Published in Lexis Nexis Facilities Management magazine / August 2013
Asset register approach saves money and boosts performance of HVAC equipment
Having a complete asset register for the first time will enable premises and facilities managers to predict, plan and budget for maintenance and remedial work more accurately, as well as to develop an understanding of the actual, rather than assumed cleaning requirements, across their sites.
It's an approach that is paying dividends at Council premises across South Wales...
Besides being unhygienic, smelly and attractive to vermin like cockroaches, a dirty kitchen extraction fan or ventilation system can be extremely dangerous. Accumulation of grease within the extraction system forms a hidden build-up of combustible material which can impede effective ventilation and cause fire if exposed to high temperatures or an open flame. There are enough high profile cases of fires that start in commercial kitchens to keep any building manager on the ball when it comes to cleaning.
Under UK law, commercial kitchen canopies and extraction systems (including ducts) must be cleaned professionally at least once a year – this is also a business insurance requirement. As a rule of thumb, it has conventionally been recommended that cleaning intervals should be as follows:
In practice for most kitchens, that means 6 monthly cleaning and when you are dealing with dozens or hundreds of kitchens that quickly adds us to a big bill to pay, especially in times of continuing austerity.
This pressure to cut back on costs is being felt particularly acutely in the local government, where every penny of expenditure is under examination. Yet no-one had really questioned the ‘safe bet’ of six monthly intervals until air and water treatment company Airmec actually visited every kitchen across South Wales in response to an invitation to tender for contracts to manage inspection and cleaning of kitchen canopies and associated fans and ductwork at schools and social and care centres across the Vale of Glamorgan and Swansea.
It was clear that some kitchens were not belong cleaned often enough, leading to energy inefficiencies as fans had to work harder and increased fire risk, while others were barely used and could be managed with longer intervals between cleaning.
Airmec, armed with this information, Airmec they created an asset register and recorded initial grease readings as the first step towards developing a regime that can both save money and improve outcomes: heavily used kitchens will be cleaned more often, others less frequently and the authorities charged accordingly. The asset register will be maintained as a working document, detailing past visits, as well as technical specifications of the installation, condition reports and recommendations for repair or and remedial work, such as adding new access doors. Interim grease checks, independently analysed will help to build a true picture of build up on each site. Cleaning intervals and inspections will then be adjusted accordingly. “Until you have measured the actual rate of grease build up, you cannot deliver the energy and operational economies, “ said Airmec managing director Andrew Steel.
Judging the severity of build up and the risk it presents has been simplified with the introduction of a new British Standard for cleanliness levels in ductwork that replaces the old, familiar TR19. BS EN 15780:2011 Ventilation for buildings – Ductwork – Cleanliness of ventilation systems clearly defines vital goals to be achieved by anyone responsible for maintaining ventilation systems by recognising that different room uses require different standards. So, having decided to invest the time in inspecting every one of the 120+ kitchen operated by the two authorities, it was relatively easy for Airmec to grade the severity of contamination objectively.
With continuing safety the major consideration, change will not happen overnight. The strategy is to adhere to existing inspection and cleaning regime initially, ensuring there is no break in service. Interim grease checks, independently analysed, will document the rate of build-up site by site and construct a true picture of individual cleaning requirements. This Airmec approach is in line with its overall philosophy of providing turnkey project management services for its customers, and turning the obligation to undertake routine inspection and cleaning work into an opportunity to develop and improve the quality of service, manage risk better and identify new opportunities.
Vale of Glamorgan strategic planning and performance officer Mary Hesford said: “Airmec is laying the foundations for effective and better-planned management of these services for years to come, and we are confident that theirs is therefore the most cost-effective solution for the people of Glamorgan.”
It's an approach that is paying dividends at Council premises across South Wales...
Besides being unhygienic, smelly and attractive to vermin like cockroaches, a dirty kitchen extraction fan or ventilation system can be extremely dangerous. Accumulation of grease within the extraction system forms a hidden build-up of combustible material which can impede effective ventilation and cause fire if exposed to high temperatures or an open flame. There are enough high profile cases of fires that start in commercial kitchens to keep any building manager on the ball when it comes to cleaning.
Under UK law, commercial kitchen canopies and extraction systems (including ducts) must be cleaned professionally at least once a year – this is also a business insurance requirement. As a rule of thumb, it has conventionally been recommended that cleaning intervals should be as follows:
- Heavy Use: 12-16 Hours Per Day 3 monthly
- Moderate Use: 6-12 Hours Per Day 6 monthly
- Light Use: 2- 6 Hours Per Day 12 monthly
In practice for most kitchens, that means 6 monthly cleaning and when you are dealing with dozens or hundreds of kitchens that quickly adds us to a big bill to pay, especially in times of continuing austerity.
This pressure to cut back on costs is being felt particularly acutely in the local government, where every penny of expenditure is under examination. Yet no-one had really questioned the ‘safe bet’ of six monthly intervals until air and water treatment company Airmec actually visited every kitchen across South Wales in response to an invitation to tender for contracts to manage inspection and cleaning of kitchen canopies and associated fans and ductwork at schools and social and care centres across the Vale of Glamorgan and Swansea.
It was clear that some kitchens were not belong cleaned often enough, leading to energy inefficiencies as fans had to work harder and increased fire risk, while others were barely used and could be managed with longer intervals between cleaning.
Airmec, armed with this information, Airmec they created an asset register and recorded initial grease readings as the first step towards developing a regime that can both save money and improve outcomes: heavily used kitchens will be cleaned more often, others less frequently and the authorities charged accordingly. The asset register will be maintained as a working document, detailing past visits, as well as technical specifications of the installation, condition reports and recommendations for repair or and remedial work, such as adding new access doors. Interim grease checks, independently analysed will help to build a true picture of build up on each site. Cleaning intervals and inspections will then be adjusted accordingly. “Until you have measured the actual rate of grease build up, you cannot deliver the energy and operational economies, “ said Airmec managing director Andrew Steel.
Judging the severity of build up and the risk it presents has been simplified with the introduction of a new British Standard for cleanliness levels in ductwork that replaces the old, familiar TR19. BS EN 15780:2011 Ventilation for buildings – Ductwork – Cleanliness of ventilation systems clearly defines vital goals to be achieved by anyone responsible for maintaining ventilation systems by recognising that different room uses require different standards. So, having decided to invest the time in inspecting every one of the 120+ kitchen operated by the two authorities, it was relatively easy for Airmec to grade the severity of contamination objectively.
With continuing safety the major consideration, change will not happen overnight. The strategy is to adhere to existing inspection and cleaning regime initially, ensuring there is no break in service. Interim grease checks, independently analysed, will document the rate of build-up site by site and construct a true picture of individual cleaning requirements. This Airmec approach is in line with its overall philosophy of providing turnkey project management services for its customers, and turning the obligation to undertake routine inspection and cleaning work into an opportunity to develop and improve the quality of service, manage risk better and identify new opportunities.
Vale of Glamorgan strategic planning and performance officer Mary Hesford said: “Airmec is laying the foundations for effective and better-planned management of these services for years to come, and we are confident that theirs is therefore the most cost-effective solution for the people of Glamorgan.”