Annual Academic Year Review 2007-2008 (17th edition)
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- 18.8 Minor Capital and Departmental Works
- 18.9 Energy, Water and the Environment
- 18.11 Integrated Estates Data Management System (IDMS)
- 18.12 Facilities Management
- 19 Health and Safety 19.1 Key developments
- 19.2 Fire risks, procedures and incidents
18.6 Office accommodationIncremental pressure on Central Administration accommodation at Moulsecoomb was intensified by the acquisition/development of several new operational units supporting local and national initiatives. The Department of Estate & Facilities Management was commissioned to find additional short-term leased office space to ease some of the apparent pressures. After consideration of a number of options, it was recommended that part of the first floor of the Exion 27 Building at Hollingbury was the most suitable. How this space could be utilised to best effect was the subject of a full options appraisal, following which Estate & Facilities Management was moved out of Mithras House and into the building in early June 2008. The success achieved by Schools at Falmer, in terms of achieving growth in student numbers, necessitated increases in staff and this in turn lead to critical pressure on office accommodation across the campus. In recognition of this it was decided to take a lease on the remainder of the office accommodation available at Exion 27. The lease was completed and planning commenced on the most appropriate use of this additional space with a view to easing pressure at both Moulsecoomb and Falmer. 18.7 Major maintenanceThe Major Maintenance Programme for 2007/08 consisted of projects with a total value of £1.62 million for academic buildings and £685,000 for residential accommodation. The programme for academic buildings comprised a wide range of projects across all sites and by the end of July 2008, commitments against the programme were around £1.01m with further works planned through the summer vacation. Of particular note was the project at Grand Parade Main Building involving the replacement of windows, together with concrete repairs and redecoration to the whole of the front elevation. A long delay was experienced in obtaining the necessary planning approvals but when these were granted and following the receipt of competitive tenders, a contract was placed and work started at the beginning of the summer vacation, 2008. The work is programmed for completion before the end of the vacation period. 18.8 Minor Capital and Departmental WorksFunding for Minor Capital Works in 2007/08 was £280,000. In addition, a sum of £780,000 was allocated for improvements to building entrances and communal areas. Significant projects from these programmes are as follows: The entrance to the Cockcroft building is being extensively remodeled and refurbished. The scheme involves the enclosure, with large areas of architectural glazing, of the existing structural frame that currently extends beyond the entrance doors. The enlarged space will be used to form a reception area and will provide a more imposing entrance to the building. Following consultation on the design of the scheme, planning approvals were obtained and tenders invited for the work. Work began at the end of July 2008 and is programmed to progress throughout the summer vacation with completion in the autumn. Designs were prepared for the upgrading of the Mithras House reception and work commenced in July 2008, programmed for completion by the end of the summer vacation. A landscape designer was commissioned to produce a design for a small garden area between Mithras House and Mithras Annexe. The space earmarked was formerly used by the then School of the Environment for a long term research project. The design for the new amenity space includes raised planting beds against the existing boundary wall and paved areas with seating. Work commenced early in summer 2008 on a phased basis, to be completed by the end of the vacation period. A number of improvement projects were undertaken during the year including internal upgrades of areas at 10/11 Pavilion Parade, limited cosmetic improvements to the older buildings at Falmer and the first floor of Mithras House. New railings were installed along the Natal Road end of the Mithras House car park. 18.9 Energy, Water and the EnvironmentIn April 2008 Tony Hammond was appointed to the role of the University’s Energy Manager following the departure of David Anderson who had held the post since 1997.During the session, energy prices continued to rise. However, the university continued to obtain competitive prices for its gas by purchasing through the Southern Universities Affinity Group. This group comprising of four universities, combine their purchasing power in order to achieve the most favourable prices under a flexible purchasing arrangement. The recent publication of the People and Planet Green League ranked the University of Brighton in 35th place, up from 50th in 2007. The university performed exceptionally in areas relating to energy, water consumption and recycling. By October 2008, all public buildings over 1000 square metres are required to have a Display Energy Certificate (DEC). The DEC’s follow a similar format to the energy ratings found on domestic white goods and each building is rated from A-G depending on its energy performance. The energy certificates and a supporting advisory report are prepared by approved energy assessors. At this University the Waste and Energy Research Group (WERG) have suitably trained staff and so this work was procured internally. A number of energy and water saving schemes were identified for the next session. The solar thermal installation at the Hillbrow building, which currently heats the swimming pool, will be extended to take greater advantage of the energy being generated. The installation will also be used to heat water for use in the changing room showers and supply hot water to the Sprinters Restaurant. A phased programme of installing additional sub-metering was also prepared, to commence in the following session, to enable closer monitoring of energy consumption throughout the estate. The introduction of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units was planned for forthcoming major projects at Falmer (Phase 4/5) and the Cockcroft North-West Corner. CHP units provide electrical energy at source and can utilize the by-product of heat obtained when cooling an engine used to generate the electricity. The units are considered carbon friendly thus helping to minimise emissions from buildings. Other “green” and sustainable energy initiatives that have been incorporated in plans for new developments include; Falmer Phase IV/V - i) green roofs ii) use of reclaimed/recycled and sustainable materials from demolition Cockcroft NW Corner - i) green roofs ii) use of sustainable materials iii) recognition and enhancement of the adjacent Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI)
18.10 Space ManagementAlthough one of the better performers in the HE sector in terms of space per full-time equivalent student, utilisation surveys of the university’s estate have repeatedly identified opportunities to improve the way its physical assets are used. Using guidance provided by the funding councils’ Space Management Group (UKSMG), the university’s own Space Management Working Group, supported a number of initiatives subsequently endorsed by the Estates Committee, to obtain more comprehensive data on the current distribution and utilisation of space to underpin the allocation of accommodation in direct relationship to need and to use efficiency gains arising from these improvements to support growth and new ventures. 18.10.1 Space Need Indicator Framework The university commenced trials of the “Space Need Indicator Framework”, produced by UKSMG for the purposes of giving institutions a better insight into how much and what type of space they need. If the system is deemed to be successful it will enable the university to use the model to assess space requirements in greater detail than before with guidance assessed not only on the total amount of space required, but also providing an analysis by the type of accommodation required (e.g. general teaching, computer facilities, laboratories, studios, offices etc). 18.10.2 Facility CMIS (Timetabling and Resource Allocation System) The Facility CMIS (TARAS) system is regarded as a valuable tool in encouraging the development and provision of timetables that take account of all resource availability and constraints, and make most effective use of the resources, including general and specialist teaching accommodation. There is also increasing acceptance among the academic community of the value of Facility CMIS as a tool to assist in dealing with the complications of modern timetabling. Appreciation of its value in the allocation of resources has recently been enhanced by the introduction by the Finance Department of the new Resource Allocation Model. To support and oversee the roll-out of the system across all schools, Estate and Facilities Management successfully recruited a CMIS Programme Development Manager, Catherine Jones, who will provide analysis and advice on processes, leadership for independent projects and the development of long-term user support and training requirements, while investigating the wider use of the system to respond to statistical analysis in support of initiatives such as TRAC and RAM. 18.11 Integrated Estates Data Management System (IDMS)The department’s accommodation database holds comprehensive data on all non-residential university accommodation and is the tool on which all strategic accommodation planning relies. However, the system relied heavily on the ability to manually manipulate the data for analysis and was “at risk”. The purchase of the Planon IDMS system has permitted the transfer of all space data onto a robust system. The system will also integrate data previously held on a number of different information sources, for example building condition, asset register, asbestos register and building plans. Registered users will then be able to obtain data analysis for TRAC, RAM and SNIF (facilitating comparison between SNIF accommodation assessments and existing space allocation) and for HEFCE’s Estate Management Statistics. 18.12 Facilities ManagementA new recycling scheme was introduced at the beginning of the session which enabled the University to divert more than 60 tonnes of waste from landfill. The level of contamination, (where non-recyclable waste is mixed with recyclable waste), is only 1%, which compares favourably with a UK industry average of around 16%. The university continues to recycle all redundant IT and other electrical equipment. During the session, more than 600 computers had been recycled. Over £100,000 was spent updating the university’s fleet of vehicles, which included the purchase of a hybrid fuelled car and two new minibuses. A new access control system was installed in the main building at Grand Parade. If it proves successful, consideration will be given to extending the system into other University buildings. In order to improve security and to further enable use of facilities at weekends at the Brighton sites, six new part-time members of staff were appointed. The telephone system’s operating software was successfully upgraded to the latest version at a cost of £33,000, funded by the Telephone Development Fund. The upgrade was necessary to allow for future expansion of the telephone system. 18.13 Student FeedbackThe Students’ Union continued to be routinely involved as a key stakeholder group in consultations over major new building projects and major refurbishment schemes. Design proposals were developed from the earliest stage through consultation with stakeholder groups and were enhanced as a result of the feedback from the student body arising from their use of facilities. Continued representation of Estate and Facilities Management on the Student Services Committee and the Student Retention Review Group provided the opportunity for comments to be fed back into the work of the department. Similarly the Students’ Union continued to be represented at Estates Committee, Campus Security Sub-Committee, Sustainable Development Policy Management Group, the Facilities Management Focus Group and other relevant forums of communication. The department also received student feedback from other sources. For example, it was represented at meetings of the Disability Forum and the Environmental Action Network. Student feedback was evaluated and formed an important part of the department’s contribution towards supporting the work of the groups. 19 Health and Safety19.1 Key developmentsDuring 2007-08 the Health and Safety Department: Implemented a varying safety training and development programme Facilitated a full safety audit by the Health and Safety executive Successful use of e-channel for positive profiling Andrew Knight (University Safety Adviser) received the University Excellence in Facilitating/Empowering Learning Teaching (CETL) Award 2008. Supported UoB staff to successfully complete the NEBOSH General Health and Safety Certificate course Implemented new Premises Emergency Information boxes Had membership of a national review group in relation to BS 8848:2007: “Specification for the provision of visits, fieldwork, expeditions, and adventurous activities outside the United Kingdom’’ Contributed to several UCEA guidance documents through steering group membership. Contributed to several University building programmes 19.2 Fire risks, procedures and incidentsThe program of follow up audits of the initial Fire Risk Assessments is continuing with all Halls of Residence (both University and privately managed) were inspected by February 2008. These inspections have once again highlighted shortcomings in the area of routine auditing and maintenance, particularly of fire doors. Improvements to periodic maintenance programs (six monthly) were established. The number of persons who have now benefitted from fire warden training since the course was implemented is almost 600. A new refresher programme was also developed. East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service ran a simulated chemical spill exercise in conjunction with PABS staff on the 6th floor of the Cockcroft building. The exercise involved 5 fire appliances 30 fire-fighters, some equipped with breathing apparatus and full gas-tight chemical protection suits. It proved a useful exercise for the fire service as it combined the logistical problems of decontamination with a high-rise incident. In line with our action plan, surveys have now been undertaken with regard to disabled evacuation at all sites. Refuge areas and equipment requirements have been identified. The Deaf Alerter system was installed in a number of buildings across the University for people who are deaf or have partial hearing, and may be unable to hear the installed audible fire alarms. It alerts these individuals via a vibrating pager in the event of a fire alarm being activated. A text message is sent to the pager stating which building is generating a fire alarm. The University of Brighton is currently undertaking a research project along with East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service to evaluate the effectiveness of the Home Fire Safety Visit scheme During these visits Fire Service personnel will discuss domestic fire safety issues and highlight common fire hazards in the home. A smoke alarm with long life battery can then be installed free of charge, increasing your chance of escape should a fire occur. Students living in the areas of Moulsecoomb, Bevendean, Whitehawk or Kemp Town are being asked if they would like to receive a visit, and be part of the project. They can also have a visit and opt not to take part in the project. Table 1 FIRE STATISTICS JANUARY T0 DECEMBER 2007
Table 1 indicates that there is an increase in the number of fires attendances by the fire brigade. The national average number of fires per 1000 bed room is 2.74 compared to our rate of 18. Further investigation is needed to examine the causation of this rise. There were a further 88 reported fire related incidents (including alarm activations) across the University for the period Jan –May 2008. 22 of these incidents could be classed as actual fire incidents and predominantly related to cooking activities. One proposal to reduce the number of unwanted activations may be to offer students the opportunity to attend our successful fire warden course as an alternative to the current fine/administration charges. An educative approach could have a better impact than a punitive one. It would also embrace the philosophy of educating students who will be living in external accommodation in the following year which is normally regarded as being a high risk environment 19.3 AccidentsThe reporting period for this accident analysis report is 1st January 2007 to 31st December 2007. Accident numbers remain at a similar level to previous years. Injury rates for staff and students remain below the sector average. The analysis identified the highest injury rate to be amongst Manual staff. Manual staffs are employed mainly by Estate and Facilities Management (EFM) and Residential and Catering and include staff undertaking cleaning, caretaking and catering activities. No trend in causation has been identified amongst this group. A general recommendation to those departments was to ensure a robust new starter induction process was in place together with an ongoing level of vigilance and preventative measures. Table 2 Significant Incidents 2007
Graph 1 – Comparison of the University of Brighton accident rate against the sector average. 
Graph 1 shows the University of Brighton accident rate to be below the sector average. The sector average accident rate has steadily lowered from approx 44 accidents per 1000 staff in 2002 to 35 accidents per 1000 staff in 2006. The University of Brighton staff and student accident rate has remained at the same level since 2002 other than the dip in accident rate recorded in 2005 and is as a result of high number of staff combined with a lower number of accidents in this reporting period. This does not represent any statistical significance. Both the presence and absence of an activity risk assessment and attendance on training courses is needed to be captured and analysed to see if this has a significant bearing on the accident rates for staff groups. Accidents were assigned an impact/significance that reflected the nature of injury, failure of processes or adverse outcome. Although there are 17 RIDDOR reportable accidents the impact/significance factors are extremely low. Only 4 accidents were rated as being regarded as medium. The number of reports is low and includes a number of reports made as a result of students receiving sport related injuries attending hospital for treatment (which did not arise from University negligence or defect). Accident data provides a useful tool for comparison with the HE sector in general. However, accident data alone is a limited as an effective performance indicator. Additional pro-active performance indicators should be used to measure performance of the Universities health and safety management system (e.g. number of staff trained, number of policies, risk assessments completed, inspections etc). The data also showed that there was no significant lost time arising from these accidents. Only 3 accidents resulted in an over 3 day absence. Directory: reg reg -> Board of Historic Resources Quarterly Meeting 16 June 2016 Sponsor Markers Diversity reg -> Port Cambeltown dated 8th April 1830 Name reg -> Contents september 2009 I. Executive order reg -> In this issue reg -> Reginald irenee vachon reg -> Index for the Register Volumes 72-108 (1974-2010) reg -> A century of ufo sightings and Close Encounters in the Midwest Download 2.04 Mb. Share with your friends:
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