Facility Perspectives June–August 2015 by Executive Media

P E O P L E / / S PAC E S / / P R O D U CT I V I T Y

Facility Perspectives

>> Vol 9 no 2

June 2015â&#x20AC;&#x201C;August 2015

t h e l e a d i n g r e s o u r c e f o r fac i l i t i e s m a n a g e m e n t i n Au st r a l a s i a

ideaction.2015 Wrapping up the National Conference

Behind the faĂ§ade Inside the remarkable Dr Chau Chak Wing Building

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CEO MESSAGE |

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

elcome to the June 2015 edition of Facility Perspectives. It’s already close to halfway through the year – and what a year it has been so far. World FM Day on 10 June this year was really one for Australia to celebrate, with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia being recognised with a Silver GlobalFM Award for its People and Productivity program. We were delighted that Australia was well represented, with The GPT Group also finalists. Having two companies recognised is a significant achievement. World FM Day again provided the opportunity to stop and recognise our profession. In Australia, the Facility Management Association celebrated throughout the course of that week (or later in June, for some branches), along with 13 other events across the globe. We have recently finished the National Conference and Exhibition – ideaction.2015. It was very well received across the industry, with a greater number of participants than conferences held in recent years. From the 233 delegates, the feedback has been extremely positive. A full round-up of the conference is contained in this issue of Facility Perspectives. This month also marked the launch of the new FMA website and member portal, which provides our stakeholders and members with a new window to the association. It is connected to the member database, which provides access to a range of functionality that has not previously been available to FMA members, including the committee zones, resources libraries, and

Nicholas Burt

presentation downloads. The website will also be developing a more tailored member experience, so ensure that you update your profile when you next access the website. The recent release of two key documents ensures that the FMA knowledge bank continues to remain relevant to the industry. The Salary Survey provides a great deal of detail related to the various roles and remuneration levels within the industry, and this year was extended to include New Zealand. The second publication is the Good Practice Guide on Facilities Information, which has taken some time to reach completion; due to the complexity of the issues related to facility information given its implications for design and ongoing building operations, ensuring the quality of information was paramount. A recent Branch Committee member workshop was an opportunity to strengthen the alignment between the committees’ and the association’s visions and goals. Although any national event faces difficulties regarding full attendance, one-third of all committee members were able to attend, which was really encouraging. A great deal of focused discussion and brainstorming occurred, which was successful in achieving some of the goals outlined at the start of the day – to understand the organisation’s vision, and to ensure greater alignment between branches and the Action Plan. The organisational strategy has come to an end, with only a few priorities from the current strategy still to implement. As such, it is important that the Board maps a path for the coming year towards 2020. Member input will be sought after the Board has

formulated the next steps in the process, and has considered the external environment and future challenges for the association. During February, I was fortunate enough to present to the Government Property Group forum, which is facilitated by the APCC. The presentation was to discuss the opportunities for working more closely with government on understanding contemporary facilities management issues, and was a good starting point to continue to grow the relationship with different areas of government. FMA was among only a few organisations that provided strong feedback to the Department of Industry on the proposed changes to the compulsory building disclosure program. The program alterations are now in progress for implementation in July this year. Although Australia had no presence in Glasgow, at the most recent ISO meetings representation was made via WebEx and written reports to ensure that the views of Australia were canvassed as part of the process. The outcome of the meetings was the progression of a number of parts of the new standard being ready to be given Draft International Standard (DIS) status. This means that these are now open for public comment, and the association will be seeking input from members through the consultation process to ensure that our representation is aligned with industry.

Nicholas Burt Chief Executive Officer, FMA

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| CONTENTS

Level 6, 313 La Trobe Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Tel: (03) 8641 6666 | Fax: (03) 8641 6600 Email: info@fma.com.au Web: www.fma.com.au

CONTENTS CEO Message

Building information modelling

Message from the CEO

Industry update

Published by

ABN 30 007 224 204

430 William Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Tel: (03) 9274 4200 Fax: (03) 9329 5295 Email: media@executivemedia.com.au Web: www.executivemedia.com.au Offices also in Adelaide, Brisbane & Sydney Editor: Gemma Peckham Editorial enquiries: Tel: (03) 9274 4200 Email: gemma.peckham@executivemedia.com.au Advertising enquiries: Tel: (03) 9274 4200 Email: media@executivemedia.com.au Design: Alma McHugh Editorial contributors: Nicholas Burt, Jeremy Donovan, Rogier Roelvink, Noel Gallagher, Julia Grant, Geoff Gourley, Chris Needham, Jason Lilienstein, Gemma Peckham, Robert Hortle, Sophie Massis, Bart Taylor, Greg Puckeridge, Dinesh Acharya. Cover image: Dr Chau Chak Wing Building. Image © Andrew Worssam Stock images sourced from: iStock, ThinkStock and Getty Images.

Industry news A case study on vocational training and employment centres: Programmed The new FMA Good Practice Guide: Facilities Information

Case study

It’s what’s on the inside that counts A look behind the remarkable façade of UTS’s Dr Chau Chak Wing Building

ideaction.2015

Maintenance + essential services

Changing the Game: ideaction.2015, taking FM to the next level Reflecting on another successful ideaction

29 34

Hotels

Green buildings Records broken by high-rise block’s switch to solar High-priced energy is driving better-performing buildings

Retrofitting

Financing building upgrades in South Australia South Australia is the most recent state to embrace building upgrade finance

Don’t sweep it under the rug Cleaning up employment relationships Continuous improvement through technology and innovation Managing resilient buildings for a changing climate Tending to the turf at Royal Randwick Racecourse

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Technology

The editor, publisher, printer and their staff and agents are not responsible for the accuracy or correctness of the text of contributions contained in this publication, or for the consequences of any use made of the products and information referred to in this publication. The editor, publisher, printer and their staff and agents expressly disclaim all liability of whatsoever nature for any consequences arising from any errors or omissions contained within this publication, whether caused to a purchaser of this publication or otherwise. The views expressed in the articles and other material published herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor and publisher or their staff or agents. The responsibility for the accuracy of information is that of the individual contributors, and neither the publisher nor editors can accept responsibility for the accuracy of information that is supplied by others. It is impossible for the publisher and editors to ensure that the advertisements and other material herein comply with the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth). Readers should make their own inquiries in making any decisions, and, where necessary, seek professional advice.

BIM and FM implementation: key strategic considerations BIM in FM – the real deal

Research and technology, and its impact on sustainability

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Perfectly accommodating Inside Sydney’s 1888 Hotel

Workspaces

Workplace productivity How to enable productivity within the workplace

Business relocation

When business relocation works

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INDUSTRY UPDATE |

INDUSTRY NEWS Peer review process now in place Through the Association’s Knowledge Portfolio Group, the development of a peer review process has now been completed. This will provide the opportunity to have research within the facilities management area peer reviewed through a double-blind process. Nominations for industry experts with specific technical skills are now invited. The role of a reviewer requires recognised technical expertise in a nominated area. Members who may have interest should contact info@fma.com.au.

AG Coombs and Lend Lease win national innovation award The KONE Award for Innovation at this year’s national Property Council of Australia/Rider Levett Bucknall Innovation and Excellence Awards has been presented to AG Coombs and Lend Lease. The winning submission demonstrated how prefabrication is resetting construction standards at Barangaroo. Having identified that the single biggest safety risk at the site was the installation of services risers, AG Coombs, together with Lend Lease, has introduced a new approach that has significantly reduced construction risk on this project, and is set to become an industry standard in Australia.

JLL procures Five D JLL has boosted its Corporate Solutions business in Australia and the Asia Pacific with the purchase of Australia’s largest privately owned corporate real estate firm, Five D. With the acquisition of Five D, JLL will have almost 10 million square metres of property and facilities under management across Australia, with nearly 1000 staff members providing services to 60 corporate clients.

Programmed lights up the Adelaide Oval FMA represented on the NABERS governance review panel The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) is in the process of reviewing the governance arrangements to ensure that these remain relevant to achieving the objects of the scheme. FMA, through its participation on the stakeholder advisory group, has been part of the review workshops, and will continue to act as a conduit between the industry and this important government program.

As the canopy lighting partner at the recent ideaction.2015 National Conference Dinner, Programmed ensured that guests on the evening were able to experience all that Adelaide Oval had to offer. The above photo does not provide the full experience, giving just a glimpse of the magnificent arena. This partnership was a perfect match for Programmed, as this is the type of work that is undertaken through the Programmed Electrical Technologies business.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

| INDUSTRY UPDATE

National FM Conference 2016 announced to come to Melbourne At the closing of ideaction, it is a tradition to announce the location of the following year’s conference; this year’s announcement that the event will be Melbourne in 2016 received an overwhelming show of support from those present at the ideaction.15. The event has not been in Melbourne since 2009, so the city has much to showcase during May 2016. Keep an eye on this space as further details are announced in subsequent editions.

Cushman & Wakefield to merge with DTZ Cushman & Wakefield and DTZ have reached an agreement to merge, and they are now set to become one of the largest global real estate services companies. The new company, which will operate under the Cushman & Wakefield brand, will have revenues in excess of $5.5 billion and more than 43,000 employees, and will manage more than four billion square feet globally on behalf of institutional, corporate and private clients. The new leadership team for the firm’s Asia Pacific and Australia/New Zealand operations includes Stuart Roberts, Chief Executive Asia Pacific, while James Patterson joins the firm as Chief Executive Australia and New Zealand. Sam Cuccurullo

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Compulsory Building Disclosure (CBD) program The CBD program has recently undertaken a review to ensure that it is delivering value to stakeholders and the economy as a whole. The draft report recognised significant benefit to the economy from the program. A bill to amend the original legislation through the implementation of industry-driven changes has now passed parliament, and is due to come into effect on 1 July this year. Further details will be made available through the FM Snippets e-newsletter.

BIM discussion ramps up FMA has been working towards an industry wide response for building information modelling in building operations. The first step in this journey was the release of the Facilities Information Good Practice Guide. This sets the foundation for the formation of a BIM Action Group as part of the knowledge portfolio of FMA. This is possibly one of the most important initiatives in the medium-term, and has the ability to make significant impacts on the industry. If you are interested in BIM for Operation/FM, then please contact policy@fma.com.au.

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| VOLUME | VOLUME FACILITY 9 NUMBER 2 FACILITYPERSPECTIVES PERSPECTIVES 9 NUMBER 2

3D PDFs, which had just come out. We would take the users out into the field, do a box walk, do a mock-up and actually let them touch and feel the space when it was still under construction. Box walks are great for letting them visualise where things will go to understand spatial relationships, but they don’t give people a good idea about finishes, or what the lighting is going to look like in a finished condition,’ explains Nick Pfenning, an Assistant Superintendent at Mortenson. He continues, ‘What we were able to do after that was take a tablet out with a 3D PDF open in Bluebeam, isolate it for that one room, and we could fly around that PDF and look at how different things were going to interact. We had 3D models of the actual equipment that we could have in there, so where we had a big cardboard box in the room, we could hold up the model in 3D PDF to show them, “This is what this equipment is going to look like, this is where the head of the bed is, this is where the patient is going to be, this is where the family is going to sit.” They can see what it’s really going to look like in the finished state.’ Ultimately, digital design review collaboration and 3D PDFs significantly contributed to the Saint Joseph Hospital project teams’ ability to successfully deliver the finished hospital a full 17 days ahead of schedule. ‘They had a process where they didn’t have the clutter you might normally have in a project this size,’ says Bain J. Farris, President and CEO of Saint Joseph Hospital. ‘We think the process cut as much as a year off the construction time for this project.’ For more information on Mortenson’s unprecedented speed of completion on the Saint Joseph project, visit us at www.bluebeam.com/innovative.

| INDUSTRY UPDATE

A CASE STUDY ON VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT CENTRES: PROGRAMMED BY JEREMY DONOVAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, GENERATIONONE

Demand-led training and employment

ocational Training and Employment Centres (VTECs) are based on GenerationOne’s demand-led employment model. Demand-led means that the program starts with a job (demand), and works backwards to fill that job with a suitably trained Indigenous candidate (supply). This model can work well for the facilities management industry, especially if there are entry-level jobs available within the organisation. Programmed worked with GenerationOne to support this model. Rather than Programmed being presented with 100 potential candidates for five job vacancies (supply-driven), the VTECs worked with Programmed as the employer to understand their business needs, and then trained candidates to meet their specifications. This ensures that the job match is more suitable for both the employer and the candidate, and acts like an extension of a business’s recruitment process.

The VTEC Network The VTEC Network now includes 29 centres across Australia, operating in all capital cities and in many regional areas, including the Pilbara and Kimberley in Western Australia; Central Australia; central and far north Queensland; the Illawarra and the mid-north coast of New South Wales; central Victoria and South Australia; and the Northern Territory. Across the network, the VTECs are working with employers in catering, hospitality, health, construction, resources/ mining, retail, finance, facilities management, cleaning, and many other areas.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

INDUSTRY UPDATE |

VTEC providers include organisations like BoysTown, Mission Australia and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, together with training organisations like MEGT Australia, group training organisations (GTOs), and small Indigenous organisations like Yarn’n Aboriginal Employment and the Wirrpanda Foundation. All of these organisations have been carefully selected and trained on the VTEC model to ensure that employers can have consistency across the network. GenerationOne worked in partnership with Programmed to understand their business, then connected them with suitable VTECs that could support their business needs. As Programmed is a national employer operating across hundreds of worksites, there is a range of VTECs working with Programmed to support their Aboriginal employment strategy. The VTECs worked with Programmed to recruit job-ready candidates into real sustainable employment opportunities, such as trades assistant and works coordinator.

Outcomes-based funding GenerationOne advocated for demandled training, which saw the Australian Government commit $45 million to establishing the VTEC network to place 5520 Indigenous people into sustainable jobs by December 2015. The funding goes directly to the VTEC providers, who are unable

to secure any government fees until the candidate reaches the 26-week milestone. It is important that GenerationOne is transparent about this, so that employers know that VTECs are absolutely committed to making the partnership work, and are only paid on outcomes. This model has worked well for Programmed, which has secured new talent into its team, including a help desk operator who was recruited through Wirrpanda Foundation and joined the team more than six months ago, and an apprentice painter

who came through the Marist Youth Care VTEC and is now in her second year. Another successful appointment is an electrical apprentice who is working his way towards six months of service. He relocated from Broome to Perth to attend the Wirrpanda Foundation’s first VTEC Boot Camp, and secured a role with Programmed’s Electrical Technologies Division. The VTEC post-placement support model provides mentoring and support to participants and employers throughout the employment journey.

The VTEC model: VTECs connect Indigenous jobseekers with guaranteed jobs, and bring together the support services necessary to prepare jobseekers for long-term employment. Support services for the jobseeker might include obtaining a driver’s licence, or providing literacy and numeracy training, work experience, and pre-employment and job training. The guarantee of a job before job-specific training starts is the key feature of VTECs. It ensures that: 33 vocational or job-specific training is directly related to available jobs 33 employers can recruit Indigenous jobseekers with the right skills for specific jobs 33 jobseekers are responsible for opting in to available jobs 33 the commitment of jobseekers is rewarded with guaranteed employment. Through strong collaboration with employers, employment and training service providers, and local Indigenous communities, VTECs are having outstanding success in placing and retaining Indigenous employees in work. The VTEC model is built on a partnership between the employer and the VTEC, which work together to create mutually beneficial outcomes: the employer secures a suitable candidate, and the VTEC ensures that candidates are only trained for jobs that exist.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

| INDUSTRY UPDATE

Giving people a chance pays off

Figure 1

Employers’ commitment is good business A VTEC works best where the employer has made a commitment to employ Indigenous Australians, and has taken steps to create an inclusive workplace. This commitment should be made public. Employers typically then undertake cross-cultural awareness training, commit to providing a buddy for new employees, and have opportunities for career development. The key to VTEC’s success is in having the job committed from the employer at the start of the training program, so that candidates know that the employer is investing hope in them, and in return for their hard work and commitment, they will have the opportunity to gain employment. The employer’s commitment should include the employer hosting an information session to speak to VTEC participants about their business. These sessions will provide Indigenous jobseekers with a thorough insight into the jobs available, as well as the conditions, requirements, benefits and challenges of working in their particular industry.

For example, Programmed is governed by the three principles of reconciliation: relationships, respect and opportunities. Programmed has implemented a 10-year Indigenous Engagement Strategy, to attract and retain talented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The strategy supports the communities in which it operates, and assists customers to achieve their diversity outcomes. Programmed continues to increase its representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in its workforce across all levels of the company. This includes new senior hires in sales and business development, positions in purchasing and recruitment, and across all of its trades: paint, facilities management, horticulture, electrical technologies and water work. Through the partnership with GenerationOne, Programmed has recruited more than 375 talented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff members to its team, with a retention rate of more than 71 per cent, and will continue to support further VTECs across the country as coverage is expanded.

VTECs provide Indigenous candidates with the opportunity to gain those vital work skills that place them in the perfect position to flourish in the workplace

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

Time and time again, we hear that employers don’t discriminate, as they will take any person who is capable of doing the job; however, the reality is that for many disadvantaged people, regardless of whether or not they are Indigenous, they lack experience and work skills, which holds them in a cycle of unemployment. VTECs provide Indigenous candidates with the opportunity to gain those vital work skills that place them in the perfect position to flourish in the workplace. VTECs work with any Indigenous candidates looking for work, and who want to opt in to the program. The plight of Indigenous people is often framed in the negative, which means that employers often overlook the potential of Indigenous employees to add to their organisation’s diversity, to provide unique perspectives on problem-solving, and to bring resilience, loyalty and a strong sense of community. Engaging with the Indigenous community provides employers with access to a wider talent pool.

Case study: GenerationOne, Programmed and the VTEC network GenerationOne focuses on employment as the best way to end the disparity that exists between Indigenous and nonIndigenous Australians. What began as an advocacy campaign in 2010 has developed into a very targeted movement aiming to reform the system to ensure that demandled training and employment becomes the rule, not the exception. Making candidates jump through hoops of hope by training people for training’s sake is to the detriment of all concerned. VTECs provide the alternative. We want to work with employers who have opportunities in their workplaces for Indigenous employees to gain meaningful work.

VTECs are an Australian Government initiative based on the GenerationOne model of employment.

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The Good Practice Guides series provides detailed, objective and independent information on key areas of interest for facilities management professionals in Australia

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Hard copy A limited number of hard copies are available to members free of charge, courtesy of Turner & Townsend $50 for non-members To get your copy visit www.fma.com.au Or contact the FMA on +61 3 8641 6666 or info@fma.com.au For more information about other publications in the Good Practice Guide series visit www.fma.com.au

INDUSTRY UPDATE |

THE NEW FMA GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE: FACILITIES INFORMATION BY ROGIER ROELVINK, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, TURNER & TOWNSEND

It is becoming increasingly important to look at the way in which facilities management stakeholders adopt and manage new opportunities to effectively benefit their organisation and clients in a competitive world where advances in technology are opening up new sources of, and uses for, facilities information.

iven the rapidly growing amount of available information, and the changing demands of the marketplace, it can be a significant challenge for organisations to clearly define

their information needs so that they can efficiently and productively source, collate, communicate and report the required information, as and when it is needed. This Facilities Information Good Practice Guide is the latest of the Facilities Management Good Practice Guides (GPG) produced by the Facilities Management Association of Australia (FMA). The series provides detailed, objective and independent information on key areas

of interest for facilities management professionals in Australia. This GPG provides an overview of facilities information from a facilities management perspective. The purpose of the guide is to provide FM practitioners, building owners, occupiers and other relevant stakeholders with an improved and consistent understanding of the role and importance of facilities information, and how it can be managed.

Technology is a tool to manage data and information â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not an information driver

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

| INDUSTRY UPDATE

A great practical resource for facilities managers Nicholas Burt, Chief Executive Officer, FMA The Guide seeks to provide a useful reference for FM practitioners seeking to develop, implement and maintain a framework that captures, manages and uses facilities information in a manner that: 1. demonstrates the value of FM services to core business 2. assists in the planning, implementation and review of FM strategies, policies and procedures to better align with the needs of stakeholders 3. supports decision-making on matters that can affect the management, maintenance and operation of facilities.

Facilities information comes from a wide variety of data sources. Providing context in data generates information, and the Guide provides practical examples and methodologies to get the most from your facilities data and information. The Guide includes a hat-tip to technology, recognising that technology is an enabler to capture, store and manage data, and generate information. Technology does not and should not drive the data and information available; need determines what information is useful, and how.

Data and information From working with many and varied organisations throughout Australia, Turner & Townsend recognises that advances in technology provide organisations with unprecedented access to data and information; however, organisations increasingly suffer from

Facilities information is data generated in design, construction, operation and demolition of buildings, precincts and community infrastructure; the assets and elements that make up the built environment; and the FM services provided to the built environment

About the Guide The Guide supports the requirements of a wide range of stakeholders, providing a better understanding of facilities information and how it can be managed and used. It identifies the importance, purpose and different types of facilities information. The usefulness of information depends on the purpose it serves for the stakeholder. The Guide therefore identifies relevant facility stakeholder groups, and the outputs produced by facilities information that are used by them. Included within the Guide is a facilities information framework to identify, collect, manage and use facilities information covering: 33 the different stages in managing facilities information 33 establishment and implementation of a framework for the management of facilities information.

‘data dyslexia’ – essentially, a misunderstanding of the value of data. Data and information could be an organisation’s most valuable asset. Useful data and information allows organisations to make informed strategic, tactical and operational decisions that directly benefit the core business. Together, the FMA and Turner & Townsend are leading the evolution of data and information within facilities management to drive efficiency and effectiveness in asset operations. The FMA GPG Facilities Information provides a practical guide for FM practitioners, building owners, occupiers and other relevant stakeholders to collect, manage, and use data and information to the benefit of the core business. To obtain a copy of the GPG Facilities Information, refer to www.fma.com.au for further details.

Turner & Townsend is an independent professional services company specialising in program management, project management, cost management and consulting across the property, infrastructure and natural resources sectors. With 89 offices in more than 37 countries, Turner & Townsend’s specific asset and facilities management consultancy focuses on working with organisations to manage risk, and maximise value and performance from assets and facilities in operation. For further information on any of the company’s services, visit the website: www.turnerandtownsend.com

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

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Indoor environment quality – the next frontier for Australian buildings

n an age when words like sustainable and green have become ubiquitous in discussions about commercial buildings, it is now increasingly difficult to translate what these terms mean in practice. NABERS Energy provides a measure of energy efficiency and greenhouse emissions – but what does that really mean to those people who occupy the building? Going beyond energy, the next frontier for green buildings is to assess the effect of daily operations on a building’s indoor environment quality (IEQ). With the launch of the newly enhanced NABERS Indoor Environment (IE) tool, it has never been easier to identify and address potential IEQ issues within a building. Subsequent improvements can be used to demonstrate a commitment to not only operating a sustainable green building, but also to creating a more pleasant and healthy workplace for occupants. When NABERS Energy was released in 1999, few would have imagined the remarkable journey that the Australian property sector was about to embark on. The idea of assessing buildings based on their actual energy use was revolutionary in a world where green buildings were largely defined by their flashy features. Today, it is worth reflecting on how far this performance-based path has taken us, and how it can lead us to the next great frontier. The Australian office sector is arguably the most active and engaged in sustainability in the world today. Every year, more than 1200 office buildings are certified under NABERS Energy, roughly half of which take a step further to also obtain NABERS Water ratings. Since 2010, these buildings have decreased their energy use by an unprecedented

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10 per cent, which translates to impressive energy savings of $60 million per year. It is hard to think of any other sector where energy efficiency has been taken up as broadly and enthusiastically as in the Australian office sector. The benefits of this sustainability revolution have gone beyond just lower bills. Research from IPD has shown that buildings with higher NABERS Energy ratings have a higher capital value, lower vacancy rates and longer leases. Sustainability improvements made by Australian property companies using NABERS have not gone unnoticed overseas. Last year, Australia took the top spot as the world’s leading region in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), far outperforming buildings in Europe, Asia and North America. The survey also recognised two Australian companies (ISPT and Lend Lease) among the top 10 global property sustainability leaders – a remarkable representation considering the local market is much smaller than those of Europe, the United States or Asia. Unsurprisingly, facilities managers have been at the very centre of this green revolution. The Australian path to sustainability has not been forged by buildings looking green on paper, but by buildings performing well in reality. Buildings with high NABERS ratings vary widely regarding the strategies used to get there, but they all have one thing in common: a strong facilities management team behind them. Key performance indicators for energy and water efficiency have become common for facilities managers, not only in the top end of town, but increasingly in the non-premium and midtier office markets. It is clear that excellence in sustainable

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operations is no longer a differentiation factor among physical buildings, but it is increasingly so among professionals in the facilities management industry. As we become more and more efficient at running these machines we call office buildings, the next logical question is: what’s next? What is the next point of difference for green buildings and facilities managers? Many industry leaders believe that the answer is simple: to create buildings that are not just good for the environment, but also for the people who occupy them. In our ambition to reduce energy and water use in buildings, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that their real purpose is to accommodate people. In fact, three-quarters of the energy use in office buildings is used to generate suitable conditions for people, through services such as HVAC and lighting. It is key to remember why such services are provided in order to understand the future of sustainable buildings; the end goal is not just to reduce energy and water use, but also to provide great services to occupants using less energy and water. Five years ago, NABERS began its foray into bringing people back into the sustainability picture with the release of NABERS IE. In 2009, NABERS IE was released as a world first, and demonstrated its market value with growing numbers of certified assessments, reaching 69 buildings in the 2013–2014 year alone. But our first iteration of NABERS IE also provided us with valuable lessons. Industry feedback showed us that in our pledge to be technically robust, we sacrificed usability, which ultimately resulted in a rating tool that many found to be more complex and expensive than required. For the past year, we’ve worked closely with facilities and sustainability managers to enhance NABERS IE, including making use of technological advances in measuring

devices, making better use of the measuring infrastructure by utilising BMS data, and implementing updates to align with the most current IEQ standards. As a result, the new NABERS IE is not only cheaper and easier to use, but improved reporting now makes best use of the extremely valuable data collected, to provide users with great insights into their buildings’ operations. These insights enable users to more accurately pinpoint areas with room for improvement, and to better evaluate changes or upgrades to services in response to the needs of the occupants for whom these services are provided. In light of lessons learnt from the past, we have launched the improved NABERS IE as a pilot to test the tool on the ground. The pilot release provides a unique opportunity for facilities managers to test the tool in practice, and evaluate their building’s baseline IEQ performance and beyond. For further details about the pilot, please visit the NABERS website, www.nabers.gov.au. Looking further into the future, there are even more enhancements that demonstrate the exciting potential for IEQ in green buildings. We have been collaborating closely with Sydney University on their SAMBA project – a single device that can monitor and log all the measurements required in a NABERS IE rating. While SAMBA is still a prototype, the value proposition of such a device is undeniable; the ability to capture IEQ data with one device will significantly reduce the rating costs, while empowering hundreds of NABERS Assessors to conduct NABERS IE ratings. The future is certainly looking bright, and there are plenty of reasons to believe that the new NABERS IE tool will help the Australian property sector to once more lead the world towards the next frontier for sustainability.

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CHANGING THE GAME: IDEACTION.2015, TAKING FM TO THE NEXT LEVEL Adelaide became the focus for facilities management professionals from around the country as ideaction.2015 got into full swing from 24–27 May. Run by the Facility Management Association, the Facilities Management National Conference and Exhibition once again showcased just how dynamic the facilities management industry is.

aking their cue from the conference theme ‘Changing the Game’, presenters, keynotes, panellists, debaters and site visits all demonstrated the agility of the industry, and the many ways in which it evolves and innovates to ensure that it remains relevant and in tune with the changing needs of building occupiers and owners. Clearly, the challenges that the industry faces come from both within and without, and from areas as diverse as advances in technology, changes to legislation and shifts in community expectations. As such, FMs scrutinised, debated and shared learnings across a wide range of topics, including emerging technology, sustainability, building information modelling (BIM) and strategic and workplace management. As home to some of the country’s most advanced facilities, Adelaide proved to be an ideal location and a living example of a built environment that is Changing the Game. ideaction.2015 was one of the first major events to be held in the newly rebuilt Adelaide Convention Centre, while the conference also took advantage of the extraordinary South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) building for welcome drinks, and the new Adelaide Oval for the Conference Dinner and site tour. Other tours attached to the conference included the South Australian Film Corporation Studios, and Tonsley TAFE. Introduced this year were two new and very well received program highlights: a first-timers’ breakfast, and an FMA Branch Committee Members’ Planning & Development day.

The Great Debate was once again a popular highlight. Some great minds took up the challenge to unpick the Asset Management v Facilities Management ‘What’s the difference?’ conundrum. A range of views was put to the audience; some were based in fact, while others were more lighthearted. Steve Taylor, back by popular demand, showed a sense of commitment to the profession in a way that only Steve can, along with his team

members for the positive, Gareth Tancred and Naomi Nielsen. The various arguments were articulated with precision; however, convincing a room full of facilities management professionals that asset management was the same thing as facilities management was a tough ask from the outset. While the majority of the audience clearly supported the ‘positive’ position that ‘facilities management is the higher order profession’, the enthusiasm of

Prime Minister’s presentation to FMA The national conference dinner was a night of surprises, with a range of award announcements (see page 26) and special guests. Although the Prime Minister of Australia was invited, he was unable to attend due to commitments in Canberra following the release of the budget. Those attending, however, were able to see the respect that the industry has gained, as a video message was aired as part of the formalities for the evening. The Prime Minister was announced as one of the ‘newest friends of facilities management’ by the Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Burt, which shows that recognition for the industry continues to grow.

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Stephen Ballesty, Rogier Roelvink, and Peter Kavan – who dubbed themselves as the ‘generous’ team rather than the ‘negative’ – was a real credit to their ability to rebut the arguments of the positive team. For the first time, the Association brought a range of specialist facilities management advocates to the panel table to discuss the challenges experienced in their part of the industry. This included retail, health and aged care, education and residential, and all six panellists had a different story to tell. If anyone thought that the industry was homogenous in its approach to different facilities, then this session really was an eye opener – as each panellist explored their area of specialty, it became clear that the more customised the facility, the more customised the service delivery needed to be. The discussion by no means covered the breadth of the topic, but rather scratched the surface as a mechanism for encouraging further investigation into the needs of users in different facility types, while highlighting the complexity of facilities management challenges, and the need for tailored support to be put in place. Keynote speakers included facilitator Dave Rendell, footy legend Kevin Sheedy, who looked at the importance of developing young talent, business leader Rod Hook, and inspiration Stacey Copas.

As well as the above, major highlights of the three days included: 33 a directors’ presentation 33 a free breakfast for first-timers and new members 33 14 concurrent session streams grouped to cover sustainability, workplace, emerging technology, trends and future directions, utilising technology, fire safety, people and skills, information management, risk management, strategic management, and BIM 33 six major sponsors 33 16 industry-leading companies at the exhibition 33 seven poster presentations 33 two social functions: the Chairman’s Welcome at SAHMRI, and the Gala Dinner at the Adelaide Oval 33 three site visits to leading facilities. As it is every year, the Conference Dinner was a big hit, highlighted by the presentation of the 2015 Member Awards to those FMA members, committees and teams who consistently work with the Association to support the industry. Local Sunrise celeb Amanda Bachmann played MC, and the Adelaide Oval provided a spectacular backdrop that was made even more special by guest speaker Andrew Fagan, Chief Executive Officer, Adelaide Football Club talking about our iconic game and his own personal change of footy codes.

For images of all the action at ideaction.2015 images visit www.flickr.com/photos/132969201@N06/albums

The conference provided presenters, exhibitors and attendees with the opportunity to bring, exchange, learn about, and take away new ideas and ways of seeing the industry.

Committee Planning & Development Day As part of their conference registration, all FMA branch committee members were invited to attend an ideaction program innovation, the newly established Committee Planning & Development Day. Supported by the national office, the branch committees operate to deliver tangible benefits to members. The focus of the day was to provide a professional development experience that supports and enhances committee member capabilities in the delivery of this important role. The planning component also allowed for a frank exchange of views and input into national policy and direction, while providing the all-too-rare opportunity to liaise face-toface with committee members from other branches across Australia. FMA Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Burt said, ‘The day provided a valuable chance for the Association to “give something back” to those members who are providing commitment through time and other resources to support the work of the Association at the local level. It was also the logical conclusion to the two preceding workdays of the conference. The day was a successful combination of work and play.’ With every branch represented by the 19 attendees, the program had clear objectives and flowed through sessions on leadership

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

| ideaction.2015

and communication; a national strategy overview presented by FMA National Chairman Chris Hunt; and an update on the highlights experienced around the country within each branch. Everyone who participated walked away with a key goal of the day. This included insights into leadership by Consultant Kate Hartwig; and a presentation by the Chief Executive Officer of Volunteering SA & NT, Evelyn O’Loughlin, on the best ways to communicate when working with other committees; and insights into the experiences of other associations with regional focus groups. Chris Hunt spoke passionately about the future direction of the Association and the integral role that the branches play in supporting members and representing their interests. He also laid down the challenge to the branches present for the coming three years. The Committee Planning & Development Day provided an excellent opportunity for two-way discussion, and, importantly, was an avenue for the development of a branch action plan. This was fleshed out across the various sessions during the day. The National Office is now collating and formulating the document for sign-off by the group and presentation to the Board at their planning session, which is to be held in late July. Burt says, ‘In all, it was a very worthwhile day. I believe that this is an excellent initiative and deserving of further development as a critical conduit for member engagement. I hope it will be a regular part of future conference programs’.

First-timer and new member breakfast ‘I haven’t been here before…’ As a conference first-timer, the opportunity to engage with the industry and gain maximum benefit from the conference

New website for FMA launched during ideaction The new FMA website and member portal was officially launched during ideaction, and Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Burt has encouraged everyone to ‘visit the new fma. com.au soon, and often’. The site features a bold, fresh look and user-friendly navigation. Members and the wider industry now have more timely information, improved access to services and benefits, and more dynamic communication options. Features include member-only access to key information and resources, Twitter feeds, opportunities to promote business through the new trade directory, simple online events registration and publications purchase, and the ability to update your own details whenever you want. Burt said, ‘The new website has provided our stakeholders and members with a new window to the Association. It is seamlessly connected to the member database, and provides a range of functionality that has not previously been available to FMA members’.

program is a clear aim. But where do you start? This is something that every first-time conference attendee will ask. Based on member feedback, this year the FMA initiated a session to try and address this issue. The main purpose was to ensure that new members and first-time attendees to the long-running conference and exhibition would gain maximum benefit from their involvement. Life members Duncan Waddell and Stephen Ballesty, who have substantial conference experience and who have both made a significant personal commitment

Streams, topics and presenters Ideaction provided many thought-provoking and interesting presentations across a range of streams and topics. If you would like to view the presentations that have been made available, visit www.ideaction15.com.au.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

to the industry and the FMA, were on hand to introduce the Association and the conference. With their extensive histories and connections, they provided a unique perspective on the industry for the attendees.

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Held over breakfast, the event was warmly received by attendees, who, following the two brief presentations, were able to participate in a Q&A session. Both life members spoke of their growth and development in the industry and the Association, having travelled very different paths to arrive at their current positions. The most important opportunities provided by the session were for delegates to have access to these two industry statesmen, and for them to be able to create future networks with the others at the breakfast. Key points discussed included the breadth of the industry; the key areas of focus for knowledge during the conference; the benefits of, and how to get the most from, the exhibition; and the development of a professional network through building strong industry contacts. The main takeaway message for the delegates was the importance of using the forum to connect with peers, to meet industry leaders, to enhance knowledge and, of course, to have fun in the process. Given the success of the event, it is likely to become a regular part of the program line-up in years to come.

We anticipate that there will be numerous opportunities for attendees to experience the high degree of diversity that the city holds in its constructed environment, not to mention its famous assortment of restaurants and cafés. The conference will focus on how the industry moves forward at a time, and in an environment, that is dealing with so much change. Watch this space – there is lots more information to come as we move to Melbourne in 2016.

Site visits to some of Adelaide’s most dynamic facilities Site visits provide a rare opportunity for FMs to get behind the scenes at unique facilities, and this year’s ideaction did not disappoint. With visits to Adelaide Oval, the South Australian Film Corporation Studios, and Tonsley TAFE, delegates got a glimpse of what some specialist FMs face day to day. The Adelaide Oval redevelopment has successfully blended the old and the new. The tour provided some fascinating insights as to how the latest in stadium design is managed, so

as to balance popular sporting events with such famous features as the heritage scoreboard, century-old Moreton Bay Fig trees, the grassed northern mound and more. A similar challenge is faced by the Film Corporation Studios, where the facilities have been designed specifically to operate as an integrated hub that is home to more than 30 South Australian screen businesses – all in a facility built originally in the 1870s. Today, this includes purpose-built, state-of-the-art facilities, just some of which are two sound stages, a Dolby Premier 7.1 Mixing Theatre, ADR and Foley Studios, and dry-hire edit suites. Tonsley TAFE’s $119 million Sustainable Industries Education Centre (SIEC) has its own challenges, with 5000 square metres of world-class, energy-efficient, trade training infrastructure. As the most innovative and advanced TAFE in Australia, it brings more than 6500 students across all the building, construction and renewable energy trades together under one roof, where they can learn and work together, as they will be required to do in the industry.

Ideaction goes to Melbourne in 2016 In 2016, ideaction returns to Melbourne for the first time since 2009. Always a dynamic centre, Melbourne is now home to Australia’s secondtallest building, which is close to 300 metres high; has in excess of 220,000 seats across five redeveloped sporting venues; and boasts an array of new health facilities either recently opened or about to be brought onstream.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

| ideaction.2015

FMA Member Awards, recognising outstanding service to the Association Each year the FMA recognises and celebrates the outstanding contribution made by individuals, teams and branches to the Association over the past year. Congratulations and thank you to all of our 2015 winners.

National Member of the Year Walter Rafin Walter has been a tireless and enthusiastic FMA member since joining in 2005, and a member of the New South Wales Branch Committee since 2011. As the current New South Wales Chair, in the last year alone Walter has taken the lead in delivering soldout events and near-capacity sponsorship of the branch golf day, and initiated a leadersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; forum. He is also the current Chair of the Marketing & Portfolio Group. A passionate supporter of facilities management and the development of the industry, Walter has experience in the industry that spans 28 years in senior management roles, and he is currently DTZ General Manager of Business Development, Australia and New Zealand.

Branch Members of the Year Australian Capital Territory

Danny Cindric

New South Wales

Caroline Fitzwater

Queensland

Greg Edmunds

Victoria

Frank Jardim

Western Australia

Gerald Stack

Alison Daley accepts ACT Member of the Year Award on behalf of Danny Cindric

NSW Member of the Year Caroline Fitzwater

Branch of the Year Western Australia

Team of the Year DTZ

John Monahan (Chair)

Brian Keating

Stuart McKenzie

Mark Counsel

Kevin Hall

Gerald Stack

Philip Gale

Paul Akhurst

Jim Palmisano

Tracey Hornsey

Jacques Dujardin

Mark Graham

Ryan Taylor

George Anderson accepts WA Member of the Year Award on behalf of Gerald Stack

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

ideaction.2015 |

The Facility Management Association of Australia thanks the ideaction.2015 sponsors and exhibitors:

Sponsors:

Exhibitors:

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

SETTING NEW STANDARDS FOR NMI METERING pATTERN AppROvED ENERGy METERING *36 Multi-function Meters

NMI APPROVED ELECTRICITY METER Space saving for 36 Electrical Circuits System Accuracy Class 1.0 * The BFM136 Branch Feeder Metering is an unequal solution for multiple circuits Approved for NMI energy metering - 36 Single Phase Circuits or - 12 Three Phase Circuits or - Combination of both up to 36 current inputs - Smallest foot print for 36 single or 12 three phase meters - One fit metering for NMI, Green Star, NABERS, BCA approvals - Communications RS485 and Ethernet TCP/IP - *SATEC approved and tested current sensors under NMI standards

SDD02869

GREEN BUILDINGS |

RECORDS BROKEN BY HIGH-RISE BLOCK’S SWITCH TO SOLAR More than 3.1 million Australians now live in, or work at, a property with solar panels on the roof. Unfortunately, apartment buildings have, in the majority, been left behind when it comes to capatalising on the benefits of installing solar technology. Thankfully, this is beginning to change. The solar array at Yarra’s Edge Towers

he owners’ corporation at Yarra’s Edge Towers in Lorimer Street, Docklands, is a leading example of what’s possible. It recently installed a 47.5-kilowatt solar system – the largest ever to be retrospectively fitted to an apartment building in Melbourne. ‘As the solar panels have been going up, people have been feeling very proud and [have] taken ownership of the solar project,’ says Dean Mollison, Resident Manager at Yarra’s Edge Towers. Just on the edge of the CBD, Yarra’s Edge Towers are nestled alongside the Yarra River, a location that ensures excellent access to sunlight year-round. Realising that this presented a great opportunity, the owners’ corporation began discussing the idea of going solar, and then ramped up their efforts

when they heard that the City of Melbourne was offering $3000 rebates to owners’ corporations that installed solar systems. Mollison adds, ‘The solar project came on the back of a successful water-harvesting initiative and LED replacement in 50 floors of the apartment lobby areas four years ago, [as well as] installation of powersaving variable speed drives to a number of large motors on site. Having proven the value of continual building improvement, it was easier to get the owners’ corporation on board with the idea of going solar. If you do the figures on these projects and present them to your committees, it’s an easy decision for them. But they must have the courage to think of the long-term value of the product – that being, in most cases, their home.’

Mollison and apartment owner Peter Taylor, a member of the executive committee, led the solar project. The process of going solar happened in phases. The executive committee had been discussing the idea of installing solar for some years, but it was the offer of support through the City of Melbourne and the Smart Blocks program that saw the committee move from ideas to action. Smart Blocks is a national online program that supports apartment owners and their managers through the process of implementing energy projects in common areas. The executive committee used the information on the Smart Blocks website to better understand the process of going solar in a strata building.

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| GREEN BUILDINGS

Following this, Taylor and Mollison accessed additional, face-to-face support through the City of Melbourne. They received a free solar feasibility assessment from project partners Positive Charge. The report recommended a system size, and provided cost estimates, payback periods and projected energy savings – all of the basic information required to help the executive committee assess the value that the solar system would add to the building. With confidence about the viability of the project, three quotes were sought, and the committee selected Energy Matters to do the installation, as they felt confident that they would deliver the best outcome for the building.

Taylor says that while the system cost around $67,000, one of the benefits of living in an apartment building is that costs are shared. Given that there are 290 owners in the building, the cost per apartment was an affordable $230. ‘The final price was very affordable when we acted together, and it’s an investment in the future value of the whole block. A lot of people think you can’t install solar in a high-rise, but we’ve proved that you can, and the savings are real,’ Taylor says. In addition to the financial benefits, the solar system will save 92.568 tonnes of carbon emissions each year – enough carbon to fill 21 Olympic swimming pools. Yarra’s Edge Towers have good access to sunlight

Another apartment building in West Melbourne used the Smart Blocks program to install a 10-kilowatt solar system that will save the owners’ corporation $2703 per year in electricity bills. With only 31 apartments in the complex, this is a significant saving that will continue for 25 years or more – the lifetime of the solar system. There are now a number of other owners’ corporations that are actively working to install solar on their apartment buildings, and hundreds are turning to the Smart Blocks program for support. For apartment owners or facilities managers who are keen to kick off energysaving projects in their buildings, one of the West Melbourne residents has this piece of advice to offer: ‘Start communicating about your ideas with your fellow owners’ corporation members early in the process, and keep lines of communication open’. Councillor Arron Wood, Chair of the City of Melbourne’s Environment Portfolio, says that the Smart Blocks program supports the City’s goal to become a carbon-neutral municipality by 2020. On average, high-rise apartment dwellers consume in excess of 25 per cent more energy per person than those in detached dwellings, mostly due to common-area energy use. ‘Many of our residents are attracted to the inner-city apartment lifestyle, but they also want to do their bit for the environment and reduce their power bills. This project shows that apartment managers and owners can work together to improve the sustainability of their buildings,’ says Cr Wood. A limited number of rebates of up to $3000 are still available for apartment buildings in the municipality of Melbourne to install solar electricity systems to power common areas.

More information: Smart Blocks online program: smartblocks.com.au Solar rebates for apartment buildings in the City of Melbourne: amy.brand@melbourne.vic.gov.au Short video clip about the Yarra’s Edge solar system: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=0P2BJ1KVm30

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

SPONSORED ARTICLE

Innovations in building management

he company MYBOS is a building and facilities management application for residential and commercial properties, and offers a number of tools to streamline traditional building management activity through a simple and modern online-based system. In addition to reducing the cost of traditional management operations, MYBOS provides residents with a private, amenity-rich web portal that includes engaging, community-building features and continually updated information about their property, community and neighbourhood. Whether you are a building manager, facilities manager or government organisation, MYBOSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s software will cater for all your needs. Key features include, but are not limited to: automated building management report; emailed WO and SMS services; an advanced case management system with the ability to upload videos, images and documents; a dynamic colour-coded preventative maintenance calendar; an asset register, and resident and contractor database; an integrated key and parcel system with signature and emailing services; a resident/tenant community portal; and building database storing manuals, site plans, work orders, meters and daily inspections. MYBOS is a secure system that effectively manages the day-to-day requirements of a building.

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For an obligation-free demonstration of MYBOS, call us or visit our website.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

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Self-sufficiency key to new ‘urban village’ Rheem provides innovative hot water solution to meet unique needs

ne of the state’s largest new developments, the massive $2 billion Central Park, is built on the old 5.8-hectare Carlton and United Brewery site off Broadway. Completed in mid-2014, the precinct comprises approximately 1900 apartments, student housing, a hotel, a 16,000-square-metre multi-level retail centre, and a 75,000-square-metre commercial office campus. Key heritage buildings have been retained and restored, preserving the site’s cultural legacy. The development was designed to be self-sufficient, and includes a precinct-wide trigeneration plant for the provision of electricity, chilled water and hot water. Also incorporated is a water treatment facility, which recycles sewage and stormwater for use in the trigeneration plant, and for toilet flushing and landscape irrigation. The design brief required a technologically advanced, environmentally responsible hot water system, capable of operating with minimal energy costs. To this end, Rheem specified an innovative solution that converts waste heat from the trigeneration plant into usable hot water for the entire project. The equipment includes Rheem heat exchangers, circulators, digital temperature controllers and commercial storage cylinders. Collaborative approach The bulk of the efficiency, and hence value, of cogeneration and trigeneration plants is derived from reclaiming the waste heat generated by the plant in producing electricity. Typical uses for this waste heat are producing chilled water and hot water for heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) applications, and producing domestic hot water (DHW) for ablutions use.

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Successful implementation of trigeneration involves the coordination of multidiscipline engineering services and trades, including electrical, mechanical and hydraulics. The latter imposes some unique requirements, which, until recently, have been overlooked by the mechanical services engineers and contractors who are not familiar with the specific needs for domestic hot water applications. All products connected to the mains water supply must be WaterMark certified. The WaterMark scheme was established to safeguard the integrity of the water supply system, and forms a cornerstone of the plumbing regulations nationwide. The Rheem heat exchanger is WaterMark certified and forms a small, yet important, interface between the non-potable trigen and HVAC water circuits, and the potable water supply. A demarcation line exists at the heat exchanger interface between the HVAC and the DHW circuits. Rheem provides a turnkey solution for the DHW circuit, including design, specification, supply and integration of all the components required to make the system work efficiently. This can also include the integration of boost water heaters if insufficient waste heat is available. The design of the trigen plant needs to be considered in harmony with the services that will use the waste heat. The Central Park site has many buildings that were constructed in stages, making it impractical and inefficient to reticulate the hot water from one central plant location. The waste heat is reticulated from a central trigeneration system, which serves the entire site, and satellite heat exchanger hot water modules locally transfer this heat into the DHW system. For more information on heat exchange systems, or on how Rheem can help with a range of energy-efficient hot water solutions, call Rheem Commercial on 132 552.

pRovides Rheem Heat excHanger lutions to innovative hot wateR so meet unique needs

dway Installed at: Central Park , Broa

The Rheem Brazed Plate Heat Exchanger (BPHX) can be used wherever waste heat from water sourced processes can be recovered and used to heat potable hot water. Typical applications include Co-gen and Tri-gen plants, process heating or as a separator in circuits employing PP-R piping. Features • WaterMark certified heat exchanger

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• 316L stainless steel construction

• Low pressure loss TM

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HIGH-PRICED ENERGY IS DRIVING BETTERPERFORMING BUILDINGS BY NOEL GALLAGHER, GENERAL MANAGER SALES, STRATEGY AND SUSTAINABILITY, PROGRAMMED Australia is a country that has been built on cheap energy. You don’t have to go too far back to find domestic prices of around five cents per kilowatt hour. This is evident in the construction of homes and offices from the 1970s, 1980s and even the 1990s, when energy efficiency was not a major consideration. Insulation was an optional extra that few took advantage of, rooms were flooded with inefficient lighting, construction practices were basic, and air-conditioning systems were often poorly designed. This is surprising in a country that regularly has summer temperatures in excess of 30 degrees Celsius, and winters with temperatures hovering around zero in the southern states.

imes are changing. In the five years between 2007 and 2012, Australian electricity prices rose almost 100 per cent; the main cause was the increased investment in a transmission and distribution system that for decades had been starved of investment, then ‘gold plated’ due to a regulatory system that incentivised network owners to build more assets. The network also has to cater for the everincreasing penetration of air-conditioning units due to longer, higher average temperatures;

larger, more energy-hungry home appliances; and the world’s largest homes – Australia’s are 10 per cent bigger than those in the United States. With increases like this, it’s not surprising that demand for electricity is in decline. Consumption has fallen for five consecutive calendar years: 2013 was 2.8 per cent lower than 2012. The sector with the greatest exposure is commercial property; Sydney and Melbourne’s CBDs alone have 9.3 million square metres of office space, with global

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players such as GPT, Dexus and ISPT dominating. These organisations have also played a significant part in raising the standard of office buildings, with higher NABERS ratings throughout their portfolios. GPT topping the Dow Jones sustainability index in 2014 is an indication of how far the industry has come.

Energy efficiency More than 80 per cent of the buildings that will be here in 2050 are already built. This means that there is a huge opportunity to reduce energy use in the built environment. State and federal governments deserve credit for some of the schemes they have developed to drive energy efficiency. The best known, and most effective, is NABERS – the National Australian Built Environment Rating System. Launched in 1998, it now covers 72 per cent of Australia’s office space, and provides the Australian property industry with a credible standard to communicate the environmental performance of their buildings. This knowledge of building performance and the potential for improvement has transformed the Australian property industry.

GREEN BUILDINGS |

The push towards better-performing buildings through achieving a higher NABERS star rating was further helped by government tenants requiring a minimum 4.5-star rating. Without this, landlords exclude themselves from a large part of the market. This, in turn, has raised awareness among business service companies, finance/insurance, and IT sectors. It is now common in Australian cities to see the NABERS rating of a building proudly displayed on a plaque as you enter the building. Incentives for the energy-efficient upgrade of buildings are also available. The Victorian Government has a scheme called the Energy Efficient Office Building Program, which has had impressive results and helped to stimulate the local building services industry. The Program provides grants to building owners of up to $150,000 for works that increase the efficiency of their buildings. Measures covered by the grant include lighting, controls, metering and HVAC upgrades. The work can only be carried out by a contractor from the approved panel of service providers, all of whom had to pass a selection process to be accepted by Sustainability Victoria, the government body administering the scheme. In summary, apart from the retrograde removal of the carbon price, Australia has made great progress over the last decade in energy efficiency, despite a very difficult and uncertain commercial and regulatory landscape.

Together, the CBDs of Sydney and Melbourne hold 9.3 million square metres of office space

The Energy Efficient Office Building Plan offers grants for lighting upgrades, among other retrofits

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SPONSORED ARTICLE

R22 phase-outs – replace your outdated unit with Specialized air conditioning

f you have an existing rooftop unit operating on R22, chances are that it has almost reached the end of its operating life, or is schedued for replacement due to the phase-out of R22. The question is: how can you quickly and easily replace these units with something that’s far more cost-efficient? The answer comes from a Perth-based company that specialises in building air conditioning systems for some of the harshest conditions in the world – our outback mining communities. So it should come as no surprise that the name of the company is Specialized Engineering. And, as Chris Miller, the Managing Director of Specialized, says, ‘If our units can perform in the mines 24/7, and with proven high efficiency, imagine what they will achieve in the city’. Specialized is the perfect match to APAC The benefits of replacing an APAC unit with a Specialized one are hard to ignore. Specialized not only offers the same footprint, it also uses the same ductwork, mains power and controls, so that there are no costly modifications to worry about. The Specialized commercial range includes 15 models, from 12-kilowatt to 95-kilowatt capacity. There’s even a free cross-reference chart that gives you direct replacement equivalents covering most existing APAC models – visit www.specializedengineering.com.au for more information. Furthermore, Specialized is very competitively priced and, in most cases, the old APAC unit can be swapped over with the new Specialized one on the same day. A reputation carved out in the Pilbara There are no tougher work conditions on earth than those in Western Australia’s Pilbara, but that’s where Specialized Engineering has established its reputation for superior, reliable and robust products. Now, Specialized can apply that same expertise to virtually any application as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)

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of high-efficiency packaged commercial and industrial airconditioning units. Based in Perth, the company is 100 per cent Australianowned, and is expanding. But with ultra-high efficiency ratings right through the range (every model exceeds the minimum energy performance standards), it appears that Specialized has the attributes and product range to shake up the market. In fact, as Chris Miller himself says, ‘we have the product to become truly international, by first expanding into the eastern states of Australia, followed by South-East Asia and the Middle East’.

The Specialized advantage 3 low installation costs – the perfect match to APAC unit size, footprint, ductwork, mains power and controls 3 reduced energy costs – ultra-high efficiency ratings, up to 31 per cent energy savings compared to existing APAC equivalent unit 3 low cost of ownership – high-efficiency direct drive fans ensure low maintenance costs 3 low noise – fans that slow down during low ambient for less noise 3 Australian made – engineered, built and operating in Australia’s toughest conditions 3 R410A refrigerant – not part of the global phase-out.

Specialized air conditioning. The miners choice when the heat’s on.

There are no more demanding work conditions on earth than WA’s Pilbara. It’s a place where temperatures can soar to 50ºC one day, have a dust storm the next and a cyclone the day after that. It’s the toughest proving ground for an air conditioning system on the planet. So if Specialized Engineering can perform 24/7, year in, year out in those types of conditions, imagine how well it can function in virtually any commercial application anywhere else. To find out more, visit specializedengineering.com.au

Hyperﬂex™ High Efﬁciency Air Cooled Packaged Units on R410A 012 to 190kW

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Trimble Technology Solutions for every phase of the building life cycle

oday, facilities managers have to be involved in every phase of any project that is part of the building life cycle, and must coordinate with myriad players, including real estate agents, public agencies, architects, interior designers, engineers, contractors, maintenance workers, and sustainability experts, as well as their clients, the business units and executives. Each team is often using tools that have been created for their role, which challenges communication and coordination among the various stakeholders. At Trimble, we believe that these tools need to be coordinated by the facilities manager, to ensure the right workplace environment, at the right cost, at the right time, in the right location. Most of all, we believe that a platform of digital solutions results in intelligent buildings, so that managing the complexities in all phases becomes easier. Trimble has brought together a portfolio of synergistic hardware, software and service offerings to provide highly specialised tools that work together to transform the way we work in the different life-cycle phases. It starts with Manhattan IWMS, or CenterStone CAFM solutions, which hold all the data on each building. Building

information can be viewed through Workplace Analytics, which allows you to assess the current state of your real estate portfolio, and can help to determine if it is necessary to build, rent or renovate a building. In the design and construction phase of a new building, Sketchup Pro, Tekla Structures and Vico Office can bridge the design-build gap by unifying project knowledge with constructible models. Data can then be transferred to the operate/manage phase using Trimble Connect, where Manhattan and CenterStone are joined by Proliance to track the performance of ongoing projects, as well as manage maintenance operations. And, by doing ongoing analytics to continually check utilisation and effectiveness of your workplace strategy, new projects are defined that begin the whole life cycle again.

Trimble technology is used in more than 150 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.trimble.com/buildings

BUILDING ON TECHNOLOGY Manhattan Software is now a Trimble company. Extended portfolio of solutions provide real estate owners, occupiers and managers the tools to transform the entire building life-cycle: Plan, Design, Build, Manage and Optimise. www.manhattansoftware.com/apac www.trimble.com/buildings

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RETROFITTING |

FINANCING BUILDING UPGRADES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA BY JULIA GRANT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WATER AND CLIMATE CHANGE BRANCH, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES

South Australia has unveiled its proposed mechanism for encouraging environmental upgrades of commercial buildings.

Bill to establish a statewide Building Upgrade Finance (BUF) program was introduced into Parliament in February. It follows a policy commitment by Premier Jay Weatherill in the lead-up to the 2014 election.

As with the Environmental Upgrade Finance programs in Victoria and New South Wales, the BUF will be a voluntary mechanism designed to overcome barriers to investment in improving the energy, water or environmental performance of existing buildings. It will help owners to access loans to undertake capital upgrades, and address the split incentive in leased buildings, where the landlord incurs the cost of the upgrade, while the tenant receives the benefits through reduced utility bills and improved accommodation.

‘Our central aim is to unlock investment in building retrofits and realise the associated economic and environmental benefits,’ says Tim Goodes, Deputy Chief Executive of the South Australian Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. ‘Widespread uptake of BUF will help to stimulate jobs and investment in the property sector, provide opportunities for local manufacturers and suppliers of clean technologies, improve the quality and amenity of buildings, and reduce the impact of rising energy and water costs on businesses.

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‘From a building owner’s perspective, building upgrades can reduce operating costs, increase yields, help attract and retain tenants, and improve asset values. Financing such upgrades through using BUF may offer a number of benefits compared to forms of traditional finance.’ Under the proposed mechanism, a commercial loan is tied to a property rather than a property owner, and loan repayments are collected via a local government charge levied against the land and passed on to a financier by a local council. ‘The strength of the mechanism lies within that statutory charge,’ Goodes says. ‘The building upgrade charge effectively secures the loan, being ranked senior to mortgages and liabilities to the Crown in the event of default. This provides heightened security to financiers, allowing them to offer finance to building owners under more attractive terms.

‘Also, under many commercial leases, tenants pay local government charges; therefore, the building upgrade charge provides an avenue for building owners and tenants to share the costs and benefits of building upgrades. The Amendment Bill sets out a number of requirements to ensure that this occurs in a fair and transparent way.’ The genesis of the BUF was a recommendation from the Premier’s Climate Change Council in April 2012. The government responded by issuing a consultation paper and commissioning a study into the location and scale of the retrofitting opportunity in South Australia. When the results of both proved positive, it worked with the Adelaide City Council and the Local Government Association of South Australia to develop a business case and proposed model. A draft Local Government (Building

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Upgrade Agreements) Amendment Bill 2014 was released on 30 January last year for a 10-week public consultation process. The government then made a pre-election commitment to support the concept, and in the 2014 State Budget allocated $1.9 million over four years for the development and administration of the mechanism. ‘Local government has been an active partner in developing this Bill as part of our commitment to the State and Local Government Climate Change Sector Agreement. The mechanism has great potential to support our built environment sector to become more efficient,’ says Local Government Association President, Mayor Dave Burgess. Building Upgrade Finance will contribute towards the achievement of the South Australian Government’s ambition for the City of Adelaide to become carbon-neutral.

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Retrofit hot water and heating solutions from Bosch Need a Retrofit Domestic Hot Water or Heating Solution? Bosch gives you extreme flexibility when configuring retrofit solutions for commercial projects

osch offers a range of hot water and heating boilers that are ideal for retrofit applications in commercial buildings. All products have been designed to be dimensionally compact, lightweight and modular, making them an excellent choice where floor space is limited or access to a plant room is restricted. The Bosch 32 and Condensing 32C continuous flow domestic hot water heaters, and the GB162 series condensing heating boilers, are the perfect replacements for many installations where old and inefficient hot water and heating systems have come to the end of their lives. By investing in condensing technology, energy savings can be achieved from day one. The Bosch 32 and Condensing 32C are purpose-designed and-built, commercial-grade, continuous-flow domestic hot water heaters. They can also be configured with storage tanks; as a burner-on-tank combination, or in conjunction with pre-assembled manifold kits. The Bosch commercial manifold kits are fully assembled on a custom-engineered frame. Pipework, isolating valves, and insulation are pre-installed in preparation for rapid installation on site. The GB162 is a condensing commercial heating boiler available in 65-kilowatt or 100-kilowatt capacities, and can be cascaded in any combination up to eight units (800 kilowatts). Cascading frame kits can be easily constructed on site, and come complete with all necessary pipework, low-loss header, custom-fitted insulation and high-quality fittings, to ensure a fast and reliable installation.

High efficiency Commercial Domestic Hot Water and Commercial Heating Boilers from Bosch utilise condensing technology to minimise energy consumption and project paybacks. Boschâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modular cascade concept facilitates rapid space-efficient installations to match the requirements of commercial hot water and heating installations. To find out more please contact Bosch on 1300 30 70 37 or visit www.bosch-industrial.com.au for more information.

Please visit our website at www.bosch-industrial.com.au, or contact us on 1300 30 70 37 for further information.

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Shaw delivers maximum versatility with new In Stock program

Monash International Bachelor of Business City Campus featuring In Stock Hexagon

haw Contract Group’s new 2015 In Stock In Australia program delivers the most extensive range of stocked commercial flooring options in the industry. Encompassing more than 250,000 square metres of carpet tile and hard-surface flooring options, a wide variety of styles and colours are in stock now from Perth to Brisbane. According to Shaw Contract Group’s Australian National Sales Director, Aaron Martin, the new program has been designed to meet demand and market trends. ‘The 2015 In Stock In Australia program has been designed for customers who have jobs that require quick turnarounds, but they do not want to have to sacrifice design to meet the deadline,’ Martin says. ‘The program includes more styles and colours than ever before, enabling customers to mix and match from the different collections, and it also sees the addition of hard surface collections for the first time. ‘The choices range from the Pacific carpet tile collection, which is ideal for volume projects, through to the designand colour-focused Hexagon carpet tile collection and the Pigment luxury vinyl tile collection. ‘And better still, it can all be on site fast, in fact, within 48 hours of confirming your order,’ Martin says. New collections joining the already extensive In Stock In Australia carpet tile program include the popular Hexagon collection – with 14 Plane colours and 2 Bevel colours – and the new Color Frame collection, which brings with it 36 colours to choose from. There have also been seven new additions to the Pacific collection.

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The hard surface collections joining the In Stock In Australia program include Crete, Quiet Cover and the design-focused Grain and Pigment collections. Quiet Cover, Grain and Pigment all feature the In*Step Locking System – a fast, simple, glueless installation system. The 2015 In Stock In Australia collections of carpet tiles are Cradle to Cradle CertifiedTM to silver level, and use premium Eco Solution Q fibre. All tiles feature EcoWorx® backing, which is certified with the highest level of GECA certification and a Green Star ‘Level A’ product rating, according to the Green Building Council of Australia. EcoWorx® carpet tiles are 100 per cent PVC-free, and are backed with an environmental guarantee for reclamation and recycling. About Shaw Contract Group Australia As a division of Shaw Industries, Shaw Contract Group Australia combines the expertise of the world’s largest carpet manufacturer with the financial stability of a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary. Offering modular and broadloom carpet and resilient floor coverings, Shaw Contract Group Australia defines design not only by great appearance, but also performance and sustainability. Designing specific flooring solutions for healthcare, education, commercial office, hospitality, retail and cultural markets, Shaw Contract Group Australia has extensive knowledge and expertise in each segment. To request samples, or for more information about any 2015 In Stock In Australia collections, visit www.shawcontractgroup.com.au, or contact Shaw Contract Group Australia today on 1800 556 302.

Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Attwood, Victoria

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Integrate all your on-site entertainment and communication functions

wift Networks has been a part of the mining and resources industry in Western Australia for many years, and through our work in this industry, we work side by side with many facilities managers, so we understand the issues that the industry faces every day. We know that facilities managers have to cope with ongoing challenges in regards to the effective management of their buildings and precincts, and that they need to assess and respond to these challenges to maximise operation, efficiency and cost savings. We know how important it is to keep up with latest developments in the industry, and extend the life of existing assets. We also know how important it is to keep guests satisfied, providing them with services that are comparable to or greater than what they would expect at home or in modern accommodation. We can help to address these issues with our fully integrated Digital Entertainment System (DES), which combines entertainment functions, such as television and movies, with communication functions including internet and wi-fi, to provide a complete solution customisable to our clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs. Having this flexibility means our clients can add or remove functions to the core head-end infrastructure without affecting the remainder of the system.

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This will future-proof your facility when additional capacity is required. Tried and tested, our DES has been installed into more than 30,000 rooms across Australia, ranging from small, remote accommodation camps, to offshore accommodation and large-scale permanent mine camps of thousands of rooms. With this capability, we can readily implement our system into many types of accommodation.

ON RUNNING COSTS

US E MA D I JO N A R US MI TR NE A SI LIA TE â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S S

Our Digital Entertainment System (DES) can help to reduce running costs of your facility by integrating all your on-site entertainment and communication functions into one simple to use, reliable system. We can improve efficiencies, provide a range of services plus keep your guests satisfied. We do this by integrating:

ENTERTAINMENT Free to Air TV Pay TV Scheduled Movies Video On Demand Games Android Apps COMMUNICATION Internet Wi-Fi Telephone INFORMATION Alerts & Bulletins Schedules Get in touch today to see how you can save: www.swiftnetworks.com.au/contact-us

T: +61 8 6103 7595

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TECHNOLOGY |

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, AND ITS IMPACT ON SUSTAINABILITY BY GEOFF GOURLEY, IMPACT INVESTOR AND NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NUGREEN SOLUTIONS The term ‘sustainability’ has faded over recent years; deep green has become a somewhat lighter shade, mainly as a result of the saturation and overuse of the term within the built environment.

s sustainability fades, it is being replaced by phrases like ‘energy efficiency’, ‘optimisation’ and ‘integration’; and at the moment, there is a clear focus on research and technology, including software platforms and assets, and how building owners and tenants can benefit. Detailed research into how building services technology and management systems can be applied across facilities management has been widely documented; the last decade has seen significant positive impacts and improved operational performance across many asset classes. Supported by a range of industry performance initiatives, including Green Star, Green Star Performance, NABERS and Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), building owners, operators and tenants are critically aware of how important research and adoption of new technologies is to maintaining control of costs of ownership, management and occupancy. Government incentives, including Victoria’s Energy Saver Incentive, Sustainability Victoria’s Energy Efficient Office Buildings program, and New South Wales’s Energy Savings Scheme, have also provided attractive financial rebates linked to the implementation of energy efficiency improvements.

The last few years have seen an increase in researched and tested technologies being specified and implemented in facilities, including advanced building and services controls; energy-efficient LED lighting; improved heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions; and how facilities management specific software can better manage performance.

Cost savings and improved performance still sit in front of sustainability as a priority Over recent years, energy-efficient LED lighting technology has enjoyed a rapid uplift in industry acceptance, and implementation into new construction and retrofits. Increased lumen-per-watt performance, reliability, fitness for purpose, long life and cost competitiveness are the key reasons that it is now a valid technology. This was not the case five years ago, but thanks to constant research, development and product testing, the market has shifted; as a result, costs have been driven down, and paybacks and return on investment barriers have been all but eliminated. The cost savings provided by a lighting upgrade are still the number one driver for implementation. Energy management and monitoring platforms developed over the last three to five years are also being widely investigated for their suitability for facilities managers, as they provide visibility and control over energy consumption. The latest platforms, like carbonTRACK, offer detailed live reporting in addition to notifications, reviews and analytics. Extensive research and development of energy management devices has been paired

with leading-edge user experience and enhanced functionality, resulting in simple, effective and low-cost energy monitoring solutions. Cost savings and improved performance are still the number one drivers. The latest technology receiving attention is the integration of various software platforms used in the management of facilities – this includes software for issuing work orders; occupational health, safety and the environment (OHS&E) incident reporting; building management systems; room bookings; energy, water and waste management; building information models (BIM); and scheduled and reactive maintenance. Service providers have identified the complexity that building owners and occupiers experience in managing a variety of platforms, systems and software tools – all delivering an important function, but potentially operating independently and being maintained by multiple parties. This is where technology intersects with traditional building services, and those facilities managers who can navigate the integration of both will surely benefit the most. Even though sustainability may have lost its lustre, I am confident that continued research and technological advancements will help to deliver positive environmental impacts within the built environment, and that’s an impact we all want to see.

Geoff Gourley is an Impact Investor, Non-Executive Director of NuGreen Solutions, and a passionate advocate for the integration of technology to green the built environment.

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Oztech and JLL achieve 20 per cent reduction in base building electricity use for Citadel Towers in Chatswood

n early 2014, the owner of Citadel Towers, in cooperation with managing agent Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), identified that the energy associated with the operation of the building air conditioning systems was exceeding previous years. This deterioration in performance resulted in the building losing its 4 star National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) rating. As part of its management services, JLL began implementing a program to identify building performance improvements, and to explore the benefits of capital upgrade initiatives. Additional sub-metering and energy monitoring was also introduced. Through the energy improvement initiatives, JLL was focused on delivering improved tenant services throughout the building. A key area of focus was on the air conditioning systems and maintenance services. Together with the imperative to restore the 4 star NABERS rating was the constant pressure around securing long-term tenants, and ensuring a 100 per cent occupied building for the owner. A number of different alternatives were considered, and extensive consultation was undertaken before JLL presented the options to the owner. One option, as part of the process to improve the NABERS rating for the building, was to replace the existing and ageing plant equipment with more energy-efficient versions. Despite the fact that some of the refrigeration plant is more than 20 years old, it was decided that a significant capital investment to replace these ageing machines would not yield the improvements required, nor would it produce a significant return on investment in terms of NABERS, or tenant satisfaction.

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As a result, Oztech Intelligent Systems, the base building management and control system (BMCS) provider, was approached to provide a solution and to present a proposal that would address the need to improve and restore the NABERS rating. The decision was made to engage Oztech Intelligent Systems to monitor and analyse existing sub-metering and to develop new control strategies for the BMCS. Through a thorough analysis of the current and historical energy meter data, and despite the fact that some of the BMCS is more than 18 years old, Oztech quickly identified a number of opportunities across the two towers, and set about implementing changes to the building operation. The main focus was to reduce the energy consumption of the air conditioning systems in three key areas: 3 reduce floor air handling unit (AHU) fan speeds by dynamically resetting the pressure setpoints based on variable air volume (VAV) demand 3 improve the chilled water plant operation through more effective use of the existing chillers 3 reduce the reliance on electric trim heaters on the floors by improving the morning warm-up cycle, and making better use of the gas-fired boilers. The outcome exceeded the expectations of the stakeholders, and was achieved without the need for any major capital works investment. During the first 12 months, the improvements resulted in a base building energy reduction of approximately 20 per cent, a restoration of a 4 star NABERS rating, and a significant improvement in tenant satisfaction surveys during the same period. This has resulted in the costs of the remedial and energy improvement works being recouped within the first six months of the scheme being implemented.

Building Management and Control Systems Energy Management Software Energy Audits Maintenance

Over 30 years of continued service in the Australian Building Automation industry. Oztech has been providing Australian-made and -designed Building Automation Solutions Australia-wide for more than 28 years. We take a customised approach to each of our projects, regardless of their size and scale. Our systems are fully customisable, resulting in Oztech having one of the most diverse BMCS portfolios in the industry, ranging from 40,000 metres squared plus commercial buildings to ASX data centres, retail shopping centres to leagues clubs, CSIRO pollution test facilities to the National Measurement Research Laboratories.

www.oztech.com.au

| BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING

BIM AND FM IMPLEMENTATION: KEY STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS BY CHRIS NEEDHAM, PROJECT INFORMATION MANAGER AND BIM LEAD, AECOM Owners and constructors around the world are increasingly embracing building information modelling (BIM) and similar methodologies – for example, virtual design and construction (VDC) – to capture and leverage valuable information created through design and construction.

or facilities management, the use of BIM heralds much opportunity, but capitalising on this opportunity requires a substantial effort, and much more than just making better use of the technology itself. Research shows that owners who engage the most are the ones who benefit the most. Institutional clients in the health, defence and educational sectors, as well as infrastructure owners/operators, tend to have a long view on benefits in that they are not confined merely to the design and construction phases of a project.

A plethora of information on the benefits of BIM is available on the internet; yet, in Australia, facility owners and operators have been relatively slow to embrace it. While the technical ability to achieve real benefits is quite tangible, there remain many contractual, behavioural and organisational obstacles to overcome. For example, many facility owners don’t possess a good degree of control over their information, resulting in some of it being uncontrolled, duplicated, incomplete, unreliable and, ultimately, not able to function as a high-value asset. ‘Starting with the end in mind’ is something of a BIM mantra, and this is never truer than when seeking to align upstream processes with downstream outcomes. Knowing what information can and will be used, how, when and by whom, is key to establishing information requirements that can be accommodated by project teams.

BIM implementation context The Government of the United Kingdom has mandated ‘Collaborative 3D BIM’ (with all project and asset information, documentation

Figure 1: United Kingdom BIM Maturity Model

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and data being electronic) from 2016 onwards, targeting a 33 per cent reduction in initial cost of construction and a whole-of-life cost of built assets; a 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment; and a 50 per cent reduction in overall time from inception to completion for both new build and refurbished assets. A framework for the progression has been established, which describes BIM in various ‘levels’, as shown in the United Kingdom BIM Maturity Model (also known as the ‘BIM Wedge’ – see Figure 1). As instruments to facilitate this, the United Kingdom BIM Task Group has developed a number of Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) documents – the intent being that they will eventually ‘mature’ into International Standards. Of particular interest are PAS 1192 parts 2, 3 and 4, which relate directly to the capital, operational and Employer’s Information Requirements (EIRs) respectively. Notably, the EIRs are seen as the key instrument through which owners can communicate their needs to project teams, and, in turn, hold them to account. The relationship between the various components in Figure 1 is described in Figure 2 over the page. The reality of this is that, for the most part, only large clients are likely to face this level of apparent complexity; however, the model is still useful for smaller organisations – the application of it is just more straightforward. In Australia, despite the absence of a federal government mandate for BIM, a number of key governmental and private organisations – including the Department of Defence, various state-based health and transport departments, and multiple universities, commercial property owners,

BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING |

airports, and other public entities – have begun to require the use of BIM on their capital projects. Most realise that the most significant benefit lies within the operational phase of a project, but in order to realise these benefits, standards and upstream processes need to be established first.

Next steps toward implementation A change of this nature (implementing improved information management practices

– as BIM or as any other label) is no short or easy exercise, and usually requires both a top-down and a bottom-up change effort. The most important questions to address in relation to any change (such as implementing BIM as an owner/operator) are: 33 Why are you pursuing the change? (What do you expect or want to achieve as a result?) 33 Do you have the buy-in from others needed to succeed? (Is there a sense

of urgency about the change, and do others support the new direction?) For a facility owner, there are two ‘streams’ of change to address: the first being organisational, and the second being project-specific. The items in Figure 3 are not listed in any particular sequence, and it should be noted that there are overlaps and relationships between them that should be navigated appropriately.

Summary

Figure 2: Overview of how an organisation can approach the development of its requirements and how it relates to the Asset Information Model, PAS 1192:3 and PAS 1192:2

Enterprise/organisational information focus

Project information focus

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Organisation-level Information Requirements (OIRs), in response to how the organisation/enterprise operates (with reference to its vision, values, strategic objectives et cetera, as per the facility owner’s Strategic Plan) Review/optimisation of the organisation’s Asset Management Strategy (for example PAS 55 or ISO 55000), including documentation/ review of the life cycle of those assets leading to establishment of the Asset Information Requirements (AIRs) Organisation-level success/performance metrics for the change Organisation-level communications Organisation-level information technology (IT) requirements (hardware/software/network) and systems integration (for example, with IWMS, ERP, GIS) Organisation-level document infrastructure, such as guides, policies, standards, protocols, templates, workflows/processes

• • • • • • • • •

Procurement methodology (considering impact of contractual relationships on project outcomes) Minimum (BIM) requirements (typically model-centric) Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) Legal implications (risk, insurance, liability/indemnity, intellectual property) Project management plans and execution plans Applications (uses) of BIM Project-level communications Project-level document infrastructure, such as guides, policies, standards, protocols, templates and workflows/ processes Project-level success/performance metrics Project-level Information Requirements (EIRs), incorporating: »» project-level technology requirements »» information security requirements »» resourcing: capability/maturity of project teams (consultants, contractors, subcontractors, and maintenance contractors), defining project roles and responsibilities et cetera »» project-level information management protocols (comprising but not limited to collection, custodianship, integration, exchange, validation and commissioning (models and data – both new and existing))

Embarking on something new can be daunting. The trend to want more for less is manifest in expectations placed on project teams, but it should also be acknowledged by the owner/operator that the greatest opportunity to yield benefits from BIM for FM resides within their own organisations – in how they manage their information. Looking closely at pioneering efforts in this space reveals insights into how other organisations can follow. It pays to identify which work already undertaken best matches one’s needs, and then use these examples as a key reference for change going forward. Becoming ‘info savvy’ as a facility owner won’t be a simple or an easy transition, but it does stand to create significant improvements across the life cycle of new and existing facilities.

Chris Needham is a consultant for AECOM’s BIM Advisory group. He works with facility owners of various types to help them gain and leverage better control over their information. He is also Chair of the Australasian Revit Technology Conference (www.rtcevents.com), an event dedicated to development of bestpractice technology use within the AECO/FM industry. Email: chris.needham@aecom.com chris.needham@rtcevents.com Twitter: @ChrisJNeedham LinkedIn: au.linkedin.com/in/ christopherneedham

Figure 3

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

| BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING

BIM IN FM – THE REAL DEAL BY JASON LILIENSTEIN, CEO, ZUUSE The current landscape

uilding information modelling is a 3D-model based concept that provides a shared knowledge resource linked to a 3D representation of a facility. With a proven return on investment in the design and construction phase, it has revolutionised the way that buildings and other assets are constructed, aptly summed up by the old adage ‘measure twice, cut once’. While it’s true that BIM is increasingly being used during the design and construction phases of the asset life cycle, the adoption of BIM in facilities management (FM) is largely still in its infancy. Despite the glitz and glamour associated with the front end of a project (design and construct), 70 to 85 per cent of total life cycle costs are incurred during the FM phase; yet FM budgets are always getting trimmed, and FM personnel pushed to do more with less. Facilities management often relies on paper-based, manual processes. Much work is performed in an ad hoc and non-systemised manner, driving reactive, rather than proactive, behaviour. There is often no connection between information gathered during design and construction, and information used in managing assets – this is often lost or discarded. Considering that a building’s life cycle is usually modelled over 65 years, it is no surprise that owners and operators are saying ‘there has to be a better way’. 3D BIM, however, is fast becoming the Holy Grail in space, facilities and asset management, promising unparalleled power in operating buildings and infrastructure. There is a huge stable of existing facilities that could benefit from BIM, but, with no obvious way to break into the 3D world, building owners and operators are left with only traditional options to operate their assets. Despite this, the current BIM for FM landscape in the Australian/New Zealand marketplace could be described as patchy –

there are some owners and operators seeing the benefits and moving to adopt, while others remain indifferent. There remains uncertainty around the real benefits that BIM provides, along with affordability and ROI. There are a number of asset owners and operators currently moving ahead with BIM in FM projects. One is the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA), which recently implemented a 3D BIM solution for the ongoing operation and maintenance of the Pyrmont Bridge in Sydney, Australia.

BIM in FM benefits While the specific needs of asset owners and operators differ, three reasons for the adoption of BIM in FM include: 1. 3D-based central data store – a 3D model provides intuitive visual context for locating objects, and associated documents and data, quickly and easily. Vital information linked to the model is always on hand in emergency corrective or preventative maintenance situations, or on other ad hoc occasions – all in the one location, accessible on any device, including mobile devices in the field. This means less downtime, reduced costs and minimal time wasted looking for plant/equipment in the field. 2. Time, labour and replacement part costs – reducing time, labour and the

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

replacement part costs by performing required maintenance activities more efficiently, including accessing the required information to carry out those services. As an example, the cost of handling a work order at a facility has reduced from $129 to $13. Based on an average of 80 work orders per day, this equates to a saving of more than $2 million per annum. 3. Energy costs and sustainability – BIM in FM extends to addressing issues around operating the existing built environment much more efficiently and sustainably. By optimising the operation of building systems and analysing a number of different data sets, an enterprise can reduce energy usage and drive down costs.

Rolling out a BIM in FM solution in practice So that all sounds good in theory. But in a practical sense, how does one get the BIM ball rolling? First and foremost, user requirements must be clearly understood. What are the burning issues that the asset management and FM teams are facing day to day? For instance, a common problem for many asset and facility management trade staffs is the requirement to perform maintenance

Pyrmont Bridge

BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING |

activities with limited or no information on the relevant asset. This may include what prior maintenance has been carried out, when was it carried out, what condition various parts of the asset were in, what parts were replaced and whether they were under warranty or not, and how the relevant part appeared visually. This is critical information, yet it is usually kept in other corporate systems or spreadsheets, and is not readily accessible by the personnel that need it the most – the trade staff on the tools. 3D BIM technology solutions can solve these problems by allowing simple access to all asset information, as well as a 3D model, in the field from a mobile device. Secondly, it’s important to have an internal champion who is tasked with owning and driving the new BIM solution. He or she must be empowered to push change through the organisation at all levels. Technology is only one part of the equation – changing accompanying systems and processes is just as important. Buy-in from all participants is key. Next, it’s important to select an experienced technology partner to provide the appropriate software, implementation and ongoing support. Sorting through the maze of software providers out there, and all of the marketing spin, can be a bit confusing, so it is important to have clear user requirements. Ask each potential provider how it proposes to deal with each of your user requirement cases, and ensure that they show you how the software application would work in each of the scenarios. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – there is no such thing as a silly question. Choosing a solution that offers flexible architecture – not tying your organisation to a particular proprietary product or file type – is important. Further, consider the other core FM functions (for example, operations and maintenance manuals, work order processing, scheduled maintenance provisioning, condition assessments) that would benefit from being part of the one system, including 3D models on the front end. Next, ensure that the timing around implementing the new BIM solution is appropriate in the context of the ongoing commitments of an organisation. There needs to be focus from the internal teams. Of particular importance is training and ongoing education. Many of the users in an FM context are unlikely to be tech-savvy, so it is well worthwhile spending a large

amount of effort ‘demystifying’ BIM and ‘selling’ the everyday issues that the solution will bring to the trade staff and others.

What if a 3D model does not exist? It is possible to move to a BIM in FM solution for existing assets that may not have a 3D model, and that have limited information. Incorporating BIM in FM doesn’t necessarily mean that you require fully detailed, as-built (LOD500) 3D models that are time-intensive and, consequently, expensive to produce. There are solutions that provide a pathway into 3D by breaking down the level of detail required into manageable, cost-effective stages, combined with a fully functional solution that operates equally with a basic model through to a fully modelled facility.

the SHFA team to visualise, analyse and report on the results immediately, as well as seamlessly rolling key data into their maintenance and capital programs. It is expected that efficiencies will also be gained around handling heritagelisting issues. With the higher quality of information available, all in one location and instantly accessible, better-quality, faster decision-making should ensue. Which parts of the bridge are heritage-listed? Can I do maintenance work on that bollard immediately, or is it heritage-listed and a permit is required? While the full potential of the technology is yet to be reached, the objective of prolonging the operating life of the bridge and driving down the ongoing operating costs is within sight.

Case study: bridging the technology gap The Pyrmont Bridge is one of the world’s oldest electrically operated swing-span bridges, traversing Darling Harbour, Sydney. The heritage-listed ironbark and steel bridge was opened in 1902 and has been a major Sydney landmark ever since, with more than five million pedestrians crossing the bridge each year. In a bid to more effectively and efficiently manage the inspection, maintenance and remedial work of the more than 7500 structural components that make up the Pyrmont Bridge, SHFA sought a 3D-based BIM solution to supersede manual, paperbased processes. SHFA selected Zuuse, an Australianowned 3D BIM technology provider. SHFA enlisted Zuuse; GHD to create a 3D model; and John Mitchell, an experienced BIM advisor, to make the plan a reality. Mobility in the field, 3D visualisation, a single point of truth for data storage, digital work order processing and intuitive reporting were critical components for the solution sought. Using Zuuse Capture – a mobile inspection app on iPads – configured to the requirements specified by SHFA and the NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) guidelines, the RMS inspectors were able to inspect and capture details of more than 8000 bridge elements digitally, with the data being synced to a database linked to the relevant objects in the 3D model. This provided immediate efficiencies around data capture, storage and retrieval, allowing

Pyrmont Bridge 3D model highlighting structural components in Zuuse software with iPad mini used for the bridge inspection

Pyrmont Bridge photo merged with 3D model of the bridge

For more information on anything within this article, please visit www.zuuse.com/SHFA. Jason Lilienstein is Zuuse’s CEO, responsible for setting Zuuse’s strategic and operational goals and business plans, and for planning, directing, coordinating and controlling operations. His grounding and expertise make him a driving force behind Zuuse transforming traditional BIM applications into a complete asset life cycle solution using 3D visualisation, mobility and data optimisation.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

| CASE STUDY

IT’S WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE THAT COUNTS Much has been said about the appearance of the University of Technology Sydney’s (UTS) new business school, the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building. The facility, famously designed by brilliant and controversial American architect Frank Gehry, is undoubtedly unique in its design, with its multi-curved, brick-andglass façade. Opinions about its aesthetics are many, ranging from lambasting it as ‘bad Gaudi’ and ‘a rain-sodden clump of cardboard cartons’ to ‘sculpturally exciting’, ‘a work of art,’ and ‘the most beautiful squashed brown paper bag I’ve ever seen’ (the latter said by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove at the building’s opening).

ut isn’t judging a building on its outer appearance akin to judging a person’s merit on their beauty, or, to use an old idiom, judging a book by its cover? Facility Perspectives spoke to some of the team members involved in the design, construction and operation of the facility, and learnt that behind the striking façade of the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building is a painstakingly thought-out educational facility that delivers on its promises as a sustainable learning hub for UTS’s business students. Brian Moore, Executive Project Manager for the building, is adamant that there’s too much attention given to the look of the facility, and not enough discussion of what the building offers to the academic community. ‘People look at it and they create their own story,’ says Moore. ‘Some of the criticism of the design of the building that occurred in the press was from people who’d never walked into the building, so that’s just ludicrous.’ Moore explains how the functions of the internal spaces were the starting point for the design. ‘The building was designed from the inside out,’ he says. ‘In Gehry’s office, he then draped fabric over the block model of the shapes that were generated by the functions that were going on inside the building, and that developed this unusual style of façade. But in reality, it’s designed functionally, internally, as a teaching and

academic office space building.’ Pointing out the various spaces available to students and teaching staff, including breakout and meeting spaces where building occupants can congregate and discuss their work and ideas, Moore insists that the number one priority of the building is to perform in a way that facilitates learning, and that the occupants are happy with being in the building day to day. There were a couple of concerns about the size and configuration of the new offices when it came to staff and students adjusting, says Moore. ‘We actually thought that we’d get a little bit of pushback, because the actual square metreage of each of the individual academic offices is a little smaller than the building that they came out of – because office sizes are coming down from the extravagance of the past.’ There was also concern that staff members who were allocated internal offices might be put off by not having access to the perimeter, and the natural light it affords. ‘In fact, we’ve had no complaints about the office space, the functioning of the building, how it works – everyone enjoys the lightness inside. Every office has a corridor light directly over the door, so you get this flood of light. They’re not unpleasant spaces by any stretch; the internal spaces are very bright.’

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

CASE STUDY |

Danielle McCartney, Manager of Sustainability at UTS, reiterates Moore’s observation that building occupants are very happy with the internal spaces of the building. ‘Staff and students enjoy the large volumes of natural daylighting that filter through the building’s curtain wall and windows. The window boxes in the academic offices have wide sills that staff have been using as reading spaces as well as for book storage. There are also several visible internal staircases that connect people and departments, as well as reducing lift energy use and improving health and wellbeing. There are also bottle refill stations on every floor.’ Aside from its look, another criticism of a building of such ambitious design is that the complexity of the construction necessarily means greater time and cost issues. Not so, says Moore. ‘While it looks very organic and quite free-flowing, the building is absolutely dimensioned to the nth degree, and that enabled the manufacturing to be a very smooth and simplistic process. There were no hiccups; this was no more complex to build in the dimensional sense than a conventional, straight up and down building,’ he says. The project uses a 3D model for its dimensional control, whereas all other buildings in Australia that use a 3D model still take their dimensional control from the 2D documentation. Incorporating the dimensions into a 3D model means that the model can be given to a manufacturer, all of the dimensional controls can be obtained from that the model, and with such a complex building, it removes the potential for error when translating

dimensions between a 2D print-out and a 3D model. Moore says, ‘The builder, when they were doing this, thought, “Wow, this is going to be so difficult!” But in fact, when they embraced the 3D model they saw the advantages; for example, there was an edge detail to the slab design that required an angle at the top and bottom of the edge form, so that the substrate panels, either for the brick or where fixing brackets for the curtain wall were required, would fix to these angles,’ says Moore. ‘The brackets were in approximately twometre lengths, constructed to the curves in the 3D model, and the surveyor simply went around and placed dots on the formwork where the end of each one of these two-metre lengths would sit in place so when the edge forms arrived on site, placement was quick and easy.’ This resulted in a very efficient and difficulty-free construction period, says Moore. What’s more, the structure was finished six weeks earlier than a conventional building would have been. ‘It was unusual in that the complexity in the difference of every floor plate turned out to be absolutely a non-existent problem,’ says Moore. ‘People say, “This is so unusual, it must be so expensive!” No. It’s just that you’ve got to acknowledge how you deal with it, and then it’s that sort of innovation that allows the unconventional to become extremely conventional.’ Along with its academic purpose, the building was also designed and constructed with sustainability front of mind. McCartney says, ‘The Dr Chau Chak Wing building was targeting a 5 Star Green Star Design rating from the outset. This decision was part of a wider university strategy to

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

| CASE STUDY

achieve minimum 5 Star ratings for any new building, so sustainability was fully integrated into the Dr Chau Chak Wing design, materials and technology from the beginning.’ Again, given the unique design, questions are raised about the challenges that were met with regard to implementing sustainability. ‘Yes, there were some challenges,’ says McCartney. ‘The 320,000 bricks were sourced locally from Bowral. The extensive curtain wall consists of insulated doubleglazing with solar control and low emissivity coatings. Adjustable blinds minimise glare. Gehry Partners has preferred solid timber and veneers that they use for their many United States projects; these are mainly from North America, so [we selected] species that were similar in look but were from certified sustainable sources more local to Australia, such as Victorian ash, hoop pine and radiata pine. ‘The indoor environment quality is enhanced through the selection of materials, furniture, flooring, paints, adhesives and sealants, and carpet with zero or low volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and use of composite wood products with zero or low formaldehyde content, which improves the indoor air quality as well as the learning capabilities of UTS students. The green terraces are also well used!’ With regard to air conditioning and lighting – two of the most energy-hungry services in a building – the Dr Chau Chak Wing building has energy efficiency front of mind. ‘Every office has a sensor that identifies the occupation of the office. If the office isn’t occupied, the air conditioning will be in sleeper mode providing a continuous flow of fresh air so the office isn’t stale, but when the office becomes occupied, the air conditioning kicks in and the temperature controls all start to operate to bring that office to the appropriate comfort conditions,’ says Moore.

‘The problem with university buildings is that they’re primarily occupied through semesters, and then you’ve got semester breaks and Christmas breaks, so you’ve got periods where academics do a lot of research and they’re away at various times. This means that you’ll have offices that are not occupied for many parts of the year, you’ll have offices that are occupied every day, you’ll have offices that are occupied only through semesters, and you’ve got other offices with people engaged in different types of research that bring them in through semester breaks and partly through the semester term. It’s not like a conventional workplace where everyone works from 8 am until 6 pm or 7 pm, where you know the people are going to be in the building at that time five days a week. You don’t have that luxury of time management in a university building, so the systems that have been designed and incorporated into the building respond to that. ‘The building management system is quite sophisticated, and all of these factors read back to that, and it then controls the air conditioner and lighting systems through the building.’ When it comes to educating building occupants about the sustainable features of the facility, UTS has implemented an innovative method of transmitting information. ‘We have installed digital screens in the public areas of the building, with a scrolling display educating staff, students and visitors about the sustainability of features of the building. Two screens are linked to live energy performance data and rainwater use,’ McCartney says. Given that the building has only been operational for a few months, the data on energy efficiency is not yet available. ‘It’s still a little early to communicate performance outcomes,’ says McCartney. ‘We’re still fine-tuning the building’s HVAC, lighting et cetera for optimal operation and to meet building user needs.’

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

Finally, with regard to managing the building, Moore says that facilities managers don’t need to be any more concerned than they would otherwise be, just because of the complexity of design. ‘In effect, other than the way that things might be configured and put together, we’re still using conventional product; it’s just a question of how that conventional product has been used and put into the building that might differ slightly. ‘But you’ve still got the fan cooler unit, you’ve still got the filters to change, you’ve still got all of these things that you’ve got to deal with. From talking with our building management team, which is based in the building, about their day-to-day tasks, it still seems to be fairly conventional in terms of how they respond and relate to the building and any issues that staff members may have, so to that end, it doesn’t seem to have changed their lives much.’ Overall, the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building is a built-for-purpose facility that just happens to look unlike anything else on the Sydney skyline. And that should be the way that we approach new buildings, contends Moore. ‘If you go into the design management or the project management of a building like this, with a very inflexible approach, saying, “I’ve done this a thousand times before in conventional office buildings in the city and this isn’t how you do it,” then you will fail. But if you go into it saying, “Wow, this is interesting – we have different challenges,” and break it down simply into bite-sized chunks that you can deal with, you actually find that it’s not removed from the conventional at all, it’s just a different way of doing it. A different mindset has designed the building, and if you understand that mindset and respond to it, you get a great synergy between the construction team, the management team and the design team. ‘Your mind has to be as flexible the building.’ ALL IMAGES © ANDREW WORSSAM

SPONSORED ARTICLE

Codelocks pioneers new technology for digital locks

oday, thanks to advances in technology, the choice and capability of electronic digital locks has never been so great. One manufacturer in particular stands out as a pioneer in this field. Codelocks has released a series of advanced keyless locks that make it easy for facilities managers to integrate, automate and control access inside buildings. By changing the way digital locks are programmed and managed, the company has made the locks more convenient to use on a large scale. For example, where most electronic digital locks require the access codes to be programmed via the keypad, Codelocks has introduced a lock that is programmed via a PC, using software to manage the access codes. Another innovation from Codelocks is remote programming. This feature allows facilities managers to issue access codes to digital cabinet locks from a remote location. This might be useful, for example, where access is required to machinery or equipment locked inside cabinets or enclosures, so that authorised personnel can gain access unaccompanied. This year, Codelocks will introduce new ways to program digital locks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including Near Field Communication (NFC) using smart phones or dedicated handsets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; again adding to their usability and breadth of application.

To hear about new product announcements from Codelocks, sign up to their newsletter at www.codelocks.com.au.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES| |VOLUME VOLUME9 9 NUMBER NUMBER 22 FACILITY PERSPECTIVES

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| MAINTENANCE + ESSENTIAL SERVICES

DON’T SWEEP IT UNDER THE RUG BY ROBERT HORTLE, DIRECTOR – SMALL BUSINESS STRATEGY AND CAMPAIGNS, FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN

The Fair Work Ombudsman – cleaning up Australia’s employment relationships

t the Fair Work Ombudsman, we know that managing workplace relationships can present many unique challenges for small business; however, like cleaning, regular maintenance and upkeep of these relationships can prevent you from being faced with a big mess further down the track. Our vision is to support Australian workplaces – to provide practical workplace relations advice and assistance that you can rely on. By taking this approach, we can help you and your employees to better understand the workplace relations system and make it easier for you to know what you’re required to do under law, and how to do it.

How do we do this? We recently released our Compliance and Enforcement Policy, which highlights the Fair Work Ombudsman’s commitment to reducing the cost of workplace disputes to businesses and individuals. The Policy flags a new focus on early intervention and compliance partnerships. It explains how different education and compliance tools are chosen, confirming our continued emphasis on moving towards education and information. In line with our Compliance and Enforcement Policy, we will continue to support business through our campaign activities, providing small business with an opportunity to engage with us and learn about our tools and resources, offering an opportunity to ‘health check’ their business’s compliance with workplace laws. Through our campaign activities, we are able to assist specific industries that we know need assistance, and to ensure that those workers who are experiencing vulnerability are receiving their correct entitlements. Our campaigns also provide an opportunity for industry and government to work together to better support small business. Working in partnership with relevant industry associations and unions to deliver our campaigns provides ‘real world’ knowledge, and supports our delivery on the ground.

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MAINTENANCE + ESSENTIAL SERVICES |

The contract cleaning industry has long been a focus of attention for the Fair Work Ombudsman, as we are mindful that the cleaning industry employs large numbers of young people and migrant workers who may experience vulnerability if they are not fully aware of their workplace rights. Over the years, this has prompted us to conduct a number of campaigns specific to the contract cleaning industry, aimed at education and compliance with the Cleaning Services Award 2010 and associated workplace laws. Our campaigns have focused on changing long-term behaviour in the industry by promoting the range of information, tools and resources available to help cleaning contractors understand, and comply with, workplace laws, including minimum pay rates for employees. During these audits, we found that more than half of all employers were meeting all of their workplace relations obligations. Where contraventions were identified, they most commonly related to ineffective record-keeping practices, underpayment of penalty rates, and failure to adhere to minimum shifts. These contraventions are caused by a greater issue within the industry; the common practice of paying workers a ‘market rate’ or ‘competitor rate’ of pay to remain competitive and secure cleaning contracts was found to be largely to blame. Cleaning contracts are awarded at prices so low that minimum wages are unable to be paid to workers. This issue is somewhat unique to the cleaning industry, and is discussed in more detail in the next section.

both the private and public sectors, and we are continuing to focus on this emerging problem and its far-reaching impact on Australian workplaces. One of the most important messages that we continue to deliver during our campaigns is that liability for noncompliance with workplace laws extends across a supply chain. Just because a company does not directly contract to have work performed does not mean that they can’t be held accountable for procurement decisions that result in underpayment of workers’ entitlements. As a business, you need to know that contracting out services at very low prices may result in employees throughout the supply chain missing out on basic rights like minimum wages. Choosing to engage contractors who quote very low prices without looking more closely and seeking information about how those prices are achieved can: 33 damage a business’s reputation and, ultimately, its brand 33 expose the company to financial penalties if workplace laws are breached. The Fair Work Act 2009 provides for what is known as accessorial liability, and the Fair Work Ombudsman uses this provision to hold individuals and companies to account. In circumstances where it is evident that an unfair advantage has been gained by turning a blind eye to obvious non-compliance and underpayment to workers elsewhere in the procurement chain, we will take action.

What does the future hold? To build upon this work, we will continue to work with the cleaning industry to help drive behavioural change that ensures that everyone in the industry meets their lawful obligations to their workforce. This involves continuing to work with the industry and key players in the supply chain to ensure that the harmful flow-on consequences of the competitive tendering and procurement processes for cleaners are addressed so that, in future, all contract prices are sufficient to allow contractors to meet minimum wage obligations for their employees. At the workplace level, we will continue to work with small business to ensure that both employers and employees are empowered to manage and resolve any workplace issues, and to achieve compliance with workplace laws.

Want more information? The Fair Work Ombudsman has a variety of tools, resources and services available through its website, fairwork.gov.au, and the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94. Accessing this support can make it easier and quicker to comply – giving you more time to focus on other areas of your business. Look out for our follow-up posts over the next few months, where we will give more information on the tools and services we offer, such as mediation. Read our recently released Compliance and Enforcement Policy. Watch our short video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tM9ZlY8phk.

About Robert Hortle So, what do we know about the cleaning services industry? As previously highlighted, we know that it employs a large number of people who, because of certain circumstances, might be more vulnerable to not receiving their full employee entitlements, including students and migrant workers. We also know that the cleaning services industry is characterised by layers of subcontracting, tight margins and competitive tendering processes. The issue of non-compliance with the Fair Work Act through procurement chains is a high priority for the Fair Work Ombudsman in

Robert Hortle is the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Director of Small Business Strategy and Campaigns. Robert and his team ensure that the needs of small business are understood and accounted for within the work of the Fair Work Ombudsman. The Campaigns work undertaken by Robert’s team also ensures that employers receive the appropriate support and assistance they need to help them meet their workplace relations obligations. The Fair Work Ombudsman provides a range of tailored educative tools and resources, including the Fair Work Handbook and an Online Learning Centre, and works closely with small business people to strengthen their workplace policies and procedures.

Email: robert.hortle@fwo.gov.au Web: www.fairwork.gov.au Fair Work Infoline: 13 13 94

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

SPONSORED ARTICLE

Airlite Group: cleaning and building support services

or more than 45 years, the Airlite Group has provided contract cleaning, specialist cleaning, hygiene services, building maintenance services and facility support services to the commercial, retail, industrial, hospitality and education sectors. With a reputation for delivering high-quality, customised, professional and efficient services, Airlite provides services to a diverse range of clientele, from property management companies, to private and corporate companies and government departments. Some of the clients serviced by Airlite Group include Novion, AMP, CBRE, JLL, Knight Frank and Colliers. Airlite’s team of experienced industry professionals ensures that services offered and provided are tailored to suit each client and site’s specific requirements, such as provision of a day cleaner or café cleaners, boardroom service, waste management services, energy management assistance, highsecurity area cleaning, provision of site-based maintenance operators, provision of concierge and customer service staff and a range of other specialist cleaning services. Airlite prides itself on its ability to deliver services that result in the very best outcome for each individual client.

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The group’s commitment to continual improvement, in line with industry best practices, also ensures that the quality services that are delivered consistently meet and exceed customers’ expectations. The combination of cleaning, hygiene, specialist and maintenance divisions provides a variety of ancillary services to offer facility and building support services. The Airlite team is available to assess job-specific requirements, and provide one-off or packaged solutions to ensure its clients’ service needs are addressed. Visit www.airlitegroup.com.au, or email general@airlitegroup.com.au.

MAINTENANCE + ESSENTIAL SERVICES |

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION BY SOPHIE MASSIS, CMC PROPERTY SERVICES

‘For over eight years now, we have created and developed a bespoke CRM system called Electronic Customer Relationship Management (ECRM). Our ECRM has been the linchpin of our operations, allowing us to manage the flow of requests and work orders, auditing information and general communication from our customers.’ As technology has progressed, many facilities have embraced the use of mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablets. CMC has also done so, incorporating these devices into their ECRM system. In addition, CMC has developed a number of applications (apps) over the last three years, which gather data and images, and feed information back into the ECRM system to further enhance its processes.

Improving workflows through the use of technology and innovation can provide many benefits – to any business, in any industry.

echnology, and the effective use of it, in facilities management and soft services has allowed for increased efficiencies and greater productivity. A business that has embraced technology and successfully incorporated it into its workflows and day-to-day operations is CMC Property Services. The company has reinvented its operational model, using technology as the backbone, to achieve

efficiency and open communications with its customers, along with best practice. Chief Executive Officer Paul McCann says that embracing technology and innovation is not just about looking at the technology that’s available in the marketplace and haphazardly incorporating it into operations – for a facility to achieve the best results, technology should be researched and its implementation thoroughly planned. ‘For us, it is not just about using technology to make our lives easier. It is about taking a well thought-out approach in order to constantly review our processes and workflows, while incorporating technology to get a more effective and efficient output for our customers,’ McCann says.

CMC CEO Paul McCann

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

| MAINTENANCE + ESSENTIAL SERVICES

McCann says that a lot of companies use off-the-shelf apps to gather data, and collecting only static data, which is something that CMC was hesitant to do. ‘For us, collecting static data was not enough. We wanted to collect data and be able to use it to analyse patterns in our operations, and also to report back to our customers, all through our ECRM system,’ McCann says. ECRM is just one of the software systems that CMC uses in its operational workflow. The company’s financial system also gathers information on time and attendance of staff, consumable reporting and compliance. ‘We have made a conscious decision to use software systems that specialise in the requirements of each of our specific workflows. For example, our finance system is a specialist system that allows us to capture and operate our financials and HR functions along with compliance,’ McCann says.

‘The key for us was choosing the right systems that allow agility and change in our workflows, but that also integrate with the workflows of other functions of our company, such as ECRM and our customer reporting functions. ‘All software and applications that we have chosen work as specialists in their function, but fully integrate with other business software and functions, allowing us to see an overall picture. ‘This visibility of operations gives us the advantage of being better at efficiency analysis and allows for continuous business improvement. We are able to work with facilities managers to ensure that we deliver the service, but also the reporting that they require. We not only have the right tools to get the job done, we also have the tools to ensure we constantly review and do better.’

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

CMC Property Services CMC Property Services is a national commercial cleaning and property maintenance company. We are specialists in the cleaning and maintenance of offices, retail outlets, commercial buildings, multi-sites, and educational and aged care facilities. CMC is a provider of integrated property maintenance services, offering contract cleaning, maintenance services, carpet steam cleaning, professional window cleaning, graffiti removal and emergency property related services. For further information, contact Paul McCann on 0403 244 691 or at paulm@cmcservices.com.au.

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Isn’t it time you reduced your detergent use?

ew electrolysed water innovations from Orbio Technologies, a Tennant Company Group, are changing the world of cleaning. As a result, you can reduce – and even eliminate – the need for many conventional daily-use chemicals and detergents in a variety of applications. Using electricity and water to create sustainable and effective cleaning agents, the Orbio® 5000-Sc and ec-H2OTM technology can reduce the expense, risks and environmental footprint associated with detergent usage. The Orbio® 5000-Sc uses on-site generation (OSG) technology to generate Orbio Multi-Surface Cleaner, for use in spray-and-wipe applications, carpet extractors and scrubbers, and existing cleaning equipment. This multipurpose cleaning solution reacts with organic soils during the cleaning process, and is simply wiped away or disposed of down the drain. Multi-Surface Cleaner can be used anywhere you currently use an all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, or stainless-steel cleaner, as well as in carpet extractors and automatic floor-cleaning equipment. It is perfect for cleaning away dirt, dust and non-petroleum based oils.* Another innovative technology from Tennant is ec-H2OTM, a cleaning solution created onboard a Tennant scrubber. This technology uses only clean tap water, which passes through an oxygenation chamber and an electric charge, before being applied to the floor. This two-stage process converts the water into a cleaning solution, which effectively removes soil on the floor. Within 45 seconds, the charged water particles stabilise, and the water and soil are deposited in the recovery tank as

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

dirty water for safe and easy disposal. Real-world testing by customers and third-party organisations has shown that cleaning floors and surfaces with ec-H2O™, or with Orbio Multi-Surface Cleaner, effectively removes organic soils. By using electrolysed water, there is no chemical residue left behind, so your floors maintain a high polish and shine. The absence of chemical residue also reduces the slip and fall risk of people in your facility – in fact, both ec-H2OTM and Multi-Surface Cleaner have been certified by the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), to improve floor traction. The solutions created by these technologies are also odourless, and do not irritate the skin or eyes, making them ideal for sensitive environments. The use of ec-H2O™ or the 5000-Sc can significantly reduce the costs involved in buying, transporting, storing and disposing of chemicals. They can also help to simplify your cleaning processes and reduce the need for training, while reducing your environmental impact. *NOTE: ORBIO® 5000-SC AND EC-H2O™ SOLUTION IS NOT A SANITISER AND CANNOT BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR INFECTION-CONTROL CLEANING CHEMICALS.

Seeing is believing Contact us today for an on-site demonstration, and see our technologies work firsthand. Tennant Australia 1300 TENNANT marketing.au@tennantco.com

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

| MAINTENANCE + ESSENTIAL SERVICES

An extreme hailstorm followed by very heavy rain on Christmas Day 2011 in Melbourne caused significant damage to rooftop plant, and blocked gutters, resulting in extensive building leakage, internal damage and substantial business disruption

MANAGING RESILIENT BUILDINGS FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE BY BART TAYLOR, GENERAL MANAGER, A.G. COOMBS ADVISORY As the effects of climate change become more evident, it is apparent that facilities and their operations need to adapt. Built environments must become more resilient, and while designers are increasingly focused on this issue, facilities management also has a significant role to play in identifying and implementing the appropriate changes to existing building infrastructure and management practices.

ncreased incidence of extreme storm events, rising temperatures, estuarine flooding, sea level rise and storm surges, and even smoke from bushfires, are some of the obvious direct impacts. These events can also lead to the increased likelihood of serious disruptions in the provision of energy, water, telecommunications, waste and transport utilities, further affecting buildings and their occupants. To produce improved facility resilience, an objective identification of the possible impacts and their likelihood, and subsequent impact to the facility and its operation, should be followed by the development of an appropriate plan for both enhancements to the building and its systems, and the establishment of business continuity plans for operation and management.

Objectives: at the outset, it is important to have a clear definition of the objectives of the exercise. The safety of the facility’s occupants is usually the prime concern, followed by some level of ‘essential’ business continuity. Compliance with legal obligations is also a basic requirement. Potential events: direct events can include the potential for storm damage and building leakage, localised flooding due to overwhelmed stormwater systems, extraordinary estuarine flooding or coastal storm surges, and extended periods of extraordinary heat. In some facilities, the impact of smoke from large bushfires or dust from extreme dust storms may be a concern. Events caused by failure of external infrastructure can include prolonged electrical power, gas, water and even sewage disruption; while telecommunication failures may affect continued on page 64

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

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s we move towards the cooler months, and heating requirements increase in southern Australia, older windows are costing you in more ways than one. The type of glazing that your building has could be either saving or costing a lot of energy and money. Research indicates that while windows only account for approximately eight per cent of the total building envelope, they account for approximately 60 per cent of unwanted heat loss in the cooler months and 91 per cent of heat gain in summer. Installing thermally efficient glass products can dramatically reduce energy consumption, and create a far more comfortable internal environment. Two glass products that can help achieve this are low-e glass and double glazing. Low-e glass improves a window’s insulation in a single sheet of glass. Its transparent and durable coating directs heat back towards its source. Insulated glass units (IGUs), more commonly known as double glazing, use a second layer of glass to form an insulating barrier. The IGU is a factory-sealed unit, which is assembled into a window in basically the same way as any other piece of glass. IGUs can utilise low-e glass products to create some of most thermally efficient glass products available today. IGUs are usually thicker and heavier than regular windows, and a qualified glazier will be able to notify you of correct frame requirements. By understanding the heating and cooling needs of your building, you can determine your individual window-glazing requirements. Replacing current glass with thermally efficient glass products can dramatically reduce your energy usage, and create a far more comfortable internal environment. The best part is, these energy-efficient glass products continue to work for the life of the building.

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continued from page 62

landline, mobile and data services. Transport failure, whether that of the road system or public networks, is also a consideration. Impacts and risks: scenario planning can be used to ascertain the possible impacts on the facility from the identified events, as well as their likelihood and the consequent assessment of risk. Judgement can be applied to determine the level of investment and preparation that may be prudent to address the perceived risk to the building, the business operations therein, and the occupants. For example, higher likelihood of extreme rain or hail events can increase the risk of localised flooding or building leakage; increasing incidence of high-temperature days may compromise the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to maintain internal

temperatures; and prolonged electricity supply failure will deem buildings requiring mechanical ventilation uninhabitable. Building and system enhancements: what can be done to modify the building and its systems to reduce the impact of events deemed to be tangible? Bunding and stormwater diversion works to protect infrastructure such as substations and switchboards; review of and modification to guttering; protection of storm-exposed rooftop plant; review of mechanical plant capacity and its controls to address consecutive hightemperature days; and alternative ventilation strategies, where possible, can reduce the impact of weather events.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

Facility management and operation: the management of the facility, in pre-empting and preparing for an event, and during and immediately after an event, is critical. Preestablishing, aligning and communicating situation management and response protocols to stakeholders, including facility occupants and service providers; agreeing event and post-event communications arrangements; and immediate physical response plans and post-event plans are all important elements in successfully achieving a more resilient facility. Remember that for this planning to remain effective, it will require regular review and communication to ensure that arrangements remain in place and up to date.

MAINTENANCE + ESSENTIAL SERVICES |

TENDING TO THE TURF AT ROYAL RANDWICK RACECOURSE BY GREG PUCKERIDGE, RACECOURSE MANAGER, ROYAL RANDWICK RACECOURSE, PROGRAMMED TURNPOINT Programmed Turnpoint holds the outsourced maintenance contract with the Australian Turf Club at Royal Randwick and Warwick Farm Racecourses, and currently operates with 50 staff members ensuring that both of these facilities are maintained at the highest level. The staff consists of greenkeepers, horticulturists, irrigation technicians, mechanical workshop managers, track hands, gardeners, apprentices and an office assistant.

Image 1: Thatch accumulation is found above the sand profile and below the green verdure

ollowing the 2014 Spring Carnival, Royal Randwick Racecourse commenced annual track renovations. These renovations are essential to ensuring good plant health throughout the year. An aggressive annual renovation removes large quantities of grass, thatch and organic matter mechanically by the use of specific turf renovation equipment. If the racetrack were left untreated and not renovated, excess organic matter, or thatch, would continue to build year after year, resulting in countless issues with the racing surface. Ultimately, if left untreated, it would cause the plant to fail and not be able to withstand horse hoof damage, and the recovery processes of this damage would be limited.

Image 1 shows the amount of organic matter that accumulates very rapidly throughout a growing season. This excess organic matter inhibits water movement into the sand profile, remains wetter than the sand below, is difficult to re-wet if dry, inhibits drying of the sand below, and harbours pests and diseases, which, combined, are all very detrimental to good turf quality racing surfaces. What the processes in images 2 and 3 have done is remove the green leaf of the plant, without reducing any of the organic matter component in the profile. Thatch is a tightly intermingled layer of living and dead stems, leaves and roots that accumulates between the layer of actively growing grass and soil beneath.

Image 2: Course proper mown down from 75 millimetres to 25 millimetres

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Image 3: Grass vacuumed up and taken off site

Image 4: Scarification machine

Image 5: Double-cutting after scarification at 25 millimetres

Image 6: Verti-Drain hollow core machine

Thatch restricts the movement of air, water and fertiliser, all of which are necessary for healthy, vigorous turfgrass growth. Since thatch greatly restricts the permeability of air and water, the grass plants tend to root within the thatch layer in an attempt to obtain these resources easily. This limits the depth of the overall root system, its functionality processes and its anchoring ability, which results in the grassâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inability to withstand hundreds of horses running over it. The next mechanical process that is performed is scarification. A scarifying machine (see image 4) is used to cut deep down through the turfgrass profile using winged vertical cutting blades. These cutting blades slice deep into the sand profile, pulling with them the thatch, roots, stems and leaves of the turfgrass. This machine is the main piece of equipment that removes excess thatch and

organic matter rapidly. The scarified area of the track is then re-vacuumed. While the scarifying machine teases everything up and out of the grass pile, we then follow back through with our track mowers and cut the track twice, going in opposite directions (image 5). Doing this cuts the plant back down very short. The remaining cut grass is then blown off using a three-point linkage tractor-drawn air blower; this debris is blown to the edge of the track, and vacuumed again. This process results in a very clean finish of grass stubble and soil. The Verti-Drain hollow core machine (image 6) then runs over the track and pulls out 150-millimetre-deep by 15-millimetrewide holes, spaced every 65 square millimetres. These cores remove more organic matter and turn over the growing media to allow valuable air to diffuse in and out of the soil profile.

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A wide metal mat is then dragged over the entire surface, rubbing in the cores of soil, which acts like a topdressing, filling in any irregularities and levelling off the racing surface. Following this week-long procedure, the grass is under major stress, and the key focus is to alleviate the stresses immediately. This is done by applying water deeply into the soil profile; adding the required soil amendments, which are governed by soil laboratory results; applying the required liquid and granular fertilisers to aid fast recovery; and treating all insects and diseases prior to the onset of infection. The course proper racetrack takes anywhere from five to seven weeks to fully recover, depending on the environmental weather conditions received. Mowing of the track recommences the following week; the heights of cut will be raised and frequency of cut increased once the turf begins to strengthen and thicken.

MAINTENANCE + ESSENTIAL SERVICES |

Image 7: The course proper two weeks after the renovation process

Image 8: Royal Randwick Racecourse course proper autumn 2015

Greg Puckeridge My career began with Programmed two years ago, when Programmed acquired the Turnpoint Group. My current role is Racecourse Manager at Royal Randwick Racecourse. I really enjoy the horseracing industry, as it provides many unique and interesting experiences. My qualifications include greenkeeping, horticulture, irrigation, environmental management and a Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree in Agriculture (Turf Management) from the University of Sydney. At Randwick, our team is always striving for perfection, and our crew takes a lot of pride in its work and is a pleasure to manage and work alongside. I have continued to enjoy my work with Programmed since the acquisition of Turnpoint, as the transition has been very smooth.

Image 9: Plant displays in autumn 2015

This all-important seven-week renovation and grow-in process ensures that the following 10 months of racing for the Australian Turf Club and its stakeholders can be carried out on safe and consistent racing surfaces. We continue to monitor the soil and irrigation water quality throughout the year to ensure that all soil amendments are applied in the correct ratios to the racetrack. Our other major target each year is to have the racetrack in pristine condition come the Championships Carnival in autumn each year.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

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Painting their way to the top

orizon Coatings is a commercial painting contractor operating in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia. Well established, with accepted procedures for safety, quality and the environment, Horizon Coatings is able to offer a uniform mode of service across all of its business locations, and all of your business locations. Whether you work in regional New South Wales, Collins Street in Melbourne, the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, North Terrace in Adelaide, the nation’s capital, or all of these locations, Horizon Coatings provides the same service, the same commitment to safety and quality, and the same brilliant result for your property and business. It is the mission of Horizon Coatings to be a long-term provider of choice for painting and related services to customers who appreciate the balance between great value and great service. Key to the company’s mission is that they conduct their business fairly with all stakeholders, and deliver on all commitments that they make. In doing so, the company seeks a recurring and multifaceted relationship with customers, whereby the ethos upon which the company operates is appreciated and reciprocated. Horizon Coatings operates on an ethos that values relationships, integrity and safety. With a proven track record of working in the demanding hotel industry, Horizon Coatings is able to offer you premium quality outcomes, while remaining conscious of an increasingly competitive market. Horizon Coatings is the low-

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cost/high-value provider, and the company puts in the extra effort to understand the customer’s expectation. Horizon Coatings delivers on that expectation.

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| HOTELS

PERFECTLY ACCOMMODATING Inside Sydney’s 1888 Hotel

In Sydney, the unique 1888 Hotel takes its aesthetic theme from the heritage-listed building that it inhabits, and the surrounding Pyrmont precinct. At the turn of the 19th century, this building was at the heart of Australia’s thriving wool distribution trade.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES | VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2

HOTELS |

1888

Hotel is the oldest purpose-built woolstore remaining in Pyrmont, and the oldest remaining in New South Wales with a sawtooth roof. The building is stripped back to its raw glory from what was previously leased office space. Robust ironbark beams feature throughout, while rooms boast original exposed brick and bespoke workstations cut from timber that was part of the original interior. On the top floor, the original sawtooth roof has been retained. On the ground level, cut into the polished concrete floor, there are wooden floorboard paths indicating where the horses and carts would have entered the building (full of wool bales) and exited it (empty) on the other side. Also retained are the original sash windows and, on some of the windowsills, graffiti from last century can be read – generally the name and date of the person involved.

Everything the hotel does takes into account the history of the building; the paints used are heritage colours, and the local heritage is also reflected in the menu selection of wholesome meals and Australian wines, craft beers and spirits. The hotel is currently looking at improving the double glazing, and has asked Heritage Sydney to be actively involved so that it can retain the exceptional heritage aspects of the windows. The unique heritage features that require special attention are the roof and the walls; everything else is particularly solid. 1888 Hotel’s owners are aware of and celebrate the heritage of the building, so whatever repair needs to be made, it is always with a clear understanding of heritage responsibility. There is never a ‘one solution fits all’ approach, like those that may be found in newer properties – the solution is tailored to each challenge.

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| HOTELS

The historic features are offset by contemporary technology and style. 1888 Hotel provides guests access to any technological facilities they may need, as well as some that are less necessity than novelty, but are still indicative of the hotel’s desire to keep in step with the modern age – the hotel calls itself ‘The World’s First Instagram Hotel’; guests can post pictures in the hotel’s ‘Selfie Space’ on Instagram, and the images will then be featured on a digital screen at reception. Continuing this technological theme, innovative lighting and audiovisual solutions are incorporated into the design of the hotel. In rooms, the flat screens are boosted by the customised media hub, where guests can plug in their laptops or Bluetooth their portable devices to relax to their own tunes. In addition, there’s free wi-fi, and an in-room iPad offering air control, travellers’ apps and a suite of information about the hotel and local area. The Geddes Room is AV-equipped for intimate meetings, conference calls and events, while a user-friendly iPad at reception allows staff to curate music and

dimmable light settings in the public areas. The hotel aims to minimise its carbon footprint, and has invited the City of Sydney to monitor and assess its success. The City has found that water conservation and landfill minimisation is excellent at the property, which uses water flow moderators throughout the hotel, and separates all waste into glass, paper/cardboard and landfill. The hotel provides solutions for additional guest services that don’t fit inside the floor plan of the boutique property; hotel staff members manage the external laundry service, and overnight parking is available across the road, while gym, swim and day spa facilities are just a stroll away. Behind the scenes, back-of-house areas include the staff room, linen store for external servicing, communications and pump rooms, waste storage and the openplan office. The hotel general manager is on site, fronting a management team that covers reservations, housekeeping, maintenance, front office, and food and beverage. Maintenance is supported by key

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housekeeping staff members, who respond to ‘quick efforts’, keeping the maintenance manager focused on complex fixes and scheduled servicing. Condition monitoring, minor repairs and deep cleaning is kept in-house, while specialist contractors address preventative maintenance on critical systems. The hotel runs a system called Room Master, which is used to log issues, note when they were resolved, and identify if there is a systemic issue. It also uses a Samsung program for air conditioning and heating throughout the property. Reception is attended 24 hours, and a well-trained staff takes care of everything from arrivals and departures to room requests, concierge arrangements, transport advice, luggage storage and assistance, and reservations support. In July 2014, 1888 Hotel was bought by one of the world’s most respected boutique hoteliers – Ovolo Hotels. 1888 Hotel looks forward to its next chapter, as it prepares to roll out Ovolo’s signature ‘effortless living’ style for all guests.

evaporative coil, which was part of a chiller system. Initial maximum air flow was measuredSPONSORED at 1.1 metres perARTICLE second (m/s). A 500mL Right Air Gel tub was placed in the roof cavity adjacent to the filters was sprayed into the rear fans daily for 7 days.

Immediately the ‘mouldy smell’ had dissipated and by week 7, airflow had imp m/s.

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restricted as the mould regrew. Upon replenishing the Right Air Gel and spray treatment, airflow improved once again Refer chart below.

ight Air is an Australian tea-tree and lemongrass oil based product developed to provide a healthy air environment by inhibiting the growth of mould and yeast spores in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Case study: Darwin, Northern Territory A mouldy smell was identified throughout the rooms in a 230-room hotel that is part of a large hotel chain. ‘The combination of ‘Right Air Instant’ and ‘Right Air Gel’ will unblock your fan coils resulting in One room was established as a test case: an increase in air volume, it reduces maintenance costs and leaves the air conditioned spaces it had large clumps of mould growing through “The fresh. combination of 'Right Air and 'Right Air Gel' will unblock your f smelling I highly recommend it!’ Andy W –Instant' Maintenance Manager the evaporative coil, which was part of a increase in air volume, it reduces maintenance costs and leaves the air con chiller system. smelling fresh.I highly recommend it !!!” Andy W – Maintenance Manager airflow had improved by 120 per cent to 2.5 metres per second. Initial maximum air flow was measured at 1.1 metres per Once the Right Air Gel had completely dissipated second (m/s). (approximately 12 weeks), airflow was again restricted as A 500-millilitre Right Air Gel tub was placed in the roof the mould regrew. Upon replenishing the Right Air Gel and cavity adjacent to the filters, and Right Air Instant was spraying a Right Air Instant treatment, airflow improved sprayed into the rear fans daily for seven days. once again, as illustrated in the chart above. Immediately, the mouldy smell dissipated, and by week seven,

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Harris Mackay Maintenance Services: more than maintenance

n an industry ripe with companies offering maintenance services, there is one company that is not only rapidly gaining interest, but is also growing respect. Quality, efficiency and excellence are the cornerstones on which Harris Mackay Maintenance Services has built its business, and which has propelled it into becoming the maintenance company of choice Australia-wide. As the only company in Australia that has four International Organization for Standardization (ISO) accreditations – one for Quality 9001: 2008, two for safety 4801: 2006 and Occupational Health and Safety Standard (OHSAS) 18001: 2007, and one for Environmental management 14001: 2004 – Harris Mackay Maintenance Services has positioned itself as a maintenance company with a difference. Andrew Harris, Director of Harris Mackay Maintenance Services, says that the excellent service provided by his company is largely due to the high quality of its contractors. All of Harris Mackay’s contractors are highly skilled, reliable, licensed and fully insured. ‘It is only through the commitment of our contractors that we are able to provide a high level of service, and really be an essential part of our clients’ businesses,’ Harris says. ‘Together with our contractors, we go that extra step to ensure that our clients are happy with the service we provide.’ The company services both private and government sectors across Australia, including large corporations, such as Optus, that have joined their rapidly expanding clientele. Harris Mackay Maintenance Services was formed as a result of client demand. Its parent company, Harris Mackay Group, which specialises in the construction and fit-out

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sectors, has a 95 per cent repeat business rate. It was these repeat business clients that, unable to find quality maintenance services in the marketplace, approached Harris Mackay Group requesting a maintenance service that mirrored the excellence that they were receiving from the parent company. The success of Harris Mackay Maintenance Services lies in the wide range of services on offer: Mechanical services Harris Mackay Maintenance Services offers mechanical services, including maintenance to air-conditioning units, chillers, boilers, water treatment systems, mechanical switchboards and computer room cooling systems. All planned preventative maintenance schedules are tailored to meet clients’ specific needs, and a life cycle analysis recommends when it is most cost-effective to replace items rather than continue to perform repair work. Harris Mackay Maintenance also provides planned maintenance and works necessary for insurance and tenancy compliance. Essential services One of the most critical maintenance services provided by Harris Mackay is maintaining essential services for clients in accordance with legislation, strict codes of practice and building regulations. This includes fire safety compliance audits, determination of essential safety measures, as well as inspections and maintenance of fire and smoke doors, fire extinguishers, hoses, reels, fire hydrants, emergency exit signs and lighting.

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Business relocations – project management Relocating your business? Don’t know where to start? Let our experienced project managers carry the load.

lanning and project management are the most important aspects of a successful commercial relocation. Allied Pickfords’ team of highly skilled and experienced relocation Project Managers can help guide you through the daunting task of relocating your organisation. At the time of accepting your quotation to relocate with Allied Pickfords business relocations, a project manager is appointed to your relocation, contact with the appropriate client representative is made, an initial meeting is scheduled and the process begins. Following are the stages involved in the planning of your relocation.

Relocation planning and strategy – develop relocation plan and strategy 3 Manage project set-up. 3 Engage with each department unit to ensure that operational considerations have been factored into the move strategy. 3 Establish move structure with key stakeholders/move champions. 3 Identify strategic constraints/specialist requirements. 3 Consult with business units to determine the number of moves. 3 Identify items to be relocated, assist with the marking up of seating locations on floor plans and prepare the labelling process. 3 Manage discussions with relevant department managers/ move champions to establish access/egress and timing. 3 Liaise with the relevant IT managers to establish a procedure for the migration of computers and IT infrastructure.Present the final move plan to the client for approval and sign-off.

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Move preparation 3 Establish and implement a communication plan for staff. 3 Identify and brief move champions/key stakeholders. 3 Move preparation, monitoring and reporting. 3 Coordinate egress/access with building managers and security. 3 Amend the relocation plan where required. 3 Project meetings, including site protection plans and dilapidation reports. 3 Develop any contingency strategy that the client may require. 3 Confirm Allied Pickfords relocation staff and any specialist contractors. Move management 3 Final briefing with department managers/move champions. 3 Undertake site inductions and tool-box talks with the Allied Pickfords relocation crew. 3 Install site protection as per the site protection plan. 3 On-site monitoring during the relocation process. 3 Post-relocation site inspections and assistance, as required. 3 Provide removalist debrief to all Allied Pickfords crews and supervisors. 3 Prepare relocation report for the client. 3 Final debrief and presentation of post-relocation report with the client. If you are unsure of where to begin, please do not hesitate to call Allied Pickfords and let us carry the load.

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Relax – we carry the load

s your business relocating? Allied Pickfords is synonymous with business relocations management and corporate relocation services. We understand the wider issues, the need for careful planning, detailed project management and clear communication with your staff. Our experienced team takes total responsibility for your office or business relocations, leaving you to concentrate on the day-to-day tasks of running your organisation. The process of relocating is more complex than most people realise. Due to business relocations being a relatively infrequent event for most organisations, people underestimate the time involved and the actions required. When you relocate with Allied Pickfords, we dedicate an experienced business relocations project manager who is committed to your business relocations requirements. Our aim is to ensure a seamless and pain-free experience for both your organisation and, more importantly, your staff.

6. Eight reasons to choose Allied Pickfords’ business relocations: 1. Professional consultations – our friendly and professional business relocations consultants have the experience and expertise to cater to all your requirements. We’ll listen to you and work in partnership to ensure a successful business relocation for your organisation. 2. Pre-relocation planning assistance – you will be allocated

7. 8.

a business relocations project manager who will work with you to develop a detailed relocation schedule. Nothing is left to chance. From start to finish, your business relocation will run like clockwork. Specialist business relocation staff and equipment – as the best business relocations company in the industry, you can expect nothing less at every stage of your business relocation. Professional packing systems – our packing systems, procedures and equipment are a benchmark in the industry, all aimed at ensuring that your goods are protected to the highest standard through the duration of the relocation. Safeguard computer protection – your computers and peripherals are encased in anti-static, preformed computer covers, and are transported in enclosed computer trolleys. High security storage – Allied Pickfords’ safe and secure storage facilities are ideal for short- and long-term storage when undertaking a business relocation. Service – we’re there when you need us. Reliability and responsive service are what we have built our reputation on. Experience and expertise – leave your business relocation to the experts. We have experienced and welltrained staff who will have your business up and running with minimal disruption in the quickest possible time.

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79Y

| BUSINESS RELOCATION

WHEN BUSINESS RELOCATION WORKS The decision to move buildings shouldn’t be taken lightly – you first need to evaluate your current premises, and ascertain what is and isn’t working for you. It is usually cheaper and less stressful to remain in your current building, so companies that do undertake a move are generally compelled by good reasons.

ometimes, even if you are able to continue your current lease or renovate your building, the better option is still to move. If your current space is the wrong size or shape, or is not flexible relative to how your organisation works, a new office can improve efficiency, energise staff and allow for business expansion. Market conditions may also be a factor in your decision to move, so pay attention to the movements of the property market to ensure that your relocation is timed for optimal financial gain. If you’ve been in your building a long time, chances are your business doesn’t have the smallest environmental footprint on the block. Old buildings that have not been

retrofitted with modern, environmentally friendly components are costly for both your business and the environment, and present a great reason to relocate. Fujitsu Australia’s relocation to a 6 Star Green Star – Interiors v1.1 rated building in Melbourne’s Docklands is a case in point. The company saw carbon emissions and energy costs reduce by up to 65 per cent and absenteeism reduce by 42 per cent, as well as savings of 2.4 million litres of water each year through a recycling system. The building will continue to deliver these savings year after year for the lifetime of the fit-out. Moving to a greener building will also build your reputation as a company committed to sustainability. Today, a strong eco conscience is an important attribute of Australia’s most well respected businesses. Modern premises improve your brand image, which has all sorts of flow-on benefits for your business, including improving employee loyalty. Boosting employee satisfaction is, in itself, another important reason that businesses might choose to relocate. A fresh new office space will boost staff morale even if the actual work they’re undertaking is the same. Improved morale leads to improved productivity, and higher levels of employee

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loyalty and retention. Take care to involve your employees throughout the process, as such a big change can be unsettling as well as exciting. Keep staff up to date with the progress of the move, and provide a forum for them to air grievances and make suggestions for the move and the new office. You might also consider providing some car parking, where possible, as well as a bike parking area and showers to make the new commute as easy as possible for employees. Ask staff for feedback on the new premises once you have made the move – they will feel that their opinion is valuable to you, and you will an idea of how to optimise operations in the new space. Nurturing staff throughout the move and in the ‘honeymoon’ period in the new building is a vital part of any planned move. If you’re moving to accommodate for business expansion or a merge with another company, then nurturing your staff is even more important, as the change involves more than just physical surroundings. Relocating your business from one building to another is a time-consuming and costly exercise, but the benefits can be huge. Considering all your requirements, challenges, and options before committing to a move is the first step.

Sit And Breathe Easy With The Container Connection Revive your workplace atmosphere and set the stage for social spaces with our distinctively designed litter bins, planters and furniture. • Start conversations with inviting, well designed seating • Purify the air using strategically placed planters and greenery • Boost morale with fun, well designed communal spaces The Container Connection brings people and the environment together through smart design and function. Our products are manufactured using recyclable material, so you can sit and breathe easy.

ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE Our products can be manufactured in recycled material upon request. Our many clients are not only committed to recycling, but are excited that we can offer manufacturing from 100% recycled material.

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P : 03 9764 1080

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