facilities management middle east

Essential information for FM & strata professionals, building owners, developers & contractorsAn ITP Business Publication | May 2009 Vol. 04 Issue 5

INSIDE

Q&A WITH THE FOUNDING CHAIR-

MAN OF THE GLOBAL FACILITIES

MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

Exclusive low down on what the industry’s thinkers are saying about FM in the Middle East

FM TOOLKIT READ ABOUT THE CRISIS MANAGEMENT TOOLBOX FOR THE GULF REGION

A YEAR ON... HOW LAST YEAR’S FMME AWARD WINNERS ARE ADAPTING TO THE ECONOMIC CORRECTION

CONTENTS

May 2009 1www.constructionweekonline.com

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NEWSPowerful marketing: the fmME Awards. Facilities management pivotal to Memon’s success. Omniyat JV to benefi t strata and FM ops. FSI: Gulf open for business. Moves afoot to offset energy waste. Thank you Dubai!

AwardsA year on... How last year’s fmME Award winners have adjusted to thecurrent economic climate, and what the accolade means to them and their company

fmME Breakfast ClubCommunity challenge: inaugral fmME Breakfast Club convenesRead what the industry thinkers and knowledge sharers are saying about facilities management in the Middle East, where it’s going and how it’s going to get there

SecuritySafe and sound?A look at best practice security procurement in light of new government legislation

COMMENTWhat price sustainability?Imdaad’s Alan Millin on DEWA in the driving seat, hamstrung FMs and the need to integrate to achieve effi ciencies

PROJECT UPDATEKuwait Projects DatabaseAn update of ongoing projects in Oman from Ventures Middle East

FM toolkitFMs doing it for themselvesFrustrated at the lack of any readily available site-wide mechanisms to implement in times of crisis? Read about the crisis management tool box for the Gulf region

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25Big IssueOnce in a lifetime The UAE is facing a water crisis. Find out what facilitiesmanagers can do to stem the fl ow

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09 Q&AStan Mitchell, chairman Global Facility Management Association, talks global positioning, iconic buildings and the future of FM

EDITOR’S LETTER

2 May 2009 www.constructionweekonline.com

In light of the misinformed, poisonous media attack

on Dubai that has been seeping from certain sections of the UK and US media recently, it was fantastic to read a dignifi ed, full

and candid response to these articles, the economy and what the UAE stands and is striving for, from his Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in Emirates Business 24/7 last month.

And dignifi ed is the word. That the UK government moved to distance itself and condemn the ‘quality’ publications that carried such dross and stress the strong, traditional trading relationships with the UAE will continue and grow, just about saves my faith, as a British citizen, in what being ‘British’ is supposed to stand for: dignity, a sense of fair play, manners and respect for other people and cultures. These are the four positive character traits that stand out for me.

The sneering, fi nger pointing, ‘I told you so’, gleeful and down right derogatory - bordering on the racist - misinformed copy that appeared in the media refl ects a particularly negative trait of the British media and, indeed, some Britains: a truly censorious and blinkered attitude to

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anyone, or place, they perceive to be get-ting above itself and their right to slap it down.

The subjective, rather than objective, bone of contention in these articles and on television has been the working conditions and pay of the labour force that is building Dubai for its citizens to enjoy. Let me be clear that in no way do I condone low pay, poor working and living conditions and sparodic on-site health and safety policies. But what I do say is this: how was the British Empire built? Who, physically was responsible for the rise of great cities such as Manhattan and Tokyo for example.

Furthermore, are not the UK construc-tion companies that fi lled their pockets during the boom, and are still operating in the region, complicit in how their labour force is treated?

It is very easy to point the fi nger at Sheikh Mohammed and the Dubai govern-ment, but it illustrates a lack of under-standing of history and the growing pains of the region. It is also lazy journalism: anyone can rant, it takes courage to look at the past, identify why these problems are happening and present a balanced picture which is actually informative.

That is what journalism is about; convey-ing information so the reader can make his or her mind up without bias.

Paul Collett, [email protected]

Are you a believer? I am...

Date: 25 May, 2009

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Powerful marketing: the fmME Awards Landscape contractor TerraVerde leverages business award to raise awareness and benefi t bottom line

DUBAI, UAE // TerraVerde, the Dubai-based landscape contractor, scooped last year’s facilities manage-ment Middle East Landscape Contractor of the Year Award, and is leveraging the accolade as a mobile marketing tool on its fl eet of vehicles.

Of the move, TerraVerde managing director Nehme J Moujaess said: “In a tough, competitive marketplace, busi-ness awards are an excellent way to celebrate and recognise commercial achievements.

“We updated our marketing collateral with the fmME Award logo on all company vehicles, display adverts and fl iers and even our business cards have been reprinted to include the honour. We have also provided the insightful quotes provided by fmME: ‘Ensuring a sustain-able legacy for generations to come,’ now appears on the front

page of our company profi le and has become the standard we benchmark ourselves against,” said Moujaess.

Companies often enter competitions, especially those sponsored by publications and trade shows, just so judges, often industry experts and jour-nalists, become aware of them. Getting in front of the judges in some competitions may be

AJMAN, UAE //As privately owned property company Memon Investments looks to Ajman’s real estate offering for upcoming projects, managing director Ahmed Shaikhani recognises the im-portance of integrated facilities management in its development plans in the emirate.

“Yes, we are currently consid-ering Ajman’s high profi le city developments as locations for our upcoming developments.

“Facilities management will play a pivotal role in ensuring maximum effi ciency and cost savings factored in through the commissioning and operation

Facilities management pivotal to Memon’s success

worthwhile whether a company wins or not, as an award win or nomination can act as a third party endorsement - the added credibility can also be used as a sales closer.

“Savvy employees want to work for the best companies. Business awards validate your hiring stature among new re-cruits,” pointed out Moujaess.

Often an overlooked market-

Business awards can be leveraged through a number of marketing channels, can help to outrank competitors, drive sales and boost staff morale

phases,” said Shaikhani, who predicts the UAE property sec-tor will pick up back-end 2009, stabilise by 2010 and start to rise early HI or Q2, 2011.

“Indeed, we are also expect-ing the sector to continue to ex-pand as developers fi nd comfort in the drop of commodity prices and construction costs, which encourages them to push ahead with projects.”

According to Shaikhani, the trend for real estate develop-ers this year is leaning toward project completion fi rst. That, he said, means the commercial towers, resorts, hotels and hospitals coming on stream

ing tool, business awards can be leveraged through a number of channels, from print and online to trade shows and radio. An award also presents new op-portunities to outrank competi-tors, drive sales and to boost staff morale.

A study of over 600 corporate award winners revealed they had 37 percent more sales growth than non-winners.

Memon MD Ahmed Shaikhani: looking to ensure maximum effi ciencies through integrated FM

will have to be managed in accordance with Ajman Real Estate Regulatory Authority’s decree No 11, 2008, aimed at regulating the emirate’s real estate sector.

“Developers must have es-crow bank accounts to protect investors’ rights and ensure property is maintained and managed to remain an asset throughout the lifecycle.”

NEWS


NEWS


UAE //A joint venture between integrated facilities and energy management provider Emrill and HVAC company GreenWave capital is said to signifi cantly reduce energy costs through the installation of PermaFrost air conditioning units in villas and apartments across the UAE.

Energy costs and metering are high on the FM agenda at the moment, due to the pending implementation of strata law.

Strata will handover the FM tendering process to owners associations, giving them the power to award contracts based on price. The common consen-sus among FMs is that district cooling stations are hugely inef-

Moves afoot to offset energy waste

FSI: Gulf open for business FM software provider FSI Middle East sees strong growth in MENA region

DUBAI, UAE //Computer aided facility management software com-pany, FSI, has reported strong growth across the Middle East and North Africa region, and is now recruiting to meet demand.

“Indeed, we are seeing strong demand from the FM sector across the Gulf region, and we now have an installation in ev-ery GCC country,” said Andre Kievit, director, FSI ME.

“To support our existing client base, new project wins and to demonstrate our readiness for future commitments in the MENA region, we are expand-ing the team over the coming months to include more high-end and qualifi ed consultants, project managers and software program managers.

“The support and offi ce-based teams will also be grown.”

John Moriarty, managing di-rector of UK umbrella company, FSI (FM Solutions), confi rmed the company has over 60 clients in the MENA region, a number that is progressively increasing.

“Yes, we have a very healthy pipeline and are recruiting to

show our commitment to the region in terms of service and support levels,” said Moriarty.

End-user service level agree-ments are now fi rmly in the spotlight due to the economic contraction and attendant focus on return on investment.

FSI director Andre Kievit: seeing strong demand from facilities management sector in MENA

fi cient, passing on anything up to 30 - 40 percent of operating costs to residents.

The arguement is for meter-ing if residents are to make an informed decision on FM tenders and costings to manage buildings and developments.

Connor McCaffery, CEO, GreenWave Capital, said the move was in response to UAE residents’ increasing concern about air conditioning per-formance and corresponding energy costs. “Air conditioning accounts for an estimated 60 - 70 percent of total energy use in the Middle East.

“We are offering residents an environmentally sound solution for leaks and ineffi ciencies in their systems. Commercial

BRIEFSOMNIYAT JV TO BENEFIT STRATA AND FM OPSOmniyat Property Services, a division of Omniyat Asset Management, has entered into a strategic partnership with financial consultant Independent Finance to provide tailored financing solutions to owners and tenants of Omniyat projects.

Lloyd Budd, commercial director Omniyat Prop-erty Services, said of the move: “By partnering with Independent Finance, and its ability to provide tenants with financial solutions, means Omniyat develop-ments will operate at higher occupancy rates and there-fore benefit the strata and facilities management op-erations through economies of scale and efficiencies.”

THANK YOU DUBAI!Able Facilities Management has initiated a campaign that aims to show gratitude and loyalty towards the emirate of Dubai.

“‘Thank You Dubai’ is a timely initiative that acknowledges Dubai for its lucrative opportunities and meaningful experiences for individuals, families and businesses,” said Naif Al Rajhi, Able chairman.

“The Able management and staff are optimistic the campaign will further strengthen Dubai’s cred-ibility and position in the international community. We encourage everyone to participate in this initiative,” concluded Rajhi.

For more information on ‘Thank you Dubai’ visit: www.ablefm.com

users have seen savings of between 10 – 20 percent,” said McCaffery, who added, “we calculate residents will see a re-turn on investment in one year”.

Emrill’s management said that most of their service calls are related to inadequate cooling systems.

“Over time, residents fi nd that the performance of their AC unit drops off. This is due to small gas leaks, worn compres-sors and oil fouling of refriger-ant pipes,” explained Emrill divisional manager Nev Patterson.

“This system clears oil foul-ing and increases the fl ow of refrigerant gas, resulting in a cooler and more cost-effective home,” said Patterson.

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Q&A


Benchmark and lead the world…Stan Mitchell, CEO Key Facilities Management International UK, founding chairman, Global Facility Management Association, talks to fmME about global positioning, iconic buildings and the future of FM

fmME: Where does UAE FM stand in global terms?Stan Mitchell: The UAE is very much at the beginning of the curve. It, however, has the opportunity to develop on the back of the knowledge that has been gained over the last 25 years in other markets and, if it does so in the right manner, could well be the market leader in the next 10 years.

fmME: What can the UAE bring to the FM world? SM: Through the proper ap-proach it can bring signifi cant growth in the professional-

Mitchell: founding chairman, Global Facility Management Association, opens up here fi rst

ism and the demonstrable advantages of FM. It has the potential to lead the world not just in building benchmark developments, but in ensuring that they are sustainable and achieve a signifi cant life cost of ownership and operation.

The UAE has created a sig-nifi cant iconic real estate port-folio which could become the benchmark standard. Perhaps what is more important is the potential for the negative rather than the positive: what would it say if many of these iconic structures are not managed properly and the whole life cost becomes the benchmark about how not to do it?

fmME: Do you believe FM can avoid some of the nega-tive affects of the recession? SM: Facilities management will (or should) thrive in the

recession. Its core business (management of the overhead) is where real effi ciencies can usually be made. The reces-sion is an opportunity, in many ways, not to be missed.

fmME: What do you believe the FM role is in an eco-nomic downturn? SM: We need to be develop-ing awareness of how we can soften the impact of any down-

turn. Professionals need to grasp the opportunity and get the message to the boardroom, and to assist organisations to rationalise and introduce the numerous effi ciencies that are available to them.

fmME: What should FMs in the UAE be doing or think-ing in the current climate?SM: Raising the awareness of what true facilities manage-

ment (as opposed to facilities services) really is, and by do-ing so business and commerce (not to mention government) will sit up and take note.

The facilities management sector has a huge part to play, not just in supporting real estate developers to improve their lot, but also in assisting the UAE as a whole to recover and re-establish its reputation as a destination of choice.

fmME: What trends do you see most likely being fol-lowed by UAE companies? SM: The plethora of facilities services companies will con-tinue to grow. Some will deliver and some will not. Through the

Stan Mitchell will be sharing his knowl-edge at the Property and FM Conference

Middle East as a keynote speaker. But you can access the thoughts of the founding chairman of the Global Facility Management Association here fi rst, in an exclusive Q&A with facilities management ME.

The association’s vision is: ‘A worldwide alliance of mem-ber-centred facility manage-ment organisations, providing leadership in the advancement of the FM profession.’ Precient sentiments, as during the Q&A session Mitchell extends the hand of friendship to facili-ties managers in the Gulf re-gion who are passionate about the built environment, yet frustrated at the lack of any dedicated Middle East body or association for the industry to use as a platform for change. The fmME Breakfast Club will be taking that hand. “What would it say if these structures

were not managed properly and the whole lifecycle cost becomes the benchmark of how not to do it?”

Q&A


maturing of the market true fa-cilities management companies will start to emerge.

fmME: What are the main global issues the UAE FM has to be aware of and how can the industry address them quickly? SM: Access to truly pro-fessional and experienced resources is essential. There are many people who come from the traditional built environment disciplines; there are fewer who truly under-stand the differences between activities such as maintenance; property management; strata management and facilities management. The establish-ment of training and education is coming to the UAE and the opportunity for individuals to properly develop their skills in this area will soon be available.

fmME: What has the Global FM Association got to offer UAE players? SM: Global FM is an associa-tion of associations furthering the sharing of knowledge and best practice across the profes-sion. Its role is to coordinate and leverage such knowledge across the world. If the players in the UAE want to establish a professional association Global FM will assist them in doing so. Some people are already

trying to start a professional association, others should step up to the plate and help. Global FM will then support them to become a member of the worldwide FM family.

fmME: Do you have a personal take on the UAE market – where it is go-ing, are there any specifi c challenges that need to be addressed now? SM: In my opinion, too much has been done too quickly and

without any facilities manage-ment input at the right stage of design. The lack of facilities management input at the be-ginning of the design process will impact the long term viabil-ity of many developments.

When the sales and market-ing hype has receded people will focus upon the cost of ownership and the customer service experience. Developers should note that reputations can usually be lost much more quickly than they are gained.

One of the main challenges I perceive is the cultural one of

accepting the situation sooner rather than later, and doing something productive about it. While there is always enough money to fi x the problem after the event, why is it that there is never enough to do it right in the fi rst place?

fmME: Your address at the Property & FM Conference will talk about FM infl uenc-ing the boardroom. What is the main message you’ll be conveying on the day?

SM: In relation to my presenta-tion, my objective is to pass on what knowledge I have to those who want to listen, and hope-fully make a small contribution to the improvement of the value that those within the sec-tor can make to the real estate industry, business, commerce and government.

Facilities management is not an end in itself and we have no right to get the attention of the board of directors until we can demonstrate the value that we bring. The responsibility to achieve this is with us.

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“In my opinion, too much has been done too quickly and without facilities management input at the right stage of design. This will imapact on viability.”

KEYNOTE SPEAKERStan Mitchell will be speak-ing at the Property & FM Conference on May 25th.

Topic:Infl uencing the boardroom - the door is always open but are we ready to enter?

Bottom line margin - how facilities management can contribute

Performance measurement - if we do not measure we don’t know

Corporate social responsibil-ity - can facilities manage-ment deliver?

Risk management - how fa-cilities managers can soften the economic blow


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FM TOOLKIT


FMs doing it for themselves

Guidelines. It is a completely interactive program with all documents and information available through a web portal, which means information can be accessed and implemented quickly, which is vital.

If you are looking to develop a crisis management plan you can turn to the NFPA for guid-ance and recommendations.

The NFPA 1600 The National Preparedness Standard and NFPA 1620 Recommended Practices for Pre-Incident Plan-ning are two great resources for any facilities manager look-ing to develop a comprehensive crisis management plan.

Addressing the issuesTo effectively develop a crisis

The development and implementation of a site-wide crisis manage-ment plan is impera-

tive if a company, and its FM team, is to reduce the negative impact of a crisis on company operations and image.

Crisis management planning consists of creating a stream-line process of managing crisis before, during and after, to both respond rapidly and coordinate efforts to minimise costly downtime.

With this in mind, the RJA site-wide plan is based on the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 1600 and NFPA 1620 Standards and

Facilities managers frustrated at the lack of readily available, site-wide management mechanisms to implement in times of crisis can now do if for themselves. fmME talks to Jon M Evenson, senior consultant at Rolf Jensen & Associates, about the crisis management tool box being rolled-out in the Gulf

A crisis management programme is a vital facilities management tool to ensure preparedness, reaction, communication and business continuity

management programme, several issues have to be ad-dressed in order to manage, communicate and respond.

Crisis management team structureTo effectively manage a crisis, a crisis management team structure should be developed to identify key aspects of the response efforts that need to be managed. Without a structured team identifi ed, a company may face challenges in coordination, communica-tion and manage-ment of a crisis at various levels.

The effective-ness of the crisis manage-ment plan is dependent

“A completely interactive program with all documents and information

available through a web portal, means information can be accessed and

implemented quickly.”

TO DO LIST• Crisis management team structure• Crisis response levels• Crisis response procedures• Crisis communication programme• Training and integration with local authorities

OVER 14,000 FIRE ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE UAE SINCE 2002

Source: Emirates Insurance Association

FM TOOLKIT


on the ability of the team mem-bers to have clear and concise responsibilities before, during and after a crisis. If a crisis occurs, a company’s crisis management team’s goal is to effectively respond and contain the crisis to minimise the nega-tive impact on operations.

Crisis response levelsEach type of crisis that can oc-cur should be identifi ed and be assigned crisis levels that allow the teams to escalate and de-escalate the response efforts and resources.

The crisis levels should also include trigger points that escalates from Crisis Level 1 to Crisis Level 5. Within each level there should be informa-tion on how the crisis will be managed, and what resources will be utilised to assist in the response efforts.

This approach enables an FM’s crisis management programme to coordinate response efforts and resources without affecting operations outside the crisis zone. In

addition, this type of scalable approach allows the FM to increase or decrease response resources and personnel as dictated by the crisis’ location, nature and severity.

Through scalable crisis levels FMs can then manage a crisis in a uniform manner, leaving the company to man-age operations and minimise the negative impact the crisis might have on the company and its public image.

Response proceduresA crisis management pro-gramme should address and develop response procedures

media) need to be devel-oped to coordinate a standard approach on how crisis-related informa-tion will be shared with the media: a ‘One-Voice’ stance should always be adopted.

Training and integration with local authoritiesTo effectively promote crisis management, training pro-grammes to include interactive classroom, table top (real-life scenarios) and drill sessions should be time tabled with lo-cal authority engagement.

PointersThe steps identifi ed in this arti-cle are only pointers to starting the process of effective crisis management. Each company’s goals, concerns and operations will affect how an effective plan is implemented by the FM.

In the past, we have seen building fi res; natural disasters and terrorist acts cripple opera-tions throughout this region and the world.

The thought ‘it can’t happen here’ needs to be modifi ed to: ‘If it happens here, here’s what we are prepared to do.’

“In the past, we have seen building fi res, natural disasters and terrorist acts cripple operations throughout

this region and the world. The thought ‘it can’t happen here’ needs to be

modifi ed to: ‘If it happens here, here’s what we are prepared to do’.”

THE CRISIS TEAMThe crisis management team should include positions that are responsible for the various aspects of the response:

• Crisis Commander - position responsible for the overall coordination of the re-sponse efforts of the company

• Crisis Operations Offi cer - position responsible for coordination and management of response efforts

• Crisis Administrative Offi cer - position responsible for the management of documenta-tion and information related to

the response efforts conducted by the corporate crisis management team

• Crisis Communications Offi cer - position responsible for the management of com-munications and public rela-tion related information related to the crisis

• Crisis Liaison Offi cer - position responsible for coordination of local authority relationships and support during a crisis

• Crisis Response Team - additional positions to effectively manage and coordinate response efforts

for various crises that could adversely affect the company. By identifying and creating re-sponse procedures a company can implement, train and inte-grate the company response procedures, and align with the local authority’s procedures.

Each response procedure should be designed to provide a standardised document that can be used as a training tool, and should form the basis of your company’s crisis management programme.

Crisis communicationsDuring and after a crisis, one of the most critical aspects of response is communication to control the amount of public information provided about the crisis. For crisis manage-ment, a company should look to standardise the methods and lines of communication, both internally and externally, to co-ordinate appropriate response efforts and maintain a positive public image at all times.

The standardisation of crisis communications includes developing standard methods for communication of crisis information before, during and after, to allow responsible par-ties to understand the nature, severity and location of the crisis, what response efforts are being conducted, and what needs to be conducted.

In addition, corporate standardisation of crisis com-munications to media channels (television, radio and print

AFFECTING OPSA company should attempt to identify crises that could affect operations including crisis related to:

• Building services• Human behaviour• Terrorism • Weather

THE MARKET FOR FIRE PROTEC-TION AND PREVENTION PRODUCTS IS GROWING BY 6% EACH YEARSource: Epoc Messe Frankfurt

A year on...The second fmME Awards are just around the corner, but a year on the FM industry fi nds itself in a signifi cantly different place. The economic correction has stimulated competition and the realisation, in some quarters, that property is an asset, and one that needs to be managed and maintained throughout its lifecycle. fmME fi nds out how the year went from past award winners

GULF FIDELITY SECURITY SERVICES - SECURITY SERVICES PROVIDER OF THE YEAR ‘08

Q: What industry changes have you witnessed over the past year?A: We witnessed the introduction of an amendment to the current laws requiring security companies to re-register again to gain an operating licence, and the imposi-tion of a minimum wage (see p18 ed). However, this will enhance the quality of service delivery and allow companies to recruit high quality security guards.

But it will also have the effect of constricting the market with fewer service providers and clients reduc-ing the numbers of security guards employed. Although overall, we

expect the demand to increase this year rather than decrease.

Q: How have you reacted to the industry changes?A: We have always been of the opinion that quality rather than quantity is the benchmark that will allow companies to distinguish themselves from the common service provider. Our strategy has been to ensure that such quality is delivered right from the date of the company’s establishment. We have further enhanced this by introduc-ing client operations managers who look after operations while HQ focuses on quality control.

Q: Has the economic correction impacted business?A: The current economic situation has had no negative impact on GFSS. We are in fact experiencing high demand and are able to select the companies we wish to work with. This bears out the fact embed-ded in our strategy that quality service will prevail, versus a quick fi x of cheap services. We have tightened the credit terms with our existing, and new, clients to ensure that collection of money does not become a problem in these times of cash shortage. And we can claim that our collections are now better than before the credit crunch.

TERRAVERDE - LANDSCAPING CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR ‘08

Q: What industry changes have you witnessed over the past year? A: We have seen a growing awareness for realising sus-tainable landscape designs from the industry. Sustain-ability is not an idea that should

be monopolised, but rather the industry should work together, knowledge share and keep moving forward.

Q: How have you reacted to the big push towards a sustainable environment?A: We always try to ensure every aspect of our busi-ness is carried out with sustainability in mind, and actively educate our clients on the importance of conservation across the board.

We inform our clients that sustainability is not all or nothing, and that implementing sustainable best prac-tice is a giant step for advancing the way our genera-tion preserves essential natural resources.

Q: Has the economic correction impacted business?A: Despite the impact on large-scale projects due to delay in hand-over, we’ve found an increasing market in residential homeowners. Owners are looking to add value to their property, and also to increase the useful-ness of their space. A great outdoor home can also relieve the stress and pressure in these diffi cult times, and allow for more quality family time.

Nehme J Moujaess, MD, TerraVerde

Pieter Botha, MD, Gulf Fidelity SS

AWARDS


“A fantastic outcome of winning the award last year was that the event brought the college to the notice of Emcor FSG, which subsequently entered into a partnership with us.”

MACE MACRO - FM CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR ‘08

Q: What industry changes have you witnessed over the past year?A: The signifi cant changes over

the last year perhaps all happened rather suddenly during the last few months of 2008. However, several months on there now seems to be renewed interest in FM consultancy to help clients with the changing environment, to reduce or control costs more closely, and to build a better understanding of service charge costs. There is much greater scrutiny of FM tenders to ensure they align with client service needs and budgets.

Q: How have you reacted to the economic changes?A: We have increased our capability to support these opportunities by identifying new resources who fi t our requirements, and the transfer of Macro resources from the UK.

INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT (OMAN) - TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AWARD ’08

Q: What industry changes have you wit-nessed over the past year?A: As yet, the global economic slowdown has not affected the education and training in most subjects offered by the college. This may be part of a world-wide response to the situation, or it may be exclusive to the Middle East or even to Oman alone.

Certainly in the UK during both the last recession and the current one, there has been an increase in higher education ap-

plications. Indeed, there are reports that many British universities are already clos-ing their doors for 2009 recruitment.

In Oman there appears to be little visible sign of a downturn in the construction business, though we know that some proj-ects have been suspended and that some companies are in trouble.

Fortunately for the college, and the industry, young people are beginning to realise there is still a vast surplus of jobs for local staff in construction and facilities management, so they are seeking places on relevant courses.

Perhaps they are walking away from courses in other colleges which, while potentially improving their minds, will not guarantee them jobs!

One area of the college’s provision, Well Engineering, is a worry at present because the signals from the industry are not encouraging in the short term. However, most commentators believe that oil is signifi cantly under priced and the present downturn, like others in the past, is hope-fully a temporary phenomenon.

On the other hand the facilities manage-ment and construction areas and others such as fi re safety engineering and man-agement, and health, safety and environ-mental management are holding up and in some cases expanding.

Q: Did the award help you in any way at all with marketing the college?A: A fantastic outcome of the college winning the prize last year was that the event brought the college to the notice of Emcor Facilities Services Group, which subsequently entered into a strategic partnership with us to develop the best students as FMs.

The partnership includes visits and work placements for students, expert visiting speakers, library materials and a number of prizes for students.

In addition to offering employment to the students on graduation, Emcor is sponsor-ing two students to complete the fi nal year of their Bachelor course.

Also, Dilip Khatwani, chief executive of Reliance Facilities Management, who is a great supporter of the college, joined our Industrial Advisory Group and has already helped to update and promote the FM course in the UAE.

Several other FM and related companies became interested in the college as a result of the event and, subsequently, the college has a much higher profi le outside of Oman in the Middle East than it could have hoped to achieve in such a short time through its own promotional activities.

The aim is to create a sustainable pipe-line of talent, and the awards have helped.

Prof Norman Burrow, Principle and Dean, ICoEM

Prof Norman Burrow, Prin’and Dean, ICoEM

Bill Heath, MD, Mace Macro


AWARDS

AWARDS


DRYDOCKS WORLD-DUBAI - HEALTH AND SAFETY AWARD ‘08

Q: What industry changes have you witnessed over the past year?A: A major change with regards to health and safety management within Drydocks World-Dubai (DDW-D), has been the adoption of BS OHSAS 18001: 2007.

Previously the DDW-D yard was assessed and certifi cated as be-ing in compliance with OHSAS 18001:1999. The specifi cation as it was then, has been signifi cantly updated and furthermore is now recognised as a standard by the British Standards Institute (BSI).

The DDW-D management system has been signifi cantly updated to refl ect this transition from a specifi -cation to a standard, and following a recent fi ve day audit undertaken by Lloyds Register this year, the adoption of the standard has been certifi ed as in compliance with this new standard.

Q: Nawal Saigal: How have you reacted to the economic correction?A: Though the shipping industry has been greatly affected by the economic downturn, we at DDW- D have always had a more sustain-able business plan based on three specifi c elements of our business:

• Ship repair: We continue to see good activity in this aspect of our business. This is our core segment dominated by loyal customers with repeat orders. While there is a marginal shift of activity, it is not a cause for any major concern • Ship conversions: Again, we have a healthy order book for the fi rst three quarters of this year, and we are confi dent of our new business pipeline taking us into next year as well • Ship building: We have orders to complete, which will occupy the better part of this year. Given that this segment depends heavily on external fi nancing, which in today’s environment is scarce, we expect that it will take time to stabilise

Overall, we are well placed in the

industry and confi dent that we will continue to develop and grow with our client base.

Q: What does the award mean to Drydocks World-Dubai?A: We are very proud of the achieve-ment. Drydocks World-Dubai has won numerous awards in the past, including the Sword of Honour from the British Safety Council for the last fi ve years. This was another to show our management systems have been recognised.

YOUNG FM OF THE YEAR ’08 - BRADLEY ROBBINS, NAKHEEL

Q: What industry changes have you witnessed over the past year?A: Facilities management in the Middle East has seen progression within the last 12 months with a number of large scale developments

nearing completion and coming online. This has cre-ated a need for consolidation in defi ning the most cost effective, yet compliant services, to adapt to both the changing market conditions and the legislative frame-works now being introduced in region.

Q: How have you reacted to the economic correction?A: We have reacted to the economic correction in a number of ways, ranging from identifying and imple-menting a initiatives and technologies to reduce costs throughout the portfolio, while maintaining service levels and improving the way we do business.

The implementation of sustainability development initiatives is an integral part of our service offering. We have environmental initiatives in place that educate residents about reducing energy and water use.

And we provide the tools necessary to do it, such as replacing conventional incandescent bulbs with Illume energy effi cient light bulbs, and water effi cient tap aerators, which were sold and installed in apartments and villas in Nakheel communities.

Another area we have focused on is the adoption of, and compliance with, the RERA strata laws for our owners association properties to ensure we are com-pliant once the laws are fully implemented.

Tony Potter, Group H&S Manager

Bradley Robbins, infrastructure and facilities manager, Nakheel

Nawal Saigal, MD, Drydocks World-Dubai Date: 25th May, 2009

Venue: Westin Hotel, Dubai


fmME BREAKFAST CLUB

Community challenge: inaugural fmME Breakfast Club convenes

fmME BREAKFAST CLUB


THE GUESTS

Scott Wilson (SW), managing director Development Emcor Facilities Services

Peter Crogan (PC), CEO BCS Strata Management Services

Louisa Theobald (LT), group exhibitions director SMG FM Expo

Stephen Barker (SB), general manager ServeU

Bill Heath (BH), man-aging director Mace Macro

Gemma Davies (GD), principle consultant FM Now Careers Middle East

Terry John-Baptiste (TB), FM director Omniyat

Stephen Marney (SM), managing director PSDI

Ali Hassan Al Suwaidi (AS), executive direc-tor operations Imdaad

State of the nation: so where is facili-ties management at in the Middle East?

Scott Wilson (SW), managing director Development, Emcor Facilities Services Group The big issue and challenge in the UAE is the current economic cli-mate and whether this is perceived as a threat or an opportunity. Undoubtedly cost justifi cation and the value proposition of facilities management has come to the fore with FMs now having to prove how they add real value and are not simply considered as an additional cost by developers.

Yet innovation is born from ad-versity and the economic contrac-tion has forced everybody’s hand in so much as measure-ment, regulation and transparency are now the buzz words in the industry. That said, we are somewhat limited as to how regulated, and therefore trans-parent, we can be due to the lack of any regulation and standardisation concern-ing, for example, service charges and energy consumption, and also the delay in strata law implementation.

Regulations need to be imple-mented and billing cleaned up. Full disclosure is needed.

Peter Crogan (PC), CEO BCS Strata Management Services Yes, the contraction has hit the real estate sector pretty hard. We’re seeing a mortgage default rate of 30 percent, which is horren-dous. However, the service provi-sion arm of the real estate sector (FM) has largely been unaffected by the market’s collapse.

Why? Because of the need to maintain existing real estate as-sets, and the fact there is a legal re-sponsibility to do so through strata

law. It is in all of our interests to work together with the Real Estate Regulatory

Authority (RERA) to deliver strata law

and standardise man-agement fees per square

foot with a service charge model. Owners associations are starting to demand such transpar-ency, they want to see where their money is being spent.

Operations and maintenance budgets are also a new concept in the UAE. The sinking fund model – whereby residents put money into a fund in the eventuality of major works – can take up to 10 years to settle, even in

developed markets. The UAEs’ is not a devel-oped market and such funds will take time to be accepted and settle in before eventually becoming an asset in the event of major works or when an owner comes to sell further down the line.

Louisa Theobald (LT), group exhibitions director SMG FM Expo Yes, let’s not forget the end-users here. The owners associations are the people who pay the bills and have the power to award FM contracts. But how will they know the difference between a service contract and a full management

Born through the lack of any dedicated Middle East association or body for facilities managers to work

from and with to implement industry best practice, the fmME Breakfast Club gathered passionate industry thinkers and knowledge sharers to discuss hot topics and the way forward for the community as a whole. Read on and fi nd out just what the industry is thinking...


fmME BREAKFAST CLUB

contract and the costings involved? They could be left with a decaying asset because they went for the cheapest option available.

Stephen Barker (SB), general manager ServeUThe downturn has also impacted developers. The days of a 10 year life span for buildings are gone; developers are having to factor in 10 times that now in some cases. And developers and investors have to take into account return on investment. That’s not just good for FMs and lifecycle management, it’s good for length of contract and,

of course, the environmental impact of

continuous construction. Now that developers and build-

ing owners have to get a handle on what a full service FM provider can tangibly bring to the table in terms of asset managment and their bottom line, the proliferation of so called ‘FM companies’ that were no more than a cleaning out-fi t, are being found out to an extent because they can’t deliver.

So I perceive the contraction as an opportunity – a calm period in which we have time to implement best practice standards and realign the industry.

Bill Heath (BH), managing director Mace Macro We are facing a lot of issues here in the Middle East because of its rapid development, especially in Dubai. Facilities managers need a body to work from and with to tackle the issues everybody in this room, and the industry as a whole, is talking about.

Personally I think we need to coordinate on the defi nition of our services, actual service charges and defi ne service levels in accordance with best practice guidelines that I feel we should set ourselves. Dubai offers a massive opportunity to lead the way and set the bar, which other GCC coun-tries can then follow.

Gemma Davies (GD), principle consultant FM, Now Careers

Middle East (image due on Wednesday)

From a recruitment per-spective we are obviously seeing more candidates due to the current economic climate. That has also revealed some inconsistencies in UAE labour law and contributed

to the migration of expatri-ate workers due to infl exible visa restrictions.

The government should look to make it a straight forward process to

change jobs and secure a new one if someone has been

made redundant. The work-force needs to be fl uid, and it’s in the UAEs’ best interests to keep expatriate talent here on a number of socioeconomic levels.

We are fi nding businesses are still hiring though, contrary to me-dia reports and uninformed gossip.

But for us the business model has shifted to one of strategic alliances with companies and personnel. Employers are more focused on what they are looking for from a candidate on specifi c projects, usu-ally a broad FM skill set at middle management level, so we have to match scrupulously.

Energy consumption is a major issue. What are you fi nding on the ground?

Terry John-Baptiste (TB), FM director Omniyat As well as the pricing issues raised earlier, we have problems with the accuracy of the utilities fi gures from Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). District cooling plants are ineffi cient – consumption is huge meaning the end-user pays 30 – 40 percent of the total operating costs. Each residence should have a meter.SW: Some developers are tak-ing advantage of the absence of metering and deliberately manipu-lating the market. Have you ever heard of a ‘chilled water connec-tion charge’? No, well it exists on certain developments and basically it’s an additional, hidden, utilities charge. In Bahrain and Oman the service charges are factored in as a percentage of the rent.

Stephen Marney (SM), manag-ing director PSDIBuildings are the single highest contributor to greenhouse gases, so it’s not only residential units and metering in question when we’re looking at the issue of the UAE’s massive carbon footprint, it’s the control systems too. Building man-agement control systems (BMS) should play a critical role

“The quality of some developements on handover is disgraceful. They are simply not fi t for purpose.”

Scott Wilson, Emcor

fmME BREAKFAST CLUB


in cutting energy and water con-sumption and general operating effi ciencies. Unfortunately, about 90 percent of BMS systems don’t work in the region because they’re not matched or integrated.

On the legislative front, we have found the lack of industry software standards means we physically have to demonstrate control sys-tem capability.

Has development quality on handover improved?

SW: No. the quality of some developments on handover is disgraceful; they are

simply not fi t for purpose.

Ali Hassan Al Suwaidi (AS), executive director operations Imdaad The FM inherits an unfi nished building, be that a hotel, shop-ping mall, commercial property or a residential complex, because some developers need to claw their investment back as quickly as pos-sible because they are spreading themselves too thinly.

As to the health, safety and secu-rity issues that arise when a build-ing is handed over and occupied before it is fi nished? Well, we have seen that a lot with soft openings of shopping malls and hotels that, in some cases, are little more than construction sites in places. How can an FM draw up health, safety and security procedures for such a hazardous environment?

There needs to be a graded, single plan for risk assessments and legislation in place stipulat-ing that a development cannot be handed over until it meets the requirements and has been signed off as fi t for purpose. The FM can then get on with the job of manag-ing and maintaining the asset, rather than fi nishing it.

What actions can the industry take?

LT: Education and communication. It seems to me the various ele-ments of the construction industry, energy suppliers and legislative bodies are either not talking, or listening, to each other.

These elements need to meet regularly to discuss and imple-ment legislation. If service charge costings, energy consumption me-tering and billing were calculated on agreed measurables everyone would know where they stood and what costs what.

That said, exhibitor levels are up for this year’s FM Expo. There’s a trend toward inter-national FM companies and product and service providers coming to the UAE; with the amount of property coming on stream it’s very attractive.

What’s more, the trade show and

conference is a great opportunity to knowledge share and educate.

TB: We haven’t had time to touch on the issues of tendering and the poor standard in the region. We have built a tendering template that includes procurement, hard and soft services, insurance, manpower, training, management and the like. My point is that we have self regulated to standardise and implement best practice. We can do this together to combat the problems we’re all facing. This is a great opportunity to benchmark the region using these gathering as the foundations.

SB: It felt like being slapped on both sides at the end of last year. It was a bad climate and certainly damaging, so to get together like this is a breath of fresh air. The fall out though of the realignment is a more focused industry that now recognises the need for policing and change.

This wouldn’t have happened if the exponential growth had continued apace. It’s a wake up call certainly – and one that in my eyes was well overdue – the region had to wake up to the notion of compe-tition at some stage.

The need for education and regulation is obvious and pressing, and I feel that it will have to come from within and from the Break-fast Club platform.

There is obviously the passion to drive the industry forward in this room. We need to take action and claim ownership.


HIGH LEVEL ACCESS CLEANING SPECIALIST

PP..O. Box 91812, Dubai, U.A.E.O. Box 91812, Dubai, U.A.E.Tel: +971 4 258 4100Tel: +971 4 258 4100Fax: +971 4 258 4155Fax: +971 4 258 4155

Email: [email protected]: [email protected]: www.grakonet.comWeb: www.grakonet.commoc.emragem.www


BIG ISSUE

Once in a lifetime…

Abu Dhabi has the highest consumption of water in the world at 550 litres per capita, compared with 85 litres in Jordan, and is facing a water crisis of such magnitude that it will not be able to sustain current levels of use for more than 50 years. That 70 percent of all water consumed worldwide is used to irrigate landscapes and crops, the savings potential of installing, managing and maintaining effi cient systems means water conservation is a burning FM issue. fmME brings you 24 ways to stem the fl ow and sustain the planet for future generations

BIG ISSUE


That water is viewed by many in the UAE as a replenishable commod-ity, rather than a fi nite

resource underscores the need for a change in habits and attitude. Fa-cilities managers are at the sharp end and in a great position to lead from the front when procuring, installing, managing, mantaing and measuring eco-friendly irriga-tion systems. The following steps to conservation; communication, education and looking to the future are the blue-print to eco-irrigation systems for facilities managers.

CONSERVE WATER1. Install low-fl ow aerators, which simply screw onto bathroom fau-cets for ease of installation2. Insert water displacement de-vices to limit the amount of water used in the toilet tank3. Monitor activities with sensors, such as motion-sensor faucets and cooling tower sensors 4. Implement ‘dry’ cleaning meth-ods. Using a broom, squeegee or dry vacuum cleaner as dry instead of wet cleaning can save gallons of

water a day5. Reduce water pressure 6. Reset hot water thermostats to the lowest setting possible 7. Turn off hot water heaters while the building is unoccupied Landscape Sustainability 8. Create a landscaping pro-gramme that makes use of indig-enous plants and conserves water 9. Add composting to your land-scape maintenance plan 10. Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses, which use less water than sprinklers do11. Schedule an annual review of your property’s irrigation system 12. Harvest rainwater to water your building’s grounds Reduce, Re-use and Recycle13. Work with vendors who have recycling programs in place 14. Establish disposal methods to discard electronics and hazardous waste safely15. Use coreless paper products 16. Ensure that your janitorial ser-vice uses green cleaning products 17. Ensure windows and skylights are clean to allow an optimal amount of natural daylight

18. Encourage tenants to turn off equipment after hours 19. Develop a recycling pro-gramme for everything (not just paper) - lighting, plastics, metal, glass and cardboard

COMMUNICATE AND EDUCATE21. Institute an energy awareness training programme 22. Encourage tenants to institute work from home policies to reduce workplace energy consumption 23. Create an electronic green newsletter to send to all tenants on a periodic basis24. Encourage tenants and building personnel to utilize environmentally-friendly modes of transportation Courtesy of BOMA/Atlanta’s Water

Conservation: List of Tips to Con-

serve Water and Save Money

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREA survey carried out by the Envi-ronment Agency, Abu Dhabi, found only 47 percent of respondents in the UAEs’ capital were aware that water is a fi nite resource. Recog-nition of this is the fi rst step in a

1. Abu Dhabi consumes 550 litres of water per capita

2. A rapidly expanding UAE population means action now

1


BIG ISSUE

process that can ultimately lead to the more effi cient use of water in the UAE.

Addressing the world’s water crisis is going to take collaborative effort by water stakeholders – in ef-fect that is all of us. Effi cient irriga-tion is the most viable solution and should be more widely embraced and more rapidly adopted. We see water being wasted Emirate wide

– whether that’s a miss-directed sprinkler tending the freeway rath-er than the verge, or unattended broken pipe work – policy makers from the government down should vocally and physically legislate for effi cient irrigation systems before the situation becomes irreversible.

With this in mind, Abu Dhabi has conceived ‘Plan Abu Dhabi 2030’, designed to help the capital respond to current and future needs through planning and guid-ing principals for development.

Estidama, ‘a vision for a sustain-able future’ was conceived to sup-port the 2030 plan by monitoring, enforcing clear procedures, and clarfi ying responsibilities.

80 LITRESThe amount of water allowed per person per day for residents of carbon zero Masdar City, Abu DhabiSource: Masdar City

HARDWARE AND TECH RESOURCE

AWMA Design, manufacture and installation of aluminium and SS gates and regulators for fl ow control in urban, waste and irrigation water industries. Custom de-signed water control infrastructure and technology is manufactured to meet customer’s specifi cations and industry standards.www.awma.au.com

Pump Engineers Established in 1971, the company specialises in cen-trifugal pumps, double diaphragm pumps, air oper-ated pumps, piston pumps, hose pumps, air operated double diaphragm pumps and desalination pumps for applications such as boiler feed, acid transfer, water treatment, mine dewatering, hygienic and sewage.www.pumpengineers.com.au

Rain BirdThe Maxicom2 Irrigation Central Control Systems is designed for multi-site commercial or industrial ir-rigation applications. Hundreds of sites and weather sources can be controlled and monitored from one location through telephone, cellular modem, radio (450-470 MHz), spread spectrum radio (900 MHz), direct cable connect, short-haul modem, fi bre-optic modem, ethernet device server, Wi-Fi device server, or fi bre-optic device server communication.

Automated ET based irrigation control and the most fl exible scheduling system allows control of multiple sites to exact specifi cations, making it ideal for munici-palities, school districts, home owners associations, and park and recreation departments.www.rainbird.com

Sadot Irrigation SystemsSadot Irrigation Systems is the manufacturer of the Shibolet irrigation and fertigation platforms for green-house and net-house applications. It is the source for irrigation systems, fertigation systems, fi ltration and control systems for agricultural, landscape and turf and sports applications.www.sadot-irrigation.com

HydroPointDrawing on information delivered wirelessly from 40,000 weather stations, the WeatherTRAK ET Every-where service automatically schedules irrigation based on individual landscape needs and local weather conditions. The result is higher property values, lower water bills and a healthier environment.www.weathertrak.com

“A survey carried out by Abu Dhabi’s Environment Agency found only 47% of respondents in the capital were aware that water is a fi nite resource.”

2


SECURITY

Safe and sound?In light of new security legislation the role of facilities managers in implementing, managing and maintaining security levels and procedures has never been more important. fmME brings you best practice advice and top tips…

SECURITY


Security is a critical compo-nent of facilities manage-ment. That the Abu Dhabi government introduced

compulsory licencing for security companies, concurrent with legisla-tion stipulating a minimum wage for guards, should help to stabilise procurement of security services.

The minimum wage is reported to be around AED2,000, while previously guards were being paid anything in the region of AED800 to AED1,500. As for the number of operators and personnel, there are currently 400 security companies in the UAE employing 30,000 guards, of which only 11 are licensed.

“The new legislation is good for the security industry and facili-ties management. As you can see the fi gures mentioned reveal an appalling ratio,” notes Saif Belhasa, security manager, ServeU, the FM full service provider.

Many believe security is an indus-try that needs regulating. By making all the companies LLC registered means security will no longer be an element of the service provision by some FM companies – it will have to be outsourced to an entirely separate entity. “It will sort the wheat from the chaff and set a benchmark,” says Belhasa. “Any move in legislation that creates a

“When interviewing, FMs should devote a portion of the contract to security, health and safety. This is to ensure employees are aware the organisation takes this matter seriously. Not forgetting criminal convictions and heavy fi nes.”

1. Facilities managers integral to building adaptation

2. Discuss security contracts with your peers. Can you learn anything from them?

IN NUMBERS

30000The number of security guards in the UAE

2

1


SECURITY

level playing fi eld and ups standards has to be good for all concerned.”

COMMON SENSE RECRUITINGAbdil Abdel-Hadi, managing director, Shield

Security Services, suggests there’s a tendency to recruit staff on the basis of their skills to perform a particular job, with little attention being paid to personal attributes such as commit-ment, loyalty and trustworthiness, he says. “These aspects of personnel selection only come to the fore when the damage is done, as the result of recruiting staff about whom very little is actually known.

“Therefore it is necessary to draw up a vetting procedure to confi rm job applicants’ background details, credibility and references. It may also be necessary to carry out background checks with the police and academic establishments. This is common sense recruiting, but it doesn’t always happen,” says Abdel-Hadi.

Psychometric assessment is now commonly used as a vetting procedure, and can be invaluable in identifying individuals who, although well qualifi ed, may be lacking in personality aspects such as temperament, attitude, emotional stability and reliability. These are all vital traits as security is often the customer’s fi rst point of contact.

“It is our job to harness the FMs knowledge through system design and utilise their insight to enhance the system if, and when, a facility such as an academic campus, hospital or corporate headquarters needs to expand its capacity.”

As the British Security Industry Association forges links with the Middle East to raise standards of profes-sionalism and skills, below are best practice guidelines aimed at helping you benchmark your sourcing and

procurement processes in the Gulf

SOURCING GUARDING SERVICES Before you begin sourcing guarding services you need to ask the following questions:

• If you are dissatisfi ed with your current service, analyse the reasons why. Little would be gained from changing one unsatisfactory service or supplier for a similar one

• Who will the security offi cers’ on-site customer rep-resentative be (who will they report to?)

• Will the security team require its own on-site infrastructure? (It is generally accepted that, if there is more than one offi cer on duty at any given time, then one should be designated as team leader and therefore accountable and responsible.)

• Have you discussed similar contracts with your peers? What was their experience? Can you learn anything from them?

PROCUREMENT PROCESSSpecifi c requirements:

• Details of approved licence (copy of certifi cate enclosed)

• Details of security offi cers’ training process (includ-ing syllabus)

• Details of staff turnover for the last three years

• Ask for quality qualifi cations i.e ISO

PPQ EVALUATIONYour pre-qualifi cation question must be consistent and auditable. On completion of the PPQ stage you should offer quantative feedback to suppliers promptly advis-ing them of their score

INVITATION TO TENDERInvite 3 - 5 companies to tender. Consider your tender specifi cation carefully and include enough information on your security policy to allow bidders to draft a set of assignment instructions

For more info visit: www.securityconsultants.org.uk

SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY Scott Etess, general manager at Idesco, the integrated security solutions provider, says personnel technology training is a must.

“Yes, training is highly recom-mended. Prior to completing an installation and turning the system over to the customer to use, we provide extensive training to those persons who will be using the system. Would you hand the keys to your new car to someone who doesn’t know how to drive?”

CONFIDENTIALITYDuring their term of employment security personnel will be exposed to confi dential, business critical information. Employees’ contracts need to address the protection of information assets during and after a period of employment to minimise potential data leakage.

“Typical techniques by potential employers to gain competitive advan-tage include probing questions about a previous role at interview,” points out Abdel-Hadi. “It then becomes necessary for FMs to be proactive and remind staff contractual obliga-tions to not di-vulge sensitive information.”

Conversely, when inter-viewing, FMs should devote a portion of the contract to security, health and safety.

IN NUMBERS

11The number of security guards actually regis-tered in the UAE

IN NUMBERS

AED 2000

Security guard minimum wage

SECURITY


CASE STUDY:

Hospital security is a unique facilities management challenge. A variety of people make up a typical hospital environment - patients, staff, vendors, physicians and visitors. The facilities have numerous rooms and spaces with high-value equip-ment, accessible pharmaceuticals, many entrance/egress points and ease-of-move-ment around the building and premises. This environment calls for a different ap-proach to security. Hospital facilities man-agers base their security decisions on law, costs, fear of litigation, and to protect their facility’s reputation. In addition, the critical assets of a hospital - its people, property, data and - must be protected and securedto ensure continuity and the bottom line.

Main threats in a hospital environment: • High-value equipment • Accessibility to drugs • Number of entrances • Ease-of-movement • Insider/employee theft• Visitor thefts• Threats against patients or staff• Crimes of opportunityCountermeasures in a hospital environment:• Begin by listing the departments, review-ing the business culture of the hospital, determining the threat levels in each department, interviewing department heads about threats and crime, and plan-ning possible countermeasures for each department• In the second instance develop a master

plan. Then review it against a ‘reality check’ before creating the tools that will be needed to implement it. Don’t forget you have options in security… • High-tech: alarm systems, access control systems, photo identifi cation, CCTV, two-way voice communications and weapons screening systems, patient locators, video pursuit software, delayed egress hardware, active asset control systems, enterprise-wide systems, digital video and pager alarms • Low-tech: Locks, barriers, good lighting and landscaping• No-tech: training and supervision keep policies and procedures live. Programmes help promote staff security awareness. Anonymous telephone number for report-ing crimes and slips in security

3. Hospitals: a unique environment for facilities managers and security provision

“The key to installing an integrated system that keeps employees, patients, students or sports fans safe, but does not impeded normal activity, is to integrate facilities managers at the design stage.”

“This is to ensure employees are aware the organisation takes this matter seriously, and that any potential damage or disruption to the business as a result of breaches of rules and procedures could prove to be a costly exercise. Not forget-ting criminal convictions and heavy fi nes,” explains Abdel-Hadi.

CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS“There are numerous differences between say securing retail, cor-porate or healthcare facilities, and there is no set formula,” says Etess. “Each location and business need is different, and because of this plans are drawn-up specifi cally for the installation in question.”

The key to installing an integrated system that keeps employees, pa-tients, students or sports fans safe, but does not impeded normal activ-ity, is to integrate facilities managers at the design stage, says Etess. “Yes, we view facilities managers as the main point of contact from the de-sign stage to lifecycle maintenance of the systems.

Facilities managers have an innate knowledge of their facility. It makes sense to harness this knowledge from stage one of any development, its attendent integrated building management and systems to ensure operational continuity.

3


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COMMENT


What price sustainability?

FM from the design phases of projects are clear and continue to become clearer every day.

District cooling vs. packaged coolingLet’s consider district cooling (DC), touted as the sustainable alternative to packaged cooling systems.

If we believe the hype, and we have no reason not to,

DC systems are designed to achieve an operational effi cien-cy of 1kW power consumed per ton of refrigeration (kW/ton) or even less.

The industry promotes this effi ciency as a considerable environmental benefi t when contrasted with a conventional air-cooled packaged cooling system that operates in the region of 1.7 kW/ton.

Everyone wants to be seen as ‘sustainable’ or ‘green’. Sustainable develop-ment and environmental

responsibility usually translates easily to good business. As facilities managers we strive to ensure maximum effi ciency of the facilities we operate, yet sometimes our hands are tied. Why is this?

If FM is included in a project from the outset we can make a signifi cant impact on energy, buildings and business effi ciency, but when FM is considered much later, or not at all, we are left to do the best we can with what we have been given. The results of omitting

Alan Millin, director of consultancy, Imdaad, on energy, buildings, business effi ciencies, hamstrung FMs and the need to integrate to achieve effi ciencies

Alan Millin: ‘District cooling systems are designed to achieve an operational effi ciency of 1kW power consumed per ton of refrigeration or less’

Great we all say, let’s go for dis-trict cooling in that case. The best massaged fi gures I have heard from a DC proponent are 0.8kW/ton for DC vs. 1.8kW/ton for packaged aircooled machines.

But wait, don’t we regularly hear at the DC conferences that actual DC plant perfor-mance is signifi cantly worse than the design specifi cation? I have heard speakers at these conferences mention DC system effi ciencies of 1.4 and 1.5 kW/ton. Still better than 1.7kW/ton isn’t it?

If we check with equipment manufacturers maybe we can fi nd a more effi cient packaged system too, narrowing the gap even more.

And what about the water consumption of the DC plants? Power plants consume water as they produce power for the DC plant, but now the DC plant itself consumes water too. Air cooled chillers do not need to use any water.

Then there is the cost to the end-user. District cooling plants will typically operate at the highest of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA)

“The best massaged fi gures I have heard from a DC proponent are 0.8kW/ton for DC vs. 1.8kW/ton for packaged

air cooled machines.”

Alan Millin, director of consultancy Imdaad

COMMENT


slab tariffs, while a simple split system on a small apartment will probably be billed at the lowest rate. Beginning to see where the life cycle cost analy-sis we discussed in the last article might be useful?

On the other hand, end users often have no choice over the type of cooling they live with. Unfortunately, DC providers do not appear to like installing sub-metering at the unit level. This leaves many residents or tenants paying for their cooling on a per square foot basis.

Hurting the providerNow we get to the sustain-ability issue. District cooling providers make their money by charging to remove heat from your facilities. If DC providers bill based on consumption, and if we are good at our jobs, we will reduce our clients’ payments to the DC provider - which may hurt the provider. So billing on fl oor area is great for the provider, but bad for the client or customer and for the environment.

End-users who pay per square foot have little incentive to cut back on cooling demand because the main benefi ciary is the DC provider, who still gets paid even if they do not provide any cooling.

There is often little or no transparency on how the DC providers arrive at their selling rate. End-users also have little option but to connect to a par-ticular DC provider’s system. This is, in some respect, simi-lar to the telecommunications companies. We have Etisalat and Du, but there is no real competition. The area in which you live can dictate which provider you contract with, whether you like it or not.

District cooling end users are mostly not FM or DC industry professionals who

understand the fi nancial models being used. They are, however, the very people who will complain about the high service charges imposed on them which refl ects poorly on the master developer, the DC provider and unfortunately on the FM provider; whether we like it or not. When the air con-ditioning fails tenants do not want to hear that “it’s the DC provider’s problem”, they want their air conditioning to work

and expect the FM company to make it happen.

Simply not good enoughSo what can we do? We could of course sit back and do noth-ing, but that won’t get us far will it? How about knocking on doors to let clients to know that we can help if we are engaged early enough? How about edu-cating our clients to demand much greater transparency from DC providers. How about

educating our clients to insist on sub-metering down to the unit level with direct billing by the attendant DC provider?

District cooling providers need to do more to really implement sustainable develop-ment initiatives. Where is the corporate social responsibility of the DC providers? Where are their sustainable devel-opment initiatives? Do they require their engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors to comply with their own environmental procurement policies? Do they strive for the best environmen-tal solution or do they simply go for ‘plug and play’ design because they can make more money that way?

As facilities managers, we have many questions to ask. Let’s start asking them before our clients ask us why we have been quiet for so long…

“Where is the corporate social responsibility of the DC providers?

Where are their sustainable development initiatives? Do they

require their engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors to comply with their own environmental

procurement policies?”

Millin: Billing on fl oor area is great for the district cooling provider, but bad for the client or customer and for the environment as a whole

PROJECT TRACKER


KUWAIT PROJECTS DATABASE - BUILDING PROJECTS FOCUS

PROJECT FOCUSPROJECT TITLE CLIENT CONSULTANT MAIN

CONTRACTOR

VALUE / VALUE RANGE (US$. MN)

PROJECT STATUS TYPE OF PROJECT

Salmiya Hotel & Commercial Centre Al Faweres Company Projacs/W.S. Atkins Not Appointed 101 - 250 project under design Mixed Use

Kuwait Trade Center Commercial Real Estate Company

Norr Group Sayed Hamad Behbehani & Sons

76 project under construction

Mixed Use

Al Inayah Hospital in Abu Halifa Al Amal Hospital Option One First United General Trading & Contracting

16 - 30 project under construction

Hospital

Injassat Tower Injassat Real Estate Projacs/KEO International Ahmadiah Trading & Contracting


Commercial Buildings

Police Headquarters at Hawali Ministry of Public Works Salem al-Marzouk & Sabah Abi Hanna

Not Appointed 30 project under design Commercial Buildings

Panasonic Tower in Kuwait City Easa Husain Al-Yousifi & Sons Company

Amer Al Fereih Consultants Ahmadiah Trading & Contracting



Health Centre at Bayan Palace Ministry of Public Works In House Alamiah Building Company


Hospital

Immigration Headquarters at Farwaniya

Ministry of Public Works Kuwait Technical Consultant Not Appointed 2.5 - 15 project under design Commercial Buildings

Sheraton Four Points Al Shaya Group KEO International Not Appointed 101 - 250 project under design Hotel

Kuwait Business Town at Al Mirqab Area - Zone 3

Kuwait Business Town Holding Company

Projacs/Pace/Fentress Bradburn

First United General Trading & Contracting


Mixed Use

Al Hamra Tower Ajial Real Estate Company Al Jazeera Consultants Ahmadiah Trading & Contracting


Mixed Use

Salmiya Park in Kuwait PAAAFR/Kuwait Commercial Markets Complex Co;

Projacs/Gulf Consult Wara Construction Company


Recreational Facilities

Aknan Resort in Al Khairan Aknan Global Development for Real Estate Co.

Saleh Al Qallaf Engineering Not Appointed 31 - 100 project under design Hotel

Special Forces Training Facility Ministry of Public Works/Ministry of Interior

Dar Al Handasah Alamiah Building Company


Educational Facilities

Wataniya Headquarters Wataniya Projacs/SSH/Webb Zerafa Menkes Housden


Kuwait Business Town at Al Mirqab Area - Zone 1

Kuwait Business Town Holding Company

Projacs/KEO Int’l/Gensler Associates

First United General Trading & Contracting


Mixed Use

Salmiya Hotel Gulf Development House Saleh Al Qallaf Engineering First United General Trading & Contracting

31 - 100 project under construction

Hotel

Yousifi Tower Al Yousifi Option One Not Appointed 31 - 100 project under design Residential Buildings

Petroleum Research Laboratory Building in Ahmadi Phase 2

Kuwait Institute for Scientifi c Research

Al Zamami Consultant Not Appointed 2.5 - 15 bidding underway for the main contract


Fire Training Simulator at Kuwait International Airport

Kuwait Fire Department United Engineering & Technical Cons.

Not Appointed 16 - 30 project under design Educational Facilities

Arabilla McDonald Kuwait Engineering Group Not Appointed 2.5 - 15 project under design Commercial Buildings

Restaurant Building at Salmiya Al Tamathul Trading & Real Estate

Saleh Al Qallaf Engineering Construction Management & Building Co;


Hotel

Residential Building at Salmiya Mr. Abdul Latif Al Mana Scale Consultant Al Bahar Construction Company


Residential Buildings

New Business College at Ardiya - Female Campus

Public Authority for Applied Education & Training

Gulf Consult Kuwait Arab Contractors



Suma Tower Mr. Bassam Tuftuf Option One Al-Amarat Al-Jadidah Trading & Contracting



New Headquarters for the Interior Ministry

Ministry of Interior/Ministry of public Works

Industrial & Engineering Consulting Offi ce

Khalid Ali al-Kharafi & Brothers Company



PROJECT TRACKER


KUWAIT PROJECTS DATABASE - BUILDING PROJECTS FOCUS

PROJECT TITLE CLIENT CONSULTANT MAIN CONTRACTOR

VALUE / VALUE RANGE (US$. MN)

PROJECT STATUS TYPE OF PROJECT

Police Headquarters at Al-Farwaniya Ministry of Public Works Salem al-Marzouk & Sabah Abi Hanna


Ministry of Education Headquarters MPW/Ministry of Education Cambridge 7/NBBJ/Gulf Cons Not Appointed 200 project under design Commercial Buildings

Basic Education Campus at Ardiya - Female Campus

Public Authority for Applied Education & Training

Pace/Morganti United Gulf Construction Company



20 Storey Building at Salmiya Mr. Aqeel Behban Option One Al Shahla General Trading & Contracting Company



360° Kuwait Tamdeen Shopping Centre Development Company

RTKL/OHA Engineering Consultants

Ahmadiah Trading & Contracting


Shopping Centre

United Tower at Sharq United Real Estate Company Salem al-Marzouk & Sabah Abi Hanna/Kohn Pederson & Fox Associates

Ahmadiah Trading & Contracting


Mixed Use

Crystal Tower at Sharq Arab Real Estate Company Projacs/HOK/Osama Bukhamseen

BIG Contractors/Shanghai Construction



The Gardens in Mahaboola Commercial Real Estate Company

Option One Wara Construction Company


Residential Development

Headquarters Building for Ministry of Awqaf

Ministry of Awqaf Kuwait Technical Consultant Bureau

Not Appointed 31 - 100 project under design Commercial Buildings

Health Science College for Girls Public Authority for Applied Education & Training

Projacs/Al Zamami Consultant

Not Appointed 31 - 100 project under design Educational Facilities

LAL Department Headquarters Ministry of Public Works Al Jazeera Consultants First Kuwaiti Trading & Contracting



Neighbourhood Centre at East of Al Ahmadi

Ministry of Public Works Kuwait Technical Consultant Bureau

Not Appointed 40 bidding underway for the main contract

Mixed Use

Al Ghunaim Tower in Qibla Area Saleh Al Ghunaim Sons Saleh Al Qallaf Engineering Al Bahar Construction Company



Twin Towers at Al Murqab Wafra Real Estate Company Al Habshi Consultant Offi ce Not Appointed 101 - 250 project under design Commercial Buildings

Jaber Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Hospital

Ministry of Health / Ministry of Public Works

Gulf Consult/Langdon Wilson

Not Appointed 636 award awaited for the main contract

Hospital

Police Headquarters at Mubarak al-Kabir

Ministry of Public Works Salem al-Marzouk & Sabah Abi Hanna


Fire Department Headquarters at Mishref

Kuwait Fire Department Al Shaheen Engineering Al Sager Company 2.5 - 15 project under construction


KGOC Headquarters at Ahmadi Kuwait Gulf Oil Company Al Jazeera Consultants Not Appointed 35 award awaited for the main contract


Kuwait Control & Meteorological Centre

Directorate General of Civil Aviation

TAEP Sayed Hamad Behbehani & Sons



Gate of Kuwait Al Shaya Group KEO International/GLH Partnership

Not Appointed 260 project under design Mixed Use

College of Science at Kuwait University

Kuwait University Gulf Consult/NBBJ Not Appointed 200 project under design Educational Facilities

Gravity Tower Realty Development Company Osama Bukhamseen Design BIG Contractors 2.5 - 15 project under construction Commercial Buildings

Intercontinental Tower at Sharq Al Emad Real Estate Co. HOK/Osama Bukhamseen Design BIG Contractors 101 - 250 project under construction Mixed Use

Note : The above information is the sole property of Ventures Middle East LLC and cannot be published without the expressed permission of Ventures Middle East LLC, Abu Dhabi, UAE

A facitlity management and operations company. The solutions we implementfind a balance between sustainable sensitivities and commercial potential.

Olive VFM will advise your business on how to best protect and retain maximumprofitable value on all your land developments.

Using qualified, innovative and efficient strategies to mitigate against the unforeseen,we will enhance your companies reputation whilst optimising asset positivity.

Free your developments potential with Olive VFM.

To find out how Olive VFM can start freeing your businesses potentialplease visit us at: www.olive–vfm.com or contact info@olive–vfm.comor call (Bahrain) + 973-17587578 (UAE) + 9714-3343403

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