Page 40 – FIS

Celebrating innovation in the finishes and interiors sector

by Clair Mooney | 28 Feb, 2024 | Awards, Main News Feed

FIS announced the winners of its 2024 Innovation Awards at a ceremony held at is Conference in London on 27 February.

In front of a packed audience at the Business Design Centre, the winners of the FIS Innovation Awards were announced and presented. The Awards recognise and celebrate innovation in the finishes and interiors sector showcasing companies that are paving the way for greater efficiency and collaboration. The awards comprised four categories: Product Fit-Out, Product FF&E, Digital and Sustainability.

All entries were independently assessed by a panel of expert judges and the winner of each category was announced in front of a live audience. The winner of each category was then invited to deliver a short pitch on their innovation to the audience, who then determined the overall 2024 Innovation of the Year winner.

The 2024 award winners are:

Innovation of the Year
IOBAC UK for its contamination free flooring installation tabs

Digital
PlanRadar for its SaaS field management platfor, PlanRadar

Product – Fit Out
Fire Stop Products for SpeedCutter

Product – FF&E
Box Strap for its Box Strap bracket

Sustainability
IOBAC UK for its contamination free flooring installation tabs

The awards and event were supported by sponsors Troldtekt, Protektor, EPD Insulation Group, Canary Wharf Contractors and SpecFinish

Find out more about the winners and shortlist across all four categories.

Click Here

FIS updates Risk Register to support compliance and business improvement

by Clair Mooney | 26 Feb, 2024 | Membership

As the full implication of the Building Safety Act and it’s impact on the wider Building Regulatory environment and commercial behaviours, FIS has updated its Product Process People Risk Register. The aim is to provide members with a comprehensive Risk Register to support compliance and business improvement.

The FIS PPP Risk Register gives people a structured framework to interrogate project risk based on a assessment of severity and probability of a risk occurring. The standard scoring system helps members to identify any unacceptable high risks and ensure management strategies are put in place to address. The tool also helps a management team to assign risk correctly and contains a range of links to additional tools and information that will help support specific risk management.

FIS CEO Iain McIlwee said:

“Risk is inescapable in any construction project, but at times we can feel so beset by risk that we become indifferent to it. It is vital that as an industry we get better at measuring, managing and mitigating.

A large part of our work centres on identifying, interrogating and helping members to manage day to day problems they may encounter. Our understanding and exposure to risk is constantly moving and evolving and it is critical we adopt a consistent approach to risk management.

This simple tool is built on collective wisdom, lessons learned and understanding gained through our wider work that ensures members are alert to where problems may appear. It aims to help people to score and priorise risks and to start the necessary focus on mitigation, linking the user to the vast array of tools available to our members, directly through the FIS and our wider network. The underlying principle is that the school of hard knocks is fine, but it is better to learn together and avoid learning the hard way wherever possible.”

Richard Brackstone Chief Executive of RB Management and Consulting Ltd who supported FIS in this update added:

“This is a really useful tool and one I would urge all members to work through, it is comprehensive and accessible. Construction is fast and furious and risk is all around us, and it is tempting to bury our heads in the sand and hope for the best. But, ultimately, success in construction is entirely dependent on how well we manage that inherent risk. This list provides a focal point to conduct a review and at the very least serves as a helpful reminder”.

The FIS PPP Risk Register is available for members to download here

RB Management and Consulting Limited provide specialist Risk Management Support for FIS Members

Less than one week to go until the Workspace Design Show opens its doors

by Clair Mooney | 23 Feb, 2024 | Main News Feed

In just a few days the eagerly-awaited Workspace Design Show, a leading trade show that brings together the UK workplace interiors community, will open its doors. Held at London’s Business Design Centre, handily placed in the heart of Islington, from 27-28 February 2024, the event offers attendees the chance to explore the latest industry trends, see the latest products, and find inspiration in the thought-provoking talks programmes.

This year’s extensive speaker programme has over 120 speakers across four key elements of discourse. The Workspace Design Talks programme, will feature inspiring sessions from leading industry professionals over the event’s two days. Speakers include Alan Bainbridge, Director of Workplace, BBC; Yasmin Al-Ani Spence, Director, WilkinsonEyre; Mary-Louise Gray, VP Workplace, Real Estate and Facilities, GSK; and Naomi Sakamoto, Principal Studio Director, Gensler. Topics covered include designing a workspace that meets cross generational needs, the hotelification of the office, using AI in workplace design and the evolution of workplace design through the eyes of next gen architects.

The FIS Conference, taking place on 27-28 February, will explore productivity, quality, compliance and sustainability issues in the fit-out sector, with leading speakers from among others tp bennett, MCM, Claremont, ISG, British Land and Turner & Townsend.

Sustainability Works, curated by Mick Jordan, Editor of Works magazine, returns for 2024 and is held on 27 February, once again bringing together a selection of key figures from firms such as Perkins&Will, Scott Brownrigg, BDG architecture and design and M Moser Associates, who are behind the workplace market’s leading sustainable initiatives and projects. The Occupiers Forum, held on 28 February, offers the complete ‘The View from HQ’. Located in the Insights Lounge, it will provide unique insights from occupiers such as BT Group, HSBC, Clifford Chance, Salesforce and Barclays into what employers are doing to create an engaging workplace experience.

2024’s features represent an incredible spectacle for attendees of the Show, all seeking inspiration from the overarching show theme ‘Bloom – Exploring the Thriving Ecosystem of Work Life’. There will be an array of captivating features such as the Design Talks Lounge by Gensler, the Entrance by tp bennett, the Insights Lounge by BDP, a Living Workplace lighting installation by Jason Bruges Studio, and the Recharge Lounge M Moser Associates,

Once again, FIS will host its awards at the Workspace Design Show. These will celebrate the creativity, craftsmanship, and cutting-edge innovations that define the finishes and interiors sector. With a spotlight on revolutionary materials, exceptional design techniques, and sustainability breakthroughs, the FIS Innovation Awards serve as a showcase of the industry’s finest achievements.

As the sun sets on the first day of the show, the Workspace Design Show invites attendees to party and socialise into the rest of the evening. This exclusive event is the perfect opportunity to unwind, network, and celebrate. The party kicks off immediately after the day’s activities from 5:30pm to 8:00pm, completely transforming the venue into a vibrant hub of creativity and connection.

This year will bring the exciting mood board contest area designed by MF Design Studio. The unique scheme runs parallel with a blooming tree; MF Design Studio have created an environment for the mood board contest to engage participants, to experience the world of workplace design through a personal exploration of materials, textures and colours. Their use of colour represents our diversity and how they approach design in an individual yet collaborative way, bold lines bloom into curves that define the different palettes. Using all sustainable materials to inspire designers to create a more sustainable future. The contest allows attendees to create their own stunning mood boards, which they can then submit as their entry to the contest.

Exhibitors from over 20 countries will be showcasing innovative and transformational workplace interiors products during the event. The workplace world descends on London for the two days of Workplace Design Show from Pedrali and Lapalma from Italy, Spain’s Kettal and Actiu, Modulyss from Belgium and Woven image all the way from Australia, plus many more.

Workspace Design Show will be the place in London for architects, designers, occupiers, developers, consultants, coworking companies and fit-out companies to explore the latest industry trends, see the latest products, and find inspiration in the thought-provoking talks programmes.

Register now for a complimentary pass and attend the Workspace Design Show

Stay in the loop with FIS alerts so you don’t miss a thing!

by Oscar Venus | 22 Feb, 2024 | Membership

Staying updated on FIS activities can be challenging. Consider enabling notifications on LinkedIn for FIS content to receive updates about important industry issues that affect your business and related FIS guidance, as well as notifications, member benefits, our events and other activities.

To help us to stand out in the noise that is social media, have you considered enabling notifications on your LinkedIn account for FIS content? We understand if you prefer not to receive frequent updates, and we assure you that we limit our posts to three times a day (excluding award announcements) to avoid overwhelming you. By doing this, you can stay informed about award opportunities, upcoming events, and ways to contribute to your trade association’s direction.

Simply click on the bell icon at the top right of our LinkedIn page and select your preferred notification settings.

Lens Blog: Learn to say, No

by Clair Mooney | 21 Feb, 2024 | Contractual and Legal, Lens Blog, Main News Feed

FIS Consultant Len Bunton shares his thoughts on why businesses should learn to say, No.

Len’s message is that businesses should not accept onerous contract clauses that increase risk, extended payment periods, or contra charges to name a few.

In this blog, Len has set down a list of things that businesses in thge sector should be saying no to.

Adopting some of the statements should help you to manage the commercial aspects of projects much more efficiently and profitably. In my experience there are plenty of good employers and contractors out there who will look after you and who have long-term building programmes, and who will value your input, and who will want you to help them build successful projects on cost, on time and to a high quality.

Be selective of who you work for, and find out which organisations have long-term building programmmes, with whom you can build a successful relationship.

Len Bunton, Bunton Consulting

Members can see the full blog

By clicking here

These monthly Blogs are designed to help FIS Members avoid common traps and build on our focus on collective experience. They share ideas about improving the commercial management of your contracts. In other words, instilling best practice into the way FIS members run and manage their business. What I have endeavored to suggest is ways to ensure you get paid on time, and what you are due.

Boosting routes into industry

by Clair Mooney | 19 Feb, 2024 | Main News Feed

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has published a report from NOCN’s and CCATF (both education and skills bodies) setting out recommendations to improve the flow of skilled and competent talent into the construction sector.

The report highlights the challenges of ensuring competency of the workforce to comply with the new Building Safety Act, the overall decline in skills funding over the past 10 years and the need to upskill the workforce to embrace the green, digital jobs of the future. It suggests developing the CSCS scheme to support verification with competency under the Building Safety Act, improving diversity, and developing a more agile and consistent UK skills system for construction.

Find out more here.

Careers in construction: Go behind the scenes with Open Doors 2024!

by Clair Mooney | 19 Feb, 2024 | Skills

There is just a month to go until Open Doors 2024 when construction companies across Great Britain will take visitors behind the scenes to showcase the diverse range of career opportunities available in the industry.

Open Doors 2024, delivered by Build UK, will see more than 210 events take place from Monday 18 to Saturday 23 March, giving young people and those looking for a change of career a unique opportunity to see construction in action.

Visitors are encouraged to go to the Open Doors website and see what’s happening in their local area, with a wide variety of construction projects offering the chance to go behind the hoardings. Sites include HS2 stations, skyscrapers, hospitals, schools, leisure centres, prisons and more, whilst factories, offices and training centres will also be opening their doors to demonstrate the off-site roles on offer across the sector.

An Open Doors visit gives a real insight into the opportunities within construction, dispelling many of the myths that surround the industry. For example, the average annual salary in construction is higher than many people think at almost £45,000. Build UK research also shows that the average completion rate for apprenticeships delivered by members is 85%, compared to the Government target of 67%, whilst 90% of other new entrants who come via college or university remain with their company after completing their training or probationary period.

With construction traditionally seen as outdoor physical work, Open Doors visitors will also see the huge range of office-based roles along with a significant increase in the use of technology and demand for digital skills.

With more than 180 careers available and currently 36,000 vacancies in construction, the industry has something to offer everyone, whatever their age, background or skills. There is so much more to construction than just building – from design and engineering through to project planning and sustainability initiatives – and more companies are embracing flexible working to help make it a positive career choice for everyone.

Find out more and book your place on the Open Doors website.

Government publishes national infrastructure and construction pipeline

by Clair Mooney | 19 Feb, 2024 | Main News Feed

The Government has published its long awaited National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline 2023, which sets out planned and projected investment in major economic and social infrastructure over the next 10 years, the workforce requirement to deliver it, as well as a list of near term planned procurements. The aim is to help manufacturers and the wider industry make informed business planning decisions, and support investment in skills and construction productivity.

For more information click here

Government confirms plans to permanently remove RAAC from all schools and colleges in England

by Clair Mooney | 16 Feb, 2024 | Building Safety Act, Health and Safety

Measures to permanently remove Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) from all affected schools and colleges, have been confirmed this week by the government. A final list of schools and colleges with confirmed cases of RAAC in schools and colleges in England has also been published. There are 234 education settings, out of 22,000, with confirmed RAAC in some areas of their buildings – around 1%. Click here to read more.