Sustainability beyond lip service

 

Over the past few decades, the term ‘sustainability’ has been taking up a great deal of attention worldwide with a global call for ensuring that the Earth’s resources are being wisely used.

 

 
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Sustainability beyond lip service
 

Over the past few decades, the term ‘sustainability’ has been taking up a great deal of attention worldwide with a global call for ensuring that the Earth’s resources are being wisely used. Almost everyone from governments, schools and business organisations have been stepping up their campaigns to advise people on how our natural resources are fast being depleted.

In the corporate sector, an increasing number of companies in Europe, the United States and Canada have started issuing annual corporate sustainability reports in addition to their financial reports so that they can fully report their annual performance. Organisations dedicated to this effort such as LEEDS are also gaining significance with companies worldwide.

In the UAE the shift towards sustainability has been more recent in comparison to global efforts but businesses have quickly caught up with their counterparts by implementing sustainable practices that are on par with world standards.

 “Indeed, MEFMA is working alongside many FM companies and we have observed the rapid growth of an encouraging trend – organisations such as hotels, malls, schools, airports and office complexes are increasingly implementing cloud computing and remote control systems to help reduce energy output and therefore utility bills,” says Ali Al Suwaidi, MEFMA Board Member.

But, commendable as this is, do those same organisations rely too heavily on the work of technology to fulfil their environmental obligations and negate the work that humans can still achieve in reducing the carbon footprint?

In this instance, facility management providers are best placed to advise on streamlining waste management operations. Not only they can integrate the necessary procedures for recycling, but the same reputable companies can also instigate a change in mentality that ensures the occupants of any building also contribute to the reduction of waste.

So if facility management consultants were brought into the construction process at the outset then architects could subsequently ensure that recycling in a building was integrated into the facility’s day-to-day management. Take the chutes for example, why not have three – one for plastics, paper and food? Such an initiative would then be very easy for the waste management company to handle and process, as well as it being easy for the occupants to recycle.

“At MEFMA, we are seeing construction companies bring such providers in earlier on projects, but to come back to the beginning, it is because FM providers can improve upon the energy performance of a complex,” said Al Suwaidi. But, with their knowledge of how building complexes work, they can also help to meet organisational targets that still rely on human commitment, rather than delegating to a computer in order to meet carbon emission targets.