ITP MEDIA GROUP / BUSINESS SEPTEMBER 2021 • VOL. 16, ISSUE 09 OPTIMISING OPERATIONS Farnek’s HITEK solution 4.0 command centre gives it a bird’s-eye view of multiple assets and helps the firm run a smooth and efficient operation www.fm-middleeast.com CONTENTS September 2021 3 UPDATE 6Transguard Group pilots health seminars for its site-based employees 8Sharaf Group to set up ‘used lead acid battery’ recycling centre 10 Veolia Summer School hosts six students from UAE, KSA and Oman to September 2021 VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 09 tackle environmental challenges VIEWPOINT 15 Is the hybrid working model the right way forward? COVER STORY 16 Farnek’s HITEK 4.0 Com- mand Control Centre allows it to have effi cient control over its assets and operations SURVEY 24 UAE survey reveals that 4 in 5 people took measures to protect the air quality of their homes this year FORECAST 34 Seven predictions for the future of work FIVE MINUTES WITH... 50 Martijn Mink, Senior Manager-FM, Transguard Group 42 Regulars DOWNLOAD NOW FOR iOS, ANDROID, AND KINDLE 3424 @fmMidEast@fmMidEast @fmMidEast 06 15www.fm-middleeast.com CONTENTS 4 September 2021 28 STANDARDS The IMMUNE standard has been developed to help buildings including offi ces, logistics & industrial sites, and residential properties to re-open and operate safely In-depth September 2021 DOWNLOAD NOW FOR iOS, ANDROID, AND KINDLE 2816 VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 09 @fmMidEast@fmMidEast 16 COVER STORY Farnek’s HITEK 4.0 Command Control Centre located in Farnek Village, the company’s new staff accommodation centre in Jebel Ali allows it to have control over its assets @fmMidEast 36 FM CONFERENCE 2021 The Facilities Management Middle East Conference will be held on 29 September and will take place as a physical in-person event for the fi rst time 38 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 AUGUST 2021 FMME’s upcoming Special Report on IoT and Automation will explore the market trends and if there is growing need for implementing IoT in facilities management 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.Explore Our New E-Commerce Website Order Online Now www.sanipexgroup.com FM October 3.indd 129/08/2021 17:13UPDATE www.fm-middleeast.com6 September 2021 fmupdate SEMINAR Business solutions provider Transguard Group has revealed that a new health initiative aimed at proactively educating its site-based employees has so far impacted more than 1,000 employees since its inception in May 2021. “Caring for our healthy, happy workforce is the cornerstone of our success,” said Greg Ward, managing director, Transguard Group. “It has been exceptionally gratifying to see how well the sessions are being received.” The concept is simple but effective: A team of Transguard medical professionals holds regular seminars on a wide range of KEEP UP-TO-DATE For all the latest FM news check out www.fm- middleeast.comast.cccom topics in the company’s accommodations, including how to manage lower back pain and gastric problems as well as common health complaints for both males and females, as well as other common issues. The free sessions have so far been held in four of Transguard’s largest accommodations and generally last for about an hour, including a question and answer session that allows attendees to pursue additional details on the topics covered. Free eye check-ups are also on offer. So far, feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from both employees and senior management: “These sessions give our employees immediate access to information they may not know how to seek out on their own,” Ward pointed out, adding that “we’re proud that we’ve taken the initiative to proactively provide these opportunities as yet another demonstration that we are fully dedicated to upholding our duty of care for our employees.” In addition to future health seminars being planned across other Transguard accommodations, a second dedicated medical facility in Jebel Ali is expected to open before the end of the year. Employees recently gathered in one of Transguard Group’s Jebel Ali dining halls for the latest health seminar and Q&A session. More than 1,000 employees of the business solutions provider have attended the free sessions since the programme’s launch earlier this year Transguard Group pilots health seminars for its site-based employeesUPDATE www.fm-middleeast.comSeptember 2021 7 CSR On the occasion of Indian Independence Day, “Abhaar”, a worker welfare association was established under the patronage of EFS Facilities Services Group in India to provide a philanthropic platform for the upliftment of unskilled and semi-skilled workers. Abhaar’s mission will transcend majorly into assistance in identification of job opportunities (overseas), assistance for overseas migrated workers, and rehabilitation or settlement for returning workers. On the global stage, the onset of Covid-19 added to the imbalance in their socio- economic structure wherein the migrant workers witnessed life-altering challenges such as job losses, salary cuts, repatriation on very short notices, no employment opportunities in their own home countries, deprivation of basic needs such as fair living standards, timely wages and access to public health infrastructure. As a “people’s first” organization across the MEASA region, EFS Group identified the need for self-actualization concerning the welfare of these workers in the larger society. As India marks its 75th year of independence, EFS leadership and blue- collar staff of the company, representing the diversity of nationalities unveiled the Abhaar Logo at the event, an initiative to create programs that will serve the immediate and long-term interest of the migrant workers. EFS conducted surveys across the group’s regional operations to identify and encourage migrant workers to submit ideas for their incubation projects for their future. The CSR initiative launched by EFS has its main base in India and plans to expand its footprint in the near future to the communities in Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and countries in Africa. Integrated facilities management fi rm, EFS Group, launched Abhaar, a CSR initiative on the occasion of Indian Independence Day for the unskilled migrant workforce EFS Group launches CSR initiative focused on unskilled migrant workforce welfarewww.fm-middleeast.com UPDATE 8 September 2021 RECYCLE In line with Dubai’s vision of “Clean Environment” and “Zero Waste” by 2050, Sharaf Group announced its plans to build a ‘Used Lead Acid Battery’ (ULAB) recycling facility, built on a 250,000 sq. ft. area in Dubai Industrial City. The scaled fully automated facility will process 21,000 tonnes or 85% of the ULABs generated in Dubai every year, starting with six tonnes per hour capacity and a smelter of three tonnes per hour, further promoting an optimized circular economy. The facility is being built by Engitec Technologies, a marquee Italian battery recycle plant manufacturer, and will commence operations with a 25-member team in the first quarter of 2023. Implementing modern technologies, the practice of disposing ULAB by discharging it to the ground will be replaced by environmentally friendly protocols discharging acid, as harmless water, and high-quality lead ingots, which will enable re-entry of the recycled products into the value chain through battery manufacturers. This process will not only reduce lead pollution but will also play a favorable role in addressing global environmental crisis. Sharaf Group, a multidimensional conglomerate from the UAE, with diversified business interests including Real Estate, Shipping & logistics, Retail Establishments, Services & Hospitality, is taking a quantum leap into sustainable environmental preservations through its deep & transformative tech venture Green Future. Speaking on this occasion, vice chairman of Sharaf Group Sharafuddin Sharaf highlighted: “We at Sharaf Group constantly look to bring in new innovative technologies which will contribute towards the growth of our country and further help shape His Highness’s vision of creating a clean, sustainable and zero pollution UAE for future generations”. The recycling facility promises to be a beacon of Green Tech and Future Tech investments necessary to further the recycling infrastructure to support a sustainable future in the region. The initiative will also encourage venture capitalists and early-stage startups specializing in water purification, garbage recycling and ocean cleaning to collaborate with government bodies and environmental agencies towards a green and progressive Dubai. NEWS IN BRIEF UAEU reveals Futuristic Facade of the Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai The United Arab Emirates University, the fl agship institution with an independent pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, reveals the pavilion façade design built on the theme of the ‘University of the Future’ (UoF), a new model of education which is focused on preparing the next generation in solving employability challenges, by transforming the youth from ‘job seekers’ to ‘job creators’ with the Pathfi nders Program and the Institute of the Future (IoF) among its central initiatives. The façade, exterior face of the building, shows an image on the upper panel showcasing three adventurous pathfi nders walking in the Arab desert. Farnek experts lead the discussion at Smart FM showpiece Khaldun Aburok and Javeria Aijaz, Farnek senior directors, led the agenda at the recent Smart Facilities Management Conference, which was held at the Sofi tel Dubai The Palm. As part of their insightful presentations, they discussed the current trends in the Middle East FM industry and outlined the technology implementations Farnek has made to secure its position as a market leader in smart and green facilities management. Speaking at the event, which took place 18 - 19 August, Javeria Aijaz, senior director, Technology and Innovations, said: “We recently launched the Farnek HITEK solution 4.0. This new system allows us to connect assets from multiple sites so they can be centrally managed and monitored by utilising the IoT, Cloud, ML and AI-based technologies. Sharaf Group to set up ‘used lead acid batt ery’ recycling centre UPDATE WHAT’S THE STORY ServeU expands services in Abu Dhabi to include B2C segment What’s the story? ServeU announced its expansion through the launching of its business-to- consumer (B2C) segment in the emirate. What are the details? Named Home Essentials, the new off ering will enable customers to avail cost- eff ective FM services for their residence. The announcement comes aft er ServeU recently achieved a record revenue of over AED50m in the emirate through B2B services alone. What did the experts say? Gary Reader, general manager, ServeU, said: “This expansion refl ects our dedication to off er the best standards of service and constantly innovate using the latest technological solutions to meet and exceed our client expectations through highly trained and experienced staff . With this new achievement, we aim to bridge industrial gaps and broaden our reach by off ering a vast array of specialised facilities management solutions to enable more clients in the emirate to manage their own spaces and facilities more effi ciently.”Next >