Facilities Management and Building Services News

December 21, 2020 By Karen Womack

MCS Accreditation

BSE|FM have successfully met the criteria to have received MCS certification to install Air Source Heat Pumps.

The process includes being able to offer domestic consumers (including landlords) the governments Green Home Scheme, which provides a voucher towards the costs of making homes more energy efficient.

We will be updating our website shortly with detailed specifics and information on how we can assist with making your home more energy efficient.

If you have questions one of the team will be happy to discuss them with you. Please contact us or call on 01444 390593.

October 27, 2020 By Karen Womack

Electrical Inspection Condition Report (EICR)

Whatever your electrical needs are, BSE|FM are here to help!

Our electrician was onsite to complete the Electrical Inspection Condition Report (EICR). This important document ensures electrical systems complies with BS7671 18th edition 2018 (including amendments). It will highlight: if the electrical circuits are in a good condition and safe to use; whether or not there is risk of electric shock; if any installed electrical work is defective; recommendations for the earthing within the building; the consumer unit will be inspected for its condition and is valid for 5 years.

The frequency of commercial electrical systems and installations is at least once every five years, some higher risk environments will require more frequent testing including:

Spa hotels & leisure centres – 3 years
Hospitals or clinics – 1 year

Domestic systems are slightly different. Changes to the Law for occupied rental properties were introduced by government this year. All new tenancy agreements from July 2020 are required to have an EICR carried out prior to any occupancy.

Where an existing certificate is already in place for long term tenancies the law comes into force from April 2021. The EICR document will only require renewing either after the property is vacated or if the same tenant still occupies the property another inspection will need to completed prior to the expiration date.

Where an existing certificate isn’t in place this will need to be rectified prior to April 2021.

It is recommended that for a domestic homeowner/occupier property the electrical systems are tested and inspected every 10 years. As a vendor you may be required at the point of sale to demonstrate the safety of your electrical installation, therefore it will be our recommendation to have the property inspected in-line with the guidance BS7671 guidance 3.

Check your systems now rather than suffer faults later.

Call us on 01444 390593 for a free quotation – All electrical work shall be carried out by an certified electrician – BSE|FM are National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) domestic and commercial approved contractors.

September 17, 2020 By Karen Womack

Legionella prevention

Buildings are now being occupied again following the easing of lockdown restrictions. Business owners, the self-employed and landlords have a duty of care to protect individuals by identifying and controlling risks associated with legionella.

As a result of a building closure or during the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak the property had reduced occupancy, the lack of water system use could create the occurrence of water stagnation increasing the risks of Legionnaires’ disease.

Managing the risks

To manage the risks a review of your risk assessment should be taken when a water system is being reinstated or started including some types of air conditioning units. (Note: A regularly used water system still requires the appropriate measure of maintenance to prevent legionella growth.)

The managing of specific products include:

Cooling tower and evaporative condensers – operational reviews and plans to ensure systems work should already have been reviewed and put in place
Hot and cool water systems – used infrequently can cause a build up of stagnated water and should be flushed weekly
Air conditioning units – units which generate aerosol from the source of water and not used for an extended period will need to be assessed, larger units where water can stagnate in trays are a reservoir for bacteria to grow. Some units with closed cooling systems such as small wall or ceiling mounted should not present a risk
Pools and hot tubs – existing control regimes should be maintained when in use. If not in use they should be drained, cleaned and disinfected

At BSE|FM we have competent specialists who can work with you to identify any possible issues and rectify or implement suitable controls that will need to be put in place to reduce legionella outbreaks.

If you would like advice and would like to talk to one of our team, contact us on 01444 390 593.

July 24, 2020 By Karen Womack

New facilities at Blue Orchid Hotel

Work has progressed well at the 100 Minories site and the conference facilities are now open, the barbers taking bookings with the gym and spa in the final stages!! It’s excellent to see such positive work to move the economy forward again.

BSE|FM have provided the installation of air conditioning fan coil units, ventilation, heating and refrigeration for the new development all using the most up-to-date energy efficiency ratings.

Using our knowledge and expertise, the equipment installed gives our client the very best solution required for their specific locations by installing ultra-thin ceiling concealed ducted indoor units which offer increased flexibility where low noise operation is desired. Remote controlled ceiling mounted automatic drop-down grille units that include a lowering function for easy maintenance. Indoor air quality is a priority when windows cannot be opened and the best solution was to provide a heat recovery air handling units with air filters in-line with Clean Air Strategy 2019.

For information please contact us or call 01444 390593.

For up-to-date details on the services we offer visit our website for more particulars. We offer complete Facilities Management service including Air Conditioning Service and Installation, Building Maintenance Services, to F-Gas Engineers.

May 15, 2020 By Harriet Morphew

Covid-19 Airborne Transmission Control

With airborne transmission of Covid-19 in buildings possibly amplified by building services, BSE FM are here to help you reduce the spread of Covid-19 particles in your building.

Whether you are looking to reopen your premises, or are currently open, we are here to reduce the risk of airborne transmission of Covid-19 and therefore the risk of infection to your staff, customers and visitors.

Covid-19 is a small particle of less than 1 micron that can exist in the air for up to three hours and travel long distances. Ventilation services in buildings can enable the virus to travel further, and therefore increase the risk of infection to the building occupants. The following measures outline how BSE FM can help your business.

Supply and Extract Ventilation

The current advice is to increase the supply of outside air as far is practicable. We can review your mechanical ventilation and increase its operation time to maintain fresh air to the building. Additionally, we recommend that where you have fewer staff, avoid moving the staff to a smaller space, instead keep them in a larger space to increase the proportion of fresh air per person.

Exhaust ventilation in WCs should be put into continuous operation, with negative pressure ensured to reduce the faecal-oral transmission route as recognised the the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Heat Recovery

Heat recovery devices that do not prevent cross contamination, such as rotary heat exchangers (e.g. thermal wheels), should be turned off. This will prevent coronavirus particles removed by the exhaust system reentering the building through the supply ducts.

Heat recovery equipment that does guarantee the separation of air, and therefore does not risk airborne transmission from exhaust to supply, can remain in operation.

BSE FM can assess whether or not your current heat recovery devices can remain in operation during the current climate. If taken out of operation, once the advice changes we can put your heat recovery plant back into operation.

Recirculation Systems

Like the recommendation to stop operation of heat recovery devices that do not guarantee air separation, recirculation within ventilation systems should also be avoided. Recirculation applies to both centralised plant (such as air handling units), and local plant (such as fan coil units).

BSE FM can inspect your current system and reconfigure it where necessary to reduce the risk posed to the building occupants. We can either turn off equipment, of where that is not practical, we can implement a strict cleaning schedule of the required equipment. Both routes will help reduce the risk of airborne transmission through ventilation systems in your building.