Property Management Services

As organizations grow and change, so must the facilities that house them. Sounds simple enough, but how do facilities managers and owners ensure that the company’s vision for the future is reflected and supported by its infrastructure and assets? The answer lies in the facilities master plan (FMP).

With the myriad of daily tasks involved in keeping a facility running smoothly, devising a plan can take time, but having a facilities master plan gives you a clear, detailed map of your facility’s capabilities, expansion goals, and upkeep requirements—in short, an overview of your facilities as it pertains to your organization’s goals and mission. It’s a tool that enables strategic and responsible fiscal planning for capital improvements, and enables you to meet your maintenance goals in the most cost-effective manner.

Maybe you already have a facilities master plan that you review every quarter. (In that case, congratulations!) Or maybe you’re trying to remember where the FMP is stored (or which dusty shelf it’s sitting on). Or possibly, you’ve never quite gotten around to creating a facilities master plan. In any case, now is a good time to revisit your FMP, and make sure it’s as comprehensive and useful as possible. Let’s take a look at what’s involved.

Defining the Facilities Master Plan

Revisiting the FMP can be challenging for busy facilities managers, but consistent review is a must to keep things up-to-date and on target. Budgets change, strategies shift, and keeping an eye on regulations is a must.

According to the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) the definition of a facility master plan (aka facilities master plan) is: “A detailed long- or mid-term set of specifications and schedule for implementing elements of a strategic facility plan.” This is important to note because the term “facility master plan” is sometimes used interchangeably with “strategic facility plan” (SFP), but as the definition above indicates, while the two are related, they’re not the same thing.

The SFP sets the overall strategic direction for the organization, and the FMP details the steps needed to achieve these goals, providing a detailed and tangible plan for the facility. For some facilities, the SFP is incorporated into the master plan and referred to as the FMP, while other facilities have a separate but linked SFP. Either way, for an FMP to be effective it needs to work in step with a strategic facility plan that lays out the business or organization’s vision and goals for the facility.

Mapping Out a Facilities Master Plan

Given the vast range of facilities, it goes without saying that FMPs vary according to organizational type, industry cultures, and strategic approaches. Nevertheless, the general format remains the same. All FMPs begin with a current assessment of facility conditions, taking into account future organizational needs as laid out in the strategic plan. Then, based on this assessment, projects are planned and prioritized.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the key points to consider when drawing up a facilities master plan.

Current Facility Assessment

If an FMP is a detailed roadmap that aligns facilities with the organization’s future goals, the starting point has to be an assessment of current facility conditions. Information on all buildings, leased or owned, utilized or not, must be collected and organized. This should include data on building capacity, condition, age, and estimated life expectancy. The information should also include data about energy consumption, waste generation, water usage, and other environmental factors.

If your facility does not currently collect this data digitally, then now is an excellent time to consider using technology such as CMMS software, which enables real-time monitoring and management, giving you the data you need to further hone your FMP. Gathering detailed information will shine a light on how maintenance is conducted and enable you to refine maintenance strategies.

Knowledge is power, and pulling together data on your building portfolio and assets will help you identify strengths and opportunities in addition to weaknesses and gaps. This will allow you to better decide where future capital investments should go.

Organizational Objectives and Strategic Alignment

Since the facilities master plan is driven by the strategic facility plan, it’s critical to be well-versed in the vision laid out by the SFP. This will ensure that the FMP aligns with your organization’s goals for growth and serves these goals instead of holding them back.

Whether your company’s strategic plan is embedded in the FMP or is linked to a separate SFP, it’s important to know what the strategic plan is focused on. Does it account for objectives such as environmental changes, supply chain concerns, or new technologies? What about planned expansions or needed upgrades?

Whatever the strategies are, in order to carry out the objectives, you will likely need to coordinate with multiple stakeholders, including executive leadership and outside bodies such as planning and zoning agencies. Meeting with teams across your organization (for plan development and regular reviews) keeps everyone aware of progress and ensures alignment with the plan. It also ensures that everyone is aware of and in agreement with the FMP’s goals.

Revisiting the FMP can be challenging for busy facilities managers, but consistent review is a must to keep things up-to-date and on target. Budgets change, strategies shift, and keeping an eye on regulations is a must.

Bridge the Gaps Using Scenarios

Once you’ve assessed your facility’s current conditions and reviewed your organization’s goals for the future, the next step is to identify and bridge gaps between the two. This involves scenario building—generating and evaluating alternatives or options based on the information at hand.

Scenarios should consider projected growth, industry trends, and evolving technology, together with considerations extending beyond immediate revenue generation such as regulation, environmental concerns, and objective-meeting criteria. In addition to alignment with objectives, scenarios should estimate feasibility and cost as well as impacts and benefits.

For example, consider a growing manufacturing facility that currently handles order fulfillment in house. In this case, a facilities master plan might evaluate whether adding space, using existing underutilized areas, or outsourcing certain tasks aligns best with the strategic facility plan.

Maintenance is another area up for consideration when devising scenarios. Switching from a reactive to a proactive maintenance strategy can reduce both costs and downtime. Adding sensors that monitor equipment health in real-time, streamlining work order processes, and training personnel on CMMS software can make it easier to achieve organizational goals.

Planning and Prioritizing Projects

Scenario planning helps you categorize and rank projects by priority. It may be urgent to replace large, expensive equipment such as HVAC systems. Or perhaps prioritizing your technology upgrades will be most beneficial.

Determining your priorities starts with creating a criteria-based system for evaluating projects. Criteria may include strategic alignment, urgency, impact on operations, compliance requirements, and cost. It’s important to develop a list of criteria that enables you to conduct an apples-to-apples comparison among possible projects. This will allow you to consider all the impacts and benefits, and to address your most urgent needs first.

Continual Development and Review

The final FMP will be a detailed plan that includes building schematics as well as performance measures and projected budgets for each project, and of course an implementation timeline.

Once the plan is approved by the relevant stakeholders, it’s time to get started. But even then, the FMP process isn’t over, because as soon as you start executing on the FMP, you should schedule your first review. Periodic reviews are important to ensure that goals are being met, and that these goals are still in alignment with your organization’s needs.

Reaping the Rewards

Creating a successful FMP requires substantial work: compiling accurate data, careful planning and strategizing, and ensuring stakeholder involvement and continual review. But the rewards are also substantial.

By offering a detailed roadmap that balances short-term needs with long-term visions, FMPs enable efficient resource allocation, enhance operational efficiency, and align facilities with overarching organizational goals. After all, facilities are a cornerstone of an organization’s success, providing the physical infrastructure necessary for its operations. And a well-crafted, forward-looking facilities master plan is a key tool for ensuring the smooth, profitable operation of a company’s facilities.

Facilities Management that Promotes Success

Want to optimize your facilities and ensure they contribute to your company’s success? We’ve been helping businesses do just that for more than 35 years. Turn to us for the management expertise and resources you need to get your facilities running smoothly and cost-effectively.

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For most of the twentieth century, facilities managers ran their operations with only rudimentary technology. Even railyards and other sprawling facilities were managed with tools that were rarely more sophisticated than paper or punch cards. Then, in the latter part of the century, many large companies adopted a new technology known as a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). And by the nineties, CMMS software had become inexpensive enough to be a viable option even for smaller companies.

In the decades since, CMMS software has become even more robust, so that today this indispensable technology offers a hefty advantage to those companies looking to streamline operations. The software has found a home in multiple industries, and now whether you operate a complex gas plant or a single office building, this technology can help ensure the safe and efficient functioning of the facility’s equipment, machinery, and building envelope.

Used properly, CMMS software can provide value well beyond paperwork organization and work order management.

Defining CMMS Software

CMMS can also be referred to as CMMIS (computerized maintenance management information system), and is sometimes used interchangeably with EAM (enterprise asset management) or even APM (asset performance management). However, while there are areas where these technologies overlap, there are also some key differences.

Enterprise Asset Management (EAM)

The goal of an EAM system is to optimize an asset’s lifecycle. It enables a holistic approach to managing asset performance from cradle to grave, one that goes beyond tracking maintenance schedules to include planning for the timely decommissioning and replacement of assets.

Asset Performance Management (APM)

APM, although it shares many features with CMMS, is concerned with analyzing the performance of building assets to increase productivity and minimize risk.

Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS)

CMMS is dedicated to optimizing MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations). CMMS software is designed to track maintenance activities and scheduling costs. To maximize a facility’s MRO, CMMS software automates the management of workflows, optimizes routing, and enables organized recordkeeping for reporting and auditing.

By gathering disparate information and data into one container, CMMS tools provide facility managers with an easy means by which to schedule and track work orders, a task that, pre-automation, was tedious and time intensive. Used properly, CMMS software can provide value well beyond paperwork organization and work order management.

Maximizing Maintenance and Improving Operations with CMMS Software

CMMS software can make facilities management easier and more effective by increasing productivity and optimizing operations across multiple areas:

Workforce Productivity

CMMS software can streamline communication between maintenance teams and other departments. This results in better coordination, quicker response times, and increased productivity, since personnel can focus on their tasks without unnecessary delays caused by disorganized processes.

When CMMS algorithms predict that maintenance is required, the system can automatically generate work orders for necessary tasks. This proactive approach ensures that maintenance teams are informed well in advance of a needed operation, allowing them to plan and execute maintenance activities without disrupting regular operations.

Predictive Maintenance

Regular preventive maintenance has long been the cornerstone of modern facilities management. But today, new technologies are enabling facilities managers to be even more forward-thinking in their management practices, and embrace what’s known as predictive maintenance.

New, advanced sensors and monitoring devices, attached to critical equipment, can now offer real-time data on the condition of machinery. This crucial performance and condition data include temperature, vibration, and even pressure. CMMS software then analyzes this data to provide insight into the health and longevity of a facility’s assets, helping maintenance teams predict when equipment might require attention.

Downtime Reduction

Equipment downtime, which often causes disruption and lost productivity, is often more expensive than any repair. According to a study by Deloitte, inadequate maintenance procedures can reduce a facility’s overall productive capacity by up to 20 percent.

By analyzing usage and performance patterns, along with historical data and current operating conditions, CMMS software can forecast potential issues and recommend preventive actions. In this way, the system can identify early signs of deterioration or discover unexpected anomalies, so that maintenance crews can investigate and repair, avoiding a breakdown that interrupts normal operations.

Whether your maintenance strategy is preventive, predictive, or a combination of both, CMMS technology can automate work orders and maintenance schedules to reduce asset downtime and extend equipment life, thus enhancing overall operational efficiency. Uninterrupted uptime means production continues, deadlines are met, orders are filled, and customers or occupants remain happy.

Metrics and Analytics

The task of tracking and managing all the parts that make up a facility can be complex, which is why having real-time access to comprehensive data is one of the biggest advantages of maintenance software. This data not only facilitates quick decision-making, but also ensures that all stakeholders are well informed about the status of equipment, work orders, and overall facility health. It ensures that assets are utilized optimally, and replacement decisions are based on sound analysis.

CMMS analyses also enable companies to optimize spare parts management. Instead of either maintaining excess inventory or facing shortages, businesses can manage their spare parts stock based on actual usage patterns and predicted maintenance needs. This minimizes deliveries and the overstocking that leads to wasted parts, which in turn not only reduces costs, but also the facility’s ecological footprint.

Consistency and Compliance

CMMS software can make regulatory compliance easier by compiling the extensive data and documentation that are needed to prove adherence to laws and regulations. Computerized maintenance systems have the ability to create audit trails by building documentation from logged work order history, gathering the information needed to pass audits, and even submitting records to prove compliance via electronic signature. This not only saves valuable time, but also offers greater accuracy and timely submissions.

Emission Control

Another benefit of monitoring assets for performance is the ability to identify emissions, energy use, or hazardous leaks that may affect the environment, building occupants, or customers. With CMMS software, a facility’s energy usage can be monitored in real time. Blips in usage serve as an alert that enables maintenance crews to investigate a potential problem before it escalates, so that the facility consistently maintains energy efficiency across operations. Facility managers can also leverage energy usage data to assess the environmental impact of operational practices and implement strategies to improve sustainability.

When CMMS Doesn’t Work

As with any technology, when it comes to using CMMS software, the adage “garbage in, garbage out” applies. Technological innovations can improve facility operations, but behind every piece of technology is a human hand. It’s vital that the technicians who use CMMS software are fully trained and knowledgeable, so they can avoid errors and fully leverage the CMMS tool. In order to make sure your CMMS system yields the best results, it’s important to keep three factors in mind:

Integration challenges

Integrating CMMS software with existing systems, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems or building management systems (BMS), can be challenging. Compatibility issues may arise, requiring additional time and resources for seamless integration.

Learning Curve

When implementing a new CMMS, be prepared for a learning period that could temporarily affect productivity. Remember that in addition to the personnel who interact directly with the CMMS software, ancillary staff will also require training.

Data Security

Storing sensitive operational and maintenance data on a digital platform raises concerns about data security. Facilities need robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard against potential breaches that could compromise critical information.

Going Forward with CMMS Software

Advances in CMMS software have the potential to provide transformative leaps in efficiency, sustainability, and predictive maintenance. In the hands of knowledgeable managers and technicians, facility management software offers a centralized hub for all operations, increasing efficiency in MRO scheduling, data management, and asset tracking. The foresight provided by real-time monitoring and predictive analysis ensures that potential issues are addressed before they escalate, minimizing downtime and increasing cost savings.

Although there may be hurdles and hiccups in implementing or upgrading to a robust management system, CMMS software offers businesses operational resilience, enabling them to create and maintain sustainable, cost-effective, and future-ready facilities.

Expert Facilities Management for Optimal Efficiency

Looking to bring greater automation to your facilities maintenance? PRIDE Industries can help. With more than 35 years of facilities management experience, and expertise in the latest management technologies, we can help you minimize energy consumption, reduce waste, and optimize the value of all your facility’s assets.

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From skyscrapers to manufacturing plants, across all types of industries, and in companies both large and small, facility asset management is the quiet but vital linchpin responsible for optimizing operations, maximizing asset lifecycles, and contributing to a company’s bottom line.

Facility asset management is a broad service that encompasses multiple obvious and not-so-obvious aspects of a business’ day-to-day functions. When operations are running seamlessly it’s easy to forget about facility asset management, especially when it’s handled by a third party. But when things go wrong, the important role of the facility asset manager—and how it affects business efficiency—becomes apparent. This is why it’s so important to pick the right facility asset management service for your company.

Facility Asset Management—What’s Involved?

So, what are facility assets? The precise answer can vary, depending on the organization, but facility assets are generally thought of as those that affect the day-to-day operations of the business and support occupants’ needs inside buildings and on the grounds outside of the facility.

In a Berkshire Hathaway survey of companies across multiple sectors, 70% reported losing productivity due to unexpected asset repairs and replacements.

Traditionally, these assets have been considered the tangible and physical items in a facility. However, with the expansion of technology, intangible assets such as CMMS (computerized maintenance management systems) and HVAC fault detection and diagnostics may also fall under the purview of facility asset management.

Some experts have defined facility assets as anything that needs to be maintained at least once a year or is valued at more than $5,000. While these may be good additional guidelines, relying on a dollar amount or a maintenance standard may miss some critical assets—or conversely, include less relevant ones, depending on your facility.

The official definition of a facility asset comes from ISO 55000, set by the International Organization for Standardization. This standard defines an asset as “an item, thing or entity that has potential or actual value to an organization.” Asset management is defined as a discipline that helps to “better achieve organizational objectives while realizing greater value from their assets.”

In other words, assets are items with actual or potential value to the facility that would cause disruption to operations or business objectives when not functioning. Since ISO recommendations are considered the gold standard for best practices in areas such as quality control and safety, this definition of asset management is a good reference point, so if in doubt, referring to ISO 55000 is a good bet.

Strategies, Methods, and Best Practices

Expert facility asset management is crucial to maximizing the longevity and productivity of your capital assets. To achieve this outcome, a facility’s asset management program should include the following:

Comprehensive Asset Inventory

The first step in effectively managing your assets is to have comprehensive information on each one. That means every asset is tagged and barcoded, and its identifying information is entered into a tracking system that’s accessible by all those who need it. Having up-to-date and organized records of all facility assets promotes informed decision-making. While the labor and time involved in reconciling incomplete or inaccurate data may seem daunting, the effort will be rewarded with less disruption in the long term and greater insights into your facilities’ operations.

Lifecycle Planning and Management

Lifecycle planning is a core part of facilities asset management. Being able to identify when assets are nearing the end of their life and developing strategies around asset lifecycles can provide significant cost savings for your organization.

In fact, a global report on asset management from Deloitte found that the aging of facility assets is a major risk for many companies. But this same report also found that businesses that are able to effectively calculate the lifetime of their assets spend substantially less on reactive maintenance. This is just one way that a robust facilities asset management program can bring greater predictability and value to an organization.

Experienced asset managers know how to analyze annualized ROI to optimize facility investments. To make informed decisions on asset replacement and repair, facilities managers should assess the totality of every asset’s cost: from design, procurement, installation, and startup; through operation and maintenance; and finally, to decommission and removal. In this way, assets can be compared equally, and plans can be made accordingly.

The Power of Analytics to Inform Decisions

Digging into historical and performance data to discover trends, make predictions, and engage in proactive problem-solving can be powerful. By analyzing historical asset performance, trends and patterns can be identified, enabling proactive recommendations, preventing costly breakdowns, and extending the lifespan of the facilities’ assets. Relevant data should be drawn from all sources, including the manufacturer’s history, as well as the asset’s performance and maintenance records.

Compliance and Regulations

Whether it’s safety standards, environmental regulations, or industry-specific mandates, being well-versed in the regulatory landscape and ensuring that assets and operations align with legal requirements must be a priority in facilities management. Failing to comply with environmental and other regulations can have serious repercussions, such as a damaged reputation among customers, and even—in rare cases—legal costs.

It’s essential that every asset in the facility—and the facility as a whole—comply with ICC, OSHA, EPA, and other government regulations. Regular training of in-house technicians is a must to ensure that they are up to date on regulations and keep stringent records.

But it’s not enough for your team to be in compliance, you must also ensure that your third-party vendors and service providers are compliant. Assets serviced by third-party vendors who are non-compliant can come back to bite you. To avoid this scenario, facilities managers should communicate regularly with vendors about compliance issues, and gain as much insight as possible into a contractor’s record. Be prepared to switch providers if there are serious or continuous non-compliance issues—your reputation depends on quick remedial action.

Technology-Aided Predictive Maintenance

Facilities management providers can fall into the trap of reactive maintenance. But a proactive approach is best for the bottom line, as preventing an asset’s failure is less costly than repairing the asset. And predictive maintenance can yield even greater savings, as it takes the forward-looking approach of proactive maintenance to a new level.

If reactive maintenance is about the past, and proactive maintenance is about the present, predictive maintenance is all about the future. While “reactive maintenance” is essentially a synonym for “repair or replace,” and proactive maintenance involves monitoring assets for signs of wear and tear, predictive maintenance collects data about individual and aggregate assets to determine the best schedule for both maintenance and inspection.

Predictive maintenance is still a fairly new discipline, made possible by advances in data analytics and sensor technology. Technologies such as EAM (enterprise asset management) software and CMMS (computerized maintenance management systems) enable technicians to move away from reactive maintenance to a more predictive strategy of maintenance and repair.

Sometimes referred to as CBM+ (condition-based maintenance plus), these technologies use real-time data from sensors, together with machine learning (a type of artificial intelligence) to give facilities managers the information they need to gain greater insight into the condition of facilities assets, allowing for repair schedules to be optimized, and minimizing or even eliminating downtime. These high-tech tools are allowing an increasing number of companies to streamline and optimize facility operations.

Four Benefits of Facility Asset Management

How do the best practices of facility asset management benefit businesses and property owners? The gap between merely adequate facilities management and vigorous asset oversight can be wide.

Asset Performance

The principal thrust of facility asset management is to coordinate activity and efforts that will optimize asset performance. This is achieved through performance monitoring, lifecycle analysis, and predictive repairs that reduce downtime and extend the asset lifecycle.

At its best, facility asset management goes beyond maintaining the status quo to maximizing the potential of every asset. By optimizing performance, businesses can extract maximum value from their investments, directly improving the bottom line. In essence, robust asset management can transform assets from potential liabilities to long-term contributors to company value.

Improved Productivity and Cost Savings

In a Berkshire Hathaway survey of companies across multiple sectors, 70% reported losing productivity due to unexpected asset repairs and replacements. Asset ignorance is costly. In manufacturing alone, studies have shown that unplanned downtime costs companies an average of 800 hours of productivity every year.

This is why it’s essential that the facilities management service provider you use be knowledgeable in proactive and predictive maintenance. Knowledgeable facility asset managers who compile comprehensive asset inventories, embrace proactive maintenance strategies, and provide asset lifecycle management can mitigate lost productivity and reduce costs.

Risk Mitigation and Enhanced Safety

The National Safety Council estimates that the total economic costs of work-related deaths and injuries in 2021 was $167 billion. Robust facility asset management can be a proactive shield against unforeseen risks by ensuring the proper functioning of machinery and equipment and implementing safety protocols that reduce the risk of accidents and breakdowns. Additionally, managers knowledgeable in their facility’s compliance needs can ensure assets and operations align with legal requirements. This not only mitigates legal risks but also fosters a culture of responsibility and accountability.

Sustainability

For any facility, identifying energy consumption, emissions, and areas where efficiency can be enhanced leads not only to improved operations but also to a more sustainable and eco-friendly facility.

By managing assets with sustainability in mind, eco-savvy facility asset managers can optimize energy efficiency, which not only saves money, but is essential in order to earn environmental certifications such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). LEED is a coveted and globally recognized achievement of sustainability for all building types. By optimizing their building assets and operations, businesses have not only qualified for this certification, they’ve also reduced energy use by as much as 30%.

At a time when environmental responsibility is a business imperative, facility asset management—through energy-efficient practices, waste reduction, and adherence to sustainable standards—can contribute to the company’s ethos of responsible stewardship.

Holistic Gains

Facility Asset Management is crucial for ensuring facility assets don’t just function, but also contribute meaningfully to organizational success. When power plants run smoothly, or high-rise buildings function flawlessly around the clock, that’s often due to the meticulous strategies of a facility asset management team that combines knowledge, foresight, technology, and data to redefine operational excellence.

As industries evolve and businesses navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing world, excellent facility asset management becomes increasingly important. Now more than ever, a tech-savvy, holistic approach to asset management is an essential contributor to a company’s value.

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If you’re looking to optimize operations and gain the most from your facility’s assets, we can help. PRIDE Industries manages 13,000 buildings and has over 35 years of experience in facility asset management.

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An iconic cartoon from the 1960s features George Jetson living a futuristic life with his wife Jane, children Judy and Elroy, and their loveable dog Astro. The family’s day is filled with automation, from the cleaning robot, Rosie, to their Dial-a-Meal food creator. While many gadgets highlighted in the show never came to pass (no anti-gravity belts yet), the show’s vision of an automated future was nevertheless eerily accurate. Today, there are robots that scrub floors, wash windows, and clean ducts; other robots move supplies from one floor to another. And now, automation has moved outdoors, with self-driving lawnmowers expanding into the world of commercial landscape maintenance.

From Handheld Cutters to Gas-Powered Mowers

Robotic lawnmowers are the culmination of an evolutionary process that began in the mid-nineteenth century. Up until then, grass on properties, whether business or residential, was kept in check by handheld scythes—the cutting tool that’s typically associated with the Grim Reaper. Back then, cutting grass was slow, arduous work.

But sometime in the early 1800s, a young engineer in England named Edwin Beard Budding had a bright idea. He was visiting a cloth mill when he noticed a machine that was used to trim irregular fabric, and had an idea: What if the same cutting technology used to cut fabric could be used to cut grass? Budding got to work, and a few years later, in 1830, he took out a patent on the world’s first lawnmower. The hand-pushed contraption was a hit, and before long was being used to cut the lawns of sports fields and properties with extensive gardens.

Approximately half of a company’s landscaping budget is spent on labor—assuming the company can find that labor.

Since then, mowing technology has come a long way, but just like Beard’s original invention, the majority of today’s mowers still require someone to drive or push them. But not for long.

Robotics Enter the Picture

The first robotic mower made its appearance the same year that Apollo 11 landed on the moon. In 1969, Spencer L. Bellinger, another intrepid engineer, created the first retail robotic lawnmower. Dubbed the MowBot, it operated through a signal wire that set the boundaries for operation. According to a New York Times article from that era, “. . . the mower [is] entirely safe and so quiet that it can be operated at night.” At the time, however, the MowBot was seen more as a whimsical gadget than a practical piece of landscaping equipment.

That started to change in the 1990s, when more advanced robotic lawnmowers made their debut. In 1995, Husqvarna developed a modern-style, solar-powered version of the self-driving machine. It featured several improvements over its predecessors, including enhanced programmability, smartphone control, and autonomous obstacle avoidance. This time, robotic lawnmowers were taken seriously, leading to further technology advancements. By 2005, robotic lawn mowers represented the second largest category of domestic robots.

Mower technology continues to develop at a fast pace, as more companies enter the market. According to the IBIS World Landscaping Service Industry Report, the landscape service industry is a $129 billion enterprise. Not surprisingly, many companies want to tap into this lucrative market, and they’re doing it with robotic mowers that offer a host of benefits for commercial landscape maintenance.

Addressing Labor Shortages in Commercial Landscape Maintenance

Approximately half of a company’s landscaping budget is spent on labor—assuming the company can find that labor. According to the 2021 Green Industry Benchmark Report, attracting and retaining employees is still the landscaping industry’s biggest problem, with 70% of landscapers reporting difficulties in finding employees. While a self-driving mower still requires some minimal human interface, it’s estimated that in many instances it can reduce labor costs by 90%.

The National Association of Workforce Boards—an organization that connects workforce professionals with Washington, D.C. policymakers—welcomes these advances. “We are embracing technology more than ever, with no fear of worker displacement. Autonomous mowers keep the turf maintained, freeing up workers to focus on more skilled tasks, such as pruning and plant diagnostics,” the association says on its website.

And saving on wages isn’t the only cost benefit of self-driving mowers. Scythe Robotics, which manufactures autonomous lawnmowers, claims the typical landscaper needs to replace a gas-powered mower every three to four years. Although self-driving mowers can be expensive up front, most are electric and so are more economical in the long run, due to longevity and reduced maintenance (no spark plugs, gas, or oil required). Scythe even offers a pay-per-acre model to its customers.

Other companies, like Graze Inc., function on a hardware/software model. The purchaser makes an initial investment in equipment, and then makes a monthly service payment for the software to keep the mower up to date and functioning. Graze claims an investment in one of their machines will increase a landscaping company’s profit margins by fivefold. Another seller of these autonomous machines, Turflynx, claims that switching from traditional to self-driving mowers reduces energy consumption by 80% and maintenance expenses by 40%.

The Eco-Friendly Solution for Commercial Landscape Maintenance

Electric self-driving mowers also have benefits for our planet. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), landscaping equipment engines produce up to five percent of our national air pollution. In fact, the California Air Resources Board reports that operating a commercial gas lawnmower for one hour emits as much pollution as driving a passenger car for about 300 miles. Statistics like this are motivating more companies to adopt electric self-driving mowers.

In general, companies today are searching for more sustainable approaches to facilities maintenance. Many have already turned to eco-friendly solutions for cleaning, so eco-friendly landscape maintenance is a logical next step. Fortunately, these businesses now have more practical choices in electric equipment, as battery technology has drastically improved over the past several years.

The Future of Commercial Landscape Maintenance

Adding convenience, cost savings, and other benefits to a company’s landscape maintenance routine doesn’t require sacrificing a beautiful exterior. While some businesses may be hesitant to use new technology such as autonomous mowers, others are embracing it.

In April 2022, the City of Glendale kicked off a pilot program with Graze, in which park staff will test and provide input on Graze’s automated electric mowing equipment. Glendale mayor Paula Devine promoted the partnership, saying, “Well, this is certainly an exciting day for the City of Glendale as we are the first—the very first—to partner with Graze.”

How quickly companies adopt self-driving mowers for their commercial landscaping and maintenance remains to be seen. But as autonomous mowers and battery-powered equipment roll out over the next decade, many expect that the majority of companies will start to embrace this cutting-edge technology. The benefits—lowered costs, increased sustainability—are just too significant to ignore.

A Facilities Management Partner You Can Rely On

No matter what technologies you prefer for your landscape maintenance, our award-winning service can help you maximize savings, manage resources, and plan for the future. Contact us today to learn more.

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In 1865, people in Upstate New York lived in fear of a deadly worm. Just one bite from this poisonous creature was enough to kill a grown man, it was said. Later it was discovered that the deadly predator was in fact a harmless caterpillar—a fact that might make some laugh at the gullibility of our ancestors. But the fact is, even today, a bug sighting can inspire an instinctive desire to eliminate the invader at all costs, leading, in some cases, to the overuse of hazardous pesticides. Fortunately, now there’s another option available for commercial pest control: integrated pest management.

Not every weed, insect, or fungus needs to be controlled, as some are innocuous or even beneficial.

Unlike traditional grab-and-spray protocols, integrated pest management (IPM) takes a different approach to controlling insects. By leveraging data about insects—their lifecycles, and how they interact with plants and other insects—IPM can stop problems before they start. And while IPM does include the judicious use of pesticides, this methodology relies more on other means, making it an increasingly popular choice for companies seeking sustainable pest control solutions for commercial landscaping.

Why Use IPM for Commercial Pest Control?

Spraying on a regular schedule may seem like an easy preventative option for pest problems. But in many cases, indiscriminate spraying is neither viable nor effective. Unfortunately, over the past few decades, an over-reliance on chemical pesticides has led to the evolution of resistant pest populations, ones that continue to resurge, making them harder and harder to control as once-reliable pesticides become ineffective.

This is one reason why facilities managers and property owners are turning to integrated pest management. With more options for control, IPM practices can help prevent the development of pesticide-resistant pests, preserving the natural balance of ecosystems. This is not only a more effective approach to pest control, but also a more sustainable one. Spraying less lowers the risk of contamination of waterways and soil, contributing to a safer and healthier environment for facility occupants and visitors. This is particularly important for public spaces, such as parks and recreational areas.

Another benefit of IPM is that it significantly reduces material and labor costs by cutting back the amount of pesticides needed and the frequency of their application. And because IPM is often more effective than traditional spraying, it’s even helping to reduce the remediation costs associated with pest damage.

The Benefits of Green Commercial Pest Control

Sustainable landscapes are more resilient and cost-effective in the long run. In fact, having a sustainable and healthy landscape will do more to mitigate pest problems than simply spraying. Experts now know that over 60% of plant and shrub difficulties are due to nutrient imbalances, water practices, or soil conditions—none of which are solved with sprays that can damage soil life and the beneficial insects that keep plants healthy. IPM enables a balanced ecosystem in which plants thrive and opportunistic fungi, weeds, and insects are naturally kept at bay.

Integrated pest management is a long-term sustainable solution that offers benefits across a variety of landscapes, and it is proving to be far more effective than the whack-a-mole approach of intermittent spraying. So how do landscapers incorporate IPM into their gardening protocols? It may not be as easy as attaching a spray nozzle to a pesticide bottle, but it’s not that difficult either.

Implementing Integrated Pest Management

Integrated pest management is dependent on the environment and the pests that need to be controlled. In other words, the bug dictates the protocols. One of the great virtues of IPM is that it provides a suite of customizable principles and practices that work by balancing the unique environment of each landscape. Methods are adjusted depending on the challenge being addressed, creating a program that suits the specific situation. But no matter the specific challenge, IPM landscapers engage in three primary activities to achieve effective commercial pest control:

Identifying Pests
Not every weed, insect, or fungus needs to be controlled, as some are innocuous or even beneficial. For this reason, the first step in a typical IPM action plan is to accurately identify the pest species. This is why it’s essential to work with experienced maintenance providers. An experienced landscaper with knowledge of IPM methods will recognize the stages of plant and insect lifecycles, be able to distinguish good bugs from bad, and know their natural enemies.

As evidenced in our worm story, correct identification is key to knowing whether an insect is likely to become a problem, and how best to manage it. Understanding a bug’s biology, behavior, and resting stages is crucial for effective management.

Monitoring and Assessing
Monitoring is a proactive approach that can help detect issues early and prevent large-scale infestations. Regular monitoring is more effective and less costly than responding to an insect invasion that was overlooked before. Vigilance saves money.

Insects and bugs can be monitored with regular visual inspections of your property. In addition to looking for the pests themselves, you should also examine plants, shrubs, and structures for signs of damage. Leaf damage, for example, can provide valuable information about insect type and activity.

You can also use sticky traps to catch insects for more detailed examination. The type of insects you trap, and the rate at which your traps fill up, will provide volumes of information about the presence, quantity, and direction of travel of the pests on your property. This information is key to crafting an effective action plan.

Establishing Tolerance Thresholds
Establishing thresholds or tolerance levels for specific pests is an important protocol in integrated pest management. You should know in advance, for example, how frequent pest sightings should be to trigger a control action like spraying pesticides. Spotting one or two bugs doesn’t always mean you need to pull out the sprays. A commercial landscaper knowledgeable in IPM can help you determine which thresholds best suit your facilities.

Applying IPM Practices to Commercial Pest Control

Of course, the best way to avoid the use of pesticides is to not need them in the first place. This is why IPM protocols emphasize long-term, systematic maintenance, using four types of pest control:

Physical Pest Control
Healthy plants are less likely to attract fungi and can better withstand invasive insects. Stress—such as too little water, too much fertilizer, or suboptimal temperatures—has the opposite effect. Choosing plants that are native to your facility’s geography means they’re more likely to survive the weather. Proper planting methods and a good planting site are a must. Regular weeding is also necessary, unless you choose a xeriscape of native-only plants—which not only reduces the need for watering but also promotes healthy and bug-resistant plants.

Biological Pest Control
You can go beyond simply creating habitats that welcome beneficial insects to actively importing them. Many problematic insects have natural predators that will go after the bugs you don’t want while leaving your plants intact. Introducing the right predator to your landscape can help control pests and protect the balance of nature. To maximize the benefits of these organisms, you’ll need to take into account weather conditions, food availability, and ideal release times.

Chemical Pest Control
When it comes to chemicals, the general philosophy in integrated pest management is to start with substances that are less toxic for humans and the environment. This means targeting specific areas with selective pesticides by using bait stations or by spot-spraying instead of dousing entire landscapes. Insecticide soaps and microbial pesticides, which contain fungi or bacteria as the active ingredients, are a less toxic way to kill pests. And biopesticides, which are derived from natural materials like plants and minerals, decompose quickly and are far less toxic than conventional sprays.

But even conventional pesticides have a place in integrated pest management; they’re simply used more judiciously. And this restrained approach is highly effective. An IPM landscaping project at the University of Maryland, for example, reduced pesticide use by more than 90%—in large part through carefully timed spot treatments other targeted applications.

The Long Game in Commercial Pest Control

Integrated pest management is not a shortcut or a quick fix. It is a robust strategy that produces lasting results and creates a flourishing environment. Its strength lies in its ability to combine various methods and practices based on specific pest situations, keeping in mind the principles of sustainability.

While IPM requires more careful planning and greater expertise, for most commercial landscapes its long-term cost and functional benefits outweigh any additional effort. And there are other kinds of benefits as well. Embracing IPM practices demonstrates a commitment to responsible environmental stewardship that’s appealing to customers and stakeholders alike. Put simply, an integrated approach to pest control is the optimal way to reduce pesticide costs and risks, improve landscape health and resilience, and make a positive impression on your tenants and visitors.

A Maintenance Partner You Can Rely On

If you want your grounds to flourish with fewer harsh chemicals, our landscape maintenance experts can help. With decades of experience providing services to federal and commercial organizations, we have the expertise to help you create and maintain a landscape that’s both healthy and fit to impress.

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Managing multi-family properties isn’t really magic, but Jesse DiCamillo, Business Development Manager of Commercial Facilities at PRIDE Industries, makes it seem that way. By day, it’s all business for Jesse. But after hours? He transforms into Magician Jesse Dee—a persona he’s inhabited for over four decades, performing at myriad venues, including L.A.’s famed Magic Castle.

When we asked about his top six tips for managing multi-family properties, we were struck not only by his wealth of knowledge, but also by his flare for turning the ordinary into something marvelous. So, without further ado, here are six tips—The Amazing Jesse Dee style—to thrive as a multi-family property manager.

1. Make dirt and clutter disappear.

According to Jesse, “Any property is judged based on its cleanliness.” It makes sense. The pandemic underscored the ways in which cleanliness is linked to safety. Moreover, research illuminates the ways that clean, tidy spaces enhance mental health. Given its importance, cleanliness should begin (much like a good magic trick) with a plan, and a long-term one at that. Develop a maintenance schedule, one that factors both indoor and outdoor spaces and levels of usage throughout the day and night. And maintenance doesn’t stop there. It includes the tools and machinery used to clean those spaces. Preventative maintenance of vacuums, pool pumps, and robotic cleaning devices will mean less downtime—resulting not only in spaces that are clean, but also in lower costs associated with breakdowns. Cleanliness takes more than the wave of a wand, but so does all the best sorcery.

2. Prioritize teamwork, and presto!

Jesse encourages a facilities management culture of teamwork, where no one has an “it’s not my job” attitude up their sleeves. Garbage cans are overflowing, but it’s not your area to clean? Within a culture of teamwork, cleaning staff members won’t think twice about emptying it. A spill in the rec room? Whichever staff member has first availability will leap in to clean it. And how do you build and maintain a culture of teamwork? It begins with thorough training—providing enough information to empower employees to be self-reliant decision-makers. When employees are well-trained, they are equipped to meet high expectations, so set them, yes, but also provide support so that they are attainable. Cultivating a foundation that supports teamwork—undergirded with integrity, inclusion, respect, and a commitment to clear and honorable communication—is also vital.

3. Spotlight productivity.

“Recognition and reward programs are a great way to improve productivity and performance,” says Jesse. Much like any successful magic show requires a spotlight—one that’s directed at the right person at the right time—so does business success. And recognition doesn’t need to be elaborate. A simple certificate, a callout in the property’s newsletter, or even a lunch is enough to show employees that they are seen. Given that property maintenance and custodial work often take place behind the scenes, ensuring your employees’ visibility becomes all the more important.

4. Nobody will really be cut in half.

“It’s about building trust through communication.” Like all good magicians, Jesse knows, first and foremost, a trust-based relationship must be established with those in the room. When the audience knows that a saw will be employed or flaming arrows flung, they need to trust that the magician has everything under control. The same is true in the world of multi-family property management. Communication needs to be regular and consistent. Actions need to follow words. Relationship building is also proactive. Try to get ahead of potential issues and solve them before they become major issues.

5. Timing is everything.

“Timing—and timelines—are an imperative part of operational planning,” Jesse says. When it comes to magic, a timing misstep can be the difference between success and failure. But timing is also vital in business, especially when it comes to keeping a property clean and tidy. Wait too long to clean, and you’ll have clutter at best, and a safety hazard at worst. Clean a particular space too often, and you’ll waste products and hours that could be spent on other tasks. Keep a timeline in place, with measurable goals. To meet those goals, foster a culture of supportive accountability. To pull off the best magic, everyone on stage needs to know not only what to do . . . but when to do it.

6. And, poof, help appears!

“Today’s tenants expect instant availability.” Remember that trick where someone appears, poof, as if out of nowhere? Responsiveness is especially important with residential properties. Because tenants are present 24 hours a day (in many cases), requests can come at all hours. Technology has also created a higher level of expectation, when it comes to property managers and maintenance staff. The good news is that property management tools—automation software and cloud technologies—make this wizardry easy to pull off.

So, there you have it. Six tips for managing multi-family properties—proof that making magic, whether on stage, in an apartment complex, or in a commercial facility, requires a practical approach. In other words, at the end of the day, magic is real.

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