The International Facility Management Expo (iFaME) 2013, to be held from 7-9 May 2013, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, will provide products, services and knowledge crucial to the facility management sector.
It is easy to design and produce buildings and workplaces that are energy-efficient, have minimal impact on the environment and are, most importantly, sustainable. However, it is also a challenge to convert existing infrastructures into green buildings.
The need for sustainable facility management is more pressing than ever, especially in Singapore. As a small island city-state, Singapore is very much vulnerable to the effects of the changing climate. This further emphasizes the need for efficient usage of resources, especially that of water and energy.
In order to encourage the green facelift of Singapore’s urban landscape, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) implemented various Green Mark Incentive Schemes, such as the Building Retrofit Energy Efficiency Financing (BREEF) Singapore to provide incentives for energy-efficient retrofits under an Energy Performance Contract Agreement.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development (IMCSD) has also set a target of at least 80% of all buildings in Singapore to achieve the Green Mark Certified rating by 2030. As of 2013, about 13% of the built environment has received the rating. As existing buildings form the main bulk of the building stock and are significant consumers of energy, this has created much potential for the sustainable facility management market.
Despite the obvious benefits such as significant energy savings, potential increases in productivity, water conservation and most importantly, an overall reduction of the carbon footprint, many building owners are resistant to scrapping their existing buildings or undertaking an extensive overhaul of the building for the sake of the Most facility managers would be tasked with the running and maintenance of a building that was designed with neither energy efficiency nor sustainability in mind. Having to juggle potentially shrinking operations and capital budgets, there is only so much a facility manager can do, much less considering demolishing and rebuilding. Coupled with the resistance of building owners, this would prove to be a gargantuan challenge.
Some initiatives that facility managers can look into include setting energy and water consumption targets, replacing existing lamps with T5 fluorescents, using low-irritant or non-chemical cleaning products and upgrading to water efficient fittings with the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) rating. But as each building is different, it is imperative to note that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution towards creating a sustainable future, and it cannot happen overnight. Existing building improvements have to be taken one step at a time.
It is therefore important that facility managers are armed with the knowledge and education of how to implement sustainable practices for the benefit of the building’s stakeholders, as well as the environment, in order to make informed decisions for change.
One such platform for relevant products, services and knowledge crucial to the facility management sector is the International Facility Management Expo (iFaME) 2013, the International Facility Management Equipment, Products, Technology & Services Exhibition, to be held from 7-9 May 2013, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
Part of a premier sourcing platform in sectors related to the building maintenance & engineering industry, iFaME 2013 will bring together the expertise and talent that makes for efficient and sustainable facility management. It will include an extensive showcase of new technologies, products and services to aid facility managers in their task of maintaining their buildings. Much knowledge can also be garnered from the Singapore Facility Management Conference 2013 by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).
This exhibition will be held concurrently with Safety & Security Asia 2013, Fire & Disaster Asia 2013, Workplace Safety & Health Asia 2013 and LEDTEC Asia 2013. This platform will bring together the largest gathering of experts, professionals, products and services from all levels of building maintenance & engineering, security, emergency management, safety & health and LED lighting technology sectors. This collection of 5 exhibitions will gather 600 exhibitors coming from over from 30 countries and over 10,000 trade visitors and professionals from 40 countries.