Posted June 30, 2000
Clifford Chance moves to Canary
Wharf 
International law firm Clifford Chance is to leave its Aldersgate Street
home in the City for a new building in Canary Wharf. The firm will take
65,000 sq m (700,000 sq/ ft) of office and ancillary space in a new 93,000
sq/ m (1m sq ft) tower currently under construction immediately to the
south of the Jubilee Line station at Canary Wharf.
US Airways chooses Claremont for call centre
US Airways has chosen to consolidate its European reservations function
in Liverpool at Silk House Court, Tithebarn Street, Liverpool, and has
appointed Claremont Business Environments to create a dynamic, innovative
interior for around 150 reservations agents and office staff.
Try Group appoints PFI director
Try Group has confirmed the appointment of a specialist PFI director,
Jessie Hiney. Try intends to develop its role as a partner in PFI projects,
"in order to become a recognised provider of expertise and investment
in consortia bidding for PFI work."
Posted June 29, 2000
BIFM DG resigns
Sir Antony Walker, the Director General of the British Institute of Facilities
Management has resigned his post. Sir Antony is stepping down following
a short absence due to illness from which he is not yet fully recovered.
Online construction service
targets European FM market
The company behind a secure document management and workflow system for
the construction industry believes the service has clear applications
in the facilities management sector.
ISS increases RCO shareholding
As i-FM reported on 30th May, ISS is to take over RCO Holdings plc. ISS
Europe has now acquired an additional 20.3% of the shares in RCO giving
it control of 90.6% of the entire issued share capital of RCO.
Posted June 28, 2000
Healey & Baker gears up for FM
Property firm Healey & Baker is preparing to launch a 'major initiative
in facilities management' across Europe.
ARK and BWA form business association
ARK e-management Ltd (ARK), the newly formed support services company,
and Bernard Williams Associates (BWA), specialising in the financial control
and procurement of buildings and facilities services, are to establish
a business association to "offer clients a broader skill base in
consulting projects", combining building and facilities economics
with e-commerce solutions.
Influence of digital marketplaces
to increase significantly, says Andersen
The importance of digital marketplaces to a company's overall eBusiness
strategy is crucial, and their role as a means of competitive positioning
will dramatically increase over the next 12 months, according to a survey
by Arthur Andersen.
Posted June 27, 2000
Trammell Crow recognised as e-business pioneer
Trammell Crow, the renowned Texas-based real estate developer, was among
the leaders honoured in Dallas last week for contributing to the transition
of the $21 trillion plus commercial real estate industry from the old
to the new, digital economy.
New acccounting standards: negotiation
of leases 
The Accounting Standards Board (ASB) has completed its consultation on
the proposed changes to the way that leases are shown in company accounts.
BT and Andersen to create HR
e-venture
Human resources might seem the very antithesis of an e-business but a
new venture aims to give this most people-centred activity the digital
treatment.
Posted June 26, 2000
Aqumen to buy M&E specialist Bower
As trailed on i-FM two weeks ago facilities services company Aqumen, is
set to acquire an M&E installation and maintenance business.
FM Expo conference programme set
The conference programme for FM Expo 2000 (19-21 September) covers a wide
range of issues, from legislation to professional development, in 21 half-day
sessions featuring some of the best speakers in the business.
New surveys on i-FM
Two new surveys hosted on i-FM offer the chance to win prizes.
Posted June 23, 2000
Further FM success for Kier
The London Borough of Islington has selected Kier Group's Facilities Management
division as a partner for a major outsourcing contract under the Government's
'best value' programme.
MacLellan wins £1m a year contract at Inland
Revenue
Integrated service provider MacLellan International has been awarded a
second contract at the new Castle Meadow campus of the Inland Revenue.
Carillion to start work on new £800
million GCHQ project
Carillion is to begin construction work on the new Government Communications
Headquarters in Cheltenham - the largest facility to be built under the
UK's Private Finance Initiative - having concluded the financial arrangements
and signed contracts.
Posted June 22, 2000
Hays strikes e-business deal and buys supply-chain expertise
Business services company Hays has signed an agreement with US-based i2
Technologies which will enhance its e-business capability.
Real estate management on the web
Denver based software company J.D. Edwards is to launch a web-enabled
version of its Property Management tool as part of its OneWorld Xe e-commerce
solution.
Unclear internet rules could cost you your
job
Rules concerning internet access at work are not being communicated adequately
to employees and are open to misinterpretation according to new research
from CMG, the information & communications technology services group.
Posted June 21, 2000
Peregrine completes Harbinger acquisition
Peregrine Systems completed its acquisition of Harbinger Corporation last
Friday. The technology and services of Harbinger will immediately become
the core of Peregrine Systems new e-Business Connectivity Group.
Learning centres get 'big pipe'
The internet began life as a network to link academics, now almost 800
higher and further education sites across the UK are to get fast, high
bandwidth communications backed by Government investment of £50m
over three years.
City Business School to get new building
The City of London Business School has announced details of its proposed
new building, due to open in October 2002.
Posted June 20, 2000
Dalkia director moves to Johnson Controls
David Sterry, Director of FM Consultancy at Dalkia is moving to Johnson
Controls IFM UK.
Met Office takes flexible approach to relocation
A seamless transition, to the right accommodation in the right location
…. by 31 March 2003.
BT up for HR award
The shortlisted entrants for the 5th annual Human Resources Excellence
Awards have been announced.
HSC to reduce asbestos in workplace buildings
The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) is proposing to tighten up the
law to reduce the risks from the asbestos which remains in workplace buildings
throughout Britain in both the public and private sectors.
Posted June 19, 2000
Project Jaguar explained
Visitors to the CFM Pavillion at last week's World Workplace event in
Glasgow gained an insight into the massive BT facilities outsourcing initiative,
Project Jaguar.
WSP Group is flying high with aviation contracts
WSP Group is bidding for a slice of the $80bn investment in the world's
airports over the next ten years, of which $20 billion is earmarked for
Europe.
Partnership is key, says BSA
Speaking at the annual seminar of the Association for Public Excellence
last week, Norman Rose, Director-General of the Business Services Association
(BSA), focused on the importance of effective partnership between the
public and private sectors.
New PACE Contract: Provision of Services
The latest standard contract for the provision of facilities management
services is due for publication in the next few days.
Posted June 16, 2000
Change at the top for FM organisations
The World Workplace Europe event held earlier this week in Glasgow saw
new leaders announced for the three principle professional organisations
in FM, co-organisers of the conference.
HSE investigates Canary Wharf incident
As part of its on-going investigation into the fatal incident at Canary
Wharf in May, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has served an Improvement
Notice.
Posted June 15, 2000
Jarvis doubled orders last year
Jarvis plc doubled the size of its order book to £2.2bn
last year, despite a contract dispute with Railtrack and a management
restructure.
Going
green? Do it by the book…
"As part of its commitment to sustainability",
WSP Environmental, part of WSP Group plc, has helped in producing a new
handbook on the subject, which aims to provide vital guidelines to architects
and engineers when designing or refurbishing buildings.
Posted June 14, 2000
FM survives debate
Facilities management lives! This was the verdict
of yesterday's final debate at World Workplace Europe in Glasgow.
Rentokil
in £118m disposals
Business services group Rentokil Initial has made
a further step in its £600 million disposal programme with the sale
of two businesses for £118 million.
Partnerships
UK open for business
The first private finance initiative (PFI) and public
private partnership project (PPP) deals in progress under the Partnerships
UK banner was unveiled yesterday by Andrew Smith, Chief Secretary to the
Treasury and James Stewart, its Chief Executive, as the minister declared
Partnerships UK "open for business".
Posted June 13, 2000
Four
futures for FM
Facilities management is moving from a cost cutting
past to a risk averse future.
Aqumen
poised to buy technical services provider
Facilities management company Aqumen is set to announce
the acquisition of a large mechanical & electrical services provider
– one with wide geographic capability and a retail focus.
Ark
rolls out mobile office
The mobile office for the internet age became a reality
with the first public appearance of the Mobile Office, a customised and
web enabled Mercedes people mover, at World Workplace yesterday.
Office
workers need refuge, says stress expert
More and more people work in open-plan offices, but
the lack of privacy is a major source of complaint.
Trammell
Crow Savills on their way to Europe
After the appointment of President and CEO Edward
Lyons Trammell Crow Savills (TCS) says it is now set to expand into the
European outsourcing market.
Johnson
Controls launches new research project
Johnson Controls is calling on corporate real estate
managers throughout the world to take part in its first ever on-line research
project.
Posted June 12, 2000
Message of change for World Workplace
Delegates gathered at the landmark Scottish Exhibition
and Conference Centre in Glasgow yesterday for the flagship event of the
facilities management calendar.
New
IFMA chapters
The International Facility Management Association
(IFMA) presented Charters to the founders of two new Chapters at World
Workplace.
Mahoney
leaves ISS
In a surprise move, Kevin Mahoney has stepped down
as managing director of ISS UK.
Atkins
links with Royal Bank of Scotland
WS Atkins has formed a joint venture with Royal Bank
of Scotland (RBS) to provide a one-stop shop offering design, construction,
maintenance and finance packages.
RICS
launches office forecasting model
The RICS has launched an office supply
and demand forecasting model, the result of a major collaborative research
project between the RICS Research Foundation and the Corporation of London.
Posted June 9, 2000
Millennium
Bridge opens tomorrow
The construction of the first bridge across the
Thames in over a century is described as "a dream come true."
WS Atkins
retail partnership with Shell
WS Atkins has won a long-term partnership contract
with Shell to provide programme management and design services for some
3,500 retail outlets across Europe.
Free
software for water savings
AquaSpec is a new software program that
helps specifiers to choose the most appropriate water saving product -
that is, the product that will save most water at the least cost.
Posted June 8, 2000
FM
professionals converge on Glasgow
Glasgow will be the hub of the FM world this weekend
as up to 1,000 facilities management professionals gather for World Workplace
Europe, which runs until Tuesday 13th June.
Government
targets health & safety
For the first time ever, the Government has announced
targets for a reduction
in work-related deaths, ill-health and injury in Great Britain.
Posted June 7, 2000
PFI
success for Carillion
Manchester City Council has selected the G4CSG
consortium, which includes Carillion, as the preferred provider for a
new £30 million Magistrates Court facility in Manchester to be built
and operated under the Private Finance Initiative.
Pall
Mall moves into top 5 with Compass acquisition
Pall Mall Support Services has completed its acquisition
of Compass Cleaning, a deal which it says puts it in the top 5 UK cleaning
companies with over 11,000 staff and turnover doubled to £75m.
Edward
Lyons appointed CEO at Trammell Crow Savills
Trammell Crow Company and FPDSavills have appointed Edward Lyons
as president and chief executive officer of their new outsourcing joint
venture Trammell Crow Savills launched, last month.
Contract
and provider news
Murray Office Solutions has changed its name to TSK
Workplace, standing for Time, Space and Knowledge - key components of
the company’s change management, design and contracting and furniture
supply services.
Posted June 6, 2000
AMEC
Investments preferred bidder for Kent schools PFI
The Schools Partnership, an AMEC Investments / Barclays
Private Equity joint venture, has been selected by Kent County Council
as preferred bidder to design, build, finance and operate new secondary
and primary schools in Swanscombe, Kent, over a 25-year period.
Citigroup
takes rest of Canary Wharf tower
Canary Wharf Group announced ysterday that Citigroup has leased
the remaining 26,660 sq m (287,000 sq/ft) at Canary Wharf's 25 Canada
Square.
Countdown
for FM at ONS 
Building & Property Group and Haden Building Management
are the last two companies left in the race to provide FM services to
the Office of National Statistics (ONS).
Posted June 5, 2000
MacLellan
and Amey to refurbish MOD London estate
MacLellan International has been selected to provide
a broad package of environmental services to the central London estate
of the Ministry of Defence.
Media
win for TML
Pearson Business Services, part of Pearson plc - owners of the
FT, has appointed M&E specialists TML to carry out service and maintenance
of its four storey offices in Welwyn Garden City.
Birmingham's
Rotunda recommended for listing
Arts Minister Alan Howarth has announced a one month
public consultation on English Heritage's recommendation to list two distinctive
modern buildings, Christ's Hospital Theatre in Horsham, Sussex and the
Rotunda in Birmingham.
Posted June 2, 2000
Compass
moves to e-procurement in US
Food service company Compass Group will have installed
web enabled management software at 2,000 sites across the US by the middle
of next year.
Are
you ready for c-commerce?
OK, so you know all about e-commerce and you're getting up to
speed on m-commerce (mobile) but what about c-commerce?
Finance
departments must adapt or die says KPMG
Still on the e-theme, KPMG reckons that finance departments
could become sidelined if they do not adapt to the new business environment,
although it gives the beancounters 10 years to make the change.
Posted June 1, 2000
Change
at the top for Dalkia Workplace Services
The restructuring of the Dalkia Group - part of Vivendi
- continues with senior management changes set to cement the relationship
between the FM arm and other group companies.
Grubb
& Ellis chief executive resigns
Neil Young, chairman and chief executive of US-based real estate
firm Grubb & Ellis Co has resigned.
Absenteeism
falls across UK
Absence from work among non-manual employees has fallen
to the lowest levels for five years – from 7.6 days in 1998 to 6.5
days last year.
Centre for Facilities
Consultancy expands team
The Centre for Facilities Consultancy has recruited a new consultant
to its team.