Total Control News & Industry Insights

National Apprentices Week 2023

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 09:47:08 GMT

National Apprentice Week - w/c 6th February 2023

National Apprentice Week brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, business and the wider community.

The theme for this year is "Skills for Life" and demonstrates how apprenticeships can provide the skills needed to develop rewarding careers and build talent within businesses.

We asked Chris Fry - our Group Operations Director - some key questions to help potential apprentices understand more about our business, how his career has progressed with us and what inspired him to join Total Control as an apprentice more than 20 years ago!

Read his answers and thoughts here IN FOCUS: Chris Fry

Annual Company Buffet Night

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 10:37:47 GMT

This week, Total Control hosted our annual, company buffet event at the Salomon's Estate and it was great to get an in-depth update on our business performance over the past 12 months, and that we maintain a robustly positive and stable position in response to the unprecedented challenges our industry has experienced over the past year. Martin Millins highlighted plans for growth and insights on how our business can potentially tackle some of the industry-specific challenges that lie ahead.

A much-need get-together and a fantastic opportunity to catch up with colleagues and connect with more recent members of the Total Control team. #team #bettertogether #employeeownership

Harry smashes his target for Demelza

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 08:11:47 GMT

Total Control's Harry almost doubles his target for Demelza Hospice Care for Children

Wow! What a day it was, and the absolute greatest achievement of my life. I couldn’t be prouder to have done it - it was an incredible, fantastic experience. My legs are feeling it now though, but I would certainly do it again without a doubt!

Thank you all so much for your amazing support - we raised £3,875 so completely smashed our £2,000 target !!

Take a moment to read why Harry is running the London Marathon next month for a charity close to his and his family's hearts...

Donate here

As I’m sure most of you are aware, my little cousin Mia is in a wheelchair. She’s 7 now. When she was born, she suffered a brain injury, which actually nearly killed her. She has cerebral palsy (she can’t stand up or walk), has epilepsy, she can’t talk but she’s full of character.
Life can be hard for Mia, and children like her. They need a lot of attention and help every day. Matt and Liz (Mia’s mum and dad) have to pretty much do everything for Mia - carry her around, push her around in her wheelchair, feed her, give her medications, entertain her…the list goes on. It can be really exhausting.

Well, Demelza, the amazing charity I’m running for, provide much needed respite for families and kids like Mia. The families can go and enjoy social activities with other families who have disabled children. The siblings can play and get to know other kids who have disabled brothers or sisters. They have a lovely hydrotherapy pool that families can use, as well as offering music and art therapy. But the main thing is the short break respite that Demelza offers. It’s truly a lifeline to families. Kids like Mia can go and stay overnight and be cared for 24/7. Demelza have highly trained nurses and health care assistants who take care of the children and all their medical needs. This can offer a wonderful rest for parents/carers, allowing them to ‘recharge’ their batteries.
Unfortunately for a lot of the children under Demelza’s care, their medical needs or conditions can mean they are ‘life limited’. This means they are unlikely to live as long as others. Demelza also help families with end of life care, and can be a huge support during such a difficult time.

Unfortunately they are only part funded by the government and therefore need to raise a lot of money each year to continue helping so many families.

Please help me to raise money for such a worthy charity on my Just Giving page, and thank you to everyone who has already sponsored me ��

#teamdemelza #cerebralpalsy #londonmarathon2022

100km and over £12,000

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 14:36:43 GMT

Martin's group raised almost £12,000 towards our annual donations to MIND

Congratulations and a massive shout-out to Martin Millins and his group for successfully completing the South Coast Ultra Challenge this weekend, trekking 100KM from Eastbourne to Arundel. Earlier this year, they lost a very special person in their lives and decided to embark on a challenge to raise some money and awareness for a great charity in her memory.

The team raised in excess of £12,000 which will be donated to Mind - an incredibly important and worthy charity that is very close to our hearts here at Total Control.

“This was one of the most challenging things I have ever done both physically and mentally. I couldn’t have achieved this without all the support I received prior to, during and after the event. Besides the money, I hope we’ve been able to raise awareness towards mental health and those that are there to support.”

Thank you to everyone who has sponsored the team and to all those who helped and volunteered over the weekend ��

#mind #mentalhealth #ultrachallenge #wellbeing #team #mind

PROJECT UPDATE

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 10:53:15 GMT

Santander UK's Headquarters in Milton Keynes

Great progress is being made by one of our Projects teams on the #BMS Fit out for Santander UK's Unity Place in Milton Keynes. This new, landmark digital hub will feature a number of public facilities such as retail, dining, co-working, auditorium and health and fitness spaces.

The Siemens BMS will be integrated with a Master Smart Buildings package and we're really excited to explore what this control system can do ��

It's been a pleasure working with Glen Gaboardi and his talented team at Grant Walker Engineering. Project completion is due in September and we look forward to continued collaboration.

Family & Friends Fun Day

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 13:59:39 GMT

It's always great to see colleagues get together and even better when they bring their families and friends and add scorching weather into the mix. Total Control hosted our Friends & Family Fun Day at the weekend and everyone enjoyed the inflatables, simulators, games, live music and food on offer.

Special mentions to the brilliant band Jukebox City and the exquisitely delicious ice creams from vintage van Vera Vanilla Pod

We also raised over £300 towards one of our employee's next Ukrainian humanitarian mission as well as over £100 to add to our annual fundraising pot for the charity MIND. Thank you for all your donations.

Find out more about Val's Ukrainian mission here.

#ourpeoplemakethedifference #culture

National Employee Ownership Day 2022

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 07:47:57 GMT

24th June is EO Day! Proud to be employee owned

National Employee Ownership Day takes place at the end of June every year, and allows members to celebrate their stories and successes throughout the year.

Since it started 10 years ago, the reach of EO Day and the scale of the sector has grown – both have more than doubled in the past few years. Employee ownership is evidenced as delivering benefits for employees, for businesses as well as providing a succession solution that roots jobs sustainably for the longer term. Employee Owned businesses are more productive, more resilient and are rooted in their local areas and communities, securing good jobs for the longer term in the regions. Employee ownership helps to grow individuals too, with employee owners who empowered through a stake and a say report feeling high levels of accomplishment and satisfaction with their employer, with the ability to share in the wealth that they help to create.

We're looking forward to the Total Control Friends & Family Fun Day in July where we have a full day of food, activities and music planned to bring us all together.

Discover more about Employee Ownership

Read about Our Culture

MAINTENANCE UPDATE

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 11:37:36 GMT

Great feedback for our Maintenance team

Total Control "...was extremely helpful, very pleasant to work alongside and demonstrated a real 'we can fix this' attitude which was very much appreciated."

A pleasure to receive such positive client feedback on one of our recent projects at the Folkestone Museum ��

Discover more about OUR PORTFOLIO
We operate in a multitude of SECTORS
#bms #folkestonemus #trend

One of the UK's leading specialists in BMS Health & Maintenance

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 12:15:54 GMT

What makes TOTAL CONTROL one of the UK's leading, independent specialists looking after the BMS health and maintenance of your building? Happy customers.

We're really proud to share a small selection of the many, positive online submissions from our feedback portal - an interactive, real-time feed available on our maintenance page here �� Maintenance Customer Feedback Portal

We deliver reliable, proactive and export support through our 4 Pillar Plan of BMS Maintenance services. Get in touch with us to see how we can support you with any of the following:

- developing a preventative maintenance strategy for your building

- offering a highly-rated remote monitoring response bureau

- cyber security audits

- system upgrades

- occupancy analytics and statisfaction

PROJECT UPDATE The Barbican Complex

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 09:12:28 GMT

Decarbonisation Approach

Click on the image above to view the full Project File .

Total Control are pleased to have worked on the BEMS optimisation, electrical metering and upgrade at the following sites within the Barbican Complex:
�� The Barbican Centre (BAC)
�� Milton Court
�� Guildhall School of Music and Drama (GSMD)

We were appointed by Vital Energi Utilities Limited to upgrade and optimise the BEMS and assist in the integration of VITAL VIEW which is Vital Energi's BMS performance monitoring system. This decarbonisation project has been delivered alongside Trend Control Systems .

It has been a pleasure to work with Vital Energi's talented team and we look forward to assisting them further with helping them to secure, monitor and verify their #energy savings. #worldenvironmentday2022 ��

Discover more about OUR PORTFOLIO and OUR SECTORS

Siemens Solutions Partner Renewal

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Fri, 06 May 2022 09:21:43 GMT

Driving long-term growth

It was a pleasure to have Peter Linehan from Siemens visit our office on Tuesday 3rd May and we are proud to have received the renewal certificate as a fully-accredited SIEMENS HVAC SOLUTIONS PARTNER. Peter is the Regional Sales Manager for London & South East

Smart Infrastructure, Building Products.

Our status as a SIEMENS SOLUTIONS PARTNER allows us to offer complete solutions of unrivaled quality; based on high-level expertise and technical knowledge that the Siemens product and system portfolio provides.

We look forward to continued, long-term collaboration with the Siemens team.

View Our Partners page.

We are Cyber Secure

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Tue, 03 May 2022 11:15:04 GMT

Total Control re-certified for another year by IASME

To provide the best solutions, we align ourselves with the best. We have developed and nurtured solid relationships over time and are constantly striving to ensure that our services are underpinned by the most robust accreditation bodies out there.

Total Control prioritise our security and we are pleased to announce that we have secured the latest Cyber Essentials accreditation.

Total Control's Group Operations Director, Chris Fry, considers cyber security to be one of the team's top priorities,"This accreditation renewal demonstrates to our customers that we take cyber security very seriously and instils consumer confidence in our capabilities to greatly reduce the threat from potential cyber-attacks. It supports our commitment to offering and delivering a secure and compliant service."

View Our Accreditations page.

Val volunteers to deliver Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 12:10:43 GMT

"I will continue to give my support in every way possible to support the people suffering in my homeland".

Volodya (Val) Kravchenko, one of our Client Services engineers, embarked on a mission very close to his heart. Both he and his wife are from Ukraine and have close family and friends all over the country. Vlad took the 5am call on 24th February from his mum - who lives in Sumy on the northern Ukranian border - and he has been trying to help in any way he can since. He has donated money and supplies to various UK-led initiatives and is currently hosting a Ukranian refugee recently released from one of the camps. So, when he heard of an opportunity for volunteers to drive much-needed supplies from the Dutch border directly to the Ukranian border, he felt strongly that this was a mission he wanted to do to support the people suffering in his homeland.

The mission in March was organised by a group of individuals who have links with border control and who ensure that the right type of aid (supplies, sanitary equipment, body armour etc.) gets to those who need it.

Val ( he uses the UK version - Vlad - with us at Total Control ) is very keen to repeat this trip as he saw how effective it was getting the aid to the right people, and he was also impressed with how efficiently packed and labelled all the supplies were in the distribution centre.

Val has set up a Just Giving page to raise money towards a repeat mission. Help support him HERE if you can. His target is £1,000 (but the trip will cost in the region of £3,500) which will cover car purchase, petrol, expenses and his flight back. Anything above this will go towards donations of much-needed protective equipment for the volunteers.

We're very proud of you and your volunteers, Val!

Total Control will continue to support you ��

Maximise your building's efficiency

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 13:02:47 GMT

We deliver sustainable, data-driven savings with our Energy Saving Solutions.

We deliver sustainable, data-driven #energysavings with our 4 Pillar Plan above ��

With all the current legislation that governs energy use, reporting and reduction, it is easy to feel lost. However, it is also easy to forget that you will be saving money with energy reductions. Get in touch with our energy team - we have the knowledge, skills and capability to deliver the best energy saving specific to your building or project.

Email our Energy team directly here .

Review our Energy page here to discover how we could help you.

International Women's Day 2022

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 12:39:08 GMT

We asked people to invest some time in getting to know a bit more about the women in our team.

For #InternationalWomensDay2022 , the women of the business shared internally something personal, something work-related, something we're passionate about and lastly how we hope to help break the #breakthebias2022 . We've highlighted some of their favourite, inspirational 'post-it quotes' above...��

We also had a scrolling TV display for the day which highlighted our quotes and favourite pics, some delicious doughnuts and a beautiful red rose - anonymously placed on each of our desks - happy International Women's Day to the wonderful women in the Total Control team!

Looking for your next challenge?

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 10:20:04 GMT

We are looking for a BMS Controls Electrician to join our Total Control team!

Are you ready for your next challenge and career move?

If you wish to apply directly or simply register your interest in the role, please email recruitment@total-control.co.uk.

The Role

As a BMS controls electrician you will have knowledge of industrial/commercial electrical installation works and be able to interpreting schematic diagrams and layout drawings.

You will be hardworking and committed to achieving success for both yourself and the company. Have a willingness to be self-sufficient, but be able to communicate with others including the installation manager, project managers, project engineers and clients.

Key Skills

Level 3 City and Guilds Electrical Technical Certificate.
NVQ level 3 in Electrical Installations.
City and Guilds 18th Edition Wiring Regulations (BS7671).
Hold a current valid (approved electricians) JIB/ECS/CSCS card
Full UK driving license
Proficient use of English language
Complying with all H&S at industry standard
A minimum of 3 years’ experience as an fully qualified electrician.
Situated in South East London, Kent or Essex.
Ability to work independently to problem solve and rectify electrical faults.
Must be able to work on your own or as part of a team and be able to supervise others such as apprentices.

Ideally has experience in the following areas:

Containment installations and frames - Tray, conduit, basket, trunking, unistrut etc.
Cable wiring and terminations - SWA, singles, screened cabling, FP, YY etc.

Preferable Skills

Testing and Inspection 2391 (or equivalent) would be an advantage
Be conversant with BMS control systems
Have an understanding of HVAC mechanical plant.
Be confident to order your own materials when essential

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

Company events
Company pension
Cycle to work scheme
Life insurance
Private medical insurance
Sick pay

Schedule:

Monday to Friday

Experience:

Electricial: 3 years (preferred)

Work remotely:

Discover more about our Total Control Culture , Careers and Leadership Team .

IN FOCUS: Chris Fry talks about his career journey with us

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 14:31:32 GMT

National Apprentice Week - 7th to 13th February 2022

National Apprenticeship Week 2022 takes place between the 7th and 13th February, bringing people together to celebrate the opportunities, benefits and impact that apprenticeships can provide.

The theme for this year is "Build the Future" and demonstrates how apprenticeships help to develop rewarding careers and build talent within businesses.

That's why we decided to ask Chris Fry - our Group Operations Director - some key questions to help potential apprentices understand more about our business, how his career has progressed with us and what inspired him to join Total Control as an apprentice more than 20 years ago!

Read his answers and thoughts here IN FOCUS: Chris Fry

Earn While You Learn!

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 12:37:39 GMT

Earn while you learn - Develop and grow a career in a supportive environment

Being able to obtain a career, qualification and earn money at the same time seems a bit too good to be true, doesn't it? Well, not at Total Control - that's exactly what we're offering!

Total Control apprenticeship schemes are aimed at people who have a passion for learning and want to start their career now - or possibly retrain in a new direction. We are extremely proud of the success of our programs which have led to some apprentices developing into senior management roles, such as a Group Director!

On successful completion of the apprenticeship you will achieve:

Level 3 Certification Business Administration

18 months hands-on experience in an HR and Office Management support role

For further information about the role, please email us at recruitment@total-control.co.uk .

To request a copy of the detailed job description, please click here .

Discover more about our Apprenticeships , Culture and Careers .

New Website and Digital Branding

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 16:00:18 GMT

Total Control has a cleaner, distinctive and interactive platform to launch into 2022!

Total Control are thrilled to kick-start 2022 with our new website which showcases our distinctive and different digital branding and provides a vastly improved online offering. The design is cleaner, progressive and interactive whilst introducing strong, corporate colours that create synergy among our four divisions: Projects , Smart , Maintenance and Energy .

We hope you'll agree that our new website www.total-control.co.uk offers a more intuitive and engaging visitor journey, with clearer segmentation of content and services. This investment reflects our company's growth and development, as well as providing a greater sense of brand pride, personality and unity across the business. The process has given us the opportunity to come together as a community and define the values that make us work so well as a team: Community, Integrity and Passion .

The website is enhanced by the inclusion of a News & Insights section which will be updated with the latest Total Control team developments as well as articles highlighting relevant industry news, technologies and trends. We have also improved our Careers and Apprenticeships pages to ensure that more information on pathways is readily accessible.

Martin Millins , Total Control’s Group Managing Director, said “2022 is the year in which we start to shout about what Total Control has to offer all of its clients, partners and employees. The new website offers a much more streamlined and relevant user experience whilst showcasing the great work we do and the breadth in which we operate. The refreshed brand colours will feature prominently in our digital presence and will be rolled out throughout 2022 across other areas of our business. Exciting times ahead for 2022 and beyond."

Find out more about the opportunities available to join our Total Control team.

Discover more about our Culture .

Total Control raises over £4,000!

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 12:56:31 GMT

An incredible fundraising effort from the Total Control Team

2021 was been a busy and challenging year whilst we adjusted to a new way of life in the current Covid climate!

We have been very lucky to be able to still fundraise and donate to some incredible charities this year and I would like to say a huge thank you to our Total Control team for supporting, donating, and taking part in the challenges this year. It's a great way to bring us all together and doing something good to benefit others and ourselves.

2021 began with Move for Mind, where we racked up not only over 1,850 miles between us, but also raised over £2,500! This was achieved not only by our staff, but family members and friends, the youngest of our team being only 5 years old! We then added to the pot for Mind with around £40 raised on the national Employee Ownership day in June with the cake sale. Skip forward to November, and we decided to take part in Movember, to either grow, move or host to raise money for Men's mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. We have seen some spectacular moustaches whilst also racking up the miles and some very generous donations to our team - "Total Mo-Trol"! Thank you again to all who took part in this; we managed to smash our target of £500 and raised £1,530 from Movember alone! To round off 2021, we held our annual Christmas Jumper Day - a great way to get everyone in the festive spirit by donating to wear a silly, festive jumper. This fun event brought in an additional £120 to add to our fundraising pot, and brings our 2021 total to an amazing...

£4,200!

Thank you again for joining in whatever capacity you could, and I hope you have enjoyed taking part in this as much as I've enjoyed organising it!

Melissa

Total Control MOVEMBER Team

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 16:14:40 GMT

Team "Total Mo-Trol" have smashed their Movember fundraising target!

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in this, from growing some impressive moustaches (evidenced above!) to getting out and about and walking/running/moving throughout November.

We're thrilled to announce that we've smashed our target of £300 and raised an incredible...

£1530 !!

Team "Total Mo-trol" for Movember

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 15:59:52 GMT

Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men's health

This November, we've decided to create a team Total Mo-Trol and take part in #Movember ; an important charity which highlights the importance of men's health. Our task is to either grow a mo , move for Movember or host a moment .

A few of us have already started to sport some great, memorable "mos", whilst either sacrificing the beard and being exposed to the cold or adding an extra layer by growing the beard to match the mo! For those of us that are not up for the growing part, have embraced the moving part - whether that's walking, running, working out, or walking the dog to reach 60km for the 60 men lost to suicide every hour, globally.

Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men's mental health; they aim to provide support in the following areas:

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
Prostate Cancer
Testicular Cancer

A growing number of men - around 10.8m globally - are facing life with a prostate cancer diagnosis, Globally, testicular cancer is the most common cancer among young men and across the world, one man dies by suicide every minute of every day, with males accounting for 75% of all suicides.

We've set ourselves a target of £500 and we'll update you in early December with what team Total Mo-Trol has managed to raise.

Watch this space, and click here to visit our team page and donate :)

Entry-Level Sales Engineer

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 10:59:23 GMT

Looking for your next move? Come and join our Total Control team.

Have you got 2 years' experience within the BMS Industry and think Sales might be the right fit for you?

Reach out to us today at recruitment@total-control.co.uk .

World Mental Health Awareness Day

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 13:41:04 GMT

The mental health of our Total Control team is a priority for us

Employees at Total Control enjoyed receiving small treat boxes this week packed with information on Mental Health and the support that is available. We felt it was an important opportunity to support and reach out with help and advice to our biggest asset: our people.

The theme for this year was 'Mental Health in an unequal world' - set by the Mental Heath Foundation.

Even small gestures such as these are important to bring awareness, advocate against social stigma and generate a culture shift to promote a safe environment enabling individuals to feel comfortable enough to obtain support.

#itsokaynottobeokay

A warm welcome to our New Partners

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 14:35:13 GMT

Sharing plans for EcoStruxure growth

It was a pleasure to have Michael Ward and Matthew Wallace from Schneider Electric visit our offices, meet the team and share future development plans for driving growth with EcoStruxure.

We look forward to a long-term collaboration with the Schneider team.

We're hiring a BMS professional

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 09:35:36 GMT

Are you ready for a new challenge?

Total Control are looking for a BMS professional to join our exceptional team. To find out more about the role, email

recruitment@total-control.co.uk.

Students - Earn while you Learn

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 15:48:40 GMT

Apprentice Programme 2022 Intake - Recruiting Now!

At Total Control, we are really proud of our apprentices, their passion for what we do and their determination to learn, develop and succeed in their careers. Our apprentices are fundamental to our continuing success and their consistent, innovative and fresh approaches ensure that we're always at the top of our game. We strive to support your chosen career from a Control Electrician, Control Engineer onwards to Sales or even Senior Management.

Are you looking to gain on the job experience with an established, highly respected leader in the UK's BMS industry?

Are you eager to achieve an industry qualification to kickstart your career in engineering?

Are you keen to get paid whilst doing this, as well as receiving various company benefits?

We're currently recruiting for our next year's intake now so don't delay your application!

Read further details on our Apprentice Programme .

Email recruitment@total-control.co.uk for an application form, further details or simply to register your interest.

Request Apprentice Programme Brochure with details on the Learning Pathway.

Kevin's Prostate Cancer Challenge

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 09:18:45 GMT

Raising awareness of one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the UK

Kevin's challenge was to cycle 100 miles, run 25 miles and swim 2.5 miles throughout the month of May to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK. It is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the UK, killing 11,500 a year; that's one dad, partner, son, brother, granddad, uncle or mate every 45 minutes.

Kevin wanted to raise at least £500 to help fund lifesaving research for men and their families affected by this disease. He explains his approach below and we've included his progress stats above to show how he managed to surpass his fundraising target:

"I train quite a lot generally, and because I've been water skiing since I was 9 years old I decided to base this as my main training regime. In an average month, I would normally do:

44km running split: 24km road and 20km indoor treadmill
4km indoor swimming
152km bike split: 72km road and 80km indoor

So, I was quite confident that I could do it easily enough, however I was now on my medication and to make matters worse, just before I started at the beginning of May I damaged my calf. This meant that I couldn't run! So, I did it by walking and running whenever I could, which is why the times are terrible. Id did not affect my swimming or cycling though :)

I'm extremely grateful to everyone who donated to my challenge, and so pleased that we raised a fantastic £580!"

Outstanding Partner Performance Trophy

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 14:07:35 GMT

A 3rd trophy for Total Control

It was a pleasure to have Darryl Gregory from Trend visit the offices and award us with their Trend Control Systems Outstanding Partner Performance trophy; it's great to be recognised for our ongoing support and commitment, a welcome addition to our trophy cabinet!

Celebrating our first EO Day!

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 15:26:57 GMT

Proud to be employee owned - our first EO event

National Employee Ownership Day takes place at the end of June every year, and allows members to celebrate their stories and successes throughout the year.

This was our first EO Day at Total Control, having only recently transferred to this new ownership business model. It was a pleasure for us to be part of this #bettertogether themed event - even on a small scale - and thrilled so many of us took part virtually too. It was an opportunity for us to explore what it means to be part of Total Control and what values we share, and what we intend to build on and develop throughout our next year of Employee Ownership.

Employee owned businesses put people first, and this in-person/virtual event was key for us in showing how important it's been to work #bettertogether during these challenging times

New Partnership with Schneider Electric

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Thu, 27 May 2021 15:08:03 GMT

Total Control becomes Schneider Electric Building Partner

To provide the best solutions, we align ourselves with the best. We have developed and nurtured solid relationships over time and are constantly striving to add to our compelling and enviable partner base.

Total Control are delighted to announce that we have partnered with Schneider Electric to supply its EcoStructureTM Building Automation and Control product solutions. Our Group Managing Director, Martin Millins , is thrilled with this partnership as not only does it broaden Schneider Electric's customer base, but allows us to ensure the highest level of service is provided to their end-users:

"We are delighted to be partnering with Schneider Electric and look forward to delivering EcoStructure solutions to our clients. We always strive to implement the very best technical solution that aligns with customer needs and we see EcoStructureTM and the Schneider Electric partner programme as the perfect fit to enhance our offering."

Wesley Thurley, BMS Channel Leader at Schneider Electric, commented "It is a great time to be partnering with Total Control Services Ltd, a business with a history of delivering sustainable and efficiency projects and its ambition to deliver value to customers through latest digital technology alignes perfectly with our values. We are delighted to have the team onboard."

Related Press Coverage

Voltimum, Total Control Services Becomes Schneider Electric Partner

Smart Buildings, Schneider Electric Partners with Total Control Services

Employee Ownership Appointments

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Mon, 03 May 2021 14:40:51 GMT

Our New Employee Ownership Trust Directors

Employee Ownership is an increasingly popular, succession solution for SMEs in the UK. Having recently transferred to this new business model, Total Control welcomes our first two Employee Ownership Trust Directors (EOT Directors); Maz Miah and Michael Bridges.

Find out more about what they plan to bring to the role on Our Culture page.

Top Tier Partner with Trend

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 15:23:12 GMT

Expert Collaboration Matters

Total Control are delighted to be an approved TREND TECHNOLOGY PARTNER.

Trend is one of the world's leading Building Energy Management Systems manufacturers, with a worldwide distribution and support network covering over 50 countries. Its fully integrated control solutions are able to meet the most complex requirements of modern buildings.

Having been a TREND TECHNOLOGY CENTRE (TTC) for a number of years, we remain at the top of their partner tier levels after Trend recently changed their partner tier structure. We are able to advise on the most appropriate product within the vast range available. A tailor-made solution for your individual needs.

We're MOVING for mental health charity: MIND

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 15:29:07 GMT

Our 30 Day Challenge was a huge success!

Well, 2021 had an ‘active’ start for many of us who decided to kick off the year by taking part in Move For Mind! A number of us participated by walking, running, cycling, yoga, setting personal challenges and even using the daily commute to rack up those steps to raise money for our chosen charity, Mind!

It is safe to say we absolutely smashed our fundraising target by raising over £2,500!! And we would like to thank all of you who have taken part, donated and asked friends, family and colleagues to contribute to such a worthwhile cause. The money raised will go towards helping Mind provide their vital mental health services to many more people and to help raise awareness of mental health.

Please help with the cake sale and wearing something blue on 25th June too (as part of the EO day) - every little bit helps so we can add it to the pot for MIND.

Thank you all for taking part, and helping Total Control to give vital support to such a worthwhile and incredibly important charity.

Total Control's New Group MD

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 14:51:41 GMT

Martin Millins is our new Group Managing Director

Our move to an Employee Owned business model in 2020 offers every member of the team a chance to develop and grow. We set a clear strategy to take the long-term view for the benefit of all, seeing continuity and internal succession as the best way to grow and develop the business.

We are absolutely delighted to announce the appointment of Martin Millins as the new Group Managing Director of Total Control. Many of you will know him, having worked with him as clients or colleagues. Martin joined Total Control some 22 years ago and has delivered consistent levels of astuteness in all the roles he has performed. He has also played an intrinsic role in shaping the business we are now.

Martin’s appointment has been welcomed by every one of his colleagues, who are delighted for him and the business. He will take over his role from January 2021 with the continued support of our directors.

Whilst 2020 was challenging for all of us and 2021 will offer a degree of uncertainty, we head into it with confidence that our charismatic, dedicated, and inspiring MD leads us to a new age.

View our Leadership Team page.

We're supporting MIND as our charity 2021

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 15:27:41 GMT

Our Chosen Charity Update

So many changes, new rules, adjusting to a 'new normal' and seeing much more of Boris Johnson than I think all of us would like!

This year has been a difficult and challenging year for all of us, on many different and personal levels. In the 'pre-Covid era', we were already looking at a charity which would benefit those looking to strengthen and support their mental health. It seems even more important now to invest our fundraising efforts in this area, and so I remind you that this year we will be supporting Mind.

As we have not been able to fundraise this year, let's start 2021 with Move for Mind!

Move for Mind is an exciting exercise and fundraising challenge to raise money for better mental health. It's 30 days, your way - and we hope many of us at Total Control get involved in this, and other activities throughout the year.

Let's start the year as we mean to go on!!

A Message From Our Founder

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 16:40:45 GMT

Andy provides the context behind his decision to move to a new ownership model

Throughout my career I never once thought there would come a time for me to contribute such a message as this, nor that I would be doing it from beyond retirement age. But time moves on and here I am.

How it all started

For me, it all began as a non-academic secondary school kid with parents who insisted an engineering apprenticeship was my way forward. I stumbled into HVAC as this option was within walking distance of home.

A five-year indentured apprenticeship later, I knew how to build an air handling unit, but wanted more of a challenge. A job in HVAC controls sounded right and I found myself as the first sales support engineer at Staefa UK. Little did I know Staefa was the up 'n coming UK controls business that everyone wanted to be part of. This was a great time for me, I met a lot of good people and learnt a massive amount.

Fate also played a part as the day after accepting a job at Staefa I met my wife Molly, which meant quite a bit of long-distance courting between Middlesex and Kent.

At thirty, married with a 4-year old son, I stumbled into my first independent control system business. For three years it was tough. I worked round the clock, had a huge mortgage while all around me was a recession, boom 'n bust, and interest rates at 18%. Then to cap it all, I couldn't get on with my new business partner. But in these three years, I learnt a hard lesson: how to run a business.

So, Molly and I moved on and began Total Control in October 1987. We're immensely proud of and massively thankful to all those who have helped us to get where we are today. Many a milestone has been achieved, from exciting projects, to satisfied clients, and careers fulfilled. The broad family which is Total Control is both surprisingly broad and in very good health.

For over thirty years our loyal and trusted employees had supported the growth of Total Control and it was time to give something back.

A better future

I first came across the idea of employee ownership (EO) in 2017. I went to the Employee Ownership Association (the EOA) National Conference at the NEC, and I left with my head spinning but hugely impressed.

Never wanting particularly to cut 'n run and damn the consequences, Molly and I both saw employee ownership as a way to ensure continuity of the business in the form it was. Run by those who have done such a fine job so far and providing them with the reward that comes from ongoing success.

There followed a year of more research before the idea fully gelled, and even longer to do other preparation that would ensure the readiness of Total Control for employee ownership.

Luckily, to assist with the transition of Total Control we chose an extremely capable and very supportive employee ownership advisor in Ewan Hall of Baxendale, who I first met at the NEC Conference in Birmingham.

But our eventual timing could have been better. We started to work in earnest on our transition to EO one month before the first Covid-19 lockdown. So, we were faced with how to manage and deliver the process in such extreme condition, along with exactly how the business would fare in such new and strange times.

As it transpired, any such concerns were groundless. Through the hard work of all, Total Control continued to thrive and make progress. Plus, the EO transition process lent itself well to being done by a mixture of Zoom and MS Teams.

With one notable exception in September 2020, when we took advantage of the gap between lockdowns #1 and #2 and delivered an all-staff exceptional meeting. It was held in a farmer's field and under cover of a huge marquee without sides to act as a giant umbrella. Just under a hundred seats were arranged with two-meter distancing, front and back and sides, plus all the necessary PPE. We then formally announced to everyone that they would soon become the new owners of Total Control and the deed was officially complete in November 2020.

Andy Bowshell

Occupancy Analytics

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 15:20:50 GMT

Building Occupancy Levels Matter to the Environment

Interesting Memoori article; current occupancy guidance is not sustainable, and neither are empty buildings.

The effect of Covid-19 on buildings has led to a massive reduction in occupancy levels - and alarmingly, these are not often realised through energy savings. With the potential for long-term social distancing ahead of us, it's even more important that companies prioritise occupancy data integration from an IoT/smart building perspective.

Occupancy analytics are the cornerstone of a smart facility; energy savings aside, providing reliable occupancy data is vital to ensure your building can adapt to changes in utilisation.

From basic CO² sensing, to IoT Bluetooth Low Energy technology we have solutions for any level of data granularity, we engineered our own offices to utilise our Ubiquiti Unifi Wifi management console to detect staff attendance, and report this data to our Niagara and Optergy platforms, to allow us to regulate safe occupancy levels and provide track and trace data when necessary.

View the Article Here - 2 min read

BCIA Awards Finalists

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 14:17:38 GMT

Finalists in not one, but TWO categories!

It's a pleasure to announce that Total Control has been shortlisted for two categories in what will be our first time entering these prestigious industry awards. Some compelling endorsements below in each of these two categories...

Building Control & BEMS Installer of the Year - 100 BISHOPSGATE

Total Control are incredibly proud of this project with MJL and Multiplex. We are now 100 Bishopsgate's incumbent contractor; we vehemently believe that very few projects of this size are delivered so efficiently and effectively, and believe it shows our commitment, professionalism and collaborative approach.

Mike Broad, M&E Projects Director,Multiplex Construction Europe , says " This project represents one of the largest commercial office developments in the City of London, and subject to large scale change due to incoming tenants plus client amendments and changes. I can honestly say with 25 years in the industry that the performance of Craig Veale and the Total Control team on this project were outstanding. We faced numerous challenges during completion phases, requiring a very flexible approach to commissioning, while maintaining the codes and standard required. This would simply not have been possible were it not for the open and honest nature of Total Control's approach, willingness to engage - noting their contract was direct to the main Mechanical contractor and not direct to ourselves."

Kevin Feerick, Group Director, Michael J. Lonsdale , says "Total Control delivered a full BMS turnkey solution on this premier project. Interfacing with numerous third-party systems across entire project, they delivered on all fronts including installation, software design/usability, panel build and ultimately commissioning and client-handover. All our systems are reliant on a stable, fully-integrated BMS and working with the MJL teams, Total Control delivered on time to enable the mechanical services installation to progress to handover well within the constraints of a very tight programme."

Garry Davies, Senior Project Manager, The Core Group, says "I had the great pleasure of working with Total Control Services on the challenging new build project of 100 Bishopsgate. We should never underestimate the importance of BMS commissioning when trying to deliver a holistic commissioned building. The team were professional, flexible and committed to delivering a first-class Building Management System. From assessing needs to implementing suggestions, the team were pro-active from day one and maintained a 'get it done' attitude throughout the project. I look forward to working with them again in the future."

Martin Taylor, Project Manager, Michael J. Lonsdale, says "I had full confidence in TC's ability to deliver the BMS on the shell and core for 100 Bishopsgate. Their project team were well skilled, professional and the quality of work was always a high standard. I would look certainly to use them on my future projects."

Technical Innovation of the Year - Projects: OPTERGY'S SMART BUILDING & ENERGY MANAGEMENT SOLUTION FOR WORKSPACE

Total Control proposed and installed an innovative, integrated software platform - Optergy - which enhance the customer/occupant experience on a localised basis, and have centralised management control. This smart metering, smart billing and smart HVAC control solution has been successfully delivered via the bespoke Optergy software platform at a number of Workspace's sites, with plans for further deployment.

Kahroon Tanvir, Senior Project Manager, Workspace Group , says "The innovative Optergy platform has allowed us to manage sites in a far more efficient manner with better insights into what our buildings are doing; we have real-time energy usage information and can remotely interrogate and manage what our main plant is doing and alter if required. It's incredibly beneficial to have such a flexible, web-based software that's secure and allows for collaborative and connected working.

I've used Total Control on several projects over the last few years, all posing their own unique challenges across a variety of diverse installations. Their initial advice in assisting in formulating a road map to delivering a successful, integrated system that allows BMS, EMS and AMR is unrivalled.

Their ability to understand our requirements, then work alongside our service engineers in developing the technical solutions required to ensure our strategic aspirations are met efficiently, is one of the main reasons I use them on my projects. They are professional, committed and work hard to understand our needs right from the start.

The transition period between design and construction is seamless; their dedicate team ensure the philosophy of what was designed is carried out through into the delivery phase whilst integrating with various sub-contractors and manufacturers."

We are Finalists at the BCIA Awards!

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 09:58:23 GMT

Finalists in not one, but TWO categories!

Building Control & BEMS Installer of the Year - 100 BISHOPSGATE

Technical Innovation of the Year - Projects: OPTERGY'S SMART BUILDING & ENERGY MANAGEMENT SOLUTION FOR WORKSPACE

Total Control in Kent's Top 50 List

jo.dobson@total-control.co.uk (Jo Dobson) — Mon, 13 Jan 2020 16:19:34 GMT

Total Control included in the list of Kent's MegaGrowth Top 50

We're thrilled to have been highlighted on the list of fastest growing, independent businesses in the Kent area.

Thanks to all our partners and clients for their continued, and much-valued support.

Read Article here.

Total Control News & Industry Insights

National Apprentices Week 2023

National Apprentice Week - w/c 6th February 2023

Annual Company Buffet Night

Harry smashes his target for Demelza

Total Control's Harry almost doubles his target for Demelza Hospice Care for Children

100km and over £12,000

Martin's group raised almost £12,000 towards our annual donations to MIND

** PROJECT UPDATE **

Santander UK's Headquarters in Milton Keynes

Family & Friends Fun Day

National Employee Ownership Day 2022

24th June is EO Day! Proud to be employee owned

** MAINTENANCE UPDATE **

Great feedback for our Maintenance team

One of the UK's leading specialists in BMS Health & Maintenance

** PROJECT UPDATE ** The Barbican Complex

Decarbonisation Approach

Siemens Solutions Partner Renewal

Driving long-term growth

We are Cyber Secure

Total Control re-certified for another year by IASME

Val volunteers to deliver Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine

"I will continue to give my support in every way possible to support the people suffering in my homeland".

Maximise your building's efficiency

We deliver sustainable, data-driven savings with our Energy Saving Solutions.

International Women's Day 2022

We asked people to invest some time in getting to know a bit more about the women in our team.

Looking for your next challenge?

We are looking for a BMS Controls Electrician to join our Total Control team!

IN FOCUS: Chris Fry talks about his career journey with us

National Apprentice Week - 7th to 13th February 2022

Earn While You Learn!

Earn while you learn - Develop and grow a career in a supportive environment

New Website and Digital Branding

Total Control has a cleaner, distinctive and interactive platform to launch into 2022!

Total Control raises over £4,000!

An incredible fundraising effort from the Total Control Team

Total Control MOVEMBER Team

Team "Total Mo-Trol" have smashed their Movember fundraising target!

Team "Total Mo-trol" for Movember

Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men's health

Entry-Level Sales Engineer

Looking for your next move? Come and join our Total Control team.

World Mental Health Awareness Day

The mental health of our Total Control team is a priority for us

A warm welcome to our New Partners

Sharing plans for EcoStruxure growth

We're hiring a BMS professional

Are you ready for a new challenge?

Students - Earn while you Learn

Apprentice Programme 2022 Intake - Recruiting Now!

Kevin's Prostate Cancer Challenge

Raising awareness of one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the UK

Outstanding Partner Performance Trophy

A 3rd trophy for Total Control

Celebrating our first EO Day!

Proud to be employee owned - our first EO event

New Partnership with Schneider Electric

Total Control becomes Schneider Electric Building Partner

Employee Ownership Appointments

Our New Employee Ownership Trust Directors

Top Tier Partner with Trend

Expert Collaboration Matters

We're MOVING for mental health charity: MIND

Our 30 Day Challenge was a huge success!

Total Control's New Group MD

Martin Millins is our new Group Managing Director

We're supporting MIND as our charity 2021

Our Chosen Charity Update

A Message From Our Founder

Andy provides the context behind his decision to move to a new ownership model

Occupancy Analytics

Building Occupancy Levels Matter to the Environment

BCIA Awards Finalists

Finalists in not one, but TWO categories!

We are Finalists at the BCIA Awards!

Finalists in not one, but TWO categories!

Total Control in Kent's Top 50 List

Total Control included in the list of Kent's MegaGrowth Top 50

PROJECT UPDATE

MAINTENANCE UPDATE

PROJECT UPDATE The Barbican Complex