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The answer has nothing to do with beds — and everything to do with efficiency: because their premises are the service they sell, the highest principles of premises management are often pursued by hotels. The observation is made by two men who have come from opposite corners of facilities management expertise to offer a new type of service — facilities and property management combined in a consultancy package.

Ernst & Whinney, international chartered accountants, have occupied their London headquarters building, Becket House, since December 1982. The building is a 147 000 sq ft speculative office development on 12 floors, completed in 1972. Ernst & Whinney are sole tenants.

How far do theoretical descriptions of the role and function of facilities managers match practical applications? Reviews four quite separate and distinctive cases in the light of the strategic, tactical and operational aspects of a facilities manager′s work. Concludes that attention to detail is of prime importance, that senior management must show greater understanding of the strategic importance of the facilities role and that, though fundamental problems are common to all the cases, the solutions differ in each case and knowledge of detail becomes the vital skill.

The Body Shop was set up in 1976 with a sound ethical and business principle to minimize waste. Suggests that though at the forefront of many aspects of being an environmentally sound organization, it does not have a coherent policy on premises and office management topics.

How much energy does your office use? The London Energy Group (LEG) has produced a new proforma for collecting energy use information from building users in a standardised way. Six years ago, ahead of its time, LEG devised a form for this purpose. Energy auditing was then being practised by many companies. If this form had been used extensively there would by now be a database of comparable information from which targets and other guidance could be developed, but the Department of Energy did not take positive steps to encourage its use and, on first sight, many building managers found it too complicated. The new format that has been developed sets out to simplify the procedure, cutting out, for example, references to primary energy. However, although the amount of information requested has been reduced, and the task of entering it is less exacting, LEG itself has commented that in some respects this is a backward step. Work being done by the International Energy Agency on collecting energy data and a draft European Community Directive on Energy Labelling suggests that the extra information included in the old format is indeed useful and worth including on a standardised form.

Examines “total outsourcing” – taking over the whole facilities management problem – as a service offered by an outside commercial company, ranging from financial management through technical systems management to total facilities management. Explores the compatibility of provider and purchaser, and staff involvement, among other possible pitfalls which potential purchasers would be well advised to take into account. In short, caveat emptor.

Highlights IBM′s automation of its building control and management system at Portsmouth, UK – a 100,000 sq. metre complex. Outlines the selection, installation and evaluation of the equipment at the complex. Suggests that the considerable benefits of full‐scale automation may be relevant to smaller companies with fewer buildings.

On the whole, commercial and public buildings regularly have their windows cleaned. For many of them, exterior cleaning stops there. But is exterior cleaning sufficiently important to receive part of an already tight facilities budget — perhaps at the expense of something more significant?

There is little point in companies adopting cosmetic green policies. A management commitment to investigating ail aspects of the business and its way of working, to ensure the most environmentally responsible policies and practices, is essential in achieving a more sustainable economy for all of us.

The concept of intelligent buildings has evolved as the use of information technology — electronic data handling — has grown. There are several strands to this concept Separating them will enable facilities managers to assess the relevance of the whole, and to make informed decisions on their organisation's need for intelligent buildings — and intelligence in buildings.