The Sector Skills Council for the places where we live and work
Careers Advice Line 0800 056 7160
The National Trust is the leading conservation body in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Formed in 1895, it now has 3.5 million members and is one of the property-richest organisations in Europe.
Its portfolio includes more than 200 mansions and historic gardens. It also owns the childhood homes of Sir Paul McCartney and John Lennon, the last castle built in the UK, 35 pubs and a custard factory.
You'd imagine the headquarters of such an esteemed organisation would be in a pretty elaborate setting. But an abandoned railway yard in Swindon, Wiltshire, is the location of choice. Its HQ is called Heelis and is a model of brownfield renewal and the trust's only 21st Century building.
"We have set ourselves a challenge to reduce carbon by 10% in the next year," says Liz Adams, the Facilities Manager who's tasked with ensuring the building's green credentials.
"Everything we do from a visitor perspective is about positively influencing the future, from encouraging architects to use natural ventilation instead of air conditioning or members of the public to recycle more."
Maintaining a building like Heelis is a constant challenge, and one that Liz relishes.
"At the beginning I was in charge of a team of three, but as Heelis has grown into a tourist attraction in its own right our staff structure was reviewed."
She now runs four teams (catering, visitor services, facilities and occasional management of the retail shop).
Asset Skills first noticed Liz at the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) conference in Scotland.
"Part of my job is to look out for examples of best practice in Facilities Management," says Karen Waterlow, FM Specialist at Asset Skills. "I was so impressed with the work she was doing at the National Trust headquarters. She's a great example for other facilities managers who may want to follow some kind of green agenda."
The fact Liz Adams has become so successful is her role is testament to her hard work, multi-skilled abilities required of all facilities managers and extensive knowledge of her area.
But people like her are rare – research by Asset Skills has shown there are very few women in the FM industry.
"If there were more role models like Liz it may inspire others to follow her lead," says Karen.
Heelis has a central waste policy with no desk-side bins. Staff put their waste into one of six sections of a recycle centre when they pass. It's hoped this method will get people thinking about what they are throwing away and boost recycling.
A centralised print system means each user has a PIN with only 12 printers across 475 staff. No output is produced until staff enter their PIN into one of the machines. This challenges what personnel are printing and reduces paper consumption.
"Good communication is crucial if you want to be an effective facilities manager," says Liz. "For example, we use natural ventilation which means the temperature is not constant and at certain times of the year, the building can react unexpectedly.
"I don't expect all Heelis staff to understand the technicalities of thermal mass or airflow design, but I can get them to embrace the building by explaining things in simple terms.
"The solution was to create a cardigan culture. Everyone has a spare layer to put on as the building cools overnight and heats up during the day. Staff understand that first thing it might be nippy and that's not a failing of the building. If they're cold they should put more clothes on."
Environmental and ethical concerns resonate throughout facilities management at Heelis. From the chemicals used by contractors on site, to the food in the canteen which is locally produced British fare, every practice has had careful thought.
- Ends -
