, going the extra mile, and empowering people.”

Green and living walls: Fire and safety risks and management guide published by UK insurers

by Associations and OrganisationsConstructionFeatured NewsSafetySustainability

New guide published to manage risks of green and living walls

A new joint guide has been published by the Fire Protection Association (FPA) to address potential risks associated with green and living walls when used as external cladding.

The document, titled “Green and Living Walls as External Cladding – A Joint Guide to Managing Risk,” examines the implications of living walls on building resilience and continuity of business or services.

The guide focuses on risks related to fire, escape of water (EoW), and weather events.

According to the guide: “Many Living Walls are of a scale and location that presents no additional risk to the scenario that would warrant further consideration, but others, applied at larger scale to a building, might have the potential to exert great influence on the safety and insurability of that building – and others around it – if not properly designed and maintained.”

Collaboration and endorsement

The guide is a collaborative effort between key living wall providers and UK insurers through the FPA’s RISCAuthority research scheme.

It has received endorsements from various organisations, including Vertical Meadow, Viritopia, ABI, Biotecture, Growing Revolution, and Scotscape.

Aimed at building designers, façade engineers, architects, product suppliers, owners, insurers, fire services, and maintenance personnel, the guide is divided into two parts.

The first part is an interactive questionnaire that gathers essential information about the proposed living wall system to determine if it requires special consideration.

The second part offers background information and guidance on risk control, focusing on core principles such as engagement, testing, documentation, materials, design, upkeep, and monitoring.

Addressing potential risks

The guide suggests practical solutions for living wall systems with potential risks, helping to reduce business and property risks and assist with insurance provision.

It also highlights that living walls are just one factor insurers consider when assessing building safety and property resilience.

Challenges addressed in the guide include:

  • Combustibility of planted biomass and its dependency on irrigation and maintenance
  • Extensive use of plastics in some living wall designs
  • Complexity of creating a fire-safe design when used in rainscreen-type cladding systems
  • Lack of guidance on managing penetrations to prevent fire spread
  • Inadequate certification tests for fire challenges
  • Potential for mass fire spread over and within the building
  • Insufficient Building Regulations for property protection
  • Consideration of water and wind damage potential

Professor Jim Glockling commented on the guide: “The new risk management document, produced with exceptional collaboration between all stakeholders, sets out an agreed suite of core control principles, provides a framework for information exchange with the AHJ, and establishes methods of control so that the design may be tailored to meet the needs of all.

With some solution parameters currently unverified, the document is as much a call for further research and testing as it is a guidance document.”

Euralarm implements tree-planting initiative to combat climate change

by Featured NewsSustainability

Euralarm’s tree-planting initiative

As part of its sustainability strategy, Euralarm is planting trees worldwide to combat deforestation, fight climate change, and support local communities.

The first trees were planted in honour of several key individuals for their contributions to Euralarm over the years.

Trees were planted for Jon Könz, the outgoing President of Euralarm, Dominique Taudin, the former chairman of the Advocacy Committee, and technical manager Michael Scharnowsky in India, California (USA), and Madagascar, respectively.

Commitment to the European Green Deal

Euralarm is committed to furthering the objectives of the European Green Deal.

The organisation actively promotes sustainability measures and supports the implementation of the Digital Product Passport.

This initiative fosters transparency and sustainability across the entire product lifecycle, ensuring compliance with circular economy principles.

Euralarm’s efforts align with its dedication to environmental responsibility and sustainability.

Internal processes for a greener world

Sustainability is central to Euralarm’s internal processes.

The organisation has invested in and digitised communication tools, leading to predominantly online meetings.

Administrative processes and back-end systems have also been simplified and digitised, resulting in a paperless organisation.

These measures contribute to Euralarm’s goal of creating a “greener world.”

Task Group Environment & Sustainability

The number of European legislative initiatives related to environment and sustainability under the European Green Deal is continuously growing.

In response, Euralarm initiated the Task Group Environment & Sustainability.

This group addresses relevant legislation covering environmental sustainability topics where Euralarm can influence or where there will be an impact on its members.

The task group ensures that Euralarm remains proactive in addressing environmental challenges and regulatory requirements.

EU updates water directives to include firefighting foam pollutants

by Featured NewsFire SuppressionSustainability

Council updates list of water pollutants

As reported by the Council of the European Union, the Council has agreed on a negotiating mandate to amend the water framework directive, the groundwater directive, and the directive on environmental quality standards.

This proposal updates priority substances and environmental quality standards in surface water and groundwater.

The Council’s mandate aims to balance ambitious goals for the EU’s water policy with flexibility for member states in implementing water legislation.

It seeks to maintain a level playing field and reduce the administrative burden.

Alain Maron, Minister of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region responsible for climate change, environment, energy, and participatory democracy, stated: “Reducing pollutants and extending the monitoring to new substances, like forever chemicals or pharmaceuticals, in surface waters and groundwater is crucial in order to protect human health and our ecosystems.”

Inclusion of forever chemicals and pharmaceuticals

The proposal updates the list of water pollutants by including new pollutants and related quality standards for per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals, and pesticides.

Member states have agreed to maintain the Commission’s proposal on setting environmental quality standards for the sum of 24 PFAS in surface water.

PFAS are used in various products, including cookware, clothing, and firefighting foam.

For pharmaceuticals, the mandate includes quality standards for individual pharmaceutical products, such as painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and antibiotics.

A stepwise approach is proposed for stricter quality standards when there is evidence of the need to protect the ecosystem.

Monitoring and reporting requirements

The water framework directive requires member states to submit river basin management plans and report on the status of water bodies.

The current directive applies a one-out-all-out principle, meaning all ecological and chemical indicators must meet EU quality standards.

This principle has made it difficult to show overall progress.

To address this, member states have agreed that the Commission will set EU-level indicators to measure progress uniformly.

The negotiating mandate also includes intermediate reporting, new monitoring techniques such as remote sensing, and the possibility of setting up an EU-wide monitoring facility to assist member states.

The mandate clarifies that short-term activities without lasting consequences or pollution relocation within or between water bodies will not be considered as deterioration, provided there is no overall increase in pollution.

Groundwater pollutants and future reviews

Regarding groundwater, the mandate narrows the scope to substances identified as being of national concern and sets EU-wide values only for synthetic substances.

Member states have until 2039 to achieve good groundwater chemical status.

The mandate aligns PFAS requirements for groundwater with the drinking water directive and includes quality standards for the four most problematic PFAS.

A mandatory ‘watch list mechanism’ for groundwater, similar to the one for surface water, is introduced.

Microplastics and antimicrobial resistance genes will be included in the watch list once harmonised monitoring and evaluation standards are established.

Next steps

The Council’s agreement on the negotiating mandate allows its presidency to begin talks with the European Parliament on the final text.

The European Parliament adopted its position on 24 April 2024.