News
Senior FM manager joins team
Karen Brading has recently joined the FM team as Senior FM manager.
Karen joins the team from the Department of Public Health where she worked for five years in the Medical Sciences Division. Karen will take up the position of Senior FM manager based at Wellington Square and will be responsible for a number of buildings and central University services.
Volunteers required for Estates Services FM design philosophy group
Estates Services FM are looking for volunteers to input into a suite of design philosophy documents.
Estates Services are currently extending its suite of design philosophy documents in order to shape capital project briefs. This will include a document covering FM services. Liz Kitchener, Head of Strategic FM, is forming a working group to produce a FM philosophy. Liz has requested volunteers to form this working group to ensure that experience from delivered capital projects (ie the ‘what works’ and ‘what doesn’t work’) is captured. If you would like to participate in the group contact Liz on liz.kitchener@admin.ox.ac.uk.
Estates Services FM team arrange group membership of BIFM for University departments.
Estates Services FM have arranged Group Membership with the BIFM on behalf of the wider University.
There are number of benefits for University departments, including:
• a 25% discount on training with Quadrilect (BIFM’s training partner organisation).
• a 50% discount on BIFM membership (at all levels). To obtain this, applications can be made via: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/UniversityofOxford
For further information contact Lisa Hofen, Deputy Head of Strategic FM.
FM Helpdesk Launch
The FM Helpdesk has been operating across UAS buildings for a couple of years. The 22nd April will see it opened up to all Estates Services managed buildings, and will form part of our service to any new buildings we take on.
The helpdesk service enables the team to ensure we offer a high level of customer service and provides a one stop shop for all FM related queries. The helpdesk is provided via FM online as well as a manned desk to ensure our customers can contact us.
FM online allows the team to monitor its performance and progress of work requests.
Strategic FM team selected to be judge by BIFM for industry awards
The British Institute of Facilities (BIFM) host annual awards that aim to recognise excellence in the FM industry. Lisa Hofen, Deputy Head of Strategic Facilities Management has been selected to be on this year’s awards panel, judging the In-House Client Team of the Year Award.
The awards are designed to celebrate the increasingly strategic profile of FM by highlighting the key role it plays in the success of public and private sector organisations. Running for several years, those in the industry are able to enter a number of different awards categories covering, amongst others, excellence in customer service, FM excellence in a major project, innovation in the use of technology and systems and learning and career development.
To find out more about the awards visit http://www.bifm.org.uk/bifm/events/awards.
Meeting notes and slides from last FM forum now available
In January the FM team held its first FM forum. The forum meets quarterly and is aimed at FM and Building Managers across the University. Its objectives are to facilitate the sharing and exchange of ideas.
Paul Goffin, Director of Estates, Liz Kitchener, Head of Strategic FM and Lisa Hofen, Deputy Head of Strategic FM presented and facilitated the meeting. The meeting notes and slides are available to view here.
To register for the FM Forum contact fm@admin.ox.ac.uk
Key highlights from FM survey
In December 2012, Estates Service FM published the main points of a survey conducted amongst Heads of Departments and Department Administrators within the University. The aim of the survey was to understand issues and challenges facing FM Managers in and out of managed buildings and understand common themes and initiatives which Estate Services FM could help with.
(5,072kb)
More flexibility with new University card technology
Estates Services FM have been involved in advising on a joint initiative which has seen new proximity and magstripe technologies introduced into the University card. The new card will be more compatible with modern building access control systems. It also enables Departments to consider using the card for cashless catering, photocopying and lockers within their buildings.
The University Card is used to access buildings using ‘swipe-card’ technology which is now outdated and unsupported by many modern access control systems. There has been increasing demand over the past couple of years from Colleges and Departments for consideration to be given to introducing contactless technology on the card, because these areas are currently issuing their own cards, tokens or access fobs to comply with the requirements of their individual access systems.
The big driver for the change is the development of new buildings such as the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Phase 2 of the Said Business School and the Weston Library who will be using contactless technology. The new card will still work with swipe door readers, as it is backwards compitable with the new system and still has the bar code and the magstripe.
As of July 2012 all cards issued will follow this new technology. All staff and students with existing cards will have them replaced when their current one expires and the end of 2014, when the Weston Library opens all existing cards will have been replaced.
Think green when planning refurbishment work
When carrying out refurbishment projects, it is good practise to consider as early as possible, ways to reduce their environmental impact. Reducing environmental impact doesn’t always have to cost more. One recent example of this in practise was when Estates Services FM recently replaced over 1,500 square metres of carpet tiles at the Examination Schools. Through a Cradle to Cradle strategy implemented in conjunction with their supplier, the old floor tiles were 100% recycled into new carpets for use elsewhere at minimal extra waste cost.