< Previous UPDATE www.fm-middleeast.com10 June 2020 UAE-based property developer, MAG Lifestyle Development, which is a part of MAG Group Holding, has launched a new Uber- style home maintenance tracking app, called MAG FM. The MAG-branded smart technology platform will enable owners and tenants living in all MAG developments, to request home maintenance services, allowing customers to browse a wide range of home maintenance packages, or indeed customise their own package specifi c to their individual needs. App-users can also book and make payments via the smart platform through Google and Apple Pay for any parts or service carried out in their home, off ering a quick and hassle-free way to pay online. Initially, the online services will be launched for residents living in MAG5 Boulevard in Dubai South and then rolled-out across all MAG developments throughout Dubai. “MAG 5 Boulevard is an aff ordable, contemporary development with a real community feel and an accent on the modern lifestyle. Therefore, it seemed only natural for us to launch a reliable, convenient, and effi cient, technology- led home maintenance solution for the residents there, before expanding the maintenance service to our other developments,” said Talal Al Gaddah, senior executive vice chairman of MAG Lifestyle Development. MAG Lifestyle Development the development arm of the MAG Group Holding, was established 41 years ago, developing projects in Dubai Marina, Meydan, Dubai South, Dubai Creek, Business Bay and Sharjah. The app is available on Android and IoS. STAT ATTACK UPDATE TECHNOLOGY MAG launches new home maintenance app $500m The Saudi publicly-owned company Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) has awarded ACCIONA and its partner RTCC the construction of the Al Khobar 2 desalination plant at Khobar, on the east coast of Saudi Arabia. It is a turnkey contract valued at around $500m. 600,000m3 The facility will be equipped with reverse osmosis technology and a daily capacity of more than 600,000m³, making it one of the biggest in the country. 3 million It will provide a service to three million people in the area. $811m Last year, a $811m contract was awarded for the fi nancing, design, construction, operation and maintenance (for 25 years) of the Shuqaiq3 desalination plant. 450,000m³ per day Located in the south-west of the country on the Red Sea coast, Shuqaiq3 is expected to be completed sometime in 2021 and will have a treatment capacity of 450,000m³ per day to provide a service to a population equivalent of two million. 10 June 2020NEWS www.fm-middleeast.comJune 2020 11 OWNERS ASSOCIATION Deyaar Development, Dubai’s property develop- ers and real estate service provider, has launched Deyaar Community Manage- ment (Deyaar CM) – a rebranding of its former Deyaar Owners Association Man- agement (DOAM) subsidiary. Following DOAM’s 11-year history of serving home owners across Dubai, Deyaar rebranded the division in accordance with Law No. (6) of 2019 concerning Jointly Owned Property in Dubai, which imple- ments a fundamental shift in the real estate MANPOWER Front line workers in facilities management services are the main interactors physically within the facility, reveals Raymond AL Salhani, FM business unit director at Alhajry Overseas. AL Salhani says: “Alhajry Overseas tailored a terminology of manpower seg- mentation and work place zoning in order to reduce, mitigate and operate during any contingency. Due to the large number of workforce and massive number of fa- Deyaar Community Management will continue to deliver the scope services as regulated Alhajry Overseas carrys out segmentation of front line workers as a strategy of protection against Covid-19 Saudi-based Alhajry Overseas reveals its COVID-19 strategy Raymond AL Salhani. Saeed Al Qatami, CEO of Deyaar said: “While we may have changed the name, Deyaar Community Management will strive to improve the services even more than before, to our clients, to the standards that they have come to expect from DOAM over the last decade. We draw on more than 11 years of experience in serving home owners to continually innovate and intro- duce new solutions that will add value to the properties we serve throughout Dubai.” Deyaar Community Management will con- tinue to deliver the scope services as regulated. cilities that we operate, the segmentation concept that we implemented is consid- ered the most effective way to cover our scheduled services and maneuver during any potential cases that might take place. The firm used a mixed matrix segmen- tation of two and three portions. Some contracts were segmented into two and some into three depending on the volume of employees required to cover the services. Each segment will be assigned to a specific zone of the worksite and strictly limiting the existence of the employees to their assigned area of work. industry by transitioning from owners’ as- sociations, and transferring responsibility for jointly-owned properties to manage- ment entities, such as Deyaar CM under the regulatory supervision of the RERA. Deyaar rebrands its owners association division NEWS www.fm-middleeast.com12 June 2020 DISINFECTION Khidmah, one of the region’s FM and maintenance companies, has completed numerous disinfection and sanitisation missions across residen- tial and commercial assets/units in the UAE since March this year. This comes as part of Khidmah’s efforts to offer its expertise in support of the national drive for enhanced sanitisation and disinfec- tion to combat the spread of COVID-19. Abdulla Al Wahedi, CEO at Khidmah, said: “As many restrictions are being eased across the UAE, we are witnessing a significant rise in demand for profes- sional sanitisation and disinfection ser- vices coming from commercial entities as they gear up to welcome back their staff to offices in the near-term and as directed by the UAE government authorities. Khidmah has made sure its teams have DISINFECTION Bee’ah launched disinfection pods for businesses to safe- guard public health during the COVID-19 outbreak. The advanced solution can be placed at the entrance of facilities, buildings or high-risk areas to eradicate viruses, bacteria and other microorgan- isms on a person or on their clothing. Within the pod, a fine mist of diluted disinfectant is sprayed on the person, acting as a full body sanitiser that poses no harm to human health. There is also the option to mount a thermal scanning system at the entrance of disinfection pods, to effectively monitor the tempera- ture of each individual, without contact. These devices have already been utilised at Bee’ah’s facilities where essential work- ers and onsite personnel work. They have already been installed at the entrances of Khidmah recently participated in the UAE government’s National Sterilisation Programme The pods can be utilised at entrances of buildings, facilities or complexes to eradicate harmful viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms found on people Bee’ah launches disinfection pods for businesses pathways around Abu Dhabi. Khidmah utilises a range of chemi- cal and technical methods to complete sanitisation and disinfection that vary in nature according to the size and type of asset being treated. These include the use of steam cleaning machines and disinfec- tant compressed sprayers. Different pro- cesses require the use of chemicals such as chlorine, iodine and quaternary am- monium which in turn reduce the risk of infection by effectively killing germs and viruses on any surfaces. Chemicals used are organic and certified by the Emirates Environmental Agency and in accordance with public health standards. In March, Khidmah had announced that it started to offer discounted dis- infection and sanitisation services for homes and businesses across Abu Dhabi. the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority build- ing and at royal palaces. Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Bee’ah, said: “Bee’ah is doing everything we can to prevent, limit and contain the spread of COVID-19. Through our new disinfection pods, we are going one step further by providing innovative solutions that protect the health and safety of our employees, and helping other businesses safeguard their own workforce.” Al Huraimel also praised the essential workers on the frontlines that are part of the pandemic response: “There are many brave men and women who continue to work in vital sectors, from healthcare and security to civil defense and police force. We need to consider new forms of protec- tion for them as they continue to serve our society.” Triggered by motion detection, pumps in the disinfection pods will start to spray a mist on individuals passing through the pod for 20 seconds. The disinfectants are compliant with regional and international guidelines for sterilisation. the know-how, capabilities and capacity to respond quickly and effectively to this increased demand. We are honoured to be able to play a pivotal role in helping in keeping people safe during these excep- tional circumstances.” Khidmah recently participated in the UAE government’s National Sterilisa- tion Programme and carried out the disinfection of various streets, parks and Increased demand for Khidmah’s disinfection and sanitisation services from commercial entitiesNEWS www.fm-middleeast.comJune 2020 13 DISINFECTION UAE-based G4S recently added disinfec- tion and sanitation services to its COVID 19 offerings, which already included a broad range of services such as scanning and detection technology, AI and analytics as well as technology In addition to the work done and advice given by the government, G4S can provide Dubai Munici- pality certified disinfection and sanitation services to ensure a facility has a safe work environ- ment. The firm recommends this service on an ongoing and regular basis. This is in addition and in compliance to any and all current regulatory requirements, the company stated. The additional service is part of G4S’ readiness programme, which includes a range of initiatives across the spectrum that will help keep its customers best-prepared as business moves back our customers, existing and new. As a BICSc certified provider, we operate to the highest standards to help keep a safe environment, and only use Dubai Municipali- ty-approved biocides.” The additional service is part of G4S’ readiness programme, which includes a range of initiatives across the spectrum that will help keep its custom- ers best-prepared as business moves back towards normality. This includes availability of staff and resources, innovative pricing, and technology-led security solutions, mask detection, thermal scanning, AI and utili- sation of existing security infrastructure to meet the new threat level. Waqar Mohamed, director G4S FM UAE, said: “Our people are always our first priority, so the protection of our col- leagues was where the need first arose, and now we are providing this service to G4S adds disinfection and sanitation as part of its services to tackle COVID-19 NEWS www.fm-middleeast.com14 June 2020 TECHNOLOGY Al-Futtaim announced the launch of an innovative Web Based Crowd Management Service for its store customers to ensure they can continue to adhere to social distancing guidelines while visiting Al-Futtaim properties. The quick and convenient service was developed in response to the Dubai Gov- ernment’s health and safety directives fol- lowing the announcement by the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Manage- ment to reopen malls and retail stores. The technology solution helps manage the flow of customers to maximum 30% of store capacity, ensuring the safety of customers and retailers. The service allows customers to either book a time slot in advance or walk into the store after scanning a QR code using a virtual queuing system, ensuring there is never any overcrowding or heavy queueing in the stores. Reminder texts are sent 30 minutes before booking, with slots lasting a maximum of two hours and another reminder text being sent when a customer is approaching the end of their allocated time slot. The pilot was launched across three ACE stores in Dubai: the biggest flagship ACE store in Dubai Festival City, the Sheikh Zayed Road and the Motor City stores. Since the implementation of the system, no customer has been admitted to ACE without a check-in. Al-Futtaim is also System developed to enable Al-Futtaim retailers to adhere to guidelines and protocols issued by Dubai Economic Department our teams to develop a solution that would ensure we could fully comply with all precautionary measures. We are pleased to announce this in our ACE stores and hope this provides customers with additional peace of mind when visiting for their es- sential needs.’ The crowd management service is fully integrated with Apple and Android operating systems and uses push notifica- tions and Apple Wallet notifications. Data collected for pre-bookings and QR code including the customers’ mobile numbers, will not be kept or used for marketing or commercial purposes. No individual infor- mation is stored, ensuring complete data privacy for customers. looking at other retailers where it would make sense to implement. Al-Futtaim opened its two malls in Dubai, Dubai Festival City Mall and Festival Plaza just ahead of Ramadan in order to be able to better serve the commu- nity during the Holy Month. Al-Futtaim continues to ensure the implementation of all protocols and safety guidelines across its malls. Regis Schultz, president, Retail at Al-Futtaim commented: ‘Our focus is on ensuring we are abiding by all directives issued by the Dubai Government to keep our customers, employees and retailers safe. Upon announcement of retail stores re-opening, we quickly collaborated with Al-Futt aim launches web-based crowd management tool to ensure safety of all customers The technology solution helps manage the fl ow of customers to maximum 30% of store capacity.www.fm-middleeast.com COMMENT June 2020 15 usinesses must reassess not only their plans for the year, but also on a longer-term basis. Resilience is good in crisis. However, just bouncing back from such an event is not enough. In the current situation we need to encourage employees and keep them motivated by making sure there are clear communication channels. For many businesses, given the uncertainty of this time and the nature of the business, it may not be possible to set up your workforce to continue working remotely. During unprecedented times, it’s difficult for business owners to act beyond survival. But now would be a good time to rethink strategies. Business owners don’t often have downtime, which is necessary for creative contemplation and strategic planning. Before this event, companies from all sectors were having to adapt to a range of forces including economic downturn, globalisation, increased urbanisation, and intense competition. 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 We shouldn’t be thinking of getting back to normal. In fact, we should aim towards a “better normal”. One that is sustainable for us and the planet. RAJIV RAVINDRAN PILLAI Towards a bett er future B About the author Rajiv Ravindran Pillai is the editor of facilities management Middle East. Businesses need to think of sustainable practices. Sustainability is moving from the corporate side- lines into the mainstream. We must not forget that faced with a future of uncertain energy costs, regulation on carbon emissions and the availability of natural resources like water, companies all over the world are waking up to the reality that environmental sustainability is a key consideration. Incorporating a detailed sustainability vision into a firm’s long-term strategic plan creates lasting value. In the words of FM veteran and consultant Alan Millin (see page 16): “Those that embrace change will already have accepted the fact that there will be a ‘new normal’, and will be developing strategies for success. As FM companies look to revise their strategies, it is imperative that they also look at their organisational design to ensure fitness for purpose. Change may well be needed in the categories of people, benefits and rewards, organisational structure, and processes.” It is time to introspect and change for the better and greater good. COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.com16 June 2020 Several global experts predict that there won’t be “a return to normal” for a few sectors, at least for a while. In particular, for the travel, retail and hospitality sectors. In a post-COVID-19 world, new scenarios may emerge. It’s expected that we’ll have fewer public touch screens and more voice interfaces and machine vision interfaces. Business travel and daily commuting may decline as we embrace to “work from home”. Video conferencing and webinars will increase. There will be better monitoring using IoT and Big Data, among other things. How does the future look for the FM industry in all this? “From an FM business perspective, the coronavirus pandemic has presented an opportunity that, if we are lucky, is a once in a lifetime event. As the pandemic eases, some will bemoan the fact that clients will, quite rightly, look to achieve cost benefits from improved efficiencies that have resulted from changed work processes,” replies FM industry veteran Alan Millin. With almost 25 years in the GCC region, including well over a decade as an independent facilities management consultant and trainer, Millin has designed, developed, and delivered a range of successful FM training programs to the region’s FM professionals. Millin says: “Those that embrace change will already have accepted the fact that there will be a ‘new normal’, and will be developing strategies for success. As FM companies look to revise their strategies, it is imperative that they also look at their organisational design to ensure HOW WILL THE FM INDUSTRY SHAPE UP IN THE FUTURE IN A POST-COVID-19 WORLD? EXPERTS REVEAL SOME INSIGHTS POST-PANDEMIC ERA COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.com16 May 2020COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.comJune 2020 17 COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.comMay 2020 17 COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.com18 June 2020 fitness for purpose. Change may well be needed in the categories of people, benefits and rewards, organisational structure, and processes. “Indeed, any change in strategy should trigger a diagnostic review. Many managers try to develop a new strategy but then forget to check whether the organisation is finely tuned to implement it. Fine tuning an FM organisation is not a one-off exercise, it should be built into the organisational DNA.” Markus Oberlin, CEO of Farnek, predicts that in terms of cleaning and sanitisation, there will be greater frequency, particularly in public areas, which will increase the workload and revenues of soft FM providers. MEP systems such as air-conditioning and ventilation will need to be adjusted and air ducts cleaned and disinfected more often. However, service providers will also suffer – some companies ONLY THE LARGER WELL CAPITALISED TOTAL FM COMPANIES WILL SURVIVE THIS PHASE OF ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT IN THE MARKET. MARKUS OBERLIN, CEO, FARNEK Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek are unlikely to survive this crisis, and landlords, through the loss of service fees, will be unable to employ regular cleaning and maintenance. The same might be said about residential properties as well, which will hit home maintenance companies. Oberlin explains further: “As a consequence of this, I think that there will be a further consolidation in the FM market and only the larger well capitalised total FM companies will survive this phase of economic adjustment in the market. Innovation, sustainability and technology will continue to drive the market.” Vincent Montanet, chief business development officer for ENGIE Solutions (ENGIE Cofely), adds: “What the pandemic has brought to the fore is the fact that FM delivers essential services, not only to residential and commercial buildings but to crucial sectors such as healthcare or transport. FM is currently playing a major role in ensuring continuity of infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Organisations will see the need for investment in long-term technological solutions to ensure functionality, comfort, safety and efficiency of the built environment by integrating people, place, process and technology. Now more than ever, the health and safety of our staff, residents, and environment is extremely crucial. The COVER STORY www.fm-middleeast.comJune 2020 19 ADVANCEMENTS IN AI AND IOT CAN MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 BY REDUCING MANPOWER ON GROUND AND THEREFORE REDUCE THE RISK OF BEING EXPOSED. VINCENT MONTANET, CHIEF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR ENGIE SOLUTIONS (ENGIE COFELY) pandemic serves as a reminder on the importance of continuous investment and training in health and safety to ensure the wellbeing of our employees as well as business continuity.” Montanet says that the unfortunate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in industries, companies and communities seeing the value of long-term partnerships with integrated FM solution providers. Companies investing in technological capability, with a depth of experience and knowledge to deploy critical environment solutions will transform and truly optimise costs and quality of the places we live or work in. “Implementation of long-term innovative solutions can provide retail and commercial sectors financial relief; for example, it can drive down operating expenses by introducing smart building and maintenance solutions, increase energy optimisation, as well as improve capital expenditure through a focus on asset life cycle,” Montanet says. TECHNOLOGY Montanet says that with an increasingly connected world, solutions rooted in the Internet of Things (IoT) and driven by artificial intelligence (AI) are the way forward. “These are terms that everyone has heard of, but not many know how to use or procure such solutions for FM deployment – even though they can contribute significantly towards OPex and CAPex optimisation. More importantly, advancements in AI and IoT can mitigate the effects of COVID-19 by reducing manpower on ground and therefore reduce the risk of being exposed,” Montanet says. IoT sensor technology, for example, can be deployed for various solutions, such as air quality and health, energy management, comfort and safety. It can also be used for Condition Based Monitoring, which provides live monitoring and alters for both asset and environmental conditions, while collecting asset information to facilitate data-driven decisions with regards to asset maintenance strategy, replacement, and running costs, says Montanet. AI and IoT solutions can be deployed to further optimise operation and improve equipment reliability, such as utilising machine learning to automatically identify performance drift. This will allow engineers to focus on other important tasks, as they are no longer required to initially diagnose faults – and it also means any faults will be detected potentially sooner than they would be by humans. AI facilitates predictive maintenance, recognizing the risk for issues before they occur, enabling engineers to intervene with preventative measures, and therefore optimise performance. There are numerous benefits to this, such as cost savings, increased equipment reliability, and an enhanced customer experience. Montanet says: “In the long run, these digital initiatives and innovation Vincent Montanet, chief business development offi cer for ENGIE Solutions (ENGIE Cofely)Next >