Clean & Hygiene Review ( Nov-Dec 2015)

May-June ’15

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Nov-Dec ’15

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Publisher cum Editor Rajneesh Sharma Resident Editor Sharmila Chand (Delhi) Ashok Malkani (Mumbai) Layout & Design Hari Kumar. V Abhishek Singh Rathore Production Assistant Mamta Sharma Advertising Sales Delhi: Debabrata Nath, Sumesh Sharma Director Sales Sanjay Anand Director Operations & Finance Rajat Taneja Editorial & Advertising Offices: Delhi: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 206, Samrat Bhawan, Ranjeet Nagar Commercial Complex, New Delhi-110008 Phone: 91-11-45084903, 45093486, 25704103 Mumbai: Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 105, 1st Floor, Aarpee Centre, Gufic Compound, 11th Road, MIDC, Near Tunga Paradise, Andheri (E), Mumbai-400 093 Ph.: 91-22-28395833 Telefax: 91-22-28388947 Website: www.chrmag.com E-mail: info@hammer.co.in © 2015 Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

Clean & Hygiene Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed, owned and published by Rajneesh Sharma from 313, Himgiri Apartments, J-Block, Vikaspuri, New Delhi. Printed at Print Creations, C-112/3, Basement, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-1, New Delhi-110 028.

Annual Subscription rate within India is Rs. 450 and overseas US $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs.90 in India and US $25 overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

ith increasing integration of the world and rising hygiene standards, the role of housekeeping, which is truly the heart of hospitality, has undergone tremendous change over the years. Without even interacting with the guests directly, the housekeeping staff plays a crucial part in enhancing guest experience and ensuring their repeat visits, thereby helping in revenue generation. Moreover, the housekeeping staff today plays a role in increasing the style quotient of the hotel by guiding art installations. So the housekeeping department is not just a basic necessity but a crucial player that can help a property stand out in the crowded market of the hospitality industry. Moreover, the role of housekeeping in ensuring security is also being acknowledged.

What has helped in the evolution of the multidimensional roles of housekeeping is increased automation, entry of new specialized agencies for various jobs like glass cleaning, façade cleaning, pest control, sanitization, etc and provisions for outsourcing some of these jobs.

Eco practices are one of the emerging trends in hotel housekeeping. Reducing costs through energy saving and waste management without affecting guest satisfaction is important. For example, compact fluorescent lamps and motion sensors in meeting rooms, conference rooms and public areas is a step in that direction. Ozone treatment is also emerging as a clean and environment-friendly technique. The usage of new cleaning tools such as microfiber clothes, and increasing use of information technology for day-to-day operations have also helped in improving housekeeping.

Often perceived as a monotonous occupation, some managers even believe that if planned well housekeeping could be a fun and creative job. However, as the Cover Story of this issue points out, the housekeeping department, even in its new avatar grapples with some of the old challenges.

Unavailability of trained manpower and cost management in the constantly changing business environment are some of the formidable challenges that housekeeping managers face today.

Managing and motivating the staff efficiently, talent retention, lack of updated infrastructure, consistency in performance and productivity are some of the other concerns that have refused to go away.

In view of depleting groundwater and increasing demand for water due to growing industrialization, urbanization and population pressure, the Business Story explores the opportunities in India’s water recycling and wastewater treatment space. In fact, because the supply of water is limited, there is hardly any alternative to water conservation, recycling and reuse. And the government too has realized this and therefore offers various incentives to the industry to acquire the green technologies that can make water treatment more feasible and profitable. So the opportunities in this sector which is still at a nascent stage in India currently can only get bigger and better with time.

The importance of green technologies has also found echo on a feature on indoor air quality – showing how better air quality in offices can make way for an intelligent workforce. And I am sure you will find the other regular features, reports and news updates also equally interesting.

Happy Reading!

Editorial Policy : Editorial emphasis in Clean & Hygiene Review magazine is on educational & informational material specifically designed to assist those responsible for managing cleaning & maintenance, Laundry, Pest Control, Water & Waste Management and Environment. Articles are welcome and will be published on the sole discretion of the editor.

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Nov-Dec ’15

Contents COVER STORY

PEST MANAGEMENT

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Housekeeping: The Heart of Hospitality

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rom the mundane job of cleaning to the creative chores of styling and being the ears and eyes of the hotel in ensuring security, the housekeeping staff plays multidimensional roles in presenting a hotel in its best

Dealing with Droppings

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he best way to prevent damage from bird droppings is to keep in place effective deterrents the planning for which should ideally begin at the initial stages of building design.

LAUNDRY

BUSINESS

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Race for Water Recycling

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ith demand for water fast outstripping supply, the real race for recycling water for the Indian industry may have just begun. But with better technologies and more investment, this emerging business space is slated to get more crowded

SECTIONS 4

News Scan

How to Achieve Best Laundry Results

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rom the right softness of the water to its correct temperature, proper amount of detergent, bleach and other laundry products to following all the steps such as sorting, washing and drying, getting the best laundry results requires a little bit of training and a great deal of attention to details

30 IAQ

7 Report

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18 Cleaning

36 Interview

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Product Preview

Waste Management

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Guhaneshwaran V at Double Tree by Hilton Pune

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oubleTree by Hilton Pune-Chinchwad recently appointed Guhaneshwaran V as the Assistant Executive Housekeeper.

Guhaneshwaran has over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He started his career with the Leela Palace Bangalore. Along with the housekeeping operations he was also taking care of upkeep and maintaining the interiors related assignment of that property.

Later he moved on to the Oakwood Premier Bangalore where he was rewarded the best manager in cost controlling.

And then he moved to The Fortune JP Palace Mysore before moving to DoubleTree

by Hilton Pune-Chinchwad.

He believes that keeping the staff happy by motivating and training is key to effective housekeeping operations.

Grundfos wins United Nations’ Momentum for Change Award

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n recognition of its innovative solutions to meet the challenges cause d by climate ch ang e , Grundfos Pumps, one of the world’s leading pump manufacturers, was awarded the prestigious United Nations’ Momentum for Change Lighthouse Activity Award in the ‘Information and Communication Technologies’ category. The award was given for its Lifelink water solution that provides reliable and sustainable water supply in developing countries.

Grundfos won the award in the ICT category for employing technology in its approach to sustainable water supply solutions in Kenya and Uganda.

“The award clearly demonstrates that it makes good sense to design smart, sustainable, reliable and durable solutions that can improve the quality of life for people in the developing world by providing them with clean and affordable water. I expect that the UN award means that Grundfos will be in an even stronger position with politicians, investors and water utilities in our efforts to provide more people with easier access to clean drinking water,” said Mads Nipper, CEO, Grundfos.

More than 450 initiatives were competing for the UN award. The 16 winning solutions were displayed at the recently concluded Paris Climate Conference.

Sustainable water supply solutions powered by solar energy make up a growing share of Grundfos’ activities, and, most recently, the pump manufacturer has started to manufacture two new products in the Lifelink category in India: AQtap that supplies water against payment and enables the water utility to control the price and ensure that the water system is maintained, and AQpure that quickly and efficiently treats surface water and river water to drinking water quality.

The UN describes Grundfos’ and the other award-winning initiatives as Lighthouse Activities that relate to one of the four Momentum for Change focus areas. The UN considers them some of the most practical, scalable and replicable examples of what people, businesses, governments and industries are doing to tackle climate change and wider economic, social and environmental challenges.

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Nov-Dec ’15

N E WS SCAN

Hicare introduces novel mosquito control system

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ith dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases taking a toll on Indian people, Hicare, one of India’s leading pest management services company, has introduced an advanced mosquito control service that would ensure a complete wipe-out of mosquitoes from your home or office, a company statement said.

It is based on advanced EPK Treatment, which stands for exclusion of mosquito breeding sources, prevention of larvae growth and killing of adult mosquitoes. The benefits of EPK service are that it uses WHO (World Health Organization) approved odorless actives and are completely safe for you and your family, the statement added.

Its effect lasts for 60 days and the service is currently available in Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune and Chennai.

While mosquito repellants are one of the first ideas that come to one’s mind, they are not the only and best way to prevent a mosquito bite. They only make you a less easy target to be bitten by the mosquito. So mosquito repellents are not sufficient.

Now the new service introduced by Hicare could keep your homes and offices safe from mosquito bites.

Pollution boosts sale of air purifiers

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ith rising pollution levels in the country, the air purifier makers are breathing a lot easier as their sales have gone up significantly, particularly in Delhi. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, three major air purifier makers -- Japan’s Sharp, Netherland’s Koninklijke Philips, and Sweden’s Blueair AB – sold more air purifiers in 2015 than ever before.

While sales for Sharp and Philips tripled in 2015 as compared to the year before, Blueair’s sales went up by five times during the same time.

According to a report of World Health Organization in 2014, Delhi emerged as the most polluted city in the world. It also stated that more than 1.6 million people, mainly women and children, die prematurely due to high levels of indoor smoke every year.

More people are now resorting to buying air purifiers as they are becoming aware of the fact that indoor air pollution can be more dangerous

for lungs and cause several diseases and allergies including respiratory diseases.

O t h e r re p o r t s h a v e s h ow n that sales of air purifiers have gone up in cities like Kolkata too.

“With increased awareness, the demands for air purifiers have been growing at more than 100 percent month-on-month and sales have been growing 60-70 per cent year-on-year over the past 2-3 years. However, in Calcutta we have seen an increase in sales by about 60 percent over last year,” Shashank Sinha, senior general manager (marketing) of Eureka Forbes was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

Online retailers like Flipkart and Snapdeal has also reported rise in the online sale of air purifiers. While Flipkart has witnessed a four hundred percent month-on-month surge in sales during July-November, the figures for Snapdeal are also impressive.

Marketed as useful for tackling respiratory diseases such as asthma,

air purifiers work by removing contaminants from a room.

Surge in sales of air purifiers were also reported from cities l i k e Mu m b a i a n d Be n g a l u r u .

This buddy lets women pee while standing

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ith urinary tract infection more common among women than men because ladies have to sit down and pee, a simple use-and-throw product called “pee buddy” can help women pee while standing, thereby reducing the risk of infection from using dirty seats of public toilets.

Made from waterproof coated paper, one unit of the product is meant for single use only. The use of the product does not require any vaginal insertion as women can place it between their legs right under the flow area and throw it in the bin after relieving themselves.

PeeBuddy is the brain child of Delhi based organization First Step Projects and has been invented to put to rest all the inconveniences women has to experience using public toilets. With PeeBuddy, “the toilet seats can now be completely avoided and women now do not have to be petrified of the germs lurking in the toilet seats.”

PeeBuddy is ideal for public toilets, airports and flights, hospitals, highways, railways and just about every toilet outside your home.

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NE WS SCA N

New campaign to promote good hygiene practice

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n line with Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) to promote good health and hygiene practices, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), a leading fast moving consumer goods company, recently announced the launch of ‘Swachh Aadat, Swachh Bharat’ program to promote good hygiene practices. Given the scale of challenges that India faces in the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), this program is an effort to help India realize the goals of Clean India Mission by 2019.

Being implemented for people living in the slums of Mumbai and Delhi, this program encourages people to adopt three ‘Swachh Aadat’ or ‘Clean Habits’ – washing hands five times a day, using a toilet for defecation and adopting safe drinking water practices – three simple habits that can go a long way in reducing illnesses in our country.

The program is being undertaken with support of municipal corporations to reach out to students in municipal schools where a four-week behavior change program was conducted through engaging activities like skits, demos and jingles. This program also covers mothers and other stakeholders in the local community such as doctors and support groups to create awareness and develop champions within schools and the community. Till date, one lakh lives have been touched through multiple engagement points (school contact program, home to home program and neonatal program).

The program aims to reach two lakh people by end of 2015.

A mass media campaign has also been launched to promote awareness across the country, which will reach out to 75 million people across In d i a . T h r o u g h

the campaign idea of ‘Haath Munh aur Bum, Bimari Hogi Kum’, HUL has sought to bring alive this message in a fun and engaging manner, celebrating children as the agents of change.

“The campaign is in line with our belief that adoption of hygiene habits is as necessary as development of hygiene and sanitation infrastructure to realize the Clean India Mission,” the company said.

Speaking about this program, Sanjiv Mehta, Managing Director and CEO, HUL, said: “We believe that companies like HUL have a key role in helping the country achieve ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’. More than 90% of households in India use HUL products. This gives us both an opportunity and responsibility to make a meaningful difference. Our expertise in behavior change program in the area of hand washing and sanitation and our experience in developing and delivering innovative partnership models position us uniquely in doing this.”

Proper hand hygiene can cut 40% ICU Infections

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roper hand hygiene – regarded as one of the most effective way to controlling infections – can reduce infections in intensive care units (ICUs) by about 40 percent, according to health experts.

On the other hand, lack of knowledge of these practices can lead to complications, longer hospital stays and unnecessary economic burden.

The experts believe that the hospital staff can play a crucial role in helping patients and attendants follow the right hand hygiene practices.

“Doctors and cleanliness should go hand in hand. But that may not be the case in reality. At least 40% of ICU infections can be averted by practicing proper hand hygiene,” Anand Nikalje, intensivist and medical superintendent at MIT, a city-based charitable hospital, was quoted as saying by a leading national daily.

But a recent study published in the latest issue of International Journal of Pharma Research and Health Sciences revealed that not many doctors in India have the habit of washing hands and following other hygienic practices. The study by Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) involved more than 100 doctors and nurses during a training session.

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Nov-Dec ’15

REP OR T

European model may inspire India’s new water laws The framework of European Water Policy could be used by India with suitable modifications as source of inspiration to integrate water resources development and management among the States

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ith a view to managing India’s increasingly scarce water resources, the government is slated to come out with a new draft National Water Framework Bill - on the lines of the one currently operational in Europe - and improvising on the existing draft law of 2013. If enacted, the National Water Framework Bill will serve as a model for subsequent legislations at state-level.

Inaugurating the first meeting of the Indo-European Water Forum in New Delhi in November, Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sanwar Lal Jat said India’s water management is becoming increasingly difficult task day by day due to increasing and competing demand from various sectors.

The Minister said India has made significant strides in development of water resources since independence.

“However, the approach was mostly project centric and sources based without much emphasis on the ecological and pollution aspects. This has resulted into water over-use, water pollution and unhealthy competition amongst multiple sectors. Therefore, proper allocation management of the demand and efficient measures for use are urgently needed,” he said.

Referring to the European Water Policy, Jat said it presents a viable mode for cooperation between the EU and India.

He said this framework could be used

by India with suitable modifications as source of inspiration to integrate water resources development and management amongst the States.

The Minister said the experiences and the lessons learnt by the EU Members States can also help India in improving the water quality of Ganga and the other major Indian rivers. He said another important area of cooperation between India and EU

Nov-Dec ’15

could be water scarcity and ecological aspects of water management. The sharing of learnings and experiences from the European Member States would help us to successfully address these issues, the Minister added.

In her message to the meeting, the Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti said increasing competition for water among industry, agriculture, energy, domestic use and the environment has highlighted the importance of managing water on a river basis and multi–sectoral basis in a sustainable manner. She expressed the hope that the desk study of assessing India’s Draft National Water Framework Bill and the EU’s Water Framework Directive by the EU water experts will provide very useful inputs for our policy making.

The two day meeting of the IndoEuropean Water Forum was organized to discuss key issues in water resources management in India as well as the experiences of implementation o f E u r o p e a n Wa t e r Po l i c y.

The forum was attended by Director General of Environment Directorate-General of the European Commission Daniel Calleja Crespo, besides diplomats, senior officers from the Central Ministries, State Govt’s and UT ’s, World bank, UNDP, ADB, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, FICCI, CII , researchers, practitioners and academicians.

India’s water challenges are complex and include quantity, allocation, quality and management issues. Increasing competition for water among industry, agriculture, energy, domestic use and the environment has highlighted the importance of managing water on a river basin, and multi- sectoral basis in a sustainable manner.

The agricultural sector is currently

Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Sanwar Lal Jat addressing at the inauguration of the first meeting of Indo-European Water Forum-2015, in New Delhi on November 23.

India’s largest user of water, however, as urban and other demands multiply, less water is likely to be available in order to meet the nation’s irrigation and individual needs. Therefore proper allocation – management of the demand and efficient measures are urgently needed. In the context of these complex water challenges, the European Water Policy, centered o n m a n a g e m e n t a t t h e r i ve r basin scale and integrated water management, presents a viable model for cooperation between the EU and India at the national and state level.

The European Water Policy supports the Member States of the European Union in setting up appropriate governance structures which allow for an understanding of impacts and pressures to water resources including pollutant emissions, water over-use, morphological impacts, climate change effects; land use and effects from economic activities such as energy production, industry, agriculture and tourism; urban development and demographic changes. This framework which determines the implementation of water policies and legislation at national level could, therefore, be used

by India as a source of inspiration to integrate water resource development and management across its states.n

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COVER ST OR Y

Housekeeping: The Heart of Hospitality

From the mundane job of cleaning to the creative chores of styling and being the ears and eyes of the hotel in ensuring security, the housekeeping staff plays multidimensional roles in presenting a hotel in its best

By Ashok Malkani

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Nov-Dec ’15

C OV E R STOR Y

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he hotel industry is fraught with competition, and therefore, keeping the rooms, and the entire hotel clean is necessary if you want to attract guests. This vital task is attended to by the housekeeping department. So crucial is this department that it can actually make or break the reputation of a hotel.

Without even interacting with the guests directly, they play a very important role in enhancing guest experience and ensuring their repeat visits, thereby helping in revenue generation. Moreover, the housekeeping staff today plays a role in increasing the style quotient of the hotel and also in ensuring security of the guests and the staff. So the housekeeping department is not just a basic necessity but a crucial player that can help a property stand out in the crowded market of the hospitality industry.

“The department is primarily responsible for the cleanliness, maintenance and aesthetic upkeep of the hotel and takes pride in keeping the hotel clean and comfortable so as to create a ‘home away from home’,” said Abhaya Bhalekar, Executive

Nov-Dec ’15

Housekeeper, Hyatt Regency Pune.

“Housekeeping department also takes care of laundry, pest control and horticulture. They now are more than a department that takes care of cleanliness and maintenance but they are the one who style the hotel to present the brand in the right way,” Suman Bhandari, Housekeeping Manager at the Courtyard By Marriott, Bhopal, pointed out.

“Housekeeping may be defined as the provision of a clean, comfortable and safe environment,” Bhalekar noted.

New Trends in Housekeeping With technological advance and increasing importance of hygiene, the role of housekeeping has evolved over the years.

Increased automation, entry of new specialized agencies for various jobs like glass cleaning, façade cleaning, pest control, sanitization, etc. are the new trends in housekeeping, said Shikha Khanna, Housekeeping Manager at The Westin Mumbai Garden City.

According to Bhalekar, eco practices are one of the emerging trends in hotel housekeeping. Reducing costs through energy saving and waste management without affecting guest satisfaction is important. For example, compact fluorescent lamps and motion sensors in meeting rooms, conference rooms and public areas is a step in that direction. Ozone treatment is also emerging as a clean and environment friendly technique.

“Outsourcing in housekeeping is helping hotels reduce manpower related issues, especially as it is a labour intensive department,” Bhalekar noted.

The usage of new cleaning tools such as microfiber clothes and increasing use of information technology for day-to-day operations

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COVER ST OR Y

Suman Bhandari are remarkable, she said.

Syeda Mahmoodunnisa, Executive Housekeeper at JW Marriott Pune, agreed that the role of housekeeping has tremendously changed over the years.

“Our job is not just about cleaning or making beds but concentrating more on styling, visual merchandising, art installations and luxury. This gives us an edge in product and service differentiation where we create exclusive floral ambiance, provide high end luxury amenities, beds, linen and terry, fixtures and features, customized and concept services in our guest areas,” she pointed out.

“Housekeeping might be perceived as a monotonous occupation but if planned well it could be fun and creative. A lot of efforts and details are put into action to create experiences that make the guest’s stay a memorable one,” Mahmoodunnisa said.

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“The housekeeping scenario has changed over years. It is now more of a skilled manpower and professionals with a new fleet of young housekeepers in the industry consider housekeeping as more than just a cleaning and maintenance job. The name of the position has also changed from a room boy to a more professional version what we call in Marriott ‘a guest service associate’. The equipment and machinery used is in line with advancement in technology, easy to use and time-saving,” Bhandari said.

Anjum Sarwal, Director Housekeeping at The Grand New Delhi, said that the trends keep changing with focus on latest technology and productivity.

Nowadays, one can see a lot of new developments and innovations such as mechanized beds, productivity tools, live plants and minimalism inspired set up to increase efficiency.

Essentials for a Good Housekeeper With the role of housekeeping changing over the years, mere knowledge of the cleaning solutions or acquiring the skills of mopping or sweeping may not make one a good housekeeper as people generally tend to assume. The housekeepers of today are seen as the creators of the first impression for the guests and the element of creativity in housekeeping staff is much in demand as they are the ones who are responsible for the

Shikha Khanna maintenance and aesthetic upkeep of a hotel.

Rakesh Barot, Housekeeping Manager at Courtyard By Marriott Pune Chakan stated, “I have a philosophy which has been my touchstone for many years. I insist that my housekeepers must strive to follow the UNIQUE system.”

This system means: U— UNITY in my department N — NO request is too big or too small I —Always make work INTERESTING Q — QUALITY service to each and every guest U — UNLIMITED attention to guests and colleagues E — ENCOURAGE all my fellow employees However, he said that regular training of the staff is key to building an effective housekeeping team.

“I may mention that training is the key factor. A lot is being invested to train housekeepers. Training should be an ongoing process. A blend of good service and individual details is the key factor. Trainings should be audited. Training is necessary to achieve consistency in service, maintain quality standards and to maintain SOP (Standard Operatin Procedure),” Barot explained.

It has been found that top hotels are training employees to assess and identify customers’ needs even before they know it themselves. For example, if a couple is arriving with a toddler in tow, providing a high chair in the hotel room for the child’s use is a polite gesture that would speak volumes.

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C OV E R STOR Y

Rakesh Barot Staff training enhances the capabilities of employees and strengthens their competitive advantage. Effective training will improve the personal characters and professional abilities. Not only employees, management and organization would benefit from staff training, customers and guests benefit as well, because of the received quality products and services.

Tools of Change In driving the change in housekeeping both in terms of advancing their roles and easing day-to-day operations, various tools have played major roles.

“Microfibre as a cleaning system has greatly eased cleaning functions as it coats the surface, making it highly resistant to dust and dirt,” Abhaya Bhalekar said.

Microfiber is not treated with

Housekeeping might be perceived as a monotonous occupation but if planned well it could be fun and creative —Syeda Mahmoodunnisa, Executive Housekeeper at JW Marriott Pune

Nov-Dec ’15

any chemicals. The capillary effect between the filaments and nylon core creates a high absorbency, which in turn enables the fiber to clean and polish at the same time. Therefore, only water is needed to clean most types of surfaces. Microfiber picks up and traps dust, dirt, grease, and particles inside the “star-shaped” grooves of the fiber.

Shikha Khanna said that the vacuum cleaner and carpet shampooing machine are the tools that have reduced the work load in housekeeping, thereby making operations much easier.

Housekeeping and Security Next to the security department, housekeeping plays the most important role in ensuring a safe environment for guests and employees.

“We as housekeepers have access to all areas like guest rooms, meeting and function halls and washrooms.

During emergency situations too housekeeping personnel deployed in various areas can assist in evacuations,” Abhaya Bhalekar explained.

Shikha Khanna believes that housekeeping staff are the eyes and ears of the hotel as they are the only staff that enters each and every room of the hotel on a daily basis. It is imperative that they report anything untoward or suspicious immediately in order to safeguard life and property.

Syeda Mahmoodunnisa also said that housekeeping is one department which has access to all the areas and in most cases housekeepers are the first to notice a potential threat or hazard.

“We also work in tandem with the loss prevention / security team to prevent any mishap. All our team members are well equipped and trained on all safety, first-aid and security procedures which enable them to handle almost every situation effectively,” Mahmoodunnisa said.

A n j u m Sa r w a l a g re e d t h a t housekeeping staff can play huge role in ensuring security as it has direct access to the personal space of guests at all times.

What hasn’t Changed Although the role of housekeeping has tremendously transformed over the years, what has not changed

much is the attitude towards the department. Despite its tremendous contribution to keeping a hotel safe, clean, comfortable for guests and increasing profits for hotel owners, the housekeeping department does not always get the appreciation that it deserves. Many housekeeping professionals are of the view that the department attracts attention only when something goes wrong in the property and it gets blissfully ignored in all other times.

“To overlook the importance of housekeeping is a huge mistake since the rooms department generates the most profit for a hotel and the cleanliness and condition of room and

Housekeeping may be defined as the provision of a clean, comfortable and safe environment — Abhaya Bhalekar, Executive Housekeeper, Hyatt Regency Pune

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COVER ST OR Y

Good Housekeeping Practices • Be Smart, Look Smart: While housekeeping department works day and night to make things look nice in a hotel, the managers should take enough care that the staff not only has access to the latest tools and technology to make their work easier but also appear dapper in their uniforms or other apparels. How the housekeeping staff present themselves can go a long way in making the positive impression among the guests.

Anjum Sarwal public spaces are the most important factors in customer satisfaction ratings,” Bhandari cautioned.

“There is a tendency among people to pass the blame for any flaw, even if the guest is upset about something completely different, to the housekeeping department, probably because it is the easiest to pick on the flaws of this department. This vulnerability that the housekeeping department experiences needs to be changed,” Khanna said.

Unavailability of trained manpower and cost management in the constantly changing business environment are some of the formidable challenges that housekeeping managers face today.

“As a Director of Housekeeping, I face a lot of challenges in managing the staff efficiently, talent retention, lack of updated infrastructure, consistency in performance and productivity,” Sarwal said. n

• Cut Attrition: Human management is a huge problem in housekeeping. So managers should focus on taking measures to keep attrition rate at the minimum so that work does not suffer.

So motivating the staff and having in place retention policies are significant.

• Training: Training helps the housekeeping team to get updated with the latest trends and service skills. It plays a very important role for setting the benchmarks of the technical knowledge, grooming and communication skills. Constant training is helpful to imbibe discipline and the value system in the associate’s job which becomes their way of life. It is easier for a well-trained associate to interact and deal with guest issues and ensure prompt service recovery. Some hotels also conduct cross training as it qualifies people to do a variety of jobs outside of their standard job categories. For example, all housekeeping personnel can learn to clean rooms, deliver linen, operate laundry machines and clean public areas. Training on soft skills is also important as there may arise a need anytime to interact with guests directly.

• Anticipating Needs: With experience and expertise, it is possible for the housekeeping staff to anticipate the expectation of the guests that generally visit the hotel. Investing some time in anticipating those needs and putting in place a system to meet those needs can help a housekeeping department get an edge over its competitors.

• Safety of Staff: The managers should ensure that all the staff members are trained on the all the safety aspects and well equipped to take care of their safety while doing their normal dayto-day job or in cases of emergency.

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B U SINES S

Race for

Water Recycling With demand for water fast outstripping supply, the real race for recycling water for the Indian industry may have just begun. But with better technologies and more investment, this emerging business space is slated to get more crowded

By Ashok Malkani

M

ore than one in every six people in the world is water stressed, meaning that they do not have access to safe drinking water. Those that are water stressed make up 1.1 billion people in the world and most of them are living in developing countries.

A m o n g t h e w o r l d’s l a r g e s t groundwater basins, the Indus Basin aquifer of India and Pakistan, which is a source of fresh water for millions of people, is the secondmost overstressed with no natural replenishment to offset usage, said two

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new studies led by the University of California - Irvine (UCI), using data from GRACE satellites.

About a third of the Earth’s largest groundwater basins are being rapidly depleted by human consumption, the studies said.

The World Economic Forum 2014 January Global Risk report ranked water as one of the largest global risks, and the World Bank predicts a 50% shortfall between water supply and demand by 2025.

As far as India is concerned, ground water levels in various parts of the

country are declining as the country could not adequately recharge aquifers in deficit areas where it has been used for irrigation, industries and drinking water needs of the growing population over the years.

So without any doubt, water - a crucial component to life and critical for business growth -- is at risk. As India ladders up in its growth aspirations, water demand in industry is expected to grow at much larger pace than agriculture. Hence, businesses are finding themselves under increased pressure to optimally

Nov-Dec ’15

B USINES S use water - a scarce, but, quintessential resource for any industry.

In fact, it is only natural that growth of the industries that drive the growth of the country’s economy hinges to a large extent on uninterrupted supply of some of the basic resources like water. Therefore, while demand for water across the sectors is on the rise, there is also fear about the availability of water in the near future among the industrialists. Going by the increasing demand for water across the industries in the country, a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) study points out that India is projected to move into the category of water stressed nation by 2020.

“The water demand for the industrial sector is on a rise and will account for 8.5 and 10.1 percent of the total freshwater abstraction in 2025 and 2050 respectively. This is a 4 percent rise from the current level of 6 percent of the total freshwater abstraction by the industries in 2010,” the ‘Water Use in Indian Industry Survey’ by FICCI Water Mission said.

The rising cost of water and quality of water are two other major concerns.

Many also fear that environmental changes due to global warming and lobbying by environmental groups

Nov-Dec ’15

may also impact access to water for a variety of sectors.

So in this scenario re-use and recycling of water have gained immense importance.

Usage of Recycled Water Municipalities are not able to provide uninterrupted water supply to the citizens. The communities in many

Indian cities have to purchase drinking water at a high cost of Rs. 50 – 150 per cubic metre. Since water has become a scarce commodity, availability of water of adequate quality and quantity at affordable cost is possibly the biggest challenge faced by the industries today. It is necessary for all the industries to positively implement all kind of programs and measures for

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B U SINES S

effective utilization of water resources.

Industrial segment is the forerunner in utilizing treated sewage for its water needs.

“Indian industry is becoming responsive to the fact that it should be the role of every user to undertake measures for water conservation. The respondents see it as the shared responsibility of companies across sectors to join hands with communities and governments to work on programs for water conservation, recharge and wastewater treatment,” showed a recent FICCI Water Use in Indian Industry survey.

“Nearly 80% of the industries surveyed have reported to have undertaken wastewater treatment and reuse in their companies,” the report added.

Industrial end users procure treated sewage from municipalities, further treat it and reuse it for non-potable applications such as boiler feed water and cooling towers in a power plant.

For instance, as Nideshna Naidu, Industry Analyst, Environment & Building Technologies Practice at Frost & Sullivan, pointed out in an article at Moneycontrol.com, Chennai’s Water Board supplies 45 million liters per day (MLD) of treated sewage to companies such as Madras Refineries and Madras Fertilizers.

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Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd., Chennai have invested large sum of money in desalination of sea water and in laying a pipeline to convey the desalinated water all the way to their refinery. Earlier, when faced with a severe water shortage, the refinery was the first to invest in a plant to recover water from treated municipal sewage and effluent from the refinery.

Madras Fertilizers Limited followed their example. In Mumbai, Rashtriya Chemical Fertilizers have also set up a plant to recover water from municipal sewage and used the recovered water for cooling applications.

Water recycling plants (WRPs) are already functioning at 29 major water consumption centres on Indian Railways. In addition, 32 railway stations handling large volume of

Rajiv Mittal

passenger traffic have been identified during the current financial year for provision of water recycling plants.

Wastewater recycling and reuse has also been adopted by the residential segment in recent years, Naidu said.

Wastewater is being treated and recycled within residential compounds for applications such as landscaping/ watering plants and flushing.

In residential colonies, water can be recovered by installing a tertiary treatment plant and can be used for low end applications like green belt development, gardening, flushing the toilets etc., and thereby conserving fresh water. Needless to say this will involve separate storage and plumbing to ensure that there is no accidental contamination with potable water in other lines like washbasins and shower fountains. The recovered water can also be used as cooling tower make-up by installing membrane Bio reactor that will produce clear filtered water.

Wastewater recycling and reuse equipment market in India was Rs 8,500 million in 2012 and is forecast to grow annually at the rate of around 10 percent, Naidu pointed out.

“It is not only industries. Even municipal corporations are being pulled up today if they do not meet environmental norms,” Rajiv Mittal, Chairman and Managing Director of the Rs 1,400-crore water treatment firm, VA Tech Wabag, was quoted as saying by Business Today.

The biggest consumer of water, however, is neither the domestic nor the industrial sector, but agriculture, taking up about eight times as much water as the other two put together.

But domestic and industrial water requirements are increasing at a much more rapid pace than that of agriculture and are expected to double by 2030, while agriculture’s will rise only 11 per cent. Overall, demand is expected to outgrow supply.

Mittal believes a widening demand-supply gap and a depleting groundwater table will keep the water treatment business thriving for a long time.

S.N. Subrahmanyan, whole time Director and Senior Executive Vice-President (Infrastructure and Construction), Larsen & Tourbo (L&T), stated, “This sector contributes

Nov-Dec ’15

B USINES S

Major players in Indian water sector International Domestic

S.N. Subrahmanyan close to 100 percent of revenue in our wastewater segment. It also has a significant share in our water supply and distribution segment.”

Demand for Recycled Water to Increase The Indian water sector could require investment of around $130 billion between 2011 and 2030, according to a study by Ernst & Young (E&Y). Wastewater management, in particular, is emerging as a key thrust area. Currently, only 60 per cent of industrial and 26 per cent of domestic wastewater is treated in India. Metros and large cities are treating only about 30 percent while smaller cities treat a minuscule 3.7 per cent of their wastewater.

“Maintaining status quo in the water sector is no longer an option for most of the developing countries.

The beginning of the change is visible and there is good reason to believe that water will be an important investment theme for public, multilateral and private financial institutions in the coming decades,” the report stated.

Currently, treated sewage water is being consumed primarily in

Nov-Dec ’15

Acciona Agua Befesa-Acqua Cascal Hydro-comp Manila water Metito Berlinwasser NWSC Ranhill Salcon Suez Veolia

industrial sectors but in future it may very well find wide acceptability as potable. “In Singapore, you get sewage recycled water everywhere. In Namibia, we have a 12-year old plant that treats sewage water and people consume it. The time is not far off when in India you will have no choice but to do it,” Mittal pointed out.

Incentive for Industry To facilitate acquisition of clean, green and energy efficient technologies by micro, small and medium enterprises, India in November this year launched a Technology Acquisition and Development Fund (TADF) scheme under National Manufacturing Policy being implemented by Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Under the Scheme which would be implemented through Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA), a joint venture c o m p a n y, s u p p o r t to MSME units is envisaged by the following: Direct Support for Technology Acquisition: Proposals from Indian industry will be invited for reimbursement of 50% of technology

Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ion Exchange IVRCL Ltd Jain Irrigation Jamshedpur Utilities & Services Co. Ltd Jindal Water Infrastructure Ltd JMC Projects L&T Ltd Mahindra Infrastructure Developers Nagarjuna Construction Co. Ltd. Pratibha Industries Ramky Infrasstructure VA Tech Wabag Nalco Water India Ltd Shriram EPC SPML Ltd Tatva Global Technologies Vishwa Infraprojects transfer fee or Rs. 20 lakhs, whichever is lower, In-direct Support for Technology Acquisition through Patent Pool: Financial support will be provided in acquiring of technology/Patent from across the Globe based on applications received from MSMEs. Technology/ Patent will be licensed to selected companies, with a mutually agreed value and the selected companies will get a subsidy of 50% of the mutually agreed value or Rs. 20 lakhs, Te c h n o l o g y / E q u i p m e n t Manufacturing Subsidies: The fund will support, via subsidies, manufacturing of equipment / machines / devices for controlling pollution, reducing energy consumption and water conservation.

The manufacturing units will be provided with a subsidy of up to 10% of capital expenditure incurred on new plant & machinery subject to a maximum of Rs. 50 lakhs.

Green Manufacturing – Incentive Scheme: The scheme will facilitate resource conservation activities in industries located in NIMZ through the introduction of incentive/subsidy schemes for energy/ environmental/ water audits, construction of green buildings, implementation of waste treatment facilities and implementation of renewable energy projects through financial support under the TADF. n

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CLEANING

Vacuum Cleaner: Making the Right Choice A thorough assessment of the nature of the cleaning jobs to be carried out in the premises is key to choosing the right types of vacuum cleaners

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ver the past decade, several new players in the vacuum cleaners business have entered the market in India. Commercial and industrial users have a wider choice of models available to them.

This has not made the job of the decision maker any easier. In spite of the fact that vacuum cleaners have been around in India since the early sixties, the concept has started taking off only recently.

Most users therefore, are first timers and are not adequately exposed to the concept and technology to be able to make the right choice.

The smart salesman exploiting the ignorance of the new user does not obviously make their life simpler. It would not be wrong to say that a major segment of the potential buyers for vacuum cleaners are inclined towards conventional methods of cleaning.

“The cost of a worker is less than the interest loss on the investment on cleaning equipment” is not an uncommon argument that a sales

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person receives from his buyers.

Cost being the most important factor in the mind of a customer, it does not necessarily lead him to the right decision. Ideally a vacuum cleaner will be effective and efficient, reducing the time and effort required to do periodic cleaning. It will be dependable, needing very little maintenance for many years to come.

Before making a right choice one must first understand what a vacuum cleaner is and how it works. A vacuum cleaner has essentially the following parts: • A nozzle (an accessory item such as a floor brush, crevice nozzle, etc.)

• A set of flexible hose and extension wands (rigid pipes) to connect the nozzle with vacuum cleaner and provide a comfortable handle to the operator.

The main unit of the vacuum cleaner consists of; • The container in which the d i r t a n d d e b r i s a re c o l l e c t e d • A separation device or devices like cyclone pre-filter and / or main filter

(possibly assisted by a paper bag).

• A “vacuum generation unit” (VGU) - a single or multistage centrifugal b l o w e r o r a t u r b i n e b l o w e r.

• Other body parts, wheels, trolleys etc.

The VGU of the unit creates suction — resulting in airflow. This airflow is directed through the filters and pipes to be eventually released at the nozzle opening. The energy and force exerted by the moving air on the dirt forces it to move from the source point i.e. floor, carpet of furniture to the container of the unit through the pipes.

Why Need Vacuum Cleaner?

To be able to decide on the types o f va c u u m c l e a n e r n e e d e d i t is first important to assess the nature of the cleaning jobs to be carried out in the premises.

Look around the area to be cleaned paying close attention to the variety of surfaces which need to be cleaner.

These may include carpeted and non carpeted floors, upholstered and wooden furniture, stairs, door

Nov-Dec ’15

CLEANING frames, window sills, venetian blinds, drapes, picture frames, ceiling fans as well as small nooks and crannies. They require cleaning to maintain a healthy environment.

While complete periodic cleaning is required for most areas, there are some areas which need more frequent cleaning such as high traffic areas, shop floors, etc. Also one may need to do ‘wet-cleaning’ — i.e. removal of water from the floor, oils and chemical spillages, etc., particularly after scrubbing canteen floors, kitchens, and shampooing of carpets. Then there are some cleaning jobs which are done once in a while.

As one can see, there are a variety of different types of surfaces which need to be cleaned. To add to the complexity, there are weekly cleaning tasks like those special tasks which are done rather infrequently and also those which require daily time and attention.

to air flow throughout the system.

The air is motivated to move by the reduced air pressure created by the suction motor. The easier it is for the air to flow, the better the cleaning performance will be. Also, the stronger the suction created by the suction motor, the better the airflow will be.

There are many variables which affect the actual airflow in a system which are not reflected in the airflow rating. In addition to the resistance within the actual vacuum cleaner, there is resistance caused by air turbulence in the hose and tubing, restriction where the cleaning nozzle contacts the floor, as well as increased resistance within the filtration system as the unit fills with dirt. Therefore, it is important to compare the sealed suction along with the airflow when comparing different vacuum cleaners.

The Selection

The quality of the filter can have a’ significant impact on the airflow through the system. While the bag’s filter media must be able to stop the fine dust and allergens, it should present the least amount of resistance, to airflow.

The total resistance of the paper bag is inversely proportional to the total area of the filter media.

In other words, doubling the area of a filter’s surface will cut the total resistance to airflow by half.

Fo r a n y g i ve n a i r f l ow, t h e s p e e d ” o f t h e m ov i n g a i r i s inversely proportional to the area of the opening through which it is passing. A narrower opening in the nozzle will produce a faster airflow velocity, enacting more force to pick up the dirt. This is why a small attachment is more effective in picking up stubborn dirt.

For best performance the nozzle should also be designed so it produces similar airflow velocity across its complete width, not just near the air passage leading from it. A standard canister type of vacuum cleaner relies primarily on its airflow to pick up dirt and put it into the dirt container. This works quite well for cleaning noncarpeted floors with- a floor brush

In order to perform multiple tasks, the vacuum cleaner industry has developed a variety of vacuum cleaners: some to do a broad range of tasks as well as those which specialise in doing only one or two tasks extremely well.

Also it is important to know what constitutes a good performance.

Airflow is the most important of all factors which determine the working of a vacuum cleaner; it is the force exerted by the moving air which actually picks up the dirt and moves it into the bag or dirt container.

Airflow is given in Cubic Meters per Hour (CMH) or Cubic feet Per Minute (CFM) for a vacuum cleaner. While the airflow rating i s n o t a d i re c t r a t i n g o f t h e power of the suction motor, it is affected by suction. The airflow rating is typically obtained by measuring the airflow through the vacuum cleaner with no hose or attachments connected to it.

One must keep in mind that the same air moves through the entire vacuum cleaner system so the actual airflow in use in proportional to the amount of suction produced by the motor and inversely proportional to the total resistance

Nov-Dec ’15

Efficiency as well as dusting wooden furniture and cleaning upholstered furniture.

Performance When it comes to cleaning performance, there is a tendency to look primarily at the power of the suction motor and the amount of bristles on the brush roll. While these are important considerations, the quality and size of the paper bag are very important factors as well.

The quality of the bag’s filter media affects both its ability to retain the fine dust and allergens and its ability to allow air to easily flow through it. The size of the bag will determine how easily the air flows through it as well.

Care should be taken to always replace the filter bag with an equally high quality filter so good vacuum cleaner performance is maintained.

Therefore, if two different size bags are constructed of the same quality filter media, the larger one will enhance the cleaning performance by making it easier for the air to flow.

Besides these important indicators, one may also consider the durability factor while choosing the right vacuum cleaner that could be the most cost effective. n

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PEST MA N AG EM EN T

Dealing with Droppings The best way to prevent damage from bird droppings is to keep in place effective deterrents the planning for which should ideally begin at the initial stages of building design.

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or hotel or commercial property managers, unwelcome birds create mess as they ruin floral displays and roost in rooftops leaving trails of mess. Birds dropping feather and nesting material make the place look dirty and clog drains causing extensive water and structure damage.

Even metal and paints cannot stand up the corrosion caused by bird dropping.

So bird droppings are a nightmare even for builders, architects and homeowners where every design for aesthetic appeal needs to be reviewed.

The droppings are so acidic that they can cause permanent damage to stone and painted metals. They spread diseases like salmonellosis, encephalitis, cryptococcosis, ornithosis and hisoplasinosis. They can also cause breathing and skin disorders. A lot of transmissible diseases are also associated with geese, pigeons, starlings and house sparrows.

However, traditional methods of bird control (particularly pigeon control) have been largely unsuccessful due to lack of understanding of the species. Various methods including the use of poisons and narcotics, shooting with air rifles, trapping and killing operations and the installation of deterrents are tried to control birds.

With the possible exception of deterrents, all of these methods of control have failed to have the desired effect and in most cases these methods have actually resulted in an increase in bird infestation.

Therefore, the business of selling deterrents to clients is a highly profitable one. Anti-perching devices can be most effective in the control of bird populations but many of the commercially available products have a very short life span. It is also seen that they are often installed

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inappropriately and as a result they require replacing, in some cases, after only a few months. Most of these products are also extremely expensive.

Therefore, it is important for property owners to understand the complex range of control options available and select the most effective and the most costeffective product, or combination of products to meet their needs.

Independent advice should always be sought prior to instructing a pest management contractor in order to ensure that the right option is chosen. Most contractors are either tied to specific products and services or will recommend products that are profitable, but not necessarily the most appropriate in order to service the needs of the client.

Most contractors normally recommend traditional methods of controls to a client. It is also possible that a contractor will recommend a mix of lethal controls and deterrents; although the deterrents may have some impact, it is generally observed that the lethal aspect of the recommended system hardly produce any positive result.

Narcotic Bait In this method, birds are fed untreated grain in a secluded area for approximately seven days and on the eighth day the untreated grain is substituted with grain treated with a narcotic substance, the purpose being to induce stupor in the bird so that it can be easily caught and killed.

The reality of these operations is that few birds are actually caught by contractors and a majority of the birds that have taken the bait fly away to die of starvation, dehydration or hypothermia. This draconian measure

still fails to resolve pigeon-related problems. On the other hand, the dangers associated with the use of narcotics are considerable. Moreover, many non-target species also take the bait and die a long and agonising death.

This method of control is regarded now by many as indiscriminate, inefficient and ineffective.

Cage Trapping Trapping as a means of control is widespread. With this method birds are lured into a trap that is placed in their roosting or feeding area and that is either baited with a live bird or, more commonly, with grain. Once a certain number of birds have been trapped, they are removed and killed. The traps will then be re-set. Cage trapping is considered as an expensive method of bird control, as pigeons breed faster than they can be trapped and killed.

Different Deterrents Bird Netting Bird netting prevents birds from gaining entry to convenient roosting and nesting areas in the property with tough plastic bird netting.

It seals off all structural openings and other havens for roosting pest birds. The tough, nearly invisible bird netting keeps pigeons, starlings, blackbirds, sparrows and other pest birds out once and for all.

Easy installation and nearly no upkeep make the net a hassle free sensible choice for bird control. It is lightweight bird netting, pliable, and UV stabilized- so it won’t deteriorate with age or lose strength. The net is also ideal protection for vineyards, orchards and other agricultural concerns. It creates bird-proof enclosures that allow all of the light and moisture to reach the crops. It can solve pest

Nov-Dec ’15

P E S T M A N A GEMENT bird problems at any commercial and residential facility, or nearly anywhere easily and inexpensively.

The net is made of polycarbonate base (with UV filters) and stainless steel spikes or completely plastic. It is glued with a very powerful adhesive to the concrete, metal, wood, stone, glass and any other surface. These spikes prevent the birds to sit on the surface installed. It does not kill nor injure the bird but just pokes them and thus prevents them from sitting on it. Since birds have a good memory, it also stops them from visiting the same place again. The net assures that there are no more bird droppings and the area looks much cleaner and more beautiful. The net is not noticeable from a distance, nor it is dangerous for humans, animals and birds.

This product really works with zero maintenance and helps one to save on costs. These products have a lifetime assurance. It has been successfully installed in various locations where the applications have been on trusses, ledges, air conditioners, lighting equipment and awnings, helping organizations solve their bird problems. The cost of the product is negligible as compared to the savings one derives out of the same. Repeated painting can be completely eliminated since the walls do not get stained. Cleaning of glass windows, parapets, airconditioners, ducting porch areas and entrances for example can be reduced.

Anti-perching Devices Anti-perching devices are used extensively to deter pigeons from roosting on specific buildings. These devices can be extremely effective and are favoured by property owners wishing to discourage pigeons from roosting and perching on their property.

Anti-roosting Spikes This product is considered one of the most effective stand-alone bird deterrents on the market. The product is simple to install and does not necessarily require the services of a specialist contractor unless being installed at a very high place. If installed as per the recommendation of the manufacturer, the product turns out to be very effective and

Nov-Dec ’15

has an extremely long lifespan. It is also inexpensive, certainly in relation to other available products, and is completely reversible. Should an area that is already protected by antiroosting spikes need to be decorated or have essential maintenance carried out, the spikes can be easily removed, works undertaken and then the spikes can be re-installed.

Spring Wire Systems (post and wire systems) This anti-perching device is commonly recommended to property owners primarily due to its aesthetic values rather than its effectiveness. The product consists of vertical steel posts installed on a flat surface, where birds are causing problems. As a result of perching, these posts are spanned by steel wires provided at a height of approximately two inches and joined to the posts by small springs.

When a bird attempts to land on the surface, its feet touch the wires, which then move as the wire is attached to the posts by springs, and the bird then feels unsafe and flies away.

As the product is not prominent to the eyes, it attracts the property owners. However, it is not at all robust and the average life span of the product is short, in some cases just weeks. The product is often badly installed causing the vertical posts to cave in and render the product totally ineffective. The steel wires also continually snap or become disconnected from the posts; again, rendering the product ineffective.

Sonic Devices and NoiseRelated Devices There are a lot of sonic devices on offer for bird control, and for some species of bird they can be effective, assuming that the species has a distress call.

Where pigeon control is concerned, however, hardly any sonic or noiserelated devices display any effect.

Gels These products have a very short lifespan, can cause very considerable damage to the surface upon which they are provided and are usually completely ineffective as an antiperching device. These products have also been known to glue pigeons and

other birds to the surface upon which the product has been installed (if the sealant coat has not been installed, which is common) causing massive distress to the bird and potentially resulting in legal action where the property owner is concerned.

Electric Wire Systems These products are now becoming more common but are confined to places where animal protection laws are virtually non-existent. The product consists of steel wires that are attached to the surface to be protected and then a low current of electricity is passed through the wire in order to give the bird landing or walking on that surface an electric shock.

The system is powered by AC, DC or by solar power. For all purposes, the product seems, at first glance, to tick all the boxes. It is aesthetically pleasing as it is lowlevel; it consumes less power and manufacturers make fantastic claims about how inexpensive it is to install.

However, in reality, the product may turn out to be expensive relative to conventional products and requires maintenance cost, not to mention the cost of power used to run the system.

Bird management can be a highly lucrative segment of pest control business, provided proper time and effort is put in to plan services. Bird management projects, for the most part, are one-time events with little recurring revenue. Understanding and explaining the key selling points for bird management services to potential clients dramatically increases bird management sales. So time, experience and patience are required when bidding these services.

Eco-friendly Ways Certain companies have developed herbal and environmental friendly chemicals to control bird pest.

These chemicals can be simply be sprayed on the area affected by the bird pest. The chemical odour resist pest to land and nest in the sprayed areas. The chemicals are effective for 3-4 days and required to be sprayed once the effect is over.

(With inputs from Pest Control (India) Pvt. Ltd.) n

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LAUND RY

How to Achieve Best Laundry Results From the right softness of the water to its correct temperature, proper amount of detergent, bleach and other laundry products to following all the steps such as sorting, washing and drying, getting the best laundry results requires a little bit of training and a great deal of attention to details

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aundry is a scientific process which requires utmost care before applying a process on the material being washed. But even before starting the process, one needs to think about the right laundry products and ask a few questions.

Is the water to be used soft enough for a shining result? This is an important question as water plays a very important role in laundry care.

While soft water helps in the cleaning process, hard water can create a little trouble. So if you are dealing with hard water, a water softener can be of

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great use. Otherwise, adding a little more detergent than the product label recommendation can also help.

However, choosing the proper water level and temperature is also equally important. Secondly, one must be careful about using the right amount of detergent, bleach or fabric softener as per the label recommendation.

Once you have all the laundry products in right amounts in place, the process of washing could start.

But before that you must sort clothes by colour, wash temperature and fabric type. Always consult the

fabric label for specific washing instructions. Set the load size, wash and rinse temperature dials on the washer. Allow the washer to fill with water before adding detergent and any laundry additives. Add your clothes at the last! Be sure not to overload washing machine. Leaving space for clothes and detergent to move freely in the machine ensures that stains and soil are released and removed from the garments.

For best results, remove clothes from the washing machine and dry garments as soon as the wash cycle

Nov-Dec ’15

L AUNDR Y has completed. Read the label on each garment carefully and follow recommended drying procedures.

Sorting the Wash

Sorting the laundry is the first step to a clean wash and helps to keep clothes, linens, and other household items looking their best through repeated washings. First sort the laundry by color. Put all the white articles in one pile, the light colors and pastels in another pile, and the bright and dark colors into a third.

Then separate the dark pile into two piles: one for colorfast items and one for non-colorfast items. Further separate each pile into three smaller piles based on how dirty they are: lightly soiled, moderately soiled, and heavily soiled. You may have up to 12 piles of laundry. Sort them until you come up with a reasonable number of compatible, washer-size loads.

The following hints may help you with the final sorting: • Combine white and lightcolor items that have similar degrees of soil into the same pile.

• Create a separate pile for delicate items that should be hand-washed.

• Separate white synthetic articles, and wash them only with other white fabrics.

• Separate synthetics, b l e n d s , a n d p e r m a n e n t - p re s s f a b r i c s f ro m n a t u r a l f a b r i c s .

Now it’s time to prepare the clothes for the washing machine.

How to Clean Synthetic Fabrics The first step in keeping your clothes in good condition is to know what each item is made of

Nov-Dec ’15

and the best way to care for it.

Most garments manufactured have permanently attached care labels.

When it comes to synthetic fabrics, these labels can be of enormous help in determining exactly how you should remove stains and clean an item. Certain information is not included on care labels, though.

Acetate Acetate is made from cellulose and has a silk like appearance. It is closely related to rayon and has good body and drapes well. Taffeta, satin, crepe, brocade, and double knits often contain acetate. It is not very absorbent or colorfast and loses its strength when it is wet.

If the care label specifies that the article is washable, hand-wash it carefully in warm water, using a light-duty detergent. Do not soak colored items or wash them with white articles. Line-dry acetate away from heat or direct sunlight. Press acetate at the coolest setting, on the wrong side, while the article is damp.

Nail polish remover and perfumes could permanently damage acetate.

Acrylic Many acrylic weaves resemble wool’s softness, bulk, and fluffiness. Acrylics are wrinkle-resistant and usually machine-washable. Often acrylic fibers are blended with wool or polyester fibers. Acrylic’s biggest drawback is its tendency to pill. Blends will do this less than pure acrylic.

Dry-clean acrylic garments, turn them inside out before laundering to reduce pilling. Wash delicate items by hand in warm water, gently squeezing

out the excess. Machine-wash sturdy articles with an all-purpose detergent, and tumble-dry at low temperatures.

Fiberglass Fiberglass fabrics are wrinkle and soil-resistant, but they have poor resistance to abrasion. They are not absorbent, but stand up well to sun and weather, which makes fiberglass fabrics ideal for curtains and draperies. Fiberglass is never made into wearing apparel because it sheds small glass fibers. Dust fiberglass periodically with the upholstery attachment of your vacuum cleaner.

For best results, hand-wash fiberglass using an all-purpose detergent.

Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from fibers. Drip-dry fiberglass articles; do not iron them.

Modacrylic Modacrylic is a fiber often used in fake

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LAUND RY furs, fleece robes, blankets, stuffed toys, and wigs. It is resilient, soft, and warm, and it resists mildew, sunlight damage, and wrinkling. Hand-wash delicate modacrylic items, such as wigs, and machine-wash sturdy items in warm water with a gentle cycle and a light-duty detergent.

Use fabric softener to reduce static electricity. Use a low-heat setting in the dryer, removing modacrylic articles as soon as the tumbling stops.

If pressing is needed, use a cool iron.

Nylon Nylon fabrics are extremely strong, lightweight, smooth, and lustrous.

They are also nonabsorbent and have excellent wrinkle resistance.

Often combined with spandex, nylon knits are very stretchy but recover their original shape. Nylon is used to make many items, including lingerie, carpets, rainwear, and tents.

Machine-wash sturdy articles in warm water with an all-purpose detergent.

Hand-wash lingerie and hosiery, using warm water and a light-duty

detergent, or machine-wash in a mesh bag to prevent stretching or tearing.

Use fabric softener to significantly reduce static electricity. Tumble-dry nylon at a low temperature setting.

Press at a cool temperature setting.

Polyester Polyester fabrics are strong, resilient, wrinkle-resistant, colorfast, crisp, and hold pleats and creases well. But they are also nonabsorbent, attract and hold oil stains, may pill when rubbed, and may yellow with age. Polyester is used for clothing and filling garments and coats; some bed linens and towels are also made from polyester blends.

Polyester can be safely dry-cleaned or machine-washed. Turn polyester-knit garments inside out before washing to prevent snags. Machine-wash polyester in warm water, using an all-purpose detergent. Use chlorine bleach if necessary. Fabric softener will reduce static electricity. White polyester fabric will look even whiter if you soak it overnight in a mixture of 1/2 cup automatic dishwashing

detergent and 1 gallon warm water.

Launder as usual, but add 1/2 cup vinegar to the final rinse. Tumbledry at a low temperature setting.

Do not overly dry polyester; this will cause gradual shrinkage. Press polyester fabrics at a moderate temperature setting, or use steam.

Rayon Rayon is a strong, absorbent fabric, but it tends to lose strength when it is wet. It is used for drapery and upholstery fabrics as well as for clothing. Dry-clean rayon, or wash it by hand unless it is labeled “Machine-washable.� For handwash, use lukewarm water with a light-duty detergent. Machine-wash rayon in warm water on a gentle cycle with a light-duty detergent.

Chlorine bleach can be used on rayon unless it has been treated with a resin finish. Drip-dry and press rayon on the wrong side with an iron at a medium temperature setting while the fabric is damp.

Spandex Spandex is a lightweight fiber that resembles rubber in durability.

It has good stretch and recovery, and it is resistant to damage from sunlight, abrasion, and oils. Always blended with other fibers, spandex provides the stretch in waistbands, foundation garments, swimwear, and exercise garments. Hand or machinewash spandex-blend garments in warm water using an all-purpose detergent. Use only oxygen bleach.

Rinse thoroughly. Line-dry or tumble-dry garments made with spandex at a low temperature setting.

Triacetate Triacetate resembles acetate, but it is less sensitive to heat; this allows it to be creased and crisply pleated.

Triacetate is often used in jersey, textured knits, and taffeta. Pleated garments can be hand or machinewashed in cold water. Set the gentle cycle to agitate for three minutes.

Drip-dry permanently pleated garments. Most triacetate articles can be machine-washed with an allpurpose detergent in hot or warm water. Tumble or line-dry triacetate.

Press using a hot temperature setting. n

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Nov-Dec ’15

25

WA STE MAN AG EM EN T

Sourcing Energy from Human Waste Safe, systematic collection of human waste in low-resource countries like India could yield valuable fuels, invaluable health and environmental benefits

By Jyotismita Sharma

E

ven as India battles for increased energy consumption to meet the demands of rapid economic development and growing urbanization, researchers say that a sustainable source of energy could be human waste, which is often regarded as another major cause of concern in urban governance. Thus untreated and unutilized wastes could also be sources of pollution. Most wastes generated in India find their way into landfills and water bodies. As these wastes are generally disposed off without proper treatment, they

26

emerge as sources of green house gases like methane and carbon dioxide. The solution to it lies in the practice of treating the wastes before disposal and using it in the production of energy.

It would be a two-pronged approach wherein not only the waste would be rendered environment friendly, thereby mitigating pollution, but at the same time generate a substantial quantity of energy so essential for meeting developmental needs.

United Nations figures show that 2.4 billion people lack access to improved sanitation facilities and

almost one billion people (about 60 percent of them in India) do not use toilets at all, defecating instead in the open.

If the waste of only those practicing open defecation was targeted, the financial value of biogas potentially generated exceeds $200 million per year and could reach as high as $376 million. The energy value would equal that of the fuel needed to generate electricity for 10 million to 18 million local households. Processing the residual faecal sludge, meanwhile, would yield the equivalent of 4.8

Nov-Dec ’15

WA S T E M A N A GEMENT million to 8.5 million tonnes of charcoal to help power industrial furnaces, for example.

Another significant advantage of using waste for energy is reduction in the demand for landfills in land scarce cities. The cost of transportation of wastes gets also reduced. In some cases, it can produce fertiliser as a by- product.

Energy Potential from Human Waste Biogas from human waste, safely obtained under controlled circumstances using innovative technologies, is a potential fuel source great enough in theory to generate electricity for up to 138 million households, according to a new study.

A report from UN University’s Canadian-based Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNUINWEH) estimates that biogas potentially available from human waste worldwide would have a value of up to $9.5 billion in natural gas equivalent.

And the residue, dried and charred,

Nov-Dec ’15

could produce 2 million tonnes of charcoal-equivalent fuel, curbing the destruction of trees.

Finally, experts say, the large energy value would prove small relative to that of the global health and environmental benefits that would accrue from the safe treatment of human waste in low-resource settings.

“Rather than treating our waste as a major liability, with proper

controls in place we can use it in several circumstances to build innovative and sustained financing for development while protecting health and improving our environment in the process,” according to the report, “Valuing Human Waste as an Energy Resource.”

The report uses average waste volume statistics, high and low assumptions for the percentage of

27

WA STE MAN AG EM EN T

concentrated combustable solids contained (25 - 45%), its conversion into biogas and charcoal-like fuel and their thermal equivalents (natural gas and charcoal), to calculate the potential energy value of human waste.

Biogas, approximately 60% methane by volume, is generated through the bacterial breakdown of faecal matter, and any other organic matter, in an oxygen free (anaerobic) system.

Dried and charred faecal sludge, meanwhile, has energy content similar to coal and charcoal.

“Increasingly, water-scarce regions are being driven to separate and reuse the water in wastewater, particularly to expand marginal agricultural lands.

There is a technological opportunity, particularly in rural growth areas and small towns, to derive energy as well from this resource,” lead author of the study Corinne Schuster-Wallace said.

Human waste, as with animal waste, is already used to improve food production in many places around the world, governed by guidelines to ensure its safe use, co-author of the report Chris Metcalfe, senior research fellow UNU-INWEH, pointed out.

A study in Sweden established that human urine contains over 300 g of phosphorous, 900 g of potassium and 300 g of sulphur per cubic meter. According to the World Health Organization, an individual’s body excretes an estimated 4.5 kg of nitrogen and 548 g of phosphorus

28

per year.

“We recycle the nutrients in human waste effectively via agriculture in many places, yet the potential energy value of human waste has been given much less attention to date,” Metcalfe said. “ C h a l l e n g e s a re m a n y b u t clearly there is a compelling, multidimensional financial case to be made for deriving energy from waste,” Metcalfe noted.

“When it comes to creating misery and poverty, human waste mismanagement has few rivals.

If we can demonstrate a simple, cost effective new approach in low-resource settings, if we can successfully make a business case and change the economic paradigm of human waste management, we can advance development, protect the environment and help reduce sanitation problems causing one-tenth of all world illnesses,” UNU-INWEH director Zafar Adeel explained.

Waste to Energy Procedures There are various procedures through which energy from waste can be generated.Biomethanation: First and foremost is anaerobic Bigestion or Biomethanation. In this process, the organic waste is segregated and fed into a biogas digester. The waste undergoes biodegradation under anaerobic conditions to produce methane rich biogas. The so produced biogas can be used for cooking, heating, generating electricity etc.

The sludge can be used as a manure depending on the composition of the input waste.

Combustion/Incineration: The next procedure is Combustion/ Incineration which is direct burning of wastes in the presence of excess air (oxygen) at high temperatures (about 800C). It results in conversion of 65%-80% of heat content of organic matter into hot air, steam and hot water. The steam generated can be used in steam turbines to generate power.

Pyrolysis/Gasification: Pyrolysis/ Gasification is another process of chemical decomposition of organic matter through heat. The organic matter is heated in the absence or restricted supply of air till it breaks down into smaller molecules of gas (known collectively as syngas). The gas so produced is known as producer gas which constitutes carbon monoxide (25%), hydrogen and hydrocarbons (15%), carbon dioxide and nitrogen (60%). The producer gas is burnt in internal combustion (IC) generator sets or turbines to produce electricity.

Landfill Gas Recovery: Landfill Gas Recovery is another measure of recovering gas from waste dumps wherein the waste slowly decomposes to produce ‘Landfill gas’. This gas consists of high percentage of methane (approx.50%) and has a high calorific value of about 4500kcal/cubic metre and hence can be used for heating cooking and generating power.

Plasma Arc: Plasma Arc is a relatively new technology for disposal of wastes, particularly, hazardous and radioactive wastes. Since it involves nearly complete destruction of waste while producing energy, it is less polluting. It does not produce oxides of nitrogen and sulphur and makes toxic ash left in the process easier to handle. However, the technology is costly and has not been tried in India.

In fact, all the technologies of generating energy from waste are at present often expensive and even imported in India. The approximate cost per MW for waste to energy projects based on different technologies is high. However, there is a financial support is provided to those who are interested in implementing these technologies. n

Nov-Dec ’15

Block Your Space for AAHAR, Delhi 15-19 March, 2016

Nov-Dec ’15

29

IAQ

Better IAQ,

Intelligent Workforce Improved indoor air quality may not only boost the health of workers, but also their decision-making performance

By Jyotismita Sharma

W

hile the health benefits of maintaining good indoor air quality is widely known, new research has found that people who work in well-ventilated offices with below-average levels of indoor pollutants and carbon dioxide (CO2) do significantly better when it comes to responding to a crisis or developing strategy than those who work in offices with typical levels.

The findings suggest that besides

30

improving our health, good indoor air quality can also have effects on cognitive or mental faculties of the workers and impact their decisionmaking performance. They also give managers more reasons to move office to a “green” building or renovating the existing building to have the green features that make the building energy efficient and at the same time enhance indoor environmental quality.

“We have been ignoring the 90 percent. We spend 90 percent of our time indoors and 90 percent of the cost of a building are the occupants, yet indoor environmental quality and its impact on health and productivity are often an afterthought,” said Joseph Allen, assistant professor of exposure assessment science, director of the Healthy Buildings Program at the Harvard Center for Health and the Global Environment, and lead author of the study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

“These results suggest that even modest improvements to indoor environmental quality may have a profound impact on the decisionmaking performance of workers,” Allen said.

The research team also included Indian-origin professor Usha Satish from the department of psychiatry, Upstate Medical University, State University of New York.

The researchers looked at people’s

Nov-Dec ’15

IAQ experiences in “green” vs. “nongreen” buildings in a double-blind study, in which both the participants and the analysts were blinded to test conditions to avoid biased results.

The findings suggest that the indoor environments in which many people work daily could be adversely affecting cognitive function--and that, conversely, improved air quality could greatly increase the cognitive function performance of workers.

Researchers wanted to look at the impact of ventilation, chemicals, and carbon dioxide on workers’ cognitive function because, as buildings have become more energy efficient, they have also become more airtight, increasing the potential for poor indoor environmental quality.

Building-related illnesses and “sick building syndrome” were first reported in the 1980s as ventilation rates decreased. In response, there has been an emphasis on sustainable design--”green” buildings that are energy efficient and are also designed to enhance indoor environmental quality.

The researchers designed this study to identify the specific attributes of green building design that influence cognitive function, an objective measure of productivity.

In the new study, researchers utilized a double-blinded, repeated measures design to look at the decision-making performance of 24 participants--including architects, designers, programmers, engineers, creative marketing professionals, and managers--while they worked in a controlled office environment.

For six days in November 2014, while the participants performed their normal work, the researchers exposed them to various simulated building conditions: conventional conditions with relatively high concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as those emitted from common materials in offices; green conditions with low VOC concentrations; green conditions with enhanced ventilation (dubbed “green+”); and conditions with artificially elevated levels of CO2, independent of ventilation.

At the end of each day, they conducted cognitive testing on the

Nov-Dec ’15

participants.

They found that cognitive performance scores for the participants who worked in the green+ environments were, on average, double those of participants w h o w o rk e d i n c o n ve n t i o n a l environments; scores for those working in green environments were 61 percent higher.

Measuring nine cognitive function domains, researchers found that the largest improvements occurred in the areas of: crisis response (97 percent higher scores in green conditions and 131 percent higher in green+) strategy (183 percent and 288 percent higher) information usage (172 percent and 299 percent higher) In addition, when researchers looked at the effect of CO2 -- not normally thought of as a direct indoor pollutant -- they found that, for seven of the nine cognitive functions tested, average scores decreased as CO2 levels increased to levels commonly observed in many indoor environments.

“The major significance of this finding lies in the fact that these are the critical decision making parameters that are linked to optimal and productive functioning. Losing components of these skills impacts how people handle their day to day lives,” Professor Usha Satish said.

So if you want your workforce to respond intelligently to crisis situations, better have your office in a green building that is well-ventilated

and has features to enhance indoor air quality.

Cost of Improving IAQ Overestimated Despite having clear evidence, it is seen that the awareness about the benefits of improving air quality is often lacking and even when people believe in these benefits, they may shy away from implementing the necessarily measures to improve air quality in their homes and offices as they tend to overestimate the cost of installing air filters or having more ventilation. This is especially true in developing countries like India where awareness about indoor air quality is low.

According to the results of a recent survey, there is quite a bit of confusion about the costs and benefits of indoor air quality improvement -- even among b u i l d i n g ow n e r s , d e s i g n e r s , managers and tenants.

The study, which was originally published in the journal Indoor Air with new findings recently presented at the annual meeting of The Society for Risk Analysis held at Arlington, Virginia in the US from December 6-10, shows that there are some serious misperceptions about how much it would cost to improve air quality and how much it actually helps.

Members of The Society for Risk Analysis are scientists and practitioners from around the

31

IAQ

world who are trained in multiple disciplines.

“We spend 90 percent of the day inside buildings, but we may think of indoor air quality as a matter of comfort or aesthetics, rather than something that has demonstrated impacts on our health and productivity,” Patrick Gurian from Drexel University in the US said.

The survey participants were a group of 112 informed building stakeholders, including building owners, building managers, designers, consultants and tenants.

The survey presented two basic ideas for improving air quality: increasing ventilation and using better air filters at the same time. Both of these are relatively minimal changes in the world of indoor environment management, and both can usually be done without any changes to existing building mechanical systems.

And research has shown that making these improvements is a good way to avoid sick building syndrome and sick-day absenteeism.

“There’s little disagreement that increasing ventilation and upgrading filtration of indoor air will improve air quality for building occupants,” Michael Waring, who is also from Drexel University, pointed out.

Despite this research establishing the benefits of these improvements, among each category of participants, the majority of those surveyed

32

were unsure whether the suggested changes would have much of an effect on productivity, absenteeism and health. And the majority of the building tenants surveyed thought it was unlikely that the owner of their building would ever install such upgrades.

The survey also revealed an eyeopening misperception in the overall cost of making these indoor air quality improvements.

“What we found startling was the overestimation of what these improvements would cost as a percentage of the overall energy bill. On average, the participants thought it would cost about 10 times more than it actually would,” Waring said.

“This is a real missed opportunity,” Gurian said. “Because it doesn’t take much time or effort to make these changes and improve indoor air quality -- but the benefits in terms of health and productivity of the building occupants are most likely significant.”

“Even among this group of people, who all have some background knowledge about buildings and their operation, there seemed to be a demonstrable misunderstanding of how little these improvements cost and how much they can benefit the health and productivity of building occupants,” Waring said.

Increasing ventilation, according to Waring, can be as easy as opening

a window or, opening an outdoor air damper for a mechanically ventilated building.

“There is strong evidence for a link between ventilation rate and occupant welfare and productivity,” Gurian said. “It is well-known in the indoor air field that higher instances of airborne disease infection in commercial buildings are associated directly with low ventilation rates.

Increasing ventilation rates above minimum standards has been shown to reduce symptoms of ‘sick building syndrome’ and absenteeism in offices.”

Coupled with the increase in ventilation rate, the survey asked participants to also consider the benefits and costs of upgrading a building’s air filter. The filter limits exposure to particulate matter that can be brought indoors with higher ventilation rates.

“The technical literature has well established that increased exposure to outdoor particle matter is correlated with increased cardiovascular and respiratory diseases,” Waring said. “If you’re increasing ventilation rate and potentially bringing more particles of outdoor origin inside, it only makes sense to improve the air filtration as well.”

Many building engineers and architects do learn about indoor air quality principles and work to incorporate them into new buildings.

But the researchers pointed out that these improvements could also be implemented in existing buildings as retrofits, which make them able to be realized on a large scale.

And what is more, the findings suggest that the cost of implementing these changes is not as high as people tend to estimate.

Informal interviews with building managers indicate that maintaining functioning heating and cooling systems often consumes much of their time and efforts while considering how to improve the air quality systems is barely an afterthought.

“Increasing ventilation rate could be as easy as openinsn, you upgrade the filter. It is as simple as that. This is an easy, impactful fix,” Waring noted. n

Nov-Dec ’15

Nov-Dec ’15

Nov-Dec ’14

33 55

PRODUCT PREVIEW

Eco-friendly Wastewater Disinfection

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To address the growing need for a reliable and environmentally responsible way to disinfect and reuse wastewater in these water starved times, Alfaa UV, an ISO 9001:2000 certified company, has introduced the WWR series that uses ultraviolet technology to treat wastewater.

UV as an alternative to traditional chlorination has become the preferred choice for wastewater disinfection worldwide. UV is also very effective in replacing harmful and toxic chemicals such as chlorine in wastewater recycling, while at the same time making the water absolutely safe for use in landscaping, toilet flushing, and cooling tower makeup. A typical payback period for a hotel replacing chlorination with UV is less than two years. This is excluding the massive environmental benefits by stopping the use of a chemical like chlorine which has been proved to be carcinogenic.

Alfaa UV has been disinfecting water for pharmaceutical, food, beverage, and other industrial applications to the highest standard. This same commitment to disinfection h a s p r o m p t e d A l f a a t o d e ve l o p t h e W W R s e r i e s .

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When soap and water are not available, wet wipes could be a convenient way of cleaning your skin. Today, there are a range of wipes available like sanitizing wipes, cleansing wipes, refreshing wipes etc. But purchasing and storing multiple wipes is a time and effort intensive task. Klenza presents the all-inone hygienic wet wipes that are enriched with silver and offer 99.99% germ protection without alcohol or triclosan. Now a single wipe leaves your skin feeling refreshed, deep cleansed, moisturized and sanitised.

Being alcohol and triclosan free the Klenza Wet Wipes are very gentle and suitable for all skin types. It also prevents skin redness and rashes that are commonly known side effects of using ordinary wipes. These unique hygienic wet wipes are made of spun lace nonwoven material making them ideal for sensitive skin as well.

The Klenza All-in-One Hygienic Wet Wipes offer a convenient way to clean up quickly when soap and water are not available.

These have a pleasant white lotus fragrance that ensures a fresh feeling afteruse. Each pack contains 10 sheets and the re-sealable cover helps to keep the freshness and moisture of the wipes intact.

Costing just Rs. 55 for a pack of ten, these wipes are available in select stores and malls across Bangalore. You can also buy it online at stores like Flipkart, Amazon and BigBasket.

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Cut Down on Laundry Cost with Heat Recovery System If you want to drastically cut down on the cost of your in-house laundry operations, look no further than the heat recovery systems in professional laundry care process provided by Wasmaatic, a laundry equipment supplier with commitment to offering cost-effective laundry solutions. The heat recovery systems can help you save money by reducing energy costs on commercial washing, drying and ironing.

Dryers in any laundry consume a great deal of this fuel energy cost. In some cases, the dryers can consumes up to 40% of total fuel bill and almost 70% inlet energy to dryers is wasted out of dryer exhausts. The hot air exhaust offers great potential in energy savings and for new laundries this could mean installing smaller boilers from day one! This alone can pay for the entire laundry cost in short time.

Wasmaatic offers various options to reduce the energy costs in laundries for both its own range of equipment and other brands as well. Its solutions include hot air recirculation, in built heat plate exchanger systems and external heat plate exchanger systems from STAHL, Germany.

These systems can be installed over the top, on back wall, specially fabricated support systems or at side of dryer wall -- reducing drying time and energy consumptions by up to 30%. Wasmaatic, which also offers entire range of heavy duty and economically priced laundry and dry cleaning machines and host of services, is already doing such a project for the Taj Mahal Palace and Towers, Mumbai.

These systems are fairly simple as the entire exhaust air is routed through these exchanger systems and in turn in-coming air is pre-heated, which in turn helps faster drying, and reduction in energy consumption. The system pays for itself in very short period.

Wasmaatic wasmaatic@gmail.com The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

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INTE RVIE W

‘Keeping Housekeeping Team Motivated a Constant Challenge’

By Sharmila Chand Even after spending over 15 years in the hospitality industry, Shilpi Khanna, Director of Services, JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, feels there are no boring days at work. Want to know what keeps her happy despite having a challenging task at her hand? She loves to meet people and eat out and she gets to do both at the place of her work. “What more should I ask for?”, she asks. But even as she enjoys every bit of the excitement that her job provides, she is aware that motivating the housekeeping team is a constant challenge. This she speaks from her experience of handling business hotels with 300 rooms to super luxury resorts like Rajvilas with only 70 rooms. A graduate of Institute of Hotel Management, Kolkata, Khanna is also enriched with the experience of working in such prestigious properties as The Park, ITC hotels, and The Oberoi group with which she has worked for close to 10 years in various locations like Delhi, Jaipur and Mumbai. She joined J W Marriott, Sahar over a year ago and admits that her current assignment of opening a property of 585 rooms is by far the most challenging. Excerpts from an interview: How important in your opinion is housekeeping to hospitality?

We are always taught in hotel school that housekeeping is the backbone of a n y h o s p i t a l i t y i n d u s t r y. We a re responsible for providing the “five star” look to any five star hotel -- the crisp uniform, the gleaming marble, the exotic flower arrangements - we do it all.

What is the modus operandi of housekeeping operations at your hotel?

At Marriott, we have a very strong policy of “clean as you go”. It is not just the responsibility of the housekeeping department but of every associate in the hotel to maintain the premises. Housekeeping department of course provides the specialized cleaning and maintains both front of the house as well as heart of the house.

What are the new trends in housekeeping? Please comment on the latest housekeeping scenario.

W i t h t h e a d v e n t o f t e c h n o l o g y, housekeeping has also grown by leaps and bounds with the focus still being on hygiene. We have specialized equipment these days to deal with all kinds of hard to reach surfaces and clean dust and grease. Our high pressure jets are more sophisticated than yesteryears. With the advent of technology and new software we can handle productivity of our room attendants better so that they work on

36

equal credits. Of course it will take some time for these things to be accepted in India but we are not far away from it.

Please name any one tool which has made the operations much easier?

I think the advent of mobile phones with cameras has made life very easy for housekeepers. Earlier you had to keep making notes of which area, what needs to be done and follow ups to be given.

Now you have a visual tool for reference which you can send it to your team member as follow up. Also with WhatsApp and various groups, communication is much faster and appreciation from guests is also cascaded down faster.

How much of an emphasis does the hotel place on training of housekeeping staff?

The focus on training at Marriott is evident from the fact that every housekeeping manager in the company has to undergo a three-day program called “Foundations of Cleaning” which relooks at the basic principles of cleaning and is then issued a certificate. Similarly every new associate is assigned a buddy who trains him on the job and the training department plays an equally important role in training the new associates on the soft skills.

What elements do you take into account to recruit staff in housekeeping department?

The first thing that we always look for in housekeeping team members is great attitude. We are keen to recruit fresher’s whom we can mould into the Marriott culture. We are not looking at any technical proficiency in housekeeping because we are confident that we will be able to train them the Marriott way.

What is the role of the housekeeping staff in the context of security?

Housekeeping staff is the eye and ear of the hotel. We are the people who enter every guest room and can provide valuable inputs to security about anything amiss in the rooms. Similarly we keep walking all guest corridors, front of the house and heart of the house and can immediately spot any unidentified bags or suspicious people. All our housekeeping team is trained in doing this.

What are the challenges you have to face in your job responsibilities?

Keeping the team motivated is a constant challenge. Housekeeping is a strenuous, physical job and often the team gets demotivated doing the same thing every day. To keep the morale high is a big challenge because Marriott believes in the policy of “putting people first”

What do you like about your job?

Every day is a challenge and can be really unpredictable. There are no boring days. I love to meet people and eat out and I get to do both at my places of work. What more should I ask for? n

Nov-Dec ’15

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