In 2010 a Devon school picked up an award for its outstanding commitment to reducing energy costs across its facilities.

The school saves £20,000 per year on electricity bills, promoting energy saving behaviours amongst staff and pupils alike. Light replacement using LED lights, the use of solar energy as well as hydro and biomass technologies are at the forefront of the school’s commitment to the reduction of energy costs.

As a flag bearer for energy saving initiatives, the school has also helped to engage other local primary schools and the wider local community in energy saving projects by encouraging energy reduction surveys that can help identify areas of energy wastages and propose solutions to those issues.

It is not just in the adoption of new technologies that can help save energy in schools that reaps benefits; it also the role of educating young people as to their role in becoming more energy aware. The school appointed pupils to oversee and monitor energy use, with personal pledges to reduce carbon footprints displayed in the school hall to engender a community feel to the initiative.

The environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy even runs an Eco-Schools programme that is aimed at engaging schools throughout the country to commit to a seven-step process to address environmental issues. Some 70% of schools throughout the UK are currently involved with the programme.

What role can energy providers play in linking up with schools and pupils and help Britain become greener?

Gary Brandwood, Sales & Marketing Director of Renewables 4 Business told us ‘The educational sector has a responsibility to lead the way in energy efficiency and renewable energy, as they are custodians of our next generation of entrepreneurs and business owners. If schools don’t demonstrate a commitment to ‘do their bit’ to tackle climate change, their pupils may also fail to engage with the issue.’

She continued, ‘Many schools are now looking to take action, as year on year energy cost rises are hugely impacting their budgets. I’ve been involved with helping schools by installing Solar PV, Voltage Optimisation and Biomass Boiler technologies which have all had a hugely positive impact on the schools and we’ve also gone on to participate in their related educational programmes relating to the installations’

Renewables 4 Business are energy reduction and generation specialists who also offer a wide range of additional energy saving systems for all your energy reduction or generation needs.

If you are interested in a no-cost initial site survey, please contact Renewables 4 Business on 01925 764586.

You don’t have to be an environmentalist to appreciate plants. Most of us know that being close to greenery makes us feel at one with our surroundings. Plants offer tranquillity and there is a feeling of less stress, Buildings feel quieter and relaxed.

Why plants? The obvious answer is because they are attractive, but research has shown they are good for the buildings. Plants have been used for many years to reduce traffic noise from busy roads. Current Research now shows that plants can also help to reduce background noise levels inside buildings. The effect of this will not only cut down on hearing employees but also it helps the employee to get their work done on time.

Some plant species are more effective than others. Tests carried out in the early 1990s suggested that interior plants can absorb, diffract or reflect background noise in buildings, thereby making the environment more comfortable for the occupants. The effect appears to be dependent on plant type, planting density, location and sound frequency.

To investigate the potential acoustic benefits of interior plants in more detail, further research was carried out by a post-graduate student, Peter Costa, at South Bank University, London.

Plant expert Butch Deedman owner of Deedman Tropical Plants said: “Plants absorb, diffract and reflect sound. The balance varies with the frequency at which the sound is generated and the room’s physical properties. The type of plant, its size, shape, the container, top dressings and the compost all have an effect on the sound reduction capabilities of plant displays.”

Species selection and positioning are crucial to achieve these effects.

Absorption

Plants alter room acoustics by reducing the reverberation time. Plants work better in acoustically live spaces, such as those that have hard surfaces like marble walls, exposed concrete and stone floors. The impact of plants is less likely to be noticeable in an acoustically quiet space, containing soft furnishings, carpets, heavy curtains or well upholstered chairs, which have a much greater capacity to absorb sound.

The principles that apply to the placement of noise reducing furnishings can also be applied to the use of plants.

Large plant containers

Bigger plant containers contain more compost and have a greater area of top dressing. Both of these have a significant effect on noise reduction, so it follows that they make a larger impact on the room acoustics. Experiments have shown that arrangements of different plants in groups appear to work better than individual plants.

Several small arrangements are better than one big one

Positioning several arrangements around a space works better than concentrating the plants in one location. In this way the surface area of the plants exposed to noise may be maximized and individual work areas in an office space will all benefit from a localised effect.

Edges and corners are better than the centre

Plants placed near the edges and corners of a space are better than plants in the middle. This is because sound is reflected from the walls straight into the foliage.

Consider using screen plants instead of office partitions

Open-plan offices are often very noisy places. The hum of computers, the ringing of telephones and the buzz of conversation all make for a surprisingly noisy environment. Often these spaces are divided up with partitions or ranks of filing cabinets.

Plant screens are an effective alternative. The tops of filing cabinets can also be used to place plants. Small bushy plants in narrow troughs take up little space, but they can still be effective.

For further information on reducing noise in your workplace, then you can contact Butch Deedman at Deedman Tropical Plant Specialists by phone 01204 577000 or email enquiries@deedman.co.uk

After public consultation, Trafford Council has approved an application for Trafford Park to be designated as Greater Manchester’s first Business Neighbourhood Area.

The area is identified as a Business Neighbourhood Plan frontrunner under the provisions of the governments Neighbourhood Planning proposals that were introduced through the Localism Act.

Planning consultant and Director of Summit Planning Associates, Amanda Olley, has spoken to Property Aspects before about Localism, Neighbourhood Plans and the key issues surrounding the plan-led system.

She told us: “This is great news for the business community within Trafford Park. It should help ensure the area’s continued future growth and attract further investment into the area. The Management Board for the Business Neighbourhood Area includes representatives from major players who have a long standing reputation and commitment to the prosperity of Trafford and Manchester as a whole and its standing at a regional, national and international level.”

“To date, most of the press relating to the implementation of Neighbourhood Planning proposals has centred on local residential communities wanting to have a hand in shaping development proposals in their areas. This has led to wide speculation that it will result in increased instances of NIMBYism that will further stifle development and economic growth.”

“The designation of Business Neighbourhood Areas, with the principle aim of enhancing the growth of existing business communities and attracting further investment should hopefully foster greater confidence in this process. I will be watching the development of the Trafford Park Business Neighbourhood Plan with keen interest.”

Property Aspects Magazine appreciates the contribution to this article from Amanda Olley at Summit Planning Associates.

For further information, contact Summit Planning Associates via Tel: 01625 801800, E-Mail: amandaolley@summitassociates.co.uk or Website: www.summitassociates.co.uk

Bart O’Sullivan industry expert from Ennis Construction explains how a new tool is making sites safer.

Bart talked to Property Aspects Magazine about a new pipe lifter and how it is revolutionary for the construction industry.

As one of the most environmentally friendly and competitive materials, it is little wonder that concrete pipelines have been the top choice for contractors for over a century. However the handling of them can take up a number of workers’ time and has been a major contributor to accidents on site.

“Traditionally when off loading a concrete pipe, a contractor would need to stand on the bed of the vehicle, and this is when accidents and injuries can occur.,” explains Bart.

“However, the Concrete Pipeline Systems Association (CPSA), has a new Pipe Lifter which removes the need for anyone to stand on the bed of the vehicle or for anyone to stand in the trench during jointing.”

“What’s more is that it dramatically reduces the installation time by 50% – giving companies a significant cost saving. We have found that this tool is revolutionary for the industry. It is simple, requires no hydraulic links or additional energy requirements on site.”

Ennis Construction and Ennis Construction Airports have worked with Blue Chip Construction Companies, Local Authorities and Private Developers over the past forty years. For more information about availability of plant and machinery, contact info@ennisconstruction.co.uk

The judge The Honourable Mr Justice Sales has ruled that the transmitter box used by the Public Safety Charitable Trust (PSCT) does not meet the requirements to be given charitable relief.

He has deemed that the premises that has the transmitter box installed does not use the property for wholly or mainly charitable purposes. Taking a “common sense approach” the judge has dismissed arguments from the PSCT.

This is a stunning win for local authorities who have now effectively ruled out charitable occupation as a strategy for mitigation tactics. The PSCT have over 1000 leases where they are claiming relief. The landlords of these premises may now need to find an alternative way to reduce their liability.

This is far from the first time that the courts have been asked to rule on people trying to reduce the rates liability on empty commercial property. Another case in December 2012 saw Principled Offsite Logistics and their solution brought before the courts.

Ironically Principled were frank and honest and stated that they had a business model designed to mitigate business rates. The court agreed and Principled WON an absolute judgement in support of their solution.

The PSCT case, which was funded by central government, has proven that owners do have options, however this latest ruling against yet another charity would appear to be limiting them somewhat.

Robert Hinton Principled’s Regional Director in the North West explains “We have a solution that works in office and industrial space, however we feel that (in retail terms) a charity shop is far better than an empty shop. We would be happy to work with any charity that has a genuine need for space.”

Principled Offsite Logistics is the UKs market leader in the fast-growing field of offsite logistics. We help property owners across the UK to manage empty space cost effectively as possible, by using that space for short term storage. For more information, contact Robert Hinton on 07557390227 or e-mail Robert.hinton@principled.uk.com

In the news, which is likely to delight European manufacturers of solar panel component parts, the European Commission has proposed a tariff of around 47% be imposed on the import of cheap solar panels, mostly streaming into the Eurozone from China.

Benefiting from China’s heavily state subsidised solar panel industry, EU manufacturers estimate Chinese control of the market stands at 80%, and measures must be put into place in order to protect the EU’s own manufacturing industry.

However, many solar installation firms remain wary that levying against imports will push component prices up, threatening the stability of the market place and putting pressure on firms who have used Chinese products in the past. A report by Swiss analysts Prognos estimates that any levies could cost the European solar industry upwards of 27billion euros.

Britain’s position is to continue lobbying against measures that it considers constitute protectionism and hurt the competitiveness of the solar panel market in the UK. The fear is that the UK will be the hardest hit of any EU member forced to consider new levies against imported component parts, with the costs of solar installation set to rise as a result. More than 80% of solar installed in the UK comes from China with domestic suppliers struggling to fill the shortfall.

The UK Solar Trade Association has already spoken out against moves that would restrict free trade and the growth of the solar market, with a particular area of concern being the effect on ground-mounted solar PV (Photo-Volatic) units.

So just what are the concerns to installation companies?

David Hulme, MD of Renewables 4 Business gave us his thoughts;

‘We made a commercial decision some time ago to only install solar panels manufactured by non-Chinese companies as we had concerns over product quality, longevity, warranties and their performance. Our decision has been vindicated by the recent issue, however the net effect has been a rise in product prices across the UK. When businesses install Solar PV systems, either roof or ground mounted, they want peace of mind to know the products of a very high quality and they’ll last for 25 years minimum so that’s what we help them to achieve.’

Renewables 4 Business are Commerical Solar PV specialists who also offer a wide range of additional energy saving systems for all your energy reduction or generation needs.

If you are interested in learning how Solar PV can be of benefit to your buisness, please contact Renewables 4 Business on 01925 764586.

As summer in Britain approaches, the yearly exodus away from the office looms large, as employers and employees alike prepare to take their holidays. However in this time business doesn’t stop, and a company’s smooth management and running throughout this period remains paramount.

After speaking to Property Aspects recently about what employers can do to manage staff holidays, Charlotte Gallagher, founder and managing director of P3 People Management, is back to discuss how employees can better manage their workload around holidays, and help keep the business running smoothly.

“The peak holiday season is fast approaching and employers are no doubt dreading the chaos that can occur when the office is operating with a near skeletal staff; tasks left undone, mail boxes overflowing, endless handover notes, and then the looming first day back when you’re faced with 600 urgent emails to answer. However, P3 is a strong advocate of the ‘holiday countdown’ plan that’s designed to, with a little careful planning and organisation, ensure that the last day in the office is relatively stress-free and the first day back is a breeze.”

“3 weeks to go. The trick is to plan ahead – you should email your employees to remind them that you’re going away. It might be on the office notice board but it may not have registered. Remind them not to book appointments for you and plan in time with them before you go when they can go through any issues they think may arise in your absence. Next, ensure that your diary is kept free for the day that you return as you’ll need the entire day to catch up on emails and to update with the team.”

“2 weeks to go. Follow up with clients on any ongoing project work to advise the dates that you’re away, and have a meeting with your team for each project you are working on to ensure that everyone knows the status of each task. This is also the time to list everything that needs to get done before you leave. Also make a note to review your first week back so that any preparation work can be done.”

“1 week to go. No doubt you’re getting excited, but at this stage you need to list anything that needs covering when you’re away and email it to the team so you have time to discuss and iron out any queries.”

“1 day to go. Remind everyone in the team that you are off from tomorrow and set up your out of office facility. Activate your mobile answer phone and leave your desk clear with a folder for post and messages to ensure that you arrive back to an organised desk. Once that’s done, the only task that’s left to do is to pack your suitcase and passport – happy holidays!”

I’ve actually trialled this system, and in the past the team have sometimes literally forced me into the taxi to the airport, but now everything is in order. I leave the office calm and serene and return to a tidy desk and a manageable workload.”

P3’s team of HR consultants boast a collective experience of over 55 years. Property Aspects appreciates the contribution of their Founder and Managing Director Charlotte Gallagher.

For more tips on managing staff holidays as an employee or employer, call 0161 941 2426 or email charlotte@p3pm.co.uk

Have you ever felt a noticeable change in the frequency or severity of allergies, illnesses or just feel hindered by a constant malaise? It could be the result of something called ‘Sick Building Syndrome,’ which is triggered by poor indoor air quality. Volatile organic compounds, molds and a lack of proper ventilation can all contaminate indoor air and endanger your health.

Office buildings with large floor areas and deep plans (e.g. low and wide buildings) are seldom ‘green’ buildings as they can be difficult to ventilate naturally and there is limited access to natural light and views.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has conducted numerous studies over the past 25 years that have identified 107 known carcinogens in modern offices.

Some of the more commonly reported symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome are:

• Headache
• Eye, nose and throat irritation
• Fatigue
• Respiratory illness
• Dizziness and nausea

Studies have shown that health complaints at work and symptoms associated with Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) can be dramatically reduced by the addition of good plant displays.

Plant expert Butch Deedman owner of Deedman Plants said: “Good interior landscaping can give people access to an indoor garden or views of vegetation, especially if there is an atrium or other large space, and the combination of plants and artificial daylight can help overcome the problems of lack of access to natural daylight.”

NASA have also been studying which plants can remove and filter volatile organic compounds and other carcinogenic materials from the air.

Some common pollutants are formaldehyde, which is used in pressed wood furniture, xylene, which is found in varnishes paints and benzene, which is found in rubber, detergents, lubricants, dyes, and pesticides.

Formaldehyde, just one of the many pollutants is picked up by the following plants.

• Spathyphillium
• Ivy
• Bromeliads
• Dracaena Marginarta
• Ficus Benjamina
• Philodendron
• Nephrolepsis
• Sanserviaria

For further information on Sick Building Syndrome, then you can contact Butch Deedman at Deedman Tropical Plant Specialists by phone 01204 577000 or email enquiries@deedman.co.uk

Businesses across the UK are falling victim to telephone fraud and PBX hacking, which is estimated to cost companies £1bn a year; and it’s on the increase.

Fraudsters exploit loopholes in business telephone systems to rack up call charges, leaving unsuspecting companies liable for bills that can run into thousands of pounds. Once criminals have accessed a telephone network, they have been typically known to make international or premium rate calls (09 numbers) at £1.50 per minute. This activity can go undetected for many days or even weeks. Most importantly, because all the calls have been made using a company’s telephone lines, the business is liable and has to pay the bill.

Ian Hilton, director of Lancashire-based telecoms company Tech Advance, has been speaking to Property Aspects about the issue, and what can be done to protect against it.

Ian stated: “Attacking business’ telephone systems is a high profit low risk activity. A hacker will normally link together several unprotected telephone systems, making tracing the calls almost impossible. They generate profit by dialling premium rated telephone numbers; these are usually of the international variety. The profits they can make from these attacks are alarming and have the potential to bankrupt the target.”

“Just consider, if one phone line can generate a £5.00 per minute call charge and an attack starts at 5.01pm on a Friday and goes undetected until 9.01am on a Monday morning, that’s 3840 minutes at £5.00 per minute, totalling a charge of £19,200. Now, if your system can generate 10 outbound calls that figure could increase to £192,000.”

Talking about how to combat the issue, Ian commented: “Company owners need to work closely with telephone service providers to help ensure every step possible is taken to protect their business telephone systems. Regularly check the user name and password for remote access to your business telephone systems – Ensure you have strong passwords that are confidential to your business. Finally, make sure your telephone extensions are barred from making calls to premium rate numbers. Small businesses often choose not to put restrictions in on the phones but locking this down can prevent fraudulent attacks and misuse by staff.”

Property Aspects appreciates the contribution to this article from Ian Hilton of Tech Advance who has worked in telecommunications for 22 years. For more information on how to avoid telephone fraud, contact Ian via Tel: 0845 389 2311 or E-Mail: ihilton@techadvance.co.uk

Ministers and Peers have been presented with a compromise proposal from the government, following the recent backlash against its plans to allow home owners to build large extensions without needing to apply for planning permission.

The proposed rules, amending permitted development rights, had been designed to remove the barriers currently in place to homeowners, and to help those who are having difficulty selling or getting additional finance to move.

A recent vote in the Commons on a proposed amendment forwarded by the House of Lords, to allow Council’s to opt out of this change to permitted development rights, was narrowly won by the government, despite a number of Tory backbenchers also speaking out against the government’s plans.

Communities secretary, Eric Pickles, had told the Commons that this issue was “eminently bridgeable” and that he would like the opportunity to make that bridge. The compromise proposal is the attempt at making that bridge and proposes a ‘light touch’ 21-day neighbour consultation process to be followed before extension proposals could be implemented.

Property Aspects magazine spoke with planning consultant and Director of Summit Planning Associates, Amanda Olley. She explained: “In general terms I suspect many homeowners will be pleased about the new plans as, to date, the unpredictability of the planning system has probably stopped a lot of people from considering the ‘extension’ avenue.”

She continued, “Concerns levied against the government’s plans have included, an expected increase in unsightly and unsuitable extensions and in the number of disputes between neighbours. The compromise proposal presented by the government is akin to the ‘prior approval’ process that is not unfamiliar in other areas of planning. In these circumstances, the best case scenario is a delay of 21 days, if no objections are raised and the worst case scenario, is the home owner still ends up drawn into an unpredictable and costly process that ultimately gets them no further forward.”

Property Aspects Magazine appreciates the contribution to this article from Amanda Olley at Summit Planning Associates.

For further information, contact Summit Planning Associates via Tel: 01625 801800, E-Mail: amandaolley@summitassociates.co.uk or Website: www.summitassociates.co.uk