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Golf Tournament Organizational Meeting April 20th

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HVAC and Controls Systems:  What New Technologies

Are Available, and How Can You Leverage Them?

     Plan now to join the New Mexico Facility Managers Network over breakfast on Wednesday, March 17th, 2010, at the Garduno’s Restaurant Uptown in Albuquerque, NM, as industry expert Eugene “Smitty” Smithart leads an open discussion on the latest and greatest technologies that impact the very heart of your building’s mechanical operating system:  the heating and air conditioning systems, and their controls. 

     As compared to conventional designs, new design technologies will allow HVAC systems to reduce the total cost of ownership with both a lower first cost, and a reduced ongoing operating cost.  Here is an opportunity to explore an advantage that may help your business survive the challenging economic times yet to come.  The discussion will include ways in which your building can make money for you in 2010 and give your company a competitive edge – or how you can help your clients do the same.   
     Improved sustainability, high efficiency, reduction of initial costs, and lowering of operating expenses while enhancing comfort, acoustics, and indoor air quality: these are all things that are important to a productive workforce now, and ensure sustainable buildings into the future.

     Timely reservations are required for you  to attend this meeting.  Please email carolee@nmfmn.com (preferred) or call 505-331-2477 to reserve your place.

Who Wants to Save Energy?  Facility

Environmental Performance Explored in February

       Steve Rohrabacher from Applied Mechanical, Inc., led a crowded but fixated room of facility managers and their suppliers through the whys and how’s of facility “retro-commissioning” at the February breakfast meeting of the New Mexico Facility Managers Network.  Rohrabacher made a technical topic come alive to his audience as he detailed important information that will save facility money, sustain it into the future, and create jobs in a needy economy. 

    Rohrabacher opened the discussion by asking a simple question, “What is a building?  As a physical structure, it is static, but the internal environment is dynamic.  It is complex, it changes, it requires maintenance, and it consumes energy.”

     He then launched into the aspect of the complexity of any facility’s mechanical systems, inventorying the physical parts which all must interact with each other: pumps, pipes, valves, fans and pulleys, wiring, terminals, dampers, controls, motors and sensors, ducts and grills, coil and belts, and VAV boxes.

     The correct interaction of all of these environmental components can affect utility costs, productivity, manufacturing processes, and the comfort of occupants.  Ultimately this affects property values, liabilities, repairs, and replacement costs, EPA energy performance ratings, and finally, the businesses bottom-line.  

    “And what about the ‘good old days’ when ‘set it and forget it’ was good enough?” Rohrabacher asked.  “No good anymore.  Why? Requirements change: federal and state regulations, energy rates, owner’s profit expectations, occupant expectations, and design guidelines and practices change,” he said.

     Additionally, facilities change over time: occupants move, space is reconfigured, equipment is moved or added, equipment degrades or wears out, equipment systems get out of calibration, documentation and O&M manuals become out of date, and subsequently O&M procedures become out of sync with these changes.

     And what about energy waste?  By most accounts, between 95-99% of non-residential facilities are wasting 7%-30% of their energy dollars.

      So….what should facility managers do?     

      Critical steps include assessment of the mechanical systems, identification of the critical factors, adjustment of the systems, repair of necessary items, and renovation or replacement of necessary equipment.

     “Begin with some form of commissioning,” he said.  “The operative word is ‘commissioning’:  commissioning, re-commissioning, on-going commissioning, and retro-commissioning.”

     Retro-commissioning intrinsically implies that the building was never fully commissioned, and is aimed at achieving optimum performance of the building equipment and systems as it looks a holistically building as an integrated system. It assesses “whole building performance” including mechanical equipment, lighting, and controls.

      “Not to mention, this involves an occupied building!” Rohrabacher added.

      Bottom line: what is the effectiveness of retro-commissioning?

      “In the job-creation market alone, if 100% of all non-residential buildings were retro-commissioned every 5 years, it is estimated that the creation of over 22,000 jobs by 2020 would happen, and that this industry would grow from a $200 million to a $4 billion per year industry.  Additionally, savings of $30 billion per year in wasted energy would be accomplished by 2030, and a savings reduction of 340 megatons of CO2 per year would happen,” Rohrabacher continued.

    So, what are the retro-commissioning phases?  These include planning, investigation, implementation, the hand-off, and the on-going follow-up.

     Planning includes selecting a building, defining objectives, assembling a team, and developing a retro-commissioning plan.

     Investigation includes interviewing management and building personnel and   reviewing facility documentation and service contracts.  This includes the inspection of the building, sub-systems and equipment, including lighting, another area where it is important to gather and analyze data, since about 50% of the average building’s energy consumption is associated with lighting.

      When it comes to the HVAC system, you must complete testing and calibration of equipment and controls. 

    “Then,” Rohrabacher concluded, “develop a master list of findings which will lead you to the recommended corrections and improvements; analyze these associated estimated costs, and, ultimately, the estimated savings.”

     “Now you can prioritize and select corrections and improvements for YOUR facility,” he said, in closing.

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March 10 Exec Dir Column

Golf Tournament Organizational Meeting April 20th

     Seems like July is a long way off as I sit here and watch the snow fly, but this is the time when the plans are put in place for our annual New Mexico Facility Managers Network Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Tournament.  We are blessed again this year to play at the beautiful Isleta Eagle Championship Golf Course and the date is Friday, July 16^th, 2010.  Most likely we will have an 8 am tee-time with range balls and warm up at 7 am.

     Every year I am asked what must be done to make this tournament, our 16^th endeavor, the best one ever since we first started down this road in 1995.  The answer is always the same: I must have dedicated and committed people who will actively and conscientiously become members of my “Golf Gang”.  This is not the most glamorous job in the world, but it is the essential activity which makes or breaks the success of this event.

     Golf Gangsters receive the NMFMN data base and from this list, repeatedly pick up the phone or hit the email to recruit golf teams, hole sponsors, tournament sponsors, and door prize donations.  The mind-set for this type of work is sales and marketing related.  Good sales folks know that this is about building relationships.

     Since we have been “softening” folks up for the last ten years, some report amazing results with very little effort—like, “OK, what does NMFMN need THIS year?” 

Here is a great opportunity to leverage others’ work and then build relationships of your own for your company and your sales, within and beyond this organization.

     After all, we have the reputation for throwing a GREAT party with seamless organization, tons of door prizes, lots of golfers, and the best networking for facility managers and their suppliers.  And you will be contributing to helping us raise money for scholarships at the University of New Mexico and the Central New Mexico Community College, the greater good of the group. 

     Mark your calendar today to attend the organizational meeting of the Golf Gang:  Tuesday, April 20^th, 2010, at the Pepper’s Restaurant in the Marriott Courtyard Restaurant.  I will buy your lunch and provide you with the details of your mission.  Please let me know if you plan to attend and lend your support to make “The Sweet 16” indeed the best yet!

     It’s been quite a year.

     The collapse of the housing market started a chain reaction of economic swings that have affected just about every one of our businesses in one way or another. And, those effects always seem to be negative.Many of you have suffered through poor sales, layoffs and downsizing. In true form you have stepped up to the challenges and adjusted the way you do business. You have found innovative and creative ways to keep yourselves going. You found new markets. You cut your costs. You did without when necessary.

     You are the American Spirit in action.

     You are the reason that this country will recover from this current situation.

But, what will that recovery look like? What should we expect in 2010 and beyond?

Our government has embarked on a seemingly endless list of changes, some of which will have significant impact directly on us. It is crucial for each of us to take the time to learn what we can about proposed changes to Health Care, Cap & Trade, ‘Green’ mandates and other legislation that will have serious impacts on you and the way you do business. We simply can’t learn enough about these important issues by watching news reports or following the newspapers. We have to read the bills, research the concepts and understand how they will impact your business.

     Remember, Education is Power.  Get your Congressman’s address, and your Senator’s. It seems that somewhere along the line they forgot who they work for.

Write them. Tell them how these various legislative initiatives will help or hinder your business. Tell them what you think about the legislation and tell them how you want them to vote. We all feel small and insignificant, and in many ways, the politicians know that. They count on it. They don’t want you to feel that you have any control. They want you to leave it up to them to take care of us. Well, sorry to say, it doesn’t work like that.

Whether you support the changes or you disdain them, you have to tell your representatives what you think.

     The Lobbyists sure are. Out-shout them. Out-smart them. And, out-last them.

     Let’s make 2010 a good year. Let’s rebuild and get things working again.

     We in NMFMN are here to support you. We are here to support one another.

Let us know what we can do to help you in 2010.

Stick together. We are stronger than we know when we do.

Have a wonderful and prosperous New Year and let’s take the next decade by storm!

                                                            Gary M Stevens

                                                            President, NMFMN

2010 Program Agenda Announced

     At a special meeting held in September, both supplier and facility management members of the New Mexico Facility Managers Network exchanged and discussed ideas for viable programs for the calendar year 2010.  Thematically, the common thread seemed to center on sustainability and the notion that now, since we have all picked the low-hanging fruit, where do we go from here?   

    The outcome:

January:  Sustainability Training for Facility Managers and Suppliers—Central New Mexico Community College

February:  Physical Measurement of Environmental Systems---Applied Mechanical Systems

March:  Earth-Wise Systems----Southwest Trane

April:  Lighting Efficiency and LED----Visible Light Solar

May:  What’s Hot in Flooring---- Dimensions Flooring

June:  Isotopes Baseball

July: NMFMN 16^th Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament

August:  Building Systems Efficiency---TBA

September:  Weatherization and Roofing---TBA

October:  Fourth Annual Facility Professionals Trade Show

November: Supply Chain Efficiency---Laun-Dry Supply

December:  Annual Christmas Party and Scholarship Awards

Don’t see a topic that you would like discussed?  Then plan now to attend the 2011 special planning meeting to pitch YOUR idea!

Architecture 2030 E-News Bulletin
1. Feds: Carbon Neutral by 2025

Feds: Carbon Neutral By 2025

Santa Fe (July 7, 2007) - Representative Tom Udall (D-New Mexico) recently introduced a landmark bill calling on the federal government to get its house in order by going carbon neutral by 2025. The Udall bill, H.R. 2947, establishes aggressive and achievable energy performance standards for all new and renovated federally-owned and federally-funded buildings. Federally-owned buildings would need to achieve an immediate 60-percent reduction in fossil-fuel energy consumption compared to the regional average for each building type. The bill also calls for declining fossil-fuel consumption in the amount of 70% by 2011, 80 % by 2015, 90% by 2020, and 100% (or carbon neutral) by 2025.

Since building operations, (i.e. heating, lighting, cooling) account for 43% of all US greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually, about 50% when building construction is included, any talk about addressing global warming and growing GHG emissions must include robust action in the Building Sector. With the federal government being the country's biggest landlord, it has a responsibility to act decisively in this area.

What is unique about the Udall bill is that it casts a wide net over the Building Sector by including all federally-funded buildings built or renovated with 10% or more of federal funds. These buildings would need to achieve a minimum 50% fossil-fuel consumption reduction as called for by The 2030 Challenge issued by Architecture 2030, and adopted by the US Conference of Mayors (USCM), American Institute of Architects (AIA), US Green Building Council (USGBC) and states of Illinois and New Mexico, among others. This reduction standard would also increase over time so that by 2030, if you receive 10 percent or more of federal funds for construction, your building must be designed to be carbon neutral, meaning it would use no fossil-fuel energy to operate.

In his statement on the House floor, Udall said, “This legislation takes up The 2030 Challenge, issued by Ed Mazria of the organization Architecture 2030… Organizations, architects, local governments, and individuals wanting to do their part have all taken up this challenge. The US Conference of Mayors has adopted it for all buildings in all cities. It is time for the federal government to do so as well."

The Udall bill would also extend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (set to expire in 2008) for another five years, and provide adequate tax incentives for those in the private sector who follow the Feds' lead. This would help those cities and states with GHG initiatives meet their reduction targets in the Building Sector. "Many of the tax provisions [in the Energy Policy Act] are not only scheduled to expire in 2008, but in the estimation of many, were also set at amounts too low to spark the level of construction and efficiency improvements needed" to transform the Building Sector, Udall said. The Udall bill would increase the residential tax credit from $2000 to $4500 per unit and the commercial buildings tax deduction from $1.80/sf to $2.75/sf for buildings that meet the 50% energy consumption reduction target. Since the commercial building tax incentive is a deduction and not a credit (worth about $0.30 to $0.40 cents on the dollar) anything less than $2.75/sf will do little to spur a real transformation in this sector.

According to Ed Mazria of Architecture 2030, "The Udall bill is clearly the most comprehensive and important climate change bill working its way through Congress today. It deals with real Building Sector GHG emissions reductions and provides adequate financial incentives for states, cities and counties to make good on their pledge to address global warming."

Other important Building Sector bills in Congress of special note include the Clinton/Kerry bill (S 1059) and the Waxman bill (H.R. 2635), which would both require that all new and renovated federal buildings meet The 2030 Challenge targets.

Click here to Join NMFMN Yahoo! Email Groups

Update Your Contact Information NOW!

In an effort to get information to you on the organization’s activities in a timely and technologically contemporary manner we have started a “Yahoo! Email Groups” so you can receive these important email notifications.  We value your support of the New Mexico Facility Managers Network and want to stay in touch with you in order to serve you better and it’s free!

Invitations have be sent out to everyone I have on my email list, to Join the “Yahoo! Email Groups”.  If you did not receive an invitation or need it re-sent please fill out the Update Contact Information Form. 

The group email will be  NMFMN@yahoogroups.com.  Messages will be sent out with the email address NMFMN-owner@yahoogroups.com . Please see that these addresses  does not get blocked by your IT department.  Any messages sent to this address will come to me and I will forward them to the appropriate person.

Take Care,

Roy Evans

NMFMN Web Master

royevans@royevans.com

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March Meeting

Summary February Meeting

Executive Corner

“Commissioning 101” and Other Facility Management Topics

From the President

2010 Program Agenda

Feds: Carbon Neutral By 2025

 Newsletter Changes

Partial List of Programs

and Incentives to Assist Local

 Businesses

Please Help “Rebuild New Mexico”

Help the People of Haiti

     Although the tragedy in Haiti has fallen from the headlines, thousands of people are in desperate need of the basic necessities of life.  A local middle-school teacher, supported by Rebuild New Mexico, has been awarded a grant to make solar cooking pots, transport them to the people of Haiti, and teach them how to use them.

     The deadline is March 15^th, 2010 for her to complete her initiative.  New Mexico Facility Managers Network supports the Rebuild New Mexico organization as they support the Rebuild NM Haiti Solar Fund.  A bus loaded with two and one half tons of medical supplies and food for Haitian relief is scheduled to depart for Florida the first week of March, but money is still needed to support this heroic effort.

     Please make a tax deductible donation to Rebuild NM Haiti Solar Fund, 1801 Fourth St. NW Suite B, Albuquerque, NM, 87102.  Even a small amount will help alleviate suffering and hunger.  Need more details?  Call Eric Doerrer at 505-681-8227 for more information!       

Help Another Facility Manager  

  Scott Segner is the facility manager for Adelante, a non-profit organization that supports the training and employment of differently-abled people in the community.  Adelante enjoys a long-standing relationship with the New Mexico Facility Managers Network.   With a very limited budget but still wanting to do the best for his company, Scott is asking fellow facility managers and suppliers within our Network for some help.

     “Donations to Adelante are tax deductible and we are always in search of used office furniture,  building materials,  and furnishings of all types to support our mission in the community.  Any fellow NMFMN members who can help me in this way, please call me at 505-341-7113 and know that your support will be deeply appreciated.”

Scott Segner
Facility  Director, Adelante Enterprises
3900 Osuna Blvd. NE 
Albuquerque, NM 87109

The University of New Mexico Foundation
Annual Endowment Report

Wanted:  Volunteers to Make the NMFMN Organization Excel

     The New Mexico Facility Managers Network needs you!  The Board of Directors is looking for good-hearted people who wish to volunteer for positions on our steering committee, the Board, and to help guide us towards which programs should be presented to the general membership at the meetings throughout the year in 2010. 

     Make a difference in your professional development and a personal contribution to our organization:  decide NOW to give a small amount of your time to help us ultimately support our scholarship funds at the University of New Mexico and at the Central New Mexico Community College.

    Do you have questions?  Call or email your favorite board member, or contact the Executive Director, Carolee Griffin, at carolee@nmfmn.com for details.

From:   Purchasing 
Sent:   Thursday, December 27, 2007 3:05 PM
To:     Rodriguez, Joseph M.; Lozano, Juan M.; Herrera, Steve ; Pollock, Rob ; Garcia, Rudy P.; Gray, Terry W.; Saavedra, Vince ; Listy, Andrew ; Burnham, Kenneth

Subject:        FW: City of Albuquerque New Procurement on-line Quote Requirement

In order to comply with the City of Albuquerque's new purchasing procedures all non contract procurements of $10,000 or less must be quoted on the following on-line procurement site.

Please register your Company's name and establish and account. The Aviation Department will not be able to solicit verbal, faxed or e-mail quotes any longer. All quotes will be solicited through this new procurement site.

The City of Albuquerque has issued online a Request for Quote (procurements of $10,000 or less) which you may be interested in.

Registration is required to view and respond to quotes.  Registration is free.

Please follow the link below:

https://basec.sicomm.net/register/corpInfo.html?partner=Albuquerque

If you are interested in being notified of Request for Bids (RFBs) and Request for Proposals (RFPs) please click on the link below:

http://www.cabq.gov/vendor/regisinfo.html

Thank you for your interest in doing business with the City of Albuquerque.

Tony Gurule
Facilities Maintenance Coordinator
Aviation Department, City of Albuquerque
Office: 244-7871
Cell: 250-2417
 

Supplier Directory

Updated 11/16/07

The New Mexico Facility Managers Network is over one-hundred member companies strong.  In these ranks are some of the most esteemed and responsible suppliers to the people who make it look easy to keep their buildings up and running.

     Board member Mary Anne Giangola and supplier member Shannon Deterding from the Improve Group have compiled the “First Source Supplier Directory” to make access to the companies that support the organization easy.  Each member listing provides a detailed description of the services that the supplier offers, along with contact information.

      Click Here for PDF Version

NMFMN Yahoo!

 Email Groups

Update Your Contact

 Information NOW!

In an effort to get information to you on the organization’s activities in a timely and technologically contemporary manner we have started a “Yahoo! Email Groups” so you can receive these important email notifications.  We value your support of the New Mexico Facility Managers Network and want to stay in touch with you in order to serve you better and it’s free!

Invitations have be sent out to everyone I have on my email list to Join the “Yahoo! Email Groups”.  If you did not receive an invitation or need it re-sent please fill out the Update Contact Information Form. 

The group email will be  NMFMN@yahoogroups.com.  The web site where you can join up is

http://finance.groups

.yahoo.com/group/NMFMN/.  

Messages will be sent out with the email address NMFMN-owner@yahoogroups.com . Please see that these addresses  do not get blocked by your IT department.  Any messages sent to this address will come to me and I will forward them to the appropriate person.

Take Care,

Roy Evans

NMFMN Web Master

royevans@royevans.com

Click here to Join