Category Archives: facilities management

Integrated Project Delivery

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ExtranetEvolution posted an in-depth review and commentary on the recently published Integrated Project Delivery guide, from the AIA in the US. Thinking this would be all IT and Technology I have given the guide a quick scan, but a few things caught my eye for a more in-depth read. As a Constructing Excellence‘s Collaborative Working Champion , I liked the opening…

Envision a new world where …

... facilities managers, end users, contractors and suppliers are all involved at the start of the design process
… processes are outcome-driven and decisions are not made solely on a first cost basis
… all communications throughout the process are clear, concise, open, transparent, and trusting
… designers fully understand the ramifications of their decisions at the time the decisions are made
… risk and reward are value-based and appropriately balanced among all team members over the life of a project
… the industry delivers a higher quality and sustainable built environment

Note the order of the first bullet point – facilities managers first. This resonates back to the early work between Constructing Excellence (then BE) and the Centre for Facilities Management, with a clever title of abecfm , where the future was envisaged as facilities managers as the process broker for the whole process, from user requirements to design to construction to building in use. This related to expressions such as the industry formerly known as construction (Richard Saxon) and the the industry formerly known as fm (yours truly)

Is this then the world of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)…. (It will be interesting to see if the rest of the paper delivers a route or road map this new world – watch this space – or Pauls blog at ExtranetEvolution )

1:5:200

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I have had three occasions this week, in different workshops or events to explain or discuss the 1:5:200 concept. I am surprised that 1:5:200 hasn’t made it on to the pages of this blog, as I do use this concept a lot to explain why facilities management should be approached from an understanding of the business or organisation drivers, and construction approached from a facilities management (facilities in use) direction.

In our traditional approach to construction we are looking the wrong way through the telescope.

1:5:200 may now have a greater role to play now as we consider sustainability, ie the need to focus on the 200, the business costs of ‘going green’ or becoming sustainable – rather than on the ‘1’ where we are focusing on the costs of greening buildings.

In addition to the original paper on 1:5:200, the wikipedia entry for 1:5:200 provides an overview. For a more detailed and considered view take a look at Be Valuable. (available as pdf from constructing excellence). It should be noted that as a cost ratio 1:5:200 also attracts academic critisim

Project Management – yesterday today and tomorrow

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Last night I presented to the NW CIOB Students meeting at UCLAN on the topic of project management, modern methods – subtitled OM yesterday today and tomorrow.  The slides in pdf format are available over on the events page.

Measuring carbon savings in existing buildings

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It has long been recognised within the blogosphere at least that the biggest contribution the built environment can make to national and global carbon reductions is through existing building stock, not only through the drive for zero carbon homes by 2016 for example.

And in case we need reminding why existing buildings are key, Cyril Sweett estimate that by 2050, 60% of UK buildings will still predate 2006 Building Regs, with corresponding high fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Barring a massive technological improvement in electricity generation at source, our only option is to address existing stock. (Elemental)

Today is the start of the CIBSE 100 days of carbon clean up.

It is good to see programmes like this that address the existing building stock. Signing up to this programme will give you the guidance and tools to reduce energy and carbons within your buildings, including TM22 – the CIBSE guide to measuring carbon savings. For example are you aware of the following carbon emission factors?

  • Natural Gas: 0.194kg CO2/kWh
  • LPG: 0.235kg CO2/kWh
  • Oil: 0.265kg CO2/kWh
  • Biomass: 0.025kg CO2/kWh
  • Electricity: 0.422kg CO2/kWh

Bit of a difference there between electricity and biomass!
Check out the CIBSE programme and make a saving and contribution today.

Making refurbishment a green opportunity

In addition CIBSE are hosting the Great Refurbishment Event

or refurbishment of commercial buildings both on client or consultancy side, then the Great Refurbishment Event held at The Royal Society, London on the 24 October 2007 is a must attend event for you. Experts throughout the building services world will share with you their strategies and techniques to take you from the planning stage through to integrating your refurbishment into improving your energy performance.

Second Life – the space between real worlds?

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I (or my Avatar) took a look around the Second Life exhibition that illustrates what architects and designers are doing within second life.

Fascinating stuff.

The exhibition, called Portal The Space Between Real and the Other Real, opened within second life yesterday and runs until Nov 4th. Organised by Odyssey and introduced as:

In the past, architects and designers have used the virtual world as a workspace in which to experiment and develop prototypes for real world projects. In recent years we’ve seen the growth of networked 3D environments in which users socialise, play games, establish businesses and even fall in love. With millions of registered users of these environments worldwide, the Virtual World is no longer simply the sweatshop for the Real World; it’s fast becoming the Other Real World.

This exhibition is a portal to the virtual architectures of Second Life, a 3D online community where people can fly, and the laws of physics generally don’t apply. While a virtual building doesn’t provide much in the way of shelter, it still functions as a stage for interaction and an effective way to signify identity. As a consequence, there are plenty of fantasy palaces and Barbie mansions in Second Life, but there are also other sites where architects have been able to rethink the possibilities of human interaction with the built environment.”

This is a good opportunity for exploring design and the built environment within second life.

If you can handle SLurls (Second Life urls) the location is here

If you would like a guided tour to this event, and other areas in second life, contact my avatar Brand Woodin, who would be happy to meet you, within Second Life, and help with getting around and other aspects of this ‘other real world’

Back to the future with open office plans

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Mel over at Elemental alerted me to the new Architectural Record blog and this recent article on open office planning.

Local council leading the way with green technology …

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Interesting link and article over at edie.

Also worth following the link there to powerperfector , a voltage optimiser device supplier, which contains, amongst others the following ‘testimonial’:

Energy Manager Wigan MBC Legal and Property Services

‘We have recently installed two powerPerfector’s (a 420 kva and a 280 kva), at our Market Hall in Wigan. The results are staggering, for a 9% reduction in voltage we are experiencing 16% savings in consumption. This amounts to £30,632 p/a (based on 9.074p/kW), with a 14 month payback on investment, figures have been verified on a daily basis utilising half hourly automatic meter readings, so we are satisfied that they are correct. This also means that we are on line to save over 141 tonnes of carbon by the use of the powerPerfector units.

A quick scan of powerperfectors site indicates SME’s may be able to get loans or fundings from the Carbon Trust

the real cost of green building?

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A recent report identified high levels of awareness of the issue of sustainable building but low levels of specific knowledge and involvement. It identified three key barriers to addressing energy efficiency in buildings

• Lack of information about building energy use and costs
• Lack of leadership from professionals and business people in the industry
• Lack of know-how and experience as too few professionals have been involved in sustainable building work.

Phil Clarke reported in Building earlier this week:

Study finds professionals misjudging sustainable budgets and underestimating carbon footprint of buildings

Construction and property professionals are overestimating green construction costs by 300%, a new survey has found.

Source:

Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Business Realities and Opportunities (PDF; 1.9 MB)
Source: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
From their press release:

Survey finds green costs overestimated by 300% and a need to foster zero net energy construction. Key players in real estate and construction misjudge the costs and benefits of “green” buildings, creating a major barrier to more energy efficiency in the building sector, a new study by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) reports.

Respondents to a 1400 person global survey estimated the additional cost of building green at 17 percent above conventional construction, more than triple the true cost difference of about 5 percent. At the same time, survey respondents put greenhouse gas emissions by buildings at 19 percent of world total, while the actual number of 40 percent is double this.

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Of interest within the report, after a quick scan are:

The EEB vision is a world in which buildings consume zero net energy

Use less, make more, share There are three key elements to achieving zero net energy:
• Use less energy
• Make more energy (locally)
• Share surplus energy (through an intelligent grid)

An Integrated Design Process (IDP) involving all participants in the early design phase of the project.

Behavioral, organizational and financial approaches to overcome barriers:

Encourage interdependence by adopting holistic, integrated approaches among the stakeholders that assure a shared responsibility and accountability toward improved energy performance in buildings and their communitiesMake energy more valued by those involved in the development, operation and use of buildings

Transform behavior by educating and motivating the professionals involved in building transactions to alter their course toward improved energy efficiency in buildings.

CIBSE Carbon clean up for existing facilities …

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CIBSE are repeating their carbon clean up 100 day programme again this year, starting on the 12th Sept. Sign up and get help, advice and tools to help you reduce your carbon footprint.

Programmes like this are important as they address carbon and environmental issues of our existing building stock.

Fit for people planet and purpose

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A recent post to the worldchanging site (Non Energy Benefits …in Buildings) reminds us of the other, arguably more important, benefits that arise from improved environmental performance of our building and built environment.   It has long been recognised that improved envionments lead to improved performance, comfort, health and well being, yet some how this has been lost in our head-on rush to address carbon, carbon and more carbons.

There is always the need to balance our approaches, ensuring a balanced triple bottom line – ie that of environmental, social and economics, or as was in common use a few years back, fit for people, planet and purpose.  (I do still like the Patrick Geddes triptych of Folk, Place and Work, he agrued amongst other issues, that all design and particulary planning should benefit folk, place and work in equal measures)