Facility Departments Can Add Value to Organizations

The accomplishments of facility managers can be as much out of sight as chilled water running through a pipe. But the actions of facility departments add significant value to many organizations. Building Operating Management created FMXcellence to recognize the important contributions that facility management make. In this, the first year of the program, FMXcellence honors are being presented to 10 facility departments. The notes below merely highlight the achievements of these departments. For more details, go to myfacilitiesnet.com/fmxcellence. For more about Bibb County Schools, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, and Gilbert Public Schools, see the article "Fresh Thinking for K-12".

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Bayer Corporation — Pittsburgh Site

Bayer Technology Services — Site Management

The goal was to support corporate sustainability efforts with a wide variety of measures on the 300-acre site.

• Site electricity use was reduced by 10 percent, avoiding $140,000 in additional cost. Gas use is also down 14 percent, saving $107,000 in costs.
• Office waste recycling was increased 80 percent over two years. Recycled 36,000 pounds of used carpet in 2009.
• With improved cooling tower operation, water consumption was reduced by 750,000 gallons per year.

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Bibb County Schools

Capital Programs Department

The goal was to build schools to enhance student achievement and reduce operating costs, while restoring public trust in the system's capital improvement program.

• Of 26 county schools that met federal mandates for yearly academic progress, 22 were new or renovated.
• In November 2009, voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum extending capital improvement funding.

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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Planning and Project Management

The goal was develop a transparent method for ranking construction and renovation projects — a method based on district priorities and free of politics — to convince voters to support a school construction referendum to alleviate severe overcrowding and address renovation and upgrade needs.

• A mathematical formula assigned points to 300 projects based on why each project was needed, what type of project it was, and how high a priority it had.
• A $516 million bond passed in November 2007, with 68 percent of the vote. Two years earlier, voters had turned down a $427 million bond issue for school construction.

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Gilbert Public Schools

Operations Department

The goal was to implement an energy management program to show the district is a good steward of the environment and help address the loss of an estimated $2.6 million in state funds.

• Energy use for the district fell from 18.38 kWh/sq. ft. per year to 16.24 kWh from 2006-07 to 2007-08.
• After two years, the district had grown in size by roughly 4 percent, but electricity use fell about 13 percent.

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Nike

Retail Facilities

The goal was to use a vendor conference to build relationships, emphasize partnership, and encourage open communication.

• Several vendors have, on their own initiative, negotiated lower pricing on materials.
• As a result of discussions at the conference, one vendor was able to resolve a stalemate and provided a retrofit of product, resulting in a savings of $140,000 to Nike.
• Vendors have been more willing to suggest out-of-the-box ideas and present other cost-saving opportunities.

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