FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

The issue of climate change has continued to take center change in global politics and no other continent has been affected by climate change than Africa. Climate change refers to adverse changes in climate patterns, causing floods, droughts and higher temperatures.

As a result of climate change, temperatures in Africa is projected to rise between 1.5C – 3.0C by 2050, with Africa warming more than all other continents, increase in flooding, with adverse complications for the over 56 million people living in the 320 coastal cities in Africa, including Lagos and Port Harcourt.

There will be additional water stress with less access to water as well as ongoing energy challenges. Africa unfortunately is the least equipped to deal with the adverse effects of climate change because of its high levels of poverty, low levels of technology to adapt and lower development indicators.

 All these ongoing challenges led to the theme of the last African Development Bank Annual Meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, Energy and Climate Change, in recognition of the severity of the issues and how to position Africa to deal with the challenges and turn into opportunities.

Climate change has an impact on all sectors and the area of focus in this article will explore the link between climate change and facilities management. For a start, changes in weather have an impact on buildings and facilities, and on how inevitably, what value such assets in the future.

There are three main roles that facilities managers can play to mitigate against climate change –undertake vulnerability risk assessments of existing facilities to see how they are structured to respond to threats posed by climate change; support the development of new structures and buildings for the future in a way that will respond to climate change; and, develop disaster management plans for facilities to respond to negative changes in the climate conditions.

On the vulnerability risk assessment, facilities managers would need to review if buildings are in areas where they are prone to effects of climate change - flooding and higher temperatures for example, two things that are already obvious in a city like Lagos where most companies and organisations driving Nigeria’s economic growth are located- and other environmental risks and develop a plan on the severity of the risks, and what could be done to mitigate them.

This vulnerability assessment will include how the buildings will be managed, the kinds of tenants if necessary and additional support to be put within the buildings to ensure minimal damage when and if such flooding occur, looking at drainage systems, protection of building and in effect, the furniture and goods within such facilities, in the event of increased precipitation as a result of increased rainfall/flood waters.

 For higher temperatures, facilities managers will need to look at how to shield against heating, assess the potential for damage due to increased temperature – cracking in buildings for example, use of efficient energy, including solar energy, and changing of design of buildings to ensure more natural ventilation and less reliance on use of air-conditioning that contributes to reduce greenhouse emissions.

As Africa remains a giant construction site, with a lot of buildings still being built or to be built, facilities managers have a role to play in supporting the design of such buildings – supporting decision making on energy conservation, access to water facilities due to increased water stress, integrating technology or facilitating partnerships to recycle water within such facilities and ensuring that such facilities are as much as possible not built in areas which will be prone to flooding for example.

Obileye is a UK-trained Lawyer and CEO, Great Heights Property and Facilities Management Limited.

Email: Tundeobileye@greatheightslimited.com

LANDSCAPING: GARDENS AND PARKS

EDITOR'S NOTE

LANDSCAPING: GARDENS AND PARKS

Have you ever been to some outdoor spaces and been awed at the picturesque ambience of that environment? Have you been to certain places and all you want to do is get out of there almost immediately?

Do you wonder why some places feel like paradise and green while other places, well you know....?

The difference is simple, it is called Landscaping.
This is an aspect of FM with the expertise in horticulture and artistic design that modifies land-forms, terrains by growing and maintaining plants (gardening) and sometimes using lighting settings with the goal of creating a healthy, serene and beautiful environment.

You can achieve this phenomenon in your immediate environment; it begins with a plant, but if you are too busy to tend to it, you could employ our services to help you plant, nurture and maintain your own garden.


PATIENCE E.C. OKONTA

 

It is an art of beautification. It involves the maintenance of the ground (i.e., floor, soil) or aerial view of land mass usually to enhance the appearance of an arena, building or structure.
Landscaping also refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land. It may involve lighting conditions, gardening (planting and maintenance of flower beds) and decorating of the outer environment including bodies of water (creating artificial spring, fountain and pools).

The most recent form of landscaping adopted by the Lagos state government is the "Green Lagos scheme". Lagos state adopted this initiative as a measure to a greener, healthier and sustainable Lagos

The goal was to restore the beauty and green ambience of the state and to mitigate the effect of climate change, in other words to protect the environment from the adverse effect of global warming.

I understand there are rules with stipulated fines for offenders (i.e. people who defile the parks by littering, defecating, loitering and any other disorderly conduct), although I am not sure this is taken seriously in this new political dispensation or has ever been but we can still see and appreciate the scenery and aesthetics it adds to the Lagos environment.

This is just one aspect of landscaping and we can already feel the tremendous effect. I am aware that other states have taken the cue from the last dispensation to emulate the "green culture".
Examples of landscaping are: the Dolphin Park, Freedom Park, Palmgrove and Onipanu Gardens and so on.
Thus, Landscaping is an aspect of FM that is gaining widespread patronage especially in the more recent past.

Wide expanse of land laying fallow can be converted to beautiful floral gardens. This can be achieved by engaging the services of a horticulturist or a gardener. This is because landscaping on a large scale requires understanding of the land: soil quality, topography, if it requires filling/grading or not and the kind of plant that is suitable for that region.

However, we have to develop a maintenance culture otherwise these efforts will be a waste. That is why we need to employ the services of skilled horticulturists or FM firms which render such professional services to keep the plants alive and pruned. They help to ensure that on daily basis (or depending on the contract) that the parks/gardens are watered, trimmed and cleaned (e.g. picking of litters and clearing of dead plants).

Apart from beauty and aesthetics, there are health benefits of growing plants and flowers. They help absorb excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and produce abundant oxygen for all living creatures. They also provide shades from excess sunlight; the sight of these parks has a soothing effect too; they also prevent erosion of top soil.

You may need to start your own little garden to discover other benefits of this aspect of landscaping.
So why don't you plant a tree today and make conscious effort to improve the ecosystem around you... It begins with just a seed.

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