By James C. Elledge, IFMA Fellow, CFM, FMA, RPA, RIAQMPublished in the October 2011 issue of Today’s Facility Manager QI need a time line graph showing the relationships between the major casual drivers leading to the innovation of new technology (emerging stratified air ventilation systems) mentioned in the TFM article, “HVAC Trends: The New HVAC” [by Gordon Holness, January 2010],...

By James C. Elledge, IFMA Fellow, CFM, FMA, RPA, RIAQMPublished in the September 2011 issue of Today’s Facility Manager QAre there any universities in Canada that offer facility management degree programs? Jason KeaneEnvironmental Services ManagerLeamington District Memorial HospitalLeamington, ON Canada A As of late 2010, Conestoga College in Ontario was offering a four-year degree program...

By James C. Elledge, IFMA Fellow, CFM, FMA, RPA, RIAQMPublished in the September 2011 issue of Today’s Facility Manager QHow can I calculate the number of maintenance techs needed for the type and size of my facility? Ron LindenpitzDirector of Environmental Services and Buildings ManagementLaurelbrooke LandingBrookville, PA A Your best resource to use would be the document entitled Official...

By James C. Elledge, IFMA Fellow, CFM, FMA, RPA, RIAQMPublished in the September 2011 issue of Today’s Facility Manager QWhat are the suggested costs or labor hours per square foot for a facility department to wipe/clean or sanitize a variety of surfaces? Robert BordenerBloomfield Hills, MI   A Your best resource to use would be the document entitled Official ISSA 540 Cleaning Times. This...

By James C. Elledge, IFMA Fellow, CFM, FMA, RPA, RIAQMPublished in the August 2011 issue of Today’s Facility Manager QI am looking for data to support an engineering staff for two major hospital locations and four smaller satellite sites. Currently, we have the full time equivalent of 68 staff members and can’t keep up with the work. As a result, we are experiencing failures of some major...

By James C. Elledge, IFMA Fellow, CFM, FMA, RPA, RIAQMPublished in the July 2011 issue of Today’s Facility Manager QWhat research exists on how facilities teams manage energy on an ongoing basis and what types of data they are collecting?Dave Kart@ecoInsight (via Twitter)Atlanta, GA A With LEED becoming the standard for green initiatives in buildings, the tendency to use program standards and...

Led by a dramatic increase in utility costs, the overall cost of running a facility is 10% higher than it was just four years ago, according to results from a recent International Facility Management Association research report. The study, Benchmarks V: Annual Facility Costs, shows that utility costs—which include electricity, gasoline, fuel oil, steam water, and sewage—have jumped 19% compared...

By James C. Elledge, IFMA Fellow, CFM, FMA, RPA, RIAQMPublished in the June 2011 issue of Today’s Facility Manager QWhat is the most cost-effective method to become a Certified Facility Manager (CFM)? Dennis Pitzl Engineer Foreman Century CollegeWhite Bear Lake, MN A The most cost-effective way to get the CFM designation would be to sit for the exam, since it is based on competency and experience....

By James C. Elledge, IFMA Fellow, CFM, FMA, RPA, RIAQMPublished in the May 2011 issue of Today’s Facility Manager QI have been tasked with finding and implementing a solid, yet flexible and functional asset/inventory tracking system for all of the company assets. Computers and other hardware are the big items, of course, but there is also a ton of furniture we need to track. It seems there are...

By James C. Elledge, IFMA Fellow, CFM, FMA, RPA, RIAQMPublished in the March 2011 issue of Today’s Facility Manager QWhat are the main characteristics of facility management responsibilities at call centers and contact center companies? Anastasia MakovetsFacility Manager TelecontactRussia A One of the main things you’ll want to do is create the right environment for the workers in the...