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Helping Central Ohio IFMA Chapter members help their companies save money was the objective of a panel discussion September 23 at the Confluence Park Restaurant where a trio of cost-saving experts offered up a number of suggestions for consideration.
The three—Chip Chapman, owner of Integrated Building Systems; Scott Headlee, senior consultant, Audit My Bills; and Zack Griffin, project coordinator, Evolved Energy Solutions—touched on technology systems, lowering maintenance costs, eliminating E-waste at little or no cost, and lowering utility bills, all while improving the work environment.
Chapman said, “From what I have seen evolve in this industry (technology systems and hardware) in the past 22 years is that technology just happens.”
He then offered several “horror slides” of wiring installations in closets, bathrooms, and other inadequate office and building spaces. In many of the examples, the haphazard wiring resembled spider webs or plates of spaghetti that had been thrown together with little concern for organization or safety.
Chapman says this happens because in many companies there is no master plan or long-term strategic plan for technology, adding “It’s very reactive. Let’s just take care of the problem today. We just tend to over build and add layer upon layer.”
He said, “There is a belief among some that space requirements for technology is not that important and can always be dealt with later. While the truth is, technology infrastructure is a key element in the functionality of a building. Ignoring technology space during design results in higher building costs to revise the completed design, and even higher costs if revised during or after building construction has started.”
Chapman said the attitude in many companies that want things done “faster, better, cheaper” is to just make it happen without giving a lot of thought to location of technology infrastructure to support the system.
“When we go through these major upgrades, renovations or new constructions, a lot of this (concern for technology) gets put off to the end and it really becomes a challenge.
“So, one of the things that I spend a lot of time on is talking to the design community and construction industry about my frustrations of the technology and particularly the infrastructure that gets treated as FFandE (furniture, fixtures, and equipment).”
He said companies should remove cable that has been abandoned in flooring and ceiling because it presents a safety hazard. Citing the cities of Westerville and Dublin as examples, Chapman said many communities are developing and/or enforcing code requirements on removal of abandoned cable.
Chapman said companies needing to get rid of old cable and other E-waste such as computers, monitors, printers, copiers, cell phones, and fax machines may do so through Possitivily Green, a Dublin-based company that will pick up and dispose of this equipment without charge. The company may be contacted at 614/846-4877.
Headlee said facility managers and owners need to know and understand “what is going on in your buildings” from a cost standpoint by auditing all utility bills, cellular service, and local and long distance telephoning.
Once this is done, Headlee recommends a gradual replacement of technology rather than jumping into more expensive and dramatic changes such as solar or wind energy because the initial outlay is extremely high.
“So, what we like to do,” he said, “is take the money we saved in the initial building audit and transfer it to some newer technologies like energy efficient light bulbs and things like that to help bring down real costs in your building. Then, take that money and invest it in the next (money saving) step and so on.”
He urged the group to keep rate negotiations current because, “If your rates get out of control, so do your utility bills.”
Headlee offered five money-saving ideas for the group to take to their businesses:
Griffin, whose company specializes in custom commercial and industrial lighting retrofits, echoed Headlee in establishing base line as the first step in lowering energy bills. Once this is accomplished, Griffin’s firm will design a way in which to bring down the costs and improve the work environment.
He said a retrofit would “reduce your current energy bills, reduce your carbon emissions…minimize operations and maintenance costs…and make your jobs easier if you have less maintenance to worry about and less time to devote to maintaining the lighting system.”
Griffin said the occupants of the space are going to perform much better if the lighting meets the tasks of the space.