Booming growth in the Middle East construction industry is driving an urgent need for effective facilities management in the region to help developers save money, a leading FM expert says.
John McIntosh, Head of Facilities Management for global building services specialists Currie & Brown, will tell delegates at a major new industry event in Dubai why there is a movement to re-assess the methodology for planning and managing FM services in real estate projects.
Currie & Brown will launch its range of facilities management consultancy services in the Middle East at FM EXPO, taking place Dubai’s World Trade Centre from 4-6 June.
John McIntosh, who will address delegates attending the event’s seminar programme, says: “Facilities management is very well established in Europe where there is a tendency to invest heavily at the inception of a building to ensure that finances invested in the building are saved in the long term through efficient management and design.
“By contrast, management of real estate projects in the Middle East has traditionally been handled by landlords, owners and appointed managers without, possibly, sufficient focus on effective integrated facilities management or the effect such a strategy has on long term cost management and standards of service.”
“With the construction sector booming across the region at the moment, the need for a greater understanding of FM and how it can save companies money has never been greater.”
An emerging concept in the Middle East, facilities management advocates an integrated approach in order to manage the built environment effectively from inception and throughout its life.
Currie & Brown has handled a wide range of FM projects around the world and aims to capitalise on the major growth anticipated for the industry in the Middle East as developers seek to protect investments.
Backed by 20 years experience in the Middle East, the company has a strong regional presence, with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Qatar.
Dania Dayeh, Currie & Brown’s Business Development Coordinator for the Middle East said: “The arrival of FM EXPO is very timely, since the benefits of FM are now beginning to be understood in the Middle East. We will be using the event as a platform to introduce our services to key players in the region.”
“Effective facilities management is fundamental to the success of any organisation and contributes to the delivery of its strategic and operational objectives while providing a safe and efficient working environment.”
Jointly organised by UAE-based event management and marketing specialists, Streamline Marketing Group, and exhibition organisers dmg world media, the event’s programme of seminars will present a number of global experts addressing pertinent topics including business continuity, risk management, quantifying FM values and intelligent buildings.
FM EXPO will be run alongside the Office Exhibition, Hotel Show and the InRetail exhibition, all of which have clear links to facilities management.
An emerging concept in the Middle East, facilities management is the integrated management of all types of built environments from commercial towers, to oil refineries, to hospitals. FM practitioners oversee the management of a building from its inception, providing a complete range of services such as property strategy, space management, communications infrastructure, building maintenance, administration and contract management.
Exhibitors are anticipated to attend FM EXPO from the environment, energy, health and safety, IT, maintenance, management, property services and security sectors in the Middle East, Europe and worldwide. They will have face-to-face meetings with decision-makers who have major projects planned and are responsible for purchasing and specifying numerous products and services.
Visitors will consist of a wide range of key decision makers, including architects, property developers, building maintenance managers and managing directors. Around 10,000 visitors are expected to attend the four exhibitions running in tandem, and they will have the chance to examine the latest facilities management trends, and developments in the region, during a programme of high quality, educational seminars.
