i-FM News -January00 news archive

Real estate views
‘Real estate is only part of the working environment organisations require,’ and ‘The primary aim of real estate in organisations is to provide appropriate working environments for the least overall cost’.

Baker FM promotion
Baker FM, has promoted Kenneth Read to the position of Divisional Operations Director.

Amey announces outsourcing joint venture
Amey and specialist property company Arrowcroft have formally announced their outsourcing joint venture as reported on i-FM last year.

Jarvis signs PFI school contract
Jarvis has won a 25 year PFI school contract worth £96m, to build and maintain a Jews' Free School (JFS) in Kenton, NW London. The total development cost will be around £42m, including design and construction worth £35m.

BIFM Scotland conference set for Edinburgh
FM Commerce is the theme of BIFM Scotland's first conference to be held this summer at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

Had too much caffeine today?
Three cups of coffee and one cup of tea (about 350mg of caffeine) can lead to poor performance caused by concentration lapses and increased stress, according to new research.

EDS to outsource full FM in UK for first time
Johnson Controls has been awarded a five year £60m contract to provide non-core business facilities management in the UK for IT services company EDS. This is the first time EDS has outsourced its full FM services in the UK.

European energy deregulation yet to deliver real savings
If the cost of energy is your overriding consideration, then locate your facility in Belgium. According to a survey of energy supplies across Europe, Belgium has the lowest combined price for electricity and gas.

ISS acquires Belgian, Swedish and Israeli companies
SS has acquired cleaning services provider Group 4 Maintenance in Belgium, a company with 1,200 employees expecting to generate a turnover of DKK 228m (£19m).

US firms increase security to combat workplace violence
Almost a quarter of respondents to a workplace survey conducted in the US reported incidents of company property being destroyed in the last 12 months. Over 10% said that fights had occurred in the workplace and 15% reported verbal threats by employees against management.

Retailers focus on property
As property costs rise and margins tighten, retailers have been forced to look more closely at the role of property in their business.

Trammell Crow Savills makes key appointments
Global outsourcing company Trammell Crow Savills has made several strategic appointments. Keith Hamer is to be Operations Director, with responsibility for existing UK contract operations and for the ongoing development of the company’s operational base in the EMEA region.

Citex has been appointed MoD Prime Contractor
Citex has been awarded the Prime Contract by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the redevelopment of its Andover North Site in Hampshire. This is the second Prime Contract placed, Faslane in Scotland being the first.

Aukett name change heralds good year
International architecture, design and engineering group Aukett Associates plc is to change its name to Aukett Group plc from next month.

BRE seminar on monitoring and management
BRE is to run a one-day seminar bringing together national monitoring experts from a range of disciplines.

Business 'complacent' about risk management
This is 'Business Continuity Awareness Week' apparently but if you weren't aware it's not surprising since, according to a survey by the Institute of Management, UK business is "dangerously complacent about risk management."

Johnson Controls finalises Novartis contract
Johnson Controls has finalised its previously announced seven-year contract with Novartis for the delivery of integrated facility management and infrastructure services at four sites across the healthcare company's Basel, Switzerland headquarters

Jones Lang LaSalle Expands opens in Buenos Aires
Jones Lang LaSalle has strengthened its presence in South America with the opening of a new, full-service office in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Health and safety web site launches
All the information employers need to help them to comply with health and safety law plus guidance across all industries is now available online.

Record level of skill shortages in service companies
Shortages of skilled workers have reached record levels in parts of British industry, according to a survey by human resources company Reed.

ICL staff to go mobile
A dramatic increase in mobile working will help ICL to cut £20m from its property costs and reduce office space by more than a third over the next five years.

Lean Office conference
Creating the right balance between efficiency and comfort in the workspace is the central theme of this year’s Lean Office Conference (9 -10 May central London).

Romec will be part of Consignia
Romec is to become part of Consignia plc, the new name for The Post Office Group from 26 March this year.

University accommodation online
The next phase of the UK's first national on-line student accommodation
allocation and booking service has been launched by UNITE, the specialist provider of student and NHS key worker accommodation services.

Select wins regional contracts
Select Facilities Services has been awarded six regional contracts since last month, developing the company’s national network.

Women earn less than half of men’s salaries
A government survey published by the Women's Unit yesterday, shows that the weekly individual income for women is less than half that of men's. Most of this gap is accounted for by gender differences in earnings.

ISS cleaned hospital receives cash boost
Homerton Hospital in East London, cleaned by ISS Mediclean, has been chosen for health secretary Alan Milburn's announcement of a £31m cash boost for improving standards of hygiene at NHS trusts throughout the country.

New appointments
Tilbury Douglas, which acquired Building & Property in December last year, has appointed Clive Jeremy Groom to its board as an executive director with particular responsibility for the group's facilities services activities.

Small businesses encouraged to take on unemployed
The Government is to give small businesses up to £2,300 to recruit long-term unemployed people from deprived communities, education and employment secretary David Blunkett announced today.

Changes at the top of Sulzer Infra CBX
Mike Cairney has taken over at helm of infrastructure solutions company Sulzer Infra CBX. He has been appointed managing director following Bill Heath’s decision to step down.

BT Scotland opens new call centre
BT Scotland is to open a £1m call centre in Fort William which will create up to 200 new jobs in the area. The technical helpdesk is to be run by managed and outsourced network and IT solutions provider Syncordia Solutions

CBPP publishes company profiles
The Construction Best Practice Programme (CBPP) is undertaking a series of company profiles, the first focusing on Mansell. The profiles are to detail how each company has successfully improved.

Public asked for health and safety opinion
The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) held their first ever public meeting yesterday, asking the 300 guests to help decide Britain's health and safety priorities for the next three years.

Workplace diversity a priority, but are UK bosses prepared?
UK bosses will prioritise diversity and equal opportunities over the next couple of years according to a survey by the Industrial Society. However, less than half (45%) of the responding organisations have strategies in place for achieving this.

New CEO at WS Atkins
Former BAE group managing director Robin Southwell is to join WS Atkins as its chief executive in April and Michael Jeffries, who currently holds the position, is to become the chairman.

Prevent Legionnaire’s disease
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are to hold a workshop on the new guidelines for Legionnaire’s disease on Wednesday the 7th of March, at the Building Services Centre in Balham, London.

Construction procurement inefficient, says NAO
The government needs to change its procurement and management of new construction projects - worth £7.5bn a year – says the National Audit Office in its Modernising Construction report.

Amec adopts new reporting structure
Amec has adopted a new reporting format which it hopes will enhance clarity and lead to a greater understanding of its activities.

Operations key to colocation business
The colocation industry will see significant developments in the near future, with the market evolving dramatically,

EC Harris provides advice at Cyprus airports
Capital project and facilities consultancy EC Harris is to advise Larnaca and Paphos airports in Cyprus on airport operational issues, traffic forecasts, functional needs, construction requirements and costs.

News Extra
Amex outsources to Trammell Crow Savills in Europe
Trammell Crow Company has extended its partnership with American Express to cover Europe, the Middle East and Africa through Trammell Crow Savills

McDonough's incentive
Carillion chief executive John McDonough stands to receive shares worth almost £400,000 (at yesterday's closing price) under the company's long-term incentive plan.

Services to be part of BT property transfer
BT's property director Alan White has insisted that the £2bn sale of the telecoms company's portfolio is more than just a property transfer and will include a "service element", bringing it close to the much talked about 'corporate PFI' model.

Amey restructures for growth as Pilbeam resigns
Amey intends to re-structure the company in the spring to prepare for growth and development. Since 1998, the group has operated in a divisional structure and the company says that while this has been highly beneficial, the transition is now complete.

FM and PFI key to Carillion's growth
The Private Finance Initiative and facilities management are central to Carillion’s plans for growth and its future as an independent public company.

Land Securities’ acquisition of Trillium cleared by OFT
Land Securities’ acquisition of Trillium for £160m in cash and 680,000 shares in November last year has been cleared by the Office of Fair Trading.

Skanska awarded London’s largest construction project
Zurich-based reinsurer Swiss Reinsurance Company (Swiss Re), has awarded Skanska’s British subsidiary, Skanska Construction, the SEK 1.8bn (£130m) contract to construct the company’s new offices in London

Major changes to H&S law ahead
2001 will see the biggest change in health and safety enforcement - possibly since the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Unite wins Loughborough student accommodation contract
Unite Group, which provides accommodation for students and NHS 'key workers', has been selected by Loughborough University as preferred bidder for the transfer, development, refurbishment and long-term management of 1,000 student bedrooms.

C&W appoints new executive director
Joseph A. Cabrera has joined Cushman & Wakefeld as the company’s executive director.

Carillion joint venture wins contract extension worth £6m pa
Carillion Services and Bateman Healthcare have been awarded a two year extension to the original six year FM contract with the Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The non-clinical services contract is valued at an annual £6m.

BSC helps GlaxoSmithKline analyse risk at new HQ
GlaxoSmithKline, the company created by the recent merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham, has contracted BSC Consulting to deliver a series of risk workshops to the project team responsible for business critical IT facilities in the company’s new global headquarters in Brentford.

New FM documentation service
The Centre for Facilities Consultancy has created a document service to enable facilities managers to obtain standard documentation.

Morrison signs £325m FM contract
Morrison Government Services has signed a £325m ten year FM contract with North Lanarkshire District Council. A new company has been formed to carry out the work, Morrison Property Care, in which North Lanarkshire Council has a 33% stake.

Contract wins for Trident and the Corps
Trident has won a portering and security services contract at the 830-bed Southend Hospital in Essex.

Tilney Shane consults on new ICI HQ
Architecture and interior design company Tilney Shane has been working closely with ICI on a corporate real estate strategy for the relocation of its corporate centre.

Flexible workers outperform their full-time counterparts
Research released at the British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference yesterday shows that flexible working helps senior executives outperform their ‘nine to five’ colleagues.

News Extra BT plans to make £2bn from huge property transfer
BT announced today that it is in negotiations to realise the value of its UK property portfolio in what would be the biggest property transaction of its kind seen in the UK to date.

New FM annual publication
A newly published compendium provides an overview of facilities management issues as well as in-depth guidance on essential FM topics, from property strategy to workplace design.

Divergence characterises property market says CBI/Grimley survey
The property market remains strong overall but there is a growing divergence between market sectors and regions, with a strong office sector and weaker retail sector.

Survey shows overall construction activity is up
The December BuildOnline/CIPS survey of the UK construction industry was published yesterday, highlighting further growth.

Free workout in the office?
Norwegian Labour Party leader Thorbjoern Jagland believes his proposal to introduce free workouts for staff during office hours could lead to an improved working environment and reduced sick leave.

2000 a good year for the office market – but small businesses are suffering
According to the latest CB Hillier Parker Central London Office Market report, 2000 was a good year for the Central London office market and the outlook for this year is positive although supply is restricted.

ISS plans Asian expansion
ISS is to concentrate on Asia for its expansion in the immediate future according to the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

Distance learning course in FM to start
An MSc in Facilities Management is to start on the 1st of February this year at LMU in Leeds. This distance learning course consists of the equivalent of ten modules and can be taken by students anywhere world-wide.

Posted January 02, 2001

MPs warn of 'prosperity crisis' in the south
Unrestrained growth in southern England is causing a range of economic and social problems, including transport congestion, public sector recruitment difficulties and excessive housebuilding.

Office space shortage for MEPs
The decision at the Nice summit to increase the number of MEPs to 732, instead of 700 as previously agreed, is causing problems for European Parliament space planners, already struggling to accommodate the current 626 members.

IFMA appoints new European representation
The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) has contracted with Brussels-based European Association Services (EAS) to represent the Association in Europe, provide support for its members there and coordinate the annual World Workplace Europe conference.

Rockefeller Center sold for $1.85bn
The Rockefeller Center, a New York landmark, has been sold to developer Jerry I. Speyer and the billionaire Lester Crown family of Chicago.

News Archive - January 2001
Back to news archive menu
Posted January 31, 2001 Real estate views ‘Real estate is only part of the working environment organisations require,’ and ‘The primary aim of real estate in organisations is to provide appropriate working environments for the least overall cost’. Baker FM promotion Baker FM, has promoted Kenneth Read to the position of Divisional Operations Director. Posted January 30, 2001 Amey announces outsourcing joint venture Amey and specialist property company Arrowcroft have formally announced their outsourcing joint venture as reported on i-FM last year. Jarvis signs PFI school contract Jarvis has won a 25 year PFI school contract worth £96m, to build and maintain a Jews' Free School (JFS) in Kenton, NW London. The total development cost will be around £42m, including design and construction worth £35m. BIFM Scotland conference set for Edinburgh FM Commerce is the theme of BIFM Scotland's first conference to be held this summer at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. Had too much caffeine today? Three cups of coffee and one cup of tea (about 350mg of caffeine) can lead to poor performance caused by concentration lapses and increased stress, according to new research. Posted January 29, 2001 EDS to outsource full FM in UK for first time Johnson Controls has been awarded a five year £60m contract to provide non-core business facilities management in the UK for IT services company EDS. This is the first time EDS has outsourced its full FM services in the UK. European energy deregulation yet to deliver real savings If the cost of energy is your overriding consideration, then locate your facility in Belgium. According to a survey of energy supplies across Europe, Belgium has the lowest combined price for electricity and gas. ISS acquires Belgian, Swedish and Israeli companies SS has acquired cleaning services provider Group 4 Maintenance in Belgium, a company with 1,200 employees expecting to generate a turnover of DKK 228m (£19m). Posted January 26, 2001 US firms increase security to combat workplace violence Almost a quarter of respondents to a workplace survey conducted in the US reported incidents of company property being destroyed in the last 12 months. Over 10% said that fights had occurred in the workplace and 15% reported verbal threats by employees against management. Retailers focus on property As property costs rise and margins tighten, retailers have been forced to look more closely at the role of property in their business. Trammell Crow Savills makes key appointments Global outsourcing company Trammell Crow Savills has made several strategic appointments. Keith Hamer is to be Operations Director, with responsibility for existing UK contract operations and for the ongoing development of the company’s operational base in the EMEA region. Posted January 25, 2001 Citex has been appointed MoD Prime Contractor Citex has been awarded the Prime Contract by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the redevelopment of its Andover North Site in Hampshire. This is the second Prime Contract placed, Faslane in Scotland being the first. Aukett name change heralds good year International architecture, design and engineering group Aukett Associates plc is to change its name to Aukett Group plc from next month. BRE seminar on monitoring and management BRE is to run a one-day seminar bringing together national monitoring experts from a range of disciplines. Posted January 24, 2001 Business 'complacent' about risk management This is 'Business Continuity Awareness Week' apparently but if you weren't aware it's not surprising since, according to a survey by the Institute of Management, UK business is "dangerously complacent about risk management." Johnson Controls finalises Novartis contract Johnson Controls has finalised its previously announced seven-year contract with Novartis for the delivery of integrated facility management and infrastructure services at four sites across the healthcare company's Basel, Switzerland headquarters Jones Lang LaSalle Expands opens in Buenos Aires Jones Lang LaSalle has strengthened its presence in South America with the opening of a new, full-service office in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Posted January 23, 2001 Tilbury Douglas preferred bidder for £80m PFI contract A consortium led by Tilbury Douglas has been named preferred bidder for the Hattersley Schools PFI contract for Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council, Health and safety web site launches All the information employers need to help them to comply with health and safety law plus guidance across all industries is now available online. Record level of skill shortages in service companies Shortages of skilled workers have reached record levels in parts of British industry, according to a survey by human resources company Reed. Posted January 22, 2001 ICL staff to go mobile A dramatic increase in mobile working will help ICL to cut £20m from its property costs and reduce office space by more than a third over the next five years. Lean Office conference Creating the right balance between efficiency and comfort in the workspace is the central theme of this year’s Lean Office Conference (9 -10 May central London). Romec will be part of Consignia Romec is to become part of Consignia plc, the new name for The Post Office Group from 26 March this year. University accommodation online The next phase of the UK's first national on-line student accommodation allocation and booking service has been launched by UNITE, the specialist provider of student and NHS key worker accommodation services. Posted January 19, 2001 Government to spend £4bn on rebuilding and refurbishing 650 schools Education and employment secretary David Blunkett yesterday announced that 650 schools are to be either completely rebuilt or refurbished over the next three years in a £4bn modernisation programme Select wins regional contracts Select Facilities Services has been awarded six regional contracts since last month, developing the company’s national network. Women earn less than half of men’s salaries A government survey published by the Women's Unit yesterday, shows that the weekly individual income for women is less than half that of men's. Most of this gap is accounted for by gender differences in earnings. Posted January 18, 2001 ISS cleaned hospital receives cash boost Homerton Hospital in East London, cleaned by ISS Mediclean, has been chosen for health secretary Alan Milburn's announcement of a £31m cash boost for improving standards of hygiene at NHS trusts throughout the country. New appointments Tilbury Douglas, which acquired Building & Property in December last year, has appointed Clive Jeremy Groom to its board as an executive director with particular responsibility for the group's facilities services activities. Small businesses encouraged to take on unemployed The Government is to give small businesses up to £2,300 to recruit long-term unemployed people from deprived communities, education and employment secretary David Blunkett announced today. Posted January 17, 2001 Changes at the top of Sulzer Infra CBX Mike Cairney has taken over at helm of infrastructure solutions company Sulzer Infra CBX. He has been appointed managing director following Bill Heath’s decision to step down. BT Scotland opens new call centre BT Scotland is to open a £1m call centre in Fort William which will create up to 200 new jobs in the area. The technical helpdesk is to be run by managed and outsourced network and IT solutions provider Syncordia Solutions CBPP publishes company profiles The Construction Best Practice Programme (CBPP) is undertaking a series of company profiles, the first focusing on Mansell. The profiles are to detail how each company has successfully improved. Posted January 16, 2001 Public asked for health and safety opinion The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) held their first ever public meeting yesterday, asking the 300 guests to help decide Britain's health and safety priorities for the next three years. Cut-backs in hospitals have hit maintenance contractors, says BSA The low standard of cleanliness in UK hospitals was recently confirmed by statistics which showed that 30% of hospitals were well below the desired Quality Control Standards. Posted January 15, 2001 Eurica MD is first RICS FM chairman Eurica’s managing director Fred Guscott has been made the first chairman of the RICS FM faculty. Workplace diversity a priority, but are UK bosses prepared? UK bosses will prioritise diversity and equal opportunities over the next couple of years according to a survey by the Industrial Society. However, less than half (45%) of the responding organisations have strategies in place for achieving this. New CEO at WS Atkins Former BAE group managing director Robin Southwell is to join WS Atkins as its chief executive in April and Michael Jeffries, who currently holds the position, is to become the chairman. Prevent Legionnaire’s disease The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are to hold a workshop on the new guidelines for Legionnaire’s disease on Wednesday the 7th of March, at the Building Services Centre in Balham, London. Posted January 12, 2001 Amex outsources to Trammell Crow Savills in Europe Trammell Crow Company has extended its partnership with American Express to cover Europe, the Middle East and Africa through Trammell Crow Savills Construction procurement inefficient, says NAO The government needs to change its procurement and management of new construction projects - worth £7.5bn a year – says the National Audit Office in its Modernising Construction report. Amec adopts new reporting structure Amec has adopted a new reporting format which it hopes will enhance clarity and lead to a greater understanding of its activities. Operations key to colocation business The colocation industry will see significant developments in the near future, with the market evolving dramatically, EC Harris provides advice at Cyprus airports Capital project and facilities consultancy EC Harris is to advise Larnaca and Paphos airports in Cyprus on airport operational issues, traffic forecasts, functional needs, construction requirements and costs. Posted January 11, 2001 News Extra Amex outsources to Trammell Crow Savills in Europe Trammell Crow Company has extended its partnership with American Express to cover Europe, the Middle East and Africa through Trammell Crow Savills McDonough's incentive Carillion chief executive John McDonough stands to receive shares worth almost £400,000 (at yesterday's closing price) under the company's long-term incentive plan. Services to be part of BT property transfer BT's property director Alan White has insisted that the £2bn sale of the telecoms company's portfolio is more than just a property transfer and will include a "service element", bringing it close to the much talked about 'corporate PFI' model. Posted January 10, 2001 Amey restructures for growth as Pilbeam resigns Amey intends to re-structure the company in the spring to prepare for growth and development. Since 1998, the group has operated in a divisional structure and the company says that while this has been highly beneficial, the transition is now complete. FM and PFI key to Carillion's growth The Private Finance Initiative and facilities management are central to Carillion’s plans for growth and its future as an independent public company. Land Securities’ acquisition of Trillium cleared by OFT Land Securities’ acquisition of Trillium for £160m in cash and 680,000 shares in November last year has been cleared by the Office of Fair Trading. Posted January 09, 2001 Rentokil Initial to sell Initial Personnel Services for £23.5m Rentokil Initial is to sell Initial Personnel Services Ltd, its UK personnel services business, for £23.5m to Ingleby (1367) Ltd, an acquisition company backed by Bridgepoint Capital Ltd. Skanska awarded London’s largest construction project Zurich-based reinsurer Swiss Reinsurance Company (Swiss Re), has awarded Skanska’s British subsidiary, Skanska Construction, the SEK 1.8bn (£130m) contract to construct the company’s new offices in London Major changes to H&S law ahead 2001 will see the biggest change in health and safety enforcement - possibly since the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Unite wins Loughborough student accommodation contract Unite Group, which provides accommodation for students and NHS 'key workers', has been selected by Loughborough University as preferred bidder for the transfer, development, refurbishment and long-term management of 1,000 student bedrooms. C&W appoints new executive director Joseph A. Cabrera has joined Cushman & Wakefeld as the company’s executive director. Posted January 08, 2001 Carillion joint venture wins contract extension worth £6m pa Carillion Services and Bateman Healthcare have been awarded a two year extension to the original six year FM contract with the Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The non-clinical services contract is valued at an annual £6m. BSC helps GlaxoSmithKline analyse risk at new HQ GlaxoSmithKline, the company created by the recent merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham, has contracted BSC Consulting to deliver a series of risk workshops to the project team responsible for business critical IT facilities in the company’s new global headquarters in Brentford. New FM documentation service The Centre for Facilities Consultancy has created a document service to enable facilities managers to obtain standard documentation. Posted January 05, 2001 Morrison signs £325m FM contract Morrison Government Services has signed a £325m ten year FM contract with North Lanarkshire District Council. A new company has been formed to carry out the work, Morrison Property Care, in which North Lanarkshire Council has a 33% stake. Contract wins for Trident and the Corps Trident has won a portering and security services contract at the 830-bed Southend Hospital in Essex. Tilney Shane consults on new ICI HQ Architecture and interior design company Tilney Shane has been working closely with ICI on a corporate real estate strategy for the relocation of its corporate centre. Flexible workers outperform their full-time counterparts Research released at the British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference yesterday shows that flexible working helps senior executives outperform their ‘nine to five’ colleagues. Posted January 04, 2001 News Extra BT plans to make £2bn from huge property transfer BT announced today that it is in negotiations to realise the value of its UK property portfolio in what would be the biggest property transaction of its kind seen in the UK to date. New FM annual publication A newly published compendium provides an overview of facilities management issues as well as in-depth guidance on essential FM topics, from property strategy to workplace design. Divergence characterises property market says CBI/Grimley survey The property market remains strong overall but there is a growing divergence between market sectors and regions, with a strong office sector and weaker retail sector. Survey shows overall construction activity is up The December BuildOnline/CIPS survey of the UK construction industry was published yesterday, highlighting further growth. Free workout in the office? Norwegian Labour Party leader Thorbjoern Jagland believes his proposal to introduce free workouts for staff during office hours could lead to an improved working environment and reduced sick leave. Posted January 03, 2001 2000 a good year for the office market – but small businesses are suffering According to the latest CB Hillier Parker Central London Office Market report, 2000 was a good year for the Central London office market and the outlook for this year is positive although supply is restricted. ISS plans Asian expansion ISS is to concentrate on Asia for its expansion in the immediate future according to the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. Distance learning course in FM to start An MSc in Facilities Management is to start on the 1st of February this year at LMU in Leeds. This distance learning course consists of the equivalent of ten modules and can be taken by students anywhere world-wide. Posted January 02, 2001 MPs warn of 'prosperity crisis' in the south Unrestrained growth in southern England is causing a range of economic and social problems, including transport congestion, public sector recruitment difficulties and excessive housebuilding. Office space shortage for MEPs The decision at the Nice summit to increase the number of MEPs to 732, instead of 700 as previously agreed, is causing problems for European Parliament space planners, already struggling to accommodate the current 626 members. IFMA appoints new European representation The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) has contracted with Brussels-based European Association Services (EAS) to represent the Association in Europe, provide support for its members there and coordinate the annual World Workplace Europe conference. Rockefeller Center sold for $1.85bn The Rockefeller Center, a New York landmark, has been sold to developer Jerry I. Speyer and the billionaire Lester Crown family of Chicago.