As energy costs rise and the need to reduce carbon emissions grows, many businesses are looking towards the facilities managers to cut energy use and create a more sustainable business model. Greater public scrutiny is making environmental performance almost as important as financial performance in today's business climate.

The Roadmap has four milestones: Design, Build and Install, Maintenance and Management and Go Green. Expert speakers will be covering topics relevant to the industries focused on by each of the three shows: So, facilities managers coming to Total Workplace Management can learn about their role in designing sustainable buildings, and in influencing the supply chain. Engineers and contractors at M&E will hear about the latest legislation and technology for sustainable building design. To visitors at Energy Solutions Expo, speakers will be addressing sustainability at the strategic level, looking at carbon in organisation, carbon trading, and energy management.

To help you take this know-how back to the office, visitors will receive a free Sustainability Starter Pack which will give hints on how to start saving energy straight away as well as providing information from leading professional organisations including BIFM, CIBSE, HVCA, FETA, the National Energy Foundation and others. The pack will bring together more information on topics such as Energy Performance certificates and carbon calculators into one place so that you can build your own Sustainable Roadmap for your business.

If you know you have to make the projects you're responsible for more sustainable, but don't know where to start then a visit to the Training Academy at the M&E Event is a must. Sponsored by SummitSkills, this is a series of free seminars forming a step-by-step guide to achieving a more sustainable business. Compiled in conjunction with all the leading associations, institutes and groups including CIBSE and the ECA, the seminars include guidelines, advice and information from the heart of the industry and will give you access to opinion formers in the M&E sector.

Vectaire has introduced various products which will be on show and are designed to comply with the latest requirements of Part F of the Building Regulations, whilst recognising the need for energy efficient products which can be relied upon to give the proper degree of ventilation. 

JG Speedfit will be showcasing their plumbing, heating and underfloor heating systems which are easy to use, quick and cost effective.

LG's stand at the M&E Event will be stacked with the latest products from the VRF range of Multi V air conditioning products -along with the very latest in the renowned Art Cool range - it will be a uniquely attractive combination.

On the Baxi Commercial Division stand, Andrews Water Heaters and Potterton Commercial will be launching new products and showing recent additions to these ranges alongside already well established and popular heating and hot water appliances and a selection of renewable solutions. Yan Evans, Technical Director of Baxi Commercial Division will be delivering a CPD presentation each day within the Seminar programme on the subject of ‘The Marriage of LZC Solutions and Conventional Technologies in the Modern Commercial Plant Room'.

Victaulic, the world's leading grooved pipe joining system manufacturer, is showcasing its wide range of couplings, accessories, valves and fittings for the HVAC, fire protection and industrial process piping markets at this year's London M&E Event. 

Leading cable management manufacturer Marshall-Tufflex will be showcasing three new products at the M&E Event, two of them the next developments in the MT32 Power Connection System product range.

Kee Safety Ltd is bringing its new series of Suspension Fixings to M&E. This exciting addition to the Kee Safety product range will be showcased on stand C30, alongside the company's ever-popular BeamClamp and BoxBolt steelwork fixing solutions.

Visitors looking for the benefits of innovative M&E tools, fixings and site supplies will have plenty of new solutions to see at Kem Edwards' stand.

Intelligent energy efficient products for wireless monitoring and control in building automation applications will be demonstrated on the EnOcean Alliance stand. Ivory Egg, EnOcean GmbH and Distech Controls will be supporting partners on the stand. Key products include an environmental monitoring device for lighting and HVAC applications, Omnio occupancy detectors for automatic on/off of lights and shutters, and battery-free light switches from MK Electric.

The Coolmation Group will be showcasing its comprehensive range of services to the M&E sector which embraces chiller and air conditioning equipment hire and chiller service and sales. 

Xpelair's stand at the M&E Event will be displaying several energy saving systems from the company's extensive range.

Fuel Polishing keeps your fuel in optimum condition and avoids generator breakdowns, which is one of the topics you will be able to discuss with the company at the M&E show.

Lapp Group UK is to exhibit for the first time at M&E 2008 and will use the event to demonstrate its wide-ranging cable solutions capability and will show several new products introduced earlier this year at the Hannover Fair, together with products not previously announced.

Lead-acid accumulators are amongst the earliest examples of electrical technology and remain as one of only two electrical devices that cannot be isolated. Over 90% of the worlds' UPS population is supported by lead-acid batteries and dominated in Europe by Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) technology. However, despite their long and largely unchanged technological heritage, VRLA battery technology, which was established, predominately in the 1990s, has a chequered reputation of indefinable lifespan and questionable reliability.

Schools and colleges

Traditionally school water tanks were designed to hold a day's supply of water, but in those days a higher volume of water was used in the preparation of school dinners and shower facilities after field sports. Today, the same schools use a lot less water and so the water level in the tank moves very little, remaining stagnant for some time, which provides optimum conditions for the development of Legionella.

We are all familiar with the Frico range of products which are well known within the industry and which they have been developing and manufacturing since 1932. Today they are the leading supplier of air curtains, radiant heaters and fan heaters in Europe and provide a comfortable indoor climate for a variety of different buildings.

There is no doubt that the general public and commercial building clients have a healthy appetite for sustainability, but the market is being driven down a series of blind alleys.