As winter approaches quickly and most businesses prepare for the Christmas shutdown period. Within the Facilities Management industry there can be a unique set of seasonal challenges. From cold-weather risks and reactive callouts to increased visitor footfall and energy demands, this time of year requires a proactive strategy to keep buildings safe, compliant and operating efficiently.

Acorn support organisations across the UK with planned, preventative and reactive maintenance. We have expertise in helping ensure that buildings stay resilient through periods of low staffing, unpredictable weather and heightened operational pressure.

Read below for our guide to preparing your estate for the winter season.

Prioritise Winter PPM and Critical Asset Checks

Cold weather can put significant strain on ageing or high-use equipment. Completing essential pre-winter PPM ensures you start the season prepared and ahead of any issues.

Key checks to schedule:

• Boiler servicing, water treatment and heating performance checks
• Chiller and HVAC efficiency testing
• Emergency lighting and fire system health testing
• Roof, guttering and drainage inspections
• Generator load tests and UPS assessments

Completing these tasks before extreme temperatures hit reduces the risk of unexpected breakdowns during shutdown periods.

Prepare for Christmas Shutdowns and Reduced Staffing

Many sites operate on minimal staff between Christmas and New Year. This creates vulnerability if any potential incidents occur.

Recommended actions:

• Review your out-of-hours response plan
• Ensure BMS alerts route to the correct on-call teams
• Set heating and lighting schedules for reduced occupancy limits
• Secure plant rooms and sensitive areas before closing/locking down
• Share a clear escalation process with all key stakeholders involved

Acorn’s FM teams can support with shutdown checks, remote monitoring and rapid response during this period.

Strengthen Your Winter Resilience Plan

Winter weather is unpredictable, so mitigation planning is essential to stay on track and avoid surprises.

Include within your winter plan:

• Gritting and snow-clearance schedules organised
• Flood risk assessments and drain clearance
• Backup fuel supplies for generators
• Clear procedures for power outages
• Improved signage and wayfinding in poor visibility areas

Robust winter resilience planning limits downtime and ensures business operations to continue smoothly.

Improve Energy Efficiency Over the Festive Period

When heating systems are working harder whilst buildings running on reduced occupancy. This suggests to be the perfect time to maximise efficiency.

Quick wins include:

• Updating BMS settings for unoccupied zones
• Checking insulation and sealing drafts routinely
• Reducing unnecessary lighting throughout
• Monitoring energy usage through smart metering

Every small improvement contributes to lower seasonal energy consumption and carbon footprint overall.

Communicate Early With Occupants and Stakeholders

Seasonal disruption is much easier to manage with clear communication between facilities and maintenance.

Share relevant updates:

• Any planned works or closures
• Temporary access changes
• Out-of-hours contact details if required
• Health and safety reminders
• Any high-risk weather alerts that could cause issues

This ensures employees, tenants and visitors remain always informed and confidently reassured during the busy festive period.

How can we Support Your Winter FM Strategy?

Our expertise covers  maintenance, compliance, BMS controls, reactive support and building optimisation. Helping organisations to stay prepared throughout the winter season.

 

We provide:

Pre-winter compliance and PPM

24/7 reactive engineering support

Energy and BMS optimisation

Winter resilience planning ahead

Shutdown inspections and restart readiness

 

Get your buildings winter-ready with confidence.

Whether you’re planning ahead or need urgent seasonal assistance. We proudly ensure your buildings remain safe, compliant and performing at their best. Contact Acorn to discuss how our FM expertise can help you protect assets for longevity, maintain legal compliance and reduce any seasonal disruptions.