Zohaib Azhar to
head up operations at UAE-based home maintenance specialist
Dubai, United Arab
Emirates, 23 August 2022:
Leading UAE-based home maintenance specialist Hitches & Glitches (H&G),
a part of the Farnek Group, has appointed Zohaib Azhar as head of operations to
drive its green digital strategy for hard and soft FM services, including
energy management.
In
his new position, Azhar will manage all commercial aspects of H&G’s FM
projects including cash flow and profitability, asset strategy and the
implementation of operational policies, document control and reporting.
Commenting
on Azhar’s appointment, Markus Oberlin, CEO Farnek said: “Zohaib is a multi-award-winning,
RICS-qualified professional, who has risen very quickly through the ranks over
the past five years and epitomises our ‘Farnek First’ policy of promoting from
within.
“During
his time with us he has successfully ensured that all of our projects were
aligned with our strategic objectives, using smart and sustainable techniques
to guarantee efficient and effective service delivery.”
Azhar
is now responsible for managing over 500 employees, operating 100 vehicles across
all seven emirates, servicing 6,000 customers, providing a broad range of
services including electrical and plumbing, air conditioning, water tank
cleaning, pool maintenance and general handyman services.
Azhar has
also been tasked with advancing the H&G Home Services app – a one stop
solution for any cleaning or maintenance work required by tenants or homeowners,
which features access to a 24/7 Customer Care Centre and emergency call outs.
The app has an Uber-style
tracking system, enabling users to follow the progress of their home
maintenance service requests and track the exact arrival time of the technician
live on google maps. It also affords customers the convenience of approving the
cost of materials to complete their home repair online, if required.
“Advancing
the green and digital aspects of home maintenance and cleaning, are critical to
our success. Customers today want an affordable, convenient, efficient and
effective solution that interfaces seamlessly with their busy lifestyles, while
minimising our impact on the environment,” said Azhar.
Moreover,
H&G can supply and install smart home gadgets such as RING video doorbells
and security lighting, as well as NEST air conditioning controls. Tenants and
homeowners can not only secure their properties while they are away, but they
can also save on utility bills and be kinder to the environment.
H&G
has also expanded its operations to manage facilities in restaurants and
offices, which require a more specialised, flexible and responsive approach.
This is especially true for commercial kitchen maintenance, where a number of
services maybe required from specialist deep cleaning, disinfection, maintenance
and repair to certified health and safety consultation.
Nadia Ibrahim outlines how regional hotels can
design, plan & execute a Net Zero strategy during recent Swiss Business
Council webinar
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday 16
August, 2022: Nadia
Ibrahim, Associate Director of Consultancy & Sustainability at leading
UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek,
has revealed how all hotels throughout the region can create a bespoke roadmap
to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050.
During her webinar presentation in
conjunction with the Swiss Business Council, which was attended by key hospitality
figures from across the region, Ibrahim highlighted the fact that some international
hospitality brands may already have strategies in place to achieve their Net
Zero ambitions.
However, many independent hotels,
particularly three and four-star properties would require external support from
consultants to design, plan and execute a carbon neutral roadmap.
“Major international hotel brands
such as Accor, Hilton and Marriott have the necessary resources to achieve
their sustainability goals, but many privately-owned independent hotels will not
have the means to access dedicated internal support.
“There is also general confusion about what Net Zero means and the process and
actions required to make a corporate commitment and how a hotel’s carbon footprint
can be measured and reduced without affecting the operation or guest experience,”
said Ibrahim.
It is
widely reported that tourism and specifically hotels account for 8% and 1%
respectively of total global carbon emissions. But implementing a carbon
reduction plan is not an easy task, with multiple internal and external
challenges. The most common of which are carbon footprint assessments across
the hotel and its value chain, a lack of financial resources with little or no budget
allocated for climate related activities, the higher costs associated with
sustainable products and insufficient regulatory incentives to support a hotel’s
Net Zero transition.
Ibrahim, who was elected to
the board of the official Local Network of the UN Global Compact in the UAE earlier
this year, also empahsised to delegates that despite the challenges, sustainability in hospitality is an
undeniable trend which also affords operational savings, competitive advantage and
strengthens relationships with stakeholders.
“Reducing energy output, water consumption
and waste, will save a hotel operation money through lower utility bills and
landfill costs. Moreover, 81% of travellers that responded to a 2021 booking.com
survey said that they wanted to stay in sustainable accommodation and a further
49% claimed there was not enough choice,” said Ibrahim.
Leading by example, Farnek
consultants have already identified the scope and boundaries, to accurately measure
and reduce its own carbon footprint. Apart from building performance, such as
energy and water consumption, Farnek is also taking into account employee
travel, logistics, purchased goods and services, waste disposal, as well as
focusing on recycling, renewables and other lower carbon alternatives.
“It is impossible to become carbon neutral by reduction methods alone, so
hotels will need to offset
a certain percentage of their emissions, by supporting certified carbon
offset projects, such as
providing clean cooking fuel to isolated communities in Africa to help prevent deforestation,”
added Ibrahim.
Farnek has also developed an in-house, online solution called Hotel Optimizer
which can carry out and benchmark complete energy, water and waste audits for hotel
owners and managers.
Furthermore,
Farnek is the preferred partner in the Middle East for Green Globe
Certification, the premier worldwide
sustainability management system and certification for the hospitality, travel
and tourism industry.
“It is essential that hotels start to
plan their environmental strategy now if they are to play their part and support
the overall Net Zero goals of their respective governments, particularly those
in the UAE, who will host the COP 28 meeting in Abu Dhabi next year,” concluded
Ibrahim.
UAE-based HITEK, to provide technical
support to major Sudanese FM company TAD, to help transform its business
strategy in North & East Africa into a more digital and sustainable offering
Leading UAE-based IT smart Facilities
Management (FM) solutions company HITEK Services,
which is part of the Farnek group of companies, has signed a
two-year contract with major, tier one Sudanese total FM company, TAD.
Under the terms of the agreement, which
is HITEK’s first overseas venture, the company will provide TAD with state-of-the-art
connected, automated and intelligent FM solutions which complement a leaner and
more sustainable operational process, improving productivity while reducing
energy consumption for building owners and managers.
HITEK’s solutions
architecture and design, as well as its technical sales support, will transform TAD’s FM service
offering into a fully digital and sustainable proposition by utilising HITEK’s
CAFM suite, which includes a state-of-the-art WhatsApp AI Chatbot.
This provides real-time visibility
across various services and can also monitor, escalate and report dynamically
through mobility, web portal and automated email reports. HITEK’s WhatsApp AI
Chatbot provides connectivity to onsite project teams wherever they are, through
an integrated mobile CAFM, streamlining service requests and once complete an automated
closure notification.
“TAD has a workforce of over 1,500
employees spread over vast areas, particularly in Egypt and East Africa and HITEK’s CAFM will offer TAD a distinct competitive
advantage by digitalising, connecting and automating facilities management,
using innovative technologies that integrate people, process, assets and
facilities logically and seamlessly,” said Javeria Aijaz, MD – HITEK
Services.
“We are receiving enquiries for HITEK
services from FM professionals right across the MENA region, who want to
digitalise asset management, as well as monitor and control their assets and
the performance of FM service providers. The FM market throughout MENA is
becoming more informed of how properties can be maintained in a more efficient
and cost-effective manner, which is creating exceptional demand for digitalised
day-to-day operations,” added Aijaz.
Headquartered in Khartoum, Sudan, award-winning
TAD, which focuses on delivering a complete suite of both hard and soft FM offerings
to companies across North and East Africa, has grown five-fold over the last
five years to become one of the most distinguished facilities management
companies across the entire region.
The firm has worked alongside some of
the biggest national and international companies that operate in the region,
including Ericsson, Zain, UN, Huawei, NGO’s and national embassies. Using HITEK’s
CADFM software, TAD can now develop and deliver customised service level
agreements (SLAs) for both hard and soft services, across its entire client
portfolio, as well as attracting new prospective customers.
“HITEK’s mobility solution makes TAD
so much more cost-efficient. Management will have access to updates from all of
our customer’s sites and assets with a single tap. It gives me digital and
automatic reporting, which helps me improve my FM services.
“Their unique WhatsApp Chatbot made
it really simple to submit and automate support requests, which I had never
encountered with any other solution. Whether it was Service Requests, Audits,
or Management Reporting, the mobile solution enabled the workers and supervisors
to communicate live and in real-time” said Mohamed
Abdelhamied – CEO TAD.
TAD has been awarded the
internationally recognised ISO 41001: 2018 certification in International FM
and is the first ISO 41001 FM company in Sudan. Unquestionably, one of TAD’s
crowning achievements is their state-of-the-art in-house training centre. A
one-of-a-kind facility within the East and North Africa region, the centre is
the firm’s way of delivering on their corporate and social responsibility to
help the local community.
Trainees can learn new skills completely free of charge, whilst also receiving daily allowances, for meals, and a certified qualification at the end. Graduates can then choose to either stay with the company, if there are positions available, or seek other jobs in the market with their newfound accreditation.
Photo
caption: (L-R) Mohamed Abdelhamied – CEO TAD and Javeria Aijaz, MD – HITEK
Services.
Nadia
Ibrahim, Associate Director for Sustainability at leading UAE-based, smart and
green Facilities Management (FM) company Farnek, has been elected to the
board of the official Local Network of the UN Global Compact in the UAE, for a
three-year tenure.
As a
new board member, Ibrahim will act as an ambassador for the Local Network of
the UNGC and her key responsibilities include, supporting strategic objectives,
supporting organisational risk management, recruitment and growth of the
network and leading or co-lead at least one task force or strategic objective.
Commenting
Ibrahim said: “I am proud to represent Farnek, the GCN UAE participants and all
other stakeholders as a member of the board. I am looking forward to working
closely with my fellow board members, engaging with our participants and other private
sector companies and together making a real difference, locally as well as
regionally, supporting the UN Global Compact.”
Headed
by Chairman Eng. Waleed Salman, who is EVP, Business Development &
Excellence, DEWA, the UAE board is comprised of members from a cross-section of
the UAE’s business community. Initial candidates were selected by a
sub-committee, which reviewed and shortlisted applications. Four new board
members were elected by the 176 participating companies in the UAE, to
represent them during the next 2022-2025 board tenure.
The
other new board members joining Ibrahim include Ayesha Khan, the founder of
Food ATM, Alia Ali Mubarak Busamra, the chief sustainability officer at the
ENOC Group and Hanife Ymer, who is the head of sustainability services at
global commercial real estate services company, JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle).
The
GCN-UAE is one of 69 Local Networks around the world that operates through a
signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UNGC HQ. Each network is
independent and self-managed, with a unique mandate to provide direct local
support to all participants based in their respective countries, with direct
communication and guidance from UNGC HQ.
Hosted
by the World Green Economy Organization and established in 2015, the GCN-UAE
works closely with the UNGC HQ to provide opportunities for learning, policy
dialogue, and partnerships on the Ten Principles of responsible conduct and its
17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The UNGC’s Ten
Principles and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are all-encompassing
frameworks designed to achieve a future with social justice at its core, which
helps to create dynamic partnerships specifically within the business community
to mobilise the required resources and investments, vital to realising the
aspirations of the organisation.
According
to the GCN-UAE many private sector organisations have already pledged to align
their strategies and operations with the Ten Principles and the SDGs. And by ensuring sustained actions on the ground, the
GCN-UAE aims to widen the role and the scope of the private sector’s
participation, by urging more active incorporation of environmental, social and
governance factors into contemporary business processes.
Appointment made amid
upsurge in demand for FM technology solutions across all vertical sectors
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 16 June 2022: Facilities
Management (FM)technology solutions company, HITEK, which is a part of leading
UAE-based smart and green FM company Farnek,
has appointed Amit Madan as Head of Sales, to direct the company’s revenue growth
strategy.
Madan, who reports directly to HITEK’s managing director,
Javeria Aijaz,will be responsible forsupporting the company’s corporate
strategic plan, by implementing an aggressive revenue growth strategy.
His responsibilities include directing business
development, enhancing key client relationships, revenue generation and budget
accountability. Madan will also be responsible for creating new revenue streams,
as well as developing greater brand and product awareness among building
owners, facilities managers and operators, throughout the UAE.
“HITEK was only
launched in January this year and being a part of the Farnek Group, we have already
benefited from the considerable support from the corporate sales and marketing
team.
“However, due to the extraordinary demand for our innovative
FM technology solutions, at this stage in our development, it became apparent
that we would need a dedicated professional to coordinate with the corporate sales
team and drive our revenue growth.
“With his strong
technical and commercial background, as well as his considerable sales experience
in the UAE FM market, Amit was the ideal candidate, to fulfil this role,” said
Aijaz.
The holder of an Executive Master’s
in Business Administration, with a specialisation in Project Management &
Environmental Studies and with more than 17 years’ experience in the UAE, Madan previously
held key senior business development roles with major FM companies such as ServeU,
Imdaad and Engie Cofely, generating over 550 million dirhams in revenue over the
past eight years.
Commenting on his appointment,
Madan said: “HITEK is clearly a market leader. It has a very distinct competitive
edge, especially at a time when the FM industry is facing major challenges in the
way buildings are operated and therefore managed.
“Buildings are becoming smarter, through
the rapid development of artificial intelligence and the digitisation of asset management,
which is further complicated when environmental issues are brought into the
equation,” said Madan.
“Because HITEK can integrate with any existing technologies
like BMS, built on open protocol, HITEK can now activate a variety of bespoke, white-labeled
portfolio solutions, to building managers and other FM professionals, linking smart
buildings with a digitally connected workforce.
“HITEK is working in line with UAE Government
strategic mission of paperless & Digitalization and NET Zero 2050 vision,
where all HITEK products are integral part to achieve the country’s goals. Our solutions support staff welfare, sustainability and operational efficiencies,
reducing manpower costs by up to 17%.
“With more innovative
smart products in the pipeline, HITEK will undoubtedly continue to lead from
the front and I am looking forward to playing a key role in its success,” he
added.
The HITEK solution is a unique and compelling
market proposition, which connects people,
assets and spaces from multiple remote sites, using intelligent analytical platforms,
for cleaning, security and maintenance, so they can be centrally managed and monitored
by utilising the Internet of Things (IoT), Building Management Systems (BMS), Cloud,
Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based technologies.
“HITEK’s 24/7 command and control room or ‘nerve
centre’, is located at Farnek’s state-of-the-art staff accommodation centre in
Jebel Ali, allowing us to rollout more connected
and transformative applications of technology that not only uplift the face of
FM digitalisation, but also offer enhanced efficiency, as technology advances,
interfacing with all aspects of FM,” added Aijaz.
Javeria Aijaz, Managing Director
of UAE-based innovative smart FM technology solutions company HITEK,
addressed delegates today (Friday 10 June) at the ‘Innovation in Facilities
Management Forum – Future of FM Summit’, which is taking place at the Sofitel
Dubai the Palm hotel in Dubai.
The forum brought together FM
professionals from all over the Middle East to discuss the future of FM and how
the usage of technology, AI, software, automation, drones are enabling the FM
industry to become more innovative and efficient.
The panel session, which also featured Prabhu Ramachandran, Founder
& CEO of Facilio and Dustine Stanley, Director of Netix and David Nice,
Associate Director at Emrill Services, focused specifically
on how vendors can enhance the technological experience of users, by explaining
the intricate features and benefits of their products, to both ease and
accelerate the demanding process of adopting new technologies, making companies
smarter.
“HITEK epitomises the way in which
facility maintenance services will be delivered in the future. It digitalises,
connects and automates facilities management, by using innovative technologies
that integrate people, process, assets and facilities in a logical and seamless
fashion,” said Aijaz.
“It is essential that FM
professionals throughout the region, keep pace with technological advances, to improve
efficiency and to stay competitive. And to enable that, it is equally important
that technology vendors should shoulder part of the responsibility to alleviate
and fast-track digital transition, wherever possible,” she added.
Part of the Farnek
Group, HITEK’s digital solution connects
people, assets and spaces from multiple remote sites, using intelligent analytical
platforms, for cleaning, security and maintenance. They are centrally managed
and monitored by utilising the Internet of Things (IoT), Building Management Systems
(BMS), Cloud, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based
technologies.
The solutions support
operational efficiencies, staff welfare, and sustainability while saving clients
significant amounts of money by reducing manpower costs by up to 17% by
transferring from traditional FM operational management to HITEK’s smart
management.
“HITEK’s 24/7 command and control room or ‘nerve centre’,
is located at Farnek’s state-of-the-art staff accommodation centre in Jebel Ali.
Being 5G and Wi-Fi 6 enabled, HITEK can take advantage of increased bandwidth,
ultra-low latency and enhanced security,” said
Aijaz.
“This will allow us to rollout more
connected and transformative applications of technology that not only uplift the
face of FM digitalisation, but also offer enhanced efficiency, as technology advances,
interfacing with all aspects of FM,” she added.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2 June
2022: Nadia Ibrahim,
Associate Director- Consultancy & Sustainability at leading UAE-based smart
and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, addressed delegates
yesterday (Wednesday 1 June 2022) at the second Retrofit Tech Abu Dhabi Summit.
During a panel session on the opening
day, entitled Net-Zero Energy Projects – Challenges, Opportunities and the
Realities, Ibrahim offered her considered opinion on how best to achieve the UAE
capital’s Net Zero ambitions through retrofitting existing buildings.
“Looking at the big picture, Net Zero is a tool to stabilise climate
change, through the significant reduction of carbon emissions. I like to use
the term ‘Regenerative Design’ rather than retrofitting.What
we need are designs that focus on reducing carbon emissions, rather than those
which merely emphasise energy & cost savings alone,” said Ibrahim.
She went on to describe a strategic approach including
the overall assessment of buildings using advanced modelling tools, the
differing levels of refurbishment, the renewable energy component and the
increased awareness and use of digital tools, such as Farnek’s groundbreaking
HITEK solution, which integrates with Building Management Systems (BMS), to identify, design and focus on reducing carbon emissions through energy
reduction & materials management.
However, Ibrahim also acknowledged the challenges
faced when trying to execute
a retrofitting project.
“One barrier is commonly referred
to as the “split incentive”. This is where the landlord is
responsible for the capital expenditure to make the efficiency improvements,
but the tenant is the one who is likely to benefit from lower energy bills.
Overcoming this barrier through both regulatory and voluntary measures will be
key to making progress on this front.
“Inadequate financial support is
also holding back energy efficiency and green government initiatives. Most
buildings are privately-owned but local developers and investors are reluctant to
commit to the initial capital expense because risk-averse banks are unlikely to
offer financial backing for what is still a relatively new process.
“UAE banks should develop risk analysis
mechanisms to measure the potential for lending to this market and energy
services companies (ESCOs) should raise awareness within the financial
community and try to complete as many projects as possible to establish a track
record. Banks could also create energy
efficiency funds, while investors should be encouraged to take
a longer-term view of the returns, which in some cases can continue for up to 30
years,” she added.
In terms of other solutions,
Ibrahim suggested that government incentives would be key to unlocking and
accelerating retrofitting projects, such as rebates, subsidies and in the near
future tax credits.
The event, which is taking place at
the Conrad Hotel, in Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Towers, has attracted over 300 delegates,
officially co-hosted by Abu Dhabi Energy
Services (ADES), bringing together key stakeholders
across theenergy efficiency, sustainabilityand retrofitting sectors,
to help achieve Abu Dhabi’s energy goals.
Moderated by Hassan Younes, Co-CEO
and Founder, GRFN, other notable speakers on the panel included, Majid Ideisian, Project Manager Financial Sustainability and
Investment Department, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Eng. Mohamed Al
Hadhrami, Energy & Water Efficiency Accelerators Directorate, Abu Dhabi
Department of Energy Amer Bin Ahmed, Managing Director, Knauf Middle East
The UAE has already committed to Net
Zero by 2050 and will host COP 28 in 2023. Abu Dhabi also has progressive plans
such as the Demand Side Management and Energy Rationalization Strategy
2030, which will initiate large-scale retrofitting and energy efficiency
projects, for which sustainable design and energy efficient performance will be
of paramount importance, to achieving its Net Zero targets.
Farnek has been a member of the
Energy Services Company (ESCO) accreditation scheme since March 2017. The
scheme was primarily set up to give building owners, and managers added
confidence, that the accredited companies had the experience, capabilities,
financial strength, HSE and related equipment, to retrofit buildings to international
standards.
“In essence Farnek is fully equipped
to identify, design, deliver and finance energy reduction for and on behalf of building
owners, which creates not only more cost-effective buildings but a cleaner environment,”
added Ibrahim.
Farnek’s Associate Director of Sustainability, Nadia
Ibrahim, joined a panel discussion on sustainability and Environmental, Social,
and Governance (ESG) compliant procurement practices at The Hotel Show
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, 25 May 2022: Nadia Ibrahim, Farnek’s
Associate Director of Sustainability, underscored the company’s smart and green
facilities management credentials when she took to the stage during the opening
day of The Hotel Show, which is taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre until
26 May 2022.
As part of the session, Sustainable Procurement – a 360 overview of
ESG compliant procurement, Ibrahim outlined the importance of ensuring
environmental, social and governance (ESG) in procurement by highlighting,
amongst other factors, the importance of responsible sourcing.
She said: “We work with many clients and manage more than 2,000 suppliers,
so ESG is an integrated and integral part of our corporate values. We ensure
that we responsibly procure products and services on behalf of our clients,
suppliers, and employees while recognising and awarding those committed to ESG
practices.”
In addition, Ibrahim also outlined the importance of the tourism and hospitality
sector adopting a net-zero strategy, to positively impact climate change to
meet the environmental demands of various stakeholders, including customers.
Other distinguished panel members included representatives from Accor,
Kerten Hospitality, Premier Inn Middle East, and the consultancy AESG.
The discussion focused on how companies are now more accountable for
their sourcing and how ESG has become a key element of every department and
division within the hotel sector. The traditional role of procurement officers
was also discussed, and it was noted they have now become one of the key
drivers of sustainability. However, it was agreed that there is still more work
to be done in this sector.
For its part, Farnek recently unveiled a roadmap to achieve Net Zero
emissions by 2050, in line with the UAE’s strategic initiative, announced in
October last year. Using 2021 as a baseline, Farnek consultants have already identified
the scope and boundaries to accurately measure its carbon footprint.
In addition to building performance, which includes energy and water
consumption, Farnek also considers employee travel, logistics, purchased goods
and services, and waste disposal, while focusing on recycling, renewables and
other lower-carbon alternatives.
“Transparency, gauging progress and making adjustments will be important
factors to the success of achieving our net-zero ambitions,” said Ibrahim. “We
are confident that within the next five years, we will have reduced our
electricity, water, refrigerants and fuel consumption by 30%, cut our waste by
10% and lower emissions associated with purchased goods and services by 5%,”
she added.
In 2031 Farnek’s objective is to decrease its emissions in these
categories by up to 50%, and by 2048 its carbon footprint will have been cut by
up to 90% overall.
Market-leading and multi-award-winning Farnek has been a long-term
advocate of sustainability, the company is the preferred partner in the Middle
East for Green Globe Certification, the
premier worldwide sustainability management system and certification for the
hospitality, travel and tourism industry.
Farnek has also developed an in-house,
online solution called Optimizer which can carry out and benchmark total
energy, water and waste audit for building owners and managers. Farnek will also share its
expertise when Ibrahim addresses members of the Swiss Business Council on 8
June during a dedicated webinar, to showcase the measures Farnek has undertaken
to drive ESG best practice throughout the company.
As part of the company’s overall participation at the event, Farnek is also
showcasing its dedicated standalone hotel management company, ‘Trendz’, offering
a unique 360-degree service for hotel owners and operating companies, with a focus
on sustainability, technology and outsourcing, three of the most important
trends in hospitality today.
In terms of technology, Farnek has developed an in-house app called
‘Flexi-Guest’, which digitalises the guest journey from pre-arrival to check
out. The app interfaces with a hotel’s property management system (PMS),
affording guests a whole suite of services, automated electronic updates and
alerts to the guest, as well as e-registration documents, e-invoices and
e-receipts, all in one convenient space.
Farnek’s HITEK digital solution will also be showcased. Able
to integrate with Building Management
Systems (BMS), it is fully equipped to identify, design, deliver, and
finance energy reduction for and on behalf of building owners, creating more
cost-effective buildings and a cleaner environment.
The Farnek stand can be found in Hall 1 of The Hotel Show.
Top executives from leading FM provider Farnek to present a 360-degree market proposition to hotel owners & operators at The Hotel Show
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 18 May 2022: Leading
UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek will participate as a sustainability
partner in this year’s Hotel Show, which opens on Tuesday, 24May,
at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Farnek, which recently launched a dedicated standalone
hotel management company called ‘Trendz’, offers a unique 360-degree service
for hotel owners and operating companies with an accent on sustainability,
technology and outsourcing, three of the most important trends in hospitality
today.
“Guests today demand green, tech-driven hotels that
offer value for money. That puts pressure on hotel operators to present
credible environmental programmes and investment in technology while striving
for cost-efficiency,” said Walter Knight, Director of hospitality, Farnek.
Established over 40 years ago, with 8,000 employees,
Farnek has traditionally provided manpower and outsourcing services, such as
cleaning, security and property maintenance, all areas of a hotel’s operation
that are now integral to sustainability and cost-efficiency.
Furthermore, highlighting its 360-degree proposition,
Farnek was chosen to
manage the 2,273 apartments in Expo Village, including reservation services,
concierge, front office services and housekeeping.
In terms of technology, Farnek has developed an in-house
app called ‘Flexi-Guest’, which digitalises the guest journey from pre-arrival
to check out. The app interfaces with a hotel’s property management system
(PMS), affording guests a whole suite of services from uploading travel
documents, such as vaccination certificates, ordering a car on arrival, room
service and laundry. The hotel app can also send automated electronic updates
and alerts to the guest, as well as e-registration documents, e-invoices and e-receipts,
all in one convenient space.
Sustainability is another key issue for hotels. Speaking
at the Hotel Show, during a conference session entitled Sustainable
Procurement – a 360 overview of ESG compliant Procurement, Nadia Ibrahim,
Farnek’s Associate Director of Consultancy and Sustainability, will be sharing
her thoughts with industry professionals on the adoption of environmental,
social, and corporate governance (ESG) standards in the procurement process and
how this can be integrated into a hotel’s supply chain process, as well as collaborating
with suppliers to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of
business through responsible sourcing.
“With the UAE strategy to become Net Zero by 2050,
it is vital that hotels consider the impact their operations have on the
environment and put a strategic roadmap in place to reduce their carbon
emissions. The UAE government can’t achieve its sustainability goals without
support from the private sector,” said Ibrahim.
Hotel owners and operators will also need
to implement strategic plans to initiate large-scale retrofitting and energy
efficiency projects, for which sustainable design and energy-efficient
performance will be of paramount importance.
Integrating with Building
Management Systems (BMS), Farnek’s HITEK digital solution is fully equipped to identify, design,
deliver, and finance energy reduction for and on behalf of building owners,
which creates more cost-effective buildings and a cleaner environment.
Farnek will also be focusing on outsourcing,
particularly in housekeeping, an area Farnek believes training is of the utmost
importance. “Outsourced staff must be highly trained in all areas of their job;
that’s fundamental. But it is just as important that they understand the essence
of the brand they are working for and how to become an integral part of the hotel
team, not just a contracted worker in a uniform,” commented Knight.
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and
technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned
independent total facilities management company.
With a skilled
workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities
Management and security services across several sectors; Aviation, Hospitality,
Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial,
Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure and Entertainment.
Walter Knight, Farnek’s director of hospitality, presented Flexi-Guest to hundreds of delegates at the annual Arabian Travel Market in Dubai on Wednesday 11 May 2022.
Speaking on the ATM
Global Stage, Knight explained how the app digitalises the guest journey from
pre-arrival to check out, enhancing the guest experience, during a panel
session entitled ‘What guests really want’, moderated by media personality, Gemma
Greenwood.
The app which was developed in-house by Farnek’s award-winning technology
and innovation division, interfaces with the hotel’s property management system
(PMS) affording guests an array of services from uploading travel documents, such
as vaccination certificates, ordering a car on arrival, room service and laundry.
The hotel app can also send automated electronic updates and alerts to the
guest, as well as e-registration documents, e-invoices and e-receipts, all in
one convenient space.
Knight said, “Flexi-Guest achieves three main hotel objectives. First of
all, it offers the guest an enhanced experience, providing a seamless pre-arrival
and check-in procedure.
“Secondly, during the stay, guests can order room service in advance,
have laundry picked up or delivered, request early or late check outs, invoices
or order a car to go to the airport. Because the app manages secure online
payments, the guest doesn’t even need to physically visit the reception.
“Finally, the hotel benefits too. If the experience is good, the guest is
more likely to return and also recommend the hotel to friends and colleagues. The
hotel operates more efficiently, saving staff time and expense and has the added
advantage of driving revenue through F&B and e-concierge services,” added
Knight.
In terms of sustainability Flexi-Guest can estimate the carbon emissions
generated by any guest during their stay and provide a cost and a range of options,
should any guests wish to offset their carbon footprint.
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable
and technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent
total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000
employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management services across
several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Telecom, Residential,
Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek has promoted UK National Derek Ford, to Senior Director of Business Development (BD) and Key Accounts.
Ford, who joined Farnek in 2016 as a project director of total FM services, has a wealth of experience, including a 23-year career as an engineer in the British Army, with posts in Germany and Oman.
Reporting directly to CEO, Markus Oberlin, Ford’s new responsibilities include aligning BD with corporate strategy, directing all sales activities including diversifying into new business sectors, managing key accounts and JV contracts, leading, motivating, and developing the BD team, improving efficiency and quality management, as well as revenue accountability.
“Derek has been directing our Total Facilities Management (TFM) and Hard Facilities Management (HFM) service teams on key projects including Expo 2020, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Fountains, the Dubai Mall and Dubai Airport. His exemplary engineering qualifications and in-depth knowledge of managing complex facilities made him the outstanding candidate to direct our business development strategy,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
After a distinguished career in the British Army, in 2012, Ford was handed responsibility as a consultant technical officer by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), to oversee multiple operational and maintenance contracts for infrastructure and technical airfield facilities and the delivery of MEP and infrastructure contracts for multinational agencies, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
After a brief training project for PDO in Oman, Ford returned to Kandahar in 2014, at the request of the NSPA, as a lead engineer and senior technical officer, to manage the airfield engineering department, offering strategic engineering and operational advice
In 2016, Ford was appointed director of FM management contracts at Dubai’s City Walk, where he was responsible for mobilising and delivering FM services for the mixed-use complex, consisting of retail, F&B outlets, leisure and entertainment, the master community and residential units. More recently, he was project director of the Burj Khalifa, responsible for the delivery of HFM services and the day-to-day management of a multi-disciplined FM team.
“The UAE FM market is not only intensely competitive, but it is also becoming increasingly multifaceted, with technological advances, combined with demand for environmentally friendly operations.
“Farnek has invested more than one million dollars developing technologies that are innovative and impactful, offering smart and sustainable solutions with a Net Zero plan powered by cloud, mobility, IoT and AI platforms. This is the future of FM and I am looking forward to playing an integral role in the development of a market proposition, fit for smart cities,” commented Ford.
Farnek’s new corporate structure also includes a number of other senior appointments to boost the company’s presence particularly in Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates, as well as within its residential maintenance company, Hitches & Glitches.
“Besides growing demand for technology and sustainability, market verticals are diverging as well, so we have restructured our organisation, creating dedicated business units, such as HITEK (technology and innovation) and Trendz (hospitality management) to address these challenges and to capitalise on the inevitable opportunities that lie ahead,” added Oberlin.
UAE-based smart & green FM company to launch 360-degree
hotel management
at Arabian Travel Market 2022
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities
management (FM) company Farnek, is to
launch ‘Trendz’ a new standalone hotel management company, at Arabian Travel
Market (ATM), which takes place at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on 9-12
May 2022.
“‘Trendz’ offers a unique 360-degree service for hotel
owners and operating companies with an accent on technology and sustainability,
two of the most important trends in hospitality today,” said Walter Knight,
Director of hospitality at Farnek.
“Farnek, which has over 8,000 employees, has
traditionally provided manpower and outsourcing services, such as cleaning, security
and property maintenance. However, ‘Trendz’ takes that market proposition one
stage further, managing front office requirements, reservations, concierge, housekeeping
and room service – we can also manage sales operations, marketing and PR.
“It is a cost-effective and totally flexible hospitality
proposition. Hotels can engage with us for specific operational requirements or
contract us to manage an entire property, either under the ‘Trendz’ brand or as
a white label product,” added Knight.
One of Farnek’s most recent accomplishments, was
the development of an app called ‘Flexi-Guest’ which digitalises the guest
journey from pre arrival to check out.
The app, which was developed in-house, interfaces
with a hotel’s property management system (PMS) affording guests a whole suite
of services from uploading travel documents, such as vaccination certificates, ordering
a car on arrival, room service and laundry. The hotel app can also send automated
electronic updates and alerts to the guest, as well as e-registration documents,
e-invoices and e-receipts, all in one convenient space.
“This gives the guest an enhanced experience, providing
a seamless pre-arrival and check-in procedure. They can order room service in
advance, have laundry picked up or delivered, request early or late check outs,
view and pay invoices with secure online payments.
“If the guest experience is good, that develops loyalty
and improves online ratings. The hotel operates more efficiently, saving staff time
and expense and has the added advantage of driving revenue through F&B and e-concierge
services,” added Knight.
Farnek has just completed a successful trial of the
app, having secured a contract for the Expo Village, situated on the Expo 2020
site. Farnek was responsible for managing the reservation services, concierge, front
office services and housekeeping, for 2,273 apartments during the show.
Sustainability is key to Farnek’s hospitality
strategy and Flexi-Guest can estimate the carbon emissions generated by any guest
during their stay and provide a cost should the guest wish to offset their carbon
footprint. Indeed, visitors to Farnek’s stand at ATM, will be able to measure
their own carbon footprint, with an option to contribute to a range of sustainable
projects to offset their impact on the environment, while participating in the
show.
“The
fact that Flexi-Guest can interface with any hotel property management system, makes
it extremely marketable, hotels can simply pay a licence fee to use it and we are
already looking at upgrading Flexi-Guest, so that management reports can be
generated in real time,” added Knight.
Hoteliers will also be able to take advantage of Farnek’s
Hotel Optimizer software, which records, analyses and
benchmarks energy and water consumption, as well as waste generation, resulting
in a more cost-efficient and sustainable operation. Farnek can also support hotels
that wish to develop and implement Net Zero carbon strategies.
Furthermore,
Farnek is a preferred partner and auditor for Green Globe the
worldwide sustainability accreditation system based on internationally accepted
criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses.
An essential attribute for green listings on booking.com, or to be labelled ‘Eco-Certified’
in Google search results.
“We believe that our 360-degree market proposition
for the hotel sector, is unrivalled and our participation at the ATM provides
us with an ideal platform to showcase our services to a targeted audience of
over 20,000, local, regional and international travel and tourism professionals,”
added Knight.
Leading UAE-based smart
and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, is currently showcasing
its HITEK smart solutions at the Retrofit Tech MENA Summit, which is taking place
at the Movenpick Grand Al Bustan in Dubai.
The series of events
provides an inclusive platform for key players in the energy efficiency, sustainability and retrofitting sectors,
to support the region’s sustainability goals.
Four countries in the GCC region
have already committed to Net Zero targets, the UAE and Oman by 2050, while
Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have targeted a date of 2060. Qatar and Iraq have also
announced plans to reduce their carbon emissions, with Egypt and the UAE hosting
COP 27 & COP 28 in 2022 and 2023 respectively.
“In partnership with the private
sector, strategic plans will need to be put in place to initiate large-scale
retrofitting and energy efficiency projects, for which sustainable design and
energy efficient performance will be of paramount importance,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek
“Integrating with Building Management Systems (BMS), the
HITEK digital
solution is fully equipped to identify, design, deliver and finance energy
reduction for and on behalf of building owners, which creates not only more
cost-effective buildings but a cleaner environment,” he added.
Farnek has been a member
of the Energy Services Company (ESCO) accreditation scheme since March 2017. The
scheme was primarily set up to give building owners, and managers added
confidence, that the accredited companies had the experience, capabilities,
financial strength, HSE and related equipment, to retrofit buildings to international
standards.
Under the ESCO programme
there are two different business models, catering for the most popular approaches
to energy performance contracting.
The shared savings model
refers to ESCO investment into the equipment and materials to generate energy
efficiency and is remunerated from a predetermined percentage of the savings
generated.
The guaranteed savings is
a more traditional model, whereby an ESCO would recommend implementing
energy-saving solutions (ring-fenced by contractual key performance indicators)
and the building owner provides the financing. Either way both contracts are intended
to be fair and balanced and allocate risk proportionately between the ESCO and
the building owner.
HITEK can also
connect assets from multiple sites so
they can be centrally monitored and managed by utilising the Internet of Things
(IoT), Cloud, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based
technologies.
“By linking smart buildings
with a digitally connected workforce, the
system affords operational efficiencies and supports staff welfare. Customers can
save up to 17% of their manpower costs by transferring from traditional FM operational
management to HITEK’s smart management, which also reduces carbon emissions
still further,” said Oberlin.
Farnek has a dedicated sustainability area on
its stand, providing a comprehensive bouquet of green products and services. Farnek
can help building owners with Net Zero strategic planning, from concept to
implementation and management. It has consultants on hand to explain the benefits
of energy audits and advise on waste management, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) as
well as LEED certification.
For hotel and leisure properties, Farnek is the preferred partner of Green Globe Certification and can measure and benchmark energy and water consumption, using an online tool called Hotel Optimizer, as well as calculating carbon emissions.
Photo
caption: (L-R) Nadia
Ibrahim, Associate Director- Consultancy & Sustainability at Farnek with Javeria Aijaz, Managing Director –
HITEK, at the Retrofit MENA Tech Summit.
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and technology-driven
Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates. Established in the UAE since
1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities
management company.
With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees,
Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management and security services across
several sectors; Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls,
Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure
and Entertainment.
Photo : (L-R): Ryan Mitchell, Markus Oberlin, Rina Anjelina, Ahmed Al Khatib, HE Major General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor, Ranjit Raj & Baber Hussain.
Ranjith Raj, HSE Manager at Expo 2020 for UAE-based FM company Farnek, recognised for excellence in health & safety
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday 28February 2022: Ranjit Raj, HSE Manager for leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, was honoured with the Taqdeer Health & Safety Manager Award during a gala ceremony, which took place in Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) at the Expo 2020 site on Thursday 24 February 2022.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of
Dubai, the special edition of the Taqdeer Awards was organised to recognise
excellence amongst Expo 2020 contractors and service providers for their
ongoing commitment to ensuring worker welfare and implementing the highest
health, safety, quality and environment (HSQE) standards.
After receiving his award from HE Major General Obaid Muhair
bin Suroor, Deputy Director of the General Directorate of Residency and
Foreigners affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) and Ahmed Al Khatib, Chief Development
and Delivery Officer – Expo 2020, Raj said:
“The Covid pandemic
presented many challenges at the Expo 2020 site. Farnek’s HSE and welfare teams
acted swiftly to provide strategic crisis management to limit the spread of
Covid amongst our workers. The result was little if any disruption to our operational
service delivery.
“Our approach
included comprehensive risk based Covid controls on site, close coordination
with Expo HSE and WW teams and updated physical infrastructure at Farnek
Village, our staff accommodation centre.”
“Our workforce played
a significant role in limiting any further outbreaks, they all performed responsibly,
well aware of the potential impact on their colleagues and the operation. This
understanding and cooperation was key to the success of our mitigation plan, it
was true team spirit.”
Raj’s colleagues
were quick to congratulate him, Babar Hussain, Farnek’s Head of HSE said, “With
Ranjit’s support, I oversaw the implementation of a detailed tracking,
monitoring and reporting system which included the use of thermal scanning
biometrics machines which automatically alerted management, of any staff with
elevated body temperatures. It was exceptional teamwork.”
And Ryan Mitchell,
Farnek’s Worker Welfare Manager added, “Coming from an HSE background myself, I
share a similar professional perspective and appreciation for what this remarkable
recognition means.”
Besides Raj’s award, Farnek was also recognised for its excellence
in the categories of worker welfare and H&S across Dubai. To qualify, Farnek had to provide examples of their best employment
practices and comprehensive use of global benchmarks including labour policies;
facilities and infrastructure; health and safety; labour security; recruitment
and wages; justice and transparency; labour perceptions and other key
performance indicators.
Rewarding its endeavours, Farnek was awarded with Taqdeer
Gold Excellence Cards, whilst the entire workforce receives Taqdeer Blue
Excellence Cards in appreciation of their dedication.
The cards allow Farnek to save millions of dirhams annually
through government incentives from four government bodies, the RTA, DEWA, DM and GDRFA-Dubai. Farnek’s employees can also take
advantage of discounts offered by more than 60
establishments and shops throughout Dubai.
“This not only provides our employees
with well-deserved recognition, it also reassures existing and potential customers
that our staff welfare programmes and health and safety initiatives are best in
class,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
PID
Owners Association Management LLC (PIDOAM), a subsidiary of Dubai Investments
PJSC has awarded Farnek – a UAE based smart and green facilities management (FM)
company, a two-year Total Facilities Management (TFM) contract.
Under
the agreement, Farnek will deploy more than 100 employees, responsible for maintaining
the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP), cleaning and security services
for the Green Community, DIP common areas
“PIDOAM
is focused on channeling resources towards ensuring well managed communities
and various initiatives are being planned to be implemented in the pursuit of achieving
this. Farnek’s innovative solutions coupled with its technological capabilities
will enhance and improve the overall ambience for the residents while maintaining
the green quotient, reiterating the community as a sustainable development,
promoting a healthy lifestyle”, said Saood Al Mutaiwee, General Manager, PIDOAM.
Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek commented, “The Green Community is the
first residential development to benefit from Farnek’s innovative inhouse FM technology
HITEK, using CAFM for smart FM services. The state-of-the-art connected,
automated and intelligent solution complements a leaner and more sustainable operational
process that increases productivity and reduces energy consumption.”
The residents of Green Community, DIP will also be able to access Hitches
& Glitches Home Services App – a one stop solution for any cleaning or maintenance
work that may need to be carried out at their own properties, including access to
a 24/7 Customer Care Centre.
Photo caption
1: Saood
Al Mutaiwee, General Manager, PID OAM at the signing ceremony with Markus
Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
Photo caption 2: (From left to right): Adarsh
Cherian, Compliance Officer, PID; Freejo Francis, Manager, HOA, PID; Saood
Al Mutaiwee, General Manager, PID OAM; Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek; Kelvin
Vargheese, Senior Director, TFM, Farnek and Julian Khalil, Senior Director, Security
and Soft Services Farnek.
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and technology-driven
Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates. Established in the UAE since
1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities
management company.
With
a skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities
Management and security services across several sectors; Aviation, Hospitality,
Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure,
Government, Education, Leisure and Entertainment.
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek has launched a new smart FM technology solutions company, HITEK, under the leadership of managing director, Javeria Aijaz, who was previously senior Director – Technology & Innovations at Farnek.
Developed in-house, the HITEK solution 4.0, was
originally launched in Q3 last year, connecting people, assets and spaces from
multiple remote sites, using intelligent analytical platforms, for cleaning, security
and maintenance, so they could be smartly centrally managed and monitored by
utilising the Internet of Things (IoT), Building Management Systems (BMS), Cloud,
Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based technologies.
Commenting, Markus Oberlin, CEO at Farnek said: “After developing the
HITEK brand as a cutting-edge technological FM proposition, we received enquiries
from both our customers, trade associations and government departments, as well
as other industry peers.
“It soon became apparent that there was huge potential for this innovative solution. Because HITEK can integrate with any existing technologies like BMS, built on open protocol, HITEK can now activate a variety of bespoke, white-labelled portfolio solutions, to building managers and FM professionals, as well as other FM consultancies, linking smart buildings with a digitally connected workforce.
“HITEK has a distinct competitive edge, especially within an FM industry facing major challenges in the way properties are operated and managed. Buildings are becoming ever smarter, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, the digitisation of asset management and complicated further by corporate Net Zero ambitions,” said Oberlin.
The solutions support operational
efficiencies, staff welfare, and sustainability while saving clients
significant amounts of money by reducing manpower costs by up to 17% by
transferring from traditional FM operational management to HITEK’s smart
management.
Under Aijaz’s direction, Farnek’s
award-winning in-house technology team has developed a range of cutting-edge
technologies and initiatives such as a CAFM, BMS, IoT Remote monitoring, smart
washroom, wearable technology, HSEQ App, eProcurement, telematics solutions,
facial recognition, and benchmarking and forecasting software to make buildings
more efficient and ultimately more sustainable.
“HITEK’s 24/7 command and control room or ‘nerve centre’, is located at
Farnek’s state-of-the-art staff accommodation centre in Jebel Ali. Being 5G and
Wi-Fi 6 enabled, HITEK can take advantage of increased bandwidth, ultra-low
latency and enhanced
security,” said Aijaz.
“This will allow us to roll out more connected and transformative applications of technology that not only uplift the face of FM digitalisation but also offer enhanced efficiency, as technology advances, interfacing with all aspects of FM,” she added.
The flexible HITEK 4.0 solution has already been implemented by a number
of Farnek’s existing customers including Aster Healthcare and the Green
Community residential development in Dubai Investments Park.
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable
and technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent
total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000
employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management services across
several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Telecom, Residential,
Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
Leading UAE-based smart
and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, has unveiled its roadmap
to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050, supporting the UAE’s strategic
initiative, announced in October last year.
“In terms of corporate business
strategy, Net Zero is the future. If the UAE is to achieve its Net Zero
ambitions, the private sector must support the government and with COP 28 being
held in Abu Dhabi, it is vital that organisations start to plan their environmental
strategy now,” commented Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
“Not only that, but
sustainability also affords operational savings, competitive advantage and
strengthens relationships with stakeholders. We see climate action as a business-critical
issue that needs to be addressed within our own operations and across our value
chain first, setting a good example,” he added.
Using 2021 as a baseline, Farnek consultants have already identified the scope and boundaries, to accurately measure its carbon footprint. Apart from building performance, such as energy and water consumption, Farnek is also taking into account, employee travel, logistics, purchased goods and services, waste disposal, as well as focusing on recycling, renewables and other lower-carbon alternatives.
Farnek’s carbon emissions
will be calculated using software designed by ClimatePartner, an international solutions
provider for corporate climate action, based in Munich, Germany.
“We have already set emission
targets for each category and applied an initial five-year reduction goal,
which will be reviewed annually to gauge progress, make adjustments if
necessary and disclose the results to be transparent,” said Nadia Ibrahim, head
of sustainability at Farnek.
“By 2026 we aim to reduce our electricity, water, refrigerants and fuel consumption by 30%. We will also cut our waste by 10% and lower emissions associated with purchased goods and services by 5%,” she added.
In 2031 Farnek’s objective
is to decrease its emissions in these categories by up to 50% and by 2048 its
carbon footprint will have been cut by up to 90% overall.
“It is impossible to become carbon neutral by reduction methods alone, so
the remaining
10% will be offset with ClimatePartner, by supporting certified
carbon offset projects, thereby achieving our Net Zero target by 2050,” said Ibrahim.
Market-leading and multi-award-winning Farnek has been a long-term advocate of sustainability, in 2007 Farnek was awarded the Emirates Energy Award for its innovative research project which benchmarked energy and water consumption of Dubai’s five-star hotels with similar properties in Europe.
Indeed,
Farnek is the preferred partner in the Middle East for Green Globe
Certification, the premier
worldwide sustainability management system and certification for the
hospitality, travel and tourism industry.
Farnek has also developed an in-house, online solution
called Optimizer which can carry out and benchmark complete energy, water and
waste audits for building owners and managers.
Further underscoring its green credentials, Farnek
inaugurated a rooftop vertical garden at its staff accommodation centre, Farnek
Village last year, which grows salad plants for Farnek’s staff canteen. The
food waste generated, which is calculated at around 125kg per day, is composted and returned
to the garden closing the loop and creating a circular economy.
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and technology-driven
Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates. Established in the UAE since
1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities
management company.
With
a skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities
Management and security services across several sectors; Aviation, Hospitality,
Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure,
Government, Education, Leisure and Entertainment.
No FM professional in the UAE will need to be told just how demanding the past 18 months have been for the industry.
However, with economic recovery gathering pace (the UAE Central Bank is forecasting growth of 4.2% for this year) and technology and sustainability driving both government and corporate strategy, what will the FM industry landscape look like in 2022?
Markus Oberlin, CEO of UAE-based Farnek, which was placed at number four in FM Middle East’s 2021 FM Power 50, shares his top three industry trends to watch out for in 2022.
Sustainability
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, the environment is now one of the most important issues facing us as individual consumers and commercial organisations. Following the UAE’s recent announcement that it aims to be carbon neutral by 2050, both the public sector and private sector companies will have to participate, it will need to be a collective effort!
To achieve that goal companies will need to put a strategy in place now, to initially reduce carbon emissions and then to offset the remaining emissions. Initiatives such as energy and waste management, developing a sustainable supply chain, smart fleet management to cut down fuel consumption and introducing electric vehicles, will all trend significantly in 2022.
In addition, there will be an associated trend in the hotel and hospitality sector, with increasing numbers of travellers preferring to stay in eco-friendly properties. Many hotels & resorts around the globe have embarked on campaigns that aim to reduce their impact on the environment. Some were independently audited, others chose self-declaration. However, then came the game-changer.
After exponential growth for the search term ‘green hotel’ Google decided to highlight hotels with independent certification with a green logo saying ‘Eco-certified’. Hotels without third party accreditation were not. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to work out what is going to happen in 2022.
2. Employee welfare
Happy, motivated and dedicated employees, make our customers happy. And it’s not just because it’s a win-win situation, it’s the right thing to do. In a labour-intensive industry such as FM, (Farnek currently has over 8,000 employees), it is vital that management recognise the importance of staff welfare if we as an industry want to continue attracting the brightest talent.
Quality staff accommodation is essential, like Farnek Village our state-of-the-art employee centre. High speed connectivity should be standard, as well as a variety of recreational facilities, good healthcare amenities and comfortable and reliable transportation.
Personal development is also exceptionally important – online educational and training support with tangible career prospects.
But most of all we should respect and celebrate cultural diversity throughout the workforce, with equal opportunities for all. This will drive human resources strategy in 2022.
3. Technology-driven FM that adds all-round value
IoT, AI, Big Data, smart devices and a connected workforce are all terms we have become familiar with and as they continue to evolve, they are transforming the way in which facilities are managed.
Putting that into context, according to research firm Statistica, by 2025 more than 74 billion IoT devices are expected to be installed globally, clearly indicating that this trend will accelerate throughout 2022 and beyond.
To manage this more effectively, assets will be connected to a remote centralised command room where qualified engineers can consolidate, process and analyse all data submitted in real time. Then through a connected workforce, manpower, tools and spare parts can be allocated and dispatched.
Once enough data has been collected a planned preventative maintenance schedule can be put in place. That can extend the lifespan of assets, reduce the risk of disruption and support a more cost-effective and organised workforce, as opposed to relying on the traditional method of scheduling based on running hours or alternatively using a time-based schedule, or indeed simply reacting to asset failure.
Other technological trends next year will include those which add value to the business partnership. Sensors used in facilities can gather a significant amount of data, which can be used to calculate customer footfall, average room temperatures, energy output and water consumption. In addition, biometric devices can check employee time attendance, as well as their welfare – heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature.
Creating added value to gain a competitive advantage will be another major trend in 2022.
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities
management (FM) company Farnek, has
launched its remote monitoring solution using the Internet of Things (IoT) with
a pilot project at select Aster facilities in UAE.
Sensors, located at the select Aster pharmacies and
clinics, will record temperature changes and energy consumption based on
current voltage, amongst other data which includes footfall. These statistics
are then collated by a remote management system, which provides live readings
for Farnek technicians.
The data is then subsequently driven by Machine
Learning (ML) and an artificial intelligence (AI) based analytical platform,
producing timely alerts, analytical reports and dashboards utilised for
day-to-day and predictive maintenance, forecasting and planning.
Thresholds can then be set and benchmarked against similar
facilities and assets and if there is a breach of those standards, alerts are
sent in real time to a 24/7 command centre and technical teams who by using
mobility solutions can take appropriate action. The platform also uses
encryption protocols safeguarding the data with bank grade security.
“Introduction of the smart system at these select facilities will
enable us to set a model for IoT enabled facilities management aimed at
bringing in energy efficient and effective management which would enhance a
customer’s experience with Aster. With plans to extend the set-up to all Aster clinics,
pharmacies and hospitals, the introduction is in alignment with Aster’s ESG
goals,” said Hanie Abdul Sathar, Director of EuroHealth Systems – managing the
project for Aster.
“The
project highlights how we can provide practical business intelligence to our
customers and as such add real value to our market proposition. Data about
footfall, can be extremely valuable to our clients. If they correlated footfall
with revenue and product portfolio over regular periods and benchmarked that
with other stores in different locations, it could initiate changes in stock ordering
or opening times. It could also help managers plan their staffing requirements to
cover heavy demand periods,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
“With measurement thresholds agreed and set, if the temperature goes beyond a certain point, we know exactly where the problem is and a maintenance team can be dispatched to rectify the issue unless the external variables are in question. This is the future of predictive facilities management,” Commented, Senior Director of Technology & Innovations, Javeria Aijaz.
“This is an extremely exciting juncture for FM. It is where ML and AI come into play as we are harnessing big data from all participating Aster locations. That immediately gives us a valuable benchmark,” commented Kelvin Vargheese, Senior Director – Total Facilities Management, Farnek.
Aster DM Healthcare Limited is one of the largest private healthcare service providers operating in GCC and in India. With an inherent emphasis on clinical excellence, we are one of the few entities in the world with a strong presence across primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary healthcare through our 27 hospitals, 126 clinics/ labsError! Bookmark not defined. and over 300 pharmacies in seven countries, including India. We have over 22,000 plus dedicated staff including 3,029 doctors and 6,729 nurses across the geographies that we are present in, delivering a simple yet strong promise to our different stakeholders: “We’ll treat you well.” We reach out to all economic segments in the GCC states through our differentiated healthcare services across the “Aster”, “Medcare” and “Access” brands.
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and
technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned
independent total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of
more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management
services across several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail,
Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government,
Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
Leading UAE-based smart
and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, has signed an agreement
with Oriental Press, to manage its carbon emissions and to realise its goal as
the first carbon neutral printer in the UAE and wider Gulf region.
The first phase of the
project involves measuring the existing
carbon footprint of the printing operation, including raw materials, energy
consumption, production facilities, transportation, and other supply chain
components.
Once
Oriental’s CO2 footprint has been measured, Farnek can then focus on effective
ways to reduce existing emissions and subsequently plan to offset the remaining
unavoidable emissions, using cutting-edge software provided by ClimatePartner, Farnek’s
strategic carbon management partner.
“That
enables Oriental to offer carbon neutral paper products and pave the way for an
upstream and downstream sustainability strategy, encouraging its suppliers and
customers to become net zero too,” said Markus
Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
“A
positive environmental strategy is no longer an option for commercial
organisations, consumers today are demanding products that are sustainable and
it is not only the printing industry that can benefit from carbon neutral
products, the manufacturing industry in general can as well,” added Oberlin.
Established in 1952 the
Oriental Group has grown to become one of the world’s premier printers, exporting
products to over 80 countries worldwide. With modern manufacturing plants in
Dubai and Bahrain, and Sales & Marketing offices in the Middle East and
Europe, Oriental manufactures a comprehensive range of high-quality products in
six business divisions: books, commercial printing, paperboard packaging,
flexible packaging, security printing, and of course digital.
Oriental has two main
production facilities, one in Jebel Ali, Dubai, where the focus is on soft and
hard cover colour book manufacturing, most of which are exported to global
markets. In Bahrain, through their 23,000 sqm printing complex, a commercial
printing facility produces magazines, promotional material, annual reports, calendars
and office stationery. In addition to this, there are separate facilities for
production of paperboard packaging and flexible packaging products. And a
separate security printing factory produces postage and revenue stamps, cheques,
share certificates, and many other high security items.
“Amongst other certificates, we
are already FSC accredited, which means that we only source paper that comes
from well-managed forests and recycling. Reducing and offsetting our carbon
emissions is the next stage of our environmental journey,” said Mohamed Al
Zeera, Managing Director, Oriental Press.
“Carbon
offset projects help counteract the release of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,
whilst simultaneously improving the livelihood of people around the world. By
supporting carbon offset projects, we can offset emissions that are currently
unavoidable and therefore reduce our overall environmental impact.
“If
the UAE is to achieve its commitment of net zero emissions by 2050, the government
will need the support of the private sector, not only by reducing but
offsetting their emissions,” added Al Zeera.
ClimatePartner
has been offering a wide variety of environmental solutions since 2006, ranging
from carbon management strategies to enabling climate neutral products and services.
They are also involved with numerous internationally recognised carbon offset
projects and in addition, the company has also developed an IT solution for
calculating carbon footprints and offsetting carbon emissions in order to make
products and services carbon neutral.
“The climate neutrality of products can be verified
online and stakeholders are be able to see the amount of GHG emissions that are
generated during the production process and the type of climate action project that
has been selected to offset those emissions,” said Nadia Ibrahim, Head
of Sustainability, Farnek.
Practicing what it preaches as well as underscoring
still further, its green credentials, earlier this year, Farnek inaugurated a
rooftop vertical garden which grows salad plants for Farnek’s staff canteen.
The food waste generated, which is calculated at around 125kg per day, is
composted and returned to the garden closing the loop and creating a circular
economy.
Photo captions: Mohamed Al Zeera, Managing
Director, Oriental Press, signs the agreement with Nadia Ibrahim, Head of
Sustainability, Farnek.
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and
technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent
total facilities management company.
With
a skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional
Facilities Management and security services across several sectors; Aviation,
Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial,
Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure and Entertainment.
Farnek, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, Huawei.
Under the terms of the technical partnership,
Huawei will assist Farnek with periodic knowledge transfer and support on smart
initiatives, developed and supported via Farnek’s AED 200 million state-of-the-art
staff accommodation centre – ‘Farnek Village’ located in Dubai South.
More specifically, Huawei will be supporting Farnek’s latest smart initiative, HITEK solution 4.0. by not only providing Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, powered by AI and Huawei Smart City, but also bringing operational technologies including AI security platforms and smart plant rooms. This will contribute towards Farnek’s increased agility, efficiency and dynamism.
HITEK 4.0 uses the increased
bandwidth, ultra-low latency and enhanced security, to connect assets from multiple sites, so
that they can be centrally monitored and managed.
This is achieved through the concept of a digitally connected
workforce and customers, to its in-house stream of technically advanced and
cost-effective solutions, utilising the Internet of Things (IoT), Mobility, Cloud,
Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based technologies,
amongst others.
“The system supports
operational efficiencies, staff welfare, and sustainability while saving
clients significant amounts of money by reducing manpower costs by up to 17% by
transferring from traditional FM operational management to HITEK’s smart
management,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
“Delivering quality services and offering a
seamless experience, which enhances our business capabilities, through our
connected workforce, has always been our top priority and this is one of the
main reasons why we decided to partner with Huawei,” added Oberlin.
Commenting on the technical aspect of the agreement, Javeria Aijaz, Senior Director – Technology & Innovations, Farnek, said: “Huawei is renowned for implementing the industry’s best enterprise high-speed network with Wi-Fi 6 and Smart innovative technologies which will be the basis for many of our innovative solutions moving forward, based on IoT, AI, high speed internet/network and smart gadgets.”
-Ends-
Photo caption: Markus
Oberlin, CEO, Farnek, signs the MOU with Dongyue OuyangManaging Director,
Huawei UAE Enterprise.
About Farnek
Farnek is the
leading provider of sustainable and technology-driven Facilities Management in
the United Arab Emirates. Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services
LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities management company. With a
skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional
Facilities Management services across several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality,
Banking, Retail, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government,
Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
FM Consultancy of Farnek helps printers to become carbon neutral
The COVID-19 pandemic came as a severe jolt, creating socio-economic fissures that impacted society like never before. But come to think of it in a more positive way, it is here that a realization for environmental protection grew manifold. There was an urgent need to consider the ecology as an investment for the future.
The biggest challenge to conservation globally is the steep rise in carbon emissions from industry and motor vehicles. With climate change and pollution, utmost priority is being given to protecting the environment while at the same time undertaking much-needed development initiatives. And for this, governments all over the world have begun to focus their efforts on becoming carbon neutral.
In a recent online meeting, Nadia Ibrahim, Head of Sustainability at Farnek Services, shed more light on the importance of this very point of carbon neutrality. Farnek is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities management (FM) company. Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek has a sustainability department and also works as a full-fledged consultancy service in the Middle East. Some of their iconic clients in the UAE include Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall, Dubai Airport, and some prominent companies in Abu Dhabi.
The company boasts several awards for their initiatives in energy management, waste management, etc. “We are partners with Green Globe, an international certification body for the hospitality industry. And carbon management is integral to our sustainability strategy, which we initiated more than a decade ago,” says Ibrahim.
According to Ibrahim, the concept of carbon management is picking up very fast in the UAE and for companies, including big corporations’ carbon metrics is inclusive in the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) reporting procedure. Many organizations and industries are committing themselves to efficient carbon reduction as part of their sustainability objective and commitment to the fight against climate change.
We are also promoting this concept to the printing industry, which is often vilified for their excessive carbon emissions, from cutting down trees to the waste generated from printing.
Farnek has an agreement with Munich-based ClimatePartner, an international solutions provider for corporate climate action, to provide consultancy for a full range of life cycle carbon management services in the Middle East. According to ClimatePartner, up to 25% of the printing presses in Europe have climate-neutral printing products and demand is increasing, not only in Europe but worldwide.
Already sustainable changes have been seen with an increase in the use of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper which comes from managed forestry rather than from virgin forests.
The Carbon Management Process for printing involves three stages. This includes the calculation of CO2 emissions of the whole printing process of a company, calculating the carbon footprint of an individual product say for example office paper or a brochure or a book for a specific order and offsetting the emissions through an approved Carbon Offset Program.
Numerous well-known publishing houses have many of their books printed using carbon neutral paper, and the trend is certainly picking up,” says Ibrahim with an air of confidence. Increasingly more and more customers are demanding carbon neutral print products as part of their sustainability objectives as well.
Put succinctly, the definition of carbon offsetting is the action of compensating for carbon dioxide emissions arising from industrial, commercial or human activity, by participating in sustainable schemes or projects, designed to make equivalent reductions of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Carbon offsetting is approved by the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
This allows countries to fund greenhouse gas emissions-reducing projects in other countries and claim the saved emissions as part of their own efforts to meet international emissions targets. Explains Ibrahim, “The objective of the United Nations is to let companies do their business but in return pay for the damage done to the environment.
The central notion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is to let corporations maximize their profits while pursuing other pro-social objectives. We had meetings with several pulp and paper manufacturing companies in Abu Dhabi regarding the same project.”
Farnek has partnered with ClimatePartner, a German-based organization that offers companies around the world with climate solutions: from climate action strategies and carbon footprints to climate-neutral products with the support of international carbon offset projects. “Canon works with ClimatePartner and produce carbon-neutral paper.
The meeting was concluded with an interactive Q&A session between Ibrahim and ME Printer Editor-in-Chief Alex Jahanbani who wanted to know more about how easily carbon management could be incorporated into the printing and packaging industry.
Excerpts:
Alex Jahanbani: The printing process is a very complex one with pre-press, press, post-press stages. We have to image the plates, plates go to the printing press, and then there’s inking involved, followed by coating, and then drying. Is your process a holistic one covering all these stages?
Nadia Ibrahim: For a complete Carbon Assessment all stages of printing starting from the raw materials to the waste generated from the final product can be calculated. This involves calculating CO2 from utility consumption, emissions for company vehicles, employee computing, CO2 emission from purchased goods including papers, inks and other chemicals etc. are also considered.
The calculation is based on GHG & ISO 14064 requirements and cover Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions. The assessment also evaluates the carbon footprint of each activity and identifies the activities that create the highest carbon emissions and offers advice about potential solutions to reduce them.
AJ: Normal paper making process involves more carbon compared to recycled paper. However, regarding inks, there are so many brands and varieties such as solvent-based, UV based, water-based inks. In printing, because of the complexity of the whole process, it is impossible to maintain zero-emission. What is your take on that?
NI: Zero emission is the ultimate objective; however, this is not a very realistic objective. The whole concept of Carbon Footprint management is to identify your existing CO2 emissions and focus on reducing them by optimizing your activities in the most sustainable manner. Nevertheless, emissions are unavoidable as businesses have to operate. For higher environmental commitment and action, the reaming emission can be made neutral by supporting a low carbon project through Carbon Offsetting.
AJ: Is there any Carbon Offsetting project being implemented in UAE at the moment?
NI: Yes. The Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) has its own Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) from DEWA Chiller Station L Project through adopting the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Farnek was the first company to purchase these offsetting credits. Through these credits we have supported many hotels and organizations to offset events and business travel in an effort towards carbon neutrality in the UAE.
AJ: It seems to me that Zero Carbon Emission is an ideal goal rather than something you can achieve in short or even medium-term?
NI: Exactly, Net Zero is a long-term goal however to achieve the goals organizations must set short- and medium-term goals to reduce their carbon footprint gradually. This should start with assessing their carbon footprint and planning reduction goals.
Even after possible reduction still, some amount of carbon emissions are bound to occur as we cannot completely close business operations. This is where Carbon Offsetting come into play, whereby organizations can compensate the CO2 emissions with a carbon neural project thus creating a balance in global carbon emissions.
AJ: So, this carbon offsetting applies to printers as well?
NI: Definitely; Carbon Offsetting can be achieved by any business or for any specific product. The first step in this direction is to calculate how much carbon is emitted annually from your printing activities or total carbon for a specific print product; this can be done through approved carbon calculator software like the one Farnek is providing.
Once the total carbon in tonnes is calculated the equivalent of this is offset through any carbon reduction project by paying a specified amount per tonne. This is however a voluntary activity but increasingly companies are doing this to reduce their carbon footprint and also as a CSR initiative because often it is communities in the developing world that benefit from these projects.
Hotel management company launches new hospitality app that digitalises the guest journey from pre-arrival to check out, enhancing the guest experience & improving operational efficiency
Farnek Hotel Management, a part of leading
UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, has developed a ground-breaking hospitality
app that digitalises a hotel guest’s journey from the initial reservation
through to check out.
The app which was developed in-house by Farnek’s
award-winning technology and innovation division, interfaces with the hotel’s
property management system (PMS) affording guests a whole suite of services from
uploading travel documents, such as vaccination certificates, ordering a car on
arrival, room service and laundry. The hotel app can also send automated electronic
updates and alerts to the guest, as well as e-registration documents, e-invoices
and e-receipts, all in one convenient space.
Walter Knight, Director of Hospitality at Farnek said,
“Flexi-Guest achieves three main hotel objectives. First of all, it offers the
guest an enhanced experience, providing a seamless pre-arrival and check-in procedure.
“Secondly, during the stay, guests can order room
service in advance, have laundry picked up or delivered, request early or late
check outs, invoices or order a car to go to the airport. Because the app
manages secure online payments, the guest doesn’t even need to physically visit
the reception.
“Finally, the hotel benefits too. If the experience
is good, the guest is more likely to return and also recommend the hotel to friends
and colleagues. The hotel operates more efficiently, saving staff time and
expense and has the added advantage of driving revenue through F&B and e-concierge
services,” added Knight.
Farnek has just completed a successful trial of the
app, having secured a contract for the Expo Village, situated on the Expo 2020
site. Farnek is currently responsible for managing the reservation services,
concierge, front office services and housekeeping, for the 2,273 apartments.
“Feedback from the initial guest reviews, has been
very positive,” said Knight.
Sustainability is never far from Farnek’s market
proposition and Flexi-Guest is no exception. The app can estimate the carbon emissions
generated by any guest during their stay and provide a cost should the guest
wish to offset their carbon footprint.
“The fact that Flexi-Guest can interface with any hotel
property management system, makes it extremely marketable. Our business strategy
is to offer the app as part of a cluster of services or as a standalone,
whereby a hotel or apartment complex could outsource it’s entire front office
services to us, or just pay a licence fee to use the app,” said Javeria Aijaz,
Senior Director – Technology & Innovations, Farnek.
Looking ahead, Aijaz added, “Although we are first
to market with this app, we are already looking at additional services and
improvements, particularly to the management and operational reporting.”
The newly formed Farnek Hotel Management company offers
a full suite of services including consultancy, management, outsourcing and manpower
services. In fact, as a Facilities Management (FM) provider, Farnek has been supporting
hotels and resorts to become more sustainable over the past 15 years.
Indeed, Farnek’s Hotel Optimizer software, can record, analyse and benchmark a property’s
energy and water consumption, as well as waste generation, along with expert recommendations
to operate more cost-efficiently and sustainably.
Furthermore,
Farnek is a preferred partner and auditor for Green Globe the
worldwide sustainability accreditation system based on internationally accepted
criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses.
“We believe that our 360-degree market proposition for the hotel sector, is unrivalled and our participation at the Arabian Hospitality Investment Conference (AHIC) provides us with an ideal platform to showcase our services to a targeted audience of industry leaders, owners, investors and prominent management companies,” added Knight.
Photo caption, (L-R): Farnek’s Javeria Aijaz, Senior Director, Technology and Innovations, Khaldun Aburok, Director of Business Development, Markus Oberlin, CEO, and Walter Knight, Director of Hospitality, at AHIC 2021.
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and
technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent
total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000
employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management services across
several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Telecom, Residential,
Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek has developed its hospitality
division into an all-embracing hotel management company under the leadership of
renowned UAE-based international hotelier Walter Knight.
Knight was originally responsible for structuring and developing Farnek’s
fledgling hospitality division earlier this year. Farnek started by providing a
comprehensive range of outsourced and third-party services, including concierge
services, housekeeping, property operations, maintenance, energy consultancy
(POMEC).
Farnek’s endeavours met with early success, securing numerous contracts
which included the new Expo Village, situated on the Expo 2020 site. Farnek is
currently responsible for managing the reservation services, concierge, front
office services and housekeeping, for the 2,273 apartments.
Furthermore, under the trade name of Farnek Hotel Management, the company
can now expand its services to cover all aspects of hotel and resort management
from initial consultation to day-to-day operations.
Knight, director of hospitality commented: “Originally we were aiming
for a service offering, which not only embraced traditionally outsourced FM and
manpower services, but also managing revenue driven services, such as central
reservation offices and associated sales services.
“Now with our hotel management licence, we can approach hotel
developers, investors, owners and management companies direct with a full suite
of services including consultancy, management, outsourcing and manpower
services proposition.”
Farnek is no stranger to the hospitality sector in the Middle East and
has been supporting the UAE’s hospitality sector for over 40 years, in which
time it has amassed an extensive portfolio of hotel contracts, which include five-star
brands such as Marriott, Sheraton, Sofitel and Rotana.
Its consultancy division has been helping
hotels and resorts become more sustainable over the past 15 years. Indeed, Farnek’s
Hotel Optimizer software, can
record, analyse and benchmark a property’s energy
and water consumption, as well as waste generation, along with expert recommendations
to operate more cost-efficiently and sustainably.
Furthermore, Farnek is a preferred
partner and auditor for Green Globe the worldwide sustainability accreditation system
based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and
management of travel and tourism businesses.
“Our strategy was
to create an unrivalled 360-degree market proposition for the hotel sector, and
we have now achieved that. Moreover, we also have some exciting smart products
in development that will be launched very soon, complementing and interfacing
with existing property management systems,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO Farnek.
“This gives
Farnek a very clear competitive edge, in an industry that will see major changes
in the way hotels are managed and operated, with the advent of artificial
intelligence, sustainability, human capital development and the digitisation of
asset management over the years to come,” he added.
Photo caption (L-R):
Walter Knight, Director of Hospitality, Farnek and Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable
and technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent
total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000
employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management services across
several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Telecom, Residential,
Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
Leading UAE FM company Farnek to mobilise over
200 security guards as the firm wins new contracts across oil & gas,
residential, tourism, education, and construction sectors
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek has underscored its security
credentials with new contract wins totalling
AED 10.6 million during the first half of 2021 in sectors including oil &
gas, real estate, tourism and hospitality, construction, and education.
The company has been contracted to mobilise 211 guards to locations
across the UAE to provide a full spectrum of security services. New contracts,
which vary from one to three years, include Shanghai Electric Group, Al Wahda
Investment, two Millenium Hotel locations, The Royal Grammar School Guildford,
China Machinery Engineering Corporation and the Al Bateen Community, amongst
others.
Farnek will use the Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud, Machine Learning (ML) and
Artificial Intelligence (AI) based technologies as part of the company’s
security operations.
Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek, said: “These latest contract wins recognise
our security expertise and our understanding of the needs and demands of
clients across a variety of sectors. We have adopted a range of new technologies
to ensure we remain at the forefront of the industry, which aligns us perfectly
with our clients who demand a high level of technical ability when it comes to
security services.”
Farnek has
invested more than one million dollars into research and development in
tech-driven initiatives, including its award-winning multifunctional smartwatch
technology.
Unique to Farnek,
the Android watch is programmed, coded and developed in-house and provides
attendance and incident reporting, call facilities, geo-fencing, photo and
video functions and health monitoring. All watches are connected to the
company’s recently launched 24/7 command and control room,
located in Farnek Village, the company’s new staff accommodation centre in
Jebel Ali.
The control centre uses 5G and is Wi-Fi 6 enabled, meaning Farnek can take
advantage of increased bandwidth, ultra-low latency and enhanced security to connect
assets from multiple sites so that they can be centrally monitored, managed and
guards can be provided with real-time updates.
Further underscoring Farnek’s growth aspirations in the security sector
is the appointment of Ahmed Salah as Head of Security. The Egyptian national
brings a wealth of experience to the role, having worked in the Abu Dhabi
security industry for over 15 years, before which he was part of the Egyptian
Military Judicial Department.
“Ahmed has a deep understanding of security operations in Abu Dhabi and
the rest of the UAE, which will be invaluable in our next phase of growth. He
has worked extensively in the diplomatic, government, education and retail
sectors which are key areas of development and crucial for our ongoing
expansion,” added Oberlin.
Salah will have an instrumental role in training, business development,
risk management and will work closely with Farnek’s ICT division to ensure the
seamless implementation of the latest security innovation and technology.
“I’ve been particularly impressed by the growth of Farnek’s security
operations in the last 12 months. Not only has the company increased the size
of its security division by almost 2,000 people, but it has also witnessed a
significant increase in new contracts. This provides the perfect platform to develop
the business further, an opportunity I relish,” said Salah.
“We are ideally positioned to utilise the technology and innovation at
our disposal and secure our position as market leaders in the security field,”
he added.
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and
technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates. Established
in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total
facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000
employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management services across
several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls,
Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education,
Leisure, and Entertainment.
Khaldun Aburok and Javeria Aijaz, Farnek Senior
Directors, led the agenda at the recent Smart Facilities Management Conference,
which was held at the Sofitel Dubai The Palm.
As part of their insightful presentations, they
discussed the current trends in the Middle East FM industry and outlined the
technology implementations Farnek has made to secure its position as a market
leader in smart and green facilities management.
Speaking at the event, which took place 18 – 19
August, Javeria Aijaz, Senior Director, Technology and Innovations, said:
“We recently launched the Farnek HITEK solution 4.0.
This new system allows us to connect assets from multiple sites so they can be
centrally managed and monitored by utilising the Internet of Things (IoT),
Cloud, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based
technologies.
The system supports operational efficiencies, staff welfare,
and sustainability while saving clients significant amounts of money by reducing
manpower costs by up to 17% by transferring from traditional FM operational
management to HITEK’s smart management.
Farnek’s award-winning in-house technology team has
developed a range of cutting-edge technologies and initiatives such as a smart
washroom, wearable technology, eProcurement, telematics solutions, facial
recognition, and benchmarking and forecasting software to make buildings more
sustainable.
Khaldun Aburok, Director of Business Development,
said: “At Farnek, we are at the very forefront of technology development and
implementation, which creates a distinct advantage in this incredibly
competitive market. We offer our clients the very latest in smart FM, which has
a far-reaching impact in reducing their costs, a key factor in the Middle East
FM industry.”
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, has launched its latest in-house innovation,
a Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Management (HSEQ) mobile app, which
aims to raise staff HSE awareness, monitor health and safety compliance, boost
innovation, improve operational efficiency and quality management.
Specific features of the bespoke app include, hazard, technical and HSE
incident reporting, plus HSEQ technical data, audit checklists and inspection
reports. It also includes monthly maintenance and cleaning checklists, task specific
risk assessments, Permit to Work, HSEQ Alerts and immediate Covid-19 reports.
The
custom-built application now gives Farnek staff and HSEQ management teams, quick
and easy access to a complete array of online information, at any time, wherever
they are, which they can capture and share running under the umbrella of latest
and innovative state of the art HITEK – Farnek Solutions 4.0
Built
on latest mobility and cloud architecture, the app also affords increased
accuracy when it comes to analysing data, reports and record-keeping and can
identify necessary actions to be carried out and even distributes these to
relevant personnel for follow up and further action. Images can also be
uploaded with reports to add a visual record.
“This
is a significant step forward for our HSEQ division. It will virtually eradicate
any delays reporting an incident, which was previously labour intensive, time-consuming,
and generated a lot of paperwork. It was also open to human error when
compiling records and producing reports,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
“We
also have the added advantage that it will also support our sustainability goals,
through paperless reporting,” he added.
The
HSEQ app is accessible through Farnek’s enterprise, single sign on, secure and
branded app. The one stop vibrant platform with a host of features that will help
to keep Farnek employees updated, with the latest company news and services, through
customised notifications, which can also be integrated with social media platforms.
Another ingenious feature is that the app facilitates a digital payroll system
via RPAY cards, to help employees send remittances seamlessly to their families
abroad. It also offers convenient access to all other internal Farnek applications
and there’s even a ‘good idea’ section, where users can put forward innovative
ideas and suggestions to Farnek management.
Commenting on how the HSEQ app, complements Farnek’s smart business strategy,
Javeria Aijaz,Senior Director – Technology and Innovations, said, “In
short, the Farnek platform is designed to achieve paperless automated reporting
systems, 100% online incident reports and to create a vibrant workspace with improved
HSEQ awareness.”
Farnek’s ICT team has been at the forefront of the company’s technological
transformation, having recently launched its new 5G and Wi-Fi 6 enabled, 24/7 command
and control room. Increasingly it will connect assets from multiple sites, so that they
can be centrally monitored and managed.
“Ultimately our vision
is one of a far reaching, digitally connected organisation, empowering our employees,
for the benefit of our customers, by driving innovation and efficiency through a
stream of technically advanced and cost-effective solutions, developed
in-house.
“The
HSEQ app is key to our integrated approach to FM digitilisation and we are now planning
to develop a sustainability management module, a web app and an IOS app,” added Aijaz.
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and technology-driven
Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates. Established in the UAE since
1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities
management company. With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek
delivers professional Facilities Management services across several sectors:
Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential,
Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
Swiss Consul General to Dubai inaugurates Farnek’s
new command and control room in Jebel Ali, praising the Swiss company’s innovative
use of state-of-the-art technology
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, today unveiled its new 24/7 command and
control room, located in Farnek Village, the company’s new staff accommodation
centre in Jebel Ali.
Through its 5G and Wi-Fi 6 enabled, operational ‘nerve centre’, Farnek
will be able to take advantage of increased bandwidth, ultra-low latency and enhanced security,
to connect assets from multiple sites, so that they can be centrally monitored
and managed.
This will allow Farnek
to rollout connected and transformative applications of technology that not
only uplift the face of FM digitalisation, but also offer enhanced efficiency.
This is achieved through the concept of a digitally connected workforce and customers,
to its in-house stream of technically advanced and cost-effective solutions, utilising
the Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial
Intelligence (AI) based technologies, amongst others.
Following a tour
of Farnek Village and the inauguration of Farnek’s command and control room, H.E
Frank Eggmann, Consul General of Switzerland to Dubai said:
“I was particularly
impressed with the innovative approach Farnek has taken by developing its own in-house
‘Swiss made’ technology. Equally impressive, is the way this is being utilised,
which will not only improve cost-efficiency, but also has staff welfare and sustainability
at its core. This is an excellent example of Swiss state-of-the-art technology
at its very best.”
Beyond operational efficiencies and sustainability, Farnek’s HITEK solution
4.0 will save its customers significant amounts of money. The company has
estimated that it can save up to 17% in manpower costs after traditional FM
operational management has been transferred to HITEK’s smart management.
In addition, through
IoT sensors, there is also the massive benefit of predictive and proactive
maintenance, which can reduce downtime and improve the lifecycle of assets, facilitating
remote monitoring with a fully connected and mobile workforce.
“In the case of manhours, a centralised system can manage multiple sites,
whereas operating a traditional Building Management System (BMS) could well require
a series of operators in each building. In addition, they may not be experts in
every aspect of facilities management and probably will not have the advantage
of benchmarking property performance,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
So far, Farnek’s
award-winning in-house technology team has developed initiatives such as a
smart washroom, wearable technology, eProcurement, telematic solutions, facial
recognition, as well as benchmarking and forecasting software to make buildings
more sustainable.
“As the technical
specifications of 5G continue to evolve and expand, that will capture and encourage
even more advanced IoT and AI applications, which could start to become a
reality next year. So, we want to be ready to capitalise on these market opportunities,
just as soon as the technology and connectivity is available.
“It is certainly
going to take remote FM work to a whole new elevated level, enabling technicians
to carry out tasks in either virtual
reality or augmented reality environments, which are absolutely ideal for
training purposes as well,” added Oberlin.
Standalone 5G deployment consists of user equipment — the RAN and NR
interface — and the 5G core network, which relies on a service-based
architecture framework with virtualised network functions. Network functions
that usually operate on hardware, become virtualised and actually run as
software.
“We have managed
to develop our own 5G network infrastructure-based intelligent and connected
platforms, which has its own cloud-native network core, which connects 5G New
Radio (NR) technology, and non-standalone (NSA) infrastructures, which still
partially rely on existing 4G LTE infrastructure,” said Javeria Aijaz,Senior
Director – Technology & Innovations at Farnek.
“Until Etisalat and Du are able to build out the independent
infrastructure needed for 5G, our approach uses a combination of 5G Radio
Access Network (RAN), 5G NR interface, and existing LTE infrastructure and core
network to provide a 5G-like experience,” she added.
From left to right (L-R): Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek; Khaldun Aburok, Director of Business Development, Farnek; Javeria Aijaz, Senior Director – Technology & Innovations, Farnek and H.E Frank Eggmann, Consul General of Switzerland to Dubai.
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and technology-driven
Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates. Established in the UAE since
1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities
management company. With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek
delivers professional Facilities Management services across several sectors:
Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential,
Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, has secured FM contracts for eight
national pavilions, worth AED 16.7 million at Expo 2020. The countries include,
China, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Singapore, The Philippines, Bahrain, Morocco
and Pakistan.
The largest contract of the eight that the Farnek business development team
has acquired is for the Saudi Arabian pavilion. At over 13,000 square metres, the kingdom’s pavilion is the second
largest at Expo 2020 second only to the UAE. More than 130
staff will be deployed to provide
cleaning, pest control, operational support and facility integration services.
Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek,
commented, “The Saudi
Arabian pavilion presents us with a unique
challenge which simply put is its sheer scale. During the six-month Expo 2020, it
will be open to the public for up to 16 hours per day, which will require a
dedicated team of over 130 technical and cleaning staff, working shifts throughout
the show.”
Images of the pavilion reveal
an impressive rectangular, reflective structure that will stand at an
angle and will cover a space larger than two football pitches. Soaring 27 metres into the sky, the facade opens
like a gigantic window into
the future, reflecting a society deeply rooted in its culture with unlimited
ambitions.
The China pavilion is also
another major contract win, that will require over 80 staff covering security,
cleaning and pest control. The
China Pavilion will also be one of the largest at Expo 2020 Dubai, measuring
over 4,600 square metres. The China Pavilion symbolises hope and a bright
future and is modelled on a traditional lantern with architecture that
references ancient Chinese innovations. Like a wall inspired by fluent printing
technology, which turns into a dazzling digital light show at night.
“This is a complex and intelligent structure,”
said Khaldun Aburok, Farnek’s Director of Business Development.
“And Chinese officials were confident that we understood how smart buildings
worked and more importantly how to maintain, clean and secure them.
“We
are currently working closely with Huawei developing smart security solutions tailored
to our specific requirements, at our new AED 200 million staff accommodation
centre – Farnek Village,” added Aburok.
Considering
that Farnek is 100% Swiss owned and managed, it will come as no surprise to
learn that Farnek has also won the FM contract for the Swiss pavilion. Based on
tradition and innovation, this is another technically advanced marquee, where visitors
can take a virtual hike through the Swiss countryside, it has a restaurant
serving Swiss specialties and it’s expecting 15,000 visitors per day.
“The
challenge with the Swiss pavilion was high footfall, understanding their technology
and managing the highest standards of cleanliness for the restaurant as well as
the high traffic areas,” said Oberlin.
“Switzerland
is in our DNA – quite literally in many cases and so we had an in-depth understanding
of their requirements and we have allocated more than 30 technicians to manage
this diverse and innovative pavilion,” added Oberlin.
Sustainability
was another key feature of the Pakistan, Bahrain, Morocco, Singapore and
Philippines pavilions. In the case of Singapore, under their theme of ‘Nature, Nurture,
Future’ visitors will go through an immersive 3D experience and witness a
net-zero energy rainforest powered by a self-sustaining ecosystem.
Meanwhile
the Philippines pavilion, which was inspired by an island nation, a coral reef will
be brought to life in a sustainable space, where nature and technology are one.
“Time
and again, we came across like-minded country officials who shared our passion
for a future that is both smart and green and I believe that our clearly-defined
proposition enabled us to obtain these contracts,” said Aburok.
Elsewhere at the Expo 2020 site, Farnek is also responsible for the hard
and soft services FM of the entire ‘Opportunity District’ and Farnek
Hospitality was recently chosen to manage the 2,273 new apartments in Expo Village.
Farnek’s scope of work includes managing the reservation services, concierge, front
office services and housekeeping.
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable
and technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned
independent total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of more
than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management services
across several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls,
Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure,
and Entertainment.
UAE-based smart
& green FM company signs agreement with Munich-headquartered ClimatePartner
Farnek to offer carbon
management programs to environmentally-conscious companies in the UAE and wider
Middle East
Dubai, United Arab
Emirates, Wednesday 30 June 2021: Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities
management (FM) company Farnek, has joined forces with Munich-based
ClimatePartner, international solutions provider for corporate climate action.
The agreement allows Farnek
to provide consultancy and advisory on the full range of ClimatePartner’s life
cycle carbon management services to help Middle East businesses, reduce the negative
impact their companies have on the environment and to secure a sustainable
future for generations to come.
“Carbon
offset projects help counteract the release of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,
whilst simultaneously improving the livelihood of people around the world. By
supporting carbon offset projects, companies can offset emissions that are
currently unavoidable and therefore reduce their overall environmental impact.
“Carbon offsetting
is crucial if we are to achieve the goals set by the Paris Agreement on climate
change, as well as the UAE’s target to
reduce carbon emissions by up to 25% by 2030,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO,
Farnek.
Using the ClimatePartner climate
action methodology, Farnek’s consultants will be designing tailor-made
solutions for Middle East businesses. It starts by defining corporate and product
carbon footprints followed by the implementation of a climate action strategy
and a carbon offsetting plan. The final act is to communicate that to corporate
stakeholders.
ClimatePartner
has been offering a wide variety of environmental solutions since 2006, ranging
from carbon management strategies to enabling climate neutral products and services.
They are also involved with numerous internationally-recognised carbon offset
projects and in addition, the company has also developed an IT solution for
calculating carbon footprints and offsetting carbon emissions in order to make
products and services carbon-neutral.
Commenting on their partnership with
Farnek, Moritz Lehmkuhl, Managing Directorof ClimatePartner said: “Farnek
will have access to hundreds of
internationally-recognised and certified carbon offset projects that are currently
available within our portfolio or in cooperation with our global network.”
“We
decided to partner with Farnek, because the company is widely considered a
market leader throughout the Middle East, providing innovative and turnkey
sustainable solutions to a wide range of organisations and was instrumental in
bringing some of the first carbon management solutions to the UAE,” he added.
Farnek
is the preferred partner in the Middle East for Green Globe Certification, the premier worldwide sustainability management
system and certification for the hospitality, travel and tourism industry. Farnek
has also developed an in-house, online solution called Optimizer which can
carry out and benchmark complete energy, water and waste audits for building owners
and managers.
Underscoring its green credentials, most
recently Farnek inaugurated a rooftop vertical garden which grows salad plants
for Farnek’s staff canteen. The food waste generated, which is calculated at around
125kg per day,
is composted and returned to the garden closing the loop and creating a circular
economy.
Moritz Lehmkuhl, Managing
Director, ClimatePartner
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and technology-driven
Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates. Established in the UAE since
1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities
management company.
With
a skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities
Management and security services across several sectors; Aviation, Hospitality,
Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure,
Government, Education, Leisure and Entertainment.
UAE-based smart & green FM company to use compost to grow salad plants in its vertical rooftop garden; composter helps Farnek to complete a circular economy
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 9 June 2021: Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, is composting 125kg of food waste per day, at its state-of-the-art staff accommodation centre, Farnek Village.
The resulting compost is then used to grow salad plants in the building’s vertical rooftop garden, helping the company to close the loop and create a circular economy.
The composter was commissioned by Farnek to celebrate World Environmental Day on 5th June and measures three metres long, one metre wide and 1.3 metres high, with a capacity of 125 kilos. The machine processes all types of organic waste like curry, roti, rice, bread, eggshells, chicken, mutton, fish, fish bones, chicken bones, fruit, fruit, vegetables, peelings and other kitchen waste.
“All of the food waste from the staff dining hall is emptied into food waste bins. These are wheeled over to the composting machine, which uses special microorganisms to break down and decompose the organic waste. The process only takes between 24-36 hours and it reduces the original volume by 80-90%, so we end up with around 12-25kg of nutrient-rich fertilizer,” said Nadia Ibrahim, Head of Consultancy & Sustainability at Farnek.
“The decomposition process of food waste emits methane gas which is reportedly 25 times more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide (CO2). So, composting our food waste is an efficient way of reducing our carbon emissions as well as cutting down on our disposal costs.
“It is comforting to know that while we are serving meals to our 5,000 staff, we are saving up to 400 kilos of carbon and around 200 kilos of food waste every day. In the circular economy today’s waste is tomorrow’s raw materials,” added Ibrahim.
The above infograph illustrates how Farnek has created a circular economy.
Farnek arranged for a team of experts from Urban Ponics in the Netherlands to fly into Dubai to set up the rooftop garden and nursery and construct a 200sqm ‘shade house’, which provides a blend of shade and light to create suitable conditions for shade-loving plants to thrive with green shade netting, grow pods, lava buckets, misters, pumps, water tanks, irrigation and drainage pipes.
The produce is being grown using internationally recognised, sustainable methods including the use of vertical farming columns for a “mistponic” application, which is by far, the most sustainable soil-less growing technique, as it uses up to 90% less water than the most efficient conventional hydroponic and aquaponic systems.
“The 240 sqm area of rooftop, yields the equivalent of a half-acre of cultivated land, so, it’s a hundred times more efficient than conventional farming,” said Ibrahim.
Seedlings are grown in a dedicated nursery, in reusable plastic trays, which are lined with biodegradable bags, made from recycled potato starch. They are nurtured over a couple of weeks before being transferred into a small outdoor nursery. Once their roots have strengthened, they are ready to be planted in the main shade house.
Walter Knight, Farnek’s director of hospitality with Hege Aamo, head of housekeeping at The Hotel Show
Smart & green FM provider unveils new hospitality division
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2 June 2021: Two industry
experts from leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM)
company Farnek addressed delegates at the
Hotel Show conference at the Dubai World Trade Centre this week.
Hege Aamo, head of housekeeping and Javeria Aijaz senior
director of technology and innovation, each participated in their respective panel
sessions which examined the advantages and challenges of outsourcing a housekeeping
function, with a further discussion about the adoption of high-tech cleaning
tools.
Commenting on Farnek’s overall participation at the
event, Walter Knight, director of hospitality said, “The Hotel Show provided us
with an ideal platform to unveil our new hospitality division direct to industry
professionals from throughout the UAE and beyond.
“Together with our sustainability consultancy and more traditional FM, such as maintenance and security, we are now able to bring a fully comprehensive hospitality solution to market.”
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and technology-driven
Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates. Established in the UAE since
1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities
management company.
With a skilled
workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities
Management and security services across several sectors; Aviation, Hospitality,
Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure,
Government, Education, Leisure and Entertainment.
Two industry experts from leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek will be speaking live and in-person at the Hotel Show, which opens today (Monday 31st May) at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Speaking for the first time since her recent appointment as head of housekeeping for Farnek’s new hospitality division will be Hege Aamo, who brings with her a wealth of experience, having completed successful assignments in China, Latvia, the UAE, as well as her native Norway.
Aamo will be sharing her thoughts with industry professionals about evaluating the advantages and challenges of outsourcing a housekeeping function. Having previously held executive positions with leading hospitality brands such as Madinat Jumeirah, Emirates Towers, Hyatt Regency and Radisson SAS, it is hardly surprising that Aamo is passionate about brand identity and values.
“It is absolutely vital that when hotels consider outsourcing, particularly in housekeeping, that the outside staff recruited must be highly trained in all areas of their job, that’s fundamental. But it is just as important for the contracted staff to understand the essence of the brand they are working for and to become an integral part of the hotel team, not just a contracted worker in a uniform,” she said.
Joining Aamo onsite at the Hotel Show will be Javeria Aijaz, who is senior director of technology and innovation at Farnek. Award-winning Aijaz has been working on smart innovative strategies at Farnek for over a decade now with notable success.
Besides developing a smart watch, facial recognition and a smart fleet management system, Aijaz is currently working with Etisalat and Huawei to build a smart 5G campus at Farnek’s new state-of-the-art accommodation in Jebel Ali. Aijaz will be speaking at the HITEC series of seminars about which high-tech cleaning tools live up to their hype.
Commenting on Aamo’s appointment, Walter Knight, director of hospitality at Farnek said, “Hege will be a major asset to our division. She is a consummate professional and brings so much to the table beyond her undoubted talent and more than 20 years of experience.
“She is a leader as well as a mentor and I am looking forward to working with her on our first project the new Expo Village. Our scope of work consists of managing the reservation services, concierge, front office services and housekeeping, for the 2,273 apartments within the Expo 2020 site. So yes, a baptism of fire, although I’m sure Hege will take it in her stride.”
The Brazilian national will be directly responsible for managing more
than 200 duty officers and technicians while indirectly overseeing 4,500
employees across 600 locations, with a specific focus on health and hygiene, smart
innovation, quality, sustainability and ultimately customer satisfaction. She will
be working on major contracts such as Dubai Mall, Dubai Airport, Circle Mall in
JVC, as well as RAK bank and du telecom.
“Despite the financial stress brought on by the pandemic, over the past
12 months our soft services division has managed to retain 98% of its clients
and has secured contracts worth AED 350 million. So, quality, customer satisfaction
and value are integral elements of our service offering,” said Markus
Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
“Ana has the experience and the technical knowhow to lead from the front
and I am confident that she will be an invaluable member of our executive team,”
added Oberlin.
With 18 years’ experience in the UK, Qatar and the UAE, Topalidis is no
stranger to working on prestigious projects. Before joining Farnek she worked
for Expo 2020 for three years, as senior manager of cleaning and waste
management, where she was responsible for soft services and waste management
across 300 locations from technical planning through to building handover and
delivery.
Prior to Expo 2020, Topalidis managed and delivered the soft services,
namely cleaning, pest control, indoor landscaping and waste management for Abu
Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), which comprises of Abu Dhabi, Al Bateen, City
Terminal and Al ain airports from
2013 to 2017.
Last
year, Farnek achieved GBAC STAR™ accreditation for its head office facility in
Dubai, the first FM facility in the Middle East to be accredited by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC),
a division of ISSA, the global cleaning industry trade association, in the
Middle East.
Farnek
established a cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention programme that
minimises risks associated with infectious agents like the novel coronavirus.
GBAC STAR facility accreditation illustrates that Farnek employs the proper
cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, and work practices to combat
biohazards and infectious disease in its own space.
“One
of the major reasons why I chose to join Farnek was its market-leading position,
especially in soft services. In the wake of the lockdown in the UAE, Farnek was
the first FM company to market, with their sanitisation gateway, face recognition
system and then subsequently the GBAC accreditation.
“My
strategy is to drive cost and energy-efficient cleaning methods and procedures,
develop a quality system through technical training, maintain our excellent
ratio of contract renewals and develop new business opportunities by upselling
and cross selling complementary services,” said Topalidis.
Photo caption: Ana
Topalidis, Head of Soft Services, Farnek.
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and
technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned
independent total facilities management company.
With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000
employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management and security services
across several sectors; Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls,
Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education,
Leisure and Entertainment.
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, has secured a raft of FM contracts, valued
at more than AED 131 million in Q1 2021, of which AED 101 million is new
business.
The contracts involve a broad spectrum of FM disciplines, covering both
hard and soft services, as well as hotel management, a new division that Farnek
has only recently launched. All of the contracts vary in length from one to three
years and in total Farnek is mobilising 860 extra members of staff to service
these new and renewed contracts.
Some of the major contract wins include housekeeping and hotel
management operations for Expo Village, trolley management and MEP services at
Dubai International airport, as well as cleaning services for Nakheel’s new
Circle Mall in JVC and providing security for the National Petroleum
Construction Company.
Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek said: “Almost 30% of these contracts were awarded
to us from organisations based in Abu Dhabi, which underscores our growing
presence and reputation in the UAE capital. Another pleasing aspect of our Q1
2021 contract wins was the broad scope of work we were entrusted with,
including our very first hotel management contract, which was for the Expo
Village.
“Expo Village has been designated as the official residential community to
accommodate participants onsite during the Expo and comprises of eleven
clusters of mid to high-rise buildings with over 2,000 apartments,” added Oberlin.
Other major contract wins in Q1 for Farnek include Accor, Meydan and
Aldar entailing façade cleaning and manpower supply. These are in addition to
the 65 new members of staff that were mobilised earlier this year, after Farnek
had been contracted to manage a range of FM services for the Fairmont Dubai
hotel, Revier Hotel, S Hotel and the deluxe Sonder – JBR Suites.
“The FM sector is exceptionally competitive and commercial contracts are
awarded based on added value not on price alone. Therefore, we always make a
point of demonstrating a high degree of specialist training and technical professionalism,
offering
a cost-effective, well-equipped, highly motivated, tech-savvy workforce,”
commented Khaldun Aburok,
Farnek’s Director of Business Development.
Moreover,
with the successful rollout of the COVID vaccine in the UAE, (over 9 million
doses have been administered so far this year) many organisations are now beginning
to prepare for the day that all or most of the remaining restrictions are lifted,
which could be within the next four months or so.
Although
organisations could be allowed to operate more liberally, they will still need to
be on their guard, fully complying with all government and public health
directives, specifically health and hygiene standards. Farnek has achieved GBAC
STAR™ accreditation for its head office facility in Dubai, the first FM
facility in the Middle East to be accredited by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC).
And through that certification, Farnek has established an internationally
recognised cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention programme that
minimises risks associated with infectious agents like coronavirus. It illustrates
that Farnek employs appropriate cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, and
work practices to combat biohazards and infectious disease.
“This will undoubtedly provide us with a further
competitive edge when more offices, malls, schools, hotels and restaurants start
returning towards full occupancy,” added Aburok.
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and
technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned
independent total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of
more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management
services across several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail,
Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government,
Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, in partnership with Dutch green-tech
projects specialist developer Urban Ponics, has created a 240sqm vertical rooftop
garden at Farnek’s brand new staff accommodation centre in Dubai South – Farnek
Village.
Farnek arranged for a team of experts from Urban Ponics in the Netherlands
to fly into Dubai last week, to set up the rooftop garden nursery and construct
the 200sqm ‘shade house’, which provides a blend of shade and light
to create suitable conditions for shade-loving plants to thrive.
Urban Ponics together with Farnek’s in-house engineering team, assembled
the three-metre high, metal tube framework in less than two weeks. The completed
structure is equipped with green shade netting, grow pods, lava buckets, misters,
pumps, water tanks, irrigation and drainage pipes.
Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek, said: “The rooftop garden will now be able
to produce over 3,000 leafy greens such as lettuce, coriander, kale and
spinach, as well as tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, capsicums and chillis.
“The first harvest should be ready in around six weeks and will be used
in our kitchens, promising to be tastier, more nutritious and dare I say, ‘greener’,
than ordinary salad plants.”
The produce is being grown using internationally recognised, sustainable
methods including the use of vertical farming columns for a “mistponic”
application, which is by far, the most sustainable soil-less growing technique,
as it uses up to 90% less water than the most efficient conventional hydroponic
and aquaponic systems.
Ryan Mitchell, Workers Welfare Manager at Farnek, commented: “Moreover,
we recycle the condensate water from the air handling units to provide
irrigation (misting water), we even reuse the nutrients washed into the runoff irrigation
water.
Inside the shade house there are 40 PODs each two metres high and given their
cylindrical design, optimizing vertical space by yielding 80 plants. The 240 sqm
area of rooftop, which is the same size as a tennis court, will yield the
equivalent of a half-acre of cultivated land, so, a hundred times more
efficient than conventional farming.
“That’s one of the main advantages of utilising vertical farming technologies,”
added Mitchell. “It’s the massive increase in crop yield per square metre and
looking longer term, smart urban farming like this can help to reduce the ‘food
desert’ effect in many densely populated areas. In essence any flat rooftop in
the UAE is a potential market garden, irrespective of our arid environment.”
The garden even has its own dedicated nursery, where seedlings are grown
in reusable plastic trays, which are lined with biodegradable bags, made from
recycled potato starch. They are nurtured over a couple of weeks before being transferred
into a small outdoor nursery. Once their roots have strengthened, they are
ready to be planted in the main shade house.
“We will be able to cut down on the amount of salad plants we normally have
delivered reducing our carbon footprint. We can also improve the nutritional
content of our daily meals which will improve the overall health and wellbeing
of our staff,” added Mitchell.
Finally, food waste collected in the staff kitchens will be sent for onsite
composting, which once decomposed, will provide a compost rich in plant nutrients and
beneficial organisms. This will be fed into the nursery pots, thus closing the circular
economy and starting the whole life cycle over again.
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek has appointed British national Walter
Knight as director of its new hospitality division.
Knight will be responsible for structuring and developing a new fully
functioning hospitality division, which will provide a comprehensive range of
outsourced or third party services. Quite apart from concierge services, housekeeping,
property operations, maintenance, energy consultancy (POMEC) and security,
Farnek will manage central reservations and front office services.
Talking about how the new vertical will develop, Knight said: “Ultimately
we are aiming for a ‘360’ service offering, which will not only embrace traditionally
outsourced FM and manpower services we will also incorporate managing revenue
driven services, such as central reservation offices and associated sales
services.”
Knight is perfectly qualified to direct Farnek’s new hospitality division
having had more than 15 years of international experience, across different
operations, ranging from five-star to mid-market hotels and upscale apartments.
As a sales and marketing director, Knight completed successful assignments for Hyatt
in Kazakhstan and Avari in Pakistan, before taking up operational and general
management positions in the UAE with Ramada, Holiday Inn and Citymax.
One of Knight’s more impressive achievements was creating the mid-market
brand concept ‘Rove’ from scratch, on behalf of Emaar Hospitality Group, which
culminated in the launch of the first property in Zabeel, in 2015.
Subsequently, he was handed responsibility for the successful conversion and launch
of the four-star, 244 bedroom, QE2 Heritage Hotel, the first floating hotel in
Dubai.
Farnek has been supporting the UAE’s hospitality for over 40 years now
and has amassed an extensive portfolio of hotel contracts, which include brands
such as Marriott, Sheraton, Sofitel and Rotana. Add to that AED 7.5 million worth of recent contract wins and Knight
has hit the ground running, especially after taking responsibility for Farnek’s
latest contract win, the new Expo Village. Farnek’s scope of work will consist
of managing the reservation services, concierge, front office services and
housekeeping, for the 2,273 apartments within the Expo 2020 site.
“This will provide us with an invaluable commercial reference,” said
Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
“Successfully managing the Expo Village apartments, will instill confidence
in the market that we can close the circle – adding sales, reservations and complete
front office services to our existing market proposition.
“And in Walter, we have a natural leader, with solid experience and a
successful track record in both hospitality sales and operations. We are
looking forward to realising our vision for a truly unique turnkey hospitality
division.”
Forming an integral part of the
hospitality division will be Farnek Consultancy, which since 2006 has been helping
hotel operations become more sustainable. Farnek’s Hotel Optimizer software, can record, analyse and benchmark a hotel’s energy usage and utility patterns, which
ultimately provides recommendations to reduce consumption.
Furthermore, Farnek is a preferred
partner and auditor for Green Globe the worldwide sustainability accreditation system
based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and
management of travel and tourism businesses.
Another
of Farnek’s unique qualities is its high degree of technical training and development,
which affords a well-trained and cost-effective, tech-savvy
workforce,
Indeed,
Farnek’s HQ was the first FM facility of its kind in the Middle East, to
be accredited by the Global Biorisk
Advisory Council (GBAC). Through that certification, Farnek has
established an internationally recognised cleaning, disinfection, and infection
prevention programme to combat biohazards and infectious disease – music to the
ears of any housekeeping professional.
“Farnek’s credentials are beyond reproach and this is just one of many
reasons, why I decided to take my career in this new direction. However, it is
the outstanding commercial potential for this new division, that appeals to me
most.
“I firmly believe that the trend for outsourcing will be adopted more
broadly, right across the industry. This could give market entry to investors
and or developers of typically smaller, mid-market, non-branded properties, who
could simply outsource the entire operation direct.
“Indeed, if a number of smaller independent hotels were brought together
under the same outsourcing company, they could consider collective bargaining
with other suppliers and negotiating preferred rates with online travel agents
and tour operators,” added Knight.
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates. Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management services across several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek has launched an in-house smart fleet
management solution that will not only optimise the performance of its
transport fleet, but also improve service delivery to its customers.
The solution, which covers Farnek’s entire transport fleet of more than 300 buses, vans, and cars across the UAE, was built by its in-house technology division, which after a lengthy process of research and development, has simply and ingeniously adopted and adapted the latest smart technology to produce a homemade solution.
“This bespoke telematics system has been developed in-house by our own IT engineers, using proven technology and is a Cloud and mobility-based platform. Our fleet is now powered by IoT telematic sensors connected with Google Maps for route optimisation with our drivers, fleet, service schedule, and of course our customers, front of mind,” said Javeria Aijaz, Director Technology & Innovation, Farnek.
Using Farnek’s live administrative portal, the operational staff at its logistics centre compare vehicle inventory with the current and scheduled demand and issue instructions to the drivers (each vehicle is fitted with a dedicated smartphone loaded with an app).
The drivers log in, accept the notification based on a QR code sent to the smartphone in the vehicle and start their journey. The app automatically calculates and compares the estimated and actual journey times and presents the driver with Google Maps-based navigation, to show the most time-efficient route to take.
“All vehicles are integrated with an IoT sensor that essentially tracks the vehicle and monitors ignition status, sends idling notifications and speeding alerts, all in real-time, which all contribute positively towards our drivers’ performance,” commented Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
“Moreover, if for example, we have two buses with a capacity of 30 seats each travelling to the same destination, if available, we can switch to one 60-seater bus. Furthermore, by downloading the app, customers can also track the vehicle themselves and at the end of their shifts, our own employees will be able to see where the bus is and how long they will have to wait,” commented Oberlin.
“Overall, this improves safety, saves fuel, cuts
our CO2 emissions as well as reducing wear and tear on the vehicle, prolonging
the operational life of our transport fleet,” added Oberlin.
The operational dashboard can also generate incident
reports, organise new transport schedules, search for the nearest and most
relevant available vehicle, corelating with customer demand.
A whole host of reports can also be generated by the system as well, from
vehicle assignment and utilisation to monthly expense reports. There’s also a
driver’s module holding driving documents and records of any previous incidents
or violations.
“Through cross-referencing, these reports can identify vehicles that are maybe not performing particularly well and could require some sort of repair or maintenance. Also, we can share fuel-efficiency figures with individual drivers, which will encourage them to drive more carefully and not to leave engines idling for long periods of time,” stated Aijaz.
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and
technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned
independent total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of
more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management
services across several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail,
Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government,
Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek secured six hospitality contracts recently,
varying in length from one to three years, valued at AED 7.56 million.
Farnek was awarded four hotel/apartment contracts, namely the five-star Fairmont Dubai hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, the four-star 230 room Revier Hotel, situated in Business Bay, the four-star, S Hotel in Al Barsha and the deluxe Sonder – JBR Suites, on the Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence.
In addition, Farnek also secured two restaurant contracts, The Mood Rooftop Lounge in The Meydan Hotel, Nad Al Sheba, and the Cloud Lounge in the Studio One Hotel in Dubai Media City.
In total, over 65 staff have been mobilised to manage a range of services
from cleaning, housekeeping, security as well as Mechanical, Electrical &
Plumbing (MEP) maintenance.
Khaldun Aburok, Farnek’s Director of Business Development said: “To secure these contracts, some of which are for three years, we not only offered a broad-based proposition, which was commercially competitive. We also demonstrated a high degree of technical training, development, and professionalism, offering a well-trained and cost-effective, tech-savvy workforce.”
Due to the onset of the pandemic, the hospitality industry has had to fully comply with all government and public health directives, to ensure that their guests experience a safe, healthy, and comfortable stay, as well as protecting the wellbeing of their own staff.
And earlier this year, Farnek achieved GBAC STAR™ accreditation for its
head office facility in Dubai, the first FM facility to
be accredited by the Global Biorisk
Advisory Council (GBAC), a division of ISSA, the global cleaning industry trade
association, in the Middle East.
Through that certification, Farnek has established an internationally recognised cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention programme that minimises risks associated with infectious agents like the novel coronavirus. This illustrates that we employ appropriate cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, and work practices to combat biohazards and infectious diseases.
“To maintain those standards training is essential and the Farnek training centre comes complete with a fully fitted elevator, bathroom, kitchen, lobby, and a staircase. The walls and the floor are partially covered in a variety of materials such as carpet, rubber, linoleum, slate, marble, wood, and ceramic tiles, enabling our staff to be fully trained on every surface they could potentially come into contact with,” added Aburok.
In terms of maintenance, Farnek’s MEP training centre is equipped with a variety of typical assets including split unit a/c’s, distribution boards, pumps, and associated systems, in order to maintain best-practice and identify new approaches to generating efficiencies.
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable
and technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates.
Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned
independent total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of
more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management
services across several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail,
Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government,
Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
Next-generation staff accommodation centre in Dubai South, will become home to over 5,000 members of staff early next year
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM)
company Farnek, has welcomed its first
employees into its new AED 200 million state-of-the-art staff accommodation in
Dubai South.
The 100,000 square feet facility, which will become home to some
5,000 Farnek employees by next year, was completed, on time, on budget and to
specification.
Spacious, contemporary-designed employee rooms will be managed by a bespoke property software solution, so that new staff can be welcomed 24/7 at a dedicated reception area, sign in and be shown to their rooms in minutes. Other features include a prayer room, medical clinic, restaurant, library, barbershop, as well as leisure facilities and plenty of outdoor space.
“This is the future of staff accommodation. A place where employees feel at home, so that they can relax in modern, comfortable and pleasant surroundings. Also, connectivity is essential for staff welfare today, so free Wi-Fi has been made available to all staff throughout the entire complex,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
The low-rise (basement, G+4) employs the latest smart technology
and is the most energy, water and waste-efficient building of its kind, not
only in the UAE but throughout the region.
“Through its smart and sustainable design, we hope to save at least
20% more than a conventional staff accommodation centre, in energy and water
consumption. That could be worth up to AED 3 million every year,” added
Oberlin.
The complex
also features a 240ft vertical rooftop garden which will produce
over 3,000 leafy greens such as lettuce, kale, and spinach, as well as tomatoes,
cucumbers, eggplants, capsicums and chillis which will be used in Farnek’s own
kitchens.
Other design features include a 150sqm expanse of solar panels on
the roof of the building, which will meet all hot water requirements and over
4,000 LED-lights have been installed throughout, supplying 90% of the total
amount of lighting required.
The low energy lighting system also works in tandem with occupancy
sensors and photocells installed in the common areas such as the corridors and
externally in the parking areas, to optimise the building’s energy-efficiency.
Further sustainable features include reflective glazing and exterior paint, wall and
roof insulation, energy recovery ventilation and energy-efficient
air-conditioning.
Farnek is the leading smart and green Facilities Management company in the United Arab Emirates. Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management services to across several sectors; Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure and Entertainment.
The five-star Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai has been awarded
its first Green Globe Certification (GGC), a structured assessment of the sustainability
performance of travel and tourism businesses, such as hotel apartments.
The Mövenpick’s management team ensured that the
property complied with or exceeded, more than 380 internationally recognised sustainability
indicators, during an independent audit and assessment by Green Globe’s preferred
partner in the Middle East, UAE-based, smart and green FM company Farnek.
Nadia Ibrahim, Head of Consultancy at Farnek said, “The entire management team at the Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai, has worked tirelessly to demonstrate its commitment, not only to the environment but also to all of its stakeholders – guests, employees, investors, local residents and suppliers.”
In terms of energy management, the property has invested in a
GRMS (Guest Room Management System), an automated system that provides an
innovative and efficient way of controlling the lights and power, as well as
the air conditioning in guest rooms. To reduce energy consumption further, motion
sensors have been installed in the ceilings and near main doors and windows.
To reduce their carbon emissions, an Electrostatic Precipitator has been installed, which is a filtration device that removes fine particles, such as dust, smoke and other fine particles, from free-flowing gas with a minimal impediment.
To optimise their water usage, the condensate collected in the A/C drain tray is directed into a water tank which is then used to supplement the property’s irrigation system.
Dutch specialist contracted to design and build
200sqm rooftop ‘shade house’ to grow over 3,000 plants – project to be completed
by January 2021
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 3 November 2020:
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, has signed a contract with Dutch
green-tech projects specialist developer Urban Ponics, to design and help
create a 240sqm rooftop vertical garden at Farnek’s brand new staff
accommodation centre in Dubai South – Farnek Village.
Dominating the rooftop garden will be a 200sqm ‘shade house’, a structure
which provides a mix of shade and light to create suitable conditions
for shade-loving plants. Urban Ponics will transport this in parts from
Holland to Dubai and together with Farnek’s in-house engineering team, assemble
the metal tube framework for the 3m high structure onsite. It will come complete
with shade netting, grow pods, lava buckets, misters, pumps, water tanks, irrigation
and drainage pipes.
Farnek decided to embrace this novel concept, not only to repurpose the bare
concreted space on the Village roof, but to grow fresh vegetables and other produce
for its 5,000 staff, living at the AED 200 million complex.
“Farnek is an innovative
sustainable company and we are always trying to identify new ways of managing
our business in a cost and energy-efficient manner. Farnek Village will soon be
home to thousands of our employees and we wanted to create a project that would
be symbolic of our purpose and our values.
“Due to its sustainable
design, space is at a premium in the Village and this initiative makes perfect
use of an aspect that is generally underutilised at best and completely ignored
at worst,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
The garden, which will be complete in mid-January 2021, will be used to
produce over 3,000 leafy greens such as lettuce, kale, and spinach, as well as tomatoes,
cucumbers, eggplants, capsicums and chillis. The first harvest should be ready in
around six weeks from seeding and will be used in Farnek’s own kitchens and promises
to be cleaner, tastier and more nutritious, than ordinary salad plants.
“It is also more sustainable because we can then reduce the amount of deliveries it normally takes to feed 5,000 hungry workers. Equally diet and nutrition are an important part of the health and welfare policy for our employees.” added Oberlin.
The produce will be grown using sustainable methods applied by international
experts and local materials will be employed during the construction phase, as
much as possible. The growing methods include the use vertical farming columns
for a “mistponic” application, which is by far, the most sustainable soil-less
growing technique, as it uses up to 90% less water than the most efficient
conventional hydroponic and aquaponic systems.
Commenting further, Ryan Mitchell, Workers Welfare Manager at Farnek
said, “In addition to this, we intend to reuse the condensate water from the
air handling units to provide irrigation (misting water). The main advantage of
utilising vertical farming technologies is the increased crop yield that comes
with a smaller footprint, requiring much less land space.
“There are 40 PODs each two metres high and based on the cylindrical
design of the columns, which optimise vertical space, each POD should yield 80 plants.
The 240 sqm area of rooftop, which is the same size as a tennis court, can
yield the equivalent of a half-acre of cultivated land, so, in terms of land
use it’s 100 times more efficient.”
The 100,000 square feet low-rise (basement, G+5) facility will
raise the bar for intelligent buildings, employing the latest smart technology
and the most energy, water and waste-efficient accommodation centre of its
kind, not only in the UAE but throughout the region.
Through smart and sustainable design, Farnek hopes to save at least
20% more than a conventional staff accommodation centre, in energy and water
savings, which could be worth up to AED 3 million every year.
Another 150sqm of rooftop space will accommodate solar panels which
will meet all hot water requirements and more than 4,000 LED-lights are to be
installed throughout the complex, supplying 90% of the total amount of lighting
required.
The
vertical garden at various stages of growth, images 1-4:
Before planting, budding leaves, after planting and harvest time.
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and
technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates. Established
in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total
facilities management company.
With
a skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional
Facilities Management and security services across several sectors; Aviation,
Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial,
Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure and Entertainment.
About
Urban Ponics:
Urban Ponics develops Green-Tech Projects to fight against today’s most pressing Urban challenges, such as lack of nutrition in today’s greens, polluted rivers and lakes, and food waste. We develop, rethink and act upon different projects together with a team of dedicated people and partners that make all this possible. For more information log on to www.urbanponics.nl
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek, has appointed Jonathan
Caller to the position of Director of Technical Services and Business Development,
and Osama Abdel Hay, to Director of Soft Services, both based in Abu Dhabi.
With a 30-year pedigree in the facilities management industry, which
includes senior management positions in the UK, Europe, and the Middle East,
Caller will now lead Farnek’s operations in Abu Dhabi. His remit will cover all
aspects of Farnek’s offering, including facilities management, security, and
sustainability management.
During his career, he has worked across a broad spectrum of sectors,
including healthcare, construction, energy, and pharmaceuticals where he has
developed expertise in facilities and operations management, HVAC and MEP
systems, engineering and maintenance, and building management systems, amongst
others.
Markus
Oberlin, CEO, Farnek, said: “Jonathan’s considerable experience in
both the UAE capital and globally, will be crucial in developing and
implementing our growth strategies in the emirate.
“His enthusiasm, planning, stewardship and
commitment to any situation, in addition to his ability to draw on three
decades of experience from a cross-section of sectors and senior management
positions for leading organisations, will be crucial for providing our clients
with the highest levels of expertise and direction.”
Prior to his appointment, Caller was Farnek’s project director for the
Burj Khalifa. There, he was responsible for leading a team of over 100
technicians to ensure the 24/7 maintenance, including MEP and FM, of the
tallest building in the world.
He also spent several years in Abu Dhabi, initially with Schneider Electric before
moving to RW Armstrong as BMS/Technical Manager, then Cleveland Clinic as
operations manager for the 490-bed medical facility, and latterly hard services
manager for the Abu Dhabi Investment Council headquarters, the 753,000 sqft, 29
storey Al Bahr Towers.
In his new position, Caller will have specific responsibility for
overseeing and directing all aspects of FM operations within Abu Dhabi and Al
Ain, while identifying new business opportunities within existing and new
market sectors.
“Farnek has grown its presence in the capital considerably in recent
years. A raft of contract wins in facilities management, and security has
ensured our footprint has increased significantly. I look forward to utilising
the experience garnered from other prestigious projects I’ve managed in Abu
Dhabi and implementing that to the benefit of existing and future clients,” he
said.
A certified member of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities
Management (IWFM), Caller has an MBA in Executive Facilities Management from
Sheffield Hallam University.
Osama Abdel Hay will utilise over 15 years of experience to support
Farnek’s growth in the capital. He joins after successfully leading a team of
FM professionals at Dubai Mall, before which he managed all soft services for
Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), including Abu Dhabi International Airport,
the second-largest airport in the UAE.
“Osama is passionate about enhancing the customer experience through
soft services, a trait that will be invaluable to our customers in Abu Dhabi.
He has garnered a wealth of knowledge relating to operational planning and FM
soft services during his time at organisations including Emaar and ADAC, which
will now be implemented to our operations in the capital,” added Oberlin.
Hay has a BA in Business Administration from Abu Dhabi University as
well as a host of industry-specific qualifications including the British
Institute of Cleaning Science (BICS), and Project Management Professional (PMP)
accreditation.
Pictured from
left to right: Osama Abdel Hay, Director of Soft Services;
and Jonathan Caller, Director of Technical Services and Business Development,
Farnek.
Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek has appointed Khaldun Aburok as director of business development.
Aburok’s previous experience in business development includes a senior role with major Japanese corporation OMRON, a global leader in the field of automation, initially reporting into their regional HQ for EMEA in Amsterdam. He started out as a field sales engineer based in Switzerland, and after almost three years’ service, in 2015, he was promoted to regional sales manager for the MENA region, heading up the Dubai branch office.
Prior to that, Aburok worked in the research department at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, having graduated from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, with a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and IT.
“Khaldun has a great deal of engineering sales experience, both here in the UAE and Europe, and has a very strong technological background. Therefore, given the challenging market conditions due to the pandemic, he was the ideal candidate to drive our business growth strategy,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
The Swiss national has been given the responsibility for supporting the corporate strategic vision of Farnek by implementing an aggressive business growth strategy. His responsibilities include directing the business development department’s day-to-day activities, including leading, motivating, and developing the sales team, improving quality management and client relationships, and budget accountability.
“Environmental and social awareness, innovation, and technology are at the forefront of Farnek’s corporate strategy, which are values and aspects of the business that I am passionate about. Add that to my experience of studying and working in Switzerland, and the decision to join Farnek was totally natural and I am looking forward to a long and successful career here,” said Aburok.
Since joining Farnek earlier this year, Aburok has made an immediate impact, securing multimillion-dollar projects with Dubai Development Authority and United Arab Bank, as well as winning contracts with Gulf Vision, Valiant Clinic owned by Belhoul Hospital, SIG- Schools, and Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park.
Aburok, who also holds an MBA focusing on strategic and executive management, commented: “The UAE FM market is highly competitive and it is companies such as Farnek that have embraced technology and use it to become more cost-efficient and more sustainable, that will ultimately overcome the challenges brought on by the pandemic.”
Farnek has invested more than one million dollars into research and development to advance innovative tech-driven initiatives such as biometrics, its multifunctional smartwatch technology, and, more recently, its disinfection tunnel.
Three-year
contract covers HVAC, MEP cleaning and specialist services for four Dubai facilities
– over 100 technicians to be mobilised
Dubai
Developments, the privately held development company
established by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Minister
of Finance of the UAE and Deputy Ruler of Dubai, has signed a three-year contract with leading UAE-based FM Company Farnek, to manage a range of facilities in
Dubai including four key properties within DD’s extensive portfolio, covering
retail, residential, commercial and mixed-use.
Commenting on the contract,
HE Eng. Essa Al Maidoor, Director General of the Dubai Developments, said: “As
part of Dubai Developments’ strategy to improve service and achieve high
customer satisfaction and happiness, Dubai Developments has decided to partner
with a reliable and well-known FM service provider. Dubai Developments has
reviewed the technical and technological capabilities of many service providers
and has chosen FARNEK to join Dubai Developments in their journey towards
service excellence.”
In total over 100 staff and technicians will be
mobilised, to deliver a scope of works encompassing technical work (MEP, HVAC
& Civil), specialised systems, exterior and general cleaning, pest control
and landscaping.
The buildings that are now come under Farnek’s remit include,
the 72-storey residential Blue Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road, the residential element of Al Murooj
Complex in DIFC, which covers over 140 serviced apartments and associated public
areas; the Village Mall in Jumeirah and the
fully commercial Al Hudaiba Award Complex in Bur Dubai, comprising of nine
floors over three blocks.
“This is our first contract with Dubai Developments
and we are looking forward to a long and mutually beneficial working relationship,
well beyond the initial three years,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
Innovative UAE home maintenance specialist launches neighbourhood watch,
home security initiative using the latest smart home technology, for homeowners
and tenants on holiday or distant landlords
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, August 30, 2020:
Dubai-based
innovative and technology-driven home maintenance specialist Hitches & Glitches (H&G), part of the Farnek Group, has expanded its home maintenance offering with the launch of a
new tech-enabled security service called ‘H&G Neighbourhood Watch’.
The service applies to H&G customers who have bought and installed the
Ring Video Doorbell Elite. The connected doorbell allows homeowners to answer the
door from anywhere, via a two-way voice call and one-way live streaming of any visitor,
through their smartphone app or computer.
However, if any homeowner notices any suspicious movement
captured by the Ring camera, they will now have the option to contact H&G,
who will dispatch a security officer within 15-30 minutes to check on the
property. After inspection, the customer is then sent a report with any
relevant images.
“Our experienced
and professional security team can now provide homeowners, tenants and
landlords, with peace of mind, by ensuring home safety and security, 24 hours a
day. We envisage this service to be popular whether a home is left vacant during
holiday periods, or while landlords and owners are overseas,” said Kelvin Vargheese, Director of H&G.
“Although the
service is tech-driven, it is not too dissimilar to a residents’ neighbourhood
watch scheme and if during a call out we do notice any criminal activity or
indeed damage to the property we will inform the owner and the relevant
authorities if necessary,” he added..
Demand has soared for smart home security gadgets, as improved
technology has made devices easier to use and more affordable, especially those
with remote options for when homeowners are away from home, for any length of
time.
H&G partnered with Ring in 2018, to retail and install its home
security products and solutions to residences throughout the UAE.
Other products available for installation through
H&G include The Ring Floodlight Cam, the first motion-activated security camera with two-way
talk, built-in floodlights, and a siren. The Chime Pro HD camera, the Ring
Spotlight Cam, and four variations of the Ring Indoor Cam are also available.
“Ring’s state-of-the-art smart home security gadgets are now an integral
part of H&G’s multi-touch offering. We can create a bouquet of products
that not only cover security but sustainability and lifestyle too. The ability
to buy online with the convenience of installation, added to our general
maintenance and repairs, we can provide a seamless, comprehensive service – the
proverbial one-stop shop,” added Vargheese.
Homeowners and
tenants can order H&G Neighbourhood Watch as
a standalone feature, or as a supplement to H&G’s existing home maintenance
packages.
New remote building energy audit system to promote cost savings and
enhance building energy performance by utilising energy saving best practice
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 26 August 2020: Leading UAE-based technology and sustainability-driven facilities
management (FM) company Farnek, will
utilise virtual video tools and online data collection, to provide building
owners and tenants with recommendations
to improve energy performance and cut costs, remotely.
The remote system, which has been introduced due to the current
COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting reduced operations and access constraints,
will support businesses by assessing energy usage and utility patterns and
providing recommendations to reduce the building’s energy consumption.
Nadia Ibrahim, Head of Consultancy, Farnek, said: “Essentially, a virtual energy audit is
much like a traditional audit whereby we analyse the data and develop a list of
recommendations that will deliver a reduction in utility consumption and associated
cost savings.
“Identification of energy
inefficiencies in commercial buildings has traditionally relied on physical
audits whereby a team of trained auditors travel to a building to perform a
series of tests with specialised equipment. A virtual energy audit will be cheaper and more
efficient than its physical alternative, lowering the barrier for building
owners to find out exactly how much energy they are wasting.”
Earlier
this year, Farnek research discovered that average occupancy at 12 Dubai hotels
during March to May 2019 was 73%, however, due to the restrictions associated
with the COVID-19 pandemic, average occupancy slipped to 25% during the same period
this year.
Their
energy consumption during that period last year was 32,000 MWh, which fell to
23,000 MWh for the same period this year. However, had those hotels put an effective
energy management strategy into practice, they could have reduced their combined
consumption to 19,000 MWh a saving of 4,000 MWh or 17.4%, saving AED 1.45
million.
Looking
at an average individual performance, a hotel with 300 rooms could have potentially
reduced its energy consumption by 200,000 KWh during March, April and May,
resulting in cost savings of AED 80,000.
“Imagine
how hard hotels have to work today to generate a net profit of AED 80,000 per
quarter, compared with an energy audit that can identify the equivalent in savings,”
said Ibrahim.
Farnek has developed two
variations of audit, both of which have been developed in line with the
American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers
(ASHRAE) standard auditing process.
The first is a virtual walkthrough audit of the facility
to benchmark water and electricity and compare consumption with similar
facilities locally and globally. It also establishes energy and water baselines
using monthly energy usage and parameters affecting the consumption, predicts
future energy and water consumption and defines consumption limits while also
outlining conservation measures.
The
second detailed energy audit involves the same consumption assessment however
also provides a detailed analysis of the performance of major equipment within the
building as well as identifying ways
to enhance operational efficiency and decrease maintenance costs and detailed
energy conservation measures with simple payback calculations.
“We have developed these new systems to enable us to provide clients with the data required to make the best possible decisions to help reduce energy consumption. Going forward, this also negates the additional cost of a physical audit in buildings that may be isolated or difficult to reach,” added Ibrahim.
The audits deliver full benchmarking
statistical analysis and can support facility engineers when
assessing their system performance, by using the data sheets and methodology, to
provide year-on-year comparisons.
For
more information please visit www.farnek.com
Dubai,
United Arabi Emirates, 11th August 2020: Leading
UAE-based technology and sustainability-driven facilities management (FM)
company Farnek, has achieved GBAC STAR™
accreditation for its head office facility in Dubai, the first FM facility to be accredited by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a division of ISSA, the
global cleaning industry trade association, in the Middle East.
Farnek has established a cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention programme that minimises risks associated with infectious agents like the novel coronavirus. GBAC STAR facility accreditation illustrates that Farnek employs the proper cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, and work practices to combat biohazards and infectious disease in its own space.
Additionally, through its experience in completing the accreditation process for its own facility, Farnek is uniquely prepared to assist its facility customers as they pursue GBAC STAR accreditation. For example, Farnek assisted The Dubai Mall to achieve GBAC STAR facility accreditation in August 2020.
Julian Khalil, Director of Soft Services at Farnek, said: “This accreditation proves that we can quickly address biological threats and real-time crises at our head office here in Dubai and with this knowledge, we can support our customers to recover from such events. Other cleaning standards do not cover this level of detail.
“Therefore,
it will be reassuring for visitors to our head office, our customers and the public
at large, to know that this accreditation is performance-based and relies on comprehensive
and ongoing training, covering disinfection techniques and cleaning best practices
for biohazard situations.”
In addition, Farnek’s skilled cleaning professionals are empowered to carry out their jobs safely and effectively. They are trained for the outbreak and infectious disease preparation and response, assessing risk, and understanding the latest guidelines for the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Moreover,
Farnek has secured new contract wins within the educational sector. Scholars
International Group (SIG), has awarded Farnek cleaning and disinfecting
contracts for all three of its schools in Dubai and Sharjah.
“The
Clarion School, Al Quoz, Dubai
Scholars in Al Qusais,
and Scholars
International Academy in Sharjah will now benefit from Farnek’s unique
cleaning and disinfecting solution, which will be embedded into a new daily
sanitising routine. Along with fogging services, our comprehensive programme
will bring each of the three schools up to the very highest international
standards of cleanliness.
“In fact, SIG is so committed
to maintaining the highest standards of cleaning and disinfection that it is applying
for GBAC STAR accreditation for all of its school facilities,” said Markus
Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.
“Compliance with GBAC STAR will help instil the utmost confidence among parents and students, as they prepare to return to school for the new academic year in September. Society, in general, will need to embrace the positive change required as we move towards the ‘new normal,” he added.
Composed of international leaders in the field of microbial-pathogenic threat
analysis, mitigation, response, and recovery, GBAC provides training, guidance,
accreditation, certification, crisis management assistance, and leadership to
government, commercial, and private entities looking to mitigate, quickly
address, and recover from biological threats and real-time crises.
“Now is the
time for businesses of every size to be transparent about the measures they’re
taking to protect customers and employees, including proper cleaning and
disinfection,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett.
“GBAC STAR
programme participants demonstrate their commitment to going the extra mile by
implementing prevention and response best practices that support health and
safety,” he added.
Organisations from
more than 68 countries in America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia have committed
to accredit their facilities to GBAC STAR, including tourism bureaus, airports,
convention centres, hotels, cultural institutions, professional sports parks,
and stadiums.
Additional international industry groups that have already announced their support of GBAC STAR include the International Facility Management Association (23,000 members), Informa Markets (500 brands and exhibitions), International Association of Exhibitions and Events (12,000 members), International Association of Venue Managers (7,000 members), and the Global Market Development Centre (400+ retail members).
For more information, log
on to www.farnek.com
About Farnek:Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates. Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management services across several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Shopping Malls, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.
Leading UAE-based technology and sustainability-driven facilities management (FM) company Farnek has appointed Philip Ducker as its new head of security.
The UK national had previously spent 17 years with the Metropolitan Police Service, working in central London. Philip was an emergency first responder, management and tactical advanced pursuit driver, as well as a trained anti-terror detention officer and senior management liaison at critical incidents.
During his career, Philip has amassed an impressive array of awards, receiving the Metropolitan Police Service’s ‘Baton of Honour’ in 1999 and the Commanders Commendation six times between 2005 and 2016, as well as the Commissioners High Commendation in 2005. He is a member of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) and the Association of Personal Protection Agents (IAPPA).
Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek, said, “Philip has had a long and distinguished career with the Metropolitan Police and brings with him a wealth of experience and technical knowhow.
“Automation, intelligence, and resource efficiency are the future of modern security. Philip will not only drive our strategy to further develop our command and control room capabilities, biometrics and time & attendance solutions, he will also direct the bespoke training requirements for all of our security personnel.”
Research by Frost & Sullivan indicated that demand for IP-based video surveillance systems, access control and intrusion detectors would continue to drive the market, which is supported by increased government spending on infrastructure projects and the introduction of new and more stringent regulations, creating additional market opportunities.
Farnek has invested more than one million dollars into research and development to advance, innovative tech-driven initiatives such as biometrics and its multifunctional smartwatch technology.
Unique to Farnek’s security offering, the Android watch is programmed, coded and developed in-house and provides attendance and incident reporting as well as call facilities, Geo-fencing, photo & video functions and health monitoring. All watches are connected to Farnek’s state-of-the-art command centre, to pinpoint the exact location of guards and provide them with real-time updates.
Farnek Security Services has grown substantially over the past year. With the purchase of Certis security services, it has added 1,800 employees to its payroll and increased its guard force and contractual commitment by over 400%. It is one of only a handful of FM companies in the UAE to have a security licence in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates.
Philip, who arrived in the UAE in June 2016, has spent the last three and a half years working on consultancy projects with embassies, retailers and property developers. He has created, managed and audited physical and electronic security systems and manned guard forces, including planning and implementing security services at major sports and entertainment events.
Commenting on his role, Philip said: “The use of technology and creating synergies with other elements of FM, is key to expanding our portfolio in a cost-efficient manner. Farnek is in a good position to take advantage of this opportunity.
“Training is also key. Tailoring programmes to suit certain market sectors, such as customer service for the hospitality sector and loss prevention in retail outlets, for example, can provide clients with the assurance that they are getting the right guards for the right job and most importantly, heightened performance.”
Philip also shared his own thoughts on the UAE FM market going forward.
“The market here is highly competitive, with many smaller, specialist companies vying for major contracts. In this post lockdown environment, costs are coming under even more pressure and businesses that cannot innovate technically or provide economies of scale will be vulnerable. I think that there will be considerable consolidation in the market, over the next 18 months,” he said.
New biometric facial
recognition system assesses staff body temperature via thermal imaging when
employees enter Farnek offices or work sites ensuring a safe and secure working
environment
Dubai, United Arabi Emirates, 13th July 2020: Leading UAE-based
technology and sustainability-driven facilities management (FM) company Farnek
has implemented a new contactless face recognition system to measure the temperature
and monitor the attendance of its employees.
In line with Dubai Municipality regulations, the system allows Farnek to
check the temperature of all employees when entering and leaving their offices,
or when entering and leaving external workplaces, where the technology has been
implemented, reducing the threat of COVID-19 spreading. If there is an alert,
the employee is denied access, isolated and Farnek management is informed instantly.
Markus
Oberlin, CEO, Farnek, said: “Contactless
technology is more important now than ever before as a result of the
Coronavirus pandemic. The leading cause of transmission is through contact or proximity
to people carrying the virus, some of whom may not show any symptoms. This
system alleviates those risks.”
The system works by
scanning the employees face and palm using HD thermal camera technology to give
a 100% accurate temperature reading. Connected to a central system, attendance
can also be monitored, and payroll updated in real-time. The system also
recognises when someone is wearing a mask, therefore allowing them to be worn
at all times.
“This
state-of-the-art technology not only mitigates health and safety risk it also
monitors staff arriving and leaving. That also has an added benefit for our
customers because this data can then be aligned with customer work orders,
supporting subsequent invoicing. It also reassures them that all staff entering
have left the building as well.”
The technology has
been implemented at all of Farnek’s offices in the UAE as well as client sites,
including The Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, and Dubai Airport.
“This system
underscores our commitment to the safety and well-being of our employees and
customers during these unprecedented times. The implementation of this innovative
technology is just one of many measures we have implemented to support the UAE business
community and the wider public, in containing the spread of the coronavirus,”
added Oberlin.
Since the COVID-19
outbreak, Farnek has implemented several measures to minimise the threat of the
virus spreading. Sanitisation gateways, which disinfect all staff before leaving and returning,
are being installed across all staff
accommodation centres in the UAE.
The disinfectant system works via
a Fog Gate, or disinfection tunnel, which sprays staff with a highly efficient,
non-toxic, pH-neutral, and durable disinfectant. The mist is completely
harmless and dries in seconds after employees pass through. The gateway is
regularly sterilised and cleaned by a team of highly trained specialists from
Farnek.
Farnek is also employing a Dubai Municipality-approved environmentally friendly
and non-toxic disinfectant solution, which kills over 99.99% of all bacteria,
viruses, fungi, and spores.
“Through
the adoption of innovative technology, our customers can rest assured that our
staff are healthy, motivated and together we are ready to face the challenge of
the ‘new normal’ once this crisis is over,” concluded Oberlin.
