BSRIA’s head of sustainable construction, Joanna Harris, recently spoke at the CIBSE One-Day Seminar on CIBSE Guide M: Maintenance Engineering & Management in Hong Kong.

The conference was organised by CIBSE’s Hong Kong Branch (CIBSE-HKB). Jo gave an introduction to the recently updated CIBSE Guide M and discussed the need for FM input into design and construction projects.

In her presentation, she discussed the importance of CIBSE Guide M – Maintenance, Engineering and Management and how it is the one resource the industry could reach for to understand how to operate and maintain buildings. The guide is aimed not only at operators but also designers to ensure they appreciate the operational requirements of buildings. While updating the guide in 2014, Jo and her CIBSE committee of volunteers worked in collaboration with BSRIA, RICS, B&ES and CIOB to ensure the guidance was aligned across the industry.

Jo outlined the designers and contractors’ role: providing installations that are safe, fit for purpose, maintainable and had been considered for the whole life – not just meeting the capital costs.

The maintainers and operators’ role was also discussed and key was maintaining a safe and healthy environment; supporting the core business, providing the service in the most cost effective way and minimising the impact on the environment.

The maintainers’ ability to influence the amount of energy used in buildings was emphasised: and there is guidance on justifying energy projects, monitoring and targeting energy, renewable energy sources and controls covered in the guide. The guide is also the most comprehensive source of economic life data available to the built environment sector and the factors that affect the life of assets was covered.

On the subject of FM input to design and construction Jo presented both Soft Landings and BIM as the mechanisms to ensure that was implemented on projects. She introduced the Hong Kong audience to BIM and how it relates to FM. 

She said: “An exciting aspect for BIM is to generate a single piece of information which can be used 100 times. With the potential to strip the waste from processes and achieving right first time operation that meets the needs of users.

“Giving us better buildings, with clear operational efficiencies, which represent the best whole life value. A well-performing building is not just a physical product, but the outcome of a successful enterprise. There is a need to change attitudes, habits and processes which BIM and Soft Landings’ can help with.”

The Guide M is available from CIBSE knowledge portal and to buy direct from BSRIA.

Jo will also be speaking at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Nuclear Ventilation Conference being held between 17 and 18 November in Warrington on the topic of BIM – The True Value of BIM in operation