Facilities Management Practices Research Articles

Assessment of facilities management sourcing approaches in hotels in Ghana: a study of selected hotels in Wa

PurposeThe study aims to assess the sourcing approaches used in providing facilities management (FM) services in hotels. It further explores the factors that influence hotels' choice of sourcing approach and the challenges.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a case study design. Simple random, census and purposive sampling techniques were used to select the hotels and respondents. Data were collected using interviews and analysed thematically. The data were presented in narration and direct quotes from the respondents. The critical factors influencing outsourcing decisions were ranked using the relative importance index. This study is based on a single case. Therefore, further research should be conducted to expand the scope of study nationwide as a step toward making the results more robust.FindingsBoth in-house and outsourcing sourcing approaches were used to provide FM services. In-house FM services mainly focused on cleaning, security and aspects of maintenance. Internet and information technology related services and other maintenance activities were also outsourced. Outsourcing decisions in the various hotel categories were mostly guided by the cost of outsourcing, core business, lack of in-house skills and hotel size.Practical implicationsFM strategy can be developed to guide the management of FM activities in hotels. An approach that adds value and enhances the activities of hotels and provides convenience to customers must be adopted by hotels. Further studies should be conducted on the cost implications of the two main sourcing approaches, as well as the impact of sourcing approaches on customer satisfaction. An additional study should focus on the driving factors influencing the cost and quality of outsourced FM services in hotels. This will help provide comprehensive information on effective FM sourcing approaches and the operations of hotels.Originality/valueThe study focused on the sourcing approaches used by hotels to provide FM services. It also explored the influencing factors and challenges of FM practices in hotels.

Norwegian stakeholder's attitudes towards EU taxonomy

PurposeThe European Union (EU) aims to become climate-neutral by 2050. Achieving this requires targeted measures and strategies. One of the instruments of the EU is the EU taxonomy, a classification system with the purpose of creating a common definition of what economic activities are deemed sustainable. The paper aims to examine how the EU taxonomy can affect the Norwegian construction industry, property owners and facilities management (FM) providers.Design/methodology/approachThe research is based on a document analysis and interviews with main stakeholders within the financial sector, construction and real estate (RE) sector, authorities, environmental organisations and businesses related to FM and RE.FindingsThe findings show that different stakeholders share largely similar attitudes towards the taxonomy, although some differ in their opinions. This paper finds that there are high levels of uncertainty and confusion associated with the taxonomy, which can be said to be a major obstacle for successful implementation. Several stakeholders show concerns related to the fact that Norway lacks definitions and regulations on which the taxonomy is based. The requirements for new buildings and existing buildings are considered stricter than the current practice in the Norwegian construction and RE industry, while the requirements for renovation are considered more achievable. The uptake of the EU taxonomy will impact the FM and the urban FM practices and standards for the procurement of services, and the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies must be developed.Research limitations/implicationsThe research presented in this paper was conducted at a time when the EU taxonomy was a relatively unknown concept in the Norwegian construction and RE industry. FM providers were not interviewed in this study.Practical implicationsThis research is one of the first studies to be conducted on this topic in Norway and represents the first meeting between the EU taxonomy and the industry. The discussion underpins the relevance of adjusting and updating FM standards to today’s knowledge about ESG principles.Originality/valueThe paper shows the viewpoint of the Norwegian stakeholders involved in the construction and RE industry. This gives valuable information about the challenges that the industry needs to overcome.

Sustainable Facilities Management in the Built Environment: A Mixed-Method Review

The significance of facilities management practices in the built environment and the changing focus to include sustainability principles have been acknowledged. However, there is no consensus on the sustainability principles needed to ensure maximal benefits in the built environment. Few studies have systematically analysed and visualised the trends in facilities management sustainability research. This study thus explored facilities management research and its evolving focus over the past decade regarding sustainability. With a focus on the built environment, an exploratory study using scientometrics and content analysis was undertaken based on the extant literature from 2012 to 2022 published in the Scopus database. Keywords including “sustainable facilities management” and “built environment” were used to identify journal articles and conference papers. Interlinks were mapped and visualised using VOSviewer and complemented with findings from the content analysis. Findings showed that current research pathways centred around four clusters, including planning and implementation, community-oriented smart facilities management, innovativeness, and environmental and corporate energy management. These core research focus areas were mostly concentrated in the United Kingdom. The core researchers, institutions, funders, and sources were established. Future research gaps and directions based on knowledge areas and methodological and collaborative endeavours were highlighted. The study offers insights to facilities managers, researchers, analysts, and policymakers on the trajectory of sustainable facilities management research and the extent to which the sustainable development agenda has been embraced. The relations between SFM research and opportunities or areas of stronger focus given contemporary occurrences were identified.

Status of health care waste management plans and practices in public health care facilities in Gauteng Province, South Africa

BackgroundHealth care waste management is a challenge due to the composition of the waste generated within a health care facility, of which 85% is domestic waste, and at least 15% is hazardous waste or health care risk waste (has been in contact with blood, body fluids or tissues from humans and could cause disease). In this study, we evaluated the status quo of health care waste management plans (HCWMPs) and practices in public health care facilities in Gauteng Province, South Africa.MethodsA situational analysis was employed in health care facilities (HCFs) that generated more than 20 kg (N = 42) of health care risk waste (HCRW) per day. Data was collected from officials responsible for the management of health care waste using a self-administered questionnaire whilst Chief Executive Officers/ managers of the HFCs were interviewed.ResultsThe results showed that most (79.0%) of the health care waste officers (HCWOs) as well as management (84.6%) agreed to have HCWMPs in place. The majority (76.9%) of the HCFs have a dedicated person appointed to manage health care waste with the majority (67%) being environmental health practitioners. According to management, only 30.8% have formally appointed an integrated HCW committee. Only 11.7% of the HCWOs are guided by the Occupational Health and Safety Act to develop their HCWMPs with only 20.5% with health care waste minimisation strategies in place.ConclusionThe study concluded that there is limited integration of HCWMPs as inadequate health and safety aspects, environmental pollution as well as community participation was reported. The novelty of the study is to contribute to a body of knowledge, information on the establishment of an effective health care waste management system in public health care facilities and for decision-making purposes.

Determinants of commodity management practices in public health facilities in devolved health systems: a case of essential medicines in Makueni County, Kenya

Background: Good health commodities management is an essential component of effective and affordable health care services globally. Curative, preventative and rehabilitative care involve the utlization of medicines and medical supplies. The specific focus of the research was on the impact of: healthcare worker training; policy and institutional framework; healthcare budgetary allocations; and, available infrastructure on effective management of essential medicines in publicly owned health facilities in a devolved system. Methods: The researcher used descriptive cross-sectional research design and a mixed method of qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques in collecting both primary and secondary data. The study adopted a stratified random sampling procedure to choose targeted 50 public health facilities in Makueni County from a population of 162 health facilities. The calculated size of the sample was 96 respondents through stratified sampling technique. The analysed data was presented using tables, charts and narration for qualitative data. Results: The study findings established that health worker training, health budgetary allocations and available infrastructure had significant and positive effect on management practices of essential medicine in Makueni County, Kenya. However, the effect of policy and institutional framework was found to insignificant in predicting the management practices of essential medicines in Makueni County. Conclusions: The study concluded that healthcare sector is a dynamic sector that faces different changes on a daily basis. Health worker training; policies and institutional structures; budget allocation; and infrastructure need to be advanced to meet the expectations in the evolving healthcare sector.

Solid waste management in hospitals: A comparative assessment in some selected hospitals in Obuasi Municipality of Ghana

The types of waste generated in hospitals as well as the management practices adopted by the hospitals for the disposal and treatment of the waste have become an issue of great concern to both local authorities and the public. This research aimed at assessing solid waste disposal and management practices of some selected hospitals in the Obuasi Municipality of Ghana. Three hospitals in Obuasi were selected for the study. The names of the hospitals are represented with the letters A, B and C. The objectives of the study were to know the types of waste generated in the hospitals, quantify the waste generated during the study period and compare the solid waste management practices adopted by the hospitals with the Health Care Waste Management guidelines (HCWM) of the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ghana. Relevant data and information were obtained for four weeks in the selected hospitals concurrently. Results from the study showed that hospitals generate plastics, papers, putrescible waste and hazardous waste. In terms of waste quantities, a total of 2,260.95 kg of waste were generated in the three hospitals during the study period. Plastic waste was 495 kg (21.89%), papers were 398.7 kg (17.63%) and putrescible wastes were 788.15 kg (34.86%) and 579.1 kg (25.61%) of the waste was hazardous waste.The waste management practices adopted by the hospitals were below standard. Although some proper waste collection was carried out, no waste sorting, processing or treatment was done. Two of the hospitals had contracted Zoomlion Ghana Limited to dispose their waste at the landfill site whiles the other hospital disposes of the solid waste in an open pit and burn the waste as well. Observation made during the study was that most of the waste management staff had low educational backgrounds and therefore have a low understanding of proper waste management practices as well as low remunerations. Comparisons made between the hospitals in terms of their waste management pratices and the MoH guidelines on Health Care Waste Management (HCWM) show that the hospitals do not adhere to the guidelines and standards. The study recommend that regulatory authorities enforce strict adherence to standards and effective monitoring of waste management practices in health facilities to safeguard public health and environmental safety. • More putrescible waste were generated in the hospitals (788.15 kg) (34.86%) than hazardous waste (579.1 kg) (25.61%). • The waste management practices adopted by the hospitals were below standard; no waste treatment, sorting or processing was of waste was done. • Most of the waste management staff had low educational backgrounds and hence lower understanding of proper waste management practices. • The hospitals do not adhere to the Health care waste management guidelines, and standards.

Data-Driven Analysis for Facility Management in Higher Education Institution

Planned Preventive Maintenance (PPM) and Unplanned Maintenance (UPM) are the most common types of facility maintenance. This paper analyzes current trends and status of Facility Management (FM) practice at higher education institutions by proposing a systematic data-driven methodology using Natural Language Process (NLP) approaches, statistical analysis, risk-profile analysis, and outlier analysis. This study utilizes a descriptive database entitled “Facility Management Unified Classification Database (FMUCD)” to conduct the systematic data-driven analyses. The 5-year data from 2015 to 2019 was collected from eight universities in North America. A preprocessing step included but was not limited to identifying common data attributes, cleaning noisy data, and removing unnecessary data. The outcomes of this study can facilitate the decision-making process by providing an understanding of various aspects of educational facility management trends and risks. The methodology developed gives decision makers of higher education institutions, including facility managers and institution administrators, effective strategies to establish long-term budgetary goals, which will lead to the enhancement of the asset value of the institutions.

P102 Sleep health management practices in Australian residential aged care facilities: The perspective of registered nurses

Abstract Background Sleep disturbances are commonly experienced by older people living in residential aged care facilities. Non-pharmacological approaches have a strong evidence base, however research shows that medications (sedatives, antidepressants, antipsychotics) are often used inappropriately. However, little is known about healthcare professionals’ current sleep health management approaches in residential aged care facilities. Aims and objectives This study aimed to explore the current sleep health management practices in Australian residential aged care facilities and investigate potential ways to improve non-pharmacological and pharmacological sleep health practices in the future. Design Qualitative inductive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews guided by COREQ guidelines. Methods Semi-structured interviews were to be conducted with registered nurses and aged care pharmacists recruited using a convenience-sampling and snowballing approach. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and inductively analysed for emergent themes. Results Fourteen interviews were conducted with registered nurses in New South Wales. Thematic analysis derived three main themes: 1) Awareness and observations of sleep health, 2) Healthcare approach to sleep health management in residential aged care facilities and, 3) Organisational constraints to evidence-based sleep health care provision. Conclusion Registered nurses assess residents’ sleep health and attempt to manage sleep health through both non-pharmacological and pharmacological strategies. Organisational culture and staffing ratios negatively impact the delivery of best evidence-based practice but effective communication between the multidisciplinary team appears to facilitate management of sleep disturbances. Participants emphasized the need for sleep health educational programs and the development of national sleep health management guidelines across aged care in Australia.

Assessment of healthcare waste management practices and associated factors in Addis Ababa City Administration Public Health Facilities.

Healthcare waste management is very important due to its hazardous nature that can cause risk to human health and the environment. In developing countries, healthcare waste has not received much attention and has been disposed of together with municipal waste. The aim of the study was to assess the healthcare waste management practices in Addis Ababa City Administration Public Health Facilities. An institutional-based cross-sectional design was used for the study at Addis Ababa city 15 Public health centres and 3 hospitals. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires distributed to 636 randomly selected healthcare waste handlers and managers. Observational check list also used. The data were entered into the EPI- INFO version TM 7 and exported to IBM SPSS 20 for analysis. Both descriptive and analytic statistics were employed. Among the respondents, 358 (90.86%) from health centres and 96.38% (133) from hospitals indicated that their facilities had separate containers for hazardous and non-hazardous waste however, 61 (15.48%) from health centres and 29 (21.01%) from hospitals indicated that healthcare waste containers were not clearly marked or labelled. The study found that the main forms of on-site treatment of healthcare waste for health centres and hospitals before disposal were burning. Manager respondents from the health centres 65 (92.86%), 64 (91.43%) and from hospitals 31 (91.18%), 30 (88.24%) indicated that healthcare waste handlers were used protective clothing when handling waste and were provided with protective clothing when handling healthcare waste respectively. In this study healthcare waste management among healthcare waste handlers and healthcare facility managers were not getting full attention. Collection of healthcare waste were not done regularly, containers were not clearly marked and were not located in appropriate areas where they might be needed. Support healthcare waste handlers by training help to improve their knowledge, attitude and practice.

Lean and visual managements contribution to sustainable facilities management

Sustainable management practices such as lean and visual management can be directly linked successfully to facilities management practices. This was acknowledged during an exploratory case study that assessed the leanness of a university’s transformation, evaluating their lean and value-added approach to enhancing workflow efficiencies. The research study was limited to one UK university estates and property services lean journey. Design science research methodology with an action research approach was applied. In conjunction with qualitative methods such as interviews, questionnaires, and participatory observations in action that included a workshop. The literature review surmised that there is a lack of data demonstrating the correlation between lean visual management and sustainable management practices especially in facilities management services. Additionally, combining sustainable management and change management methods is also not widely researched. When sustainable management practices that include lean and visual management are implemented in facilities practices customer expectations are improved, waste eliminated, color coding and labelling implemented, and known sustainable practices such as recycling of furniture, fixtures and equipment occur adding value and reallocating financial resources. It is recommended that change management be introduced to better understand workplace culture when executing transformation directives. Subsequently, management will become better equipped at contending with employee’s attitudes, work ethics, and behaviours. The originality of this research exploration illustrates that facilities management departments should embrace sustainable management practices that include lean visual management methods combined with change management. Consequently, improving employee experience, return on investment and acknowledgment from customers, senior leadership, and the C-suite.

ASSESSMENT OF OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PRACTICES IN FACILITIES MANAGEMENT OF OFFICE BUILDINGS IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

The development of facility management (FM) in Nigeria is relatively new and limited in scope although it has been introduced for more than four decades. This study attempts to assess the operation and maintenance practices in the FM of office buildings from the Nigeria context, aimed to address issues concerning activities of operation and maintenance. It also intends to reveal the adoption of FM techniques and associated challenges in the office buildings in Lagos., Nigeria. A total of 216 members of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) were sampled using purposive sampling techniques and their responses were analysed by descriptive statistics such as weighted mean score (WMS), severity index (S.I), and Kruskal-Wallis H test (KWT). The study found that the major FM activities that are mostly engaged include space management, power plant/electricity maintenance, waste management, lift maintenance, general cleaning services, routine maintenance, and water management. While the preferred FM technique is a blended approach (both the preventive and the corrective methods). The prominent challenges in their respective categories were design flaws and poor installation of equipment (technical); inconsistency in financing maintenance, and high cost of maintenance components (finance); weak standards and poor enforcement (administrative), indifferent attitude towards maintenance issues, wrong perception and lack of foresight (top management). The study concluded that the operations of the FM practice are still in their infancy stage and characterised by prominent challenges of technical, administrative, and finance. However, being a multi-disciplinary profession, the study suggests efficient collaborative effort can be strengthened by an institutional framework that encourages human capacity development and enhanced technology to foster sustainable facilities management practice in the country.

Assessment of healthcare waste management practices among healthcare workers at two hospitals in Abuja, Nigeria

Healthcare waste (HCW) is generated from hospitals or healthcare related facilities and is considered a major source of environmental contamination because it is made up of potentially harmful substances. In developing countries, especially Nigeria, management of HCW is becoming an issue of concern. The main objective of this study was to assess the current HCW management practices at two hospitals in Abuja, Nigeria. This cross-sectional study was conducted from June to July 2018 among randomly selected healthcare workers (HWs) practising at two hospitals in Abuja, Nigeria, using an electronic interviewer-administered questionnaire installed on a smartphone via an open data tool kit. We evaluated the waste segregation practices and assessed the knowledge of HWs regarding HCW in one public secondary and one private tertiary health facility. The status of waste management practice in the health facilities was carried out using the following criteria: waste management (responsibility, segregation, storage and packaging); waste transport; waste recycling and reuse; waste treatment and final disposal. Data gathered were analysed by performing descriptive statistics. Of the 105 health workers interviewed, 69 (65.7%) were females and mostly (44.8%) were within the age group 31-40 years. The proportion of respondents who had received specific training in the management of HCW was 17.1% (18/105). The level of HCW management practices in both facilities was found to be level 2: operating in a manner with some aspects that are considered sustainable. HCW management (HCWM) in Abuja is worth sustainable, especially in resource-limited settings. Hospital Management Board needs to ensure that measures needed to improve the HCWM at hospitals are provided.

Factors affecting effective facilities management practices in South Africa: a case study of Kwazulu Natal Province

Purpose Although facilities management (FM) has been advocated in the construction industry to address the issues of facilities in buildings, their adoption is still plagued with barriers. The factors affecting FM practices need detailed investigation. However, few studies have been conducted on the factors affecting FM practices in developing countries such as South Africa. This study aims to investigate the factors affecting effective FM practices in public buildings in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach To achieve this aim, a quantitative survey was carried out using questionnaire to gather relevant data in the study area. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and principal component (factor) analysis. The study was conducted on 39 facilities managers in the Department of Public Works in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Findings The descriptive analysis revealed that availability of funds, occupants’ knowledge of FM, absence of policy guiding FM practice, state of deterioration of facilities and design concepts and scope were significant challenges affecting effective FM practices in public buildings in South Africa. The result of the principal component analysis of the factors affecting FM practices were grouped into organisational factors, structural/design errors and end users’ elements. Research limitations/implications As it is widely understood that “money” plays a significant role in the performance of any activity or function, administrators/governments of public facilities should strive to plan and make appropriate finances accessible to facilities managers. Participation of facilities managers in the planning stage can also help reduce design flaws and their maintenance implications. In addition, adequate training for professionals can improve FM awareness and productivity. Originality/value The paper reveals the structural framework of the factors that can influence the effective facilities management practices in public buildings.

Implementing organisational change in a digitalising facilities management organisation through stewardship interventions

Purpose While digitalisation requires facilities management (FM) organisations to change at an increasing rate, little is known about the mechanisms that create ownership and enable individuals to implement changes in everyday FM practice. In this study, these mechanisms are explored from a stewardship perspective. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the dynamics of organisational change in FM by analysing how stewardship behaviour leads to change. Design/methodology/approach A process model for implementing organisational change is constructed, based on existing theoretical insights from stewardship and intrapreneurship literature. The model is evaluated in a case study through analysis of critical events. Interviewing was the key data collection method. Findings The process model gives an event-driven explanation of change through psychological ownership. Analysis of multiple critical events suggests that the model explains intra-organisational as well as inter-organisational change. The case data further suggests that, compared with intra-organisational change, tailored relational and motivational support is more important for inter-organisational change because of the higher risks involved. Job crafting emerged as an unanticipated finding that offers interesting prospects for future FM research. Practical implications The process model offers guidance for leaders in FM organisations on providing tailored support to internal and external employees during periods of organisational change. Originality/value Stewardship and intrapreneurship are combined to provide insights on organisational change in FM. The study demonstrates how intrapreneurial behaviour and stewardship behaviour can be linked to create innovation within and between organisations.

An investigation of the relationship between the performance and management practices of health facilities under a performance-based financing scheme in Nigeria

Whereas the effect of performance-based financing (PBF) on improving the quantity and quality of health services has been established, little is known about what matters for health facilities to improve performance under a PBF scheme. This study examined the associations between management practices and the performance of primary healthcare centres (PHCCs) under a PBF scheme in Nigeria. This study utilized longitudinal data on monthly institutional deliveries and outpatient visits collected between December 2011 and March 2016 from 111 randomly selected PHCCs in Adamawa, Ondo and Nasarawa states of Nigeria. A management practices scorecard, based on a health facility survey conducted in April/May 2016, was used to derive management practices scores for the 111 PHCCs. The management practices examined included activities to recruit and retain clients, staff's attention to performance targets, listening and responding to client feedback, teamwork building and addressing low-performing staff. A multilevel, multilinear regression model was used to investigate the associations between health facility performance (monthly number of institutional deliveries and outpatient visits) and management practices at the PHCCs, adjusting for key control variables (number of skilled health workers, the size of PHCC catchment population, PHCC quality score, seasonality and states). Following PBF introduction, PHCCs with medium management scores had 0.42 (95% CI 0.18-0.65; P < 0.001) and 9.93 (95% CI 6.15-13.71; P < 0.001) higher monthly improvement rates for institutional delivery and outpatient visits, respectively, compared to the PHCCs with low management scores. Also, the PHCCs with high management scores had 0.49 (95% CI 0.28-0.70; P < 0.001) and 5.10 (95% CI 1.76-8.44; P < 0.003) higher monthly improvement rates for institutional delivery and outpatient visits compared to the PHCCs with low management scores. These findings suggest the importance of management practices in facilitating the effect of PBF on health facility performance and the need to strengthen PHCC management practices in low- and middle-income countries.

Hotel facilities’ management practices and employee performance in Kenya

ABSTRACT This study investigated the efficacy of hotel facilities’ management practices on employee performance. A descriptive research survey was applied, while the study area was Nairobi County. The sampling techniques applied were a census, stratified, purposive and simple random sampling which gave a sample size of 144 employees. Study results show that sufficient lighting to allow ease of working and moving around safely gave the highest mean value among maintenance management factors (3.95), while work surfaces and head-height beams yielded the highest mean (3.95) among hotel workplace design factors. Nonetheless, health and safety had the majority (40%) of respondents among the hotel facilities regulations and standards. Finally, hotel maintenance management gave the greatest contribution in the relationship between hotel facilities management practices and employee performance (Β = 0.572, t = 4.637, p < 0.001), while hotel workplace design gave the least contribution (B = −0.299, t = −2.576, p = 0.011).

Barriers to building information modelling and facility management practices integration in Nigeria

PurposeThis paper aims to explore and review the critical perspectives of stakeholders in the facility management (FM) industry as regards the barriers to building information modelling (BIM) integration, with the view to providing significant insights to mitigate the barriers to BIM implementation.Design/methodology/approachAn extensive literature review was conducted to identify critical barriers to BIM–FM integration. Ten categories of barriers were identified from the literature review and used to design a Likert scale-based questionnaire, which was administered to registered members of International Facility Management Association based in Lagos, Nigeria. The data collected were analysed using both descriptive (mean score, standard deviation, frequency tables and charts) and inferential statistics (Shapiro–Wilk and Kruskal–Wallis tests).FindingsThe descriptive and inferential analysis demonstrated a disparity in the ranking of the ten barriers among the groups. Six (out of ten) barriers to BIM implementation for FM practices are identified as critical (mean score greater than 4.0): insufficient awareness levels of BIM–FM integration benefits, non-existence of contractual and legal framework for BIM implementation, limited studies on BIM–FM inter-relationship, poor acceptance levels and resistance to change among stakeholders, perception of BIM and inadequacy of mode data. And the results of the one-sample t-tests show that there were statistically significant differences in the six.Practical implicationsThis study offers significant insights to industry stakeholders in understanding BIM implementation barriers in FM, as well as the framework for mitigating them. These findings could also be applied to other developing countries, with special consideration given to locational differences.Originality/valueThe valuable information provided in this study could be used as a roadmap to improve BIM–FM practice implementation in Nigeria. It also measured differences in the opinions of professionals.

Postoccupancy Evaluation for Student Housing with a Focus on Maintenance Planning, Design Process, and Client Requirement

The improvement of facility maintenance and operation practices for constructed buildings is a major concern for all facility management (FM) firms worldwide. The owner, planner, and developer of housing projects, especially projects that are repeated, are eager to enhance the quality of the coming projects based on satisfaction of the current facility occupants. Little research has been conducted to link occupants’ requirements and satisfaction with FM practices or with the design of future facilities. The main purpose of this research was to determine students’ satisfaction with and obtain their qualitative feedback regarding a hostel facility to determine whether the constructed facility is providing the performance needed by users of the facility. The research also evaluated the housing facility from the occupants’ perspective and correlated this with the current maintenance practices to improve the maintenance planning and the overall performance of the facility. A survey covering 56 different performance attributes was conducted using a questionnaire distributed to the students. The overall level of satisfaction with the studied attributes indicated that the students generally were satisfied with the housing facility. This study will enable the maintenance administration and the university management to identify areas of students’ dissatisfaction with housing facility, which will help to improve the performance and the overall satisfaction. Thus, the results and findings from this study will keep the quality of future constructed students housing up to the desired standards and level of service. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on improving student accommodation in higher education and provides valuable insight to the facility management.

Quality of care assessment for small and sick newborns and young infants in Pakistan: findings from a cross-sectional study

IntroductionPakistan is facing a challenging situation in terms of high newborn mortality rate. Securing pregnancy and delivery care may not bring a substantial reduction in neonatal mortality, unless coupled with the provision of quality inpatient care for small and sick newborns and young infants (NYIs). We undertook this study to assess the availability and quality of newborn care services provided and the readiness of inpatient care for NYIs in Pakistan.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study across Pakistan from February to June 2019, using a purposive sample of 61% (23) of the 38 sick newborn care units at public sector health care facilities providing inpatient care for small and sick NYIs. We interviewed facility managers and health care providers by using structured questionnaires. We observed facility infrastructure and relevant metrics related to the quality of inpatient care such as types of infant care units and essential equipment, drugs, staffing cadre and facility management practices, quality assurance activities, essential services for small and sick NYI care, discharge planning, and support, quality of NYIs care record, and health information system.ResultsOf the 23 facilities assessed, 83% had newborn intensive care units (NICUs), 74% reported Special Care Units (SCUs), and only 44% had Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) Units. All facilities had at least one paediatrician, 13% had neonatologists and neonatal surgeons each. Around 61 and 13% of the facilities had staff trained in neonatal resuscitation and parental counseling, respectively. About 35% of the facilities monitored nosocomial infection rates, with management and interdisciplinary team meetings reported from 17 and 30% of the facilities respectively preceding the survey. Basic interventions for NYIs were available in 43% of the facilities, only 35% of facilities had system in place to monitor nosocomial infections for NYI care. Most (73%) of reviewed records of NYIs at 1–2 days had information on the birth weight, temperature recording (52%), while only a quarter (25%) of the observed records documented danger signs. Mechanism to support discharge care by having linkages with community workers was present in 13% of the facilities, while only 35% of the facilities have strategies to promote adherence after discharge. Majority (78%) of facilities reported monitoring any newborn/ neonatal care indicators, while none of the sub-units within facilities had consolidated information on stillbirths and neonatal deaths.ConclusionThe study has demonstrated important gaps in the quality of small and sick NYI inpatient care in the country. To avert neonatal mortality in the country, provincial and district governments have to take actions in improving the quality of inpatient care.

Enhancing Interpretability of Data-Driven Fault Detection and Diagnosis Methodology with Maintainability Rules in Smart Building Management

Data-driven fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) methods, referring to the newer generation of artificial intelligence (AI) empowered classification methods, such as data science analysis, big data, Internet of things (IoT), industry 4.0, etc., become increasingly important for facility management in the smart building design and smart city construction. While data-driven FDD methods nowadays outperform the majority of traditional FDD approaches, such as the physically based models and mathematically based models, in terms of both efficiency and accuracy, the interpretability of those methods does not grow significantly. Instead, according to the literature survey, the interpretability of the data-driven FDD methods becomes the main concern and creates barriers for those methods to be adopted in real-world industrial applications. In this study, we reviewed the existing data-driven FDD approaches for building mechanical &amp; electrical engineering (M&amp;E) services faults and discussed the interpretability of the modern data-driven FDD methods. Two data-driven FDD strategies integrating the expert reasoning of the faults were proposed. Lists of expert rules, knowledge of maintainability, international/local standards were concluded for various M&amp;E services, including heating, ventilation air-conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, fire safety, electrical and elevator systems based on surveys of 110 buildings in Singapore. The surveyed results significantly enhance the interpretability of data-driven FDD methods for M&amp;E services, potentially enhance the FDD performance in terms of accuracy and promote the data-driven FDD approaches to real-world facility management practices.