ITP MEDIA GROUP / BUSINESS AUGUST 2021 • VOL. 16, ISSUE 08 AND THE COMPANY LEADING THE CHANGE THE RISE OF OPERATIONS TECH CGTHE CHANGE Prabhu Ramachandran, founder and CEO of Facilio#choose_to_ vaccinatewww.fm-middleeast.com CONTENTS August 2021 3 UPDATE 6 Amazon’s fi rst renewable energy project goes live in the UAE 8 Sharjah Sustainable City teams up with American University of Sharjah to host sustainability webi- nar discussions 10 ENEC’s JV subsidiary, August 2021 VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 08 Westinghouse sign 5-year maintenance con- tract for UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant VIEWPOINT 13 The 2nd annual FM Conference is gaining momentum in tackling some serious issues COVER STORY 16 Facilio, a US-based start- up, is gaining momentum by riding on the wave of O&M digitisation post pandemic REAL ESTATE 26 Sustainable buildings and how where you live can reduce your carbon footprint FIVE MINUTES WITH... 42 Fahad Mohamed, director - Dubai and Northern Emirates, Adeeb Group 42 Regulars 13 DOWNLOAD NOW FOR iOS, ANDROID, AND KINDLE 26 @fmMidEast@fmMidEast @fmMidEast 06www.fm-middleeast.com CONTENTS 4 August 2021 30 FUTURE OF FM Dr Ryad Soobhany from Heriot-Watt University Dubai, shares his recommendations on future-oriented tools and technologies that facilities managers should embrace In-depth August 2021 DOWNLOAD NOW FOR iOS, ANDROID, AND KINDLE 3416 VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 08 @fmMidEast@fmMidEast 16 COVER STORY The Rise of Operations Tech in Real Estate . Facilio, a US-based start-up, is gaining momentum by riding on the wave of O&M digitisation post pandemic @fmMidEast 34 ENERGY MANAGEMENT Energy upgrades for cooling systems are key to optimising performance, says Kevin Laidler from Armstrong Fluid Technology 37 SUPPLIER NEWS Find out the top facilities management supplier trends that are currently in the market, including some of the biggest digital trends set to shape the FM industry COMING UP IN FMME SEPTEMBER 2021 FMME’s upcoming Special Report on Lifts and Escalators will explore the market trends and the new ongoing innovations in the lifts and escalator space To learn more about upcoming stories and advertising opportunities in future issues of FMME, please contact Vinay Ravindran through vinay.ravindran@itp. com, or +971-55-8101197. FMME ON LINKEDIN With more than 1,000 members from all over the Middle East, the FMME LinkedIn Group is the place to be to find out news, discussions and opportunities in the region’s FM industry. Email the editor at rajiv.pillai@itp.com to join the FMME LinkedIn Group and get in on the industry conversation.EARLY BIRD RATES AVAILABLE UNTIL THURSDAY AUGUST 5, 2021 BOOK YOUR TABLES TODAY FOR ATTENDANCE ENQUIRIES, CONTACT : Anthony Chandran Table Sales Executive Tel: +971 4 444 3685 Email: anthony.chandran@itp.com FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, CONTACT: Rebecca Lockwood Sales Director +971 55 484 8301 Email: rebecca.lockwood@itp.com FOR NOMINATION ENQUIRIES, CONTACT: Jane O’Neill Editor Tel: +971 4 444 3626 Email: jane.oneill@itp.com #CIDAWARDS WWW.COMMERCIALINTERIORDESIGN.COM/AWARDS SPONSORSHIP DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY AUGUST 25, 2021 AWARDS CEREMONY: WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 JW MARRIOTT MARQUIS HOTEL DUBAI 20021 Y SEPTEMBER RRIOTT MAR I H TEL D 21 SEPTEMBER 15, JW MARRIOTT MAR I H TEL DUJW MARR MBER 155, 20 UB , 20021 W MARRI TT MAR I H TEL D BAI 0211 AI 21 #C DA WW WA WWW.COMM ARD MMERC DS ALI TERIORRDES GN.C.COM//A/AWARDDSAARRDSS GOLD SPONSORSOCIAL MEDIA PARTNERCATEGORY SPONSOR SILVER SPONSORSILVER SPONSORSILVER SPONSORCATEGORY SPONSOR FIT-OUT PARTNER UPDATE www.fm-middleeast.com6 August 2021 fmupdate RENEWABLE Amazon launched its first solar rooftop in the UAE, the first step on its sustainability roadmap across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, as part of its global commitment to sustainability. Amazon’s MENA operations are working hard in support of The Climate Pledge – a commitment to be net-zero carbon across all its businesses by 2040. Co-founded by Amazon in 2019, The Climate Pledge calls on signatories to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement 10 years early, through regular reporting, carbon elimination and credible offsets. To date, more than 100 organisations have signed the Pledge. HE Dr Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment said: “Carbon neutrality is at the core of the Paris Agreement. Here in the UAE, we are working with our partners in the private sector to help them recognise that mainstreaming climate-friendly business models and carbon footprint reduction into their future growth plans is not only an environmental imperative but also makes sound business sense. We add our voice to Amazon’s call for businesses to step up to the challenge and take The Climate Pledge that aims to contribute to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. KEEP UP-TO-DATE For all the latest FM news check out www.fm- middleeast.comast.cccom We congratulate the company on the inauguration of its first solar rooftop in the UAE, and its steadfast commitment to sustainability.” HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) commended Amazon for installing photovoltaic solar panels at its Dubai facility and connecting it to DEWA’s grid through the Shams Dubai initiative. Al Tayer added, “DEWA’s Shams Dubai initiative supports the Smart Dubai initiative launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world. It also supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 75% of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050. We value Amazon’s efforts to promote Dubai’s position as a leading city in using clean and renewable energy, and the company’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. This supports DEWA’s joint efforts with the private sector to protect the environment and natural resources to ensure a brighter future for generations to come.” Amazon’s MENA sustainability roadmap is geared towards the global vision to be net- zero carbon by 2040. The company has made ambitious commitments towards reaching this goal, including the deployment of carbon reduction strategies at every stage of the operations process – from the time an item is picked off the shelf in a Fulfilment Centre, to the materials used to pack the item, and the transportation network that gets the package to the customer’s door. Ronaldo Mouchawar, vice president of Amazon MENA commented, “We are proud to be operating in countries that have a heightened consciousness of the impact of climate change on future generations. As we embark on the path to a low carbon economy a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement, I call on businesses in MENA Rooft op solar. DXB3 solar rooftop in Dubai South is projected to reduce CO2 emissions by 2,500 tonnes each year Amazon’s first renewable energy project goes live in the UAEUPDATE www.fm-middleeast.comAugust 2021 7 EXPO2020 UAE-based smart and green FM company Farnek, has secured FM contracts for eight national pavilions, worth AED16.7m at Expo 2020. The countries include, China, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Singapore, The Philippines, Bahrain, Morocco and Pakistan. The largest contract is for the Saudi Arabian pavilion. At over 13,000 square metres, the kingdom’s pavilion is the second largest at Expo 2020 second only to the UAE. More than 130 staff will be deployed to provide cleaning, pest control, operational support and facility integration services. Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek, commented: “The Saudi Arabian pavilion presents us with a unique challenge which simply put is its sheer scale. During the six- month Expo 2020, it will be open to the public for up to 16 hours per day, which will require a dedicated team of over 130 technical and cleaning staff, working shifts throughout the show.” Images of the pavilion reveal a rectangular, reflective structure that will stand at an angle and will cover a space larger than two football pitches. Soaring 27 metres into the sky, the facade opens like a gigantic window into the future, reflecting a society deeply rooted in its culture with unlimited ambitions. The China pavilion is also another major contract win, that will require over 80 staff covering security, cleaning and pest control. The China Pavilion will also be one of the largest at Expo 2020 Dubai, measuring over 4,600 square metres. The China Pavilion symbolises hope and a bright future and is modelled on a traditional lantern with architecture that references ancient Chinese innovations. Like a wall inspired by fluent printing technology, which turns into a dazzling digital light show at night. “This is a complex and intelligent structure,” said Khaldun Aburok, Farnek’s Director of Business Development. “And Chinese officials were confident that we understood how smart buildings worked and more importantly how to maintain, clean and secure them. “We are currently working closely with Huawei developing smart security solutions tailored to our specific requirements, at our new AED 200 million staff accommodation centre – Farnek Village,” added Aburok. Considering that Farnek is 100% Swiss owned and managed, it will come as no surprise to learn that Farnek has also won the FM contract for the Swiss pavilion. Based on tradition and innovation, this is another technically advanced marquee, where visitors can take a virtual hike through the Swiss countryside, it has a restaurant serving Swiss specialties and it’s expecting 15,000 visitors per day. “The challenge with the Swiss pavilion was high footfall, understanding their technology and managing the highest standards of cleanliness for the restaurant as well as the high traffic areas,” said Oberlin. “Switzerland is in our DNA – quite literally in many cases and so we had an in- depth understanding of their requirements and we have allocated more than 30 technicians to manage this diverse and innovative pavilion,” added Oberlin. to join us as signatories to The Climate Pledge. By agreeing to decarbonise on a faster time horizon, we will play a critical role in stimulating innovation, policies and investment that will help tackle the climate crisis in our communities, our countries and our region.” Starting on its sustainability journey, the company inaugurated its first on-site renewable energy project in MENA – a solar rooftop at Amazon’s largest Fulfilment Centre in the UAE, DXB3. The 5,565-panel rooftop will generate on-site solar energy to power 60% of DXB3’s energy demands – the highest permitted capacity in the UAE. The project is estimated to save 4.6 million UAE-based total FM company to mobilise over 350 staff as Expo 2020 gears-up for the ‘World’s Greatest Show’ Farnek wins AED16.7m worth of FM contracts for eight national pavilions at Expo 2020 kilowatt-hours of energy annually. This is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 2,500 tonnes each year, equivalent to planting more than 40,000 tree seedlings. Prashant Saran, director of Operations for Amazon MENA says, “As we continue to grow in the region, we believe that it is our duty to act responsibly from day one. Our MENA sustainability roadmap embodies our commitment towards building an environmentally sustainable business, not just to reduce the impact of climate change, but to also support the communities where we live and work. We encourage like- minded technology partners and local businesses to design and deliver innovative solutions to combat climate change. The inauguration of DXB3’s solar rooftop is an important milestone on our path to The Climate Pledge vision to be net-zero carbon by 2040, and addresses one of the three core areas for carbon reduction across our operations: Energy, Transportation and Packaging.” Amazon believes that solving the climate crisis requires collective action between businesses, organisations and governments. The company continues to collaborate with government and industry partners in MENA, with an aim to support policy discussions and encourage sustainable innovations across the communities where it operates.www.fm-middleeast.com UPDATE 8 August 2021 WEBINAR Sharjah Sustainable City, a fully sustainable community by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), teamed up with the American University of Sharjah (AUS) to host a series of webinar discussions for academics to discuss energy and climate change, smarter mobility, ecodistricts and sustainable materials. Over 370 students, faculty and staff from AUS along with industry practitioners from Sharjah Sustainable City attended the different webinars, held throughout the recently concluded spring semester, to learn about the practical implementations of sustainable development theories on housing communities, and their effectiveness on ground in the new Sharjah development. Professors in the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering, and the College of Architecture, Art and Design were able to incorporate the webinars into their classroom learning. Yousif Ahmed Al-Mutawa, CEO of Sharjah Sustainable City, said: “As a Sharjah-based project, it is important to us that we engage with the local Sharjah community and find areas of synergy where we can add value. The American University of Sharjah is one of the leading educational institutions in the region and home to many respected academics along with some of the brightest young minds, so this series of discussions has been a fantastic opportunity to share our expertise with the next generation of sustainability professionals.” Rose Armour, head of Sustainability at the American University of Sharjah, said: “The collaboration allowed students to learn first-hand what it takes to incorporate sustainability principles into a project like Sharjah Sustainable City and the impact it can have on our individual and community carbon footprint. ” As a direct result of the webinars, a team of students will be measuring and evaluating the thermal insulation of one villa while another team will share information on their 3D concrete printing project, and its potential applications on ground. The upcoming Fall semester will see the start of research projects with the College of Engineering and potential co-authoring of a research paper on urban planning, among other planned collaborations between the two entities. Sharjah Sustainable City is the first fully integrated residential sustainable city in Sharjah, aiming to create a net zero energy, vibrant community offering a unique and sustainable lifestyle. The AED2bn project is a joint venture between Shurooq and Diamond Developers. NEWS IN BRIEF Facilities Management Middle East launches LinkedIn page Facilities Management Middle East has launched its very own LinkedIn page. In a bid to reach and serve more of our ever-growing readers and increase our digital presence, we have launched our own LinkedIn company page. This is in addition to our already existing Facilities Management Middle East group on LinkedIn, which has over 7,000 members, along with our Twitt er presence (@ fmMidEast). Feel free to tag us on all relevant FM-related news. Facilities Management Middle East aims to be the leading brand for FM professionals in the region. Transguard Group to provide cleaning services to GymNation GymNation, the UAE’s gym chain, has selected Transguard Group, the country’s business solutions provider, as the exclusive provider of cleaning services in each of its locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras al Khaimah. “Announcing our partnership with GymNation is an exciting opportunity to continue showcasing our commitment to the health and safety of the UAE,” said Greg Ward, managing director, Transguard. “Our cleaning protocols were specifi cally developed with the end customer in mind, ensuring that GymNation can off er its clients not only the cleanest fi tness facilities but also peace of mind during their workout.” Under the terms of the 3-year contract, nearly 60 cleaners have been already been deployed to all 7 GymNation locations across 3 emirates. Sharjah Sustainable City teams up with American University of Sharjah to host sustainability webinar discussions UPDATE WHAT’S THE STORY Sokovo launches vertical farm in Dubai Industrial City What’s the story? Sokovo has signed an agreement with Dubai Industrial City, one of the region’s largest manufacturing and logistics hub, to establish a vertical farm that will produce thousands of tonnes of leafy greens, fruits and vegetables per year. What are the details? The indoor farm has a plot size of more than 100,000 sq ft , with a total built-up area covering more than 25,000 sq ft . Sokovo will grow fresh kale, spinach, lett uce, tomatoes, strawberries and melons, supplying hundreds of hypermarkets, hotels and top chefs across the country. The industry is att racting and nurturing talents that are bolstering the UAE’s innovation-driven food security strategy as vertical farming booms nationwide. What did the experts say? Saud Abu Al-Shawareb, managing director of Dubai Industrial City, said: “Our agreement with Sokovo to build a world-class vertical farm marks an exciting chapter in the future of food production, and we are delighted to welcome them to our business district.”UPDATE www.fm-middleeast.comAugust 2021 9 APP Integrated FM services provider, Emrill, has expanded the use of technol- ogy to enhance service delivery with the launch of its TechCompanion app. The app, which is currently being utilised by over 2,000 technicians, engineers and su- pervisors across multiple sites and shifts, empowers Emrill’s employees to access and utilise data and information to drive efficiencies across the company’s con- tracts and support success for its clients’ projects and communities. In 2020, Emrill launched What’s Next Engineering, an initiative led by innova- tion and implementing new ideas, which the company encourages through its ongoing continuous improvement work- shops. Emrill’s TechCompanion app was developed under the umbrella of this ini- tiative, in line with the company’s aim to be future-ready through harnessing new technology to redefine service delivery. Accessible via iOS and Android mobile JOINT VENTURE Nawah Energy Company (Nawah), the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation’s (ENEC) Joint Ven- ture nuclear operations and maintenance subsidiary, has signed a five-year Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) support agreement with Westinghouse Electric Company. Leveraging the expertise of the best performing international nuclear energy experts, the agreement brings the benefit of Westinghouse’s OEM expertise in operational support, maintenance, engi- neering, outage services, and spare parts capabilities, as well as training opportuni- ties to support this endeavor at Barakah. “As the operating and maintenance Accessible via iOS and Android devices, Emrill’s app provides technicians with an all-in- one, multipurpose guidance toolkit with multilanguage capabilities Westinghouse to provide maintenance solutions and technical support for the UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, one of the largest nuclear energy plants globally TechCompanion app. The signing ceremony. has been especially important during the pandemic when budget constraints have been a significant factor. It has been designed with an easy-to-use administrative panel, enabling technicians and supervisors to manage the application on-the-go. Officer of Nawah. “Additionally, it adds specialized services to our capabilities, as we work to ensure we meet all national regulatory requirements and internation- al standards for nuclear operations.” “We are delighted to continue our relationship with Nawah in this five-year partnership and offer our technologi- cal and long-term operation expertise to support nuclear energy growth in the Emirates,” said Tarik Choho, president of Westinghouse EMEA Operating Plant Services Business Unit. The Barakah Plant, located in the Al Dhafra region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, is one of the largest nuclear energy plants in the world. devices, Emrill’s TechCompanion app provides technicians with an all-in-one, multipurpose guidance, training and maintenance toolkit with multilanguage capabilities. It provides a centralised solu- tion and single point of contact for each vendor, as well as an escalation matrix and database of contacts for each asset. To guide technicians, all information related to assets, including service and technical manuals, is available on the app and can be accessed while employees are onsite via an easy-to-navigate up-to-date documenta- tion and catalogues library. Additionally, Emrill’s TechCompan- ion app functions as an education and development tool, providing technicians access to online courses and training. Reducing the need for direct staff training, in addition to decreasing the need for specialist subcontractor involvement for troubleshooting, has enabled Emrill to offer competitive pricing to clients, which subsidiary for the Barakah plant, Nawah is focused on achieving operational excel- lence. The agreement with Westinghouse is strategically important to us because it supports our long-term goal for reliable, sustainable and safe operations,” said Eng. Ali Al Hammadi, Chief Executive Emrill launches TechCompanion app to optimise service delivery and increase effi ciency ENEC’s JV subsidiary, Westinghouse sign 5-year contract for UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Energy PlantNext >