K H A L E E J T I M E S | A DV E RT I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T
Integral discipline Facilities management serves as a crucial link between asset lifespan with better return on investment and reduced life cycle costs
Farhana Chowdhury
E
very organisation requires a proper balance of resources that helps it function smoothly and stand apart from the other. The link between infrastructure, space equilibrium and, of course, the environment and management, leaves a massive impact on the people and their workplace. Facilities management (FM), despite undervalued, is what provides a strong foothold that not only focuses on the business and its services but also takes part in other non-core aspects. As one of the fastest growing global industries, facilities management is estimated to be around $130 billion on its own while the addition of telecommunication and information technology raises the value to $260 billion annually. The practice is vital to the success of an organisation providing an efficient and safe working environment on a daily basis, in addition to reaching strategic and operational targets at a corporate level. With a melting pot of various departments ranging from specialist contractors and multi-service companies to in-house departments and groups offering design, build, finance and management, facilities management applies to a broader perspective and is not limited to assets, people skills and support services as it continues to expand. A crucial aspect of facilities
management is durability of asset lifespan that offers better return on investment through reduced life cycle costs. When it comes to return on investments (ROI), incorporating facilities management into a project design gives developers savings of 10 per cent and 30 per cent on investment and operation costs respectively. Proper maintenance of infrastructure through facilities management can save millions in cash every year, making it all the more reason to welcome the practice into daily life. The facilities management industry in the UAE remains strong mainly because of the country’s enormous development activities in the last several years. The UAE, as a country that has been rapid urbanisation in a mere span of four decades, has given rise to a number of projects that serve businesses and people from different walks of life. Keeping up with fluctuating trends, extending the lifeline of completed projects is currently under the spotlight alongside offering a spectrum of professionally managed facilities, which demonstrates the vital role facilities management plays in ever-changing environments such as real estate. It is now being treated as an investment option giving the market an opportunity for innovation. Partnering with experienced facilities management companies gives developers a competitive edge, in addition to increased cost benefits at reduced service charges. Sustainability and green
Power Group is a “Total Facilities Solutions “provider and all the services are done through our group companies which allow our customers to have following benefits* * * * * *
Experience a single point responsibility system prompting fastest response A comprehensive approach to strategic facilities planning aligning with business objective Best services within a fixed budget Exceptional safety and hygienic work environment State of the art services to maximize the efficiency of the business Sustainable Solutions leading to LEED and other Green Certifications
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First Cleaning Company to be awarded as Green First Cleaning Company to win DQA Appreciation Program First Security Company to Implement ASIS APC. 1- 2009 Security, reparedness and Continuity Management Systems First Pest Control Company to be certified for IMS certification-HSEQ First Pest Control Company to win DQA Appreciation Program First Landscaping Company to have Environmental Landscaping Solutions
Our FM services are not just about looking after buildings & their systems & equipment, but our service creates built-facilities to support the core function of your facilities. Our Facility management team understands how the buildings, built-facilities behave and function to support people in their work. PRIME BUSINESS CENTRE
AL NAEEM MALL
LIGHT COMMERCIAL TOWER
HORIZON TOWER
POWER INTERNATIONAL FACILITIES MANAGEMENT P.O. Box 30790, Dubai, U.A.E. Tel: 04 -2679000 Fax: 04-2676662 Mob: 056 -7682092 Website: www.powergroupintl.com
building regulations are increasingly emphasised by the UAE government, which in turn has been boosting a demand for facilities management services over all kinds of infrastructure and platforms. With the LEED (Leadership of Energy and Environmental Design) rating system in place, developers are slowly shifting towards the green path, following a directive laid down by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, that all new buildings must meet green standards, the facilities management sector has a massive role to play in supporting this vision.
Facilities management now benchmarks building data and uses the information to improve performance, cut down on carbon footprints and promotes best practices. Be it a big conglomerate or a small trade, benchmarking is an essential aspect with potential benefits. Facilities management benchmarking benefits include reduction of costs, earning a “green” title, identifying best practices, adding value to facilities, supporting the business, distinguishing strengths and weaknesses, keeping track of costs and practices as well as improving energy efficiency. — farhana@khaleejtimes.com
Facilities Management
khaleej times / ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
Invest in facilities management No organisation is too small to benefit from incorporating FM practices Facilities management (FM) is an ageold practice, which for many years has been undervalued simply because its importance to the organisation has not been understood. Facilities management encompasses multi-disciplinary activities within the built environment and the management of its impact upon people and the workplace. Effective facilities management that is structured, planned, organised and managed well is vital to the success of any organisation. On a day-to-day level it provides a safe and efficient working environment, which is essential to the performance of any business. The sector definition continues to expand to include the management of an increasingly broad range of tangible assets, support services and people skills. There has been a heightened awareness of the FM sector, and analysts note that companies are now investing in FM solu-
tions and services that enhance long-term sustainability and operational efficiency and thus in turn boost business and asset value. Building business value A proactive approach to facilities management provides numerous advantages: • Ensure business continuity. Building managers can use capital planning and management solutions (CPMS) to plan and forecast future repairs and investments. By making informed decisions based on objective data, organisations can reduce capital expenditure by almost 20 per cent, in addition to avoiding lost revenue and customer dissatisfaction. • Increase returns on facility investments • Promote a consistent organisational identity and brand image • Improve customer satisfaction with improved processes • Reduce risk due to reliance on experts and infusion of new technology • Project enhancement and effective cost management through financial engineering • Visible cost reduction and avoidance of capital investment
Energy savings have been created through the use of electrical timers and the integration of decentralised facilities systems as well as through more efficient data storage centres, including data mining techniques. The use of solar energy for roofing systems is also a growing facilities management technique
FM techniques Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) is a facilities management technique based on the reliability of various components in a maintenance system. It is a preventative maintenance technique that has been shown to reduce the total cost of ownership. Energy savings have been created through the use of electrical timers and the integration of decentralised facilities systems as well as through more efficient data storage centres, including data mining techniques. The use of solar energy for roofing systems
FM benchmarking Facilities management and real estate professionals can now benchmark building data and apply that information to improve operational efficiencies, reduce their carbon footprint, and identify best practices. Benchmarking focuses on the following core areas: Utilities, maintenance, custodial, security, space utilisation and sustainability. No organisation is too small to benefit from benchmarking.
Imdaad
eSolutions Maximo
Reducing operational cost and maximising ROI
Adopting the latest technologies
Highly competent and trained engineers assisted by experienced technicians promptly serve customers in the region
Imdaad undertakes initiatives to promote better facilities management
With over 120 full time staff based in the area, eSolutions Maximo is the leading provider of solutions for Strategic Asset and Service Management in the Middle East and North Africa. IBM, the world leading IT company, is a worldwide leader in strategic asset management, has the technology and in-depth understanding of issues confronting capital asset-intensive industries to connect all participants in the industrial value chain. The company’s solutions help make eBusiness easy, practical and affordable. At eSolutions, head quartered at Dubai Internet City, with additional offices in Abu Dhabi, Jeddah and Riyadh, we implement and support Maximo® Strategic Asset and Service Management solutions to accounts of all sizes in the UAE and the whole Middle Eastern region through appointed partners in Bahrain,
Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. To-date, there are now over 32,000 end users of Maximo® software in the Middle East and North Africa, the majority of which have the software implemented through the company’s own team of experienced consultants who continue to provide local and high quality implementations plus first line support. The human and technical resources are consolidated for the optimum benefit of the customers and we can therefore boast of several teams of highly competent and trained engineers assisted by experienced technicians, always ready to promptly serve our customers anywhere in the area. Since our establishment in 1996 we have always counted on this human factor in order to build a strong and well-deserved reputation. (www.maximo.ae)
Imdaad, a leading provider of integrated facilities management (FM) solutions in the UAE, is also as a leading advocate of sustainable business practices in the society. “We have signed an MOU with Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence and the partnership is further empowering us to offer more environment-friendly facilities management solutions. Moreover, we use the latest technology to add value to the complete basket of services we provide to our clients,” says Jamal Abdulla Lootah, Chief Executive Officer of Imdaad. FM professionals of Imdaad have recourse to all client information through their mobile phones and can meet the high expectations of clients with affordable and energy efficient FM solutions. They measure the consumption of electricity and water in client premises and share it with them before suggesting and implementing energy and cost saving procedures like preventive maintenance of facilities. “When buying property, people now look for good location, quality of building and service charge and it is important that our services are professional, cost effective and innovative,” emphasises Lootah. Imdaad has taken innovation a step further by encouraging all its 2,500 employees to give suggestions to improve services. Each idea that is adopted earns the originator a certificate of appreciation and reward. This further helps Imdaad grow while adopting and implementing the latest FM technolo-
Bring to a boil Everhot offers CE certified products that provide high quality results
is also a growing facilities management technique.
• Renewed focus on core business
Al Huraiz Est.
Jamal Abdulla Lootah gies and practices. “We have to increase awareness among people about the benefits of having FM and we need more support from municipalities and the government entities for this,” says Lootah, who has spearheaded Imdaad’s own ‘Beati – My Environment’ initiative to increase awareness among schoolchildren, their parents, as well as colleges and companies about environment conservation and segregation of waste at their homes leading to better waste management. Imdaad with its extensive fleet of waste collection vehicles now maintained in its own large workshop collects and transports waste but intends to go the full cycle of recycling and reusing waste by constructing a recycling plant in the future. The company, which has started operations in Qatar, is also looking to begin its services in Saudi Arabia and Oman later.
Everhot water heaters, manufactured in the UAE since 1974, are one of the most popular brands in GCC countries. Over the years, the company earned reputation for its high quality products. The water heater division is well equipped with high-precision fully automatic machinery for cutting, bending, slitting, abrasive blasting, enamel powder coating and also testing of finished water heaters. The entire facility is set up with selected machineries imported from various European manufacturers.
The manufacturing facilities of Everhot water heaters are certified to meet the ISO 9001 for quality and ISO 14001 environment standard requirements Water heaters come in various models, Everhot Glasslined, Everhot Regular and Excel (Italian technology). The three core products — Safety Valve, Thermostat and Heating element — are CE certified products and imported from Italy. The capacities vary from 30 to 300 litres and are available in horizontal and vertical mountings to suit individual requirements. We also take high capacity orders to meet individual requirements. The manufacturing facilities of Everhot water heaters are certified to meet the ISO 9001 for quality and ISO 14001 environment standard requirements. It is approved by ESMA and tested by the Dubai Central Laboratory; it has approvals from Saudi Arabia, Africa and Russian countries authorities. For further information, contact 056-1137793.