The IFMA Austin NewsOctober 2001
by Lauri Gayle
Facility Finance
| Who: Rodney
Phillips, a controller for National Instruments, will talk about balance sheets, market trend affects, capitalization questions, and in general how to make the facility managers dollar issues a little bit more manageable |
| When: 1130 Thursday, 12 October 01 |
| Where: Embassy Suites (IH-35 @ US290) |
| Reservations: email Linda Costs: $ 20.00 |
HUNGRY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IFMA?
A complimentary lunch will be provided for any non-member guest who is
currently in facilities and interested in becoming a professional member of
the Austin Chapter of IFMA. Monthly luncheons are held on the second
Thursday of each month. For more information, please contact
Cindy Stewart at 512-462-3711 or by
(offer is good for one lunch per company representative)
Real Estate
On 8 October, Craig Dunagan and Earnie Leake will present a class
on
Real Estate Competency from 4 to 8 pm at 1801 South Mopac.Call 306-8612 or 296-3656 for reservations as soon as possible.
You may also email Judy at jroessner@sixthriver.com
It's the first part of Judy's Step Program. More Steps
Mold in Buildings: A Growing Concern
When mold is encountered in a commercial or residential building, there are many possibilities when considering how to deal with the problem. Many companies are claiming they do mold remediation and may not know how to correctly deal with molds that may be toxic or harmful to the health of the occupants of the building. Here are some tips to help you know what to do if you are challenged with mold situations.The first, and most important step to mold situations is determining if the mold level in a particular building is harmful. Secondarily, you should determine the amount of the mold in the air. The most preferred way to tackle this situation is to hire an industrial hygienist to take samples in the building air and building materials. By having a professional third party involved, the risk associated with decision-making is reduced. Be sure the industrial hygienist is not affiliated with a particular company bidding for the remediation contract.
The next step is to determine if insurance should be involve or not. By having detailed information about the type and amount of mold present in your building the insurance agency may respond promptly to your claim.
During this time, it is of utmost importance to repair the cause of the mold. Usually this is a leak or other water issue in the building. Remediation and repair should NOT be initiated until this repair work is completed.
Finally, when choosing a remediation company, be sure their protocol includes EACH of the following:
A containment area (with plastic or other building material) of the are of concern.
A drying procedure for the studs and drywall not removed form the site.
Negative airflow from the contaminated area, filtered and vented to the outdoors.
Air scrubbers or HEPA filtered airflow.
Proper protective equipment for workers (including respirators).
Adequate removal and disposal.
Mold is a hot topic. Be sure you trust the company you choose.
Provided by JoAn Reams
Pest Control
by JoAn Reams of ABC Pest Control
Bright Beginnings
ABC Pest Control has been serving Texas since 1949. The firm started in San Antonio and was purchased by Robert W. Jenkins, Sr. in 1963. It has now grown to be the largest independent company in Texas. ABC is currently operating in Austin, Dallas, College Stations and San Antonio Texas. ABC Pest Control is now known to us as ABC Pest and Lawn Services.Pests of the Season
Honey Bees, Stinging Bees & Wasps
Although these insect may be beneficial to human beings, they may also be hazardous and therefore are necessary to control . How do we do this? Since these insects are scavengers and are found exploiting a variety of food sources, one common control method is placing food scraps and used drink containers in sealed trash receptacles. One may also refrain from wearing brightly– colored clothing or highly scented cosmetic products. Bees and wasps are attracted to these products.
Wasps and bees can be either social or solitary insects. Solitary insects, such as cicada killers, carpenter bees and mud daubers, subdue their prey with their stingers, therefore rarely attacking people. Yellow jackets, paper wasps, and honey bees, however, are social insects and use their stingers and venom as defensive weapons when forced to defend themselves or their nest. “People should use caution when faced with a problem with these stinging insects”.
Managing Imported red Fire Ants
Red Fire ants were brought into the United States years ago and there is no program as of yet to defend off fire ants, only control. Fire ants can invade buildings through tunnels under the foundation and then coming up through the expansion joints. Fire ants, not only invade your work space, but also damage insulation and wiring and can cause short circuits . They may also interfere with switching mechanisms and air conditioners.
Colonies of fire ants may be as numerous as 30 to 100 per acre, with 80,000 to 250,000 ants per colony. Colonies grow at a fast rate and may be large enough to produce swarmers and create new colonies after 2-3 years.
“ A good fire ant program is an on-going program, one that is designed for prevention and control” “Now is the time to get started !”
Fungus Gnats, Fruit Flies, and House Flies
These insects are source plants and can be eliminated by good sanitation practices. The combination of moisture and debris (rags, food, wine corks, beer caps, etc) is a conductive environment for breeding and survival of fruit flies. Bars and restaurants are common locations for fruit flies. What is the best controlling method? Good Housekeeping; by getting down on the floor and looking at all of the equipment with a flashlight, you can eliminate many problems. The problem may not be easy to correct when the sheet rock or wooden trim is saturated with moisture. In this case, replacing and repairing is recommended.
Fungus Gnats are found in commercial kitchens where a drain line problem has formed due to a build-up of organic debris in the lines. This build-up of grease and food happens over time. It is recommended that drains are cleaned on a monthly basis with a product designed to remove the build-up. The way to properly treat the gnats is by proper treatment of the drains without the use of harsh chemicals, like bleach. Fungus gnats in commercial buildings are usually caused by moisture from sources such as a broken or cracked pipe or improper drainage resulting in standing water. The moisture comes in contact with the soil providing the proper conditions for the survival of these flies. These gnats may also be a problem in potting soil in plants. Reducing your watering schedule, checking or replacing the potting soil or removing the plants can alleviate this problem.
House flies get their name because they feed on organic debris, trash,
and food in and around your building. To eliminate this problem, you must….Eliminate the source!
Crickets
Although crickets are usually active in the early fall, they have made
their appearance early this year. Crickets normally live outdoors and breed
in un-maintained grassy or weedy areas. The normally prefer warm weather and
will move indoors when the weather gets cooler. They live indoors and
complete their life cycle by laying eggs in cracks, crevices, and other dark
areas, such as baseboards. To control these insects, eliminate outside
harborage areas, eliminate or reduce outside lighting, and avoid bright
mercury vapor lights in entry-ways and along perimeters of buildings.
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Rats and Mice
Rats and mice have recently become a year around problem. There are, however, things that you can do to help prevent them from entering your building: First, and foremost, clean up and remove all trash, rubbish, and debris near your building. Another measure of control is making sure that all doors, windows and vents fit snugly and are kept closed. Believe it or not, a mouse only needs a 3/8 inch crack or hole to get inside a building. Be sure and seal up any hole or crack in the outside of the building that is big enough for a rodent to enter. Pay close attention to places where wires, pipes, or other utility lines enter the building. Keep buses and shrubs trimmed back at least 12 inches from the building so they do not hang over the roof. Rodents can climb trees and drop onto the roof, which often give them access to the building. You should also trim back or remove and extensive plantings of low-growing shrubs, such as Junipers. Norway rats can establish extensive burrows under these shrubs.
It's not Easy Being Green"
Spencer Design Group is pleased to introduce a new column on sustainable,
restorative companies and green products. Our intent is to discuss companies and
products that can assist in creating an ecologically friendly environment. The
definition of sustainable by Ray Anderson, chairman and CEO, of Interface –
returning more to the environment than we take by using the strategy of reduce,
reuse, reclaim, recycle and redesign. We have chosen to begin this series,
featuring Interface, because of their global efforts to accomplish corporate
sustainability and restorative practices.
Interface is a resource-intensive company whose largest divisions are
petroleum dependent. With sales in approximately 110 countries and manufacturing
facilities at 26 sites on four continents, Interface makes a significant impact
on the planet’s commerce and ecology. Sustainability does not only refer to
the product manufactured, but to the companies approach toward becoming
environmental restorative. The following path was achieve sustainability on
seven fronts.
1. Eliminate Waste
– The first step to sustainability is to eliminate the concept of waste,
not just incrementally reducing it. The Interface definition of waste is any
cost that does not produce value to our clients.
2. Benign Emissions
– Prioritized focus on the elimination of
molecular waste emitted to natural systems that have negative or toxic
effects. Interface will proceed toward eliminating all harmful releases into
the ecosphere, striving to create factories with no smokestacks, effluent
pipes or hazardous waste. Ultimately, the only substances emitted from
Interface plants should be valuable products, such as carpet and fabric, and
clean air and water.
3. Closing the Loop
– Redesigning Interface processes and products
into cyclical material flows where “waste equals food.” Interface is
reducing the use of raw materials and working to get the most value out of
the materials that we employ. This includes careful recycling of synthetic
materials so that waste materials in society become valuable raw materials
in industry as well as keeping organic material uncontaminated they can
return to their natural cycles.
4. Resource Efficient Transportation
– Exploring methods to reduce the transportation of products and people in
favor of moving information. Examples are natural gas powered fleet cars,
investigation of solar powered transportation, charging electric machine
batteries with solar power and using electric lifts and handling equipment.
Renewable Energy – Reducing the energy demands of Interface processes
while substituting non-renewable sources with sustainable ones. A few examples
are installing alternative technologies such as wind generated “Green Power”
from Interface Flooring Systems Canada; photovoltaic array with battery
storage at the Fabric’s Intek plant in North Carolina; Bentley Mills will
install a 100 kilowatt solar array to produce the world’s first solar tufted
carpet.
6. Sensitivity Hookup – Creating a community within and around
Interface that understands the functioning of natural systems and our impact
on them.
Redesign Commerce Interface is now producing carpets with lighter face weights and better
durability. Carpets with lower pile heights and higher densities utilize carpet
face constructions that wear better in high traffic, but use less material. This
“de-materializing” is an intriguing aspect of the next industrial
revolution. The embodied energy not used in the nylon not consumed
is enough to power the entire factory making the redesigned products- twice! Two
examples of these new offerings are: Sabi 100% Nylon 6,6 recycled face fiber, 100%
GlasBac 61.7% Total Product Recycle Content
Bentley Princestreet / Brabourne Hyperion Moorfield Braborne, Hyperion, Moorfield,
100% Recycled Solutia Ultron VIP Solution Dyed Nylon Solararray energy is
used to manufacture the nylon,
Solarvoltaic is used for tufting
LEED Certified
Interface started the ball rolling toward corporate sustainability, but other
carpet manufacturers have joined the effort in producing green products. Milliken’s
E2 Process Cycle pre-engineers modular carpet so that
the original carpet can be returned to them to be rejuvenated, restyled
and reinstalled with the latest new pattern, a new warranty and new service life.
Shaw and Patcraft reprocess 95% of their production waste. This
waste is recycled back into original carpet product and alternative by-products.
One unique alternate development is replacing a portion of conventional concrete
substrate with shredded carpet waste. The result is a hybrid composite building
material with remarkable properties, in many ways superior to conventional
concrete.
Ecological choices are prevalent in today’s workplace and more designers,
architects and facility managers are choosing products from ecologically minded
companies to meet the demand for sustainable design.
References:
ReSource Texas
Mid-Course Correction by Ray C. Anderson, Interface brochures Shaw, Patcraft
and Milliken environmental initiatives
September Meeting
by J. R. Howard|
Nancy Paine started the meeting by introducing the chapter leadership. Charles Carpenter said it's time to be planning the next golf tournament which is scheduled for May 9th 2002 (plus or minus a week or two.) Hospice is having another golf tournament now. If you want to suggest a new benefactor or have any suggestions, please contact him. Nancy Baroody is going to publish a new membership roster and needs everyone to update their information at IFMA. She provided a handout at the tables which listed the advertising rates. Besides our web site, it's a good place to find vendor services that support our chapter. Cindy Stewart introduced Pricilla Danmiller. The two of them are launching a mentor program. Her handout listed the benefits in helping new members and guess learn about IFMA and our chapter.
Your lease should identify all the players, lessee, lessor, sub tenants, insurance, property manager, lean holders and other financial identities. Watch out for all players with rights superior to yours. Your rights and needs must be protected in the lease. Its very important when someone defaults. In a multiple tenant building, are the utilities and taxes divided by the tenants? The utilities may be fair, but the tax burden might be odorous. If the rent is based on square feet, find out how they calculate the space. (I'm sure glad I'm the only tenant in my buildings.) One way to get out of the lease is to buy the building. Another way is Chapter 11. Document, Document, Document. You must follow the hoops in your contract when you have a problem with the landlord. For water leaks, keep records and document the steps you've taken. You should have a self-help clause and be able to fix something and charge it back to the landlord when things take too long. If you sue your landlord, all you can get is his equity in the property. If the landlord says they are refinancing their loan and just need you to sign a new contract. Don't sign until you've read all of the fine print. You probably have 10 days to do this. Providing a safe workplace is at the forefront. Be sure the parking lot is well lit and have security walk people to their cars when it's dark. The lease should allow for both your growth and the possible contraction. There's a new law in Texas that requires the landlord to refund the deposit within 60 days in good faith. The lease must specify the late charges or you don't have to pay. The devil is in the details. Taxes may be the biggest expense. Watch out if the building is new. The first year might be based on old assessments. The lease should define these changes. Watch out for sub lease conditions. (All this makes you want a good lawyer.) When you leave, You should be able to take out what you want and can use. The lease should list the conditions. The landlord only has to do general ADA enhancements. Specific adjustments will be at your expense. Renovations and repairs: If the AC fails, you have to fix it. What if you only have 2 years left on your lease. If you spell it out in your lease, maybe you can prorate the cost over the life of the unit. What happens if you loose power and your landlord is slow to repair. What happens if the building is totaled? What if part of the building is damaged? You might need an escape clause if you have to have enough space to do business in. The landlord needs access to the premises, but you have to have rights too. The lease should say the landlord must be reasonable when considering sub leases. "Pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered" ( I can't remember how this expression fit in, but it's true).
Mold - the black plague is becoming a growing concern. You need to take prompt action. Looking ahead, if you have deep pockets, there's going to be some buying opportunities out there. Julie Roessner closed the meeting with a brief announcement about the chapter's new step program for certification. Our monthly programs will be keyed to IFMA's core companies. If you are interested in becoming a Certified Facility Manager (CFM) contact her. |
Craig Dunagan, the principal at his law firm spoke on Real Estate and
the Law. The center point of his briefing was to pay
attention to your lease, get involved at the beginning before it's set
in concrete (around your shoes) The only thing that is require for a
contract over one year is your signature. Leases have grown because of
all the problems (just a misunderstanding) that have occurred over the ages.
Leases have become extremely complex and can approach 60 pages. There
is a push to standardize rather than have each lease an original creation.
Corporate Art
Pamela Johnson is a well known local artist whose paintings and sculpture have been extensively collected by the largest corporations in America. Such distinguished collections as IBM, The University of Texas and Southwestern Bell (SBC) have purchased some of the 150 original works of art for public buildings created by the artist over the last 10 years.
Pamela has also designed and created large works for discerning collectors nationwide.
This exhibition will also include smaller, more intimate works. While you are there ………………
Design Center of Austin is Austin’s newest, most exciting showroom of interior design elements, recently opened on South Congress near St. Edward’s University. Lead tenants in the enormous, renovated warehouse space include well known Durham Trading and Design Company, Architerra Tile and Solux Lighting Design This showroom is a unique resource for both the design professional and residential homeowner. Visitors will find a beautiful, well lit New York warehouse type atmosphere with a friendly staff.
Hours: 9 – 5 pm, Monday through Friday, and 10 – 6 Saturdays.
The exhibit will continue through November 6, 2001.
For more information and directions to the showroom call: (512) 467 – 8514 or email: westbankG@aol.com.
Just the “FACS” Safety Notes
Two Fairfield Men Killed in mishap
Two men were fatally
shocked Monday when a flag pole they were raising came into contact with high
voltage electrical wire. Steve Barker, 42, and Mark Webster, 45, both of Fairfield
and long-time employees of Marathon Oil Company, were taken to East Texas
Medical Center in Fairfield, where they were pronounced dead by Freestone County
Justice of the Peace Shirley Mays.
According to a Freestone
County Sheriff’s report, the men were trying to raise a metal flag pole in
front of Marathon oil Company headquarters building located on IH-45. The report
said both men were electrocuted when contact was made between the pole and an
adjacent overhead power line.
Emergency personnel were immediately summoned where CPR was attempted. Both men were taken to East Texas
medical Center in Fairfield where further life saving techniques were attempted.
The incident was ruled an accident and is not being investigated further, said Capt. Hugh Whitaker of the
Freestone Country sheriff's office.
Marathon Oil Company official Christian Carrell said the company may set up a fund for Barker and
Webster, but for now , she said employees are just trying to deal with what
happened. “We are just trying to deal with our grief right now.” Carrell
said. “We are going to have a memorial service for our employees and the ones
that were here when it happened will be going through grief counseling.”