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President's View
End of IFMA Year Reflections
This is the final Newsletter of the year and also my last President's View, after 2 years in the role.
I would like to believe that it has been a very successful couple of years for the Chapter, albeit that I feel we have not fully delivered against the grand ideas we had when we conducted our first strategic planning session at the start of the 05/06 year. This is certainly not for want of trying.
Every satisfied with these achievements. ver since becoming involved in the Chapter some 10 years ago, I have been amazed by the willingness of people to dedicate their spare time to make the Chapter in to what is ranked as one of the best Small Chapters in the IFMA World. This culminated in the 2 Awards of Excellence we received at World Workplace in 2006 and I sign off from my terms of President
But the biggest constraint we continually face is that of time and competing pressures for the little we have available to dedicate to Chapter activities.
Everyone involved at Board level are senior people within their organizations, with extremely demanding schedules and commitments, not to mention their own personal lives. Our volunteers on the committees are typically younger members of the profession and have equally demanding pressures. The younger members may also struggle to demonstrate the value that being involved in the Chapter may bring to their organization, as well as their own career development.
I am therefore also grateful to those organizations whose employees serve on the Board or committees and who support them in this extra circular activity.
As President, my highlights for the second year have been the continued quality and diversity of professional development and regular engagement with IFMA HQ. Our newsletter has also continued to maintain a very high benchmark for quality communication although the time and resources required to keep this going has meant that we have not always been able to deliver an issue on a monthly basis.
The year will culminate in our biggest ever conference. Recognizing the great range of topics and speakers for this 2 days event, seats are almost sold out. We have secured some great sponsorships for the conference and, as a non-profit organization, we are again very grateful for this support from the industry.
Quite simply, without this support we would not be able to offer such a high caliber event at such attractive prices. You need only look at other industry conferences to see what great value our conference offers.
ntegrate 2007, celebrating our 15 th year as a Chapter, is set to be our best ever and I look forward to seeing so many of you there.
In this respect, I must make mention of the team that has put the conference together.
They have worked tirelessly for the best part of the Board's year to arrange for speakers from around the world to come to Hong Kong, prepare the conference marketing and event brochures, secure sponsorships, arrange the venue, collect the presentations from speakers and whole host of other activities that are required to ensure the conference meets, and hopefully exceeds, the high benchmark set by our previous conferences.
We will be very honored to have a representative from IFMA HQ joining us and I am confident that they will return to the US with a glowing first-hand account of the world class conferences we are renowned for.
On Chapter administration issues, nominations for the forthcoming year's Board are included within this newsletter, together with a reminder on the details of the AGM which will take place at the close of the conference. I urge Members to attend to hear where the Chapter is financially, what are plans are for the year ahead and to take part in the voting process.
I took over Presidency of the Chapter from Jon Seller in 2005. Jon had built up a great team and laid the foundations for the 2 Awards of Excellence which we were to receive a year later. I was personally delighted that Jon was present at World Workplace in San Diego to collect one of the Awards. As Immediate Past President, Jon has taken a very active role in helping to steer the Chapter in the right direction and I hope I can do likewise for the new President and Board.
Both Jon and I are very confident in the abilities of the Board nominees for 2007/2008 and believe the Chapter can continue to grow under their stewardship.
To sign off my 2 years, I really would like to repeat my thanks for the dedication of all those people who have been involved in the Chapter on a volunteer basis, many of whom do not always get the recognition they deserve. I do however hope that they have gained as many valuable experiences as I have done from the Chapter's activities which have contributed to their own personal and professional development.
Once again the Chapter Annual Conference is likely to be a sell-out. Almost all tickets have been sold already, so if you have not yet booked your place you are recommended to go toconference web site and do so immediately, if places remain.
This year is a special year for the Hong Kong Chapter of IFMA as it is our 15th anniversary. To celebrate, the conference this year runs for two days, 12th and 13th June 2007, and contains 20 educational sessions. It is also being held at the Hong Kong International Conference Center in Wan Chai, making it easy to get to for most people.
On Tuesday 12th June in the evening is a networking reception to allow all the conference delegates to get together and discuss the day's sessions and other topics of interest.
The conference ends with the staging of the Hong Kong Chapter 15th Anniversary Banquet on the evening of 13th June 2007.
This year the AGM will be held in the evening on the second day of the Integrate Conference - that is Wednesday 13th June at 18:30 to 19:30.
All members are welcome and encouraged to join AGM regardless of whether they will be attending the conference itself or the dinner immediately following the AGM.
As usual the President will report on achievements during the year and the Treasurer will present a financial statement identifying the current state of the Chapter finances.
This is also the time for election of Chapter Officers for the forthcoming Board Year. The President and Immediate Past President have taken soundings and make the following nominations: -
President
Tony Garland
Vice President & Communications
Deric Probst-Wallace
Vice President & Conference
Graham Tier
Director & Treasurer
Natina Wong
Membership Director
Bella Chan
Professional Development Director
Shirley Lam
Alternate nominations for Chapter Officers are welcome. Please contact the Chapter Administrator.
In March this year Adrian Brooks from Acuity Management Solutions Ltd. In the UK gave a talk on the changing world of the Facilities Manager.
The talk centered on some reseacrh carried out by Adrian and others in the UK to identify the key issues affecting Facilities Managers. The outcome of the research was discussed and the key issued ranked. Unsurprisingly the top issues related to time and quality issue and budget constraints .
The research also looked at performance indicators used and found that health and safety indicators were ranked higher than those keeping actual costs within budget. In fact 50% of all indicators related to health and safety, whereas on 35% of indicators were financially based.
Clearly the research here reflects the working environment in the UK and cannot be directly related to Hong Kong. However as UK has historically shown the way that Hong Kong has inevitably followed, it is potentially something Hong Kong FMs should be aware of. Adrain speculated that may be too much emphasis has been placed on health and safety at the expense of other elements of importance.
Environment issues hardly figured in the research, but it was felt that this situation would be changing in the future, with far more emphasis placed in this area.
Adrian then looked at how his company had reacted to the report in order to improve their performance. One of the key improvements made related to the top two key issues identified
internal pressure, leading to a reactive approach, and
insufficient time to do the job
By taking away as much as possible of the administrative work load they have been able to reduce the FMs workload and provide them time to move from reactive to proactive, at least for part of the time.
This has been achieved by providing a centralized support desk to pick up much of the administrative work, including programming inspections and other regular work the FM needs to carry out - sort of planned maintenance at FM level.
The slides from the talk are available on the web site by clicking this Link
IFMA's World Workplace 2007 Conference & Expo - Well Known, Well Balanced and Well Worth It
Once again we can bring you details of the annual US IFMA conference, this year to be held in the city of New Orleans on 24th to 26th October.
IFMA's World Workplace is the only facility-focused educational, networking and buying event backed by more than 25 years of research, forecasting and career development from the largest and most widely recognized professional association for facility management. Did you know that 70% of surveyed registrants attend only one national conference each year and that is IFMA's World Workplace?
World Workplace has a focus on education. Leading educators and representatives from the world's top business and government organizations share experiences and insights that help attendees achieve strategic goals for their companies and careers. And the learning experience doesn't end there. World Workplace features a unique exposition that encourages dialogue between vendors and attendees. Special sessions and product demonstrations presented by exhibiting companies help attendees discover new and innovative solutions to their everyday challenges.
Well known.
The enduring success of World Workplace is based both on IFMA's reputation as the ultimate resource for facility management and the variety of industries represented in the educational sessions and on the Expo floor.
Well balanced.
No other facility-focused conference provides you with all of the resources necessary to meet your learning, networking and buying objectives.
Well worth it.
With more than 80 educational sessions, two general sessions, 300 exhibitors, facility tours, networking events and an experienced staff committed to your professional development, IFMA's World Workplace is the best educational value in the industry.
"IFMA's World Workplace has earned its reputation as the world's premier FM conference and exposition. Even with my years of industry experience, I can always fill my 'dance card' with educational sessions that I want to attend during each time period. The keynote speakers have always provided inspiration and techniques to help us become better in business, not just in facility management. And IFMA's experience in show management ensures that attendees have both a valuable and enjoyable time."
Each year, show management adds special features to enhance the learning and networking experience for its attendees.
In 2007, IFMA's World Workplace will be held during the week. To better accommodate attendees' work and travel needs, IFMA's annual conference and exposition will be held Wednesday through Friday.
A new educational track has been added to the program. If you're interested in learning about industry practices and trends outside of North America, look for sessions under the new track, International Perspectives.
Guided facility tours offer an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at some of New Orleans' more outstanding facilities! Tours include the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (see the post-Katrina, $60 million floor-to-roof renovation on this 3.1 million square foot facility), the Louisiana Superdome (the largest rebuilding project in the history of United States stadiums), the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and the New Orleans Marriott at the Convention Center.
Sustainable FM practices are quickly moving into the mainstream, and IFMA's World Workplace is your best opportunity to learn from the experts and network with those who have implemented sustainability standards and practices in real workforce environments. A number of sustainable strategies are being implemented in the operation of World Workplace, including Cleaner & Greener certification and an entire track of sessions devoted to sustainability in facility management. About one-third of the Expo floor is reserved exclusively for exhibitors that offer environmentally friendly products and services. The IFMA Green Zone is the destination for the latest sustainable solutions for every facet of facility management.
Also new for 2007, the Expo floor will house two Solutions Arenas, featuring exhibitor educational sessions and special product demonstrations. Attendees are invited to learn about the latest and greatest facility management solutions from the premier product and service providers in the industry.
Rediscover New Orleans
New Orleans has successfully and safely welcomed tens of thousands of visitors in both 2006 and 2007. IFMA's World Workplace will leave a significant footprint on the city-the economical impact of our conference and expo is worth a great deal to the residents of this historic city. The best thing that you can do for New Orleans is to come to World Workplace.and encourage a colleague to do the same!
The Interview
We continue our series of interviews with people within the FM industry by interviewing John de Lucy, Head of Estates and Facilities for the British Library, London.
The people covered by this section of the newsletter will vary, from senior and well-known members of the industry to graduates just starting in the industry. The intention is to provide information on a cross-section of the industry covering how they first became involved in the industry, what they do, how they relax etc. The interviews are conducted and reported by Santa Raymond for the Hong Kong Chapter of IFMA.
This month we interview
Q.
How do you describe the job you do?
A.
With a team of about 30 Facilities staff, I am responsible for seven sites in the UK, six of these being in London with Euston Road being the principal building visited by the public and housing 11 of our 13 reading rooms. Altogether, there are 2Msq.ft. of storage, offices, and public space with two thousand staff. At the St. Pancras building we can have up to five thousand visitors a day. In Estates, three senior managers head the three teams which deal with Major Construction Projects and Real Estate, Building Services (Hard Facilities) and Customer Services (Soft Facilities).
To get the best deals and best service we bundle several elements together for outsourced contracts, so that managing and monitoring them is reasonably straight forward. 'Hard' facilities include M&E and general and fabric maintenance, gardening, small M&E projects, space planning and moves, with cabling for the IT department being sub-contracted to us. Helpdesk and room bookings, all types of cleaning, post room and messengers, and audio visual come under 'soft' FM, as does Catering which is a major service outsourced on its own, and delivered by two service suppliers, one at our northern site near York and one at the St. Pancras site.
When I arrived here four years ago, my first priority was to restructure the department, as my philosophy is that one should only start doing exciting and experimental things if base operations function well. We've put in place the quality service delivery and KPIs, so that the day-to-day operations now work smoothly.
Q.
What is your background?
A.
I started off as a mining engineer, but found that I hated being stuck in the middle of nowhere (Alberta and Arizona) working 12 hour shifts, and then looked at stockbroking as a career, and didn't like that either. For fun, I then joined an estate agent in Putney and found I enjoyed property, so over the past 35 years I have worked for HSBC, JP Morgan Chase, CIBC, Ernst & Young, Canary Wharf Management, AXA PPP Healthcare, CB Richard Ellis and the Pearson Group.
Q.
Why did you apply for your current job?
A.
When I was made redundant four years ago, only the public sector was hiring - and I just fell in love with this building. The job is full of challenges, and covered an ideal area of responsibilities with all the property functions in one role (Real Estate, Projects and Facilities). From my past experiences, I was able to bring best practices to the department to make change happen. There was some inbuilt resistance to innovation, but now with motivated staff and good managers we're doing pretty well.
Q.
What are your current key projects?
A.
We have two existing major capital projects, one being a book store and the other a conservation building. The store is near York, and is the largest automated, high bay, high density, low oxygen, conditioned book warehouse in the World. Upon completion in 2008 it will house seven million volumes on 260 kilometres of 21 metre 'high bay' shelving. As well as being fully automated, it will have the highest air tightness specification in the UK to reduce the leakage of the low oxygen (15%) and reduce the cost of keeping it at 16 degrees C and 52% humidity.
The Centre for Conservation, which we are building at the rear of our main building at St. Pancras, will be the most technically advanced in the World. It becomes operational in early April, and will care for both books and paper based materials, and sound conservation.
We are also planning to become a digital building at St. Pancras (within a small digital area of London) as we already have the largest public WiFi building in the UK. Our wireless installation is hugely successful, providing the 'workplace of the future' to nomadic workers. It has turned an academic institution into a buzzy modern environment that encourages people to use the library. When you come in, you see all these people sitting around on the various levels at the powered special furniture (that we chose with customer input); it's a really inspirational space; we call it the WiFi workzone.
Apart from this, we're revising our property strategy, finding out what today's consumer wants, and looking again at department organisation and the supply structure.
Q.
What do you see as the future for FM?
A.
This must be closer integration of FM with business, so that it becomes part of the business decision-making process. We don't just go ahead and develop a strategy, but work with a team of key business people. We facilitate in developing a strategy which supports business requirements, and serves the different customers. In the forthcoming digital age, we need to provide flexible spaces that can be changed by the users to suit their activity of the moment.
Q.
What do you do to relax?
A.
Travel, theatre and film (plus eating out and good wine); new experiences. I used to keep bees but decided it was cheaper to buy the honey, but continue to be active on our local civic society. As I said, I love the British Library and all the clever things the architect has done here - and architecture generally - I'm fascinated how buildings are developed for people and used by them.
Q.
If you didn't work with facilities what would you like to do?
A.
Dragon's Den! As in the TV programme, I'd like to support inventors, looking at people's ideas, and be an investor supporting new businesses.
Or run a property company, restoring old buildings.
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