Best of Show

Pressac is coming to the Facilities Show with its latest IoT solutions. Says Director of Sales, Mark Lawrance: “Firstly, we want to show organisations how they can tackle the challenges faced by the FM sector, with improving building efficiency being the toughest one.

“We know that in Europe 75 per cent of buildings are classed as inefficient. and non-residential buildings use on average 40 per cent more energy. We’ve seen campaigns on social media where large, modern-looking buildings are consistently left overnight with lights on. This is a perfect example of the major issue of around a third of energy used by buildings being wasted. Just think how addressing this issue will support your Scope1 emissions strategy.

“While we support the FM in embarking on the long-term net zero economy transition, there are also several quick wins that can help companies cope with the current increased energy prices and provide in-depth data that is instrumental in supporting the development and implementation of a smart energy management strategy.

“It’s a well-known fact that IoT forms the foundation of any intelligent building system. Having access to accurate, reliable data provides the business intelligence necessary to develop and implement building management and FM service strategies. With real-time data, KPI’s can be measured, service levels achieved and operational challenges addressed.

“Visitors can find a selection of Environmental Monitoring sensors deployed at the Vanti’s Smart Buildings Immersive Space. Last year they delivered a true technological feast that worked, this year the bar is set even higher. We have also invited special guests from the software side of IoT for those visitors looking for a complete solution that includes software.

“The IoT team are looking forward to networking and seeing what other exhibitors have in store, while Chris Green, one of our product gurus, will be hunting for all the technical newness. We always encourage our staff to come for a day and explore. Everybody finds something different. There are even some of our devices installed in ExCeL itself and we’re eager to see them in action.

“Edison once said that ‘There’s a way to do it better. Find it’. There is always innovation showcased during the event and it’s great to come and discover it whilst meeting the people who stand behind it.”

Paul Bullard, SFG20 Product Director says: “Building owners have been subjected to an unprecedented onslaught of new regulations recently. New Fire Safety (England) Regulations came into force at the start of the year, bringing in tough new legal requirements for anyone responsible for fire safety in high-rise residential buildings (HRRBs).

“Last year, we saw the unveiling of the historic Building Safety Act, which has been described as the biggest change to safety culture since the second world war, and there were some significant updates to the Building Regulations.

“All of this can seem a bit daunting to facilities managers, so SFG20 will be taking the opportunity to demonstrate how our digital system can ease the pressure. The team behind SFG20 continually updates our service and maintenance schedules to ensure anyone using our system to manage their building remains on top of legislative changes and on the right side of the law.

“Managing risk is a key part of what SFG20 offers, but it is not just about staying legal and reducing safety hazards. We also offer a route to managing financial risk at this time of rising costs across the board by closely mapping an individual building’s maintenance requirements to resources. This helps FMs to target spending where it will do the most good and avoid over or under-maintaining their assets. We will be demonstrating our e-guides and checklists that cover the challenges facing maintenance professionals today.

“There has been a noticeable rise in enthusiasm for spending time at ‘in person’ events since the pandemic, but I also think people are using their time more wisely now. This means they are looking to get more tangible and specific benefits from visiting exhibitions and conferences. We expect to see a lot of visitors coming along with detailed and searching questions – particularly when it comes to managing assets in a cost-effective way.

“This is a great opportunity to exchange knowledge with a broad cross-section of the industry, but also to share problems and potential solutions. Times are tough right now so it is very helpful to be able to talk to people who are going through similar experiences – and motivating if we can share possible solutions and learn from each other. Having this in a ‘social’ setting is almost as good as professional counselling!”

Hazel Bedson, Marketing and Operations Director explains: “Service Works Global (SWG) is excited to return to the Facilities Show in 2023 to showcase QFM, its market leading CAFM and Space Management software, along with QFM BIMi, its innovative solution for leveraging BIM (Building Information Modelling) data within operational facilities and estates management.

“Over the last 12 months, significant enhancements to the products have been made including a fully integrated work permits solution, an improved user interface for the QFM BIMi product, and increased focus and integration with smart buildings and IoT technology. Enhancements have been driven by our in-house product team alongside our existing network of clients, particularly within the healthcare, higher education and service provider market sectors.

“On the stand this year we will be delivering a series of live demonstrations highlighting the benefits FMs can leverage through CAFM, BIM and Space Management software such as ensuring compliance, maintaining standards and driving efficiencies for estates.

“It’s hard to ignore the value of face-to-face events, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no better convergence of FM technology in the UK than at the Facilities Show, both from the speaker selection to the demonstrable technology available. FM professionals will benefit from viewing live demonstrations of technology and learning how they can move their estates forward in the post-pandemic world, whether that’s becoming more sustainable, efficient or streamlined.

“We are looking forward to meeting new people within the industry and catching up with existing customers and partners. It’s very rare you get so many FM professionals in one place so the opportunity to meet and network with peers is very important. Co-located events, such as Digital Construction Week, also offer great opportunities to gain insight into the latest building technologies and trends.”