Facilities management practices and principles

Facilities Management

The aim of the present study is to develop management understanding of many of the materials and technical aspects of hotel development, construction, renovation, remodeling, modernization and reconstruction. To facilitate hospitality professional's liaison with construction industry professionals.

Management of a hotel involves a great deal of multi-tasking on the part of management because inclusive in hotel management are the following areas of service:

Concierge;

Fitness;

Food and beverage;

Front desk management;

Grounds and maintenance;

Guest relations;

Guest services;

HR training;

Housekeeping;

in-room amenities;

Laundry; and 12) Transportation, as well as other areas depending upon the specific establishment that is being managed.

The work entitled: "Facilities Management" states that the typical facility management process for existing hotel and motel buildings consists of eight phases of activities:

1) Acquisition;

2) change of management;

3) Redevelopment;

4) Current building use;

5) Planning;

6) Maintenance & rehabilitation funding; and 7) Maintenance and rehabilitation implementation. (FEMA, 2006)

This is a sequential process however, acquisition and management change can occur in either order or at the same time. The typical management process is shown in the following illustration labeled Figure 1.

Typical Management Process

Source: (FEMA, 2006)

This is said to be a 'generic' process and one that has variations however, this process is typically followed by hotel and motel building owners or operators, either explicitly or implicitly." (FEMA, 2006) Internal and external factors impact the facility management process. The following illustration shows internal factors (up arrows) which are generated within the owner and/or operator organizations while external factors (down arrows) are imposed on owners and operators by outside entities." (FEMA, 2006) the following illustration depicts the management process influences.

Management Process Influences

Source: FEMA (2006)

These processes require a multidisciplinary team that is capable of managing legal issues, risk management and engineering with due diligence.

Market conditions or external local conditions are stated to be the "principal factor governing hotel and motel building acquisition, regardless of the short-term of long-term strategic objectives of the purchaser. Also important external participants are lenders and insurers in the hotel and motel building acquisitions" and as well each of these perform due diligence functions in order to make a determination of potential risks and liabilities. Lenders and insurers typically hire engineering consultants for the purpose of conducting seismic testing.

The most common of all analyses is the 'Probable Maximum Loss (PML) analysis, which quantifies the percentage of the property that will be lost in a major earthquake." (FEMA, 2006) This is known as a deterministic analysis and gives no consideration to the loss or damages that might result from earthquakes that occurred more often and that were moderate but instead analysis is to determine the extent of the property lost in a major earthquake occurrence. Change management occurs when the organization or owner enters into an agreement with a new operator either due to change in management or at the time of an acquisition. (Paraphrased).

Change Management

Source: FEMA (2006)

Due diligence responsibility shift during change management with operators, owners, or insurers, all carrying out some aspect of due diligence.

The integrative process of building construction has to meet needs that are different among guests. While some guests will stay at the hotel for pleasure and on vacation others will be staying at the hotel on business or for some other formal occasion. Meeting the needs of all guests is critical and at the same time it is necessary that management attend to the "safety, operation, management and maintenance" of the hotel and as well with the hotel's profitability.

The hotel facility management planning process is comprised of the:

1) Projection and forecasting of future needs;

2) May be carried out periodically or continuously; and 3) May vary as to the time period covered by the projections and forecasts." (FEMA, 2006)

Planning functions are the responsibility of the owner or the operator. Planning is comprised by two activities which while related are separate as follows:

1) Strategic planning; and 2) Facility planning. (FEMA, 2006)

Strategic planning "attempts to formulate future business strategy by analyzing and forecasting financial trends as well as national, regional and local hospitality markets." (FEMA, 2006) Issues addressed in strategic planning include the following:

1) Decisions of whether the property should be up- or down-graded;

2) Questions concerning the exist strategy (accelerated or prolonged?);

3) the question of whether trends in the insurance market should result in current investment programs being revised; and) where specific major capital investments should be considered. (FEMA, 2006)

Facility planning is inclusive of the preparation of short- and long-term facility plans. Comprehensive facility projects include the following:

1) New construction;

2) Additions to existing buildings;

3) Renovations of existing buildings;

4) Building systems replacements;

5) Building systems repairs;

6) Scheduled maintenance; and 7) Building disposition (change of use, sale, and demolition). (FEMA, 2006)

Hotel Bur Al Arab in Dubai

Building construction in Dubai is innovative, inspiring and characterized by adaptability to the environment. For example hotel Bur Al Arab in Dubai is the tallest structure in the world "with a membrane facade" and is the "tallest operating hotel building in the world (not counting mixed-use buildings like Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai or the unfinished Rouging Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea). - "Bur" is Arabic for "Tower." The building's external lighting schemes, from white light to a multicolored one, change from one to other every 30 minutes expressing the evening's progress. The building's design is influenced by the profile of an Arabian sailing ship. " (Emporis, 2009)

The following facts describe Hotel Burj Al Arab:

24 meter (79 feet) wide helipad projects from the building 210 meters above the ground;

The Al Muntaha restaurant is located 200 metres above the Persian Gulf, offering great views of Dubai. It is accessed by a panoramic elevator;

The atrium is 180 metres high, one of the tallest in the world;

The hotel features a total of eight restaurants and bars;

All of the hotel's 202 rooms are two-storey suites, ranging in size from 170 square metres (1,830 square feet) to 780 square metres (8,396 square feet); and 24 meter (79 feet) wide helipad projects from the building 210 meters above the ground. (Emporis, 2009)

Quiet clearly this is a project that was given great consideration during the construction and planning phases. Construction in Dubai involved pillars being built in the sea surrounding the small islands and then fill was placed around the small islands and built up to reinforce the islands. Construction in Dubai has been streamlined and has been efficiency due to such a small availability to space.

The Burj Al Arab hotel was constructed as a high rise to make the most use of space and located atop the hotel is a helicopter landing pad which suits many guests perfectly as a choice of arrival to the hotel. The hotel claims eight restaurants and bars in the hotel and the hotel is described as being extremely luxurious. Rooms are in the form of two-story suites" and the hotel's design is on the basis of appearing as a ship sailing upon the seas.

Featured in the hotel is an atrium standing as tall as the hotel itself and Burj Al Arab is armed with 40 butlers with transportation offered by helicopter or Rolls Royce limousine. All hotel suites are complete with a laptop computer, fax machines and a 42-inch television screen. Additionally the hotel claims "fire-spouting volcanoes, leopard-skin furniture..." however to view the hotel one must pay an entrance fee of $55.00.