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Message from PFM Chairman (November 2008)
World WorkPlace and Expo 2008 Dallas, 15 to 17 November 2008
Dick Kwok and I represented the Institute in attending this year's World WorkPlace and Expo organised by the International Facility Management Association on 15 to 17 November 2008 held at the Dallas Convention Centre, Dallas, USA. It has been a very exciting and refreshing experience in listening to keynote speeches by world class scholars, education sessions in latest development in FM practices by researchers and practitioners, browsing the exhibition, visiting new facilities and meeting friends and FM professionals gathered there from around the world. Here below is my brief report on some of the events that I have attended.
Opening Keynote Speech
The opening speech was made by Professor Chip Heath of the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University who is the co-author of a New York Times Bestseller entitled "Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die - Made to Stick". In the speech, Chip briefly ran an exposition of the main theme of his book - the six principles of sticky ideas that are here to last. They are:
Principle 1 - Simplicity
Principle 2 - Unexpectedness
Principle 3 - Concreteness
Principle 4 - Credibility
Principle 5 - Emotions
Principle 6 - Stories
To summarise, the checklist for creating a successful idea: a Simple Unexpected Concrete Credential Emotional Story.
His book was distributed to all attendees of the conference and I managed to have him sign on the book. The copy of this bestseller is now kept at the Institute's library for those who are interested to know more about the subject matter.
Exhibition/ Expo
The exhibition and expo is one of the key features of the annual World WorkPlace event. Over 300 exhibitors participated in exhibiting facilities services provision, FM software, cleaning, bird control, green technologies, green products, etc.
Visit to New Facility
One of the facilities offered for visiting is the new headquarters building of FLUOR Corporation. This is a consolidation of the corporation's headquarters functions into one building located in Irving, Texas. What strikes me most about the new building is the very short period taken for the complete development process. It took only 9 months from land purchase (1 July 2005) to certification of occupation (30 March 2006) for this 140,000 square feet 2- to 3-storey complex utilising the titling up construction method. The first date of operation was effected on 24 April 2006. There is much for us from Hong Kong to learn from them in the way by which they can develop low rise developments in such short period of time. The complex is also a LEED New Construction Certified building demonstration the company's commitment to sustainability even with his tight schedule of commissioning and completing the project. I understand that the management is now endeavouring into obtaining a higher rating in LEED Existing Building by introducing sustainability features in the post-occupancy management and maintenance phase.
Education Sessions
The main activities of the conference were parallel education sessions covering the wide areas of facility management practices: Benchmarking and Best Practices, Global Outlook, Industries and Interests, Maintaining the Environment, People Perspective, Trends and Innovation, Strategic Facility Planning and Sustainability.
One of the education sessions that I attended was a presentation by Ms Diane Stegmeier of the results of her ten-year research on workplace changes. She published the results in a book entitled "Innovations in Office Design - The Critical Influence Approach to Effective Work Environments". The resulting Critical Influencing System theory explores that relationship in depth between organisational goals and expectations and employee behaviours and emerging norms. The CIS is comprised of the interdependent tangible and intangible factors that can enable or hinder the achievement of organisational goals. Employee behaviour and the success of workplace strategies are influenced by Leadership Behaviour, Knowledge Management, the formal compensation system as well as informal Rewards & Consequences. Barriers can form between the Physical Workplace and the Vision & Mission of the enterprise, as well as a mismatch with its Core Values, Culture and Image. The workplace strategy may fail due to incongruence with Business Processes, Technology or the orgnaisation's Performance Management System. Lastly, the physical workplace may not be maximised due to the Autonomy & Authority in the enterprise, Communications or the Organisational Structure. The physical workplace is only one of fifteen elements in this holistic system, albeit the one of most concern to professionals charged with workplace strategy.
Closing Keynote Speech
It is mere coincidence or by design, the closing keynote speaker is also a research and author of a book of international significance - Dr Jonas Ridderstrale. Dr Jonas Ridderstrale and the co-author of the book "Funky Business Forever - How to Enjoy Capitalism" were ranked number one in Europe and number nine in the world by Thinkers 50, the world's first ranking of management thinkers. He highly praised capitalism and
regarded USA as a hairy audacious idea and not a country that many can reside in. To survive is to blast and not mere following. He went on to explore a number of new ideas of the modern world such as "EVELUTION", "TBD"... Please grab a copy of the book to find out more about the enjoyment of capitalism. When the workplace strategy is not aligned with one or more of the other factors, the incongruence can create barriers to the optimisation of the facilities.
Voluntary Building Classification Scheme
A 'Voluntary Building Classification Scheme (VBCS)' for the management and maintenance of residential buildings is being looked at by a Task Force supported by the Hong Kong Housing Society as a supportive measure for the proposed 'Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme (MBIS)'. This scheme is expected to be launched one year before the MBIS. Buildings being successfully assessed shall be granted with a certificate and exempted from the MBIS.
PFMD would like to draw members' attention that Registered Professional Surveyors (PFM) has been included in the list as Qualified Property Manager under the assessment of Building Management System, as decided in the Assessment Criteria Sub-committee meeting in July 2008. Our Honorary Treasurer, Mr Alan Wong, represents our Division as one of the members of this Sub-Committee.
Also a briefing for the Second Trial of building assessment was conducted on 5 September 2008 in the presence of participating Incorporated Owners and Management Companies. Under the smooth schedule, this scheme will be probably launched in 2009/2010.
Kenneth Chan Jor Kin
PFMD Council Chairman
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