Official magazine of the Facility Management Association of Australia Ltd Print Post Approved 340742 00155 $9.

2 00155 $9.95 inc GST

facility
VOLUME 3, NUMBER 3, 2009 SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER integrating people – process – place

Refurbishing
a retail giant
Factoring FM into flagship store redevelopment

HVAC and Education Changing Biometrics

Energy and Training Face of Redefines
Management Guide 2010 Windows Security
and Doors Industry
in Australia
 Laura Williams
Manager / Switched On forward thinking business loyalty
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to a machine. Momentum Energy offered knowledgeable,
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today on 1800 SWITCH
www.momentumenergy.com.au
 Johann Ferdinands
Chief Financial Officer / Lancemore Group forward thinking business loyalty
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2 CONTENTS

Level 6, 313 La Trobe Street

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Email: media@executivemedia.com.au Regulars + News HVAC + Energy Retrogreening
Web: www.executivemedia.com.au
This edition, outgoing chairman Management Whilst there have certainly been
Offices also in Adelaide, Brisbane Andrew McEwan reflects on two some innovative retrofits and
While lighting accounts for a
and Sydney
years at the helm, while CEO large proportion of tenant energy retrogreening projects
David Duncan discusses some costs, HVAC comes in a close undertaken in Australia, it’s only
Editor-in-Chief: Ric Navarro exciting developments in the second and also plays a major a matter of time before we see
Editorial enquiries: Tel: (03) 9274 4206 area of policy and research. Plus role in the health and welfare of an ‘iconic’ Aussie equivalent to
Email: ric.navarro@executivemedia.com.au Fast Facts and News as well as all building occupants. the Empire State Building or
editorial@facilityperspectives.com.au the latest inForM events. Sears Tower project.
Layouts: Anthony Costin
National Sales Manager: Phil Haratsis
Article contributions: WinterComms

Front Cover Image: iStock

4 Chairman’s Message
22 Maintaining the
Green Momentum 41 Retrogreening –
a must for the
commercial property
Stock Images: Photo Disc, Jupiter Images,
Digital Vision, Creatas, BigStockphoto.com
5 CEO’s Address Energy efficiency in HVAC
operations proves a plus for
sector
Despite the current economic
6 Fast Facts + News tenancy retention.
climate, the environmental case
for retrogreening existing
Printed by: Geon Impact Printing
14 New Sustainability
Guide 31 HVAC: Opportunities
for the triple
bottom line
commercial office stock is strong.
The editor, publisher, printer and their staff and A new sustainability guide for
agents are not responsible for the accuracy or
correctness of the text of contributions contained
property and facility managers
Residential and commercial
buildings are responsible for
46 PB and the business
of change
in this publication or for the consequences of any
23 per cent of Australia’s We talk to PB Adelaide’s Office
use made of the products, and the information
referred to in this publication. The editor,
16 inForM
greenhouse gas emissions. In this Move Project Manager, Ashley
Manna, about the process of
publisher, printer and their staff and agents The latest news from FMA article, the GBCA argues that a
expressly disclaim all liability of whatsoever nature holistic consideration of a relocating to, and retrogreening,
Australia’s new networking
for any consequences arising from any errors or
building’s energy load is essential one of Adelaide’s most iconic
omissions contained in this publication whether
group for young FM
to integrating energy efficiency buildings.
caused to a purchaser of this publication or professionals.
into building operations.
52
otherwise. The views expressed in the articles and
Retrofitting a
other material published herein do not necessarily
reflect the views of the editor and publisher or 18 Email Communication

37 Top Tricks for

Upgrading Buildings
Retail Giant
Probuild have been appointed to
their staff or agents. The responsibility for the
Top ten tips to improve your
accuracy of information is that of the individual
Dr Paul Bannister looks at how undertake the sensitive
contributors and neither the publisher or editors
email communication.
Control, Commissions and Plant redevelopment of Melbourne’s
can accept responsibility for the accuracy of
information which is supplied by others. It is
impossible for the publisher and editors to ensure
20 Innovative
Procurement
Solutions
are the 3 top priorities for HVAC
efficiency.
iconic Myer Bourke Street store.

that the advertisements and other material herein

comply with the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth). New publication from
Readers should make their own inquiries in
FMA Australia.
making any decisions, and where necessary, seek
professional advice.

© 2009 Executive Media Pty Ltd. All rights

reserved. Reproduction in whole or part, without
written permission is strictly prohibited.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 CONTENTS 3

56
Security and Risk
Management
Just when you thought all had
been said, done and written
about security and the
technology available to deliver it,
along comes ‘Biometrics’ and
redefines the industry.
69
Windows and
Window Films
Industry has already been
gearing up to meet the demands
of more stringent energy
efficiency measures, and
nowhere is this more evident
than in the window
manufacturing industry.
76
Maintenance
The redevelopment of
deteriorating infrastructure at
Melbourne’s Royal Women’s
Hospital, and the ongoing
challenges faced in aged care
accommodation, are examples
which highlight maintenance
issues and challenges faced by
facility managers.
89
Education +
Training Guide 2010
Our comprehensive annual
guide to Facility Management
tertiary education opportunities
across Australia.

58 Talking about
Security 69 A Window of
Opportunity on
Energy Efficiency
76 New Royal Women’s
Hospital
CLIENT FEATURES

From voice authentication, to
retina recognition, to signature
verification, Biometrics covers
these and all security measures
in between.
+ What is Biometrics?
+ What is voice authentication?
+ Combating identity fraud.
+ Voice authentication –
ubiquitous and secure.
+ FAQs on voice authentication.
+ Securing the call centre.
The recent COAG announcement
concerning the National Strategy
for Energy Efficiency will have a
major impact on the built
environment. Since the
introduction of energy efficiency
legislation in Australia, the
Australian window and door
market has been driven to
change.
+ New measures affect both
residential and commercial
buildings.
+ Energy efficiency and comfort
a winning combination.
+ Changing face of windows
and doors in Australia.
+ Window Energy Rating
Scheme.
Dorma
Nigel Christie, Project Manager
of Operations for Bilfinger Berger Valorem
Project Investments, outlines
how PPP Consortium brings FM Innovations
designers in partnership with
Airconserve
builders and facility managers to
ensure operators and Johnson Controls
maintenance are factored into
the design. Apathco Group P L
Muller Industries
83 The Challenges Facing
FM in Aged Care
Sunscreen
Trish Ferrier, Property Manager
Efficient Energy Systems
for Royal Freemasons Homes,
outlines the regulatory
No Flush Urinals
compliance requirements in
residential aged care, and Wilson Security
discusses the ongoing challenge
of maintenance and renovations. Atlantis
MSS Security

ADT Security
Facility Perspectives’ embraces Green Printing Initiatives
SolarMaster

Cert no. SCS-COC-001164

Wormald Tyco

Floor Safety Services Australasia

This publication, has been printed using ECO-CLEAN print processes.
Vegetable based inks and recyclable materials are used where possible. UNE Partnerships

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
4
CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
This edition of Facility Perspectives
marks the end of an era for me as
Chairman of FMA Australia, as at the
national AGM in November I will hand
over to new Chairman Steve Taylor. It
has certainly been an eventful two
years and I have been privileged to
witness, and be involved in, some
groundbreaking changes within the
industry and the Association.
The introduction of Facility Perspectives
Andrew McEwan itself was quite an achievement for FMA
Chairman
FMA Australia Australia, marking the beginning of a new
phase for the Association with the launch
of our new official magazine. The magazine’s intended focus was on
people, process and place within the FM industry and I believe that
over the past eleven editions we have covered the important issues
related to these areas at all levels, from strategic and managerial to
operational. I personally believe that Facility Perspectives adds a great
deal to the value of membership with FMA Australia and can be
considered a fantastic source of impartial information for today’s
facility manager. Of course, improvements can always be made and
we welcome any feedback that members would like to provide on the
layout and content of the magazine going forward.
Education and training, as well as improving our relationship and
increasing interaction with government on policy matters, have been
major strategic priorities for the Association during my tenure as
Chairman and we have certainly come a long way in a relatively short
space of time. Our offerings in the field of education and training have
seen the introduction of the extremely popular Green Retrofitting
seminar, which has now been rolled out across all branches and can
assist FMs in the areas of sustainability and compliance with new
government legislations in this area.
In January 2009, FMA Australia adopted IFMA’s Certified Facility
Manager (CFM) and Facility Management Professional (FMP)
credentialing programs, as a result of a comprehensive review of its
previous accreditation system. The new credentials are internationally
recognised and have been comprehensively updated in recent years.
The Board is confident that the decision to transition to the new
program will be of significant benefit to those who take it up.
A new Vocational Graduate Certificate in Energy Efficiency for
Facility Managers has also been introduced, which is being jointly
delivered by FMA Australia and AIRAH and is intended to give FMs a
strong grounding in where energy is consumed in buildings and
educate them how to monitor and analyse energy use.
You will have seen many updates on our progress in policy
development and relationship building with government and industry
bodies, which have been significantly more frequent over the past
year. We have seen some really positive developments in this area,
indicating that government is taking facility management far more
seriously and recognising the contribution that our industry can have
on the wider economy, in particular in helping to reduce carbon
emissions in the built environment. FMA Australia has made excellent
headway in representing the needs of the industry to government via
various roundtable discussions and policy submissions, and I am
pleased to note that the Association’s perspective is now being
actively sought out which is testament to the time and effort that has
been invested in this area.
The FM Action Agenda was one of the first government
investments in the FM industry and was announced in January 2004
following representations by FMA Australia on behalf of the industry.
The FM Action Agenda represented a unique collaboration between
FM industry participants, the Australian government and FMA
Australia, the purpose of which was to improve the recognition of FM
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
as a contributor to a more productive and sustainable built
environment through improved innovation, education and regulatory
reform. The FM Action Agenda’s tenure was completed in June 2008
and in line with the Implementation Board’s wish to ensure that ideas
progress and that the intellectual property is preserved, the transition
plan denotes that FMA Australia is the principal future custodian of
the FM Action Agenda’s deliverables and legacy. Since its conclusion,
we have seen the release of ‘Innovative Procurement Solutions for
Service Delivery’, one of the outstanding publications initiated during
its three year term. Two further publications, the ‘Practical Guide to
Sustainability for Operational Facility Managers’ and ‘Facility
Management Contribution to Productivity Improvement’ are nearing
completion. FMA Australia will continue to oversee the delivery of all
outstanding actions from the FM Action Agenda and to ensure that
relevant intellectual property is disseminated as appropriate.
Another noteworthy event that I have been proud to see the
introduction of in Australia is World FM Day, a new initiative intended
to boost the profile of the FM industry, both in Australia and
internationally. Pioneered by FMA Australia for Global FM, World FM
Day will be celebrated every year on 28 August by FM communities
across the world, with the aim of increasing awareness of the FM
industry and celebrating the role that it plays in the global economy.
Special events were held in all FMA Australia branches to celebrate
the inaugural World FM Day this year and we hope that in years to
come, the day will become even more successful and go from
strength to strength along with the industry.
This will tie in with the continuing development of our Partners in
FM Excellence agreements, which we currently hold with the British
Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) and the International
Facility Management Association (IFMA). Much work has gone into
developing our partnerships with these two organisations and we
enjoy excellent relationships with them resulting in members being
able to take advantage of various benefits. Global FM too, has grown
considerably since its inception in 2006. The four founding bodies,
the Association Directeurs et Responsables de Services Généraux
(ARSEG), BIFM, IFMA and FMA Australia, have now been added to
with representation from Hungary (HFMS), Brazil (ABRAFAC) and
South Africa (SAFMA). FM ARENA of Switzerland and AFE, the US-
based organisation for facilities engineering have also joined Global
FM as affiliate members. It is encouraging to see that discussions are
also underway with other FM organisations in Europe, Asia and the
Middle East and that Global FM now involves more than 42,000 FM
professionals worldwide.
On reflection, there is much that has been achieved, both within
the FM industry and FMA Australia itself, during my term as
Chairman and this is truly a time that we can look back on and be
proud of the advancements that have been made. It remains crucial,
however, that we do not rest on our laurels, particularly in these times
of economic unrest. There is much work to be done by the
Association to ensure that facility management is seen as a
mainstream industry and that we continue to build on the work that
has been done on combating climate change.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those people
that I have had the pleasure of working with during my time as
Chairman of FMA Australia, and in particular for the support of David
Duncan, FMA Australia CEO and the Board of Directors, as well as the
national office staff. Thanks also to all members for their continuing
support and loyalty to the Association. I look forward to seeing the
facility management industry go from strength to strength and grasp
the opportunities now within its reach.
Andrew McEwan
Chairman
FMA Australia

CEO’S ADDRESS
Welcome to the first Facility
Perspectives issue of the new financial
year and what we hope will be a far
more positive one than last year. It
was, of course, an incredibly tough
year from an economic perspective
and I am well aware that this has
affected the facility management
industry. From the Association’s point
of view, I am pleased to be able to
report that the outcome of the
David Duncan financial year was better than
Chief Executive Officer
FMA Australia expected, albeit though not as
budgeted. Membership levels have
remained stable and my thanks go to all of our members for
their loyalty and support of FMA Australia.
You will be able to read more on FMA Australia’s performance and
other significant events and achievements throughout 2008/09 in the
annual report which is due for release at the national AGM in
November and will be available on the FMA Australia website.
We will continue to repay the loyalty of our members by ensuring
that they have access to quality events and information throughout
the year. Planning for the ideaction10 conference in Perth is currently
well ahead of schedule – the draft program has been confirmed and
will be finalised following the close of the call for papers which is set
for Friday 11 September. In addition to the usual format of keynote
and concurrent sessions, we will also be holding a poster session.
Obviously the conference timetable limits the number of keynote and
concurrent presentations that we are able to include in the program,
so we are introducing the poster session in order to provide as many
opportunities as possible for FM practitioners to share their
achievements, best practices and innovations. The hope is that this
will also be an additional networking opportunity where delegates
can meet and discuss new initiatives in a less formal setting, as well
as providing a vehicle for recognition of FM achievements. If you
miss out on the call for papers or would like to share your ideas at
the conference in a more relaxed environment, consider submitting a
poster. For more information visit www.fma.com.au.
I would also like to bring to your attention that FMA Australia has
recently entered into a memorandum of understanding with the
Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). This is part of our
ongoing effort to foster relationships with other industry bodies, for
the mutual benefit of the members of both parties. We also have
strategic alliances with the Tertiary Education Facilities Management
Association (TEFMA) and the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air
Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH). Members of FMA Australia are
able to take advantage of member rates on events, products, services
and publications offered by these organisations, so I encourage you
to visit their respective websites or go to the information on strategic
alliances on the FMA Australia website to see how you can benefit.
Work continues behind the scenes to ensure that member needs
are represented at government and industry forums and there is a
great deal happening on the policy and research front. Increasingly,
governments are recognising the wide range of knowledge and skills
that FMA Australia’s members bring to the table and consequently
our advice and input is being sought more frequently on a greater
variety of issues.
Since the last edition of Facility Perspectives, FMA Australia has
been invited to form part of the implementation group for
Fluorocycle, a federal government initiative to increase the recycling
rates of mercury-containing lamps. In conjunction with other industry
groups, the scheme will target key generators of commercial lighting
waste through an outreach program and encourage recycling rather
than disposal to landfill. Initial discussions regarding the scheme’s
5
direction have already been held with representatives from the
Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA)
and we will keep you advised of progress.
Following the devastating Victorian bushfires in February this year,
I wrote to Victorian Premier John Brumby offering the assistance and
expertise of FMA Australia in any subsequent reviews that may take
place to develop better emergency management plans going
forward.
As a result, we have recently been invited by the Office of the
Emergency Services Commissioner to be involved in discussions on
designing a national telephone-based warning system for emergency
incidents (such as fires, floods, terrorist incidents and other security
threats). I would encourage members to monitor future issues of
FMA Online and Facility Perspectives for further information on this
important national initiative as it is developed and rolled out over the
coming months.
The importance of sustainability issues has not diminished, despite
Australia’s ongoing economic challenges. FMA Australia remains
actively involved in ensuring the full carbon abatement potential of
the built environment is unlocked. In particular, we are working
closely with other industry partners through the Australian
Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) to ensure
government recognises that the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
(CRPS), whilst important, will not truly unlock the capacity of the
built environment to reduce emissions. Retro-greening of existing
commercial office stock and the introduction of accelerated
depreciation to affect same, are examples of complementary
measures that are being advocated to government by FMA Australia
and its industry partners
To more effectively target our policy and advocacy priorities, we
have recently put together a comprehensive strategy for the next 12
months that will allow us to focus on particular sectors within the
wider FM space and further enhance understanding of the FM
industry by governments and the commercial sector as a whole. Stay
tuned for further developments in the coming months, including the
launch of a dedicated policy-focussed electronic publication from
FMA Australia.
Finally, it was with great pleasure that I attended the University of
Canberra conferring of awards ceremony in August, to see FMA
Australia Chairman, Andrew McEwan, receive his Master of Facilities
Management degree. Along with his family I enjoyed the spectacular
occasion, which was held in the Great Hall at Parliament House.
Congratulations to Andrew on his excellent achievement.
David Duncan
Chief Executive Officer
FMA Australia
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
6 FAST FACTS + NEWS

New Green Star Assessment Framework supports best

practice timber use in buildings
The Green Building Council of
Australia (GBCA) has released
its new Assessment
Framework for Forest
Certification Schemes, as part
of its ongoing review of the
Green Star environmental
rating tools for buildings.
According to the GBCA’s
Green Star Executive Director,
Robin Mellon, the new
assessment framework will
create a level playing field for
certification schemes, simplify
compliance requirements in the
Green Star ‘Timber’ credit and
encourage the use of Australian
timber over illegal imported Reference Panel and addresses seeking recognition in the Green GBCA website.
timber. stakeholder concerns over the Star Timber credit will be “The Framework has been
“When we commenced the exclusive recognition of only one assessed according to how released following an extensive
review of the Green Star Mat-8 timber certification scheme. many of the Framework’s fifteen period of stakeholder
‘Timber’ credit in 2007, the aims “These revisions to Green Star best practice criteria it partially consultation, and the GBCA now
were to recognise the value of will encourage the specification or fully meets. welcomes ongoing feedback to
certified timber products and to of reused and post-consumer An independent third party ensure the Framework
promote the important role that recycled timber, as well as virgin will assess documentation and continues to evolve and reflect
the Australian timber industry timber certified by forest make recommendations to the best practice in forest
plays in the green building management certification GBCA, in the same way that the certification,” Mr Mellon
supply chain.“ schemes that meet the GBCA employs independent concludes.
Mr Mellon says that the new requirements of the new assessors to review Green Star
Framework was developed in Framework,” Mr Mellon projects. A full report will be For more information visit
consultation with an explains. provided to each applicant www.gbca.org.au
independent Timber Expert Forest certification schemes scheme and made public on the

FaHCSIA appoints Jones Lang LaSalle to manage national

property portfolio
SYDNEY, 10 JULY 2009 – Jones Lang LaSalle has been
appointed property services provider to the Commonwealth
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and
Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) to manage the department’s
commercial tenancies and residential portfolio, located in
all states and territories across Australia.
This latest appointment is the eighth government or corporate
client to appoint Jones Lang LaSalle’s Integrated Facilities
Management business (IFM) as provider of property
management services this year, following a strong fourth quarter
in 2008 where further appointments were secured.
So far in 2009, Jones Lang LaSalle has been appointed to
manage property assets and facilities for the following
organisations in Australia: Woolworths (with a national contract
for over 20 shopping centres), Ericsson (14 sites in Australia and
New Zealand), the Commonwealth Department of Human
Services (DHS), Centrelink, Medicare Australia, Nokia, Philips
and now FaHCSIA.
The Head of Jones Lang LaSalle in Australia, Stephen Conry
said: “This appointment demonstrates the maturity and growth
of the Facility Management market in Australia and our position
in it.
“We have taken a long-term view in the current challenging
economic environment by maintaining the high level of service
that our existing and prospective clients require.  We envisage
many more corporate roles such as this coming to the market in
the next year or so,” Mr Conry said.
Andrew McColl, National Director and Head of Government
Business, said the FaHCSIA appointment meant the combined
Commonwealth Government portfolio under Jones Lang LaSalle’s
management now exceeded one million sq.m.
The FaHCSIA portfolio comprises 54 commercial sites in all
states and territories, spanning approximately 110,000 sqm Net
Lettable Area (NLA) in total.  It also includes a residential
portfolio of 131 houses, located primarily in northern Australia
and remote townships.
For FaHCSIA, Jones Lang LaSalle will provide a comprehensive
range of property management services, including strategic
advice, contractor management, lease acquisition and
administration, facility management services, procurement, help
desk, environmental management, program and project
management, financial services and reporting.
The FaHCSIA contract is for a maximum term of seven years
and will be managed by Jones Lang LaSalle’s Canberra-based
Integrated Facilities Management team.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 FAST FACTS + NEWS 7

The CRC for Construction

Innovation evolution to
Sustainable Built
Environment National
Research Centre
Message from CEO Keith Hampson:
30 June 2009 marked eight years of operation for the CRC for
Construction Innovation. While Construction Innovation has been Urban Maintenance Systems is a
formally extended to 31 December 2009, there will be limited specialist provider of Facilities and
activities continuing over the next 6 months. The focus will be on the Infrastructure Maintenance Services
completion of existing research projects, with the National BIM to Private and Government sectors
Guidelines being rolled out through September/October and a launch
of the Dispute Avoidance and Resolution project on 17 November
throughout Australia.
followed by a series of seminars nationally.
Though Construction Innovation winds-up at the end of this year,
UMS Facilities Services specialises
research in this space will continue. We shared the news with our in the following:
partners this week that we have been able to secure seed funding for • Essential service compliance management
a new centre from 2009-10 as a transition is made to the Sustainable • Programmed & reactive building maintenance
Built Environment National Research Centre.   • Building condition auditing & life cycle costing
We are certainly pleased to be in a position to get on with the • Trade services – carpentry, plumbing, electrical,
urgent business of developing and delivering sustainability research painting, gutter cleaning, mechanical plant
and education solutions for the built environment industry. The maintenance
critical task of securing the new centre’s on-going funding base • Capital improvement works planning & delivery
continues. We have been buoyed by strong support for the new • 24 /7 emergency response contact centre
centre’s objectives and work program by stakeholders in
• Modern/functional information management
government, industry and research and are confident of their support
system
as we move to establish a national research centre.
It is probably fair to say that we are currently at a cross-road as we Urban Maintenance Systems
transition from the existing CRC for Construction Innovation to the 352 Ferntree Gully Road Notting Hill VIC 3168
new centre.  We are already in discussions about new research Phone: (03) 9265 5811 Fax: (03) 9265 5899
projects and new centre activities look set to overlap with Email: info@ums.com.au Web: www.ums.com.au
Construction Innovation’s wind-up period to 31 December 2009.  PROVIDING SERVICES NATIONALLY
I look forward to continuing our communications with you as we Enduring Partnerships Driven by Service Excellence
seek to ensure our applied research service to Australian industry is
maintained.

ideaction10
Burswood Entertainment
Complex, Perth
12-14 May 2010

Don’t miss your opportunity

to present at the FM industry
event of the year

Visit www.fma.com.au for

details

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
8 FAST FACTS + NEWS

Company restructures to meet green economy growth

As commercial buildings increasingly focus on reducing their
carbon footprint, Australia’s longest serving provider of energy
efficiency products and services has undergone a radical
company restructure to cope with this growth and prepare for
greater business opportunities.
Established 26 years ago by prominent Melbourne entrepreneur
Peter Szental, ‘Energy Conservation Systems’ (ECS) has restructured
from a geographical to a functional structure.
Mr Szental said the restructure would better enable his company
to help commercial office buildings prepare for Mandatory
Disclosure, which would require them to disclose their energy
efficiency rating at the point of sale or lease.
“Building owners and tenants are fuelling a growing demand for
energy efficiency products and services as they make the smart
decision to cut energy costs and reduce their building’s greenhouse
gas emissions,” Mr Szental said.
“We foresee a dramatic increase in this demand when Mandatory
Disclosure legislation is implemented in 2010, so we want to be
ready for this business opportunity, which is not only good for the
environment, but good for the economy as well,” he said.
ECS currently employs 80 staff in Australia and overseas. Three
national teams have replaced the company’s State-based teams. The
‘Energy Efficiency Products’ team now focuses on developing new
products and securing business, ‘Solutions’ concentrates on
delivering projects, and ‘Finance and Administration’ provides back-
end support.
Mr Szental said the new structure would overcome the limitations
of being a State-based operation, support better knowledge transfer
amongst staff, and improve career development.
“Now ECS can pool its expertise from around Australia to work on
large scale projects, while also offering our junior engineers and
executives the opportunity to work with a range of more experienced
colleagues,” Mr Szental said.
ECS is currently planning a recruitment drive to fill newly created
positions in different States.
ECS provides commercial and non-residential buildings with a
range of tailored, engineered solutions to reduce their emissions, add
value to their building, and are cost-effective. ECS solutions include:
3 Whole of building/facility energy efficiency solutions
3 Integrated occupancy control of electrical, lighting, mechanical
and security services
3 Intelligent lighting
3 Greener air-conditioning using clean and recyclable energies
3 Monitoring and management of electricity, gas and water usage
3 Building and NABERS Ratings
3 Water efficiency solutions.
Many of ECS’s solutions are showcased in the multi-award
winning ‘Szencorp Building’, which is Australia’s highest rated
sustainable building (as measured by the most widely used building
rating systems).
For more information about ECS visit www.ecsaustralia.com
ECS is part of the Szencorp group of companies. www.szencorp.net

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FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
Green air conditioning?
Integrated Design The A.G.Coombs Group provides
Life cycle design for
low ongoing leading industry specialist service
environmental impact.
at any stage of the building life cycle
to minimise the environmental impact
of your air conditioning systems.
Installation
Construction practices
to minimise installation
waste and emissions.

Commissioning
and Tuning
Integrated HVAC and
controls tuning for Star
Rated outcomes in new
and existing buildings.

Maintenance
Enhanced services to
improve performance,
lower operating costs
and retain Star Ratings.

Operation
Management, monitoring,
ongoing tuning, reporting
and verification for total
performance.

Project Management
and Advice
Industry leading support
to ensure the success of
sustainability initiatives.

Contact the A.G. Coombs Group for expert service

and advice or visit www.agcoombs.com.au today.
Technical Services Service and Operations and Projects and
and Advice Maintenance Management Installation
A.G.Coombs A.G.Coombs Integrated Technical A.G.Coombs
Advisory Service Management Projects
Ian Stewart Ian Taylor Wayne Myers Mark Mitchell
+613 9248 2700 +613 9645 4066 +613 9248 2700 +613 9248 2700

DISEGNO COO3107B
10 CLIENT FEATURE

DORMA OFFERS ONE-STOP SERVICE

D
ORMA Service is now offering customers a new level of convenience as two DORMA
departments merge to create one centralised Service Department that satisfies all door and
movable wall needs.
While service has long been an important part of DORMA’s offering, it was previously provided on a
division by division basis through the Automatics and Movable Walls Service Departments. Now a single
entity, DORMA Service, caters for all the product lines in DORMA’s vast portfolio. Plus, it services
competitors’ products to simplify servicing for facilities managers.
Operating Australasia-wide, DORMA Service has a staff of more than 100, which includes some 85
highly-trained service technicians and an incredible customer service team.
“Our goal is to take service to a whole new level,” says Automatics Head of Division Craig Gilmour.
“True service goes beyond just fixing things – we believe it’s an integral part of the way we do business
and lays down a strong foundation for our relationship with customers.”
Craig explains that combining resources from DORMA Automatics, Door Controls, Glas and Movable
Walls to create one service department has taken careful planning, based on the development of
systems and structures in the servicing of automatic doors over a period of years.
The benefits for customers are obvious in a one-stop Service department that offers ‘the whole
package’ in maintenance and service. Through combined resources, DORMA instigates the best practice
of Health and Safety policies, while providing a fleet of service vehicles and staff who understand the
importance of hasty response and completion times.
“With a co-ordinated team providing one method of doing business under one structure, we see the
establishment of DORMA Service as an investment in the future of our organisation,” says Craig.

To contact the DORMA Service Department ring: 1800 675 411

or email australia@dorma.com

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3

Door Control
DORMA Service – opening a door to the future.
automatic doors · door closers · movable walls
When you choose DORMA, you are supported
by a nationwide network of accredited and
fully trained technicians and agents, 24
hours a day, 7 days a week.
This level of exemplary service applies to our
extensive range of DORMA automatic sliding
and swing door operators, and to all types of
automatic doors, door control products and
movable walls.
DORMA Australia
Tel.1800 675 411 · infoautomatics@dorma.com · www.dorma.com.au
Ever wonder what DORMA technicians
do on their day off?
We wait for your call.
Glass Fittings and
Automatic Doors Movable Walls Service
Accessories
When you call DORMA Service you will speak
to a DORMA staff member who knows the
products and who can offer expert advice.
Public safety and security are our paramount
concern and reflected in our prompt response
times - making DORMA the unrivalled indus-
try leader in service support.
Call our office today to discuss how DORMA
can service your building needs.
12 CLIENT FEATURE

Valorem is the market leader in automating

site processes and people management.
With Valorem’s innovative software solutions
you can simplify your facilities management
processes, enhance the efficiency of your
Keep
staff, contractors and services.
Our solutions target the activity at the
building – capturing what happens in the
Focused
field.  We can streamline your operations
with solutions to:
• Manage your contractors – insurances,
inductions, tracking work done on site
and measuring service level agreements.
• Manage your sites – monthly reporting,
inspections, audits.
• Report and measure your activities –
qualitative and quantitative.
• Monitor staff – time and attendance –
welfare checks – meet your duty of care. 
Valorem has solutions currently deployed in
hundreds of sites throughout Australia and
New Zealand. Our three solutions are:
Praxeo for automating site processes. Using
a web-based platform with a touch-screen
on site, Praxeo is a flexible, easy to use, user
driven system that allows companies to
track:
• Who is on site.
• What they are doing.
• That they have the appropriate safety Valorem is the market leader in automating site
information prior to commencing work.
processes and people management. Our
• Contractor insurances and individual
inductions. solutions target the activity on-site. We can help
• A range of on-site compliance issues you:
(safe work method statements, check-lists
to proceed etc).
Manage contractors
• Work orders.
Kevah for mobile reporting allows you to Manage Sites
capture photos and text on your handheld
device whilst doing on-site inspections
through its user friendly interface.  Report and measure your activities
Praxeo Remote Token Service for time and
attendance verification allows contractors
Monitor Staff
to use their mobile phones to SMS in their
arrival and departure time. A range of smart
activity and duty of care alerts can be sent For more information regarding our software-as-a-
via SMS and email. service solutions please call us on 1 300 665 818 or
Valorem’s software-as -a -service solutions visit our website www.valoremsystems.com.
have no capital expenditure, low upfront
costs, minimal infrastructure and minimal IT
requirements.
Make sure you visit our website
www.valoremsystems.com for our latest
information and special promotions.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 FAST FACTS + NEWS 13

Employers tap benefits by encouraging cycling

With soaring fuel prices and

crippling traffic congestion,
inner-city workers are embracing
cycling to improve their health,
reduce their carbon footprint
and save money on transport
and gym memberships.
New commercial developments
in Brisbane are getting behind the
movement, giving tenants every
reason to dust off their bikes by
providing high quality end-of-trip
facilities at the workplace.
The latest Census figures show a
28.9 per cent increase in the
number of people cycling to work in
Australian capital cities, with cost
savings a key driver in the shift.
Developed by joint venture
partners Michael Barakat, Raymond
George and Pradella, 154
Melbourne in South Brisbane,
offers tenants 68 bicycle racks,
locker storage on both basement
levels and shower facilities.
Together with the opening of the
Kurilpa Bridge in September 2009,
linking the city centre with South
Brisbane, workers will be able to
ride to and from 154 Melbourne
using a network of dedicated cycle
and pedestrian pathways.
Development manager Nick
Hinton said Pradella was
responding to a clear demand for
facilities that supported more
sustainable travel alternatives with
health, cost and environmental
benefits.
“More and more companies are
recognising their responsibility to
support the environment through
sustainable business practices, but
this is no longer just about water
tanks and energy efficient light
bulbs,” Mr Hinton said.
“Many businesses are seeing the
commercial merits of taking
sustainability seriously, and Exterior of 154 Melbourne in South Brisbane
encouraging active forms of
commuting is not only good for employees, but also the company’s According to Bicycle Queensland manager Ben Wilson, “In our
bottom line. busy time-poor world, it makes so much sense encouraging staff to
“Fitter, healthier and happier employees have lower levels of cycle to work. It relieves congestion on roads and produces a
absenteeism and higher productivity, so it makes good business healthier, more alert workplace. Plus – it’s fun, and a great way to
sense to provide best practise end-of-trip facilities. start and end a day at the office!”
“It also gives companies the opportunity to promote themselves 154 Melbourne is South Brisbane’s first Five Star Green Star
as an employee-friendly workplace that takes its commitment to office building, offering 12,000sqm of A Grade high quality office
the environment seriously. accommodation over 11 levels.
“154 Melbourne is located in the heart of South Brisbane’s 5 reasons to support staff cycling to work
emerging business hub, surrounded by excellent existing and 3 Reduce car parking demands
planned cycling infrastructure, making it all the more convenient to 3 Increase productivity and decrease absenteeism
walk or ride to work.” 3 Attract future employees
Bicycle Queensland, the state’s peak cycling body, applauds 3 Enhance company image
these commitments to workplace sustainability and health. 3 Healthier, fitter workforce

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
14 NEW SUSTAINABILITY GUIDE
NEW GUIDE FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
IMPROVES SKILLS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
A sustainability guide for property managers, which will enhance the environmental performance of
commercial buildings, was launched by Penny Sharpe MLC representing the Deputy Premier and the
Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Carmel Tebbutt.
T
he Sustainable Property Guide contains comprehensive step-
by-step guidance, checklists and worksheets to integrate
sustainability into property portfolios.
Ms Tebbutt said the practical online resource would help
commercial building owners, managing agents and building
managers gain the knowledge and skills to minimise the impact of
commercial buildings on the environment.
Commercial buildings include offices, hospitals, restaurants, hotels,
education facilities, and retail and wholesale premises.
Ms Tebbutt congratulated Colonial First State Global Asset
Management for partnering with the NSW Government in preparing
the Sustainable Property Guide.
Deputy CEO and Global Head of Business Development at
Colonial First State Global Asset Management, Mr Neil Cochrane,
said the guide would help create positive change in the property
industry and the broader business community.
“We are pleased to share our experience and knowledge in
implementing sustainable property management and building
practices,” Mr Cochrane said.
Users of the guide receive practical advice on managing energy,
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
water, waste and recycling as well as responsible refrigerant use and
indoor air quality.
It also details how to incorporate sustainability into project
delivery, including tenders, fitouts and retrofits, as well as supply
chains and procurement.
Over the coming months, the Department of Environment and
Climate Change (DECC) will work with industry partners to convert
information in the guide into a practical training course for
commercial property professionals.
Ms Tebbutt said DECC would update the guide regularly and will
look to the commercial property industry for information on the latest
sustainability initiatives and case studies.
“Environmental performance must be taken into account whether
you are buying, leasing, upgrading or managing a building.
“The transition to more sustainable buildings is an opportunity for
the commercial building sector,” Ms Tebbutt said.
The Sustainable Property Guide is an on-line resource. To read and
use the guide, visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au/sustainbus.
 CLIENT FEATURE 15

INTEGRATION IN THE REAL (FM) WORLD

The Facilities Management discipline in the last 15 years has changed in many ways. The discipline has
matured and become critical to organisations in their management of the bottom line and
maintenance of effective working places in order to conduct their business activities. The people that
now comprise the discipline’s professional core are from different educational and skills backgrounds
such as engineering, real estate, administration, financial and so on.

T
he profile of the FM discipline
in the corporate world has also
changed, given the emerging
importance of management disciplines
such as OHS, Sustainability, Building
code regulatory compliance all of
which are impacted by FM
management. There are many more
industry changes over this 15 year
period that have forced disciplinary
change and the increasing emergence
(and convergence) of FM and Real
Estate management disciplines over
this period.
This evolution of the discipline and
its adherents also meant, because of
many of the above mentioned
changes, a varying and different range
of success factors by which the FM
discipline is viewed or assessed. The
modern Facility Management,
Corporate Real Estate Group (and
more recently Asset management
team) goals and KPI’s are far more
holistic in nature and therefore the
assessment criteria to manage in the
complex business environment and
business relationships requires diverse
and interrelated data to be available. It
is evident today that any organisation
without effective IT systems and
software solutions to assist in this
disciplinary field is not going to
achieve an effective tactical or
strategic management capability. To compound this situation if the information to a wider audience, if they have systems in place to
organisation is reluctant or late in moving to specific software achieve this. Less obvious is the fact that now, due to a greater
solutions that assist in providing management tools (and retain Excel commonality of computing environments across and between
and/or paper based systems) then ability to implement effective organisations, better application development techniques and
systems at a later stage will be very costly. advanced technologies, and public data transfer protocols, integration
This cost increase is not because of the price of the software (or its of the organisations disparate systems has a much greater chance of
implementation) but the fact the modern software systems, when success now than at any time in the past.
implemented into the FM and CRE management discipline, are only This is a critical factor for long term success when implementing
really effective in improving management process and information FM systems that they are able to exist within corporate computing
delivery at critical times if they are integrated with existing business environments, with other business critical systems (e.g. Financial, HR,
systems currently used by that organisation. Thus the effective CRM, Security, Asset, CRE etc) utilise new automated technologies
integration of the new FM or CRE system is going to deliver to the (Smart meters, PDA, RFID, Key management, GPS tracking etc) and
organisations Management team (at all levels) far more benefits (and new communications mediums and technologies (SMS,MMS, email,
cost reductions) than only to the FM team and its usual customer fax, web, 3D,Sharepoint etc). The software solution at the heart of
base. your FM and CRE management strategy can be put in place and will
There are parallels between the evolution of both FM as a business provide a sophisticated and powerful management tool with which to
discipline and the evolution of the software solution that service deal with the increasingly complex and sophisticated demands of the
them. Much has changed in the IT world in those 15 years much of real world of Facility Management.
which is obvious from a public perspective. The impact of the
internet, the convergence technology in mobiles phones etc all For more information please contact Kris Greenwood on
provide the FM discipline with greater opportunity to communicate info@fminnovations.com.au or 03 9600 1646

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
16 INFORM

HAVE YOU CONNECTED YET?

By now, you will no doubt have heard of inForM, FMA Australia’s
new networking group especially for young FM professionals.

i
nForM was initiated in May this
year, after feedback made it clear
that the growing number of young
people in the FM industry was looking
for a more relaxed environment than
the usual lunchtime forums and site
visits, in which to meet other young
professionals and grow their networks.
Since then, inForM events have been
held in the majority of branches across
Australia and have proven to be
extremely popular with the young FM
community.
We’ve heard interesting anecdotes
and motivating success stories from
experienced FMs such as Campbell
Pfeiffer, winner of the 2009 FMA
Australia and Programmed Facility
Management Facility Manager of the
Year Award and Phil Gale, Chairman of
FMA Australia’s WA branch.
The general consensus from
attendees at these events is that a
networking opportunity like this has
been a long time coming and with the
support and encouragement of the FM
community, will continue to grow well
into the future.
After all, what could be more
important than encouraging the next
generation of FMs to make themselves
heard by sharing ideas and building
networks for the benefit of the industry
as a whole?
So make sure you visit fma.com.au
and get your name down for the next
inForM event in your city, or encourage
your young protégés to sign up. We
look forward to helping you to shape
the future of FM!
You can also follow inForM on
Facebook. Simply logon and search
Inform – Connecting Young FM
Professionals.

inForM is proudly supported by

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
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18 COMMUNICATION

TOP TIPS TO IMPROVE

EMAIL COMMUNICATION
SUPPLIED BY PROGRAMMED FACILITY MANAGEMENT
Receiving hundreds of emails per week, or sometimes per day, can be quite challenging to manage. To
ensure your email has maximum impact and generates the response you are seeking, why not consider
the following tips?

1
Use the subject heading to clearly
state the intent of your email and
signal why the recipient should not
only open, but also respond to your email.
For example, if you are seeking comments
on a draft report, why not list the subject
as ‘Review and comment on the draft
report by 31 October 2009’.

2
Begin your emails with a greeting
you would hope to receive.
Although this may seem
unimportant, the greeting sets the tone for
the communication. For example, ‘Hello’,
‘Good morning’, ‘Dear’ or even ‘Thank you
for the opportunity to meet with you this
morning’.

3
The first paragraph in your email
should expand upon the subject
and your intent. The recipient
should be able to stop reading at this point
and understand your intent. For example,
‘We would welcome your feedback on the
draft report, particularly the financial
implications for your team. To ensure we
meet the Board meeting timelines we
would appreciate your response by close
of business on the 30th June’.

4
Limit your emails to one topic.
This allows the recipient to focus on
the matter at hand and not be
distracted by several different issues. Email
provides the perfect opportunity to send
separate communications for each topic.
By mixing several topics in one email you
may not receive a response to all of the
issues raised.

5
Only cc people for a reason and
communicate this. By copying
people into emails regularly without a specific purpose or in person you will be able to reveal and observe all the non-verbal
agreement, you may dilute the impact of an important email or communication that can be critical to such discussions.

worse still, frustrate the recipient. If you feel it is important to cc (or
copy) someone, why not explain the reason for including them in the
email? For example, ‘David and John have also received a copy of this
email to ensure this program is included in the budget.’ This may also
8
Take the opportunity to share what the next steps and
future actions are with the recipient. This will ensure that
the recipient is aware of the future direction, timeframes and
how they might be involved.

9
prevent someone from forwarding the email on for the same Include an email signature that lists your complete
purpose. contact details. This information assists people who would

6
Keep words to a minimum. This will ensure your email is prefer to call, write or even visit you and makes it easy for
easy to read and hopefully generate a quicker response. them to respond.

10
Setting a 200 word limit or limiting the text to the visible email If you have to use email for urgent matters,
window can help you to be briefer. remember to follow up with a phone call or visit. The

7
Avoid using email to communicate news that is likely to recipient may not have understood how important the
upset the recipient. Face to face, or phone if this is not information and timeframes are to you. Equally, they may also have
possible, is a much better way to communicate. By being there high priorities that day.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 19

Building Doors
Is your door maintenance up to standard?
With the Australian Standard for automatic doors (AS 5007)
now specifying service tasks and frequencies, a KONE Care™
maintenance plan is a simple and effective solution.

Develop a maintenance proposal online:

www.kone.com.au/doormaintain

Or contact KONE Building Doors:

Email: buildingdoors.au@kone.com
Phone 24/7: 1300 362 022

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
20 PROCUREMENT
INNOVATIVE NEW PUBLICATION AVAILABLE
FROM FMA AUSTRALIA
Developed as one of the outcomes of the FM Action Agenda, Innovative Procurement Solutions for
Service Delivery is the result of extensive survey analysis and research by FM Action Agenda
Innovation Recognition Working Group members Mike O’Shea (Currie & Brown), Emlyn Keane (AMP
Capital Investors) and Mark Slater (Johnson Controls).
T
he recent global financial crisis has elevated contract
management and procurement to the number one topic of
interest for facility managers as the industry continues to seek
better outcomes from best-practice management of contracts and
procurement.
This publication is a must-read for facility managers and property
services industry personnel who need to better understand the
benefits and pitfalls of the different types of contract delivery models,
relationships, pricing structures and contract drivers that make up an
effective contract and procurement management system.
Complete with best-practice examples and case studies,
Innovative Procurement Solutions for Service Delivery is
available to FMA Australia members at $30 including GST and non-
members at $50 including GST.
The scope of the project and key areas that are covered in the
document are:
1. Contract model (i.e. head contractor vs. managing agent)
2. Relationship (i.e. traditional vs. alliancing/partnering)
3. Pricing structure (i.e. lump sum vs. target cost)
FIGURE 1: THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
4. Commercial model (i.e. KPIs and approach to risk-reward
models)
5. Contract term and extensions (i.e. fixed duration and extensions
vs. evergreen)
In addition to the above areas, the document discusses how and
when innovation can be introduced throughout the procurement
process (shown in Figure 1) and provides a table of possible solutions
with potential outcomes which can be applied by the user to help
drive innovation in procurement within their organisation. Case
studies are also included to illustrate how these innovation solutions
have been applied and the results that have been achieved in each
case.
This information, combined with the background research and
outcomes covered in areas 1 to 5 listed above, provides a practical
tool allowing users to implement real change and innovation in their
current procurement processes. A must for all FMs involved in
contract management and procurement.
To order your copy, visit fma.com.au.
 www.danlaid.com.au
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For further information or an obligation free quote contact your
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• Hervey Bay Andrew Dodd 0427 321 348 • West Sydney Joe Pasqua 0421 591 027 • Adelaide Graeme Lyall 0417 548 980
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• Brisb./Gold Coast Angela Stevenson 0412 535 677 Domestic S.E Anthony Walker 0415 428 877
22 HVAC + ENERGY MANAGEMENT

MAINTAINING THE
GREEN MOMENTUM
BY WINTERCOMMS’ MAX WINTER

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3

The broad acceptance of greening the built environment by property developers, building owners,
facility managers and tenants has led, in a relatively short time, to the understanding that there is now
a business case for energy efficiency measures and consequent carbon reduction, and conversely, that
not undertaking these measures would leave property developers and owners at grave financial
disadvantage when looking for tenants.
L
ed initially by a groundswell of public and government
support, property industry leaders have responded
quickly to seize the opportunities that energy efficiency
measures provide, while making the most of the corporate
social responsibility accolades that embracing these
measures have presented.
This movement and others such as government-industry
Public Private Partnerships have also accelerated the shift in
paradigm from one of cost reduction and seeing buildings as
an inevitable expense of doing business, to one of cost
optimisation and seeing buildings in a whole of life context,
and (when properly maintained) as an appreciating asset.
There is no doubt, however, that the recent global
financial crisis has impacted on the momentum of this shift
in thinking, as organisations focus on the shorter-term issues
affecting the profitability of their core business.
Federal and State Governments have, and continue to be,
key players in efforts to maintain the going green
momentum with major programs such as the Australian
Government Green Building Fund (part of the Clean
Business Australia initiative), the Building the Education
Revolution (BER) programs, and through government-
industry initiatives such as the CitySwitch Green Office
program.
Green Building Fund Program
In May 2009 the Australian Government announced
89 projects totalling $29.5 million from the first
two rounds of its Green Building Fund
program—to help commercial office
buildings reduce their energy
consumption and
greenhouse
gas
HVAC + ENERGY MANAGEMENT 23
emissions. These projects were estimated to cut greenhouse
gas emissions by almost 65,000 tonnes annually, and were
expected to support a total investment of $96.8 million to
retro-fit the buildings.
Successful projects so far to date have included:
3 upgrades of heating, ventilating and air conditioning
such as new chillers, variable speed drives, and so forth
3 installation or replacement of Building Management
Systems,
3 installation of wind turbines and solar panels,
3 replacement of glazing,
3 replacement of base building lighting, and
3 installation of external shading.
The total amount of the Green Building Fund (over four
years) is $90 million, and the subsequent round of the
program closed on 30 June 2009. The program provides
grants through two streams of activity, namely:
Stream A: which targets owners of existing commercial
office buildings. The program supports building owners in
reducing their energy consumption, and through retro-fitting
and retro-commissioning of these buildings. Grants ranging
from $50,000 to $500,000 are available, for up to 50% of
project costs.
Stream B: which targets relevant industry associations.
The program provides a limited number of grants to develop
the knowledge, skills or capability of those involved in the
operation of commercial office buildings in order to improve
energy efficiency and reduce emissions. Grants of up to
$200,000 are available, for up to 50% of project costs.
Two organisations have been successful so far in applying
for these funds, namely The Warren Centre for Advanced
Engineering Ltd, for The Warren Centre for Advanced
Engineering’s low energy high rise project – Phase II
($117,000) and the Facility Management Association of
Australia Pty Ltd, for Tools for Change – Making CO2
Emission Reductions a Habit, an e-Book for Facilities
Managers ($72,000).
The CitySwitch Green Office Program
In the meantime, occupant behaviour initiatives
designed to facilitate better environmental
outcomes in building use have also gained
broad acceptance, and one of these is the
CitySwitch Green Office Program.
Previously known as the 3CBDs
Greenhouse Initiative and established by
the City of Sydney, North Sydney Council,
Parramatta City Council and the NSW
Department of Environment and Climate
Change, the program has since been
expanded and embraced nationally.
The CitySwitch Green Office program is
now a national tenant energy management
program run in partnership between the cities
of Sydney, North Sydney, Parramatta, Willoughby,
Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane and state
government agencies, the NSW Department of
Environment & Climate Change and Sustainability Victoria.
With a geographical location representing approximately
70 per cent of Australia’s office space, the program works
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
24 HVAC + ENERGY MANAGEMENT

with tenants to improve office energy efficiency, and reduce the CO2
emissions attributed to global warming.
CitySwitch Signatories commit to achieving and maintaining an
accredited 4 stars or higher NABERS Energy tenancy rating. NABERS
Energy measures and rates a tenancy’s actual yearly greenhouse gas
emissions using 12 months of energy bills.
The commitment by building occupants can be achieved by
simple, easy to implement actions that increase energy efficiency
such as:
3 installing energy efficient lighting and office equipment
3 changing to flat screen monitors
3 activating sleep mode on equipment where applicable
3 upgrading lighting controls including occupancy sensors and
timers
3 purchasing Green Power from renewable sources
3 educating staff on the benefits of energy efficiency
The CitySwitch Green Office Program aims to achieve the following
by 2012:
3 Reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced in Australia
3 Significantly decrease overall electricity demand in each
participating council (and in turn water demand and waste
production)
3 Positively influence a widespread market transformation within
the office tenancy sector with a focus on sustainability issues
By
3 Delivering a national office tenant program in major and regional
cities that firstly addresses energy use, followed by water usage
and waste minimisation
3 Encouraging a change in city worker behaviour to support an
environmentally sustainable office culture through enrolling
businesses as Signatories (small, medium and large office
tenancies)
3 Lobbying and advocating for better energy efficiency (and in turn
water and waste efficiency) within existing commercial building
stock
The delivery of the National CitySwitch program was coordinated
through the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors, and to date 98 high
profile organisations covering more than 960,000 square metres of
commercial office space have committed to the program.
Organisations participating in the program receive the Tenant
Energy Management Handbook via email. Produced by the
Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC), the
handbook is a comprehensive guide to effective and profitable
energy management for tenants in office buildings.
The engagement of staff in the process, their involvement in the
development of the energy management plan, and keeping them
continually informed and motivated while emphasising individual
responsibility for energy efficiency are all paramount in ensuring
energy efficiency outcomes.
Getting management buy-in for projects can sometimes be
difficult, especially if actions are likely to require capital outlay.
Assistance is available however if the financing of an energy efficiency
upgrade is a challenge, since energy performance contracting (EPC) is
available to cover your project costs with guaranteed savings.
When equipment or facilities are upgraded to improve energy
efficiency under an EPC, the energy savings that result are
guaranteed by the contractor for the term of the contract (usually 5-7
years). If the savings fall short, the contractor makes up the
difference.
Because savings are guaranteed, they can be used to pay off the
capital cost of the project with very little risk, even over longer
payback periods of 5, 6 or even 10 years.
Organisations receive the benefits of the upgrades immediately,
including better comfort or lighting levels, reduced greenhouse gas
emissions, and often lower maintenance costs, while using future
savings to pay for them. After the project has been paid off,
organisations receive the benefit of the savings as well.
Energy performance contractors can:

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 HVAC + ENERGY MANAGEMENT 25

3 evaluate energy use

3 identify energy saving opportunities
3 provide engineering design and
technical solutions for efficiency
upgrades
3 manage the project from design to
installation to monitoring
3 facilitate financing, if required
3 train your staff and provide ongoing
maintenance services
3 guarantee a specified level of savings
Go to the Australian Energy
Performance Contracting Association on
the web for more information.
However, energy efficiency means more
than simply installing new technology. As
previously mentioned, influencing
occupant behaviour is about planning, and
items for consideration include:
3 how to communicate energy
efficiency to staff
3 where the best energy savings can be
made
3 how energy efficiency projects will be
financed
3 who will be responsible for tracking
progress
As part of their commitment, CitySwitch
Signatories develop and implement an
Energy Action Plan to achieve and
maintain their accredited NABERS Energy
rating. They also appoint a CitySwitch
Energy Manager who is responsible for
making the office more efficient and
monitoring actual performance.
In office tenancies, energy is typically
used in lighting (approx 70 per cent),
computers and equipment (approx 30 per
cent).
While lighting accounts for almost 70
per cent of tenant energy costs in
commercial offices, using less energy
doesn’t mean compromising performance.
More efficient lamps and fittings can
deliver the same or improved lighting
Efficient office lighting delivers the required light while minimising the amount of electricity consumed.
levels, and better controls can increase the
potential for saving even more. You could
reduce your lighting bill by 40-80 per cent. Computer tips
Lighting upgrades include installing more efficient lamps, better Computers are the largest energy consumers among your office
reflectors for fluorescent tubes, lighting timers or movement sensors. equipment, accounting for almost 20 per cent of energy used by
When considering lighting options, keep in mind that different levels Australia’s commercial sector.
of illumination are required for different tasks. For example, typing or Cut down computer energy use by:
reading areas have different requirements compared with meeting 3 using ENERGY STAR® settings to save energy, cut noise, reduce
rooms. heat from motors, and prolong equipment life
Efficient office lighting delivers the required light while minimising 3 incorporating an ENERGY STAR® requirement in your purchasing
the amount of electricity consumed. For example, long-life products policy
with lower wattage or electric ballast make a good choice. 3 educating staff about the benefits of energy saving features
3 turning monitors off and shuting down PCs overnight using the
Quick tips power button
3 clean fittings and tubes to restore up to 30 per cent of light 3 investigating portable computers which use less power than
output desktop models
3 remove double tubes from light fittings if they are ‘over lighting’ ENERGY STAR® puts computers into ‘sleep’ mode after a pre-set
an area, and encourage staff and cleaners to switch off idle period, and/or reduces the amount of power in ‘stand-by’ mode.
3 arrange desks near the window or re-paint in pale, reflective
colours to maximise natural light in the office Office equipment tips
3 if your lease still has a few years left, consider installing energy- It takes ten times more energy to manufacture a sheet of paper than
efficient lighting and controls. Or buy energy efficient bulbs and it does to copy onto it. Therefore, using less paper is a form of energy
make sure lights are turned off when the last person leaves. efficiency.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
26 HVAC + ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Office equipment accounts for approximately 20 per cent of
electricity used in the commercial sector and costs Australian
businesses around $250 million each year to run. Energy efficient
office equipment can use half as much energy as standard models—
at no or little additional cost.
Source: Tenant Energy Management Handbook, NSW
Department of Environment and Climate Change.
Photocopiers, printers and faxes are energy hungry so it pays to
analyse the running costs of new equipment before you buy it.
Ask your supplier
3 how much energy the equipment uses in sleep mode (i.e.
switched on but not operating)
3 how much energy the equipment uses when operating
Work with your purchasing department to ensure running costs are
incorporated into their decision making criteria for future equipment
purchases. Consider whether there are alternative ways to provide
the service, whether the equipment is the appropriate size and
capacity for the job, and the item’s ENERGY STAR® rating.
Heating and cooling tips
Supplementary air conditioning is most needed during peak times, so
it can attract higher electricity charges. While heating and cooling is
primarily managed by the base building, many offices have
supplementary systems for busy areas like call centres and
conference rooms.
You can improve energy efficiency by:
3 ensuring thermostats are not located near heat sources like
photocopiers
3 regularly cleaning or replacing filters
3 turning the thermostat up by one degree in summer and down
one degree in winter
3 installing glazing, tinting, blinds or shades on windows
3 Use ENERGY STAR® enabled equipment
3 Remove unnecessary lamps to reduce your air-conditioning load.
Appliance tips
Refrigerators, microwaves and vending machines may use a small
proportion of your overall office energy, but by changing simple
behaviours they can present quick and easy opportunities to save.
For example:
3 only run dishwashers when full
3 avoid wasting water, especially hot water
3 repair dripping taps
3 locate fridges in cool areas away from the sun, with ample
ventilation around the coils
A simple plug-in timer switch costs around $20 and can be used
for water coolers, drink vending machines and water boilers.
Things to remember when choosing appliances or
whitegoods:
3 smaller water boilers cost less to buy and run
3 alternatives like electric kettles are more efficient to run
3 choose a small bar fridge if it only serves a few staff
3 select whitegoods with a high ENERGY STAR® rating (the more
stars, the more energy efficient it is)
The ENERGY STAR® rating label is now mandatory on refrigerators,
freezers, dishwashers, washing machines and air conditioners. It
makes it easy to compare different models and also indicates the
energy consumption in kWh over a year.

Reduce your organisations’

carbon footprint

GreenPower
GreenPower is a national accreditation program, administered by the NSW
Government, that sets stringent environmental and reporting standards for
renewable energy products offered by electricity suppliers to households and
businesses across Australia. GreenPower is clean, renewable energy from
approved sources like solar and wind. When you choose a GreenPower accredited
product your electricity company commits to buying a requested amount of
renewable energy on your behalf. It’s an investment in a cleaner, brighter future and the
more people switch to GreenPower, the bigger the return for the environment.
Purchasing accredited GreenPower for your business helps reduce emissions of harmful
greenhouse pollution in Australia and contributes to a sustainable environment with greater
energy resources for future generations. Demonstrate your company’s environmental commitment
by reducing your greenhouse gas emissions and obtain even more of the benefits listed below, just by
purchasing GreenPower.

Benefits of buying GreenPower

3 direct reductions in your greenhouse gas emissions
3 leverage your purchase with PR activities or marketing collateral using the GreenPower Customer logo
(where minimum purchase is met)
3 position your company as a responsible corporate citizen
3 differentiate your company from your competitors
3 fulfil environmental policy and objectives easily and efficiently
3 improve your environmental performance rating to be included in environmentally screened funds
3 increase your employee morale by being a company of integrity and leadership
3 over 100,000 households choose GreenPower and are highly likely to purchase from or invest in companies that purchase
GreenPower
3 for business customers eligible to use the GreenPower logo, the Department of Environment and Climate Change offers marketing
and PR support to help you promote your GreenPower commitment

It’s easy to switch to GreenPower. Contact your current electricity provider or visit www.greenpower.gov.au for further information.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 27

CAT RENTAL
POWER ENERGY RENTAL
SOLUTIONS
CAT Rental Power prides itself on providing
tailored solutions that solve problems and reduce
risk when emergency or standby power,
temperature control or compressed air is required.
Our Power Generation solutions cover multi- POWER
megawatt contract power stations, prime power GENERATION
and standby power applications, emergency 20 - 1750 kVA
Fuel Tanks
breakdown power, shutdown power, construction Transformers
power, electrical distribution, transformers, Switchrooms
Accessories
switchrooms and diesel fuel systems.
The fleet consists of portable diesel generators
from 20 to 1750 kVA.
Our Temperature Control solutions include TEMPERATURE
CONTROL
process cooling, critical process contingencies,
Fluid Chillers
additional capacity, supplementary cooling, Cooling Towers
planned maintenance and shutdowns, heat stress, Air Conditioners
Air Handlers
and personnel fatigue management and mine Heat Exchangers
cooling (both surface and underground). Accessories

The fleet consists of fluid chillers (air and water

cooled), cooling towers, packaged conditioners,
industrial air handlers and heat exchangers. COMPRESSED
Our Compressed Air solutions include AIR
100% Oil Free
compressed air, high pressure drilling air, process
80 - 500 psi
and plant air, critical process air, pipeline pigging Desiccant Dryers
Filter Packs
air and construction air.
Accessories
The fleet consists of portable 100% oil free and
oil filled diesel compressors, high pressure and
standard pressure after cooled units, low & high
pressure desiccant dryers, boosters and filter One Network. One Call.
packs, manifolds and receivers. 1800 800 441 | 24 / 7 Support
CAT Rental Power currently has nine branches
www.catrentalpower.com.au
located around the country with access to over
rental@energypower.com.au
100 additional Australian locations and technical
support staff through its Caterpillar dealer partners
within Australia and over 1500 locations overseas.
Melbourne | Sydney | Brisbane | Rockhampton |
Townsville | Darwin | Karratha | Perth | Adelaide
Energy Power Systems Australia Pty Ltd

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
28 CLIENT FEATURE

WORLD CLASS ENERGY EFFICIENCY

REFURBISHMENT
ART GALLERY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA (AGSA)
The Project
The Art Gallery of South Australia holds a significant Australian
and International Art Collection. The provision of the highest
quality of air conditioning is essential in the preservation of
irreplaceable works of Art.
Management of the gallery chose the installation of the
Shaw Method of Air Conditioning (SMAC) to the West Wing
Galleries in order to reduce energy expenditure and to gain
better control of fluctuating humidity and temperature
conditions. The West Wing galleries are 33% of the total AGSA
Floor area.

Why World Class

Based upon over 2 years energy and performance measuring

and monitoring the outcomes are:
3 Significant improvement in temperature and humidity
control and with elimination of fluctuations to both.
3 Reduction of over 50% energy and hence greenhouse
emissions. This reduction demonstrates that worldwide
targeted emissions reduction by 2020 and 2050 are
achievable now.
3 Peak electrical load reduction of 14%, this will manifest as
a 40% reduction upon completion of the remaining 66%.
3 An estimated cooling tower water consumption
reductions exceeding 40% upon complete upgrade.
3 Payback for the West Wing and based upon SMAC
elements only is under 3 years.
Works have commenced upon upgrades to the air
conditioning of the remaining 66% and completion is
scheduled for November 2009. Upon completion the Art
Gallery of South Australia will become Australia’s and arguably
the world’s most energy efficient.

Recognition
This project has been widely acclaimed in Australia and has
received 3 National Awards of Excellence in sustainability,
environment and energy efficiency from FMA, NECA and
AIRAH. Furthermore it is featured as Case Study No 10 by the
Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation refer,
www.brite.crcci.info.
The Technology
SMAC differs from conventional air conditioning processes in that,
rather than drawing untreated outside air and then cooling it within
the total air system incoming outside air is pre-treated (de-humidified
and cooled) by a separate, outside air coil before merging with inside
air. Supply air is treated by the second coil which belongs to the
original conventional system. The twin coil prevents the need to use
energy twice to overcool and reheat air in order to maintain humidity
in the occupied space. (Extract from Case Study No 10 CRCCI) SMAC
is a patent protected process.
Green Building Fund (GBF)
We advise that the owners of six buildings have been successful with
the inclusion of SMAC in their application for funding under the GBF.
These building include 4 in Sydney and 1 each in Darwin and
Adelaide.
The GBF is a commonwealth government initiative that in respect
to SMAC enables it to be fully and comprehensively showcased in
Elder Wing, 2005, ART GALLERY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA (AGSA)
refurbishment to existing buildings. These 6 buildings will
compliment the achievements to date with SMAC. We congratulate
the government for their GBF initiative.
SMAC integrated with technologies listed in the opposite page is
an economical methodology to achieve 5 star Nabers for existing and
new buildings.
Commentary
SMAC is Australian technology and the owners are proud, honoured
and privileged that Johnson Controls Australia (JCA) have chosen to
support and promote our technologies in Australia. We congratulate
them on being awarded Australia’s first Clinton Climate Initiative
projects in Melbourne and for the inclusion of SMAC.
For inquiries regarding Johnson Controls and York call
Peter Moser on (08) 8374 7444 or 0431 206 884.
For SMAC inquiries contact Wayne Ryan (08) 8363 3155
or 0419 971 779.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 WORLD CLASS
5 STAR REFURBISHMENT
Commitment Agreement to Achieve 5 Stars
Nabers (Energy) Base Building

REFURBISH STAR MAKING TECHNOLOGIES

(ENERGY FFICIENCIES)

SHAW METHOD OF AIR CONDITIONING

COMFORT SMAC Technologies (08) 8363 3155
TENA

Johnson Controls Australia (08) 8374 7444

INDUCTION VARIABLE AIR VOLUME

NT &

Barcol Air Engineering Sydney (02) 9481 4500

FRESH Adelaide (08) 8363 3155
Johnson Controls Australia (08) 8374 7444
Brisbane (07) 3630 3000
ENV

Melbourne (03) 9751 5000

IRO

BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEM

MANAGE Air Con Serve (08) 8363 3155
Johnson Controls Australia (08) 8374 7444
NM
ENT

ENERGY EFFICIENT CHILLERS

QUIET YORK by
Johnson Controls Australia (08) 8374 7444
FR
IEN

INTELLIGENT LIGHTING SYSTEM

BRIGHT Johnson Controls Australia (08) 8374 7444
DL

DESIGNED TO EXCEED
5 STAR NABERS (ENERGY)
Y

AUSTRALIA’S HIGHEST
ENERGY RATING FOR BUILDINGS

SMAC
™

TECHNOLOGIES
www.smactec.com
30 CLIENT FEATURE

APATHCO SYSTEMS

Apathco Systems has partnered with US-
based Cypress Envirosystems to bring
their patent-pending Wireless Pneumatic
Thermostat (WPT) to the Australian
marketplace.
T
he WPT retrofits existing
pneumatic thermostats to
deliver direct digital control
(DDC) functionality in minutes.
Compared with a cost of (USD)$2,500
or more per zone for implementing
DDC systems, the WPT costs less than
20% as much, and it may be installed
in under 20 minutes with minimal
disruption of occupants. It enables
remote temperature sensing and
control of setpoints, programmable
zone control and night setback,
automatic self-calibration, BACnet
integration with existing automation
systems, and enables use with utility
Demand Response programs. It uses
the Open-ADR communications
standard developed by Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratories.
An additional benefit of the WPT is
the ability to control and track after-
hours HVAC usage, particularly for
cost recovery in multi-tenant buildings.
The Cypress Envirosystems WPT has
an override button for occupants and
provides a detailed record of which
zone was requested, a time stamp and
the duration. Also, when a zone
temperature crosses preset upper or
lower limits, the WPT can
automatically notify a maintenance
staff member via mobile phone or
pager.
Unlike DDC systems, the WPT
gives building operators the flexibility
to retrofit an entire building at once, or
only selected individual zones as the
budget and need arises. The WPT can
operate as a standalone system or can
integrate with existing building
automation systems from Siemens,
Honeywell, Johnson Controls, TAC and
others via a BACnet/IP interface.
Please contact Apathco Systems on
1300 85 25 40 for more details or visit
www.apathco.com.au

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3

HVAC: OPPORTUNITIES FOR
THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE
Residential and commercial buildings are responsible for 23 per cent of Australia’s
greenhouse gas emissions.
I
n fact, the United Nations Environment Programme estimates
that the worldwide built environment’s lifespan contribution to
global CO2 emissions is 40 per cent. This makes it the largest
single contributor and places it at the front line of the battle against
global warming.
While there is considerable evidence that buildings are a major
part of the problems our planet is facing, they can equally be a large
part of the solution.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found that 30
per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions projected to arise from
buildings by 2030 can be avoided by investing in energy efficient
buildings. What’s more, this saving can be achieved at a net
economic benefit.
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are a
large contributor to energy loads in buildings, and comprise a large
part of building operating costs. With that in mind, improved energy
efficiency in this area can deliver significant financial advantages at
the same time as the environmental benefits.
According to the Green Building Council of Australia’s (GBCA’s)
Green Star Executive Director, Robin Mellon, improved energy
performance in buildings reduces operation costs, decreases levels of
pollution during the production and consumption of energy, and can
enhance occupant health and comfort.
“In fact, with the increasing cost of energy, even efficiency
HVAC + ENERGY MANAGEMENT 31
measures requiring a significant capital investment can have a rapid
payback period,” Robin says. “First and foremost, systems and
technology are not the answer alone, but coupled with good passive
design solutions – orientation, shading and materials choices for
example – technology can have a massive impact on a building’s
efficiency.”
Holistic consideration of a building’s energy load is essential to
integrating energy efficiency into building operations, Robin says.
“It’s important to consider HVAC equipment and operation
procedures along with other building features. For example, reducing
energy needs through improved window glazing, insulation, and use
of other passive or active features can enable mechanical HVAC
systems to be downsized. In essence, the better the building façade,
the less energy required inside.”
The GBCA operates the Green Star environmental rating system for
buildings, which evaluates the green attributes of building projects
based on nine categories, which look at issues such as energy and
water efficiency, indoor environment quality and resource
conservation.
Green Star environmental rating tools support the property and
construction industry in reducing the environmental impact of
buildings, improving occupant health and productivity and achieving
real cost savings, while showcasing innovation in sustainable building
practices.
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
32 HVAC + ENERGY MANAGEMENT
While traditionally most of the focus on HVAC has been on
minimising its energy consumption, there are additional aspects that
are considered within Green Star. The amount of fresh air delivered
into a space, the mix and circulation of the air, and the capacity of the
building to deliver the air effectively can all have an impact on the
well-being of occupants, and so are considered within Green Star.
The design and construction of an HVAC system is also considered
within a number of Green Star tools. In Green Star – Healthcare v1,
for instance, access to the ducting for maintenance purposes is
assessed, as is the construction of the system. In Green Star – Office
Interiors v1.1, projects are required to clean the existing ductwork
prior to use in order to reduce the amount of mould in the system
itself. All Green Star rating tools are available to download from the
GBCA’s website, for free, at www.gbca.org.au
All Green Star rating tools measure the proportionally large
environmental impact of a refrigerant’s ozone depletion potential
(ODP) and global warming potential (GWP) - as a typical refrigerant
molecule can contribute 1,000 times more to global warming than a
molecule of carbon dioxide, for example. Furthermore, the water use
of an HVAC system is considered, if the system uses a cooling tower,
as well as the risks that such systems pose with regards to Legionella.
“The Green Star environmental rating system can be used as a tool
to conduct an assessment of your building’s current features, help
you set goals for sustainability achievement, and deliver equipment
and operation improvements using a whole building approach,”
Robin says.
Energy efficiency can be a challenge in many commercial building
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
spaces – none more so than retail centres. “The size and scale of
shopping centres can make them difficult to condition – with the
need to provide fresh air, natural light and temperature control to
large spaces often requiring a combination of solutions,” Robin
Mellon says.
Despite the challenges, energy efficient HVAC systems helped
Mirvac achieve a 6 Star Green Star rating – Shopping Centre (PILOT)
for the Orion Springfield Town Centre.
Orion Springfield is considered a pioneer of world’s best practice
in environmental design for a retail centre, with its Green Star rating
representing world leadership. The project was the first in Australia
to achieve a 6 Star Green Star rating for a retail centre.
Orion Springfield’s total site area is 40 hectares, with Stage 1 of
the development of approximately 35,000m2 featuring two shopping
malls set around a pedestrian-friendly main street, which leads to a
town square. Just like a traditional town centre, Orion is a place to do
business, meet friends, enjoy a meal or do some shopping.
According to Adrian Michaels, Mirvac Asset Management’s
Sustainability Manager, Orion Springfield was designed to use
approximately half the energy of a similar-sized shopping centre,
stores around 2,500 kilolitres of rainwater per annum via 780,000
litre rainwater tanks, and has minimised or eliminated volatile organic
compounds in all paints, adhesives and floor coverings.
Condensate recovery from air handlers provides 1,950 kilolitres of
water for reuse each year with cooling tower blowdown water
recovery providing an additional 10,000 kilolitres of water. All
landscape watering, bin wash downs, toilet and urinal flushing, as
 HVAC + ENERGY MANAGEMENT 33

well as cooling tower make-

up and water feature top-ups
are supplied from 100 per
cent recycled water.
“Orion Springfield is the
first Australian project to
incorporate variable air
volume air handling systems
in all its retail tenancies,”
Adrian explains. “Orion’s
energy use in the air
conditioning of tenancies will
save 67 per cent of the
energy from the reduced fan
usage and 33 per cent from
reduced cooling
requirements.”
The standard shopping
centre tenancy air
conditioning design features
fixed air volume systems.
These systems use dampers
to create air balance in the
ductwork and balance
cooling loads. The use of The infrastructure behind Orion’s 6 Star Green Energy Rating.
dampers leads to increasing
static pressure in the air conditioning ducts and back-pressure on the use under these conditions. Extensive use of natural ventilation
air handler supply fans. ensures both large reductions in energy use and improved indoor air
“Most regular shopping centres in Australia do not provide any air quality.
to the tenancies - they simply supply either cool water, or electricity, The Orion Springfield Town Centre features a chilled water system,
for tenants to install their own systems. This traditional approach is comprising two high efficiency chillers piped in series. The system
quite energy inefficient, so Orion’s solution is a great step forward,” operates at a high delta-T of 15 degrees entering and 5 degrees
Robin says. leaving temperature. The higher delta-T system reduces the required
The shopping centre’s common areas feature mixed mode air chilled water volume proportionally, in turn reducing the pumping
conditioning in both the north and south malls. “Depending upon the power required to deliver that chilled water to the air handling
outside conditions, the air conditioning will operate on one of the system. The advanced design of the chilled water system reduces the
three modes. The building management system provides the chilled water pumping energy and cooling tower fan energy by over
necessary decision-making to automatically select the appropriate 60 per cent compared to standard designs.
means of maintaining space conditions in the malls,” Adrian explains, The result is not just an estimated 300 tonne reduction in
adding that the malls are broken into four areas, with each of the four greenhouse gas emissions compared to similar sized normally
areas being independently controlled. conditioned centres, but also a 62 per cent reduction in potable
In ‘Natural Ventilation’ mode the mall air conditioning is water consumption compared to business as usual design.
completely shut down and ventilation is provided purely through The GBCA’s Robin Mellon says that Orion Springfield is a clear
natural convection. When air conditioning is required and ambient example of how HVAC approaches can improve the performance of
conditions are suitable, the air handling units are capable of high-performing buildings.
operating in 100 per cent fresh air mode to achieve comfort levels. “Sustainable green buildings are today’s smart investment. By
When outside air conditions are not favourable and mechanical carefully analysing, planning and executing your HVAC upgrades, you
cooling is required, the use of carbon dioxide monitoring allows the can deliver big benefits to the environment — and your bottom line,”
reduction of outside air intake to minimal levels to minimise energy Robin concludes.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
34 CLIENT FEATURE

Image: © AIRBUS S.A.A 2005 - Photo: exm company / H. GOUSSÉ

3C COOLS A380
T
he company responsible for the design and construction
of the enormous A380 airplane have purchased a
number of Australian-made air conditioning units for use
in their manufacturing plant. Airbus purchased a number of
Muller’s 3C units to cool its Toulouse-based facility where it
builds its 525-seat airliner, the largest of its kind in civil service.
The 3C, designed and manufactured in Melbourne, was
chosen for its ability to cool without the risk of harbouring
Legionella.
France has among the most stringent Legionnaires disease
prevention measures in the world, where typical cooling towers
cannot be installed without special Government approval. As a
result, there’s strong demand for adiabatic systems in which air
is pre-cooled upstream of a heat exchanger. Even this variety of
cooling technology is limited, as French authorities will not
Image: © AIRBUS S.A.A 2005 - Photo: exm company / H. GOUSSÉ
accept systems that have the potential to disperse aerosols.
“In my view the French are one of the few that have it right,”
commented Muller’s Managing Director, Grant Hall. “Spray
systems of all types produce aerosol and this can be particularly
dangerous if the supply line is not self draining. Many spray
systems attempt to reduce the risk of contaminated aerosol and
coil fouling by adding expensive water treatment systems such
as UV. In my view you would better off with a traditional tower.”
In light of these restrictions, Muller’s units were contracted to
the aerospace manufacturer through Jacir Air Traitement, the
French-based firm that will oversee the delivery and installation
of the 3C into several production units at Toulouse.
Doic Hordern from Jacir Air Traitement explained the fact the
units can be easily dismantled for servicing was a factor in their
purchase.
“By offering vertical coils the 3C enabled internal access to
the units, and it was demonstrated to Airbus that fans could be
removed while standing on the floor of the unit,” commented
Hall. “Because of the locality this was a major issue to them.”
Image: © AIRBUS S.A.A 2005 - Photo: exm company / H. GOUSSÉ

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
ANSWER YES TO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING
AND YOU ARE MOST CERTAINLY OPERATING
YESTERDAY’S TECHNOLOGY!
ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT

The risk of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease?

The massive consumption of potable water in your facility?
Energy efficiency & soaring electricity prices?
Continual chemical water treatment & subsequent waste
from managing the health risks?
The ongoing costs of cleaning & maintaining cooling towers?

Only one decision can put your mind at ease,

and you will rest easy in the knowledge that
you are making a substantial contribution
to the community and the environment.

TOMORROW’S TECHNOLOGY
TODAY.
The installation of 3C technology
at Royal Melbourne Hospital has contributed to
facility water consumption being reduced
by a massive 60 million litres per year,
while also eliminating the risks
of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak.

Muller Industries Australia

27 Hi Tech Court, Kilsyth VIC 3137
Tel: 03 8761 6155 mullerindustries.com.au
36 CLIENT FEATURE

02 9777 8799

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r e t Complete Installation Services

FREE CONSULTING TO HELP YOU REUSE EXISTING WORKSTATIONS

www.urbanworkstations.com.au
OFFICE WORKSTATIONS ‘OLD’ CAN BE ‘NEW’
NEW MANAGER JOINS THE OLD TEAM

Greg Stephinson is the new face of Urban Workstations. For the past 8 years he has served in the
Australian Army. His experience both in Australia & overseas will be invaluable to the success of this
environmentally concerned business. Greg has now left the Army to take on a new challenge.

Urban Workstations provides an affordable and sustainable option of re-using pre-loved office
workstations, just re-configured, to suit your new office space requirements. The benefit to you
and your company is that you will be contributing to a lower carbon footprint by promoting a
green and environmentally friendly office. Your office can still exhibit the latest modern
appearance and comfort for your employees and customers.

Workstations last for many years and will generally out last the people who sit at them. When moving or upgrading,
so many offices simply throw out their existing fittings. What they don’t know is that existing workstations can be
refitted and updated to appear just like a new installation. By reusing your assets, not only are you saving money
but you are not contributing to land fill thus making your office much greener.

If we can help you re-use your existing assets or recycle them avoiding unnecessary land fill, we can drastically
reduce the negative impact of working offices on our local, regional and national environment. All this without
compromise on style or function

Once Urban Workstations began servicing clients in the recycled market it was clear that there is also a need for
custom NEW workstations also offering a ‘greener option’. After liaising with the manufacturers directly, Urban
Workstations has developed techniques to remove colourings and coatings, using environmentally friendly methods,
we then resurface all faces of the workstations resembling a new looking product. And the good news is that you
will save money too!
For more information please contact greg at gs@urbanworkstations.com.au or phone 02 9777 8799

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3

TOP TRICKS FOR UPGRADING BUILDINGS
WinterComms’ Max Winter reports on Dr Paul Bannister’s AIRAH Melbourne Forum presentation on
Top Tricks for Upgrading Buildings
T
he Australian Institute of Refrigeration Air Conditioning and
Heating (AIRAH) run an excellent series of Melbourne and
Sydney Forums, and the Melbourne Forum I recently attended
was on Re-Lifing Pre-Loved Buildings. While the wintry Melbourne
weather kept a few of the faint-hearted away, there was nonetheless
an excellent turn-out of about 150+ people representing the various
industry sectors that comprise the property industry.
There was a great line-up of speakers on the night including Amy
Hogan - Sustainability Manager, Colonial First State Global Asset
Management, speaking on their strategic perspective on re-lifing pre-
loved buildings; there was Bruce Precious – Office and Industrial
Sustainability Manager, GPT Group, speaking on the 530 Collins
Street Energy Performance Contract; and there was Dr Paul
Bannister – Managing Director, Exergy Australia, speaking on Top
Tricks for Upgrading Buildings.
Attendees were treated to a smorgasbord of valuable practical
information on strategies and case study specifics and Dr Paul
Bannister’s presentation was certainly no exception to the rule when
he imparted his advice, gained from numerous practical consulting
examples, on the steps to take in upgrading your building.
Tackling the question of ‘Why fix existing buildings?’ Paul explained
that fixing buildings is cheaper, faster, and better for the environment
– but oh so much less sexy!
What’s wrong that needs fixing? For post 1990 buildings it was a
mixture of dying controls, aging plant, and years of accumulated bad
commissioning, and some design problems. For pre-1990 buildings it
was the same, with a greater share of overriding design problems.
In terms of fixing or upgrading priorities, Paul stated that the
following applied:
HVAC + ENERGY MANAGEMENT 37
Priority 1: Control
3 Bad control beats good plant
3 Well designed control can fix some commissioning errors.
Greater control over your building’s systems is the first and key
step in improving your building’s performance outcomes.
Priority 2: Commissioning
3 Bad commissioning beats good plant
Badly commissioned plant will never give you a true picture of the
actual state of your plant, or where the likely plant shortcomings
were that needed to be resolved.
Priority 3: Plant
3 Only worthwhile once it is controlled and commissioned
properly.
Only once you have control of your building and have properly
commissioned plant, are you in a position to make decisions on what
plant improvements can be made.
So how do we achieve control? Specifically the steps are:
Control
The key aims of efficient control are to achieve comfort control
at the same time as:
3 Minimising the chiller/boiler run hours
3 Minimising simultaneous heating and cooling
3 Dropping fan speeds as far as possible
3 Dropping pump speeds as far as possible
3 Making the best use of available free resource (for example,
economy cycle)
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
38 HVAC + ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Key control tricks for chillers were:
3 Maximise chilled water temperature
3 Minimise condenser water temperature
3 Stage for maximum efficiency (but don’t forget the pumps)
3 Don’t turn on until you absolutely have to
Key control tricks for boilers:
3 TURN THEM OFF!
Key control tricks for fan and pumps:
Variable pressure control
3 Maximise valve/VAV damper positions,
3 Compensates for shoddy commissioning AND doubtful sensors
Key control tricks for Air Handling Units (AHUs)
Variable volume, always;
Reduce maximum flows
3 Get rid of overdesign
3 Especially important for full outside air systems
Beware high-select
3 Whatever is extreme is probably broken
Economy Cycle
3 Enthalpy control
3 Don’t over-conservatise
Key controls for Variable Air Volume (VAVs)
Reduce minimum flows
3 Down to 20% is often feasible
Increase VAV deadbands
Use proportional control
Coordinate VAV settings and AHU supply air temperature control
3 Generally aim for low flow, low temp
Disable reheat except where needed for space heating
Commissioning
Get the pressure set-points as low as possible
Locate pressure sensors at the end of the main run
Actually test the air and water flows
Make sure that the valve/damper actuators are actually working
Test and fix VAVs
3 15-20% failure rate common
Test the lighting controls, if you have any…
Plant upgrades
Chillers
3 Savings of 50% on older chillers are feasible
3 Select the chiller to match your needs
3 Great (IPLV>9*) may be expensive, but good (IPLV>8) isn’t.
Remember: the best water conservation is energy conservation
3 So don’t rush to air-cooled.
*Chillers generally have a Full-Load (FL) rating and an Integrated
Part Load Value (IPLV) rating. The IPLV is a weighted average of
efficiency measurements at various part-load conditions
Air Handling Units (AHUs)
3 An expensive option but worth consideration for older buildings
3 Aim for one AHU per façade

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 HVAC + ENERGY MANAGEMENT 39

$300
3 Static pressure sensor at the end of the main run
3 Automatic shut-off valves on every tenant unit
Base building lighting
$250 3 Occupancy sensor common area lights off
3 Consider stairwell lighting controls
3 Eliminate dichroics*
$200
3 Remove/delamp valence lighting
3 Occupancy sensors for car parks
$150 *Low voltage but high wattage downlights.
Tenancy lighting
3 Upgrade to better than 7W/m2
$100
3 Preferably single lamp fittings
3 Provide control infrastructure, and make the tenants use it
$50 Lifts
3 Lift companies in Australia have not yet caught up with energy
efficiency
$0 3 Reduce unnecessary speed, acceleration
0 1 2 3 4 5
07/07/2009 3 *Consider variable frequency, variable voltage with regenerative
Dollars per square metre investment versus star rating expected. Anything above 4.5 star braking
rating and the investment increases dramatically. 3 Push for low standby loads
*Paul pointed out that this option was HUGELY EXPENSIVE! But
3Try to eliminate reheat this paled compared to his disdain for Cogeneration, much to the
3Upgrade to swirl diffusers amusement of the audience, as you will see below.
3 Get rid of fan assisted boxes Cogeneration
Tenant condenser water loop 3 Last refuge of the desperate
3 Variable Speed Drive (VSD) on pump 3 Consider fixing lifts first!
3 Only 0.5 star benefit in temperate climates
3 Absorption chillers may not be of benefit
3 Doubts about longevity and maintainability
(I must admit that in the case of the Absorption chiller at 40 Albert
Road at least, the unit proved to be of no value in saving energy. The
reasoning was that it may have been of benefit in temperature zones
such as Queensland).

How far will this get you in terms of star ratings?

For most buildings an upgrade to 4 stars is feasible
3 4.5 stars at more of a stretch
Upgrade to 5 stars is very expensive and experimental
Paul’s results indicate a 30% saving on a 3 year payback as a
reasonable expectation.

Paul’s parting warning; Don’t forget to upgrade your

staff!
The Warren Centre Low Energy High Rise Project indicates that
buildings perform better when:
3 The staff and contractors care about performance
3 The management chain all work positively with efficiency issues
3 Energy efficiency training is provided
3 The NABERS rating is declared to tenants

Paul’s conclusions
3 Upgrading an existing building is viable, and good business
3 Upgrades to 4 stars are generally feasible, higher ratings with
more effort
3 Controls and commissioning play a central role to achievement
of good ratings
3 Plenty of options for plant upgrade too – but AFTER control and
commissioning
3 Cogen is always an option but it’s desperation.
Interestingly, cogeneration is exactly the route Bruce Precious took
in the upgrade at 530 Collins Street, and I hope to bring you more on
this in a future issue.

For more information call Paul at Exergy Australia on 02 6257 7066

or email paul@xgl.com.au

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
40 CLIENT FEATURE

KW/2 SLASHES LIGHTING

ENERGY COSTS BY 55%
Telstra House, centrally located
on Pirie Street, Adelaide and
built in 1987, is a 24 storey
high rise building tenanted
by Australia’s largest
telecommunications company,
Telstra Corporation. Telstra
House comprises general office
accommodation, a call centre
and executive office
accommodation throughout
the building.
The Project
At the time of this project Efficient Energy
Systems (EES) had already successfully
completed a number of high profile energy
saving projects for Telstra. It was of no
surprise when the Facility Manager, Coffey
Environments, environmental consultants for
United Group Services, invited EES to
participate in the open tender for the supply
and installation of an energy efficient lighting
solution. EES was ultimately successful in
winning the tender with a lighting solution
that promised exceptional energy savings.

The Challenge
The tender called for the lighting on 16 floors
to be upgraded, representing a total floor
area of 13,440 square metres. A total of
2,363 luminaires required upgrading.
The existing luminaires were recessed
troffers with return air slots and framed
prismatic diffusers at 2.4 metre centres.
The luminaires were fitted with 2 x 36W
tri-phosphor tubes and low loss magnetic
ballasts resulting in a total energy
consumption of 84W and lighting power
density of 14.6W/m2. This arrangement
resulted in over illumination of the
office space, which caused headaches,
complaints and loss of productivity by
the building’s occupants, as well as high
energy consumption.
The challenge here was to reduce
the overall energy consumption, as well
as optimising light output, indoor
environmental quality and reliability with
the new lighting solution.
The Solution
In order to minimise disruption to the
existing spatial separation of the light fittings,
and reduce project costs, it was decided to
upgrade the existing light fittings by
retrofitting these with high performance
KW/2 Specular Reflectors. The KW/2
reflector was customised to fit the existing
fitting with the lamp centrally placed at the
focal point of the reflector, producing 20 per
cent more downward light than the previous
design, and where it was more useful.
The 2 x 36W tri-phosphor tubes and low
loss magnetic ballasts were replaced with a
single 36W tri-phosphor lamp and high
efficiency warm start electronic ballast. The
result was energy consumption which was
reduced by more than 50 per cent to 35W
per fitting with the lighting power density
reduced to less than 6.5W/m2. In the
process the lighting levels were reduced,
which stabilised the number of complaints
and loss of productivity.
All the lamps were replaced to achieve
an even light intensity and colour
uniformity throughout the work space and
to reduce future maintenance costs. In
addition, lamps, ballasts and packaging
removed from this project site were all
separately recycled ensuring responsible
environmental stewardship.
The installation and commissioning of the
new lighting scheme was expertly under-
taken by North East Electrical within budget
and schedule.
The Cost Savings
The energy saving as a result of the lighting
upgrade was 433,000 kWh per annum, while
greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 424
tonnes with an annual cost saving of $39,000.
In addition to the energy savings, the
lighting levels were uniform throughout which
resulted in an improved indoors environment
and operator comfort. Finally, the new
lighting scheme met the requirements of
AS/NZ1680 for lighting design and
significantly exceeded the BCA benchmarks.
The Facts
Annual energy savings: 433,000 kWh
Annual greenhouse gas savings: 424 tonnes
Annual energy cost savings: $39,000
For more information about Efficient
Energy Systems visit our website at
www.eesaustralia.com

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3

RETROGREENING – A MUST FOR STABILITY IN
THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SECTOR
SIMON MORGAN, FMA AUSTRALIA’S POLICY ADVISOR, EXPLAINS WHY
It is no secret that the economic events of the past year have had a debilitating
impact on most sectors in the Australian economy. The commercial property sector
has suffered and will continue to feel the effects for some time to come.
T
hat said, every problem is an opportunity in disguise. With the
Construction Forecasting Council (CRC) anticipating a sharp
decline in construction of new commercial premises over the
next two years, the current climate is the best opportunity that
enterprising property owners and managers are likely to get to
position existing buildings to compete with new ones.
Tenants have come to expect a lot from building performance—
and just because construction activity has diminished is no reason to
believe that the expectations of tenants will do likewise. When
buoyant market conditions return, as they surely will, those managing
existing buildings will need to compete in performance stakes with
new constructions built to five and six star specifications.
The environmental case for retrofitting or retrogreening existing
commercial office stock is strong. However, in the current economic
climate, there has been some concern that property owners and
managers would revert to “safe” options and that caution in the
economic sphere would naturally extend to design.
Fortunately, what is increasingly clear to many in the industry is
that the economic imperatives for undertaking retrofitting work are
just as compelling as the environmental ones.
Protecting Jobs & Protecting the Environment
In an atmosphere where rising unemployment is of major concern, a
concerted effort directed towards the sustainability of existing
building stock holds the key to providing employment opportunities
RETROGREENING 41
in a sector that is otherwise set to struggle for the next few years.
With economic issues now firmly at the centre of the wider policy
debate, it will be important for advocates to stress the employment-
side benefits of a large-scale national commitment to retrogreening
of existing commercial office buildings going forward.
Estimates vary, but a recent report undertaken by Davis Langdon
suggests that a large-scale national program of retrogreening could
create over 10,000 direct job opportunities in the construction sector
each year, with almost 27,000 opportunities being generated per
annum across the broader economy.
Over a ten year period, this would produce employment for
around 270,000 people across the broader economy. In an economic
environment where new employment opportunities are difficult to
secure, these are numbers not to be ignored.
Environmental Benefits
As well as the economic benefits that would stem from a
comprehensive national approach to retrogreening existing building
stock, the strength of the environmental case is overwhelming. A
clear pathway for achieving better outcomes from the built
environment was set out in The Second Plank report produced by the
Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) in
September 2008.
The Second Plank report outlined in some detail the additional
carbon abatement opportunities that are available by unlocking the
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
42 RETROGREENING
potential of Australia’s existing buildings. While the Carbon Pollution
Reduction Scheme (CPRS) will go some of the way to reducing
emissions if and when it is enacted, the policy can be made much
stronger through the adoption of complementary measures that
further encourage abatement activity.
In the numerous submissions FMA Australia has made to
Government over the past year regarding climate policy matters, we
have repeatedly emphasised the importance of unlocking the
abatement potential of existing buildings.
The Second Plank found that the CPRS alone, even operating at
peak efficiency, will produce total annual abatement of around 8 Mt
(mega tones) of greenhouse gases.
This is a long way short of the total abatement potential of the
built environment, which The Second Plank report estimated to be
60 Mt per annum—much of which could be delivered through the
introduction of more effective energy management practices and
equipment upgrades.
There is plenty of work being done in the background—witness
the recent announcement of the National Strategy on Energy
Efficiency. Developed through the Council of Australian Governments
(COAG), the strategy sets out a pathway for substantially improving
minimum standards for energy efficiency and improving regulatory
processes so that barriers to the introduction of new energy-saving
technologies are removed.
However, the time has come to move beyond discussion about
what should be done and start to take practical action that will
deliver concrete outcomes. Governments—state and federal—have a
leading role to play in this space and decisive action will be
enthusiastically supported by industry.
U.S. Icons Going Green
In the United States, two major projects are significantly raising the
benefits and profile of retrogreening. One project is underway and
the other is due to commence shortly. The iconic nature of the
buildings at the centre of both projects has generated mainstream
media interest and will help ensure that the practice of retrogreening
isn’t something just for “industry insiders”, but is a process with
which the wider community is increasingly familiar and comfortable.
In New York City, Manhattan’s most famous skyscraper, the
Empire State Building, is currently undergoing a $500 million
upgrade. The whole project is due for completion in 2013, with
building systems work due to be finished by late 2010, and
represents a comprehensive approach that incorporates
improvements to the building’s existing windows, better insulation,
significant lighting upgrades to tenanted areas and an overhaul of
HVAC systems.
When completed, the building’s performance will be carefully
monitored and managed through a web-based power usage system
that will allow tenants to view their power usage and make
appropriate adjustments.
More recently, a similarly ambitious undertaking was announced in
Chicago for the tallest office building in the United States. The 1970s
era building has been the subject of some fiery local debate in
Chicago recently, with the change of its official name from Sears
Tower (retail giant Sears haven’t occupied space in the building since
1992) to Willis Tower (after the British insurance broker became a
new tenant and secured naming rights).
Despite the angst of some Chicago residents about the name
change, the building’s owners have been more focussed on the
building’s environmental impact, pushing ahead with a five-year,
$350 million plan to overhaul the facility’s energy efficiency strategy
and cut base building electricity consumption by 80%.
The Australian Experience
While there have certainly been some innovative retrofitting projects
undertaken in Australia, including works on heritage buildings, we
are yet to see an ‘iconic’ Australian equivalent of an Empire State
Building or Sears Tower project.
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
This is partly because Australia’s iconic buildings tend to be public
facilities (e.g. Sydney Opera House), rather than commercial office
buildings. Of course our two tallest structures, Q1 on the Gold Coast
and Eureka Tower in Melbourne, are both residential buildings and,
having both been completed within the last four years, are too new
to be viable candidates for retrofitting works.
Nonetheless, there is an opportunity for Australia’s major cities to
shine in another sense. True, most of our office buildings lack the
iconic façade of an Empire State Building, but that shouldn’t prevent
our buildings having iconic performance levels.
The clearest signal our leaders could send to the commercial sector
that they are serious about promoting energy efficiency is to get our
existing buildings to perform more effectively. Doing so will take
more than the introduction of emissions trading—it requires
Government to think more broadly and attack the problem of carbon
emissions from many fronts.
Providing Additional Incentives
Undertaking a retrofit of an existing commercial building is a costly
exercise. To date, building owners have been reluctant to pursue this
course because there is often a long period between capital outlay
for building improvements and a positive financial return on that
investment.
The Second Plank identified three additional opportunities for the
Federal Government to encourage green retrofit works, each of
which are supported by FMA Australia. Briefly, these are:
a) A national white certificate scheme – A system of tradable
permits which commodifies energy savings. A certificate is
issued in exchange for verified improvements in energy
efficiency—and certificates can then be sold on the open
market.
b) Accelerated green depreciation – This would provide an
incentive for commercial building owners to invest in improving
environmental performance, by allowing for the deferment of
tax payments in exchange for improving the energy efficiency of
their building. In effect it allows investors to shorten the payback
period on environmental improvements made to a building.
c) Government funding support for building retrofit – It can
take several decades for the investment outlay on a green
retrofit to be recovered, which often makes building owners
reluctant to invest in the process. Provision of some financial
assistance for green retrofits would provide building owners
with an additional incentive to invest in energy efficiency
measures.
While some steps have been taken at the state level in relation to
energy certificates, the market would be far better served by a
comprehensive national approach. Given that the Commonwealth
will soon be legislating for mandatory disclosure of commercial office
building energy efficiency, it makes sense to align the introduction of
such a scheme with the commencement of the mandatory disclosure
regime.
Likewise, there has been some direct funding support for green
retrofits through the Commonwealth’s Green Building Fund and in
some state jurisdictions through building tune-up grants.
However, it is the introduction of some form of accelerated green
depreciation that remains the ultimate key to unlocking the
abatement potential of the built environment in Australia.
No one is denying that it would be costly to Government in the
short-run, but at a time when there is an urgent need to support job
creation in the construction sector and simultaneously reduce carbon
emissions, it is an option that should be pursued.
Over the past year, the Federal Government has indicated that it is
willing to spend up now to protect jobs in the retail and
manufacturing sectors. The commercial property sector must not be
overlooked.
In the long run, failure to take action will prove far more costly—to
employment, to our economy and to our environment.
44 CLIENT FEATURE

NEXUS RECYCLING SYSTEM

OFFICE FURNITURE THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
An effective recycling programme is a must for any office or business operating in today’s
environmental climate. But according to a Planet Ark study, recyclable waste efforts face a major
problem – contamination. When recyclable waste is disposed of in a manner that doesn’t take
contamination into consideration, the effectiveness of a recycling programme is undermined.

R
UD is dedicated to promoting responsible waste disposal.
Mark Williams, RUD product specialist, is an advocate of
programmes like ‘National Recycling Week’ or ‘World
Environmental Day’, as they’re great opportunities for businesses and
schools to get involved with recycling. “Recycling reduces the amount
of water, energy and new materials that we use to support our
lifestyle. Making aluminium cans from recycled material, for example,
uses 95% less energy than making one from raw material.”
RUD is committed to helping the FM industry address the problem
of contaminated waste through the introduction of its Nexus recycling
system. The system is
simple and effective – the
Nexus recycling bins
incorporate colour schemes
and varying apertures in the
lids to provide visual
reminders of the types of
waste to be placed into
each bin.
The job of a facility
manager is to address the
numerous problems that
can arise within a building’s
environment. One of the
main responsibilities of a
facility manager is to ensure
that the working
environment is safe, clean and secure, and it follows that a part of
this is implementing an all-embracing waste management strategy.
This in turn helps the business to meet the high standards and
requirements of ISO 14001 – which is the international standard for
environmental protection – as well as other ‘green’ building certificate
compliances.
Due to the need to separate recyclable waste, RUD recommends a
variety of office waste management solutions. Combinations of
solutions can be applied to:
3 Photocopy rooms where large volumes of waste paper are
generated daily
3 Mail opening centres in larger corporate facilities
3 Communal kitchens
3 Meeting rooms and break-out spaces
3 Receptions and waiting lounges
3 Open plan office space
3 Individual work stations
RUD offer a variety of
shapes and sizes of
recycling bins in their Nexus
range, so you can tailor your
waste management system
to the size and design of
your office. Open plan
offices benefit from a
designated recycling area,
but smaller individualised
units can also be very
effective. The Nexus 50
offers compact individual
recycling systems where
required, and the Nexus
140 is ideal for larger
communal areas. The Nexus
range also offers bins for
confidential waste, including e-waste such as data CDs and DVDs.
These units incorporate a key-locked waste container for security.
The RUD system also offers simplicity and aesthetics through its
use of clear graphics and colour coding to differentiate between each
type of waste. These visual prompts help individuals at work or
school to consider what they’re discarding, and be secure in the
knowledge that they’re recycling responsibly and effectively. The
graphic symbol system can be further enhanced through adding a
corporate logo, providing a visual reminder to staff or students of the
company’s ongoing commitment to recycling initiatives.
The benefits of a comprehensive waste management system are
many. Of course, a result of such a system is that the amount of
usable recyclable waste that goes to our recycling centres is
increased, but additionally, facility managers can be assured of a safe
working environment that is clean, secure and hassle free.
When we promote the ‘Recycle Right’ message in our offices and
facilities, we encourage environmental intelligence, and we can
achieve a higher rate of recycling, with less contamination.
We will then begin to make a real difference to the big
environmental challenges that face the FM industry today.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 Nexus Range
Real office furniture that meets
your recycling and security needs.

Nexus 140

Many organisations and authorities are

being encouraged to recycle waste
within the office and are implementing
recycling initiatives to comply with ISO
14001 Environmental Management Sys-
tems. RUD supply an extensive range of
recycling bins to provide ideal solutions
for any recycling scheme even where
space is limited. These attractive units
Nexus 50 will encourage efficient waste collection
and segregation and help prevent cross-
contamination of recyclable materials.
Nexus 100

8 West Link Place, Richlands Qld 4077 www.rud.com.au

Ph: 07 3712 8000 Fax: 07 3712 8001 sales@rud.com.au
46 RETROGREENING

PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF
AND THE BUSINESS OF CHANGE
Since its inception over 120 years ago, Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB), one of the world’s leading planning,
engineering, and program and construction management organisations, has worked on some of the
world’s largest infrastructure projects, employing more than 13,000 people in three operating
divisions—the Americas (North and South), International (Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and
Australia), and Facilities.

PB
is also a rising
star throughout
the Pacific region
offering comprehensive
services across key markets in
12 Australian cities.
In South Australia, PB is
involved in some of the state’s
most significant infrastructure
projects including the $118
million Gallipoli underpass, the
$420 million Jacinth Ambrosia
mineral sands mine for Iluka
Resources and the extension of
the tramline from Adelaide city
to the Adelaide Entertainment
Centre to name but a few.
On the back of this strong
market performance, PB in
Adelaide experienced
significant growth. The
company found itself constantly
amending the floor plan of its
existing office to create space
for additional staff, which
resulted in ad hoc solutions to
staff accommodation and the
removal of many of the offices.
The flexibility of the floor
plan was limited due to the fact
that wet areas, kitchens, useful
common areas and meeting
rooms for both staff and clients
were inherently restricted in
the premises. It soon became
evident that relocation to
bigger, brighter premises was
the way forward.
WinterComms’ journalist
Melanie Drummond spoke to
PB Adelaide’s Office Move
Project Manager Ashley Manna
about the decision to relocate
to one of Adelaide’s most
iconic buildings, and the
business case for retrofitting
the new premises to a 5 star
Green Star rating.
They discussed why the
decision to relocate and retrofit
proved the perfect solution for
enhancing the company’s
sustainability position, while
Ashley Manna, Office Move Project Manager,
presenting a good triple PB Adelaide.
bottom line balance—
commercially, socially and
environmentally.

WinterComms: Tell us about the size and organisation of the
PB office prior to the relocation?
AM: Prior to our office relocation we occupied approximately
2,400sqm of office space. This space provided room for just over 200
desk spaces, which we were quickly out-growing.
The fit out, last created in the mid 1990s, was looking a little tired
and was a hybrid of both offices and open plan. The offices occupied
much of the perimeter, which resulted in an inefficient use of space
and restricted the flow of natural light into the core of the building.
WinterComms: What wasn’t working with the old premises?
AM: First and foremost—we required more space.
From a design perspective, the old premises were beginning to
look a little outdated—it wasn’t an inspiring, lively space. The mix of
office and open plan (and therefore necessary corridors) didn’t
provide for staff interaction. Both the fit out and base building also
had limitations from an environmental perspective and didn’t provide
for adequate meeting spaces, quiet rooms or staff amenities.
And finally, the increasing need to accommodate more staff meant
that constant changes were made to the floor plan which resulted in
gross inequality of space and functionality for staff.
WinterComms: What were the reasons for relocating?
AM: There was a combination of factors. But it’s important to note
that the key issue was more about refurbishing rather than relocating.
The decision to relocate wasn’t a feta compli by any means.
At the core of the issue was the timely opportunity to create a
new, fresh environment that could accommodate our increased
number of staff, now and for the future.
In fact we may have stayed if we could have struck an appropriate
commercial deal that included refurbishment of our existing space.
Apart from the need to accommodate for future growth, a
refurbishment was required so that we could create an inspiring new
space—a space that reflected our culture, values and was more
suited to the way we work and interact with each other. We also
wanted to use this as an opportunity to establish a green fit-out.
WinterComms: Did PB take the opportunity to address issues
of work culture and staff productivity in the move?
AM: Absolutely—our culture, our values and our work practices
were key drivers in our relocation.
Our new fit-out was deliberately designed so that all staff were
treated equally and had the same desk and chair for instance. This
was a key part of our culture. One of our key mottos was “equality of
space and equality of functionality for all”, which orientated all of us
around the notion that we were all important to our organisation in
different ways.
In addition, as we understood more about our new space, we
made sure our staff were provided with a range of training and
information sessions. We were very mindful that we wanted to
reiterate our values and desired behaviours in the new environment.
For example, moving to an open plan environment required staff
to learn about how to work efficiently in such an environment and to
always consider their colleagues. Also, our new environmental
initiatives required staff to learn about our new rubbish bins and
recycling system.
WinterComms: Tell us about the new premises and why it
was selected?
AM: Our new location at 1 King William Street was chosen for
many reasons.
Firstly and importantly, we could achieve an appropriate
commercial deal. Second, the building (and more specifically our
space) would enable us to achieve all the criteria we had set for our
new fit out. These factors were a good starting point.
Also, it is a great location that is close to all modes of public
transport and it is one of Adelaide’s iconic office buildings.
An internal staircase connecting our three floors was a huge bonus,
as was the ability to support our staff by incorporating greater
provision for showers, kitchens, bike racks and common space.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
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 RETROGREENING 47

Finally, this space would enable us

to create an excellent environmental
outcome within an existing building—
and that was attractive to us as an
engineering and environmental
consultancy.
WinterComms: Why was opting
for a retro-fit a better option than
moving into new premises?
AM: Commercial expense was a
real consideration—we wanted an
excellent environmental outcome, but
we also had to work within a realistic
budget.
Ultimately we took the view that it
would be easy to ‘buy’ green space,
but would be more challenging to
upgrade an existing building. This
approach also complimented our
sustainability position, in that the final
result was not only fantastic, but also
represented a good triple bottom line
balance—commercially, socially and environmentally. our potential new office sites. We had three to four real options and
In fact our new space is now the benchmark for the rest of the this process helped us interrogate our own thoughts and allowed us
building and is viewed by CBRE and the landlord as a blueprint for to clearly establish the business case for the best option.
future upgrades to other floors. WinterComms: How had the FM in the previous premises
WinterComms: How was the tendering process managed and been managed?
how were contractors selected? AM: Previously we were subletting to an anchor tenant, which in
AM: We ran an Expression of Interest and then a tender process itself provided some challenges in terms of servicing our needs.
and a range of interviews to select our architect/design partner. We were also in the position that the anchor tenant was moving
Next, we made the decision to directly engage the Services out and were understandably not as focused on the premises as they
Engineer that was already working on the base building, as we felt once were.
consistency in services was important. WinterComms: How was an open relationship between the
For an integrated fit-out we worked closely with CBRE (who were owner and facilities manager essential to the success of the
managing the base build component on behalf of landlord) to move, and how was that managed?
appoint a building contractor. Our approach was to pre-select a short AM: Firstly, we were fortunate that we and both the landlord and
list based on capability and a set of criteria, and then call for tenders facility manager shared a common vision for the building. Our
from that short list. objectives were aligned from the start—which formed a solid
The managing contractor tender was based on the AS4000 platform to build upon.
standard (General conditions of Contract: AS 4000-1997/Standards Regular communication was paramount. Also having the landlord
Australia). delegate much of the decision making (especially during
In all cases we aimed to work with partners with whom we could construction) to the facility manager (CBRE), allowed for responsive
have a trusting, open and honest working relationship. We thought it decisions which kept the project moving—which was vitally
was vitally important to surround ourselves with a team that was as important.
focused as we were on creating a high quality workspace for our In terms of the fit-out—we agreed on our green goals early and
staff, on time and on budget. also the need for an integrated fit-out. This allowed both parties to
We wanted this to be an enjoyable, fruitful and mutually beneficial get the best value out of their respective budgets.
project for all parties. We then agreed to both engage the managing contractor (one
WinterComms: What was the business case for relocation? contract for base building works and another for the fit-out). This
AM: Once we established our desired outcomes we used a multi- enabled all works to be integrated and for both aspects of
criteria analysis tool to investigate ‘must’ and ‘want’ factors for all of construction to interact under the same contractual conditions that

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
48 RETROGREENING

didn’t bias one party over the other.

It also meant that all shared the
same risks and would therefore
work with the managing contractor
to deliver best for project
outcomes.
Finally, it was decided that our
common quantity surveyor would
adjudicate on any contractual
amendments or disagreements in
an open forum with all parties.
Again, this approach fostered best
for project decisions and a high
level of trust from all parties.
WinterComms: What
challenges did you encounter in
meeting everybody’s needs
(PB/Owner/FM)?
AM: There weren’t too many
challenges that couldn’t be settled
to the satisfaction of all parties.
Obviously the lease term is often
an issue. We were looking for a shorter lease than the facility WinterComms: How was communication with PB staff and
manager—but we did come to agreement. clients managed during the move?
The budget can obviously be another sticking point. The key was AM: A detailed communication strategy was developed at the
to have an understanding and to be mindful of each party’s budget. outset of the project.
Also, because packages were integrated there was always the risk We communicated with staff via regular staff presentations,
that in any given package, one party would come out financially dedicated project newsletters, regular emails, and a purpose-made
better than the other, relative to budget. intranet site, an ideas register to capture staff thoughts and
But through transparent and open discussion we all looked for best sentiments, and a range of training sessions closer to the move date.
for project outcomes, and took the approach that what one loses on On the morning of our move we also arranged for a morning tea
the swings one gains on the roundabouts. for all staff and a comprehensive welcome pack with a range of gifts
WinterComms: What tools were used to manage the project and vouchers for local businesses. This was all aimed at making our
(software etc.)? staff familiar and comfortable in their new environment.
AM: From our perspective we used Microsoft Project to manage In terms of communicating with clients, we directly contacted all
the schedule and Microsoft Excel to track the budget. In terms of key clients prior to our move and mailed them a postcard of our
other tools, we simply implemented traditional project management intention to move and our new contact details. We also had a
techniques to manage the project issues such as RFI’s (Request for countdown display in our reception and undertook many other
Information), EOT’s (Extension of Time Claims), detailed project smaller communication activities such as amending our email
plans, variation registers, risk registers, drawing registers, and signatures.
comprehensive meeting minutes. WinterComms: How did you achieve the 5 star rating?
WinterComms: How will FM be managed in the new facility? AM: We haven’t as yet achieved our Green Star rating. We are still
AM: CBRE has provided the building manager with a regular in the process of preparing our submission and require some time in
contact. There is also an IT system for logging issues. our new fit-out to accumulate appropriate data.
In general, it’s a very responsive process with a great relationship We are certainly very confident of achieving our 5 star Green Star
established between CBRE and Parsons Brinckerhoff. rating based on the environmental outcomes we’ve achieved through
the retro-fit.
WinterComms: How does a
sustainable workplace tie in with
PB’s core business principles?
AM: Parsons Brinckerhoff takes
seriously its responsibility to act as
an environmentally responsible
company. We have an over arching
sustainability policy, we are a
carbon neutral company and offer
significant sustainability,
environmental and climate change
services to our clients. In this regard
it was important that our new office
reflected the company’s values.
WinterComms: What were the
biggest challenges of the
project?
AM: Trying to balance the needs
of more than 200 staff and making
sure their expectations were
managed and were realistic.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3

At all times we wanted to make sure staff
knew and understood the reasons behind the
decisions we were making. We needed the
process to be as clear and transparent as
possible. For example taking many staff from
offices to an open plan environment was not
an easy decision to make. But once we
committed to go down that path, we tried to
focus less about the decision and focus more
on assisting staff to transition to their new
environment.
Managing the budget was also another
challenge. Trying to balance the budget with
the desired functionality and green solutions
took a great deal of work. It was an iterative
process—but we got there.
WinterComms: What was the main
technical challenge of the project and
how was it resolved?
AM: Keeping the use of the internal
stairwell was vitally important—to promote
interconnectivity between staff on our three
levels. However new fire safety requirements
required us to ensure that levels could be
enclosed in the event of fire. This was not
only a technically challenging issue but one
that could potentially be very expensive—
especially if we enclosed the stairwell with
fire-rated glass.
Ultimately we struck a fantastic cost-
effective and innovative solution that
involved the implementation of automatic
fire shutters that were activated by fire
signals. This kept the open feel of the
stairwell, but represented a significant
construction challenge.
WinterComms: How are the staff
functioning at the new premises in terms
of productivity, wellbeing and retention?
AM: Our staff were excited about the
move and have certainly embraced their new
environment. It’s pleasing to see the features
of the new fit out being used as we first
intended. For example, the meeting rooms
and their state of the art technology are
being fully utilised as are break out spaces
and quiet rooms. Our staff have no hesitation
in hosting clients or inviting them over for a
tour and to that end their enthusiasm has
assisted us in getting closer to clients. We’ve
also noticed that our staff have tried very
hard to modify their behaviour to suit the
open plan environment—which has been a
real success.
WinterComms: What would you do
differently next time?
AM: It’s been a really successful project,
which while challenging, actually ran as
smoothly as could be expected. In terms of
improvements, I think in hindsight we could
have benefited from having a better process
for dealing with outstanding items once we
took occupancy.
And we perhaps could have also been
better at managing the schedule in the
critical and closing stages of construction—
after all a committed move date is an
immoveable one.
LESSONS LEARNED
Managing contractor model
The managing contractor model worked
well in our situation. We needed to
accelerate the delivery, so engaging a
managing contactor and issuing packages
of design allowed us to accelerate
engagement of subcontractors and stage
our design activities to accommodate to
the longer lead items up front.
This model also allowed us to exchange
questions throughout the construction
process - and provided timely detailed
design information as it was required.
Construction meetings
It was essential to hold integrated weekly
construction meetings (on-site)
throughout the journey. This allowed all
parties to address issues then and there.
As a group, we could prioritise items,
follow up on urgent matters while still at
site and issue a site instruction and
appropriate documentation. This allowed
works to progress.
A key lesson learned is that it’s
important to ensure the right people are
available and empowered to make the
appropriate decisions. From our
perspective we made sure that we had
members of the project team accountable
for certain aspects of the project and
available to address project matters as
they arose.
Lease documentation
With all good intentions a base heads of
agreement was effectively reached with
the landlord.
However, turning this into a defined
contractual lease agreement and getting it
signed-off took much longer than
anticipated and was perhaps a little
underestimated.
This process impacted on us being able
to engage the managing contractor and
placed pressure on the project’s delivery
date. The key lesson here is to clarify the
time it takes for legal review and sign-off,
RETROGREENING 49
and then allow for this in your project
schedule and contingency.
Integrated fit-out
This worked well as it allowed both
parties to get the ‘best bang for their
buck’. For example the base building
owner didn’t have to commit to installing
lighting or air conditioning in a section
that might have had a different fit out
requirement.
Integrated construction activities and
having an understanding of how the base
design and fit out design complimented
one another allowed all parties to
maximise their respective budgets. This
also helped us to incorporate the green
components of our fit-out and better
understand the definition of base and fit-
out costs.
However, the integrated approach
could have started earlier. Unfortunately,
the base design had already been
completed prior to us ramping up our fit-
out design. By working together earlier
we may have even saved some money on
design activities and been able to
commence works earlier.
From a facilities manager’s and
landlord’s perspective—offering an
integrated fit-out to either retain an
existing tenant or to attract a new tenant
is a great strategy. However it should be
noted that this relationship requires trust
and openness by all parties—and requires
the right people to be communicating at
the right levels.
This strategy allows for smoother
running programs, green outcomes to be
more easily achieved and allows each
party get best value out of their budgets.
For a PDF document of the FMA Australia
SA Branch Parson Brinckerhoff
Presentation “It’s not easy being green”,
go to the FMA Australia website
Knowledgebase Category, ESD & the
Environment.
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
50 CLIENT FEATURE

EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER GREEN LINING

Facility Managers are facing a ‘perfect storm’ with energy and water costs set to rise by 20%+ across
the country, the global financial crisis and new climate change regulations all impacting building
budgets and operating practices.

T
his was reinforced at June’s Darling Harbour FMA lunch where technology tube is so much more energy efficient then T8, reflectors
it was evident a major priority for Facilities Managers in the are now possible along with voltage reducers all of which are
coming year is the need to improve on the green star ratings, effective solutions to reduce lighting costs.
manage rising costs and prepare for mandatory reporting/rating Other simple solutions with smart timers for computers,
requirements for offices over 2000m². photocopies can ensure you are not wasting energy at the weekends
Clouds associated with the new carbon and water constrained or overnight.
world will not simply pass, and Facility Managers need tangible
simple and fast outcomes that benefit their properties performance
both environmentally and financially. Approaching these challenges
on your own may be an option for those with dedicated specialist
resources. Assuming you are not so well resourced with experts
across the myriad of constantly changing environmental technologies,
and monitoring practices then a different approach is required.
Key learning’s from Water & Energy Savers experience relevant to
Facility Managers indicates a simple yet practical methodology.

“If you can’t monitor it you can’t manage it”

Unless you meter and monitor below the utility’s meter in real time,
and have someone who understands energy and water profiles, it is
hard to identify problems before they become a cost to the company.
Nigel Brimble reviews the wireless MeterMate Monitoring device, which recently won a
Audits are one form of information but are just a snap shot in time. Green Globe Award by NSW Department of Environment & Conservation.

Embrace the latest technology

Technology has some real-time solutions to long standing Facility
Management problems. Small hi tech companies using the latest
wireless data devices can give facilities real time and trend
information about facilities manager’s energy and water usage in any
part of the building, without the need for expensive wiring. Today’s
Web based monitoring products have a number of significant
advantages, including accessibility, low cost, flexible interfaces to
accommodate existing systems, and flexibility for customise
reporting. Sydney Water illustrated this recently by appointing
specialist smart metering company – MeterMate to install wireless
metering at major water using customer’s customer sites.
Keep it simple
Up to 30% savings on lighting are now common place savings that
can be achieved on existing buildings over 5 years old. The new T5
Reduce unnecessary consumption
The Men’s Urinal can account for up to 30% of businesses water. No
Flush Urinal Solutions provides a cost effective solution that saves up
to 90% of water while maintaining washroom amenity and plumbing
infrastructure.
Experienced solutions providers
Following work with 2,500+ organisations across Australasia; Water &
Energy Savers understands these challenges and has a record for
finding and realising the silver green lining in reducing water and
energy consumption, to deliver simple & smart solutions for today
and beyond.
For more information visit www.water.net.au
or contact Nigel Brimble on (02) 9494 0700.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
52 RETROGREENING

RETROFITTING
a retail giant
Operating 65 retail outlets with a turnover of more than $3 billion, Myer remains Australia’s largest
department store group, and a leader in retailing. In 2007, Probuild were appointed as the preferred
contractor to undergo a major redevelopment of Melbourne’s iconic Myer Bourke Street store while it
remained in operation.
Aside from the difficulties of undergoing demolition and construction concurrently on adjacent sites,
the construction team had to service the project through one access route, negotiating high numbers of
foot traffic, motorists and neighbouring retailers. Upon completion in 2010, Probuild will have achieved
the formidable feat of demolishing and rebuilding three buildings, refurbishing two, and joining all
buildings by a level surface 5,000 sqm floor plate.
Melanie Drummond spoke to Probuild Construction Manager Craig Gathercole about the challenges
and rewards of retrofitting a retail giant.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3

WinterComms: What made Probuild the preferred
construction team of choice?
CG: I think it came down to our retail experience; we’ve done a lot
of work on existing centres that continue to operate – out in
Chadstone, Highpoint, Northland, Broadmeadows and others. A lot
of those centres have continued to operate while we’ve done the
refurbishment.
WinterComms: Tell us about your role in the project?
CG: I’m Construction Manager so my responsibility is overall
delivery, finance and managing the project. I also have a project
manager under me and various other foremen. We have around 50
Probuild staff on site which includes our labourers.
WinterComms: Can you give us an overview of the
redevelopment?
CG: The existing Myer floor plate between Bourke Street and Little
Bourke Street was made up of four different buildings and the
owners purchased the old Telecom building next to the GPO, which
forms the fifth building. Upon completion, we will have demolished
and rebuilt three buildings and refurbished two buildings. All those
buildings will be joined together by a level surface at around a 5,000
square metre floor plate.
WinterComms: What was the main objective of the client
when heading into the redevelopment?
CG: The main objective was to redevelop it while the store
continued to operate between Bourke and Lonsdale. They wanted to
continue the public walk-in from the mall, through the Lonsdale
Street store. At the end of the redevelopment Myer will only be
housed between Bourke and Little Bourke St. It will end up being 9
levels and undoubtedly the world’s best retail store in Australia.
WinterComms: What issues did the heritage aspects of the
buildings pose in terms of redevelopment?
CG: The Bourke Street building is a fully heritage listed façade
which we’ve restored. We’ve refurbished that to its original 1950s
appearance so all the glass will be transparent, bringing it back to a
nice clean façade that can breathe again, where is in the past it was
totally painted over.
WinterComms: How was the relationship with Heritage
Victoria managed?
CG: That’s all managed through an architect called Lovell Chen
who are the heritage architects. Our heritage brief was the façade
and the existing cash tube system which we found hidden behind the
plasterboard columns.
WinterComms: What level of documentation did you have on
the Myer buildings?
CG: We have tackled this whole redevelopment without one piece
of documentation and not one as-built - it’s posed a lot of problems.
It’s all been us going through, reviewing, testing, isolating and doing
RETROGREENING 53
it that way. The reason is that in the past, maintenance staff had been
here for 25 or 30 years and when changeovers occurred during those
years, that knowledge went with them.
There was a lot of history and documentation that Lovell Chen was
able to get hold of in terms of the façade and some of the other
heritage components, but as far as how the services ran within the
building, there was nothing. Our sub contractors have had to educate
themselves as to how this building operated, which became a
component of our early works. We had guys in there isolating things
and labelling what was here. That was a fair challenge.
WinterComms: What systems do you have in place to
manage that now?
CG: Moving forward we have all of our information on a system
called Aconex.
Aconex is a project management software system that tracks all
the communications including emails, drawings and diagrams, and
allows all the project stakeholders to work collaboratively with
commonly shared information. The system ensures information such
as architectural plans and as-built drawings are up to date, and
include a full history of what changes were made, which party made
them, and when. All the information captured can be used as the
basis for facility management once the building is operational. In
effect, we are creating a documentation history for these buildings as
we work on them, and record the work done.
WinterComms: What contractors were engaged for the
redevelopment?
CG: One thing we focused on initially was our service sub-
contractors; we had to make sure the sub-contractors we had on
board had the experience to deal with something as difficult as this.
The majority of our sub-contractors had a fair bit of experience on
the MCG redevelopment, the Children’s Hospital redevelopment and
Spencer Street redevelopment.
WinterComms: What are some of the KPIs of the project?
CG: The whole project has been delivered in different stages in
different portions, on different floor levels. There are seven different
handovers, and so seven milestones we have to meet in order for
Myer to come in progressively and do fixtures, fittings and install, in
preparation for opening those areas up to the public again.
WinterComms: How did you cause as little disruption to
Myer’s operation as possible?
CG: That was probably the most difficult challenge. We still face
challenges every day, a lot of them are with adjoining owners and a
lot are with Melbourne City Council. We talk to the Council on a daily
basis. We also have the David Jones’ redevelopment happening
beside us so we are in constant communication with them as well.
On our other boundaries are Myer on the Lonsdale Street Store and
the GPO Store which has a number of different tenants. The only way
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
54 RETROGREENING
through is constant communication with all involved.
There can be issues such as OH&S, noise, and access, the list goes
on. We have three traffic personnel in the street full time to deal with
traffic and just pedestrians. We have a cast of people dealing with
that on an every day basis. It requires a lot of investigation and
reporting back and we have a person on site full-time to deal with
that.
WinterComms: How did you manage the client’s
expectation?
CG: Communication and talking about upcoming works on a
regular basis. There are always daily phone calls to explain if things
have changed from what we decided on the weekly meetings. We
also hire an external public relations company who send out alerts on
a regular basis when we apply for permits from council and that sort
of thing. We also submit a monthly report, with our claim, which
tracks the progress of the project as far as where we’re at from a
financial point of view, trade and performance.
WinterComms: Has the project been more challenging than
you anticipated?
CG: Definitely. We never underestimated what was ahead and
clearly we are up for the challenge and continue to be up for it. It’s
more challenging than all parties involved thought it would be – the
owner, the tenant and the builder.
The access and egress has been challenging as well, feeding a job
through Little Bourke Street on its own is challenging, let alone
countering in the public and traffic flow. In saying that, we are all
getting through it and maintaining the expectations we had of the
final outcome.
WinterComms: Aside from communication, what are the
other keys to succeeding in a project of this size and
complexity?
CG: Obviously having the right people around you and the right
sub-contractors. The other important thing is achieving those
milestones; handing space back to Myer is the continual focus.
WinterComms: Where is the project now at?
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
CG: We’ve just taken over our last building to demolish, once that
is complete, the whole project will be a very different project – and
then we’ll just be into new structure and fit-out. It’ll become a lot
easier and just a traditional construction site, although still difficult to
feed and manage logistically. One of the most difficult things so far
has been demolishing a building and right beside that constructing a
new one.
WinterComms: On a professional level what do you think
you’ve learnt from being involved with this project?
CG: I’ve been in the industry for 25 years and this is clearly the
most difficult project I’ve worked on, but I think it will be the most
rewarding. To be involved with an iconic building in the middle of the
CBD on a personal level will be very rewarding once it gets to the
end. It is very difficult to redevelop such a large project with very
little access, it’s not something you can change, but I think people
can appreciate how difficult it is to service such a big project through
one street, one gate, and one door. If this was a project out in
Doncaster, or Chadstone, you could service it from all four elevations;
you can’t do that on this job. The project is ultimately very difficult,
very satisfying and I know at the end, that it will have been great to
be a part of it.
About the Myer Project
The Myer store as it stands today, consists of four different buildings
and the existing Telecom Building. The first building is Area 1, the old
Telecom building that was purchased by Colonial First State Property
Management 2008. To date Probuild has demolished the building to
the lower Basement level and have commenced the new structure
that will form part of the new floor plate.
The second building, which faces Little Bourke Street, is known as
Area 2. It was purchased by Myer circa 1924 as a four storey brick
building, originally constructed with cast iron columns and steel
girders. The ground floor level façade and the most western bay have
been re-built and the internal fabric has been altered. This building is
being fully demolished down to Lower Ground Basement as per Area

1 and rebuilt to form part of the new floor plate.
Area 3 is the central core of the existing Myer floor plate. This will
be the new area that will house the central atrium and escalator void
up to the glazed roof skylight.
Area 4 is the building down the eastern side, adjacent to David
Jones. This building is to be completely refurbished, and was built
circa 1881. This 3-storey building began as ‘offices’ and was probably
redeveloped by Myer shortly after 1931. It was increased to four
storeys and a new façade was built. A further two storeys were
added in 1958 and this is a structural steel concrete encased
building.
Area 5 is the building that faces the Bourke Street Mall. This area
also sits behind the historic heritage listed façade. This portion of the
building will be totally refurbished with some major structural
strengthening required that will form the new floor plate.
Heritage Considerations – Some of the key features of the
redevelopment will be the retaining and refurbishment of the existing
Bourke Street façade which was erected circa 1933. Probuild is
working closely with Heritage Victoria and specialised sub-
contractors to carry out this work.
On completion of the redevelopment, the Mural Hall on Level 6
which currently houses the Probuild site office will be fully
refurbished and taken back to its original appearance that used to
house many a Sidney Myer function, including dances and fashion
parades.
Working with NH Architecture and Lovell Chen, (the Heritage
Consultants) the existing Bourke Street façade will also be
refurbished with all the windows removed and reglazed, creating a
fresh clean façade that is open to daylight.
Other heritage requirements during demolition include recovering
RETROGREENING 55
and restoring the existing cash tubes that once operated throughout
the store. The head end of the cash tube system, which is currently
down in the Myer Bourke Street store Basement, is where all the
money and receipts used to come to upon a sale. Demolition of the
upper floors has revealed other cash tube heads within columns that
were completely concealed and plastered over, from the numerous
earlier refurbishments of the store. All of these items are heritage
listed and will be on show and housed somewhere in the store upon
completion.
Upon completion of the works between Bourke and Little Bourke
Street, Myer as you know it today, will be fully housed between
Bourke and Little Bourke Streets and will have only a small presence
in the future Lonsdale Street development with details to be
confirmed.
About Craig Gathercole
Craig joined the Construction Industry in 1985 as an apprentice
carpenter with a mid-sized Commercial builder from the eastern
suburbs. In his early days he predominately worked on retail
developments, including Highpoint Shopping Centre, and the early
stages of Chadstone Shopping Centre. Craig moved on from that
company in 1990 to start his own small business that he ran for three
years, before he joined Probuild Constructions in 1993.
Craig carried out various roles at Probuild, from Site Foreman and
Site Management, through Project Management and assisting in
estimating, to his current position as Construction Manager. Craig has
worked on many major retail developments during his time with
Probuild, including the Collins Street Georges Redevelopment,
Chadstone Stages 5 & 7, Northland, Highpoint, Melton, and more
recently the Broadmeadows Town Centre Redevelopment.
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
56 CLIENT FEATURE
AWARD WINNING PATROL & RESPONSE
SERVICE DRIVEN BY TECHNOLOGY
The Response and Patrol Integrated Dispatch technology – known as RAPID - is a customised web-
based system which manages planned patrol attendances and receives alarm and incident response
attendance requests, automatically dispatching the closest patrol vehicle to the site.
R
APID was named best Integrated Security Solution by the
Australasian security industry at their annual awards ceremony
in Melbourne.
Wilson Security Chief Executive Officer John McMellan said RAPID
technology would also improve the accountability of patrol units and
set a new benchmark for the whole industry.
“RAPID monitors the progress of the security response and through
its GPS technology ensures a mobile patrol has attended the site.” Mr
McMellan said.
“During a scheduled patrol or alarm response, clients can monitor
progress and view a status report.
“The transfer of information is delivered in real time, making the
whole process far more transparent. Clients are able to monitor the
estimated time of arrival and update onsite details.”
Each patrol vehicle is installed with a RAPID terminal. The patrol
run is entered into a database and assigned to the closest vehicle with
access to the site. RAPID optimises the best route and most time
efficient schedule, reducing unnecessary travelling time.
Using the RAPID terminal, the mobile patrol is also able to
complete a status report, which is automatically sent to the client
again in real time. Being an end-to-end process, RAPID ensures that
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
a fee is only charged for the service received.
Mr McMellan said at any time, summaries of all patrols and jobs
are accessible to patrol officers with Wilson’s 24-hour operations
centre able to forward updates onto the client. He said the
technology would allow for a more compliant and efficient security
mobile response.
“The system uses in-vehicle multi-function terminals to link the
mobile patrol vehicles with the Operations Support Centre,” Mr
McMellan said.
“When customers require a security response, the RAPID
technology prioritises the threat automatically.”
Mr McMellan said the technology also ensured the operations
centre could maintain contact with an officer – providing extra
protection for Wilson staff and the client.
“Our system now sets the benchmark for others to follow,
delivering a level of efficiency and accountability to clients not before
seen in the industry,” he said.
RAPID technology was developed by the Wilson Security patrols
management team and is being released to its mobile patrol vehicles
across Australia in 2009.
RAPID TRANSFORMING MOBILE SECURITY SERVICES
Wilson Security takes great pride in presenting
an award-winning technological product that will
fundamentally transform the delivery of alarm
responses and mobile patrols.
To provide our clients with the optimum mobile patrol service
we have developed a customised web-based system that
facilitates a faster more accurate transfer of information,
resulting in improved response times. Being real time it also
offers complete transparency and accountability.
• Alarm responses can be automatically dispatched
to the closest vehicle
• Provides the vehicle with in-car navigation to
consistently provide a rapid patrol response
• Allows our clients to view the status of their alarm
attendance in real time.
Wilson Security’s mobile patrol service is supported by a
decentralised, networked national infrastructure with more
Operations Support Centres than our competitors. Our
local knowledge and understanding of clients’ requirements
ensures an unparalleled level of service
For further information phone 1300 WILSON
or go to www.wilsonsecurity.com.au.
NSW Master Licence Number 407 380 693
58 SECURITY + RISK MANAGEMENT

TALKING ABOUT SECURITY

INTRODUCTION BY WINTERCOMMS’ MAX WINTER, EDITED AND ADAPTED FROM
MATERIAL BY DR CLIVE SUMMERFIELD.
Just when you thought all had been said, done and written about security and the technology available
to deliver it, a “new” solution is developed that redefines the industry.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3

What is Biometrics?
Biometrics is the measurement of the unique physiological or
behavioural characteristics of the human body, such as the finger print
or iris pattern. Most often, biometrics is used to identify an individual in
situations requiring high levels of accuracy or in scenarios allowing
human interaction with computers.
The different varieties of biometrics are:
Voice Authentication: This biometric can be used to verify the
identity of a person to allow an individual to interact with secure
services over the telephone (or other voice communications device)
such as secure call centres and telephone banking or secure voice mail.
Finger Scanning: This technique can be used to identify an
individual from the print on the pad of their finger (or a combination of
their fingers). It is most often used to restrict physical or virtual access.
Palm Scanning: This technique takes certain measurements from
the palm print of the individual. It generally requires the participant to
claim an identity against which the palm print can be identified. This
biometric is very popular for time and attendance machines.
Iris/Retina Recognition: This biometric measures the unique
pattern of a person’s iris or retina by an electronic scan. It is extremely
accurate and is generally used to restrict physical access.
Signature Verification: Various electronic measurements are taken
from the person writing their signature to produce an accurate
assessment of their identity.
Face Recognition: This biometric takes various measurements of
the human face as captured on video to compare them with an existing
template of faces and make a match. This form of biometric is growing
in popularity in airports.
Other forms of biometrics yet to make a substantial impact in the
commercial arena include those used to measure body odour, typing
characteristics, ear shape and gait.
While some of these biometric systems are extremely accurate, for a
sizable number of corporations, the equipment and IT investment
involved can be prohibitive, and the means of securing the information
needed to verify one’s identity can be quite difficult to collect in certain
circumstances such as high traffic—high volume situations like airport
security.
The circumstances and need for the security information has to be
weighed against the ease of use and accuracy of information required
to arrive at a solution or technology suited for the purpose.
What is Voice Authentication?
Voice authentication is a biometric technology that uses the unique
acoustic characteristics of a person’s voice to confirm that “they are
who they say there are”—literally.
Each person’s voice is unique. This is caused by a combination of the
way a person has learnt to speak and the anatomical characteristics of
SECURITY + RISK MANAGEMENT 59
their vocal tract. Together these aspects contribute to create each
individual’s unique voice quality. Voice authentication systems use this
factor to provide an effective and convenient process for confirming
identity.
Voice authentication is a two stage process. The first stage, called
enrolment, involves processing a sample of a person voice to extract
and encode their unique voice characteristics. The second stage,
authentication, involves sampling the speaker’s voice, processing as in
the enrolment phase and comparing the voice characteristics against
those in the enrolled sample. The user can then obtain a measure as to
how closely the speaker’s voice compares to the voice of the enrolled
sample.
Scientific evaluations undertaken for the University of Canberra have
demonstrated that voice authentication systems are more accurate than
finger, face and palm biometric systems and offer similar levels of
performance as iris recognition. Typically, set-up correctly solutions
exhibit less than 0.1 per cent false accept rate (that is, impostors being
able to break into a system) even if the impostor has the correct
password information.
Contrast this with a conventional password system. Given that an
impostor has the correct password then the impostor has a 100 per
cent chance of breaking into the system. With voice authentication,
even if the impostor has the correct information the chance of the
impostor successfully breaking in is reduced to 0.1 per cent that is a 1
in 1000, with some voice authentication systems offering even higher
levels of security.
Voice authentication not only offers significant security benefits but
also offers significant convenience and cost benefits to users. Because
voice authentication is based on a voice biometric, highly secure
solutions can be developed to offer higher level of security that do not
involve users having to remember complex PINs and passwords. In fact
systems can be developed that simply use the way you say your
account, credit card or telephone number to confirm that you are the
legitimate speaker.
This is not only more secure—but from the users perspective far
more convenient. Furthermore, for businesses, resetting forgotten or
stolen PINs and passwords is not only extremely expensive it is
extremely problematic from a security standpoint. Voice authentication
solves both these problems.
Multi-factor voice authentication is rapidly emerging as the high-
value high-security technology to protect mission critical applications
and services.
Dr Clive Summerfield is CEO of Auraya and consulting firm 3SH, and
has been a driving force in the adoption of speech recognition and
CONTINUED ON PAGE 64
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
60 CLIENT FEATURE

MOVING THE ATLANTIS WAY,

NOW WITH TECHNOLOGY.
Atlantis has been relocating Australian companies for over 20 years and this is
something they do very well. In an industry that has the potential to cause great
concern to their customers if it is not done right, atlantis ensures all aspects of the
transition are deliberate and highly tuned ensuring every job is done well.

A
tlantis takes pride in being “Best of Breed” however they also lead the way in innovation. They were the first
to introduce environmentally friendly collapsible crates, anti static IT padded protection covers and the
systematic library packing trolleys although their latest innovation may be the best of all.
Currently being used by one of the largest companies in Australia, an atlantis customer, atlantis has introduced an
electronic asset management system that details the location, quantity, type and condition of each article or asset
and documents it, with a photo and barcode (or RFID), into an online portal whereby atlantis’s customer, at
anytime, can log on and see their assets.
The system was originally designed to monitor offsite storage locations however, now, has the potential to be the
information house for all of their assets. From the obvious chairs and desks through to fire extinguishers, PC’s and
even mobile phones.
The company currently using this system, nationally, has saved huge amounts of money by reducing their need
for additional real estate dramatically in fact they have reduced their real estate needs and by knowing what they
own and where it is which avoids buying the same item twice.
The concept is simple and the process is even simpler. The atlantis team place a barcode or RFID (Radio
Frequency Identification tag) on each item. Each item is then scanned by a hand held device, the type and condition
are recorded with a photo and this information is automatically uploaded to the server in real time.
The customer can then log on, search by item, state or venue and produce an action, on line. The action may be
to relocate certain items to an office or maybe to arrange the disposal of assets. Whatever the task the customer
can arrange by clicking a few buttons, it’s that simple and atlantis does the rest.
The system is fully managed and maintained by atlantis and their partner and it is available now for a
demonstration. Smart people Move Smart with atlantis. 20 years young and still leading the way.

Please call our National head office on (02) 9427 7177

to arrange one of our trained representatives to visit your office.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 20 YEARS YOUNG
Still leading the way««««.
You ĐĂŶ͛ƚ exist for 20 years and not excel at what you do. Atlantis is the
leading commercial relocation expert and we know best how to relocate
your company.
At atlantis we combine experience with innovation no matter if you have
an office, warehouse, library or laboratory - atlantis will be there for you.
That's why atlantis has provided 'smart moves' to over 80% of Australia's
top 100 blue-chip companies.

20 years of office relocations = 20 years of excellence

x Packing & Storage
x Commercial relocations
x Regardless of size, we deliver
x Environmentally considerate
x Library, Warehouse, laboratories
x ³Move Smart͟ Pack, Lock Stack and GO

Contacts
Sydney (02) 9427-7177

Melbourne (03) 9326-7877

Canberra (02) 6228-1411

ƵƐƚƌĂůŝĂ͛Ɛ most experienced relocation team Brisbane (07) 3216 -6809

www.atlantis.net.au Adelaide (08) 8241-5092

62 CLIENT FEATURE
MSS SECURITY: PEOPLE YOU CAN TRUST
MSS Security is Australia’s largest security company with more than 4,700 employees, approximately
$300 million in turnover, and a national infrastructure with offices in the capital cities of all states and
territories. MSS Security operates in all market segments and has a customer-and-staff-centric
philosophy.
T
his is typified by our single point of
contact account management
programme and our investment in
staff training as an accredited Registered
Training Organisation (RTO). Our training
programmes provide a variety of industry,
customer service and client specific solutions
for MSS Security employees that will ensure
our people are best positioned to deliver the
highest level of service to our customers
while offering them a challenging and
rewarding career as our employees.
Our company values of Integrity,
Teamwork, Attitude, Performance and
Passion were carefully chosen and form the
framework for our commitment to
outstanding customer service as well as
guiding our daily actions. We have made
significant investments in technology to
ensure both our internal and external
processes deliver outstanding customer
service and real time information. With our
4,700 trained security officers, MSS Security
has significant capacity for surge and
emergency security requirements. We also
have a transition programme that ensures all
contract rollouts are diligently planned and
communicated to all stakeholders. These can
be tailored to any industry and/or facility.
Our People
Our people are our most valuable asset. Our
aim is to recruit and retain the best people
through offering employees a challenging
and rewarding career with MSS Security. We
realise that all market segments have their
own unique operational requirements, and it
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
is through our experience, training and talent Contact us
identification programmes that we are able National Customer Service Hotline
to deploy the right people for the right 1300 702 334
application. We are very proud of all our staff info@msssecurity.com.au
and the exceptional tenure of employment www.msssecurity.com.au
that so many have enjoyed and contributed
to the success of our organisation. National Head Office
149-155 Milton Street, Ashfield NSW 2131
Professional Security Solutions for Tel: (02) 9930 4279
the Facilities Management Industry
We acknowledge that all market segments Australian Capital Territory
have their own operational requirements. 9 Lyell Street, Fyshwick ACT 2609
Facilities management encompasses a Tel: (02) 6280 3226
comprehensive range of services, offered to
customers and managed through one New South Wales
149-155 Milton Street, Ashfield NSW 2131
organisation and a dedicated point of contact
Tel: (02) 9930 4444
coordinated into a seamless, high quality
service offering.
Northern Territory
MSS Security has a proven history in
58 McMinn Street, Darwin NT 0801
supporting major and specialist facility
Tel: (08) 8946 4945
management companies throughout
Australia. This experience has given us the
Queensland
capability to manage integrated specialist 41 Pentex Street, Salisbury QLD 4107
security services in collaboration with the Tel: (07) 3722 4101
primary facilities management organisation.
Key industry sectors include: commercial South Australia
property, government, defence and other 220 Franklin Street, Adelaide SA 5000
high security sites, retail, industrial and Tel: (08) 8400 6699
resources.
We look forward to assisting your Victoria
organisation in today’s ever-challenging 87-105 Racecourse Road, North Melbourne
security environment and ensuring that VIC 3051
investing in MSS Security services makes Tel: (03) 9241 5620
very good business sense.
MSS Security is proudly owned by Security Tasmania
and Intelligence Services (SIS) India. 29-33 Wellington Street, Hobart TAS 7000
Tel: (02) 9241 5620
Western Australia
297 Selby Street, Osborne Park WA 6017
Tel: (08) 9347 2719
“Our people are our most
valuable asset…”
- Mike McKinnon,
Managing Director
64 SECURITY + RISK MANAGEMENT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 59

voice authentication since the 1980s. Following is Dr Clive

Summerfield’s White Paper on Voice Authentication:

Combating Identity Fraud with Voice Biometrics

Voice authentication is one biometric with the potential for widespread
use, particularly in call centres and online services. Voice authentication
authenticates a person’s identity from their unique vocal characteristics.
In a nutshell, a person records a spoken password (such as their name
or some other easily remembered information). This is analysed to
extract their unique voice characteristics, which are then compiled into
a ‘voiceprint’, a matrix of parameters that encodes not only the
password but the way the person says that password. This is stored in a
database for future authentication of the same speaker.
During a transaction, to confirm an identity the person simply says
the password information originally spoken during registration. The
corresponding ‘voiceprint’ is extracted from the database and the
characteristics of each are compared. If they match, identity is
confirmed and the transaction can proceed. As voice authentication
relies on ‘voiceprint’ information (and not a particular password or
phrase), an imposter attempting to gain access to an account may say
the correct password, but will be rejected as he or she will have the
wrong voice quality.

Voice Authentication – Ubiquitous and Secure

A key benefit of voice authentication is that it works over the
telephone—the world’s most ubiquitous communications device found
in almost every household and business worldwide. In other words, the
infrastructure for the widespread rollout of biometric voice
authentication is already in place, as one’s identity can be authenticated
from anywhere in the world simply by dialing a telephone number.
There is no need to invest in special sensors or scanners, nor is there
any need to invest in special authentication software or data
communications technology. More importantly customers do not have
to learn to operate new equipment or systems. They simply use the
telephone.
These factors all add up to an authentication solution that is more
cost effective, easier and quicker to implement, easier to manage and
faster to deploy than other security options. Voice authentication also
offers enhanced security. As the technology is accessed by telephone,
the authentication server can be centrally located in highly secure
facilities with no connection to unsecured desktops, laptops and
networks.
Hence, there is no opportunity for ‘hackers’ to break into the system,
providing an extremely secure implementation for identity management
and authentication systems. When voice authentication is deployed in
mass market applications, passwords and PINS become unnecessary,
and call centre agent intervention becomes obsolete. Removing call
centre agents from the identity verification process has the advantage
of closing off another avenue for identity theft to occur. An additional
benefit of this biometric deployment is that automating a core call
centre function for voice authentication reduces call centre operation
costs.

FAQs on Voice Authentication

In the past, there have been numerous questions regarding the
performance of voice authentication:
3 What happens if I have a cold?
3 Can mimics break into my account?
3 What happens if somebody records my voice?
3 Can my password be decoded from the voiceprint?
Recent advances in voice authentication have addressed all of these
questions.
Studies by the National Centre for Biometric Studies at the University
of Canberra confirm research by the UK Communications Electronic

CONTINUED ON PAGE 68

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 SECURITY + RISK MANAGEMENT 65

“
Scientific evaluation undertaken
for the University of Canberra
have demonstrated that voice
authentication systems are more
accurate than finger, face and
palm biometric systems…

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
66 CLIENT FEATURE

MANAGE YOUR FACILITY MORE

EFFECTIVELY WITH ADT SELECT
ADT Security’s facilities management security solutions are designed to detect unauthorised entry and
help maintain your business’ integrity, providing intrusion alarms and monitoring, CCTV, visual
surveillance and access control. Swipe cards, key-pad access and badging enable you to keep track of
visitor and employee movements. Our electronic access control solutions also provide practical ways to
account for employees gathered at muster points during evacuations.

S
ecurity cameras are a proven deterrents to theft, fraud and
EH&S issues, as they provide a visual record of events,
observers are quickly able to determine what has occurred and
what type of response is required. Our range of video surveillance
and digital recording devices helps you manage visual information.
ADT Security also offers remote monitoring services should you not
have the time or resources to undertake surveillance on site.
Alarm and monitoring services are essential for every office to
protect private information. However it’s also important that any
alarm or building access activity as well as other details can be easily
yet securely accessed by required personnel. To provide customers
with the ability to access and monitor alarm activity and account
information 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ADT Security offers a
web-based customer service portal called ADT Select. This real-time
technology allows users to retrieve up-to-date account details
accessed, anywhere, anytime, over a highly secure network.
ADT Select is a very transparent service, showing all access activity,
alarm activity, and instructions being followed, from every event
which has arisen. This extensive level of site information allows for
highly functional and informative reporting, with more than 20
specialised documents for customised reporting solutions including
information about the alarm history, schedules, callouts and zone
lists.
A further significant benefit of ADT Select is the ability for
customers to effectively manage their sub-contractors. Using ADT
Select, customers can access information as and when needed to
assist the various office managers such as those in charge of security,
EH&S, service, HR, risk and compliance, facilities or sales. For
example, a security manager might use ADT Select to monitor the
various sub-contractors on site at a given time, such as fire testers,
cleaners or building maintenance workers, ensuring each individual
logs in upon arrival and logs out when leaving.
For more information on ADT Select or to discuss your facility’s
security, call 131 238 or visit www.adtsecurity.com.au.
ABOUT ADT SECURITY
With more than a century’s worth of experience and providing
electronic security solutions to more than seven million residential,
commercial and retail customers worldwide, ADT Security is the
world’s largest electronic security company. ADT Security’s total
security solutions include intrusion, closed circuit television, access
control, fire protection, smoke, fire and critical condition monitoring,
electronic article surveillance, source tagging, radio frequency
identification (RFID) and integrated systems. www.adtsecurity.com.au

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 TOTAL SECURITY SOLUTIONS

Facility Management with ADT Security

Control entry to your premises

Whatever premises you occupy, your security provisions
must include the ability to control who enters and when.
An access control system acts as your own electronic
gatekeeper, allowing for the free flow of authorised
personnel while denying entry to unwanted visitors.
Additionally, with walk-in thieves and trespassers shut
out, you dramatically reduce your exposure to crime
while increasing the security of your employees, visitors,
information and assets.

ADT Security is the world’s largest provider of electronic

Security Licences: VIC No. 65201491P | WA No. SA25942 | SA No. ISL152299 | NSW No. 405187443 | ACT No. 17501009 | QLD No. 3258669
security solutions. Our range of access control systems
can be seamlessly linked to other systems, including An access control system
Fire Detection Systems, Intruder Alarms, Closed Circuit
Television (CCTV) and Building Management. acts as your own electronic
Building Management 24/7 gatekeeper, allowing for
ADT Select is one such Building Management service the free flow of authorised
that provides easy access to information that is
important to your business. This web-based customer personnel while denying entry
service portal allows you to quickly review your
to unwanted visitors.
monitoring activity and account information online,
anytime, remotely. Information can be used to monitor
activities such as open and close times for premises,
logged subcontractor or lessee working hours and
activities, all with transparency of service.

All premises have their own individual access and

facility management requirements and whatever your
needs – from a simple remote system for perimeter
doors to a fully sectorised installation with flexible
access privileges and usage records – ADT Security can
provide an answer.

Contact us now on 131 238, or visit

www.adtsecurity.com.au
68 SECURITY + RISK MANAGEMENT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 65

Security Group (the Information Security division of the British
Government Communications Headquarters) demonstrating that voice
authentication outperforms current fingerprint, hand print and face
recognition products. Tests by Edinburgh University’s Centre of
Communications Interface Research, also covered in the University of
Canberra study, showed voice authentication to be 99.9 per cent
accurate, which is 1000 times better security than PINS and passwords
alone. The effectiveness of voice authentication is further reinforced in
the University of Canberra study for government call centre applications
and online and automated services. In this study, the robustness of
voice authentication was also studied to ensure secure operation for
every day deployments such as mobile telephones and in high noise
conditions.
Extensive testing has also shown that mimics are unable to fool the
technology even when they know the passwords and PINS. The
technology can also be configured to remain relatively insensitive to
colds and flu. Unless highly sophisticated equipment is used, recordings
also cannot fool the system.
To further strengthen security, however, voice authentication systems
are usually set up to ask questions in a random sequence, thus making
each session different from the last—preventing a recording of previous
sessions from being used to ‘hack’ the current session.
(In fact, speaker verification is now at the point where it is being
deployed in highly secure government services and there are at least
three vendors certifying their technology for defence and national
security applications.)
Securing the Call Centre
The Australian Government’s Office of Strategic Crime Assessment has
stated that “critical to the functioning of the economy is the
requirement that stronger systems of proof of identity are developed”.
By applying voice authentication to front-end call centres and online
services, there is no need for call centre agents to see or hear clients’
personal information, PINS or passwords. Likewise, there is no need
for callers to disclose such information to call centre agents. Callers
simply authenticate their identity using their voice, and once
authenticated, can be passed on to the agent anonymously. As such,
the call centre agent can be certain that the caller is who they say they
are but need not know any personal or security information about the
caller. This is particularly beneficial for organisations using off-shore call
centres as it prevent agents in those off-shore facilities stealing callers’
personal identity information.
Voice as a biometric identifier offers convenience and cost
effectiveness in preventing the security problems discussed above. By
protecting personal information using voice authentication, the ‘weak
link’ in identity-related fraud in online and call centre services can be
effectively addressed.
About the Author
Dr Clive Summerfield is CEO of Auraya and consulting firm 3SH. Clive
has been driving the adoption of speech recognition and voice
authentication since the 1980s, with a key focus on massively scalable
carrier-grade projects.
In 1990 Clive founded Syrinx Speech Systems where he implemented
AT&T’s USA based Customer Care application as well as applications
for Commonwealth Bank’s Australian Stock trading system. He
introduced voice biometrics to Australian government agencies such as
Parliament House and has designed and calibrated voice authentication
solutions for Centrelink, Vanguard (a major US financial services firm)
and the National Australia Bank.
Please visit www.auraya.net and www.3sh.net for more information.

Grace Records Management is a quality accredited national service company providing For more information please contact:
solutions that are centred on the storage and retrieval of our client’s critical business
information, both in hard copy and electronic formats. T: 1300 725 911 TM
Quality System

Our service and product offerings include; secure document storage, data silo storage, E: sales@gracerecords.com.au
record lodgment, scanning & imaging, twice daily retrievals, on-site access, managed
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cataloguing/indexing. We currently operate 20 state & regional branches located in, Company

or servicing every capital city and major regional centre within Australia.
C O M M I T T E D T O Q U A L I T 9 s C O M M I T T E D T O S E R V I C E

Security & Risk Feature: How safe is your information?

Business owners and facility managers often
neglect the most critical aspect of managing a
business – its information.
Good corporate governance demands that
information be safe guarded and managed. Yet
when considering a move it rarely even makes it
onto the planning checklist. This is a risk that
may lead to a “business breakdown”.
If company information were lost through a
disaster such as flood, fire, fraud, disgruntled
employees or negligence most businesses
would close within 3 weeks. Arguably some may
say that “mismanagement of information” is the
most common corporate disaster today?
Unless you have in place good procedures,
work instructions, a cataloguing process and an
up to date database then information will be
lost.
Grace Records and Information Management
are divisions of the well known Grace Worldwide
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provider of removal, relocation and storage
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The team at Grace is experienced in the
handling of project management requirements
for the facility services and management
industry.
Managing records, files and information can
be a major headache for businesses. Grace
works with you to create a solution that
complies with government legislation is easy to
implement and suits your budget.
Our care embraces the entire lifecycle of
information and records, from creation to secure
destruction.
Grace’s leading edge scanning technology
and data capture software can convert all
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to digital. Scanning conventional paperwork is
just the tip of the iceberg!
Let Grace take care of your business.
Call us on 1300 725 991, visit us at
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anytime records@grace.com.au

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 WINDOWS + WINDOW FILMS 69

A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY
INTRODUCTION BY WINTERCOMMS’ MAX WINTER, AND ADAPTED FROM AN
ARTICLE BY GARY SMITH OF THE AUSTRALIAN WINDOWS ASSOCIATION.
The recent Council of Australian Government (COAG) announcement in April 2009 concerning the
National Strategy for Energy Efficiency will have a major impact on the built environment – and not
before time. That said, industry has been heavily gearing up to meet the demands of the more stringent
measures, and nowhere has this been more evident than with the window manufacturing industry.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
70 CLIENT FEATURE

“ Goes Green”
A Clear Approach
To Energy
Efficiency In Buildings.
3M Australia Pty Ltd has recently completed the
Do you know how much application of 3M Prestige Window Film to all
windows in our iconic head office building on the
Window Films can reduce your Pacific Highway, Pymble.
This upgrade was part of a refurbishment by 3M to
air-conditioning use by? our 5 storey facility built in the 1960's. It involved
replacing the older reflective solar film that had
CONTACT US FOR A FREE ENERGY APPRAISAL been in place for 20+ years with the new spectrally
selective Prestige Film.
The window seals were upgraded using 3M
Polymonomer foam tape, also designed to help
increase the energy efficiency of the entire building.
INCREASE 3M Prestige film was the obvious choice as it uses innovative
Multi-layer Optical Film technology. This amazing film
Comfort of employees provides solar control whilst allowing maximum natural light
transmission providing an optimum balance and a host of
Work efficiency advantages:

s3UPERIORCLARITY
s(IGH)2REDUCTION 
REDUCE s2EDUCEDENERGYCOSTS
s-INIMALEXTERNALFACADEIMPACT

Fading & Glare s.OMETALSnELIMINATINGPOTENTIALCORROSIONANDALSO

Energy bills
Air Condictioning
Sunscreen and our Australia wide network has
now used 3M Prestige film in several commercial
installations. For more information please contact
the friendly team at Sunscreen Pty Ltd.
Contact us for a
free consultation
SIGNALINTERFERENCEFORWIRELESSPHONEANDDATANETWORKS
s,OWREFLECTIVITYLESSTHANMORETHANNORMALCLEARGLASS 
Phil Curry, 3M Engineering & Outsource Manufacturing
Services Manager was very pleased with the installation
completed by 3M Licensed Installer, Sunscreen Pty Ltd, and
added: "The 3M Prestige window film has made a big
difference to our building. The interior office is now much
brighter as the film allows us to open the blinds and let the
sunlight in without the heat."
"The difference compared to the old film is amazing. The
exterior appearance is also improved without the silver
window appearance - much more modern. Overall I am
extremely pleased with the result."
The release of 3M Prestige has opened up potential solutions

02 9439 5999 Authorised

Distributor
for architects, developers, 'green' corporations, facility
managers and tenants in both new build and retrofit
applications where heat rejection is required, while
www.windowtinting.com.au maintaining internal visibility and external appearance.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 WINDOWS + WINDOW FILMS 71

O
n April 30, 2009 the Council of Australian Governments
(COAG) announced the National Strategy for Energy Energy efficiency and comfort = a winning combination
Efficiency. Within the context of the Carbon Pollution Architectural Window Systems (AWS) has released Australasia’s
Reduction Scheme, the National Strategy for Energy Efficiency aims first locally designed and manufactured thermally broken
to help households and businesses reduce energy costs, to improve aluminium window. Whilst thermally broken technology has been
productivity of the economy, and to reduce the cost of greenhouse used extensively throughout Europe and the US for many years,
gas abatement. These measures affect both residential and THERMAL HEART™ has been developed specifically for Australian
commercial buildings. conditions and signals the beginning of a new era for aluminium
There are five key measures outlined in the strategy, including: windows and doors in Australia. Part of the Vantage Designer
3 Increasing the stringency of energy efficiency measures in all Series, THERMAL HEART™ incorporates a glass fibre-reinforced
classes of commercial buildings by 2010 nylon insulator or thermal break between the aluminium exterior
3 The mandatory disclosure of energy efficiency of commercial and interior elements to minimise heat transfer between the
buildings and tenancies commencing 2010. interior and exterior.
3 An increase in the requirement of energy efficiency (including
more stringent measures for hot water and lighting) in all new
residential buildings nationally, to 6 stars or equivalent by May
2011 – subject to regulatory impact analysis.
3 The phasing in of mandatory disclosure of energy efficiency,
greenhouse gas emissions and water performance in residential
buildings at the time of sale or lease by May 2011.
3 A proposal to reform current rating and energy efficiency
assessment processes for building energy efficiency standards1.
Serious research and development and business restructuring has
been undertaken by a host of product sector manufacturers, and
nowhere has this been more evident than with window and glass
manufacturing.
2007/08 saw a host of
changes in the industry with
the CSR acquisition and
merger of Pilkington (Australia
and New Zealand) and DMS
Glass in 2007 to form Viridian
Glass, while leading glass
companies Bevelite Glass of
Sydney, Costless Glass of
Brisbane and Moen Glass of
Melbourne2 and Canberra
merged to create a new
company to service the
industry across the eastern
CEO David Hunt, of the merged companies of Australian market. Citing the
Bevelite Glass, Costless Glass and Moen Glass.
changing dynamics of the glass
industry and the impending greater stringency of the BCA as reasons The extra insulation provided gives designers additional
for the merger, CEO David Hunt saw the increasing market demand flexibility when achieving Building Code compliance with houses
for energy efficient glazing as a key driver, stating that the merged that incorporate large areas of glazing. When combined with
entity would be better equipped to service this growing market. double-glazing, Designer Series THERMAL HEART™ products
perform approximately 32% better than standard double glazed
units.
The THERMAL HEART™ range includes awning, casement, bi-
fold, sliding and hinged systems based on the Vantage
MAGNUM™ platform, with dual colour options for added
aesthetic appeal7.

For more information, contact AWS on (02) 8783 7611 or visit

www.vantagealuminium.com.au

including Viridian EnergyTech™, SolTech™, EVantage™ and Renew™

Some of the developments since have been the upgrade of
Viridian’s Dandenong plant to embrace double glazing
manufacturing, and the introduction of the Chemical Vapour
Deposition (CVD) coater to produce Energy efficient Low E glass3
self cleaning glass. According to Viridian, the upgraded plant is now
one of the most advanced and sustainable glass making plants in the
world, while the CVD coater is one of only a handful of its type in the
world and uses globally proven and accepted Pilkington technology.
Hard coated glass manufactured by Viridian at Dandenong is highly
durable because the special coatings are applied whilst the glass is
still semi molten. The CVD coating process occurs whilst the glass is
being manufactured, with precisely controlled coatings molecularly
bonded to the surface. By changing the chemistry of the coatings
CONTINUED ON PAGE 73

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
72 CLIENT FEATURE

CUT COSTS – CREATE COMFORT

Solarmaster is the leading commercial and residential window film specialists in Queensland and have
been trading since 1974.

W
e are members of the WFAANZ,
consulting with Engineers,
Architects, Project and Facility
Managers and designers, to provide a clearer
vision in Window Film Products and their
application.
Solarmaster window films can reduce
energy costs up to 35% with our 5 STAR
energy rated and WERS accredited
solarfilms. We can enhance security and
safety issues, or make a dramatic statement
with our large range of decorative films.
Applying Solamaster Energy rated films to
windows is a smart and sustainable solution
to energy usage. Solar film can reduce the
UV by 99%, heat up to 80%, glare up to
92% and of course reduce the running costs
of the Air conditioning by up to 35%, in this
current GREEN world we live in, these will in
turn reduce your carbon footprint.
Solarmaster also has a large range of Anti-Graffiti films, clear and printing are also available. Small and large applications are both
tinted Security/Safety films, Obscure films for privacy and decorative catered for.
purposes. Block out and translucent coloured vinyl’s for sign writing,
logos, and any coloured application. Computer cut and Digital Please contact us for more information on 1800 642 966.

Protecting Queensland since 1974

with residential & commerical films.
solar safety security anti-graffiti decorative
‡ Australia's first ENERGY RATED
Solar Films.
‡Safety and Security Films that meet
Australian Safety Standards.
‡Lifetime Guarantee on residential films.
‡Sand-Blast look, coloured vinyl, design
and computer cut service available.
‡Digital imaging now available
‡Corporate logos, partitions, decals.
‡Protection for your family.
‡Obligation free quotes.

solarmaster@acenet.net.au 8/53 Metroplex Ave,

Freecall: 1800 642 966 www.solarmaster.com.au Murarrie Qld 4172

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 WINDOWS + WINDOW FILMS 73

Viridian can achieve been driven to change, particularly with the recent announcement of
different performance the move to six star housing. When energy legislation was introduced
properties to produce a to the United States there was a huge change which seemed to
range of energy efficiency happen overnight. The market moved to different solutions such as
low emissivity (Low E) uPVC5, fibreglass and composite framed products. There was a
glass. significant impact on the aluminium window market because they
Further developments did not take a proactive approach to the changes in legislation.
at the plant4 have In Australia we have been fortunate to know what has been
included a process that coming; we have examples such as the United States to ensure the
involves screen printing a window industry can be proactive in the development of products
ceramic coating on to that can offer greater flexibility in aesthetics and performance.
the glass prior to the There is a great diversity of window and door types being
toughening process, manufactured in Australia and there is ongoing and fantastic
resulting in a innovation. There are many types of windows available to the market
permanent and durable including timber, aluminium, thermally broken aluminium, uPVC and
finish that is easy to composites. A great deal of innovation in design has been taking
maintain and place to meet environmental demands. This includes better sealed
guaranteed not to products, new improved designs to increase thermal efficiency, new
fade or crack. glass solutions including coated glass, high performance tinted glass
Called the Seraphic and insulated glass units to name a few.
range, the process Thermally broken aluminium windows6 and doors have been
offers design difficult to find in the Australian market but there are now products
freedom with emerging.
infinite colour and It has been an important change of mindset for the window
design options for industry to focus on energy efficiency. The window is a part of the
any project. building envelope, and in fact it is the only part of the envelope that
Comprising can let natural light into the building and also provide good cross
Seraphic flow ventilation. Windows enable passive solar heat gain to enter a
Standard™ and building, and can be insulated to support the thermal integrity and
Seraphic enhance the performance characteristics required of modern building
Design™, both envelopes.
product lines In measuring the performance of windows, the total window
provide system is taken into account. This makes the glass, window frame
designers and material and design, all important features when making a selection,
specifiers with a and to take account of these variables, the window energy rating
range of scheme (WERS) has been developed.
toughened WERS gives a performance rating on the total window system in
decorative regards to energy performance and daylighting. The rating includes
glass panel technical specifications including a comparison of the U Value, Solar
options, Heat Gain Coefficient and visible light transmission8, and translates
including these into a star rating for heating and cooling and a percentage
range of 12 improvement over a worst performing standard aluminium window.
readily
available
screen
printed
glass
patterns.
Example table of performance data
Seraphic
Standard’s range of 16 WERS is the only approved rating system currently in Australia, and it
opaque and translucent colours have follows the protocols of the Australian Fenestration Rating Council
been matched to Colourbond™ Steel and which ensures fair, accurate, and reliable energy performance ratings.
Dulux Powder Coat™ colours, allowing the glass to be The data created by WERS is used in the house energy rating
worked effortlessly into any colour scheme. software products being used around Australia, and can be equally
Both Seraphic lines are available in a range of sizes up to utilised in specifying windows in commercial applications .
4500mm x 2200mm and can be toughened or Visit the WERS website to see over 4000 rated products.
toughened laminated safety glass options. Anti-slip finishes www.wers.net
are available on request for stairs and floors. Designs, Architects specifying for commercial building applications
patterns and colours can be customised to suit any project. understand the preference for big open expanses of window area to
Apart from energy efficiency legislation, recent events maximise daylighting potential and occupant comfort. The benefit of
with bushfires and cyclones have also added to the the innovation taking place in the window industry is that this is still
requirements list of glass and windows manufacturers – an option even with the energy efficiency legislation now in place and
more on this in future issues. stringency to increase in the near future. Energy provisions however,
are not the only requirement placed on the manufacture of windows.
The changing face of windows and doors in The Building codes of Australia (BCA) states that windows must
Australia comply with AS2047.
Since the introduction of energy efficiency legislation in AS2047 is the mandatory minimum specification for windows and
Australia, the Australian window and door market has doors used in all classes of buildings in Australia, and it includes

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
74 WINDOWS + WINDOW FILMS
compliance to the Glass Standard AS 1288.
The following performance tests are undertaken to verify product
performance claims.
1. AS 4420.2 Deflection Test – positive and negative wind
pressures are applied to the face of the window to test the
maximum deflection under wind load.
2. AS 4420.3 Operating Force Test – to verify that an opening
sash is capable of opening and closing without undue effort.
3. AS 4420.4 Air Infiltration Test – the air leakage of a window
is tested to ensure energy and acoustic efficiency.
4. AS 4420.5 Water Penetration Resistance Test – this test is
designed to ensure no water leaks through the window into the
building.
5. AS 4420.6 Ultimate Strength Test – negative and positive
wind pressures are applied to the window to at least 1.5 times
the design wind pressure to ensure it does not fail in unusual
wind conditions.
Windows and doors for buildings must have a Performance Label
which confirms that they are certified to comply with Australian
Standard AS 2047. If you purchase windows from an accredited AWA
member, you can also receive a Certificate of Compliance that
supports a 7 year warranty.
Example: Window label which should be affixed to window and
door products to ensure compliance to AS 2047.
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
All AWA members have products tested to AS 2047 and are a part
of a third party NATA accredited program. This accreditation program
is a proven and nationally recognised method of achieving
compliance to assist architects, builders, specifiers, facility managers
and homeowners to select products that comply with Australian
Standards.
Look for the AWA logo when purchasing your windows to be
confident you are purchasing compliant products.
For further information contact Australian Window Association on
(02) 9498 2768 or info@awa.org.au
Reference and acknowledgements
1. Australian Building Codes Board webinair, at www.abcb.gov.au.
2. Article courtesy AWA Newsletter September 2008.
3. Low emissivity (Low E) glass products let in abundant natural
light, but reduce the passage of heat to keep a building warmer
in winter and cooler in summer, lessening the need for artificial
heating or cooling.  These types of products are well recognised
in Europe and North America as an important way of reducing a
building’s energy consumption and improving occupant comfort.
(Material courtesy OMC Press Release).
4. OMC Press Release.
5. Unplasticized Poly Vinyl Chloride (uPVC) or Rigid PVC is often
used in the building industry as a low-maintenance material,
particularly in Ireland and the U.K, and in the United States
where it is known as vinyl, or vinyl siding. The material comes in
a range of colors and finishes, including a photo-effect wood
finish, and is used as a substitute for painted wood, mostly for
window frames when installing double glazing in new buildings,
or to replace older single glazed windows. It has many other
uses including fascia, and siding or weatherboarding. The same
material has almost entirely replaced the use of cast iron for
plumbing and drainage, being used for waste pipes, drainpipes,
gutters and downpipes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_chloride#Unplasticized_
polyvinyl_chloride_.28uPVC.29
6. To be classified as thermally broken, a window must conform to
the following definition by the U.S. National Fenestration Rating
Council (ref: NFRC 100-2001). “Thermal break: a material of
low thermal conductivity that is inserted between members of
high conductivity in order to reduce heat transfer. Thermal
barrier material conductivity shall be no more than 0.5 W/m.K.
Thermally broken (TB) members: system members with a
minimum of 5.30mm separation provided by a low-conductance
material (where thermal conductivity is less than or equal to 0.5
W/m.K) or open air space between the interior and exterior
surfaces. Such systems include members with exposed interior
or exterior trim attached with clips and all skip/debridged
systems”. http://www.wers.net/faqs#brokenframe
7. Courtesy AWA Newsletter September 2008.
8. In addition to a low U-value, the required solar heat gain
coefficient varies according to climatic needs: high for heating
climates and low for cooling climates or for orientations with
severe solar exposure.
 CLIENT FEATURE 75

How secure is your glass?

Call Express Glass today to

find out how to keep your
building secure.

emergency glass repair specialists

Telephone 1300 666 234
www.expressglass.com.au

Increase the security of your building’s glass.

E very day the integrity of your building’s

glass is at risk - whether from accidental
or deliberate threat. There are a number of
ways to dramatically minimise the safety and
security risks to your building.
Accidental Pedestrian Impact
Australian Standard AS 1288, dictates the
requirements for the selection and installation of safety
glass. A failure to adhere to these standards may leave
you liable for injury caused to pedestrians. Ensuring
the right safety glass is used will minimise the risk of
breakage and injury, and protect you against liability
for injury.
“Smash and Grab” Assault
Is your building at risk from violent attack? There
are glass solutions that can enhance your building’s
security. Laminated glass is the process whereby two
panes of glass are held together with a vinyl interlayer.
A specially created interlayer that holds together under
attack from hammers and crowbars makes a secure
glass for shop fronts and display cabinets.
Devastating Attack
Banks, government agencies and other high-security
buildings can be at risk from violent attack. There have
been advances in glass manufacture and processing
that can provide superior protection from bombs and
other blasts. As well as using specially resiliant glass,
strengthened interlayers further increase the protection
this glass provides.
Film Solutions
$YDULHW\RIVDIHW\¿OPVDUHDYDLODEOHZKLFKSURYLGH
added protection against accidental impact, attack or
bomb blast. Film can also provide a low cost solution to
JUDI¿WLHWFKLQJVDQGRWKHUYDQGDOLVP

To talk to someone about the security risks Call Mark Jennings today on 1300 666 234,
you face and the glass and film solutions email mark@expressglass.com.au,
that are right for you, contact commercial or visit www.expressglass.com.au.
glazing specialists, . To learn more about glass types, visit viridianglass.com

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
76 PPP

MELBOURNE’S NEW ROYAL WOMEN’S

HOSPITAL – LEADING THE WAY IN PPP

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 PPP 77

Delegates at FMA Australia’s ideaction 09, were given the opportunity to tour Melbourne’s Royal
Women’s Hospital (the Women’s) in Parkville, Victoria, less than a year after it opened its doors on the
21st June 2008. Following a successful relocation from their Carlton home of 150 years, the new facility
provides a significantly improved level of clinical configuration and working environment for the
Women’s staff. It also provides Victorian women and their babies a private, comfortable family-friendly
environment, whilst delivering excellence in health care.
After the realisation that the existing quality of infrastructure was deteriorating, the new Women’s
project was announced under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme in 2004. The relocation of
the Women’s hospital to the Melbourne Health Parkville precinct allowed an opportunity to collocate
with Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) and integrate their clinical services. This collocation between
RMH and the Women’s has provided access to an expanded scope of services for patients and
improved patient safety. Acutely ill patients from the Women’s have direct access to critical care
facilities and medical expertise at RMH. Furthermore, clinical benefits, such as specialist obstetric,
gynaecological and ambulatory care at the Women’s are also available to women at RMH.
Nigel Christie, Project Manager of Operations for Bilfinger Berger Project Investments, outlines how
a PPP consortium brings designers in partnership with builders and facility managers, ensuring all the
practicalities of build-ability, operations and maintenance are factored into the design. He also
discusses how a comprehensive 24/7 facility management helpdesk, asset and property management,
utilities and medical gas management, cleaning and hotel services, security and grounds and gardens
maintenance are provided effectively to this world-class facility. CONTINUED ON PAGE 80

Royal Women’s Hospital photography by David Hannah: 0413 864 636

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
78 PPP
T
he decision by the State of Victoria to have the new Women’s
Hospital project delivered as a PPP was fundamental in
providing the framework to deliver a facility that provides a
value for money solution for the State and for the people who are
relied upon to operate in, and from, the facility.
The PPP model inherently fosters the whole-of-life design
outcomes, and these outcomes can only be achieved through careful
planning and the interface of key stakeholders from both public and
private entities.
Under this model, the new Women’s project was commissioned
by project company Royal Women’s Health Partnership (RWHP).
This partnership is comprised of Bilfinger Berger Project Investments
as sponsor and equity provider, Baulderstone construction and
design, underpinned by DWI design team, Bassets as services
engineers, United Group Services as the facilities services manager,
and Wilson carparking as the carpark operator.
RWHP has been charged with the responsibility of delivering
facility management services to the Women’s Hospital for the period
of the concession contract of 25 years. United Group Limited (UGL),
an experienced facility management (FM) provider, was contracted to
manage and deliver services such as comprehensive 24/7 facility
management helpdesk, asset and property management, utilities and
medical gas management, cleaning and hotel services, security and
grounds, and gardens maintenance to the Women’s.
Working in a PPP consortium has the advantage of requiring a fully
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
collaborative partnership between the designers and the builders, as
well as the facility managers, so that all the practicalities of build-
ability, operations and maintenance are all factored into the design.
There is also the advantage of having whole of life costing such as
capital and recurrent costs fully considered over the concession
period. This means there is a life-cycle cost efficiency that will
enhance the Net Present Value over the longer term, to a better build
quality. Building elements that last longer will end up paying for
themselves rather than cheaper alternatives that may need replacing
more often over the 25 year period.
Initial design is one very important factor but the bid team is
involved in making every aspect a winner: planning, build-ability,
energy efficiency, flexibility, maintenance and whole-of-life
financing – all of which has to be applied to the best design solution.
During bid phase the facility services manager resources were
allocated to the project. This ensured optimal “whole-of-life”
outcomes for the facilities design and materials used, efficiency of
service delivery, and value for money for all project stakeholders.
Managing the expectations of stakeholders on the client side and
within the consortium was one of the biggest challenges. On the
client side, the consortium was working with the Royal Women’s
Hospital, Department of Human Services and The Royal Melbourne
Hospital amongst others.
To ensure all stakeholders understood the process and workings of
a PPP, weekly management meetings with the builder and facilities
 PPP 79

management teams were held.

Strategic workshops are also held
approximately every six months
involving all project partners to
reinforce agreed goals and behaviours.
The strategies and processes
implemented created a great deal of
success for the project, and
satisfaction amongst its users and
clients (Department of Human
Services and Royal Women’s
Hospital). The hospital exceeded client
expectations, was delivered on time
and on budget, without any
contractual disputes during the
delivery process, and included over
600 design changes accommodated at
no extra cost.
The Women’s Hospital project has
been built on a foundation forged
through trust, innovation,
communication, partnering, and
mutual respect between all key
stakeholders involved in the design
and build process. These qualities are evident today as the hospital Health International Academy Award for a Healthcare Project greater
has evolved from design and construct project into a fully functioning than 40,000m2. It is an award for an outstanding acute healthcare
Tertiary Women’s Health Facility. The Hospital has been fully building where patient-centred considerations are evident as clinical
operational since the 21st June 2008 and to date the partnership and managerial priorities.
culture is strong and evolving. This strong culture has been supported
by the effective delivery of facility management services to the Editor’s note
Hospital. Hospital staff are now in tune with the facility management Public Private Partnerships in essence are a financing model that
team and trust them to provide a safe and pleasant operating bundle the design and construction (capital expenditure) aspects
environment in which to deliver excellent women’s health services to of the facility with the ongoing operations and maintenance
the Victorian community. (operational expenditure) of the facility – all neatly packaged to
As evidenced by recent PPP projects, the PPP is a setting that provide public infrastructure that can be later transferred back to
encourages smart thinking and innovation. The project was awarded the government after an agreed concession period where the
“PPP Deal of the Year” for the Asia Pacific Region by Project Finance government pays an agreed sum for the provision, operations and
International magazine in 2006. The transaction reached financial maintenance of the infrastructure. While there are several different
close in record time and is considered by both the private and the sorts of PPP schema, this particular model is known as a BOOT
public sectors to be a model project, and a benchmark for future PPP (Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer) Scheme. Private sector
procurement in the state of Victoria and beyond. consortiums are usually formed specifically for these PPPs and are
Last month in Singapore, the Hospital was awarded the Design & known as Special Purpose Vehicles.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
80 CLIENT FEATURE

NATURAL FIRE SUPPRESSANT SYSTEM

PROTECTS PEOPLE AND PROPERTY

C
ommercial facilities require an
extensive and well-thought
out approach to fire
protection in order to protect people
and property should a fire occur. For
example, high-tech equipment which
stores vital information, provides
network support or drives external
systems, could be irreparably
damaged using a chemical fire
suppressant.
Offering an innovative solution, the
Inergen® system – an inert gas fire
suppressant consisting entirely of
natural gases – extinguishes fire
without causing any harm to people
or damage to property.
Inergen® is a patented composition
of nitrogen, argon and carbon
dioxide. This combination allows the
Inergen® system to smother a fire by
diluting the oxygen concentration
from the usual 21% to around 12.5%
- a level at which most ordinary
combustibles won’t burn.
Unlike chemical systems, the
release of Inergen®’s natural gases
does not result in fogging,
consequently allowing anyone in the
protected area to safely evacuate
while breathing easily.
Furthermore, Inergen® does not
require an expensive exhaust system
to remove any suppressant after the
fire has been extinguished.
Inergen® also addresses
environmental considerations as
companies increasingly look to
minimise carbon footprints. Entirely
composed of natural substances from
the atmosphere, the Inergen® system
has no polluting effect. Consequently,
with no chemicals, it has no ozone
depletion or global warming potential
and leaves behind no toxic or
corrosive deposits. When the
components are released they simply
resume their natural role in the
atmosphere.
The Inergen® system is available
exclusively through Wormald and is
highly cost-effective thanks to
affordable gas refills. Wormald is
Australasia’s leading provider of fire
protection solutions, designing,
manufacturing, supplying, installing
and servicing fire detection and
protection systems across a broad
spectrum of industries.

For further information, call 133 166 or visit www.wormald.com.au.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
82 CLIENT FEATURE

Floor Safety Services Australasia

Slippage and subsequent falls are a major reason for injuries in ANTISLIP(ASF128) does not
occupational related accidents and in homes. Public places with alter the feel or appearance of
stone or tile foyers, shopping malls, thoroughfares and stairways the floor; it is when the floor is
as well as wet environments, ie: tiled kitchens, laundries, wet that the treatment
bathrooms, patios, balconies and pool surrounds are always becomes most active.
potentially hazardous areas.
THE ANTI-SLIP (ASF128)
ONE ANSWER – ANTI-SLIP (ASF128) PROCESS
Manufactured in Australia since 1986, and with a 20 year ANTI-SLIP (ASF128) uses a
International successful track record, ANTI-SLIP (ASF128) has micro-etching process which
been reviewed by some Insurance companies as the most reacts with silica, forming
effective product of its kind. Unlike conventional products, microscopic grooves and
indents in the floor surface,
creating traction when a
person's feet or their footwear
are wet or come into contact
with a wet floor. As silica is a
common element in practically
every inorganic floor surface,
the use of the product has
wide applications.
Before you purchase your
tiles, we suggest you bring a
sample to us and we will
test it free of charge to
ensure you tile choice can be
made safe.
For extra protection we
recommend treatment with
our ‘sub-seal’ the easy clean
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FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 AGED CARE 83

THE CHALLENGES FACING

FM IN AGED CARE
Based on the presentation by Trish Ferrier, Property Manager for Royal Freemasons Homes of Victoria
Ltd at FMA Australia’s national conference, ideaction 09.
Introduction programs, there are others who are seeking Freemasons Homes of Victoria Ltd, outlines
Australia’s population is rapidly aging, and alternative accommodation to these support the regulatory compliance requirements in
over the next four decades, the number of options. When considering alternative residential aged care, and discusses the
people aged over 85 will quadruple to accommodation to their own homes, elderly challenges of undergoing maintenance and
around 1.6 million.1 As a consequence, the people look for a place where they can have renovations while remaining sensitive to
challenge of meeting the needs of this privacy, maintain their dignity and receive residents’ needs. She also spoke to
growing number of elderly people must comprehensive care. It is this level of care WinterComms’ journalist Melanie
become one of the nation’s greatest which is one of the major influences driving Drummond about the challenges of bringing
priorities2. Whilst many Australians prefer to the delivery of aged care accommodation aged care FM processes into line with the
remain in their own homes as long as being provided in the industry today2. rest of the industry.
possible, supported by community care Trish Ferrier, Property Manager for Royal CONTINUED ON PAGE 84

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
84 AGED CARE
Regulatory compliance in residential aged care
To receive government funding, residential aged care homes must be
accredited. Accreditation is the arrangement established by the
Australian government to verify that a residential care home provides
quality care and services for residents. The body appointed by the
government to ensure this happens is the Aged Care Standards and
Accreditation Industry. Accreditation is granted for a period of three
years. Towards the end of each three year period the care facility
must apply to renew its accreditation. There are four standards, and
under these four standards, there are 44 outcomes.
Under each of these outcomes residential aged care homes must
provide evidence of compliance. The four standards are:
1. Management Systems, staffing and organisational development
2. Health and personal care
3. Resident Lifestyle
4. Physical environment and safe systems
It is within the fourth standard that most of the responsibilities of
the Property Manager lie. Assessors are particularly vigilant and seek
evidence that all the preventative maintenance works associated with
essential service measures and building certification are undertaken
when required and are kept up to date. They are particularly
concerned about compliance with fire and emergency procedures.
Evidence of security measures is also high on the agenda and
residential aged care homes have to demonstrate how they maintain
their systems to ensure that their residents are not compromised in
this regard.
Royal Freemasons Homes of Victoria Ltd (RFHV)
As well as the physical infrastructure, it is mandatory for all
contractors to have current police checks, and at the Royal
Freemasons Homes of Victoria Ltd (RFHV), all contractors are signed
to formal agreements. These agreements include a Code of Conduct
for external providers and the monitoring of compliance against
those agreements. Before commencement of work, contractors must
present evidence of insurance cover, company registration and a
comprehensive OH&S policy.
Added to this is what the agency describes as support visits. These
take place at least once a year, over the life of the accreditation
period. These visits can be announced, in that we are notified of the
visit, or they can be unannounced, where agency assessors come to
or on site without notice. During these visits, assessors can ask for
evidence of compliance against any of the outcomes under the four
standards.
This creates the need for the Property Manager to be vigilant
about the maintenance of essential services reports and to be
constantly monitoring workflow to make sure that all tasks associated
with achieving compliance are being undertaken when they should
be. Sometimes the visits are the result of a question, or complaint
made to the agency by a resident’s family. One recent visit involved a
query regarding the temperature of the water in the shower,
necessitating great lengths to prove that the contractor maintaining
the temperature via the thermostatic mixing valve knew what
temperature the water had to be. The outcome was that the agency
recommended that a copy of the relevant Australian Standard
become a part of the contract documentation given to and signed by
the contractor involved. Incidentally, the water in question was the
right temperature at 43°C, the standard being between 41°C and
45°C.
At the Royal Freemasons we are very proud to say that we have
recently had all four of our residential sites go through the process of
re-accreditation and we met compliance in all 44 outcomes
associated with the four standards. The process however is one of
the most intense types of audit that I have ever been involved in and
the visits from the agency always cause a minor ripple through the
sites when they occur!
Refurbishment and redevelopment of existing properties
Routine maintenance tasks, either in our independent units or in our
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
residential care facilities are not difficult to manage,
but complex maintenance or major refurbishment
where the residents’ daily routine is disturbed
requires careful planning. Whilst we need to
maintain the value of our assets, we also need to
manage very carefully the disruption to our
residents’ lives whilst we do this. The most
important thing, as it is in all facilities management
environments, is communication with all those
involved.
An example is a current project involving the
renovation of 24 bathrooms at an independent
living unit site. For the residents, this work is very
intrusive. Strangers coming into their homes
uninvited, their bathrooms being inaccessible for a
lengthy time, the worry about whether they will
have a toilet available during the work, whether the
work will be done when they are home or when
they are not at home; all sorts of things become
issues of great concern for them. Some do not want
to be disturbed at all, are happy with what they
have and are adamant that the change is
unwarranted. It is just as important to take all these
concerns on board and give them as much
attention, possibly more, as we give to managing
the actual work taking place. This takes time but in
the long run it is time well spent.
Many resident meetings were held to explain
what we wanted to do, how we were going to do it
and what the effect would be on them. We needed
to give the residents an opportunity to discuss the
process with us, time to get used to the idea and
make arrangements to cope with this disturbance to
their lives. Whilst you may be thinking that the
simple solution would be for them to leave their
unit for the day while the work is being done, often
the residents do not have a source of alternative
accommodation available to them. Some will use
the amenities of another resident on site, but again
some of our residents value their privacy enough not
to be comfortable with this option. This project was
closely monitored and done in stages so that the
least number of residents were disturbed at any one
time.
Then there is the management of the contractor.
The scheduling of the work is heavily influenced by the needs of the
residents. The brief in this project was that the work required was
carried out to four bathrooms at a time – this work being completed
before four more commenced. This remained the program until all
works were complete. The contractor had to commit to coming to
the site and staying until work was complete. This decreases the time
that each resident is inconvenienced, especially as only four residents
were involved at any one time. Deviation to the plan, especially at
short notice, would have caused distress to our residents so we
worked to avoid any changes to set plans as much as possible.
Having spent the last 10 years or so working predominately in the
management of facilities functions associated with corporate office
space I found myself at the bottom of what is still a large well of
learning. Aged Care is about caring and it is this predominant force
that drives all we do. At the same time, however, we have to
conform to some of the most stringent regulatory compliance that I
have ever had to work with. The theme that continually comes to the
fore for me is the need to grow and continue to provide the services
required to maintain properties that are attractive, safe, and secure
and ones that our residents are proud to call home. At the same time
you must balance this with business planning and formal compliance.
It is a unique experience being part of a business that impacts so
much on the personal lives of others, others who rely on you and

trust you to deliver when you impose on their homes and their lives.
WinterComms: Tell us about your background in FM?
TF: I started my career in the Public Works department doing
contract administration in 1978, some 31 years ago. I’ve always been
involved in construction from an administrative point of view, and
over the past 30 years I have continued to develop my career,
working with the Office of Housing for a number of years doing
upgrades in their stock and then for the State Library as their Building
Manager. From there it was back to Human Services and then my
first pure facilities manager role was at Victoria Legal Aid when I took
that position in 1996. I left there 18 months ago for my present role
as Property Manager with the Royal Freemasons.
WinterComms: What was the biggest challenge you faced
when you first moved into your role with the Freemasons?
TF: There is a lot of regulatory compliance required which is
fundamental to the running of the business. The biggest challenge I
faced was putting some processes around that and making sure we
were recording and reporting our compliance in terms of building
codes and accreditation. We can receive unannounced Agency visits
anytime and we often have to investigate questions or concerns
raised by families either directly or through the Agency. So you have
to be on top of things at all times to make sure that everything you
do is compliant. We’re 100 per cent compliant now and it’s really
AGED CARE 85
important we keep it that way.
WinterComms: How big is your portfolio?
TF: I oversee four nursing home sites, and independent living units
in Mildura, Swan Hill, Ballarat, Brunswick (Melbourne), Coburg,
Murrumbeena, Shepparton and Wangaratta, and I believe there are
1000 clients on our books at anyone time. There are also three
community outreach offices that I look after.
WinterComms: Why do you believe FM in aged care is still
behind the rest of the FM industry in terms of the processes in
place to support the delivery of services?
TF: I think aged care has traditionally been provided by not-for-
profit organisations and this is still the case for 60% of the industry.
In these sorts of environments the focus of staff and volunteers is
firmly on caring for their clients so often keeping up with what is
happening outside this is of secondary importance, particularly the
world that is facilities management.
In the past 5 years, aged care providers like the Royal Freemasons
are accepting that they need to be managing in the 21st century, so
they’re bringing their processes and procedures into line with what is
happening in the rest of the industry. This is not to say that prior to
that, the Royal Freemasons were not carrying out the work involved
with being compliant – it was more that it wasn’t being recorded and
registered as being completed. The audit process was missing.
WinterComms: How do priorities differ for an aged care
facilities/property manager to one managing corporate
tenants?
TF: When managing corporate office environments, there were
similar regulatory compliances to those that I work with now, so in
those respects things are fundamentally the same. Processes and
procedures for procurement and contracting do not differ much
either. What has become significant is the development and
maintenance of relationships with my clients. In my previous position
I would deal with key stakeholders and they in turn would manage
the needs of the staff they were responsible for. I therefore had to
nurture a smaller number of relationships. In my current position,
whilst I have two key clients within my organisation, much of my
time is spent in communication with residents, learning to
understand them, and developing ways of delivering a service that is
mutually acceptable to all involved. It is critical to align the business
needs involved in the management of our assets with the needs of
our residents.
WinterComms: How has the tightening up of procedures and
processes affected staff and contractors?
TF: When I came to the Royal Freemasons there were service level
agreements in place but they just hadn’t been passed on to the right
people. It was really about drawing that forward. Most of the
contractors came to the party but we did have smaller companies
who weren’t compliant in terms of things like insurance and OH&S.
Those that met the criteria I had in terms of insurance, work cover
and safety stayed on board, and those that weren’t prepared to move
towards those compliance standards had to move on. There was no
choice. In terms of staff there were changes in the way we did things,
life is much easier for our operations managers now because they
know where everything is and they’ve got essential services folders
sitting nearby. The contractors have all been inducted properly, and
it’s a process which now runs very smoothly.
The other change I made was in the independent living units - in
the past we had previously had residents calling contractors
themselves which became unwieldy for everyone. I’ve now recruited
a handyman who has a fully equipped van and he goes around
looking after all of our Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat independent
living units and it’s working really well. He takes all the calls from the
residents. These independent living units are now well looked after
and the residents have continuity with someone they know and trust.
At the more remote sites we are lucky to have the local Masonic
Lodge providing assistance and I work very closely with
representatives in these areas to provide the same service.
WinterComms: How long did it take to get things working to
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
86 AGED CARE

a point where you were happy with them?

TF: I think in the first six months, I didn’t know what had hit me,
but towards the end of last year things were running well and I felt in
control. I think the essential services reporting and my responsibilities
in terms of Accreditation are just ticking over and initial problems
seem to have been ironed out. The praise that we’ve had from the
Standards Agency regarding the systems and processes that we have
in place at Royal Freemasons suggest that we are producing high
calibre compliance, and evidence of compliance.
WinterComms: How do you manage the relationship with
your clients in terms of undergoing maintenance and
renovations?
TF: You have to think really carefully about how you are going to
manage it. When you let residents know that you are undertaking
works, you have to know exactly what you are going to do and how
before you approach them. You also have to have plans in place for
those that require alternative accommodation, meal provisions and
other essential needs.
You need to be aware of things the residents might be concerned
about, and you need to be sure that their level of care they are used
to is not compromised. You can’t just run the project and get the
upgrade done; you also have to manage the needs of those residents
involved really carefully.
When they employed me here they said it was really important to
find someone who not only had the facilities management skills
required but also the ability to be sympathetic to the needs of
residents as well – it has to be a balance between the two. I’ve really
had to reflect on that, not to forge ahead with the project, but to take
two steps back and look at the needs of the client before I do
anything. You’d think to upgrade 24 very small bathrooms wouldn’t
take very long, but it’s actually going to take us three or four months
because we’re manoeuvring around the needs of the residents.

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FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3

That’s the difference. I probably had a sense that there was a need to
be very in tune with the needs of the residents, but I probably didn’t
realise how important that was going to be.
WinterComms: How do you make sure contractors deal with
your residents sensitively?
TF: It is about managing the contractor and putting him under
some stringent contractual obligations. We expect contractors to be
on site and remain on site until any upgrades are completed. It’s
really important for us to find contractors who have a level of
compassion and care, as it’s not an ordinary sort of process. Lots of
our residents are elderly women living on their own, so there are lots
of issues you need to consider in terms of making sure they feel safe
in their environment when contractors are brought in. We try to
maintain continuity of contractors and their staff so the residents get
used to seeing familiar faces and are less concerned about who is
going to come when they are in need. Having a full-time
maintenance supervisor has assisted with this.
WinterComms: What has been your most significant
achievement?
TF: Getting four nursing homes through accreditation; being able
to achieve full compliance from the property management point of
view.
Wintercomms: What do you think are the keys to success
when working in FM for aged care?
TF: The client relationship is just as important as getting the work
done and it’s the typical stuff of communication and making sure
people know exactly what’s going on. It means accepting sometimes
that residents can get distressed and will continually ask the same
questions. You must have patience.
WinterComms: How do you think FM in aged care industry
could be improved in terms of professional development and
education?
AGED CARE 87
TF: I’d like to see more aged care facility managers in FMA
Australia; I’d like to see that interaction happening between our
industry and rest of the industry. I am part of a property manager’s
forum run by Aged and Community Care Victoria (ACCV). It’s a very
strong group of people with a wealth of knowledge of the aged care
industry. It is also pleasing to see that some of these members hold
high positions in their organisations, which suggests that the facilities
management business unit in the aged care industry is gaining
importance.
WinterComms: What advice would you offer FMs moving
into Aged Care?
TF: It’s full on. It’s a very demanding role. In the nursing homes
you have to get on to things straight away. With our elderly residents
in the independent living units, something that may seem trivial to
you or I can be something which is quite catastrophic to them. For
you and I, waiting for a return phone call or for a contractor to turn
up to change a light bulb or fix a dripping tap is not a major problem,
but for our residents it can be. You need to be available and ready to
assist when the need arises.
It is very important to have a team of external and internal
providers working together with you to provide this service. These
people need to be committed to following up each request so
residents don’t feel forgotten and that their needs are important.
With us if the plumber says he is going to be there at ten, then he
needs to be there at ten! Constant communication with our residents
is vital.
References:
1 Australian Government Productivity Commission
2 Grant Thornton Industry Intelligent Unit ‘Grant Thornton Australia’s 2008 Aged
Care Survey’, downloaded 10th April 2009,
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
88 CLIENT FEATURE

INTEGRATED FACILITIES
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
ISS has a proactive approach to education and training and understands the benefits that ongoing
professional development provides for its workforce. Len Benson, Executive General Manager
(Government Cleaning Division), ISS Cleaning Services engaged UNE Partnerships to deliver a
Fundamentals of Facilities Management Workshop in Coffs Harbour.

I
SS’s Government Cleaning Division, comprising 3000
staff, covers 1500 sites across New South Wales,
including schools, police stations, courts and other
government buildings. Currently, ISS is contracted to
undertake cleaning. However their client has indicated a
potential integrated facilities management model to
incorporate the maintenance and cleaning of buildings by
one organisation.
To prepare their staff for possible future changes, ISS
consulted with UNE Partnerships to develop a Professional
Development Workshop, outlining the functions and inter-
relationships of a Facilities Management Unit. According to
Len Benson “We wanted to give our staff a better
understanding of how a Facilities Management Unit
operates as a whole. We felt it was important for them to
see how the unit functions and how various aspects
correlate”.
Developing a consistent approach across the facilities management enable it to handle the potential new work. “We know we can’t move
unit, is a strong focus in these workshops and allows those involved forward until we get further indication from our client, but we hope
to understand the benefits of a united approach to all systems. ISS is that we will be sufficiently prepared to be able to make it happen
keen to develop a strong framework within its Cleaning Division to quickly” said Len

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FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3

AN UPDATE ON FACILITY
MANAGEMENT TRAINING
OPPORTUNITIES
For the facility manager looking to enhance
their understanding and skills set within the
industry, the Higher Education and VET sectors
are providing an increasing array of choices.
WinterComms’ Susan Keck investigates the
new tertiary education opportunities on offer
and explores what is available in 2009/10 for
Facility Managers throughout Australia.
Holmesglen Institute, Victoria
Holmesglen Institute offers a Bachelor of Facilities Management.
Programs are designed around a 2 tier structure, the first tier being a
3-year (full-time equivalent) ‘foundation’ degree, the Bachelor of
Applied Science (Built Environment).
Second tier programs include 1-year (full-time equivalent)
professional specialisations in:
3 building surveying (Bachelor of Built Environment)
3 construction management and economics (Bachelor of
Construction Management and Economics)
3 facilities management (Bachelor of Facilities Management).
Students enter this fourth year specialisation of Facilities
Management following successful completion of the Bachelor of
Applied Science (Built Environment), or those with significant
relevant industry experience and the equivalent of a degree may be
granted credit and be accepted directly into the course.
www.holmesglen.vic.edu.au
Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD
Bond University’s Faculty of Business, Technology and Sustainable
Development offers a Bachelor of Business and a Bachelor of
Commerce degree with majors of five to six subjects addressing
sustainability, project management, assets and facilities management,
and property valuation. In addition, the Bachelor of Commerce major
includes planning processes. The degree can be completed over 2
years of full-time study, or students can study at their own pace part-
time.
www.bond.edu.au
EDUCATION + TRAINING 89
University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore
The University of the Sunshine Coast in Maroochydore offers a
Bachelor of Business (Property and Asset Management). Property
and Asset management underpins areas such as residential and
commercial developments, construction, and tourism and facilities
management. The program includes the core business courses such
as marketing, accounting, economics and human resource
management to ensure graduates understand key business
imperatives. This is supported by specialist units which provide
detailed knowledge on key industry areas such as property
economics, property management, investment decision making,
property law, valuation issues and asset and facilities management.
Students can also apply to undertake first-year courses in this
program at the USC Noosa Centre.
www.usc.edu.au
University of Southern Queensland
The University of Southern Queensland offer a Master of Project
Management which aims to produce graduates who have
appropriate skills and knowledge to be capable of managing small,
medium and large-sized projects as a senior team leader, a project
manager or project director. The Masters can be completed on
campus, through distance education or online. Duration is one year
full-time or four years part-time.
www.usq.edu.au
Central Queensland University
Central Queensland University offers three different distance
education programs in maintenance management leading to the
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
90 EDUCATION + TRAINING
qualifications of Graduate Certificate in Maintenance Management,
Graduate Diploma of Maintenance Management and Master of
Maintenance Management program. The program is suited to those
currently employed in the areas of maintenance engineering or
maintenance management, who would like to advance their careers
through professional upgrading of their knowledge, skills and
qualifications.
The aim of the Master of Maintenance Management program is
for the student to apply the knowledge and skills gained from
experience and studies in maintenance management towards
creation of opportunities to improve maintenance practices thereby
providing leadership in the industrial maintenance organisation.  Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia
www.cqu.edu.au
Queensland University of Technology
While QUT do not offer specific facility management courses, they do
run the Bachelor of Urban Development (Property Economics). A
number of graduates from this QUT program do venture into the FM
industry. QUT is also the headquarters of the Cooperative Research
Centre for Integrated Engineering Asset Management – a major
initiative funded by the Federal Government that conducts innovative
research and development, education and commercialisation in an
integrated approach to life cycle physical asset management. The
CRC for Construction Innovation is also headquartered at QUT and it
has an emerging focus on the FM Field.
www.qut.edu.au
University of South Australia
The University of South Australia currently offer a nested Graduate
Certificate/Graduate Diploma/Master in Facilities and Asset
Management program through their School of Natural and Built
Environments. The full Masters is an eguivalent full-time program of
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
one and a half years covering the efficient management of assets
including facilities such as engineering structures and complex
buildings.
www.unisa.edu.au
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide offer a Masters in Project Management, a
Masters in Applied Project Management and a Graduate Certificate
in Project Management.
www.adelaide.edu.au
Curtin University offer a 1-year Graduate Certificate in Facilities
Management. Also covered in the course are project management
and procurement management.
www.curtin.edu.au
Victoria University, Melbourne
Victoria University of Melbourne offers a Graduate Certificate in
Project Management, a Graduate Diploma of Project Management
and a Master of Contracting and Project Management.
www.vu.edu.au
University of Melbourne
Facilities Management is offered at undergraduate level as part of the
property major in the University of Melbourne’s Bachelor of
Environments program. It is also offered as part of the Master of
Property. Property lecturer Chris Heywood says it is possible with the
Masters, and to some extent the undergraduate program, to
construct a FM focused qualification by undertaking other subjects
such as services, sustainability and building regulations.
www.unimelb.edu.au

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)
RMIT offers a generic Master of Project Management as well as
specialisations in Engineering, Facilities Management and
Information Technology. The duration of the Masters (one and a half
years full time or three years part-time) incorporates the Graduate
Diploma (one year full-time or two years part-time) and the Graduate
Certificate (six months full-time or one year part-time).
www.rmit.com.au
Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria
Swinburne University of Technology in Hawthorn Victoria offers a
Graduate Certificate of Business in Project Management part-time, in
the evening and/or on weekends. In the area of Construction
Management, also offered is a Graduate Certificate of Technology
(Construction Management), Graduate Diploma of Technology
(Construction Management) and a Master of Technology
Management (Construction Management).
www.swinburne.edu.au/courses
Deakin University, Geelong
At Deakin University, students can enrol in the Bachelor of
Construction Management/Bachelor of Facilities Management
combined degree, which offers a unique mix of construction and
property disciplines. Graduates are able to work across traditional
professional boundaries, from property investment and development
through to space management and workplace logistics, using key
project-management skills to ensure optimum value for money is
attained at all stages of the property life cycle. The course allows the
opportunity for students to complete an honours stream for the
Construction Management component or for the Facilities
Management component. The double degree is a five-year full-time
program, also accredited by RICS for construction, facilities
MAKE YOUR NEXT
PROJECT YOURSELF
Master of Project Management (Facilities)
Keep moving up and boost your professional
knowledge. RMIT’s program allows you to specialise
in facilities management, with great opportunities
to work in collaborative teams and strengthen your
professional knowledge.
RMIT is Victoria’s leading educator in property,
construction and project management,
with great industry connections and a strong
research background.
www.rmit.edu.au/propertyconstruction
EDUCATION + TRAINING 91
management and building surveying career destinations. Students
can exit early from the program after three years with a Bachelor of
Facilities Management. Deakin also offers an FM major as part of
their Bachelor of Management and Bachelor of Commerce degrees.
Since February 2008, Deakin is offering a distance learning pathway
for FM (both pass and honours degree), which will enable students
to participate from anywhere in the world. Face-to-face study is
conducted at Deakin’s award-winning Waterfront site in Geelong.
www.deakin.edu.au
University of Sydney
The School of Architecture runs a Graduate Certificate, Graduate
Diploma, and Masters Degree in Facilities Management. The Faculty
of Economics and Business in conjunction with the School of
Architecture also offers a doubles degree – the Master of Commerce
and Master of Facilities Management. The program is designed for
those currently working as facility managers and allows for interstate
students to participate. Candidates with industry experience but
without formal qualifications may enter the Graduate Certificate
course, and subject to their performance can then upgrade to
Diploma or Masters.
www.usyd.edu.au
The University of Newcastle
The University of Newcastle offers a Bachelor of Construction
Management (Building) over four years full-time or the equivalent
part-time. The qualification is accredited by the Australian Institute of
Building, the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveying, The
Chartered Institute of Building, and the Singapore Institute
of Surveyors and Valuers. The program is offered in mixed-mode,
allowing students the flexibility to either attend classes at our
Callaghan campus, or to learn in a virtual environment wherever they
> Postgraduate Information Session
Date: Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Time: 6.00 pm
Venue: State Library of Victoria
(Seminar Rooms)
La Trobe Street, Melbourne
For more information contact
Ian McBean on 03 9925 2230 or
email ian.mcbean@rmit.edu.au
S1300
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
92 EDUCATION + TRAINING

are located.  The program is also offered off-shore in Singapore
(TMC).
www.newcastle.edu.au
University of New South Wales
The Faculty of the Built Environment (FBE) at the University of New
South Wales offer the Bachelor of Construction Management and
Property which focuses on people and process management within
the specific contexts of building construction, property development,
quantity surveying and facilities management industry sectors. The
four-year full-time program of study offers students management
skills in the areas of planning, risk assessment, occupational health
and safety, property management and organisational behaviour. The
FBE also offers a Graduate Certificate in Construction Project
Management, Master of Construction Project Management and a
Master of Construction Project Management (in Professional
Practice). Another postgraduate offering from FBE is the Master of
Property and Development which allows students to specialise in
Investment and Development or Asset and Facilities Management.
In the area of sustainable development, FBE offer a Graduate
Certificate in Built Environment (Sustainable Development), Graduate
Diploma of Built Environment (Sustainable Development) and a
Master of Built Environment (Sustainable Development).
www.unsw.edu.au
University of Technology, Sydney
UTS offer a Bachelor of Construction which provides students with a
comprehensive building education. The degree is concerned with all
aspects of the construction process, including business management,
construction technology, project management, quantity surveying,
applied economics, contract administration and property
development. The degree is offered over four years full-time or six
years part-time. There are also opportunities for further study after
completing the course through an Honours program, the Master’s
programs in Project Management and Facility Management or a
Master of Business Administration (MBA).
www.uts.edu.au
University of Western Sydney
The University of Western Sydney offers students a Bachelor of
Construction Management at its Penrith campus. Students will
develop specialised skills in construction management taught through
theoretical, practical, and hands-on experience. Among topics
covered in the program are project management, building law,
accounting and design science.
www.uws.edu.au
University of New England, New South Wales
The University of New England offers a Graduate Certificate in
Project Management through its Armidale campus by distance
education. It can be completed over 1 trimester full time or over 2
trimesters part-time.
www.une.edu.au
Charles Stuart University
Charles Stuart University offers a Graduate Certificate in Project
Management by distance education. The Graduate Certificate can
lead to accreditation as a Certified Associate Project Manager
(CAPM) from the Project Management Institute.
www.csu.edu.au
The University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia offers a Master of Business and
Engineering Asset Management. It can be undertaken two years full-

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FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
 EDUCATION + TRAINING 93

time or four years part-time. The emphasis of Engineering Asset Southern Cross University (Coffs Harbour) www.scu.edu.au
Management is on achieving sustainable business outcomes and University of Canberra www.canberra.edu.au
competitive advantage by applying systematic and risk-based Australian Catholic University inet.acu.edu.au
processes to decisions concerning the engineering assets of an Flinders University, Adelaide www.flinders.edu.au
organisation. The postgraduate degree includes units from the Griffith University, Gold Coast www.griffith.edu.au
Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics and the James Cook University, Townsville www.jcu.edu.au
Business School. Students will engage in a balanced inter-disciplinary La Trobe University www.latrobe.edu.au
programme of asset management, engineering and business units Macquarie University www.mq.edu.au
with a focus in practical applications and the challenges faced by
today’s organisations. A Graduate Diploma in Business and Asset Vocational Education and Training (VET) Programs
Management is also available. Universities, TAFE and private providers can gain registration within
www.uwa.edu.au their State or Territory, and across Australia, as Registered Training
Organisations (RTOs). RTOs are authorised to offer courses leading to
University of Wollongong qualifications within the Australian Qualifications Framework which
The University of Wollongong offers a Master of Engineering Asset are recognised by other providers in the VET and higher education
Management one year full-time or part-time equivalent. The sectors.
objective of the program is to ensure continuous improvement in the
strategic and tactical response of organisations and their managers, RMIT
to the management of infrastructure assets. This is achieved through The School of Engineering (TAFE) has developed a Certificate IV in
a balance program of subjects in asset management, science and Property Services (Operations) in consultation with industry
engineering, business administration and management. Other topics stakeholders, including FMA Australia. The pilot program
covered include: Project Implementation and Outsourcing, Life-Cycle commenced March 2009. It is currently delivered part-time over one
and Risk Management, Maintenance Requirements Analysis and and a half years. Areas of study include asset performance, property
Managing People in Organisations. inspection, property risk management, environmental sustainability,
www.uow.edu.au property life cycle maintenance, OH&S requirements and contracts
and financial management.
Facilities Management and other practices related to the This Certificate can lead to credit in a number of Diploma and
industry may also feature as a component of courses Advanced Diploma courses and ultimately into a Bachelor of Applied
offered at the following tertiary providers: Science (Project Management) and Master of Applied Science
University of Tasmania www.utas.edu.au (Project Management).
Monash University www.monash.edu.au www.rmit.com.au
Murdoch University (Perth) www.murdoch.edu.au

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FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
94 EDUCATION + TRAINING
Urban Maintenance Systems is a
specialist provider of Facilities and
Infrastructure Maintenance Services
to Private and Government sectors
throughout Australia.
UMS Facilities Services specialises
in the following:
• Essential service compliance management
• Programmed & reactive building maintenance
• Building condition auditing & life cycle costing
• Trade services – carpentry, plumbing, electrical,
painting, gutter cleaning, mechanical plant
maintenance
• Capital improvement works planning & delivery
• 24 /7 emergency response contact centre
• Modern/functional information management
system
Urban Maintenance Systems
352 Ferntree Gully Road Notting Hill VIC 3168
Phone: (03) 9265 5811 Fax: (03) 9265 5899
Email: info@ums.com.au Web: www.ums.com.au
PROVIDING SERVICES NATIONALLY
Enduring Partnerships Driven by Service Excellence
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
University of New England
UNE partnerships offers competency based, Certificate and Diploma
courses in Facilities Management. The courses are offered by
distance education for individuals working in the industry; and
customised for corporate groups using a combination of distance
mode and face-to-face delivery. The Certificate covers the theory of
facility management and its application in practice. In addition, the
Diploma covers legal, environmental, business and strategic planning
knowledge and skills. It is anticipated that participants will complete
either course within a 12 month period.
www.unep.edu.au/facilitiesmanagement
In conjunction with the University of Sydney and with the support
of industry stakeholder Brookfield Multiplex, UNE have developed a
training program in sustainable facility management for facility
managers and supervisors. The focus is on the application of process
rather than products and refers to recognised resources for managing
sustainability. Successful completion of the program can lead to one
unit credit in facility management awards offered by the University of
Sydney.
www.unep.edu.au
fmedge
fmedge first offered the Diploma of Property Services (Asset and
Facility Management) in 2004. The Diploma covers eight common
units and eight specialist units in facility management. It is now
available online as well as in traditional mode. It is anticipated that
most students should complete in 18-20 months though it is possible
to take three years to complete the Diploma. The competency based
Diploma articulates into Deakin University’s Bachelor of Facilities
Management. Similar arrangements have been made with Bond
University and the University of Sydney.
www.fmedge.com.au
International College of Management, Sydney
ICMS has a strategic relationship with Macquarie University. The
college offers two short term (ten week), intensive courses aiming to
improve property services management abilities through professional
training and further education in global best practice. The first course
provides a basic strategic facility management framework in property
services management, while the second course develops a basic
understanding of facilties and property management concepts. These
courses commence in September 2009 and are offered consecutively
on the same day. Successful completion of these short courses can
lead to credit in the ICMS Bachelor of Property Services
Management, which is conferred by Macquarie University.
www.icms.edu.au
Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory
Charles Darwin University offers a Diploma of Project Management
which can be completed at full-time study in half a year, or
undertaken in a part-time capacity over the duration of one year.
www.cdu.edu.au
Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria
Swinburne University of Technology in Hawthorn Victoria offers a
Diploma of Project Management. It caters for students in the
workforce through part-time, evening and/or weekend study. This
qualification can lead to a credit in the University’s Graduate
Certificate of Business in Project Management.
www.swinburne.edu.au/courses/
University of Ballarat
The University of Ballarat currently offers a Diploma of Project
Management. The course is offered on a fee-for-service basis, and
monthly workshops are scheduled over a period of nine months. The
program is available in Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong.
www.ballarat.edu.au
 EDUCATION + TRAINING 95

RMIT CERTIFICATE IV IN PROPERTY

SERVICES (OPERATIONS)
A LEGACY OUTCOME OF THE
FM ACTION AGENDA
In 2008, in response to the FM Action Agenda’s Transition Plan for
Education and Training in the VET sector (action 7), a pilot program
for the Certificate IV in Property Services (Operations) was developed
by RMIT University. The program was developed in consultation with
nine key industry stakeholders, ISS World, Multiplex, Reserve Bank of
Australia (RBA), Sentinar, Stockland, Transfield Services,
PROGRAMMED Facility Management (Tungsten), FMA Australia
and CPSISC. Delivery of the pilot program commenced on the 3rd of
March 2009 for the industry stakeholder group. The CPP40607
Certificate IV in Property Services (Operations) is delivered over 3 semesters, with students
attending RMIT for one afternoon and evening class per week. WinterComms’, Max Winter
caught up with RMIT Industry Manager John Kite and asked about the course.

WinterComms: I understand that the course has been
developed through extensive consultation with leading industry
groups and FMA Australia, can you tell me about the features
of the course?
JK: A Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment tool is used
to determine each student’s knowledge and skills at the beginning of
each semester. This is used to develop a personal training plan which
helps students complete their program in the optimum time. The
delivery includes case study analysis to develop problem-solving skills
within a simulated workplace. Each assessment covers a cluster of
competencies and is designed around project based work that relates
to the workplace.
WinterComms: So it is very much a practical, hands-on
course?
JK: Yes, and RMIT regularly invites Industry Partners to deliver
sessions on current industry practices, workplace challenges and
issues they may be confronted with. This helps students gain a real
perspective on the industry.
Students will undertake many hands-on activities that simulate the
workplace environment, including planning charts, preparing
schedules, OHS reports and Property Inspection reports.
We also invite our stakeholders to participate in the presentation
of awards and/or scholarships at our annual awards night.
WinterComms: And what about the intended market reach of
the course and course delivery methods?
JK: RMIT’s School of Engineering (TAFE) is developing training
resources to facilitate national delivery of future programs. These are
expected to be available early next year and include, but are not
limited to:
3 The preparation of distant learning materials to support some
subject areas
3 Developing E learning tools which enable structured tutorials to
be delivered in the student’s workplace with the ability for the
facilitator to interact with each student.
3 Delivery of certain competencies in the workplace via facilitated
tutorials
3 Online learning student material and assessments
WinterComms: Does the course offer entry pathways into the
higher education system?
JK: Yes it does. RMIT School of Engineering (TAFE) will continue to
offer students completing the CPP40607 Certificate IV in Property
Services (Operations) the advantage of having their program mapped
into a Diploma of Property Services (Asset and Facility Management).
Currently, RMIT is working with the stakeholder group in
determining a suitable combination of courses in the Diploma of
Property Services (Asset and Facility Management) to satisfy industry
requirements. Upon completion of this program, the students may
gain pathways into the Bachelor of Applied Science (Project
Management) and Master of Project Management (Facilities
Management), offered by RMIT University, School of Property
Construction, Project Management.
In line with the Federal Government’s Skilling Australia statement,
RMIT will continue its work in this sector to develop further
programs which aid up-skilling of the workforce and address current
and future skill shortages.
WinterComms: You mentioned an increased focus on
ensuring successful outcomes for students. What can students
expect from the course?
JK: Completing the Certificate IV in Property Services will give
students recognition for a range of skills and knowledge they have
already acquired throughout their careers and enable them to
develop new skills that relate directly to their workplace. Graduates
have improved career prospects and earning capacity as well as the
option of entering higher levels of training.
The Program is delivered as a cluster of learning areas which
enable the delivery to be structured to the individuals student’s skills
and knowledge.
These also then assist the students to have their work tailored, and
assessments reviewed to meet the required standards of the program
For further information on the course, call John Kite, Building
Services Industry Manager on +61 3 9925 4338.

FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
96 EDUCATION + TRAINING
VOCATIONAL GRADUATE
CERTIFICATE IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY
FOR FACILITY MANAGERS
FMA Australia, in conjunction with AIRAH, is proud to be able to offer a new qualification to facility
managers, the Vocational Graduate Certificate in Energy Efficiency for Facility Managers.
F
MA Australia has been working with AIRAH, Swinburne
University and FMedge over many months to design a course
that has practical relevance to facility managers.
Research has been undertaken to ascertain the elements that will
add the most value to a course on energy efficiency for FMs and this
new qualification is the result.
By taking this course, you will increase your knowledge and
understanding of energy management, enabling you to put into place
a plan to reduce the energy use of the buildings that you manage.
This knowledge will, in turn, help you to advance your career
through upgrading your skills and having them recognised in a
specialised post graduate qualification in energy efficiency.
The course will give you a strong grounding in where energy is
consumed in buildings and how to measure, monitor and analyse
energy use. You will evaluate operations and maintenance processes
as well as developing operational and maintenance strategies.
Armed with this knowledge you will then create and implement
effective energy management programs. Ongoing education is
essential in the facilities management industry and the Vocational
Graduate Certificate in Energy Efficiency for Facility Managers will
assist in meeting requirements for continuing professional
development.
Three FMs who took the pilot version of the course had this to say
about its benefits:
“It was an excellent course and allowed for a wide range of
learnings across the field. I immediately implemented some of the
developed knowledge in my workplace to positive effect.” Campbell
Pfeiffer, Operations Manager Facilities and Venues, Victorian Arts
Centre.
“If you are directly or indirectly responsible for energy
management in your organisation then this course provides an
excellent toolkit for delivering real and practical outcomes.” Brian
Fenn, Operations Director for Facilities Management, Queensland
University of Technology.
“One item covered through the course was a section on
stakeholder identification and the role that stakeholders play when
you are investigating and implementing energy efficiency
opportunities. It really expanded my view on just who the
stakeholders are. With this on board I’m better able to assess
opportunities as well as correctly address the right audience with
relevant points.” David Cassinides, Southern Cross – FM, Brookfield
Multiplex Limited.
Visit the Professional Development section of AIRAH’s website or
contact Carolyn Hughes on 03 8623 3000 for more information
and to register your interest.
FACILITY PERSPECTIVES
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 3
Subjects
The course has four units which are designed to be completed over a
two year timeframe:
3 VPAU338* Scope and conduct an energy audit
Estimated 60 hours to complete
3 VPAU235 Maximise energy efficiency in building services
operations
Estimated 60 hours to complete
3 VPAU327 Create an energy management plan
Estimated 60 hours to complete
3 VPAU328 Implement an energy management plan
Estimated 60 hours to complete
* Recommended pre-requisite for all other subjects
Recommended for
3 Facility managers
3 Property managers
3 Energy managers
3 Energy auditors
Entry Requirements
You are required to be employed in the fields of facility management,
building services, non-residential building design/construction and
energy auditing. In some circumstances relevant prior work will be
recognised.
Delivery
This course is delivered by AIRAH in distance learning format
supported by online tutorials. This has proven a popular option for
busy professionals and allows candidates from around Australia to
participate.
Face-to-face seminars (generally one day) relating to specific
modules are scheduled in various states/territories during each
semester. These seminars provide a great opportunity to support
learning and ask questions of experts. Graduate Certificate
participants receive a discount for these seminars.
Assessment
Course work is assessed throughout the semester. Assessment is
competency based and participants must achieve a satisfactory result
across all areas to gain the certificate.
Don’t miss this opportunity to build your career and enhance your
employability with this essential new qualification.
 Specialist Recruitment
in the FM Sector

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