FOCUS SUSTAINABILITY
IS BIKE BEST?
From sustainable routes to work to eco delivery, can the humble bicycle play a part in
making facilities management more sustainable? Andrew Brown reports
A new campaign was launched
by the bicycle industry in early
June: #BikeIsBest. Backed by the
industry and piloted by Fusion Media it
neatly argues that riding a bicycle is good
for your mental and physical health, eases
congestion and reduces CO. It’s a win for
wellbeing and our environment. Bikes
are one of the most sustainable modes
of transport. So, it makes sense then for
a service sector that touches the lives of
almost everyone in one way or another to
get on board the bike boom. But how do
FMs get behind the bike revolution and
how can bikes improve sustainability for
the FM industry anyway?
There are two routes to how bikes
can make a positive contribution to
36 JULY 2020
sustainability in FM. The most obvious is
making it easier for people to choose to
ride a bicycle to work – because it is not as
straightforward as bike campaigners always
think.
Vaida Stankute works for boutique FM
provider Anabas as Head Concierge at one
of Anabas’s clients just o Regent Street.
She’s been cycling to work for the past three
years. “I started cycling because it was good
exercise. When you’ve got a busy job, it can
be di icult to fit in exercise. Cycling allows
me to keep fit and healthy while travelling
to work.
FACILITIES ARE KEY
“We have really good facilities in the o ice –
showers with toiletries, towels and even hair
straighteners. They do everything they can
to encourage people to run or cycle to work.
There are also great bike storage facilities
and lockers. If you don’t have that, then that
can be quite a barrier. I know people who
want to cycle but don’t because they can’t
have a shower a erwards in their building.”
End of route facilities are critical –
particularly if the idea of riding a bicycle is
going to be attractive to people other than
enthusiasts like Vaida Stankute. But finding
the space and securing it from a landlord
can be complex and expensive. There are
security issues, ease of access and design
too. It needs client commitment – from the
owner/developer and FM too.
Luc Bonnici of end of route facilities
provider Five at Hearts explains: “The