< Previous NEW VENTURE 20 October 2021www.fm-middleeast.com U AE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek has developed its hospitality division into an all- embracing hotel management company under the leadership of renowned UAE-based international hotelier Walter Knight. Knight was originally responsible for structuring and developing Farnek’s fledgling hospitality division earlier this year. Farnek started by providing a comprehensive range of outsourced and third-party services, including concierge services, housekeeping, property operations, maintenance, energy consultancy (POMEC). Under the trade name of Farnek Hotel Management, the company can now expand its services to cover all aspects of hotel and resort management from initial consultation to day-to-day operations. Knight, director of hospitality commented: “Originally we were aiming for a service offering, which not only embraced traditionally outsourced FM and manpower services, but also managing revenue driven services, such as central reservation offices and associated sales services. “Now with our hotel management licence, we can approach hotel developers, investors, owners and management companies direct with a full suite of services including consultancy, management, outsourcing and manpower services proposition.” In addition, Farnek's consultancy division has been helping hotels and resorts become more sustainable over the past 15 years. Indeed, Farnek’s Hotel Optimizer software, can record, analyse and benchmark a property’s energy and water consumption, as well as waste generation, along with expert recommendations to operate more cost- efficiently and sustainably. Farnek is a preferred partner and auditor for Green Globe the worldwide sustainability accreditation system based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. “Our strategy was to create an unrivalled 360-degree market proposition for the hotel sector, and we have now achieved that. Moreover, we also have some exciting smart products in development that will be launched very soon, complementing and interfacing with existing property management systems,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO Farnek. “This gives Farnek a very clear competitive edge, in an industry that will see major changes in the way hotels are managed and operated, with the advent of artificial intelligence, sustainability, human capital development and the digitisation of asset management over the years to come,” he added. Knight is perfectly qualified to direct Farnek’s new hospitality division having had more than 15 years of international experience, across different operations, ranging from five-star to mid-market hotels and upscale apartments. As a sales and marketing director, Knight completed successful assignments for Hyatt in Kazakhstan and Avari in Pakistan, before taking up operational and general management positions in the UAE with Ramada, Holiday Inn and Citymax. One of Knight’s more impressive achievements was creating the mid- market brand concept ‘Rove’ from scratch, on behalf of Emaar Hospitality Group, which culminated in the launch of the first property in Zabeel, in 2015. Subsequently, he was handed responsibility for the successful conversion and launch of the four-star, 244 bedroom, QE2 Heritage Hotel, the first floating hotel in Dubai. Farnek has been supporting the UAE’s hospitality for over 40 years now and has amassed an extensive portfolio of hotel contracts, which include brands such as Marriott, Sheraton, Sofitel and Rotana. FARNEK FORAYS INTO HOSPITALITY SECTOR L to R: Hege Aamo, head of housekeeping, and Walter Knight, director of hospitality, Farnek. FM company expands hospitality outsourcing division into comprehensive hotel management business NEW VENTURE October 2021 21www.fm-middleeast.com Add to that AED7.5m worth of recent contract wins and Knight has hit the ground running, especially after taking responsibility for Farnek’s latest contract win, the new Expo Village. “This will provide us with an invaluable commercial reference,” said Oberlin. “Successfully managing the Expo Village apartments, will instill confidence in the market that we can close the circle - adding sales, reservations and complete front office services to our existing market proposition. And in Walter, we have a natural leader, with solid experience and a successful track record in both hospitality sales and operations. We are looking forward to realising our vision for a truly unique turnkey hospitality division.” In June, Farnek also appointed a new head of housekeeping. Speaking for the first time since her recent appointment as head of housekeeping for Farnek’s new hospitality division will be Hege Aamo, who brings with her a wealth of experience, having completed successful assignments in China, Latvia, the UAE, as well as her native Norway. Aamo will be sharing her thoughts with industry professionals about evaluating the advantages and challenges of outsourcing a housekeeping function. Having previously held executive positions with leading hospitality brands such as Madinat Jumeirah, Emirates Towers, Hyatt Regency and Radisson SAS, it is hardly surprising that Aamo is passionate about brand identity and values. “It is absolutely vital that when hotels consider outsourcing, particularly in housekeeping, that the outside staff recruited must be highly trained in all areas of their job, that’s fundamental. But it is just as important for the contracted staff to understand the essence of the brand they are working for and to become an integral part of the hotel team, not just a contracted worker in a uniform,” she said. Commenting on Aamo’s appointment, Knight said: “Hege will be a major asset to our division. She is a consummate professional and brings so much to the table beyond her undoubted talent and more than 20 years of experience. “She is a leader as well as a mentor and I am looking forward to working with her on our first project the new Expo Village. Our scope of work consists of managing the reservation services, concierge, front office services and housekeeping, for the 2,273 apartments within the Expo 2020 site. So yes, a baptism of fire, although I’m sure Hege will take it in her stride.” Forming an integral part of the hospitality division will be Farnek Consultancy, which since 2006 has been helping hotel operations become more sustainable. Another of Farnek’s unique qualities is its high degree of technical training and development, which affords a well-trained and cost-effective, tech- savvy workforce. Indeed, Farnek’s HQ was the first FM facility of its kind in the Middle East, to be accredited by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC). Through that certification, Farnek has established an internationally recognised cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention programme to combat biohazards and infectious disease - music to the ears of any housekeeping professional. “Farnek’s credentials are beyond reproach and this is just one of many reasons, why I decided to take my career in this new direction. However, it is the outstanding commercial potential for this new division that appeals to me most. “I firmly believe that the trend for outsourcing will be adopted more broadly, right across the industry. This could give market entry to investors and or developers of typically smaller, mid-market, non-branded properties, who could simply outsource the entire operation direct. “Indeed, if a number of smaller independent hotels were brought together under the same outsourcing company, they could consider collective bargaining with other suppliers and negotiating preferred rates with online travel agents and tour operators,” added Knight. OUR STRATEGY WAS TO CREATE AN UNRIVALLED 360-DEGREE MARKET PROPOSITION FOR THE HOTEL SECTOR, AND WE HAVE NOW ACHIEVED THAT. MARKUS OBERLIN, CEO, FARNEK Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.www.fm-middleeast.comwww.fm-middleeast.com22 October 2021 COMMENT INITIAL SAUDI’S IT TRANSFORMATION Initial Saudi Group is currently well over half way through a company-wide transformation programme under the leadership of chief executive officer, John Nolan. A major part of this is the exciting programme designed to transform the IT function of the group, embracing digital technologies that will enable us to deliver a totally ‘paperless’ office, while still providing reliable and robust solutions for a business that operates in a multifaceted environment. Although it is true that the right technology is absolutely essential to underpin the business and provide the tools for the transformation, it is definitely the people who will actually make those changes and ensure the transformation happens successfully. Our initial focus therefore was on ensuring that we had the right team of people to match our vision for the future, both by nurturing our existing talent and by hiring new talent with the right skills, knowledge and aspira- tions. We believe we now have a team that truly wants to be part of a journey that, at its completion, will genuinely enable the IT function to help the com- pany succeed. Each year we have focused on dif- ferent key areas and 2020 was all about Oracle Fusion Cloud. The main objectives were to implement Oracle Human Capital Management, Payroll, and Recruitment Solutions, and to in- tegrate them with Oracle’s Finance and Procurement modules. The integration, harmonization, and process improvements in all of these systems has established a solid founda- tion for the future of digital systems at Initial. In addition, the implementation of Oracle Integrated Cloud has been key to the integration of our internally developed and managed CAFM system. Ultimately, 2020 was a truly game- changing year for us. The challenges of the global pandemic, its impact on resources, and its effects on the role of IT, especially in facilitating the widespread move to remote working, would have forced many organiza- tions to abandon or postpone projects like the ones we had started. However for myself and the team it just gave us renewed enthusiasm to carry on and succeed. Simon Toomey joined Initial Saudi Group at the end of 2019 as its general manager - information technology. He reveals the critical role he has played in the company’s IT transformation project WE BELIEVE WE NOW HAVE A TEAM THAT TRULY WANTS TO BE PART OF A JOURNEY THAT, AT ITS COMPLETION, WILL GENUINELY ENABLE THE IT FUNCTION TO HELP THE COMPANY SUCCEED. We have made similarly important steps forward in 2021. We have imple- mented the group’s first IT Service Desk and we have designed a robust Disaster Recovery and Business Conti- nuity solution, underpinned by a two- year Cyber Security initiative. We are also implementing one of the best CRM tools on the market, which by the end of the year will be fully integrated with our Oracle Fusion Cloud solution. Plans for 2022 include moving the group’s entire IT infrastructure to cloud-based solutions and ramping up our Cyber Security Programme to de- liver and obtain ISO27001 and COBIT certification. On completion of the Transformation Project in 2022, Initial Saudi Group will have a best-in-class IT function to be truly proud of. We will deliver inte- gration and automation, underpinned by technology, across the entire group, making the business smarter, faster and ultimately helping us to grow and thrive successfully. Simon Toomey, general manager - information technology, Initial Saudi Group. How IoT and automation are changing the way facilities managers work PROS AND CONS Benefits and challenges of IoT and automation in facilities management p28 plus A SPECIAL REPORT FROM FACILITIES MANAGEMENT MIDDLE EAST IoT AND AUTOMATIONCELEBRATING SUCCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR WEDNESDAY 8TH DECEMBER 2021 ConstructionWeekOnline.com/awards #CWAwards DUBAI, UAE FINAL CALL FOR NOMINATIONS ENTRY DEADLINE EXTENDED: THURSDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2021 ASSOCIATE SPONSORGOLD SPONSORGOLD SPONSORSILVER SPONSORLEGAL PARTNER Saraswati Agarwal Commercial Director T: +971 4 444 3352 M: +971 52 895 2214 Email: saraswati.agarwal@itp.com FOR SPONSORSHIP ENQUIRIES: Anthony Chandran Marketing and Events Manager T: +971 4 444 3685 Email: anthony.chandran@itp.com FOR EVENT ENQUIRIES: INTRO 25 Digital disruption: harnessing IoT and automation for enhanced service delivery By Gopalakrishnan, operations director, Emrill I ndustry 4.0 — the digital revolution — is changing the way we live, work and interact with our surroundings and each other. The speed we are seeing technological breakthroughs is unprecedented, and the evolution of the facilities management sector is hurtling forward at an exponential rather than linear pace. The Emrill team is often asked what the future of FM will be — will machines replace people? Will decision-making be overtaken by computers? While change is a certainty, we believe the future is now, and we don’t have to look too far ahead to see what impacts these changes will have on the industry. After all, we are already utilising IoT-based service delivery, big data and automation across Emrill’s contracts. A challenge for every FM provider is doing things better, quicker, more efficiently and at a competitive price. Harnessing, adopting and integrating technology has provided us with a means to achieve just this. Emrill has developed and launched an IoT-based infrastructure management system aimed at empowering employees, providing increased transparency to clients and augmenting quality assurance. Initially rolled out in a large master community in Dubai, the system offers real-time remote monitoring, making the management of the main pumping system more efficient without requiring a heavy financial investment or major operational system modifications. Automation has also been incorporated into the system with the installation of critical water quality sensors that can measure algae, turbidity, conductivity and pH levels. With the introduction of a controlled IOT AND AUTOMATION IN FM Gopalakrishnan, operations director, Emrill. pressure-reducing valves system, automatic alert notifications are triggered when abnormal pressure in the discharge line is detected, reducing the risk of leaks or damage. Emrill’s IoT-based service delivery has eliminated the need for dedicated pump operators who may be idle for periods, enabling us to optimise manpower on-site without sacrificing quality. The always-live, remote management functionality has enabled us to reduce pipeline leakages and defects by more than 50 per cent, cut downtime and resulting pipeline rectification works, improve aquatic life and have a positive impact on landscaping mortality, reducing collateral damage to asphalt, curbstone and interlocked pathways, across the 1,119-hectare community, including its 48.83-kilometre underground piping system. This programme has not been limited to the proprietary system we developed. We have also been utilising IoT devices available in the marketplace. For example, we have installed sensor technology on street and community lighting. These sensors detect any disruptions and outages, identifying which sector they have occurred in, and automatically send alerts to our roaming teams of technicians. As a fail-safe, if the alert is not responded to, the system automatically escalates the issue, raising the alarm and calling the responsible supervisor. Once the issue has been resolved, the alarm is automatically deactivated, and the entire process is logged in real-time. The benefits of automating these processes are two-fold. Firstly, when critical lights experience outages, this poses a health and safety risk to residents. By responding to interruptions immediately, this threat is mitigated. Secondly, access to data has enabled us to enhance our preventative maintenance schedule and proactively resolve issues. We have judged the success of the integration of IoT-based service delivery and automation based not only on the verifiable, tangible results but also on client satisfaction, as we approach everything we do with client and resident-centricity in mind. By creating end-to-end operational visibility across the entire system and storing control system data and asset parameter logs in the cloud, information and reports are shared seamlessly between site- based employees, supervisors, managers and the client. This, in addition to the system’s contribution to our ability to achieve uninterrupted water supply and cost savings, has improved client and resident satisfaction. October 2021 www.fm-middleeast.com KNOWLEDGE PARTNER 26 October 2021www.fm-middleeast.com IoT drives the transition to a smarter world, writes Robert White, head of technology and innovation, ENGIE Solutions Middle East Wle are approaching a future when all building assets will be connected, making traditional facilities management processes obsolete. Therefore, real estate companies should put together a proper transition plan to ensure a smooth switch with minimal effect on service delivery. Such a transition may seem overly complex and costly to building owners initially, but it shouldn't be. A lot of installed equipment is already integrated, and owners are unknowingly sitting on top of thousands of useful data points. GETTING SMARTER By adding IoT sensors, owners can bridge the gap by collecting additional information from existing assets. The decreasing cost of IoT technology also makes it cheaper than ever to deploy advanced technology. According to a Statista report, average sensor prices dropped more than 300% between 2004 and 2020. Further cost and performance optimisation can be realised by choosing integrated solutions providers. Combining operations, sector-based processes, smart technology, energy management, and alternative energy solutions provide much value to clients. Outsourcing offers another excellent value proposition for clients. Outsourcing allows companies to concentrate on their core business, whilst service providers bring their knowledge and expertise to keep things running in the background with minimal disruption. Clients see the benefit of combining services and utilising global standards and best practices. Many GCC clients have a diverse property portfolio across the region; therefore, they must ensure solutions are scalable and adaptable to all property types when choosing service and technology providers. At a time KNOWLEDGE PARTNER October 2021 27www.fm-middleeast.com of unprecedented travel disruptions, technology can enable significant savings in cost, travel time, and service standards. While there's a learning curve to getting personnel IoT-ready, deploying technology within the workforce has become easier thanks to a younger digital-native population. Resistance to change is much less of a problem than it was five or ten years ago. In the region, governments have ambitious digital transformation goals. For instance, the UAE Government wants to ensure sustainable development while preserving the environment and achieve an ideal balance between economic and social development as part of Vision 2021. IoT and automation allow businesses to align with government objectives while contributing to national decarbonisation efforts as responsible corporate citizens. As with any disruptive technology, the biggest challenge is market adaptation. This can be overcome by educating clients and demonstrating regional case studies. At ENGIE Solutions, we can demonstrate our solutions through a client portfolio that includes marquee real estate projects across the region, such as Masdar City, King Salman Energy Park (SPARK), and Qatar Foundation. The market continues to grow with advanced technology, however, it's important to remember that hardware and software alone do not provide value. Partnering with the right organisation for digital transformation is key to realising value. As the marketplace for energy within ENGIE Solutions, we make our clients benefit from expertise built on over 20 years of managing one of the world's most extensive and most diverse energy portfolios, including power, gas, and environmental solutions. We have demonstrated that the deployment of IoT technology has a sufficient return on investment for operations and maintenance. The key is deploying the right level of required technology. Size is important when selecting a service provider so that clients can benefit from economies of scale. ENGIE Solutions' smart platform automatically collects and analyses energy, asset, and facilities management data from over 200 buildings in the UAE, 300 buildings in the GCC and leverage data from over 8,000 ENGIE clients worldwide. Data is collected up to every 1 to 15 minutes, depending on the criticality of the project, and is used to drive sustainable energy and operational savings for our clients. Our Smart solution is both owned and developed by ENGIE Solutions. It is not a white-label product like other providers offer in the region. Essentially, the platform has been developed and improved over many years by energy managers for energy managers across our global network of 110,000 colleagues who work in energy efficiency. Therefore, the analytics and measurement & verification aspects are unrivalled compared to other platforms. ENGIE Solutions also has an Operations Control Centre (OCC) called the Integrated Centre for Engineering & Environment (iCEE) operating out of our office in Dubai. iCEE improves energy and asset performance visibility and control across our clients' portfolios. We employ smart IoT platforms from the OCC that include artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify savings and issues automatically. The iCEE is staffed by some of the region's brightest young data scientists, engineers, and measurement and verification professionals. The real estate industry is one of the most important economic sectors for GCC countries. Therefore, the sector has an oversized role in driving sustainability milestones in the region. IoT is crucial in accelerating the transition towards a carbon-neutral economy through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally friendly solutions. Implementing IoT devices, such as motion sensors for lights and automated temperature controls, enables more energy usage and management visibility. IMPLEMENTING IOT DEVICES, SUCH AS MOTION SENSORS FOR LIGHTS AND AUTOMATED TEMPERATURE CONTROLS, ENABLES MORE ENERGY USAGE AND MANAGEMENT VISIBILITY. Robert White, head of technology and innovation, ENGIE Solutions Middle East. IoT AND AUTOMATION 28 October 2021www.fm-middleeast.com Benefi ts and challenges of IoT and automation in facilities management T he facilities management (FM) sector has been quick to embrace new technologies and tools that have led to better and more precise delivery of FM services. A key factor in the use of such technologies has been to automate the entire system so there is a continuous sharing of data and information between various units as well as more rapid mobilisation of resources. In this exclusive piece for Facilities Management Middle East, Stephen Gill, the academic head of the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, explores the benefits and challenges of IoT and automation in facilities management. Bene ts • LEVERAGING DATA: Data is everything. Buildings integrated with PROS AND CONS building automation systems (BAS) that control the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, for example, can leverage smart analytics solutions to provide actionable insights to facilities managers based on data generated by buildings. A smart analytics platform can determine the exact nature of the issue, diagnose the issue, and offer proper recommendations to resolve the issue. For instance, BAS can determine when an equipment is deviating from operational efficiency through power metering and other techniques. This means facilities managers can quantify which equipment is utilising more energy than expected due to wear and tear or other factors. With analytics, facilities managers can be truly data driven and perform actions based on derived insights. As a result, facilities managers are more efficient and at the same time able to increase the comfort levels of the occupants of the building. • STREAMLINED WORKFLOWS: Automation reduces the level of human intervention required to complete a process and presents all the data in one dashboard environment which helps facilities managers manage multiple facilities from one central location. Automation allows streamlining that in turn help improve efficiency, productivity, and maintenance management. When FMs optimise their processes with smart technologies such as service automation, they can authenticate jobs performed on site, control risk, record all service requests, and process invoices with ease through a single, easy-to-read dashboard. IoT AND AUTOMATION October 2021 29www.fm-middleeast.com Moreover, service automation also generates valuable insights from data collected from various sources to help reduce equipment failure or even extend the lifecycle of building assets. The centralising of information is thus the biggest benefit of automation. • REMOTE CONTROL AND MONITORING: A natural consequence of the ongoing pandemic is the increased need for remote monitoring. Fortunately, the facilities management sector has managed to deploy IoT- based sensors and analytics to monitor room, occupancy, social distancing, and cleaning regimes. Plus, temperature and humidity sensors enhance comfort and reduce the chances of spreading the virus through air. Additionally, remote monitoring of spaces is crucial for optimising energy consumption in buildings. Remote data collection is useful for fine- tuning the operation of HVAC systems that helps avoid higher energy bills. Remote monitoring helps improve the environmental performance of the building and empowers facilities managers to deploy more effective sustainability programmes. Moreover, as the new generation of facilities management professionals are poised to have a mobile-first mindset, the trend of incorporating advanced IoT technologies into buildings and facilities will (and should) continue). Challenges While IoT and automation present many advantages and are opening doors to many new possibilities, facilities managers should also be cognisant of specific barriers and challenges that tag along as well. • DEVICE COMPATIBILITY: IoT needs a complex and wide range of technology partners to join forces in order to be successful. It can be challenging to connect useful legacy HVAC equipment with smart thermostats, data centers and other mobile networks before one sees proper ROI and enhanced performance. Facilities managers can thus be faced with implementation failure or bugs in the software/hardware that result in serious consequences and liability for building operation and occupant wellness. It is hence important to work to test, test and test. Interoperability tests can check if devices can work together and at the same time, they can determine performance issues and security vulnerabilities. • INITIAL COST IMPLICATIONS: As FM requirements evolve, the need for more advanced technologies and digital solutions is natural. Given the additional technology involved with IoT devices, the high initial costs can be a constraint for many facilities operating on limited budgets. For example, fire extinguishers with smart sensors cost more than conventional extinguishers. Hence, facilities managers require options at various price points and packages so they can implement IoT and automation solutions, and scale up as their budgets expand and as they see more ROI from them. • SECURITY VULNERABILITIES: The increased adoption of IoT, automation and other technologies also poses another challenge: threats to security. The smarter a building becomes, the more vulnerable it becomes. As facilities managers become increasingly reliant on IoT and related technologies and applications, data security is a key challenge, especially in the face of sophisticated attacks. Thus, a close collaboration between facilities managers and IT professional is crucial to create and implement comprehensive cybersecurity strategies that are necessary with the continued convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT). The goal of incorporating IoT and automation in buildings and facilities is to help enhance the overall security and safety of tenants, efficiency of building assets, and customer experience while minimising the level of human capital and intervention required to achieve the desired results. However, proper implementation requires the expertise of IT professionals who can ensure the proper implementation of IoT and automation systems. At the same time, it is necessary to present facilities management staff with the necessary training and upskilling opportunities to ensure that they can maximise IoT and automation to the highest possible level. Stephen Gill, academic head of the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences at Heriot-Watt University Dubai. THE GOAL OF INCORPORATING IOT AND AUTOMATION IN BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES IS TO HELP ENHANCE THE OVERALL SECURITY AND SAFETY OF TENANTS, EFFICIENCY OF BUILDING ASSETS, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE WHILE MINIMISING THE LEVEL OF HUMAN CAPITAL AND INTERVENTION REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULTS. Next >