Contact us
Location
SVM Associates,
3 Greenfield Crescent,
Edgbaston,
Birmingham
B15 3BE.
Contact
Parking available at the rear of the building
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is SVM Associates (SVMA)?
SVM Associates is an independent engineering and building services consultancy established in 2004, based in Edgbaston, Birmingham. We provide specialist consultancy across three core areas: Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health (MEP) engineering; Lifts, Escalators and Façade Access; and Technical Facilities Management. We work with clients across the UK and Europe, including on some of the country’s most prominent and complex buildings.
What services does SVMA offer?
Our three main areas of expertise are:
- Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health (MEP) – including design, validation, troubleshooting, low carbon and zero carbon consultancy, HVAC, Principal Designer services, Cat A and Cat B fit-out, and Expert Witness.
- Lifts, Escalators and Façade Access – including new installations, modernisations, condition evaluations, maintenance contract management, lift risk assessments, passenger release training, façade access equipment (BMUs and window cleaning cradles), and Expert Witness.
- Technical Facilities Management – independent technical FM consultancy providing proactive, practical support to building owners and managers.
We also offer specialist services including Photovoltaic (solar) Viability assessments and MEES/EPC+ consultancy for energy performance compliance.
What areas do you cover?
We are based in Birmingham but work nationally across the UK, including regularly in London, where many of our major projects are based. We also work with clients in Europe. We are available to respond to enquiries 24 hours a day.
Are you consultants or contractors? What is the difference?
We are consultants, not contractors. This means we provide independent expert advice, design, specification, and oversight. We don’t carry out physical installation work ourselves. Our independence is central to the value we offer: our recommendations are always driven by what is right for your building and your organisation, not by what is easiest or most profitable to install.
What types of buildings and clients do you work with?
We work across a wide range of building types, from listed heritage buildings to modern commercial premises, including offices, healthcare facilities, public sector buildings, and high-profile landmark sites. Notable projects include the Houses of Parliament (Big Ben restoration), 22 Bishopsgate, Tower 42, and Broadgate Estates. Our clients include building owners, property managers, facilities managers, developers, and legal teams requiring Expert Witness services.
What is your approach to Facilities Management consultancy?
We act as independent technical FM consultants, which means we provide informed, impartial oversight of your building systems and maintenance programmes. Our “fix before failure” philosophy is central to everything we do. By identifying and resolving issues before they become emergencies, we significantly reduce unplanned downtime, reactive costs, and disruption to occupied premises.
Do you provide Expert Witness services?
Yes. Members of the SVMA team are regularly engaged as Expert Witnesses in legal and civil disputes relating to lifts, escalators, and MEP building services, including our Director, John Newbold. We provide impartial, evidence-based expert opinion drawing on decades of practical, hands-on engineering experience. Our team also regularly contributes to respected industry publications.
What accreditations does SVMA hold?
We hold a number of recognised industry accreditations and memberships, including: ECA (Electrical Contractors’ Association), NAEC (National Association of Elevator Contractors), CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers), IHEEM (Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management), Constructionline Gold, SafeContractor, and Cyber Essentials. We are also a certified Green Small Business.
What is MEES/EPC+ and do you advise on it?
MEES stands for Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards; regulations that affect the energy performance requirements for commercial and rented properties in England and Wales. Falling below the required EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating can restrict a building’s ability to be let. SVMA provides practical consultancy to help building owners understand their obligations, assess their current position, and identify the most effective and cost-efficient route to compliance.
What is Photovoltaic Viability assessment?
A Photovoltaic (PV) Viability assessment evaluates whether solar panel installation is technically and financially worthwhile for your building. SVMA carries out independent assessments that consider your building’s structure, energy consumption, grid connection, planning constraints, and return on investment, giving you an honest, evidence-based picture before you commit to any capital expenditure.
What is the Principal Designer role, and does SVMA provide it?
Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, a Principal Designer must be appointed on projects with more than one contractor to coordinate health and safety during the pre-construction phase. SVMA provides Principal Designer services for MEP engineering elements, helping clients meet their legal obligations and manage design-phase risks effectively.
What is passenger release training, and why do I need it?
Passenger release training teaches designated staff how to safely release passengers trapped in a lift during a breakdown, reducing wait times and distress until an engineer arrives. It’s a legal and safety requirement for many organisations, including NHS trusts, where lifts are used constantly.
How often does passenger release training need to be renewed?
There is no legal requirement, but guidance in the NHS HTM08-02 health technical memorandum recommends full training every 3 years and refresher training annually, and we advise sticking to NHS guidance, as this is the only available guidance and certifies wardens to carry out safe passenger release for 3 years.
What makes SVMA different from other building services consultancies?
We’re a compact, specialist team led directly by our founding directors, John Newbold and Mark Carter, which means clients always deal with genuinely experienced engineers, not junior staff. Our practical, hands-on background means we understand the real-world demands of buildings and the businesses that occupy them. We are independent, so our advice is always objective. Our “fix before failure” ethos means we focus on prevention, not just reaction, saving our clients money, time, and disruption in the long run.