Room for bosses, greening experts to improve buildings

Lee Yen Nee, Straits Times 23 Apr 10;

Having green buildings such as this means a more efficient use of energy, which could reduce operational costs and carbon dioxide emissions. -- ST FILE PHOTO

SCEPTICAL bosses are preventing experts in 'greening' buildings from playing a key role in efforts to make buildings more ecologically sound, a conference heard yesterday.

Mr Tony Keane told the event that such experts - called facilities management professionals - deserve more recognition as they can help companies to operate more productively while being environment-friendly.

The president and chief executive of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) later told The Straits Times that such professionals must also realise that they can do more.

'It's an awareness issue for the management... It's also an awareness issue for facilities management professionals that they can truly make a difference and they need to be heard,' he said.

The conference - an inaugural one on sustainable facility management - was organised by the IFMA and the Building and Construction Authority's (BCA) education arm, BCA Academy.

Mr Ng Chin San, managing director of industrial facility management at asset manager UGL Premas, said proper facilities management can add value to businesses.

For example, a more efficient use of energy could reduce operational costs and carbon dioxide emissions.

BCA chief executive John Keung said that it was important to improve energy efficiency, especially in existing buildings as most do not meet the proper standards.

To achieve the target set by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development to 'green' 80 per cent of buildings here by 2030, Dr Keung suggested letting facilities management professionals lead the effort.

'A large number of old buildings will have to be retrofitted,' he added.

'It is therefore necessary for us to ensure that our professionals have the knowledge and skill sets to lead the effort... in the commissioning, operation and management of the green facilities and the associated technologies.'

With that in mind, the BCA inked a memorandum of understanding with the IFMA to collaborate on promoting and advancing the facility management profession.

Dr Keung said: 'BCA will work with IFMA to develop more programmes to train our local professionals to operate and manage the increasing number of sustainable developments efficiently and cost-effectively.'