< Previous UPDATE www.fm-middleeast.com10 May 2020 Eltizam Asset Management Group announced the implementation of the intelligent enterprise resource planning (ERP) system SAP S/4HANA, with an aim to transform and streamline the company’s core back-end operations such as fi nance, human resources, and procurement to keep up with the changing digital economy. As part of its USD 5M technology investment program, the next- generation ERP equips Eltizam with enhanced process automation, increased mobile capability, productivity and fl exibility, and real-time analysis of business data at lower cost of ownership. Through the implementation of the solution, Eltizam will be able to benefi t from the platform’s ability to seamlessly enable operations and facilitate business growth by providing real-time analytics of large volumes of data, using built-in HANA Analytics. In addition, it prepares companies for future development and integration with the Internet of Things (IoT), block-chain, artifi cial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). The ERP software package SAP S/4HANA covers all Eltizam’s core back-end operations, such as order-to- cash, procure-to-pay, plan-to-product, and request-to-service and other core capabilities. Chris Roberts, CEO, Eltizam Asset Management Group, said: “We look forward to reaping the benefi ts of SAP S/4HANA platform - from sales transactions to complex analytical applications, which is also set to increase our productivity and enhance the services that are being off ered to our clients." STAT ATTACK UPDATE TECHNOLOGY Eltizam to implement next-gen ERP SAP S/4HANA for higher productivity 176GW The renewable energy sector added 176 gigawatts (GW) of generating capacity globally in 2019, marginally lower than the (revised) 179 GW added in 2018. 72% The new renewable power accounted for 72% of all power expansion last year, according to new data released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). 7.6% IRENA’s annual Renewable Capacity Statistics 2020 shows that renewables expanded by 7.6% last year with Asia dominating growth and accounting for 54% of total additions. 90% Solar and wind contributed 90% of total renewable capacity added in 2019. 98GW Solar added 98 GW in 2019, 60% of which was in Asia. Wind energy expanded by close to 60 GW led by growth in China (26 GW) and the United States (9 GW). 10 May 2020NEWS www.fm-middleeast.comMay 2020 11 ENERGY Abu Dhabi Power Corpora- tion (ADPower) announced – alongside its subsidiary, Emirates Water and Electric- ity Company (EWEC) – the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer). The MoU aims to facilitate the development of two Waste- to-Energy (WtE) plants – in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain – which, upon completion, would have the potential to transform up to 1.5 million tonnes of municipal waste into energy every year and collectively reduce CO 2 emissions by approximately 2.5 million tonnes annually – equivalent to the removal of more than 500,000 cars from the road. The Abu Dhabi plant is also expected to be among the largest WtE facilities in the Middle East. The MoU was signed in a virtual cer- emony by Jasim Husain Thabet, CEO and managing director of ADPower; Othman Al Ali, CEO of EWEC; and HE Dr. Salem Al Kaabi, general manager of Tadweer. The first plant – to be located in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) in the Mussafah region – would have an expected processing capacity of up to 900,000 tonnes of waste per year and gen- erate up to 90 MW of electricity (equiva- lent to powering an average of 22,500 UAE households), making it one of the largest WtE facilities in the region. The plant is expected to reduce CO 2 emissions by ap- proximately 1.5 million tonnes per year. The second plant – to be located in Al Ain – would have an expected process- ing capacity of up to 600,000 tonnes of waste per year and generate up to 60 MW of electricity (equivalent to powering an average of 15,000 UAE households). Expected reductions of CO2 emissions would be approximately 1 million tonnes per year. ADPower’s CEO and Managing Direc- tor, Jasim Husain Thabet, said: “This MoU represents a significant milestone for MoU was signed in a virtual signing ceremony attended by senior leadership from ADPower, EWEC and Tadweer The virtual signing ceremony. world-class waste management system that ensures a cleaner and more sustain- able environment for present and future generations.” As the government entity responsible for managing the emirate’s waste in a sustainable manner, Tadweer’s integrated waste management strategy prioritises collaboration with like-minded entities to set up state-of-the-art waste to energy facilities within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to process municipal solid waste and com- mercial and industrial waste, according to the highest specifications and sustainabil- ity standards adopted globally. The proposed WtE plants would be developed through the Independent Power Producers (IPP) model, applied in respect of Abu Dhabi power projects since 1998. In line with such model, a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) would be entered into, with EWEC as the off- taker of the electricity and Tadweer as the provider of feedstock waste under a long- term waste supply agreement. Private sector participants would be invited to submit proposals to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the facilities, which will use advanced moving grate technol- ogy to convert municipal solid waste into electricity via a high-efficiency steam turbine generator set. Ash from the pro- cess will be processed and recycled into reusable material. Abu Dhabi as we deliver on the ob- jectives set out in UAE Vision 2021, which aims to di- vert 75 percent of waste away from landfills. The pro- posed WtE plants will reduce the impact of waste on the environment and human health, helping to deliver on the water and elec- tricity sector’s sustainability agenda. “This collaboration between ADPower, EWEC and Tadweer reinforces Abu Dhabi’s, and the broader UAE’s, commit- ment to managing waste in a sustainable and environmentally conscious manner. We look forward to capitalising on further opportunities that utilise the most effi- cient waste-management technologies and drive our nation’s clean energy ambitions,” Mr. Thabet added. Othman Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of EWEC, said: “We are delighted to part- ner with Tadweer to significantly enhance Abu Dhabi’s waste-to-energy infrastruc- ture, in line with both our sustainability- focused mission at EWEC as well as the nation’s wider commitments. The project will also serve as a benchmark throughout the region for the development of sustain- able WtE facilities and waste management systems.” HE Dr. Salem Al Kaabi, general manager of Tadweer, said: “This agreement is aligned with Tadweer’s continued efforts to divert waste from landfills and encour- age environmentally friendly and com- mercially viable solutions to address the challenges posed by the treatment of large volume of waste. In working closely with our partners, Tadweer is proud to steer Abu Dhabi’s sustainability agenda through the implementation of an integrated, Abu Dhabi Power Corporation signs MOU with Tadweer for 2 waste-to-energy plants NEWS www.fm-middleeast.com12 May 2020 SUSTAINABILITY As part of the sustainable Arabia project, CoreServ has initiated its sustainability programme across all its camps and are in the process of replacing the entire camp lighting in rooms and common areas to LED lights. Furthermore, the firm has also installed timers on the common area lights to reduce additional wastage of electricity. It has also installed push taps and flow reducers to decrease the water consump- tion in the washing areas, showers and wash basins. For wastewater, CoreServ has imple- mented a grey water recycling program at its Sharjah camp and are currently testing its feasibility through a waste manage- ment supplier as POC (proof of concept). This system would allow the firm to recycle the water from the shower and APPOINTMENT The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) UAE announced Peter Fancy as its new chair for its UAE branch. Fancy - MSc, MRICS, CIWFM - has served on the UAE Committee since 2017 in sev- eral roles more recently as the vice chair for the Dubai activities and operations. With more than 20 years’ experience in the FM and real estate profession Fancy holds a masters in facilities man- agement, is a certified member of IWFM and a Chartered RICS status. Consid- ered a subject matter expert in his field, he has been a guest speaker at confer- ences providing thought leadership on facilities & property Management. In his ‘day’ job, Fancy is strategy & business growth director with Inspire Integrated Services. The firm has installed timers on common area lights to reduce electricity wastage Peter Fancy is the strategy & business growth director with Inspire Integrated Services New chair elected for IWFM UAE branch Malika Bhatt i, general manager, CoreServ. Peter Fancy., strategy & business growth director, Inspire Integrated Services. welfare programs for the workers.” As part of its sustainable initiative, ECC Group has become the first contractor in the Middle East to implement lean prin- ciples on all its project sites and offices. Bhatti added: “Keeping in line with the same principles and working towards our vision of becoming a complete ‘lean’ com- pany, we incorporated energy-efficient systems in three of our camps housing over 8,000 employees. “We began the process of implement- ing and testing our energy-saving systems in our camps in 2018. Since then, the sys- tems have been functional, and we have noticed significant results. The imple- mentation of energy-efficient systems has helped us reduce the water consumption by over 10% and electricity consumption by over 50%.” Speaking on his new position with IWFM UAE, Fancy said: “I am delighted to be appointed Chair and thank the Committee for having the confidence in me to lead the UAE Branch going for- ward. I am looking forward to bringing together those who are engaged not only in FM, but across the wider built envi- ronment, and providing a platform for sharing our collective knowledge where we can all make effective and positive change. I would also like to thank Ms. Janet McAvinnie outgoing Chair for all her hard work and her unwavering com- mitment in steering the committee over the past 2 years. She has been a delight to work alongside, and on behalf of the Committee, we thank her for her contri- bution and friendship, and wish her well in future endeavours.” hand wash area to be reused in toilets for flushing and for irrigation. Malika Bhatti, general manager for CoreServ, said: “The implementation of green standards has enabled us to reduce the carbon footprint of our camps and de- crease the overall wastage of energy and resources. With these savings, we provide incentives to our laborers residing in the camps and invest the funds into various CoreServ initiates sustainability programme across its labour campsNEWS www.fm-middleeast.comMay 2020 13 CAFM FSI Middle East, the facilities management solutions software provider, has partnered with Khadamat Facilities Management to combat the spread of CO- VID-19 at their UAE University campus in Al Ain. Using their FSI Workforce Mobility Solution, FSI developed and deployed a customised and operational app within 48 hours. The app aptly named ‘Screen- ing’ allows the security team at the UAE University campus to measure the temperatures of all personnel entering the facility and records it along with their ID numbers and photographs. The readings are then recorded against the resource within the company’s Con- cept Evolution CAFM system, allowing Khadamat FM to easily monitor and RESTRUCTURING Deyaar Develop- ment, one of Dubai’s property developers and real estate service providers, has an- nounced that it will proceed with capital restructuring plans, having gained the necessary approvals from its sharehold- ers and the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA). During the recently held Annual General Meeting (AGM), shareholders approved the Board of Directors’ recom- mendation to reduce Deyaar’s capital from AED5.78bn to AED4.55bn. Share- holders authorised Deyaar’s CEO and /or any members of the Board of Directors to undertake the necessary procedures and steps to allow the company to complete its capital restructuring. The effective date of the reduction will be announced after the creditors announcement, which will take 30 days according to the regula- FSI developed and deployed a customised and operational app within 48 hours Shareholders approved the Board of Directors’ recommendation to reduce Deyaar’s capital from AED5.78bn to AED4.55bn Deyaar to proceed with capital restructuring FSI’s app is called ‘Screening’. David Harris, general manager of Kha- damat Facilities Management praised FSI for delivering a solution is such a timely manner especially under the current circumstances. “It is at times like this, during a crisis situation, that the true benefits of a strate- gic partnership are realised,” Harris said. “FSI responded immediately to our request for support and provided us with highly effective solution which has saved significant time and effort for our operatives, and allows for excellent record keeping, reporting and analysis of histori- cal data.” “Furthermore FSI provided the devel- opment of the app free of cost in a bid to support the fight against COVID-19, which is also truly appreciated,” added Harris. tions and upon completing the formali- ties. Saeed Al Qatami, CEO of Deyaar said: “We would like to thank our sharehold- ers for their continued confidence. The plan for capital restructuring proposed by our Board of Directors will enable Deyaar to write off all accumulated losses stemming largely from more than a decade ago, enabling us to further im- prove financial ratios and increasing our company’s attractiveness to investors and future financing. We anticipate this to also have a positive impact on share price and demand, as well as the possibility of dividends distribution in case of accumu- lated profits and depending on avail- ability of excess cash. This move is yet another positive step for Deyaar, which we fully believe will further strengthen our business.” The capital restructuring plan will see the cancellation of 21.3% of the com- pany’s shares. This will be conducted in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law, the Company’s Article of Association, the rules and regulations of the SCA, and all of authorities’ related regulations. Deyaar expects the capital restructuring process to be reflected in the market by end of May 2020. Deyaar is one of Dubai’s leading devel- opers, with real estate ventures in prime locations within the emirate. report on the data, as required. “When Khadamat FM approached us to assist them in managing the health of their staff, we had to respond very quickly,” explained Adrian Jarvis, director of FSI Middle East. “Now more than ever, using the tech- nology we have developed over 30 years, to support our clients in the work they do and on the projects they manage, is of paramount importance,” added Jarvis. FSI Middle East partners with Khadamat Facilities Management to combat the spread of COVID-19 NEWS www.fm-middleeast.com14 May 2020 OPERATIONS Kleindienst Group, developer of The Heart of Europe – the $5bn (AED18.3bn) master-planned leisure tourism island destination – has shifted its operations to the islands just before the outbreak of the Coronavirus and has been continuing its construction activities in all the seven islands that are free from the Coronavirus threat that has brought business activities to a halt onshore. Due to its location more than 4 kilo- metres offshore from Dubai’s famous Jumeirah coastline, the Heart of Europe remains completely free from Coronavi- rus threat. The Heart of Europe manage- ment has recently moved operations to the islands where construction workers have been working for a number of years. ONLINE TOOL AECOM has launched an interactive web-based tool that allows clients to engage and consult stakehold- ers from their computer or mobile device. By providing a more resilient approach to community engagement, the new tool will allow clients to engage with a wider audience who cannot attend in-person meetings during consultation periods. “In the face of unprecedented chal- lenges, it was critical that we create a seamless digital environment to visual- ize projects, meet virtually and bring communities together in partnership with our clients around the world,” said Kevin Carlson, AECOM’s Global Lead for Digital Transformation. “Over the next few months, we will continue to focus on bringing new col- laborative experiences, driven by our More than 1,200 construction workers, technicians, engineers and environmental experts are currently working on site The globally available tool allows clients to continue driving public engagement with their projects during the coronavirus pandemic AECOM launches virtual public consultation tool Dubai’s Heart of Europe. The tool allows for instant feedback. monitor the health, safety and well-being of the workers and so far found no symp- toms of Coronavirus among them. For the last one month, the medical team is spraying disinfectants regularly while regular health checks are being conducted as part of the overall precau- tionary measures. The workers have full access to temporary community facili- ties, including prayer halls, recreational facilities in air-conditioned environment, while they can also enjoy cool weather on the island in the evenings. Josef Kleindienst, Chairman of Klein- dienst Group, said: “Islands are free from any pandemic that affects life onshore and that’s the beauty of life on the islands. I and my team have shifted to the Heart of Europe last month.” global expertise in digital delivery, to the marketplace.” Through the new platform, a vir- tual event can be personalised to show consultation materials including virtual reality and sound demonstrations, videos, maps, plans and pop up banners. The tool allows for instant feedback so public reaction can be captured and saved for analysis and accurate reporting. There is also a chat function so on-hand experts can remotely answer questions as visitors look around the materials, similar to what would take place during an in-person event. Andy Thomas, AECOM’s head of Visu- alisation & VR in EMEA, said: “The use of digital engagement tools enables stake- holders and communities to understand proposals, allowing them to provide an informed response and participate in the consultation process. This tool will allow that process to reach a wider audience, allowing more widespread buy-in for major infrastructure projects.” AECOM clients, East Lothian Coun- cil, Oxfordshire County Council, Public Health England and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, have signed up to use the public consultation tool. More than 1,200 construction workers, technicians, engineers and environmen- tal experts are currently working on site to deliver the innovative dream island destination that is set to rival the islands in the Maldives. Kleindienst Group is supplying fresh food to them while a residential chef ensure freshly-processed and cooked food are served to all living and working on the island. A medical team is on site to Kleindienst shift s operations to The Heart of Europe before coronavirus threatwww.fm-middleeast.com COMMENT March 2020 15 ost news that we are now coming across is about cleaning and sterilisation. You may have even noticed in this edition several news stories about it (see page 32; disinfection series). These are difficult and interesting times. And FM firms are putting themselves out there and helping to keep us all safe from the COVID-19 pandemic. Several FM companies are now adapting new practices and putting use of new skillsets. For instance, Imdaad’s subsidiary, Vision Safety, recently launched a brand- new disinfection tunnel called ViroSheild by Vision Safety, which is a disinfection solution designed to help communities, government entities, and companies across the UAE. Farnek too has installed a sanitisation gateway which will disinfect all staff, upon leaving and returning to their accommodation centres. The disinfectant system works via a Fog Gate, or disinfection tunnel, which sprays staff with a highly efficient, non-toxic, pH- Want to enter the debate? If you have any comments to make on these issues, email the editor at rajiv.pillai@itp.com. VIEWP INT FM fi rms in the region are now stepping up to help in various disinfection and sterilisation drives. We need to recognise and appreciate such eff orts. RAJIV RAVINDRAN PILLAI FM to the rescue M About the author Rajiv Ravindran Pillai is the editor of facilities management Middle East. neutral and durable disinfectant. The mist is completely harmless and dries in seconds, after employees pass through. Similarly, in response to the current outbreak, ServeU is now offering a full set of cleaning and disinfection services for their customers across businesses, offices and residential properties, including sanitisation and disinfectant treatments of their own accommodations and offices. Mohamed Adil Haneef, COO at AG Facilities Solutions says that reputed regional FM companies which have robust ISO, industry certifications and the skillset can perform the disinfection activities. Now is the time to adapt and FM firms are stepping up to the challenge. One very important aspect that Jamal Abdulla Lootah, group CEO, Imdaad, points out is, “As with other frontline workers such as medical staff, cleaning professionals are dealing with a higher risk of infection due to the nature of their work and require both the appropriate PPE and specialised training.” This is quite true. Often times cleaners are our unsung heros during such times and we should all be grateful for their sacrifices. COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.com16 May 2020 Among the numerous questions that linger in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of them is whether the virus can be transmitted through air- conditioning systems. At the moment, there is currently no evidence that Covid-19 can spread through air-conditioning systems, according to Professor Leo Yee Sin, executive director of the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). While a recent study by NCID researchers had found that the virus causing Covid-19 could be found in isolation facilities, including in an air duct connected to the room of one of the patients, it does not prove that this disease is an airborne one. Studies have shown that the main way the virus is spread is through respiratory droplets. Additionally, in the knowledge of Eurovent (Europe's Industry Association for Indoor Climate, Process Cooling, and Food Cold Chain Technologies), no authorities have yet issued guidance for the operation of (mechanical) ventilation systems. However, also according to one air quality expert, the crisis onboard the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan showed how germs can spread rapidly through air conditioning systems that can’t filter out particles as small as the new coronavirus. So there is still a lot of uncertainty and still a lot to learn from the new COVID-19 outbreak. One thing that is certain is the novel coronavirus affects the lungs. It is a well-known fact that we spend approximately 90% of our time indoors and given the current situation that percentage has certainly gone up. Another fact to consider is that the average adult, when resting, inhales and exhales about 7 or 8 litres of air per minute. That totals about 11,000 litres of air per day. It is thus pertinent now that we need to look at maintaining good indoor air quality, and that directly means looking closely at our HVAC or air conditioning systems. ASHRAE (The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers) guidelines provide some information on the best way to operate HVAC systems to help in preventing the spread of pathogens. Hassan Younes, director & partner at GRFN (previously known as Griffin Consultants), guides FMME in that direction by listing them out: • Increase outdoor air ventilation (use caution in highly polluted areas); with a lower population in the building, this increases the effective dilution INDOOR AIR QUALITY HAS NEVER BEEN A MORE PERTINENT SUBJECT DURING SUCH TIMES, ESPECIALLY NOW WITH MOST OF US BEING INDOORS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.com16 May 2020COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.comMay 2020 17 COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.comMay 2020 17 COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.com18 May 2020 Hassan Younes, director & partner, GRFN. ventilation per person. • Disable demand-controlled ventilation (DCV). • Further open minimum outdoor air dampers, as high as 100%, thus eliminating recirculation (in the mild weather season, this need not affect thermal comfort or humidity, but clearly becomes more difficult in extreme weather, i.e., summer in the UAE). • Improve central air filtration to the MERV-13 or the highest compatible with the filter rack, and seal edges of the filter to limit bypass. • Keep systems running longer hours, if possible 24/7, to enhance the two actions above. • Consider portable room air cleaners with HEPA filters. • Consider UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation), protecting occupants from PREVENTIVE HVAC MAINTENANCE SHOULD HAPPEN TO MAKE SURE OUTSIDE AIR AND EXHAUST EQUIPMENT, DAMPERS, AND FILTERS ARE WORKING PROPERLY. HASSAN YOUNES, DIRECTOR & PARTNER, GRFN ASHRAE guidelines provide some information on the best way to operate HVAC systems to help in preventing the spread of pathogens. COVER STORY radiation, particularly in high-risk spaces such as waiting rooms, prisons and shelters. Additionally, making sure heat recovery wheels are set up correctly and the leakage from the exhaust to the outside air section is minimal. Younes says: “Preventive HVAC maintenance should happen to make sure outside air and exhaust equipment, dampers, and filters are working properly. When it comes to filters, it is wise to assume that filters have active microbiological material on them. COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.comMay 2020 19 Whether this represents an important infectious disease risk from viruses is not known, but the precautionary principle would suggest that care should be taken. This becomes particularly important in any building (including a home) where there are known or likely cases of any infectious disease including COVID-19 and also extends to portable air cleaner filters and vehicle cabin air filters. Filters should be changed with the system turned off, while wearing gloves, with respiratory protection if available, outdoors if possible, and disposed of in a sealed bag. Additionally heat recovery wheel should be checked.” Dr. Iyad Al-Attar, a mechanical engineer, business innovator and air filtration consultant, weighs in, and shares his thoughts on air filtrations systems that prevent the spread of pathogens. He says: “The SARS-CoV-2 has paid us a surprise visit to find us pledging allegiance to sketchy filter specifications that tolerate regenerating disposal filters, inappropriately selecting filters, entertaining conventional filter design and prompting single-stage filtration solutions for most applications. How can we move forward if we belittle the impact of climate change and air pollution, misunderstand filtration standards and allow unqualified maintenance teams to slice and dice our air quality? Evidently, imminent filtration mistakes can be expensive, leading to irrecoverable performance losses in HVAC equipment.” Dr. Al-Attar, who has has become recently active in the field of air pollution in an effort to research its control measures, says: “Most of residential filtration relies on a single stage filtration, which is usually a washable metallic filter. When high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are used, they have to be preceded to a minimum of three filtration stages, namely, fresh air, pre, and fine filtration. In the past six decades, the focus has been to only filter solid particles with maximum efficiency for offices & shopping malls, for example, of around 65%. Minor attention to micro-organism filtration and gaseous removal was given for non-healthcare facilities. Although Absolute filters are used in operating theaters, a serious consideration to install them in other zone of the healthcare/hospital is of a paramount importance. Further, while installing absolute filters in operating theater help capture microorganisms, it does not necessarily sterilise the air. Particulate filters remove solid particles of different sizes at various efficiencies depending on the application. However, they are incapable of controlling odour and their efficiency in removing gaseous pollutants ranges from slim to non- existent.” The other solution for maintaining a good indoor air quality is through the use of air purifiers. Gem McLuckie, advanced research scientist in microbiology at Dyson, says that given the hot temperatures, the Middle East region is defined by air conditioning systems which constantly change the air quality because of the pollutants present in the air. McLuckie adds: “Air that is constantly circulating indoors be it at home, the office or somewhere as sterile as hospitals can contain particles ranging from dust and pet dander to allergens and volatile organic compounds from cigarette smoke and solvents. While opening a window for some fresh air may sound like an obvious solution, depending on where you are, outdoor air often brings in more toxins – be it from vehicle exhaust or in part of the Middle East dust. All that will prove to be detrimental to our newly adjusted lifestyles in times of strict lockdowns.” Dyson air purifiers have been Next >