Integrated Facility Management – A consolidation of various facility services rendered under one umbrella is gaining a lot of momentum. Organizations are switching towards adopting an Integrated Facility Management program rather than relying on individual contractors for different services. An Integrated Facility Management program helps the organization to maintain its facilities, buildings and equipment in a way that offers the best value to the property owner and its employees alike. An IFM program allows to focus on the core business and leave the stress of streamlining work processes resulting in increased efficiency at the workplace.

Having a separate service provider for individual service can be a hassle for the organization in the long-run. Here, a well-structured integrated facility management comes into action and helps to eliminate various problems such as –

. Lack of communication with individual service providers
. Inefficiencies that disrupt the overflow
. More costs incurred for clients
. Dealing with numerous POCs to solve the issues

An Integrated Facility Management program overcomes all these issues by using latest technology and tools to facilitate all the Hard Services like Building Maintenance, Plumbing, Electrical, Lighting, HVAC as well as the Soft Services like Housekeeping, Horticulture, Sanitization etc. under one tab. Here’s what Integrated Facility Management Services can do for a business –

1. Reduces Operating Costs

The biggest perk of having appointed a facility management company is that the organization doesn’t have to delegate different facility work to different vendors. This defers any additional cost that a company would have to pay in exchange for individual services.

2. Enables Clear Communication

Integrated Facility Management enables clear communication between vendors and different departments. It eliminates the unnecessary step of going through the hassle of reporting to separate departments. A facility manager reports the issues directly to the management for prompt action and better decision.

3. Streamlines Business Operations

Even routine tasks can become stressful when there are different service providers involved. Since Integrated Facility Management offers different facility services under one umbrella, it streamlines the operations and helps to save time and money. It makes the daily tasks easier by putting them under the responsibility of one Facility Manager having the technical know-how to simplify them.

4. Improves Overall Productivity

When one manager is in charge of all the facilities then it automatically reduces the redundancy and potential overlap of services and professionals which results in an increase in overall productivity of the organization. A Facility Manager, by having a single budget for integrated facilities management reduces material and vendor costs.

5. Increases the Life of Assets

A facility management program results in the prolonged lifespan of facility’s assets by initiating proper maintenance and suggesting adequate repair of certain assets inside the facility which saves a considerable amount of money in the longrun.

Conclusion

One can choose the right service provider for the business by assessing the requirements of facility. In comparison with overseeing every task and every individual service multiple times, Integrated Facility Management lends increased visibility leading to effective management of teams, reduced operating costs, prompt responses to requests and greater focus on the bigger picture. It is a one stop shop for all the facility management needs of an organization and a proven way to streamline facility services and tasks. Implementing the changes across multiple sites gets easier while using an Integrated Facility Management Program.

The post Integrated Facility Management or Individual Services first appeared on Facility Management Company.

Senior Citizens deserve the best when it comes to their comfort and care. With age, everyday tasks become a lot harder to perform and hence it is always better for the senior citizens to have access to care and support services. This is where Facility Managers come into play. They are increasingly being called upon to provide services that cater to the needs of senior citizens. Facility managers plays a vital role in ensuring seniors have a comfortable and enjoyable life. In many ways, they are like ‘Angels for senior citizens’. By meeting the unique needs of seniors, facility managers are helping to make sure that they live a happy and gratifying life.

Best Practices Followed By Facility Managers

Facility Managers focus to prioritise the daily needs of senior citizens right from the comfort of their home. They are equipped with necessary skills to provide assistance without infringing on a senior citizen’s independence. The ultimate goal of Facility Manager is to provide long distance task-based support and care giving for senior citizens, whenever they need it.

Facility Managers also ensure –

. The rooms or units of senior citizens are secure.

. Basic facilities such as water and heating are well-maintained.

. Visiting senior citizens twice a week to ensure they are healthy and fine.

. Keeping contact numbers of their family members and doctors for an emergency.

. Proper documentation of the medical reports of senior citizens facing severe illness.

Facility managers ensure that there is proper lighting in hallways and common areas with clear signage so that senior citizens don’t face any difficulty when they step out of their rooms. They also address maintenance and custodial needs of senior citizens immediately and also make sure that the facility remains clean and safe for everyone. Facility Managers play a vital role in maintaining the cleanliness standards so that the surroundings remain fresh and healthy for everyone.

Facility Managers also keep track of the daily helps and assisted living helper whereabouts, if they have come or are not coming. This helps them to be better prepared for any eventuality that may arise.

New Technology Engages Seniors and Encourages Health

The introduction of smart technologies, such as automated lighting in corridors, USB-charging stations, connected care platforms, and AI-enabled devices, such as Amazon Echo or Alexa, has the potential to reduce stress levels and improve cognitive function. In addition, these technologies can encourage memory recall and provide opportunities for social interaction. It helps in reducing stress levels and keeps senior citizens engaged. Facility Managers offer a way to connect with other senior citizens living in the society.

Being a support system for the aging population, facility managers must consider how senior citizens can use new technologies and improve their quality of life.

Conclusion

Facility Managers offer valuable support to senior citizens. They make daily living safer and more enjoyable, allowing seniors to spend their golden years in the comfort of home. They are like angels and play a very crucial role to smoothen the life of senior citizens by catering the day to day needs and providing a healthy living environment. They usually work closely with architects, engineers, and other ground level professionals to ensure that the facility is well-maintained and accessible for senior citizens.

The post Facility Managers – Angels for Senior Citizens first appeared on Facility Management Company.

Developers offer a plethora of projects in gated communities as well as townships. Both have pros and cons that would differ from varied point of views of developers, investors, and buyers – they are modern, self-sufficient, and fully equipped. No longer are such properties available only to moneyed HNIs and NRIs, and the simple reason why township projects are gaining demand is their affordability to the middle class.

Let us go through the offerings in Facility Management in Townships Vs. Facility Management in Residential Societies.

Facility Management in Township

. Facility Management in Townships is decided by the developer or builder of a particular township itself. As such, every facility in a township is overlooked by the builder’s employees.

. In Integrated Facility Management Services, the vendor provides end to end solutions for all the functionalities within the township which brings out better efficacy and efficiency and reduces backlogs.

. Such integrated facilities management services support all aspects of business operations and site management, including H/K, Security, Technical, Complaint management, Fire, Lift and DG maintenance.

. Facility management in townships encompasses multiple disciplines to ensure functionality, comfort, safety, and efficiency of the built environment by integrating people, place, process and technology.

. The key feature distinguishing a township from a society is that it covers multiple types of properties while a society covers only one specific type of residential building or a cluster of towers comprising a society.

. Townships are generally professionally-managed as they have substantial common areas and services which require better planning and cohesive execution.

. Families in these townships apart from staying in individual condominiums are overall part of a bigger picture which helps them to come together on common issues, organising events at a large scale.

Facility Management in Single Society

. In Societies, all the facilities are managed by different vendors. So, the upkeep of facilities like parking, gardening, and waste management are handled by separate agencies which may lead to non coordination and non cooperation leading to mis management.

. Generally, societies are self-managed by the RWA, which in turn takes CAM from residents to run the facilities. Many residents participate and many don’t. A professional handling is missed in running the daily affairs.

. The upkeep of amenities and AMC are usually neglected when a IFMS partner is not there which results in non functionality of appliances and may lead to an accident as well.

. There are fewer safety measures followed, which may result in unsafe conditions and an increase in the incidence of crime. A lack of robust Visitor Management System make the security vulnerable to trespassing and strangers.

. The upkeep of STP< WTP, DG genset and 24*7 left technician becomes a pain point for the RWA and residents. More so, when one of them goes on leave or quits, replacement takes time, in the mean time residents suffer.

. Horticulture, landscaping and beautification with Facade cleaning and club upkeep will impact the market value of the property and become less desirable to good gentry of residents taking up residences.

Conclusion

Township Management has come a long way and seems to be much more adaptable to the residents who wants to enjoy all the luxuries of city life with the modern and urban settlement without even stepping out. The key aspects of township management are the facilities it provides such as education, healthcare, security, waste management, organized labour etc. This makes life easier with the added benefit of relaxing commute.

The post Township V/S Society – Facility Management first appeared on Facility Management Company.

Electric Vehicles, often times referred to as EVs are the new talk of the town! Their USP being no carbon emissions and in turn being an efficient alternative to their petrol and diesel counterparts, that cause an irreversible amount of pollution. Acknowledging this paradigm change in the customers’ buying behavior and the benefits to the environment, the government has also stepped in and is taking necessary steps with the private sector players to extend support for the required infrastructure for charging these vehicles.

Like anything new, it comes with its set of queries and doubts. Since it uses electricity, one is often skeptical about its range, speed, battery life etc. Here are some frequently thought about myths;

1. These Cars Can Run Out Of Electricity Mid-Way

Busted: With the high acceptance and increase in demand of the EVs, the efficiency of the EV is being worked upon. The features are being improvised upon to suit the market demand and also increase the range in one charge. On an average, at present the range is 312 kms in one full charge and ever-growing.

It pretty much covers the average daily requirement of the user. However, the range it covers is also highly dependent on the size of the battery.

2.These Cars are as Slow as Golf Carts

Busted: These cars are usually faster than their gasoline powered counterparts. The mechanism is such that the transition from stationary to speed is instant when the driver pushes down the accelerated pedal. Some top models are even close to being rated as the quickest production cars.

3.They are Way too Expensive to Purchase

Busted: In India, as the demand is increasing so is the price range of the vehicle. At present, it is not available at a very low range but it is quite comparable to an SUV. The cheapest being, the Mahindra E Verito starting at around 9 Lacs. There are also used cars available which would be of a lesser range and also because it is a new concept, won’t be used too much as well.

Also, in the longer run it works out more economical than its petrol and diesel counterparts. With the ever-increasing prices of the fuels, I.e. Rs 90 +/L and Rs 80+ /L respectively, there would be days ahead where petrol and diesel vehicles would be unaffordable for the middle-income group.

4.These Cars Need High Maintenance

Busted: These cars are known to be cleaner and easier to maintain than their petrol and diesel counterparts. The vehicle doesn’t require constant oil changes or tune-ups, and comparatively even the moving parts are far fewer to fail and replace. They use a one-speed transmission and parts like spark plugs, clutch, hoses, catalyst converters.

Also, given that the fuel used is a battery, there are less chances of the engine becoming as dirty as the that in the case of petrol and diesel fueled vehicles.

5.There aren’t Enough Charging Stations Yet

Busted: With the growth in demand of EVs and its many benefits for the environment, the government has joined hands with the private sector players to support the growing need of developing infrastructure to charge these EV vehicles.

At present, Delhi itself has 169 charging stations and 377 charging points. Market leaders like Tata Power aims to install 10,000 new charging stations in the next 5 years. Not only public charging stations, as per its recent MoU with Enviro – integrated facility management company there is an installation of 59 new charging points across 18 of its Vatika-owned properties across Gurgaon. This is in lieu of the increasing demand of EV infrastructure. By having the charging points at the premises, it adds to the convenience of the residents.

6.There is a High Risk of Electrocution      

Busted: The cars have been developed after a lot of R&D and are produced by renowned brands. Situations like the battery interacting with water or the driver getting electrocuted while charging the vehicle have been looked into and safeguarded against. One hasn’t heard of any such incidents as of now. Also, as compared to their petrol and diesel counterparts they are less inflammable and there are less chances of an explosion.

7.It Takes Very Long to Charge

Busted: It doesn’t take very long to charge an EV. Also, since cars do spend a lot of time stationed at one place, there is enough time that one has, to charge them at office, home or a mall. It takes only a few minutes to get a decent 20-30% charge.

With the growing demand and the development in infrastructure to support electric vehicles, there has also been growth in fast chargers which is the fastest way to charge your vehicle. On an average it provides between 6-100 kms of range in 20-30 minutes.

It is about time that people need to look into more environmentally friendly options rather than bank on sources of nature that are already depleting. Also, considering the level of pollution in the city the option of Electric Vehicles is a savior and should be seriously considered and invested into.

The post 7 Biggest Myths around EV: Now Busted! first appeared on Facility Management Company.

Given the uncertain and insecure times we live in, while deciding where to stay, the first question often is “How safe is it?”, “Are the people I am engaging with really trustworthy?” Also, one of the main reasons why many people prefer to stay in a gated society vis-a-vis an independent house on a plot, is the security services it provides. There are trained guards stationed at the gates who ensure the security of the entire society, this is managed and planned by the facility management company that is a part of the society.

The threat to security isn’t just limited to physical security. Advancement in technology has further led to faulty data privacy. While filling up online registration forms and applications one is often left wondering whether my vital information such as, home address, contact number and other personal details are safe and if they are accessible to any miscreants. Here is also where facility management plays a vital role. Let’s see how;

I am renting a house in New Gurgaon that suits my pocket and my needs, but how safe am I?

With so many new societies coming up, with the most advanced features, modern design architecture and at the same time not being very heavy on the pocket one wants to explore the option for a better quality of life. But the very next question is, are these societies safe?

An integrated facility management servicescompany like Enviro has security as a holistic service, whereby the staff employed are regularly trained and updated on the latest methods and technology, they are regularly gauged on a level of preparedness. There is also more accountability vis-à-vis its larger peers, since every employee is a part of the company and not from a third-party agency.

What if I am not too sure about the package delivery person visiting my house?

Technology has made life very convenient and well-connected. I can sit in my home in one city and order for something from the other part of the country. Be it ordering food online or the fanciest of appliances, delivery partners have become a part of our lives. But this quite often also poses a threat to security, one has often heard that some miscreant posed as a delivery agent. But how does one sense trouble before the agent really reaches the house? And in case you are not at home, you won’t want some stranger to have an access to your home.

Cloud-based technology such as Visitor Management System allows you to not only be notified, with important details of the visitor, but also accept or decline the visitor entry request. You can remotely decide if you were expecting someone to come over or there is something suspicious. In case you are not at home, you can conveniently decline entry and be relaxed about a stranger lurking around your house in your absence.

How do I trust the home care service technician?

We are all dependent on the expertise of service technicians for the maintenance of our home. There is a constant wear and tear, starting from fixing the creaking door, the leakage in the tap and many other things within the house. Out of desperation for getting a quick solution to the problem, one searches for the nearest technician and the very next thought in one’s mind is, “Is it safe for a stranger to have access to my house?”, “Should I have waited for a trusted service company?”

The simple answer to this is finding a home service provider who caters to all your needs within your reach. The profile would have verified technicians with a background check done. Technology nowadays also allows the owner to track their whereabouts and timesheets. It is safer to opt for a specialized home service company such as #EnviroHomeServices.

I would rather have my service query solved within my society

While it is true that given the growing competition there is no dearth of home service providers in and around your vicinity. However, there are some day-to-day minor issues that one would want a quick solution to or may have some service related query. There are times when one has a service issue at unearthly hours and would want to have the complaint registered immediately for the quickest possible redressal.

There can be nothing better than having such services within your society. One also feels more secure to share the address with someone form inside and it’s easier to coordinate. An end-to-end facility management services company like #Enviro ensures the best complaint management service with a dedicated Client Service Cell (CSC).

When it comes to security, there should be no compromises, to feel secure, one should have complete access. It is not only important to have real-time data but in case the need arises, have an option to refer to data of any previous date. In these times of advanced technology, it is the onus of the facility management service provider to ensure a safe and secure environment for you.

The post How Do Security Services Complement FMS? first appeared on Facility Management Company.

Isn’t it miraculous how a flying object, the size of a big bird goes on clicking a million pictures or take aerial shots from the tallest of mountains or a disk-shaped machine go on tirelessly cleaning the entire house without bumping into things, as though with a mind of its own. The advancement in technology year, after year has continually ‘made the impossible Possible’! Given the convenience and speed among the many other things its offers, one is more than willing to try and adopt it. The impact that technology has on Facility Management is no different! Wondering how a facility management company could adopt exciting and disruptive technology? Let’s explore;

1.Stealth Sensor on a Mission!

Nope, you won’t usually notice it while you roam in your building condominium or even your office area, but it’s very much there. A discreet sensor that is actively communicating the operational and health status of the assets it has been deployed for. It needs no human intervention at all and the advancement in sensor and battery technology have taken it several steps further by making it a wireless that can be setup in minutes requiring little to no configuration and maintenance.

The flexibility in its size also increases its scope and usage. It is also possible to retrofit smaller sensors on furniture, pipes and plant room equipment.

Did You Know? It is capable of gathering data for technical points that include granular ambient temperature, humidity as well as the technical building status for its HVAC, electrical and water treatment systems, including washroom usage and cleaning status.

2. Making Sense of the Data!

Whether automated or collected manually, one often wonders how to process humungous amounts of data and put to its best use. Another aspect that technology focuses on is to Save Time, that translates to Saving Operational Costs!

Imagine if the sensors could reduce the energy spends to 15% to 40% by just monitoring and accordingly adjusting the lights, ventilation and temperature in an office building according to how many people are present at the given time.

Did You Know? Building Management systems are further enhanced by Artificial Intelligence (AI), allowing the user to analyze data and have a deep understanding of the anomalies that arise; while offering an insight into its smooth functioning and also enabling the user to make predictions about the consumption patterns and usage.

3. Cloud: Bringing the World Together!

The one thing that technology has done is, brought the world together in unimaginable ways. Your services could reach someone sitting at the farthest end of the world. What it has also eased off is the aspect of accessibility of data and information at any time of the day.

For facility managers it simplifies data collection and its storage. It is possible for any number of residents/clients to access and connect on a single platform. Cloud-based services also mitigate the risk of loss of data as it is stored without having to create a backup.

Did You Know? The cloud-based Visitor Management System gives access to the resident to Accept or Decline visitor entry with one single app and also have visitor data archived.

4. Monitor Remotely and Save Big!

Gone are the days when one has to be physically present at a location or a site to get a job done or efficiently monitor it. It is now possible for you to track every single aspect of every resource involved in the process. The minutest of data is available with the click of a single button. Also, the scope of an error is nullified which might not be always the case with human intervention, since there is always a possibility of human error and judgement.

Smart sensors, cloud technology and data analytics can efficiently give you a detailed overview of all the assets and environmental parameters within all your buildings through sensor-based monitoring, which also saves the cost of deployment of manpower.

Did You Know? – It is possible to even gather sensitive data such as temperature, dampness and humidity and detect flooding in vacant buildings remotely, significantly saving resources, assets and costs. Something as unimaginable as Digital Retrofitting has totally mitigated the need for complete replacement of equipment and enabled predictive maintenance. The scope of technology in the facility management sector is limitless and, in many ways, it has enabled the integrated facility management services to perform unimaginable tasks in a jiffy and with minimal human intervention, also enabling a paradigm shift in cutting costs.

The post Disruptive Technological Trends in Facility Management 2022 first appeared on Facility Management Company.

According to a study, it is said that Planned Preventive Maintenance results in a whopping ROI of 545%(on an average) vis-à-vis Reactive Maintenance which is said to eat into your company’s Operational and Maintenance budget by 40%.

Not only this, in case of an emergency breakdown of the equipment your facility production targets can be set back by hours or in some cases even days at a stretch.

To break it down further, here are 5 essentials comparisons you must take into consideration before you decide to invest your company’s money and restrategise your O&M budgets;

1. Zero Downtime Focused vs Repair Focused

Imagine a scenario when your equipment breaks down, suddenly. To get it up and running again and perform optimally as quickly as possible, you would be forced to spend extra money to outsource machine specialists, pay extra for having missing parts shipped at the earliest and pay extra to technicians to work overtime.

Whereas, planned downtime allows you to schedule downtime or distribute maintenance tasks that would decrease disruptions effectively saving on money and thetime that the machine is out of order.  

2. Preventive Maintenance vs Reactive Maintenance

Breakdown of machinery is unavoidable! However, the next step one must take is to realise the benefits of proactive vis-à-vis reactive maintenance. Once the asset has already broken down the technical expert will identify the problem and react with an immediate solution to get it back into operation.

However, such costly repairs in terms of money and time can be avoided by looking into its maintenance and wear and tear with a pre-planned schedule while it is still running, mitigating the risk of failure and unaccounted downtime.

3. Operational Efficiency vs Crisis Management

A company is known to be Operationally Efficient when the benefits it gains are higher than the resources it invests in the successful running of the business. The purchase and maintenance of company equipment is a part of the Operational and Maintenance costs.

In case the machine breaks down, the company has to resort to crisis management with Reactive Maintenance. Owing tothis run-to-failure scenario, the company has to bare huge financial losses. Whereas, Preventive Maintenance would mitigate the costs by allowing the technicians to arrest and identify a major breakdown by performing regular maintenance and look into the upkeep of the asset.

4. Equipment Longevity vs Equipment Replacement

The more breakdowns and major repairs a machinery goes through, the more its efficiency and lifespan decreases. By regularly looking into its upkeep and planning its maintenance you add more years to the life of the asset, as a result gaining more profit out of the resource.

The Useful Life of a tangible asset refers to the period of time a company can expect it to earn revenue out of it. By maintaining the life of an equipment and ensuring it runs optimally the company saves exorbitant early-replacement costs. 

5. ROI based vs Temporary benefits based

It is said ‘that a business is as profit-efficient, as its resources’. Each resource engaged and invested in, is looked upon as an asset. Therefore, the strategy so planned should be based on a futuristic Return on Investment model and not the temporary and immediate benefits it offers. The lifecycle of a machinery includes its wear and tear and regular maintenance.

The ROI is going to be optimal when Planned Preventive Maintenance is a part of it, as it accounts for the costs to be incurred in its upkeep and mitigates the scope of any unplanned breakdown, that would lead to huge financial losses till the equipment is back to running smoothly.

Companies that run on a Reactive Maintenance model might look at Preventive Maintenance as an unjustified overhead cost at first until they realise it would cost them more; in terms of money and time to repair the machinery that broke down unexpectedly.

To conclude, a successful, cost-effective maintenance strategy is one that has Planned Preventive Maintenance as its main focus.

The post Did You Know Planned Preventive Maintenance Can Save LAKHS? first appeared on Facility Management Company.

Schools and universities are much much more than passive structures which provide education. Rather, they are important elements of the learning process for students. The quality of the physical environment within which a child studies is of paramount importance and dictates so much of their experience, along with the teaching staff and other community members. Infact, studies have shown that well-maintained school buildings can help increase teaching time and reduce teacher turnover rates by almost 25%.

An ideal physical environment is well-lit, sufficiently ventilated, safe, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing. It’s fair to assume that such an environment can allow all those present in the building to feel a sense of ownership, security, and even a degree of personalization. This can range from setting up creative seating arrangements, decorating common areas and classrooms and even dictate some of the teaching methods adopted by educators.

It is important to keep in mind that the facilities in a school are not only restricted to the physical building but also, essential elements such as electricity, plumbing, security, telecommunications, and fire safety systems. Furthermore, the athletic fields and playgrounds that are highly favoured by students across all age groups require thorough attention and upkeep throughout the year. Here’s a glimpse at the kind of role an integrated facility management company can play in educational institutes-

1. Maintaining buildings and premises

The upkeep of school buildings is a multi-pronged process. Generally, electrical maintenance for lights, air conditioning, fans, and elevators requires constant monitoring. Likewise, a close check also needs to be kept on water supply and quality, plumbing, and gas in different parts of the premises.

This can be a day-to-day job but planned preventive maintenance is a considerable help in such situations. Regular check-ups, surveying equipment, and evaluating their functioning can be made seamless with the help of a planned approach to facility management. Most importantly, this type of maintenance can extend the use of school buildings and related equipment.

2. Health and Well-being

The overall health of the student body and teaching staff is of paramount importance. In the event that any factor within school premises is the cause behind the deterioration of mental or physical health, the school administration will encounter a major storm of complaints from concerned family members.

Poor ventilation, along with untreated water or irregular waste collection can be the root causes of widespread disease and infection. In order to avoid any such complications, facility managers often work collaboratively with school administrators to monitor repairs, undertake risk assessments, and check HVAC systems, water treatment, and waste disposal plants. This goes a long way to ensure a healthy environment on campus.

3. Emergency Protocols

It never hurts to be prepared for the worst-case scenario and with the responsibility of an entire student body and staff, schools must be vigilant about this. Emergency situations like fires, earthquakes, and power cuts usually occur unannounced.

In this regard, facility management companies can help plan out regular risk assessment processes. These usually range from checking fire extinguishers, the functionality of fire hoses and alarms, and monitoring circuit boards or backup power supplies. Ofcourse, the school administration and teaching staff play an important role here by conducting regular fire drills to test emergency systems and student preparedness. 

4. Security

Creating a secure learning environment begins with ensuring the safety of everyone within the school premises. Facility management companies can play an important role by providing security services to educational institutes. Most facility management companies, for instance, offer installation, repair, and maintenance services for CCTV cameras around school campuses. It also provides gate barrier systems and professional security guards who are responsible for patrolling campuses. Such amenities are especially helpful for some of the larger campuses.

Other equally important systems include biometric or code-based entry systems for the teaching staff, to prevent the entry of unauthorized people from entering the premises. The Visitor Management System (VMS) popularly installed in most school buildings prevents trespassing. 

5. Pre-planned maintenance

Maintenance with a regular schedule is the best fit for large buildings like schools and universities. Pre-planned or planned preventive maintenance allows inspections to occur which may be scheduled daily, monthly or annually.

These integrated facility management services can include daily cleaning work, tending to grounds and landscaping by gardeners, and even more long-term maintenance such as repainting buildings or fixing broken furniture.

Using facility management software in schools is a digitalized solution for more seamless maintenance. It can substantially help reduce the spending of school budgets on maintenance activities. It can also help educational institutes meet their sustainability commitments by adopting cleaner electricity sources and cutting costs on resources like energy and gas. This can usually be supplemented with the use of solar panels, which many facility management companies offer to install and maintain. Overall, software for facility services can significantly help extend the lifetime value of school buildings.

If performed well, facility management can contribute positively to the culture of schools, boost teaching environments, and support every student’s educational journey.

The post Facility Management and The Education Sector: Collaborative Partners first appeared on Facility Management Company.

The festive season brings with it countless joy, family events and their preparation. A festival as significant as Diwali, is accompanied by events, parties and family visits- all of which are events which take place in the home. This naturally makes it a necessity to ensure that our living spaces look clean and attractive. This is a gap which can successfully be covered by facility management.

The demand and presence of facility management and related services has grown immensely in the last decade. Citizens have started understanding the value of services provided by an organized company, as opposed to by informal contractors. Most companies have now extended their purview of services to include housekeeping services- an important element when it comes to Diwali preparations. Here are some of the ways in which having a facility management on board can be a huge boon for homes and housing societies-

1. Reduction in stress for all involved

In the case of large amounts of work, it’s always a good practice to delegate tasks to different people. At an individual householdlevel, this could mean dividing responsibilities between different members of the family so the work can wrap up sooner. Meanwhile, at a residential complex level, this can mean outsourcing important facility management tasks to an integrated facility management company, which can reduce the pressure of handling the upkeep of such large areas.

Such companies ensure that the different requirements within a housing society are seamlessly met- such as elevator maintenance, visitor management, water and electricity supply, as well as landscaping in surrounding areas. In this sense, housing societies benefit quite a bit from delegating these tasks to a professional team of facility managers.

While these teams take good care of the areas surrounding our homes, it is important to keep in mind that the spirit of Diwali revolves around giving to others. This can manifest in very simple ways- such as by taking small steps to make the lives of others a lot less stressful. As residents, we can do this by ensuring that we check our ACs and heaters frequently, as opposed to making last minute calls to servicing professionals on the day of Diwali. Similarly, it helps to inform the security personnel in advance about the guests we may be expecting or entering these details into the housing security app so that we make parking management easier for them.

2. Maintenance and Management

The festive season is a time for change and new beginnings. While any home requires constant upkeep throughout the year, it is during Diwali we want to put our best foot forward and allow our houses to shine.

In a similar manner, maintenance is an essential component of any housing complex, year after year. A dedicated facility management team can make a world of difference and can even help increase the lifespan of such areas. This can include repairs, timely quality checks, housekeeping services and ensuring that residential spaces are well taken care of.

As residents, we can also play a vital role in supporting such maintenance activities. Waste management is an important process at residential locations and an activity wherein change truly begins with one household. In other words, one can help by segregating our waste at source and sustainably managing the larger quantities of waste generated after group get-togethers. It is also equally important to be conscious of our electricity consumption, which often amps up during the festive season. No matter the time of the year, environmental consciousness should still remain one of our priorities as residents. Such micro-level monitoring of facilities adds up and makes a substantial difference for the overall area.

3. Deep Cleaning

Diwali brings with it a concentrated effort at deep cleaning entire homes in time for the festival’s arrival. This type of cleaning is in fact, markedly different from regular cleaning that happens on a daily basis. Deep cleaning effectively targets accumulated dirt and grime in hard-to-reach corners of your house and is the ideal solution for curbing the spread of harmful bacteria. Facility management companies also provide housekeeping services under their purview, making this vital activity a lot easier for families. For instance, Enviro has a separate app through which a team of expert cleaners can be arranged at your doorstep- called the Enviro Home Services app. In this manner, integrated facility management services can be arranged with considerable ease by customers, at their own disposal. Another way we can contribute here is by booking our pest control appointments well in advance, so as to avoid any last-minute hassles and be reassured that our homes are truly clean.

While deep cleaning is a team activity that typically takes place during this time of the year, it is also equally important that this happens across the larger housing society as well. Housekeeping services extend across the entire area and are carried out with the same fervour in common areas such as elevators, lobbies, and outdoor spaces too. They ensure that residents are able to navigate all aspects of their housing society with ease and reassurance.

4. The PDCA Cycle – Plan-Do-Check-Act

ThePlan-Do-Check-Act Cycle is an important quality control model and the process behind planning the inspection of areas by facility management companies. An alternative but simple way of understanding it is to compare it to the process of planning out Diwali cleaning in homes.

The 4 steps of this model take place as follows-

. Plan- Establishing the objectives and priorities for the overall activity

. Do- After clearly setting the objectives, a detailed plan is crafted to plan the inspection of different areas. During this stage, teams are assigned area-wise, the areas to be observed are specified, with all the information carefully recorded in an inspection software application.

. Check- After the thorough inspection is wrapped up, the data goes into review in the form of a data audit.

. Act- Based on all the information gathered, it is always a good idea to come up with alternative solutions or ideas on how to carry out the inspection more efficiently the next time around.

A detailed safety audit leaves both, residents and facility management teams at ease.

As is evident, housekeeping is a multi-pronged effort and requires commitment on the part of residents as well as facility management teams. In the long run, however, regular housekeeping ensures the longevity of certain resources and areas and keeps them disease-free. This Diwali, make a commitment to keeping your homes clean and prosperous, along with helping others around you enjoy their festival too.

The post A Brighter And Cleaner Diwali For Everyone first appeared on Facility Management Company.

A whopping 850 acres of green cover across different spaces is managed by Enviro India. This area happens to be double the size of the Aravalli Biodiversity Park. It’s incredibly important to preserve such green areas since most areas with buildings tend to be very unsustainable. You’d be surprised to know that buildings actually contribute to almost 30% of greenhouse emissions globally.

Most industries today are looking for ways to make their operations more sustainable. This change is no longer driven by sustainability being a “trending topic” but by an urgent need to slow down the pace of the global climate crisis, which is at its peak currently. It is a real threat for all countries alike, irrespective of where in the world they may be located.

How can facility managers step in and make their operations greener? It is essential that their decisions are mindful of the organization’s capabilities while also creating a positive impact on the environment. Here are some of the ways they can drive this change:

1. Adopt a Holistic Approach

There are numerous facets to an integrated facility management company– their administration, investments, operations and services are all interconnected. Each of these facets commits to sustainability in their own way, but often are unable to carry out their operations in a unified manner, as a company. What’s important here is building a holistic sustainability plan which follows a common direction.

At an operational level, this should mean smooth coordination across the different teams mentioned before. These functions shouldn’t override the efforts of the other team, and should ideally pace themselves out to work in a coherent way. This can take place at a micro-level, such as installing waste sorting bins around buildings, adjusting cleaning services and planning changes by communicating with anyone responsible for them. It can also be implemented at a macro-level, by drafting detailed plans with each of the departments.

2. Testing Things Out Before Implementation

Going green is a massive change and requires a great deal of preparation to actually commit to. An organized way to see if certain measures will work for a building or in favour of a business is to test them out beforehand. This can start with conducting sustainability analytics, which can provide a good overview of the facility’s current sustainability status. Once facility managers have this information, it’s a lot easier to work alongside the administration to craft strategies for future rollouts.

Additionally, it is always a good idea to conduct an audit and gain insight into where certain facilities may be wasting energy. An audit gives you access to all sorts of useful data- usage based on occupancy, seasonal rises in energy use or inefficient equipment. This data can help you make more accurate decisions, which may ultimately end up being greener for your company too.

Finally, it helps to run smaller pilot projects and conduct study visits to test out alternative facility management solutions. Since resources and budgets in any company are limited, not all plans can be implemented each year. Pilots can help give facility managers a realistic picture of what sustainable measures can be implemented within a particular year and which ones can be set aside for the future.

3. Keeping All Stakeholders in the Loop

A company-wide commitment to sustainability comes with keeping everyone who could be potentially impacted in the loop. Different employees are involved with these changes in different capacities. For instance, managers usually draw out a general direction of the efforts. Sustainability coordinators set out an overall plan of changes and are also responsible for checking in on the progress from time to time.

While not directly involved in implementing these changes, employees and residents are also kept in the loop. This is done to provide them with a sense of reassurance about the fact that sustainability measures are forthcoming. More externally, companies also communicate their newly implemented set of efforts to the press, their clients and their collaborators. Sustainability in this sense does not come under the purview of any one department but is a collective effort across the organization.

4. Upgrade to Greener Options

It’s very easy to equate a sustainable lifestyle with curbing new purchases entirely, but this can actually be more harmful in the long run. In terms of facility management, it is actually the case that many assets in old buildings are not the most carbon-friendly due to the period of time in which they were constructed. Therefore, these assets tend to consume more energy and are largely inefficient.

In such cases, purchasing new machinery and equipment is, ironically, the more sustainable way forward. There are many ways this can be done – using modern insulation to preserve energy, switching to renewable energy sources like geothermal or solar for your facility, installing new roofing which works for heat-trapping, and replacing boilers, windows and HVAC units. This will ensure that the integrated facility management services offered by companies are safe and efficient. 

5. Supplementing Facility Management with Eco-friendly Practices

A number of companies in the facility management space are adopting innovative ways to integrate eco-friendly practices into their daily work. This can range from vermicomposting and installing solar panels, to rainwater harvesting and operating sewage treatment plants.

Enviro India is furthering this by carrying out vermicomposting drives across housing societies and commercial complexes. This process is completely natural and leaves the soil nutrient-rich and organically healthier to grow newer plants, while also helping residents bond with one another. Further, by planting oxygen-rich trees like Banyan, Ashoka and Neem, they are also ensuring better quality air for the people inhabiting these spaces. Moreover, solar energy is the power source of the future, and it can be leveraged to our advantage in a country like India, which receives plenty of sunlight.

In the largely disruptive film of global warming, sustainability is perhaps the most crucial final act one could hope to execute. At a time when businesses are pitching to millennial customers, it is important to remember that globally, almost 73% of the millennial consumer group is willing to spend more on a product if the brand associated with it is sustainably oriented. We must also not forget that onboarding greener company policies can help your business save money in the long run. A sustainable future therefore, is our only future.

The post 5 Effective Practices for Sustainable Facility Management first appeared on Facility Management Company.