THE GREEN OFFICE
As a result, Vicinitee developed an own
brand ‘white label’ product, embracing
property management tools and
ON A SCREEN AT
community modules.
AN OFFICE NEAR
Much of Vicinitee’s generic property
management modules are incorporated into
the 30 St Mary Axe site, including a help desk YOU
for reporting building problems and an online
‘permit to work’ system. A GROWING concern for the
environment - coupled with the
In addition, Vicinitee has developed several emergence of high-performance
bespoke elements for 30 St Mary Axe, including technology - means more office
a customised visitor management system. workers than ever are holding
meetings on the big screen.
A system to request out of hours plant
running has also been introduced, whereby The benefits of being able to
workers on-site outside of traditional working meet without putting a strain on
hours can log their request for heating or diaries - and the ability to
air conditioning. reduce a company’s carbon
footprint by cutting corporate
There is also a dedicated section for the travel - are encouraging
stunning ‘Top of the Building’ fine dining business leaders to look carefully at the new Video conferencing took off in the 1990s
restaurant and private dining facilities on the possibilities opened up by video-conferencing. with the introduction of the same high speed
38th, 39th and 40th floors of the building, data transmission methods that allowed the use
where building occupiers can access menus Sustainable office transformation specialist of broadband connections to link up to the
and other information. Morgan Lovell is seeing a sharp rise in the internet.
number of companies specifying state-of-the-art
All users of the building benefit. They have communication methods for their companies. The latest systems are a world away from
an efficient and effective service as a result of those first attempts, which were known for
the building management process being online, David Henderson, managing director of unreliable connections and
which allow jobs to be closed off quicker, Morgan Lovell, said: “The convenience of echoed
requests to be received faster and to access switching on a screen and having a face-to-face transmissions.
relevant information to the smooth running of conversation with someone on the other side of
the building more quickly. the world is fast becoming a reality for many One company
modern offices. which has recently
Office workers within the building benefit introduced a
from the community website aspect, including “The technology has really moved forward, state-of-the-art
the interactive bus route maps from 30 St Mary with features including multiple control units that video
Axe, so people can plot their best way home allow many people to be involved, so that a conferencing facility is the low carbon power
and also view live webcams of Liverpool Street meeting has the potential to be truly worldwide. company, Hydrogen Energy.
station, to help cut queuing.
“Consequently, today’s office managers can Morgan Lovell recently carried out a
Users can also log on to find out about now be confident of equipping their offices with sustainable design and fit out at the
nearby exhibitions, art, music, dance and easy-to-run equipment, with real-time sound and headquarters of the company - a joint venture
theatre, as well as comprehensive listings of visual links that make inter-continental between BP and Rio Tinto - which is pursuing
local shops and service providers, helping to conversations feel like you are standing next to plans for new power plants that have
build more sustainable communities as a result. the person you are talking to. dramatically lower carbon dioxide emissions.
Developments such as this reflect the fact “Additionally, computer connections and The project included the development of a
this is an exciting time for today’s FM teams, as interactive whiteboards allow data and completely bespoke video-conferencing system to
they embrace innovative technological options documents to be viewed simultaneously by enable effective multi-way communication,
to take their operations into a new era. The all delegates. including a giant 103 inch, high definition
growth of systems based on common IP plasma screen - one of the largest currently
standards, and the emergence of management “There is also the added advantage that installed in a UK office.
systems such as Vicinitee, are enabling the meetings can be archived for later viewing and
relationship between technology and facilities up-to-date encryption techniques ensure data is Paul Bryant, regional director of Hydrogen
management finally to come of age. secure and Energy, based in Weybridge, Surrey, said: “Our
cannot be whole business is about climate change
Bob Flood is Managing Director of Vicinitee accessed by mitigation and environmental considerations
Limited, developer of an integrated set of tools anyone other played a major role when creating our
to support the operations and management of than who it is new office.
retail centres, commercial properties and aimed at.”
residential developments. “This included making good use of
technologies available today.”
SUSTAINABLE FM | NOVEMBER 2007
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