IFMA-SF News

IFMA San Francisco Holiday Party at a Green Venue

2012-01-31T15:52:00.000-08:00

2011 Holiday Party at the Intercontinental San Francisco

Iwant to thank Tammy Key, Programs and Education Chair of the San Francisco Chapter and the rest of the Boardfor choosing the InterContinentalSan Francisco Hotel for 2011’s holiday lunch. We appreciate your businessand I enjoyed the opportunity to share our LEED EBOM story with you.

In2007, I wrote “Sustainabilityand The Triple Bottom Line,” a story for the Silicon Valley Chapter ofIFMA. This was used as part of their World Workplace effort. It was a fun storyto write and helped me focus on several aspects of the adventure of becoming LEED certified.

Thereason I mention it in relation to my blog today is that through writing it, Irealized how much of a community effort the process was and how all I reallyneeded was willingness and commitment.

Iam the beneficiary of the wisdom and enthusiasm I get from IFMA members likeyou reading this today and the wonderful community of professionals we all workwith everyday. Ofcourse I needed money and having support from PG&E,Lodging Savers, InterContinentalHotels and our local owners, Continental Development Corporationwere fundamental. What I did was to join USGBC and attend meetings, makefriends, go to IFMA meetings, make friends, and the apply those learning’s andrelationships to the process that I was guided through by Jubilee Daniels LEEDAP.

Inthe early going we worked with students from San Francisco State to winnow outthe credits we could achieve from the ones that were not practical at thattime. We established a “Green Team” in the hotel to assess, implement andeducate on the various credits we pursued. Ibecame infused with the pragmatism and practicality I found in the USGBCrequirements. I was amazed at what I had been told was too expensive and dopeywas really a return to many of the harmonies of the universe that had prevailedfor so long before we were all enlightened by the industrial age and even theIT revolution. Not only did I get the religion of how sensible most measureswere but I found that I could save money and improve profits along the way. Themyth of the “Triple bottom line “was no myth at all and even I could realize thedream!

Harry Hobbs facilitating
a tour of the LEED Golf hotel

Itis my sincerest hope that you will realize your “Green Dreams” too!

HarryHobbs, CFM

Directorof Engineering

IntercontinentalHotels of San Francisco

SFIFMA Member

Benchmarking Your Building/Facilities

2012-01-12T15:06:00.000-08:00

Intercontinental Hotel San Francisco

Competition is fun and what gets measured gets done. So I am a natural advocate for the Energy Star process. Of course this star aligned with our pursuit of LEED certification gave us extra impetus to pursue the threshold score of 69. San Francisco as a city also found enough merit in the program to require it as well with an ordinance implanted this year. So even if you aren’t as excited as we are, it is becoming a fundamental.

I found that establishing a baseline carefully gave context to the projects we did in a way that simple ROI or other financial measures were lacking. The database is probably not perfect, but it has been normalized and refined now for about fifteen years and continues to evolve.

I had a chat with some non-believers the other day who were arguing its frailties. They had the opinion that the ISO process was more rigorous and better designed, and it may be, but it lacks the name recognition of one of the most widely known logos in the world. For my money I would rather help Energy Star evolve than put effort into a system that is not as widely accepted. By the way our IFMA organization supports it too. http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=buildingcontest.index

http://www.ifma.org/resources/sustainability/energy-star-challenge.htm

So today when I make my business case for energy saving projects I get to justify them with LEED, ROI, and Energy Star. We spent around a half million dollars on our way to 87 on the Energy Star scale and we are cash positive from the effort. Our competitors spend 3.5 to 4.5% of revenues on energy, we spend 1.8%. These are found profits that equal up to seven top line dollars in our business. If energy savings were dollars in this hotel I would have sold five million dollars of business while simply operating the facility more efficiently.

By the way we don’t make you sacrifice any luxury or comfort to achieve this either. Of course we invite you to join our efforts if you choose to but if you don’t that’s ok we do it anyway and have actually improved our guests satisfaction levels.

So now we enjoy an 87 rating and are investing in technologies that our eQuest modeling tells us should get us into the low 90’s. These technologies have the longest ROI yet but because we have a track record for proof of savings the funding is there!

I nearly forgot to mention that our employees rate our environmental achievements more highly that any other category in our opinion surveys. Is that a “Triple bottom line” or what?

Harry Hobbs, CFM

Harry Hobbs CFM
Director of Engineering
INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS OF SAN FRANCISCO

IFMA Sustainability | SFP (Sustainable Facilities Professional) Certification Rollout

2011-12-08T22:34:00.000-08:00

This year the San Francisco chapter of IFMA launched a major new initiative on Sustainability, including additional skill elements for the CFM certification and a new Sustainable Facilities Professional (SFP) certification. http://www.ifma.org/resources/sustainability/ The San Francisco chapter now has its own initiative for 2012.

Next year's plan includes events, education and outreach to help promote the adoption of sustainable practices in Facilities Management. One element of the plan is the IFMA-SF Sustainability Minute, an opportunity for chapter members to participate in a short video recording at programs on a sustainability subject they know and believe in. The concept is to create an informal, informative and engaging one-minute talk on a specific issue and provide expert tips on what FMs should do to incorporate sustainable practices into their daily work lives. The videos will be promoted nationally through our chapter website and social media campaign. Accompanying the video, the featured speaker will also contribute to our blog. The blog post will expand on the video's subject with links to informational resources accompanied with a short bio.

A chapter Sustainability Committee has been formed to implement the Sustainability 2012 initiative. We welcome the participation of anyone who would like to help out. Our goal is to have IFMA-SF be a national leader in the drive to bring more sustainable practices to the profession of Facilities Management.

Richard Hodges

IFMA-SF Sustainability 2012 Chair

www.GreenIT.net

Thoughts on “Hoteling, Real Estate and the Evolution of Facilities” from an IFMA rookie

2011-11-11T11:58:00.000-08:00

I am new to the Bay Area and to the San Francisco chapter of IFMA. Excited to get involved, I've joined the PR/Communications Chair headed up by Carmina Bacani. I attended October's program and assisted with event registration.

The program speakers, Nancy Ludlow of Corporate Real Estate, and David Meckley of Huntsman, gave a dual presentation on “Hoteling, Real Estate and the Evolution of Facilities.” As Nancy pointed out, the workforce is more mobile than ever; mobility is the norm. She used case studies from Pharma, IT and utility companies to illustrate how workplace culture is changing due to the nature of the real estate. The utility company example is especially interesting; being located in a historic building, there is minimal investment in technology and limited dollars in reconfiguration. In addition, most of the employees have to commute to the space, thus affecting work and culture.

David followed this with a presentation on the corporate reaction to mobile staffing. While some companies have no official policy on this issue, others are offering alternative locations, such as satellite suburb offices. Others, however, are completely revamping what the workspace looks like and what it provides. David’s presentation included several pictures of new workspaces, such as the “touchdown zone” (creating a coffee shop/airport lounge atmosphere in the office), the “home base” (having the smallest possible desks located very close together while creating other spaces to spend time), and “free addressing” (employees come in and work wherever they want whenever they want). The implications for facilities, he explained, is that they are now more open and adaptable with a smaller footprint, while the lines between workplace and residence have become blurred.

These presentations hit close to home for me for two reasons in particular. One is that I myself, am a very highly mobile worker; though I live in California, I am working for a professor at Penn State University. My workspace rotates between my bed, the living room couch, and Starbucks (not my favorite coffee perhaps, but the most reliable WiFi!). I have no real option of commuting into work, so the idea of the workplace has really been transformed for me. Additionally, as a human geographer by training, I’ve considered the reasons that particular companies locate in particular places (e.g. tech companies in Silicon Valley) and the implications of this, but have not thought much about how the actual real estate affects culture, productivity, collaboration, etc. I’m seeing a potential future dissertation topic…

Lauren M. Anderson

Sustainability Advocate
Fairfood International

Polk, Popos and Pedestrians: Exploring San Francisco a few blocks at a time.

2011-09-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

Crown Zellerbach Paper Company Building, One Bush St. with the Shell Building, 100 Bush St. in its reflection

On Friday Sept 9th, San Francisco IFMA members and guests took a two hour, three block Architectural tour of downtown San Francisco. This walk was led by Architect, and "soon to be published" researcher Rick Evans.

Though we toured a geographically small area of San Francisco's Financial District, members and guests' were educated on the neighborhood's history. That is, if we look up! There is much significance left and imprinted in the building's facade when onlookers look beyond street level.

Mr. Evans lead us through a number of privately owned, public spaces known as POPOS, showing us how easy it is to walk a block above the street, and how this space requirements will be implemented into future City developments.

Also during the tour we were introduced to the architect Willis Polk whose work had many significant works in this area of downtown, most notably the Hallidie and Hobart buildings.

Mr. Evans ended our tour by leading us across Market Street to the soon to be Transbay Terminal. Envisioned as the Grand Central Station of the West, centerpiece to a car free Downtown, terminus for the California High Speed Rail. This station redevelopment project now being looked at by the whole world as the working model of new urban development.

Edward Cooke, LEED AP
Member of IFMA, San Francisco

2011-07-06T10:36:00.000-07:00

The Sustainable FM.

Carbon Accounting 101

There it is, in your calendar in that shade of red that shouts ‘important’, a meeting scheduled to allocate tasks for Greenhouse Gas (GHG/C02) reporting! Grab a cup of coffee before the meeting; you’ll need to be well caffeinated going in. If this has already happened in your organization then you’ll know how much data mining this requires, and I’d love to hear about your experience (see begging note at the end).

Why do we need to report GHG (C02) emissions?

There are regulatory (Federal, State & International) reporting requirements, customer requirements, leadership requirements, voluntary reporting as a business efficiency metric and risk management issues (SEC 10K disclosure requirements) to name an important few. Whatever the drivers for reporting carbon emissions, a lot of the work usually falls to the facilities/real estate folks.

If you have not been asked yet, this is a great opportunity to get out in front of this. If you’re currently grappling with this issue I hope you gain something of benefit from this and future blogs.

As of January, 2010 over 3,000 global companies report to the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) which rates companies by industry and sustainability performance and the FTSE4Good (Financial Times Stock Exchange index – UK) that rates companies for corporate responsibility and is used by ethical investors all over the world.

What do we need to report?

Under the GHG Protocol GHG emissions are expressed as tCO\2e.

t = metric tonnes (the metric system is used by the rest of the world, get over it)

CO2e = CO2 equivalent. This is the GWP (Global Warming Potential) as calculated and expressed as CO2 equivalency (e.g. 1 tonne of methane is equivalent to 21 tonnes of C02 (21 times more global warming potential) for an apple to apple comparison of various compounds.

There are six main GHG’s reported:

Carbon dioxide (CO2).

Methane (CH4).

Nitrous Oxide (N2O).

Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)

Perfluorocarbons (PFC)

Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6)

Baseline Year:

All emission reporting starts from a baseline year. This may be given to you, if you have any input into the base year, pick a year where you have good data. You’ll never have all the data you need easily available. Ask yourself; how much refrigerant did you use in 2006 broken down by chemical type (e.g. Scope 1: R-134A is a Hydrofluorocarbon with a GWP of 5,000)? How much diesel fuel was used in 2004 for testing of your emergency generators (also Scope 1)? You see what I’m getting at?

If you’re lucky your utility will have automated your facility energy use; expressed in Kwh in Excel or a similar format going back 5 or more years. If you have facilities in other parts of the country and internationally, you may face additional challenges in getting the information. After doing this for nearly 5 years, getting accurate data is by far the biggest issue we see. FM departments need to start accumulating this data and archiving it in a format that is easily accessed and as up-dated as necessary. GHG reporting is usually done Q1/Q2 every year, and don’t think it’s going away any time soon. We’re seeing a push for much more granularity in the data collected. Is this a chance for you to shine even brighter?

Scope Boundaries:

When reporting voluntarily the organization gets to set the reporting boundaries (However; the standards are expected to increase year on year).

Scope 1: Direct emissions at owned facilities usually from on-site generation or process (burning fossil fuel and/or emissions of chemicals). These are directly under the control of the organization, as you select the fuel source or chemicals used and you own the process (e.g. fleet vehicles that are owned are scope 1).

Scope 2: These are usually indirect emissions, and electricity is the most common scope 2 reported. The utility selects the fuel source and as such the emission has to be calculated based on the fuel mix used in that region by that utility. However if you also manage travel as part of your scope of services; business travel is also scope 2 based on miles traveled and mode of transport (mostly jet and vehicle fuel).

Scope 3: This is everything else. If you take a close look at the FM supply chain there are a great many items that impact your emissions. Scope 3 is the next step as we work towards reducing total emissions. Extra credit: Asking your suppliers for their GHG reports as part of the *procurement process sends a strong signal that you’re serious (sends the right message to your boss too).

*Wal-Mart did this recently and it sent a strong message to their suppliers and greatly changed the way they used resources. The data so far indicates that there has been no increase in supplier costs or availability of products.

What next?

That’s where you come in. I need you to tell me what you want to hear about; is it carbon accounting 102, abatement strategies or other sustainability issues? I’ll be happy to group the questions into a sort of FAQ section of this blog, but in order to do that I need your FAQ’s. To prime the pump, I’ll incentivize you by offering a Starbucks gift card ($10) for the *best FM sustainability question. You’ll need the extra caffeine once you start down the GHG road.

*I will be the sole arbiter of the best question and my decision is final (unless my wife disagrees, then we’ll go with that).

Extra reading credits:

Carbon Disclosure Project: https://www.cdproject.net/en-US/Pages/HomePage.aspx

Walmart / CDP: http://walmartstores.com/Sustainability/7759.aspx

Greenhouse Gas Initiative Protocol: http://www.ghgprotocol.org/

World Resources Institute GHG: http://www.wri.org/project/ghg-protocol

World Business Council on Sustainable Development: http://www.wbcsd.org/templates/TemplateWBCSD5/layout.asp?type=p&MenuId=MTAxMQ&doOpen=1&ClickMenu=LeftMenu

Bruce Thorpe.

Bruce is a Senior Associate at WSP Sustainability & Energy http://www.wspenvironmental.com/ . He leads WSP’s Sustainable Real Estate and Workplace practice in North America and is based in San Francisco.

2011-06-06T16:39:00.000-07:00

New CAL Green Code Requirements

San Francisco led the way for advanced green building codes in 2007 when then Mayor Gavin Newsom signed into law the city’s first green building ordinance for private buildings. Based on input from an industry task force, the ordinance referenced rigorous third-party verified green building rating systems (LEED and GreenPoint Rated) for new large commercial buildings, multifamily and single family residences, and major renovations. The rating systems not only offered robust and tested protocols for improved practices over code, but also provide recognized labels which could be used to market the developments to tenants and buyers.

That same year the California Building Standards Commission adopted the first iteration of the California Green Building Standards Code which became mandatory throughout the State on January 1, 2011. The very first of its kind, California staked out new ground for addressing environmental protection through building codes and raised the floor for the entire state.

All local jurisdictions in California are required to enforce the new Green Building Standards Code, now also known as “CALGreen.” Local jurisdictions are also able to enact more stringent requirements than those contained in the State Code where more stringent requirements are reasonably necessary and supported by “findings.”. While some cities have adopted CALGreen outright, San Francisco responded by adopting the CALGreen (including all mandatory measures), but amended the code to maintain the existing references to the rating systems. In addition to filing our local amendments with the Building Standards Commission, the City filed an application and study with the California Energy Commission to require modeled energy performance above the state’s strict energy code (a prerequisite in the rating systems that further maximize environmental benefits of the original ordinance).

One concern voiced by some in the green building community is that the new code will allow developers to market a development as “green” by building to code instead of the more rigorous rating systems, potentially creating marketplace confusion about the definition of a “green” building. Documenting compliance with both “code” and the “rating systems” may also have unintended consequences on the use of the rating systems. Another question relates to the ability of local building departments to thoroughly enforce the new code, especially as city budgets continue to shrink and time for continuing education, a keystone for all green building endeavors, is ever more difficult to obtain.

During this critical first year of statewide implementation, the City is working with the state, other local governments, nonprofits, and practitioners to monitor the impacts and progress of applying CALGreen, and will work with others to identify best practices as well as key information gaps and recommend other areas for improvement. However complicated things are now, it’s also an exciting time for policy innovations to green the built environment!

Richard Chien
Green Building Coordinator - San Francisco Environment
City and County of San Francisco
www.sfenvironment.org

2011-03-29T10:48:00.000-07:00

Lighting Innovation - A Lighting Designer's Perspective

As a lighting designer and participant for February’s IFMA panel discussion entitled "Lighting Innovation - LED's or Fluorescents? I’d like to bring the perspective of a lighting designer to the discussion.

As lighting designers, our goal is to merge the most energy efficient technology with innovation and quality lighting in a space. While doing so, some things to consider are the occupant’s comfort, appropriate light levels, energy code requirements, energy saving goals and any specific client needs. If you are a perspective tenant or building owner, you will most likely work with designers to decide on the lighting for your space. Our panel discussion focused on LEDs and fluorescents and whether it was time to switch. With that in mind, I would like to discuss four things to consider when deciding on your new lighting system:

1. What is your budget?

Understand the budget for lighting in the space. An LED fixture will tend to have a greater upfront cost than compact fluorescent, fluorescent, or halogen sources of equal quality. The payback over a lifetime will frequently make the LED product cheaper in the end due to savings in energy usage and maintenance (cost of lamps & cost of changing the lamps). Use LEDs in areas where they are best suited and save the greatest amount of energy to get the highest return on investment.

2. What is the efficacy of the fixture?

Efficacy refers to lumens per watt.

Linear fluorescent: 92 – 104 lumens per watt

Compact fluorescent: 60 – 72 lumens per watt

LED: 30 – 60 lumens per watt average (varies greatly, can be >100 or <30)

Halogen: 13 to 18 lumens per watt

The efficacy for traditional lamps refers to the lumens per watt of the lamp only; fixture efficiency is not taken into account. The efficacy of the LED typically refers to the efficacy of the entire fixture. So the list above is not exactly comparing apples to apples.

LEDs bring a substantial energy reduction when replacing halogen and incandescent sources. When replacing linear and compact fluorescent products, you must compare the statistics of the individual products to determine which will save more energy.

3. How will the fixture be used?

LEDs and fluorescents are by nature two very different types of sources. An LED is a point source, while a fluorescent emits light in all directions. This distinction lends LEDs to be better at directing all of their lumens into a single general direction, but not as good at providing a more ambient light effect without proper lensing. Manufacturers have been using this to their advantage creating lenses that put the light exactly where it is needed. As this technology is further developed, it could greatly change the fixtures we see today.

Some common uses for LEDs:

Downlights
Wallwashers
Retrofits for incandescent PAR lamps
Small cove uplights
Undercabinet lights
Small details where a fluorescent or any other source would not fit

At this point, it is still more common to use linear fluorescents for linear office pendants, recessed 2x4s, 2x2s, and 1x4s. These types of fixtures tend to be the main light source in a space, requiring them to provide a high light level. Linear fluorescents tend to be capable of producing more lumens or higher amounts of light than LEDs. As LED manufacturers produce higher wattage LEDs and fixture manufacturers further develop technologies to direct the light, we will be seeing more fixtures ready to complete with the fluorescent fixtures. There are some great ones on the market today, but the selection is limited.

4. See a Sample!

The point I can most stress is that not all LED products are created equal. Whenever considering an LED product, make sure to review a sample first so you know what you are getting.

When reviewing a sample, look for the following qualities:

Color of the light - is it acceptable? It can vary greatly from product to product.

Color consistency – do all LEDs in a fixture appear to be the same?

Color comparison with other fixtures in the space. Are you using multiple fixtures that all have a 3000K color temperature? Does the light look similar between each fixture?

Lighting Designers use both LEDs and fluorescents on a daily basis, and typically end up with a combination of fluorescent and LED lighting in commercial spaces. LEDs have been improving by leaps and bounds and we are continuously seeing new and exciting products that are changing the field of lighting. However, don’t think fluorescents are sitting on the sidelines waiting for LEDs to surpass them. New technologies for distributing and controlling fluorescent light are being further developed creating fixtures that are 90 - 95% efficient; that is hard to beat from an energy standpoint. LEDs are changing the way people think about lighting and they are forcing other aspects of the lighting community to keep developing their technologies as well. It’s an interesting time in the lighting community. I hope the list above helps you make some decisions when developing a new space or deciding to retrofit an old one. I wish you luck on any future ventures!

Lisa Kramer
Senior Lighting Designer
h.e. banks + associates Lighting Design
www.hebanks.com

2011-02-23T15:12:00.000-08:00

February 10th, 2011 - Lighting Innovation

I thought I was reasonably knowledgeable about new lighting technology and its role in energy consumption in commercial buildings. The recent chapter program on Lighting Innovation taught me otherwise. What I learned in that session alone justified our annual membership.

Richard Hodges, Principal
GreenIT

2011-01-30T12:39:00.000-08:00

New Member Lunch - January 28th, 2011

A special thanks to our Membership Chairwoman, Robyn Isom, for planning such an organized and well executed lunch to welcome our new members to the San Francisco Chapter. The luncheon at the Belden Taverna drew industry associates, board members and Facility Managers representing various industries from software, education, health care to government. Everyone at the table was given the spotlight to introduce themselves along with their affiliated companies. The private venue space was perfect for our 25 attendees which allowed for engaging conversations accompanied by good food and attentive service. We hope to see the continued energy and enthusiasm from all participants at upcoming programs and/or events!

2011-01-25T11:06:00.000-08:00

2011 Programs Kickoff - Bowling at Presidio Bowl

What better way to kick off the New Year than with fellow IFMA SF chapter members at our annual bowling event in the Presidio's historic bowling alley! As Hospitality Chair for the board, I was pleased to meet some last minute bowling enthusiasts who joined in on the fun. All 22 bowlers teamed up and wore their IFMA paraphernalia - which included baseball caps and pins - proudly. Plenty of food and sugar from our kick-off cake gave us all energy to consistently strike the pins or gutter the ball. It was a great time to burn off the holiday calories and build camaraderie all around.

Thank you to my fellow Education and Co-Chair committees in organizing this fun filled and well attended event!

Carmina Bacani

IFMA SF Hospitality Chair

2010-09-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

More Than Lipstick on a Pig

Yes - the September 9th tour of PG&E's 1920's garage on Folsom Street -- a work in progress as it undergoes a LEED renovation -- was more informative, more interesting, and more fascinating than anyone might have anticipated.

The historic building, its history, and it's trove of antique equipment was amazing!

Thanks for an outstanding tour of the PG&E Garage Facility renovation.

Sybil Meyer
Member, IFMA San Francisco

2009-09-14T17:07:00.000-07:00

September 11, 2009 - Tour of the Oakland Cathedral of Christ the Light

Yesterday, IFMA SF members and guests ascended the ramp leading to the entrance of the Cathedral of Christ the Light Cathedral, on Lake Merritt in Oakland, and gathered for a tour. Through the outstanding guidance of our docent guides, we learned of the connection of the building layout, orientation, design, and materials to its spritual mission of “outreach, advocacy and concern for social justice.” Just as light is a defining metaphor of Oakland diocese’s mission, it is also the central design element of the new cathedral. The building is oriented so that the morning sun streams in over the entrance signifying the beginning of life, and the altar, with its multi story image of Christ only visible with daylight, aligns with the setting sun signifying the end of life and time. Every angle and relationship of spaces within the facility is carefully considered with meaning and depth. The combination of wood, glass, concrete and brushed aluminum somehow creates the sensation of serenity and transcendence. The dynamic shape of the walls, which appears at first glance to resemble an inverted wedge on either end of the sanctuary, with the organic form of the faceted panels similar to flower petals, opening wider as they reach the top. The apparent spareness of the materials in the public worship area is contrasted with rich granite, antique stained glass, and translucent marble in the lower level mausoleum. Overall it is a building that is about extraordinary lightness and luminosity. The group was extremely impressed with the results from Architect Craig Hartmanof SOM and contractor Webcor.

On the functional side, we learned that a matrix of friction-pendulum base isolators rests beneath the sanctuary's thick concrete walls and floor slab to allow the building to shift as much as 36 inches in a seismic event. The chief engineer explained that the heat and air is provided through radiant pipes and air supply in the floor, monitored by a state of the art building management system. And a large, separate fan is set to serve the organ, currently containing 1500 pipes, but which is planned to contain 5000 pipes when completed in early 2010.

Following the tour, the group wandered over to Luka's TapRoom for lively conversation, libations, and a tasty assortment of appetizers. The Belgian fries and seafood plates were particularly popular. The night ended a little later than scheduled, but a good time was had by all.

Additional photos of the tour by Ritesh Khanna, LEEP AP - and IFMA Volunteer - are available on http://www.ifmasf.org/xxarchph.html.

Karen D. Cochran, CFM, RPA, FMA

2009-05-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

Joint Healthcare Council and R&D Council Spring Conference

The Palace Hotel provided a wonderful backdrop for this year’s Joint Spring Conference held May 10 – 12, 2009.

Even in this challenging economy, when firms are pulling back on their travel and conference expenses, many IFMA members from throughout the country journeyed to San Francisco to participate in IFMA’s Spring Conference – a testament to the value IFMA builds into its conference programs.

The 75 attendees were treated to informative sessions, valuable networking, insightful facility tours, gourmet food and a series of incredibly beautiful sunny San Francisco days.

The move to hold both the Healthcare and R&D conferences together was a smart one, not only for economic reasons but because it gave the facility managers of two separate industries many opportunities to learn from each other.

Laura Ellington, JKL Construction Services

2009-05-21T21:33:00.000-07:00

IFMA R&D and Health Care Councils Tour Genentech!

I recently attended the Joint Spring Conference 2009 of the IFMA R&D and Health Care Councils. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet colleagues and discover new and sustainable ways to operate, design and build Research and Development facilities. Participants heard and learned from industry leaders and saw new cutting edge buildings on biotech and healthcare campuses including Fibrogen's new Mission Bay Headquarters and Genentech's newest Biotech Laboratories in South San Francisco.

Attendees represented companies that operate research, healthcare, and clinical spaces. Also attending were architects, engineers, construction and other vendor companies that support the Global Healthcare and Research markets.

About IFMA R&D Council

The Research and Development Council is one of the many specialized groups of IFMA. The members are a diverse collection of individuals involved in R&D facility management encompassing a wide variety of industries (basic sciences, biotechnology, chemicals, consumer products, health care, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, telecommunications, technology, etc.). These facility professionals have the responsibility to effectively plan, design, construct, utilize and maintain a variety of buildings and facilities for their owners and clients.

About IFMA Health Care Council

The Health Care Council (HCC) consists of more than 550 hospital facility managers, design and construction professionals, consultants, vendors and students serving community hospitals, academic medical centers, children’s hospitals, retirement facilities, and specialty hospitals and clinics. As a council of IFMA, our goal is to holistically enhance the skills of facility management professionals within the health care industry and to further the profession overall. We host educational sessions and networking events at most of the national health care conferences.

About the Picture Above

Conference participants gather around the bronze statue that depicts the first meeting of Genentech founders Bob Swanson and Herb Boyer at Churchill's bar in San Francisco where they agreed to form Genentech. It has become a Genentech tradition to dress up the statues on special occasions and to drop coins into their cups for good luck.

Thank You San Francisco Chapter Volunteers!

A great deal of planning and coordination went into making this conference a success. Thank you to John Dilges, John Kennedy, Robyn Isom, Vik Bakshi, Albert Cusati, Homa Yazdani and all the others who participated in making this event a success.

Best regards,

Oscar

2009-03-11T14:29:00.000-07:00

New Graduate Degree Program in FM at Purdue University!

I recently attended the IFMA Chapter & Council Leaders Workshop in Indianapolis, Indiana. The workshop was held at the IUPUI Campus. Here I learned that Purdue University offers a Masters in FM. Check it out!

Best regards,

Oscar Gomez

Masters in Technology: Facilities Management Emphasis

If you are currently working in the field of facility management (or have an interest in this career field) as a planner, property manager, plant manager, facility manager, plant engineer or other related areas you can enhance job opportunities while earning a formal credential sitting at your computer. This online program is designed for working professionals and can be completed in ONLY 2 years. You will share a virtual classroom with facility management professionals from around the world while earning a Purdue University degree. This is a unique program that will increase your knowledge and professionalism and therefore, your value as a facilities manager.

Description: The M.S. Degree in Technology, Facilities Management Emphasis is an on-line graduate program designed for the working student. The program provides an integrated experience in facilities management with emphasis on project and contract management, engineering systems management and energy management. The program also requires an independent direct project in the area of facilities management.

More information can be found at:

http://www.facmgt.engr.iupui.edu/

2009-02-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

GOING GREEN THROUGH BENCHMARKING

Benchmarking your building is like having your doctor check your blood pressure. It tells you how you measure up against your energy management goals, so you know how to make improvements.

Commercial building owners and facilities managers around the nation are hearing the call to “go green.” In Northern California, Pacific Gas & Electricity (PG&E) is providing customers with a free Automated Benchmarking Service that works in conjunction with an online tool created by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) to track energy use. Now customers can easily get information that can help them save energy and money and protect the environment.

To create the most effective conservation plans for a building, facility managers need to know how well it performs currently, and how it compares to optimal targets or “best-in-class” buildings. PG&E’s customers who enroll in Automated Benchmarking Service get easy access to the benefits of ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager by authorizing PG&E to upload data automatically each month. Information is seamlessly entered into the online tool and participants receive a baseline and monthly update. This makes it easy to track water and energy use, calculate energy intensity, and track changes over time. Building owners can then better manage investment priorities and more precisely target buildings for efficiency improvement. It also permits them to monitor greenhouse gas emissions.

In 1999, the EPA launched a nationwide benchmarking tool called ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Based upon energy and water usage data building managers enter, it rates the energy efficiency of a single building or an entire portfolio of buildings. Customers receive a score on a scale of 1-100, which reflects a building’s performance against comparable buildings nationwide. Buildings that earn a score of over 75 (the 75th percentile) are awarded an ENERGY STAR label. Building operators receive a plaque that can be proudly displayed in main entrances or lobbies as an emblem of their commitment to conserving energy.

SAVE ENERGY AND MONEY
ENERGY STAR buildings are a proven market differentiator. According to Andrew Florance¹, president and CEO of CoStar, an information provider to the real estate industry, “Green buildings are clearly achieving higher rents and occupancy, they have lower operating costs, and they’re achieving higher sale prices.”

Commercial Real Estate properties that earn the ENERGY STAR label save $0.50 per square foot, on average². Additionally, they typically consume 35% less energy, have a higher occupancy/tenant retention rate, and a higher asset value upon sale.

Currently, Portfolio Manager supports over a dozen space use types, including many commercial buildings and wastewater treatment facilities, and the list continues to expand. The tool allows for changes in space use over time, and can accommodate various multi-use facilities.(The ENERGY STAR site includes separate rating systems for industrial buildings.)

1 "CoStar Study Finds Energy Star, LEED Bldgs. Outperform Peers.” March 26, 2008. Accessed at http://www.costar.com/News/Article.aspx?id=D968F1E0DCF73712B03A099E0E99C679/.

2 “Summary of the Financial Benefits of ENERGY STAR Labeled Office Buildings." Kats and Perlman, 2006. Accessed at http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/publications/pubdocs/Summary_of_the_Financial_Benefits_23June06_FINAL.pdf.

MEET STATE AND INDUSTRY MANDATES
In the ten years since it was introduced, Portfolio Manager has become an industry standard, with over 8 billion square feet and 60,000 buildings rated to date. Many state and industry initiatives, including Assembly Bill 32 and California’s Green Building Initiative, rely upon Portfolio Manager Benchmarking. Notably, Assembly Bill 1103 requires owners of all non-residential facilities being sold, financed or leased after January 1, 2010 to disclose the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager benchmark score. Customers can also earn up to 15 points toward LEED certification based on their benchmark score.

LET PG&E HELP
PG&E’s free Automated Benchmarking Service gives customers an easy way to upload their monthly billing and usage data to Portfolio Manager. We also offer our trade allies workshops where they can learn to help customers create accounts. For more information on how you can partner with PG&E to increase your building’s efficiency, reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, and meet your energy management goals, visit http://http//www.pge.com/benchmarking.

Christine Tomeo for PG&E

2009-01-20T11:52:00.000-08:00

For many of us, security is an ongoing daily concern. This really hit home last year for Anthony McDaniel when a man walk into his firm's reception area with what looked like a pipe bomb. The police were called and several blocks were cordoned off downtown. We are planning a roundtable on February 19th centered around security (location TBD). Come hear Anthony talk about what happened, what it was like, and lessons learned.

If you have security related tales to tell, shoot me an email and let's discuss adding you to the event. I can be reached at ty.whitehead@lw.com. It should be a great event with veterans sharing every day and extraordinary security experiences. Seasoned professionals and those just starting their careers should both get something out of this roundtable.

2009-01-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

Chapter of the Year Task Force - Update

Thank you to the following chapter members for volunteering to participate on the Chapter of the Year Task Force.

Vik Bakshi
Albert Cusati
Stephen Pavelick
Homa Yazdani
Harshal Patel
Maureen Mcnertney
Thomas Szeto
Joel Pearlman
Medy Cabebe

The Task Force presented their findings to the Board on January 8, 2009. This is what they have been able to accomplish thus far:

- Examined Current Chapter Practices
- Compared these against Chapter of the Year Excellence Criteria
- Identified San Francisco Chapter Strengths and Gaps (Opportunities)
- Developed a Draft Road Map to Guide Chapter Improvement Efforts

The Task Force has identified 4 Key Focus Areas:

1) Update Chapter Strategic Plan and ensure Alignment with new IFMA National Strategy

2) Develop Strategies for each chapter committee and document & communicate to members

3) Establish quantifiable metrics to report results for strategies within each category

4) Clearly Link all Chapter activities to the chapter’s strategic plan

Next Steps:

- Update Strategic Plan by Feb’09
- Develop Committee Sub-Plans by Mar’09
- Start Executing Plans by Apr’09
- Submit 2009 CoY Application by Jun’09

Resources:

The task force team is now available to assist the Board with:

- Chapter Board Strategy Update Exercise
- Chapter Committees
- Other Ad-Hoc Task Forces that may be required

The Board Voted on January 8, 2009 to move forward with the following Actions:

1) Update the San Francisco Chapter of IFMA Strategic Plan
2) Establish a Chapter Volunteer Coordinator

Thanks to the volunteers who pulled all this together!

Oscar

2008-11-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

Beyond the Trophy

Congratulations to the Sacramento and Silicon Valley Chapters for winning Best Chapter of the Year in their respective categories this year in Dallas. Winning an award such as this brings international recognition and prestige to the Chapter. However, the benefits to its members go beyond just brining home a trophy. In pursuing this goal these two Chapters have examined their current practices, benchmarked them against a criteria of excellence and taken action to continuously improve their operation in key areas such as:

· Membership Marketing, Retention and Mobilization
· Professional Development Programs & Seminars
· CFM Certification
· Student Outreach
· Chapter Communications
· Community Service
· Financial Fitness
· Volunteer Recognition & Succession Planning

The Journey is the Reward

All Chapters that embark in the pursuit of the Chapter of the Year award are winners. Just one will win the trophy, but all go through the process of examining their current practices and comparing them to the best and this leads to awareness of gaps and opportunities to improve Chapter operations.

Chapter of the Year Task Force

We are recruiting for a chairperson and member volunteers to serve in the Chapter of the Year Task Force. The charter of this ad hoc committee is:

1) Base-lining our current chapter best practices
2) Conducting a gap analysis and prioritizing improvement opportunities
3) Developing a two year Roadmap for closing those gaps

We are looking for people who are receptive to new ideas, exercise good judgment, take initiative and accept and follow through with assignments. Your commitment and involvement on this team will move our chapter toward the goal of achieving Chapter of the Year by 2010 and may serve as a springboard to greater leadership challenges at the chapter and international levels.

If you are interested in participating in this Task Force please send me an email at gomez.oscar@gene.com

Lessons Learned

The San Francisco Chapter submitted an application for this award. We didn’t win the trophy but, as one of the people who participated in preparing the submittal, I learned about all the great things we are doing and what it takes to be the best. We did not win this year but we obtained valuable feedback on areas we need to work on. We can also reach out to Sacramento and Silicon Valley for advice and support on our journey towards this goal.

Alignment with Strategic Plan

It is no coincidence that the areas of focus in our Strategic plan are in alignment with the Chapter of the Year award excellence criteria. If we execute our Strategic plan we will realize all the improvements required to be Chapter of the Year, and vice versa.

Chapter of the Year by 2010!

Chapter of the Year by 2010 establishes and sets a very specific goal for my term in office. It’s not about the trophy but to strive to improve the chapter and motivate our members.

2008-10-28T17:12:00.000-07:00

Meeting with Singapore.

I had the pleasure of meeting with our FM colleagues in Singapore last month. We talked about working together to shape the future of our careers in FM. Both Chapters are dedicated to the success of its members by supporting, enabling and promoting the facility management profession through a variety of educational activities and networking opportunities.

We have very similar strategic priorities including:

Membership Marketing, Retention and Mobilization
Professional Development Programs & Seminars
CFM Certification
Student Outreach
Chapter Communications
Community Service
Financial Fitness
Volunteer Recognition & Succession Planning

We agreed that the global Facility Management (FM) profession continues to change and evolve and that the future of FM as a profession rests firmly in the hands of facility management professionals, associates and students. We discussed how, as FM professionals, we need to be trained, educated and prepared to address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead
and how IFMA can contribute significantly to shaping the future of FM. Finally, we recognized the importance of FM professionals, associates and students taking a lead role in future of our local Chapters.

It was lots of fun! If you are traveling to distant places reach out to the local IFMA Chapter. You might be surprised be the warm hospitality and how much we have in common.

Best regards,

Oscar

2008-10-20T17:22:00.000-07:00

Carmina Bacani Wins The Great Race Scavenger Hunt!

October 2, 2008--The winning team of The Community Reinvestment Race sponsored by Corenet Global Northern California, IIDA Northern California and IFMA San Francisco included our own Carmina Bacani (Resource and Design) as well as Rob Cockrum and Guy Trerotola (The CRE Group) and Lynn Filar (HOK). Each of the winning team members won a Garmin Nuvi GPS navigation system and the privilege of selecting the local charity of their choice to receive a cash donation. $7,500 was donated to the Lupus Foundation of America, in honor of Carmina's sister who was diagnosed with Lupus at age 25.

"The race was fun, educational and a great team-building event which encouraged participants to communicate and work as a team to reach a common goal!"

We heard, also, that the refreshments and post-race libations were awesome! We hope that this inaugural event becomes a new tradition for the facilities management and design community in the Bay Area!

2008-09-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jeanne Beaudet and the Programs/Education Committee for putting the Nob Hill Walking Tour together! What a great opportunity to learn about the inner workings of the turn-of-the-century society that built San Francisco! What great stories and history unfolded for all of us who listened intently to Jeanne's stories! And thanks also to IFMA and our sponsors for hosting us in the Fairmont's Lobby afterwards to chat and catch our breaths before heading home! Thank you all for attending and making this one of the most popular events this year!

2008-07-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

WOW! My very first blog posting in our IFMA-SF Blog!!!! I was a little reticent about blogging... you know, being that awkward age where I grew up with pens and pencils and phones that were connected to the wall... and am now confronted with these little metal boxes that not only talk but show movies, play music and connect to the World Wide Web! (Betcha didn't think I knew what "www" stood for but fortunately, Al Gore reminded me when he claimed credit for creating it!) Anyway, here goes!!!!

OK, now down to the reason that I'm here... last night's program, Think Globally, Act Locally, Sustainable Products ! What agreat time we had! First of all, thanks to Leah Nadel, my co-chair, for organizing the presenters and the event and the food/beverages. Secondly, a big THANKS to Sidemark furniture dealership for hosting the event at their showroom/office at 222 Sutter Street, 7th Floor. And, of course, thanks to our presenters, Su McMurtry of Action Laminates, Gary Levine of E.B. Bradley and West Coast Laminating, and Stan Heicks, local custom metal fabricator. A special thanks to our new Chapter President, Oscar Gomez, for attending and making some very salient comments about IFMA, the Facilities Management profession and why we gather at these programs!

The program featured brief, touchy-feely presentations by some local representatives of some local and global products that are "green" or sustainable products. Products such as green laminates, bamboo laminates, green table substrates and custom steel tables were followed by a lively discussion. Our discussion focused on the problem of combining "products" that are green (new plastic laminates or other green composite materials) with a green manufacturing process that produces a product such as a work table out of sustainable products but isn't necessarily certified. It is difficult to document these products as sustainable or green, let alone LEED certifiable. Thanks to Linda Parker for reminding us that LEED certifiable isn't the only goal for green projects. Sometimes it is best to look at getting as green as you can and that may mean not necessarily getting a LEED certification.

The biggest roadblock to certifying these sustainable products seems to be the cost of submitting individual custome manufactured products to a testing lab for certification. Each product costs $7,500 to test and certify and no guarantees exist that the product will qualify. That gives the big national manufacturers a distinct advantage over local small manufacturers. But isn't one goal of sustainability to act locally and use local manufacturers to eliminate the environmental impact of shipping long distances?

So it comes down to understanding that manufacturing these new sustainable products is an evolving process. We in California may lead the nation as far as sustainability, environmental standards and energy efficiency, but we have a ways to go before the local "little guys" can take their place in the "green spotlight" of certified sustainability.

That means that next year we will again check in on this evolving process and bring back our friends for another program to update our progress on local sustainable custom products. We look forward to seeing Su McMurtry of Action Laminates, Gary Levine of E.B. Bradley and West Coast Laminating, and Stan Heicks, local custom metal fabricator, next year to tell us how things are going for the local guys in the local, green, sustainable world!

Let us know what you thought of this program and feel free to let us know if there are any hot topics that you'd like to see us include in our calendar for next year! Stay tuned for more updates!

John Dilges, AIA, CFM
Co-Chair IFMA-SF Programs/Education Committee

2008-07-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Colleagues,

The Votes Are In!

I am happy to report that the votes have been tallied and on Thursday July 10, John Kennedy presided over the swearing in of the new San Francisco Chapter of IFMA Officers and the new Board:

Oscar Gomez - President
Karen Cochran - Vice President
Treasurer - Ty Whitehead
Secretary - Dawn Knoll
Past President - John Kennedy

Programs/Education - John Dilges & Leah Nadel
Membership/Hospitality - Robyn Isom & Carmina Bacani
Website/Technology - Kathleen Smith
Chapter Administrator - Emily Gibson

The new team is energized to continue the Chapter's mission and implementing its strategic plan. We discussed reaching out to our fellow Sacramento and Bay Area Chapters of IFMA to ensure better "cross pollination" of ideas. We also discussed the details of the upcoming CFM review planned for the fourth quarter of 2008.

Several new ideas for potential programs were discussed including NERT and a tour of the Cathedral of Lights in Oakland. These ideas will be considered by our Programs team.

The 2008 Membership drive is in full swing with membership up to 211 members. Two very nice prizes will be awarded to those who can bring the most members to the chapter this year.

Our finances are looking strong with several new sponsors joining our cause including Turner Construction and Siemens.

The decision was made to have the Christmas event at the Bentley Reserve Conference Center in San Francisco. The theme for this event will be Volunteer Recognition and to show just how much we appreciate all of you who take time out of your busy lives to move the Chapter's vision into reality.

San Francisco Chapter World Workplace Pins are being designed. The Board decided to fund stipends for Board members to go to World Work Place in Dallas this October. The Board also decided on the amount of the 2008 Foundation donation which will be $2,500.

We also discussed the importance of Blogging, hence my feeble attempt here. Your comments and blog entries would be greatly appreciated.

I hope to see you on Thursday July 17th at 5:00 p.m. at Sidemark to learn all about some very exciting new products which are very attractive, cost effective and more importantly good for the environment.

Best,
Oscar

2008-06-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Colleagues,

It’s time to cast our ballots once again to elect the 2008-2009 San Francisco Chapter of IFMA Board!

I thought it would be a good idea to let you know a little bit about my background and qualifications since I am the one “running” for President. More importantly I want to share my beliefs, ideas and core values along with the strategic direction that I will help drive if you elect me your Chapter President.

The local Facility Management (FM) profession continues to change and evolve and I believe that the future of FM as a profession should be firmly in the hands of facility management professionals, associates and students. As FM professionals we need to be trained, educated and prepared to address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for us. The San Francisco Chapter of IFMA can contribute significantly to shaping the future of FM only if we as local FM professionals, associates and students are willing to play a lead role in future of the Chapter.

I work at Genentech as Associate Director of Maintenance Systems. Prior to this I worked for Lam Research in Fremont in charge of Facility Engineering and Construction Management.

I studied Industrial Engineering at North Carolina State University and received a BS degree from there in 1983. I completed a Master in Business Administration at Pepperdine University in 1996.

As Adjunct Professor of Engineering at the California State University East Bay I taught Facility Planning & Design, Engineering Economic Analysis and Industrial Cost Controls.

I am a Certified Facility Manager and have served on the IFMA San Francisco Chapter Board as Treasurer in 2006 and Vice President in 2007 and when time permits, I enjoy volunteering at the Second Harvest Food Bank in San Mateo and doing local projects with Rebuilding Together Peninsula.

If I you elect me as your Chapter President I will push steadfastly to ensure the Chapter adds real value to the FM profession primarily by mobilizing the membership to take action in shaping the future of the local FM profession.

I will work closely with the Board and member volunteers to improve membership marketing, professional development and chapter communications. Additionally, I will help ensure that we communicate to our membership a clear strategic vision with clear goals for the chapter along with a realistic set of plans to achieve them.

I also will ensure that we raise the funds that are necessary to fulfill our mission and that we are fiscally responsible with all our resources.

I believe we can continue to grow the Chapter, but I rather us focus on increasing the percentage of existing members attending and participating in chapter events. I want us to reach out more to the community and leverage our facility management expertise in creative ways to help those in need.

Finally, I want to ask for your vote and let you know that it would be an honor for me to serve as your Chapter President next year. No one else should or does care more about the future of our profession than we do, so lets join forces this coming year to ensure a brighter future for ourselves and the FM profession.

Cheers,
Oscar Gomez, CFM

2008-03-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

Tour of the San Francisco Old Mint—March 20th, 2008

Our March program—a tour of the historic Old Mint—was rich in history, wonder and excitement. They do NOT build 'em like that anymore! Surrounded by rubble after the 1906 earthquake (see the Emporium below), the Old Mint stood unfazed, surviving not only the quake but the devastating fire that followed.

Built in 1874, and one of only five buildings in San Francisco to be designated a National Historic Landmark, the renovated mint will be open to the public by 2011. For more information about the San Francisco Mint Project, visit www.themintproject.org.

Special thanks to Jeanne Beaudet for her superb historical commentary and to Art Ferretti, Facilities Manager for the San Francisco Museum & Historical Society and the Mint Project, for his fascinating insights into this historic architectural treasure.

Stay tuned! We plan to re-visit the Old Mint after construction starts for a progress tour.

2008-03-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

IFMA—UC Berkeley Extension Night

On Saturday, March 15th, 2008, representatives of Bay Area IFMA chapters joined forces with UC Berkeley Extension to launch UCBE's FMP Program at their SOMA facility in San Francisco.

The program was a great success and we look forward to welcoming new members to the chapters.

For more information about UC Berkeley Extension's Facilities Management program, including the FM Certificate Program, visit their web site at www.unex.berkeley.edu/cert/facmgmt.html.

Pictured above, from left to right, are Raffy Espiritu—President, IFMA SV; Ann Godfrey—UC Berekeley Extension Program, Facilities Management Program Director; Jon Martens—President, IFMA Redwood Empire; and John C. Kennedy, CFM—President, IFMA San Francisco. Also in attendance was Karen Cochran, CFM, RPA, FMA, CCIM—Treasurer IFMA San Francisco.

Thank you, everyone, for taking time from your weekend to promote and mentor professional facilities management!

2008-03-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

Leah Nadel: Education & Programs Co-Chair

Leah Nadel, who took over the reins of Education & Programs Co-chair this past year, has worked in the contract furniture industry for more than 20 years, with extensive experience in government (GSA) and the health care industry. Her considerable skill set includes account management, project management, and facilities management.

Leah's most recent undertaking is with Origin Solutions as a Facilities Coordinator at Alta Bates Sutter Medical Center—a role involving the challenge of multiple campuses.

She holds degrees from UCLA in Interior and Environmental Design and from San Francisco State University in Graphic and Visual Communications.

Please introduce yourself to Leah at our monthly programs—she welcomes your comments and suggestions!

2008-03-07T12:36:00.000-08:00

Nancy Brewster Kelley, LEED AP — WOO HOO!

Much like the dreaded bar exam, even the well-studied may need to take the LEED exam more than once to pass it. Nancy Kelley, SF chapter past president, soundly trounced the LEED exam this past week to become our newest (and our Board's first) LEED Accredited Professional.

The LEED course of study and exams are offered in 3 categories: New Construction, Existing Buildings and Commercial Interiors. While Nancy’s specialty area is commercial interiors, LEED accredited professionals can work in any category of project certification.

Nancy is currently working on her second LEED project, for the California State Parks Foundation. Her first LEED project, for Beverly Prior Architects, anticipates a LEED CI Gold certification.

Nancy’s firm, Kelley Project Services, has provided full service facility and project management services to corporate clients for 14 years. Nancy hopes her practice and clients will benefit from her commitment to sustainable design and construction. We know they will!

Congratulations, Nancy!

2008-02-07T12:23:00.000-08:00

Welcome Our New Hospitality Committee Chairwoman!

As the Chapter continues to improve member services, we created a new committee in 2007, and welcome Carmina Bacani as chair. Carmina is Marketing/Business Development Associate for Resource + Design, Inc., a pre-eminent furniture dealer in the Bay area for whom she has worked for 2 years. Carmina’s work with the Hospitality committee supports both membership and programs, and helps us welcome, track and reach out to both current and potential members. Carmina’s dual role at R + D gives give her a great background for her work with the IFMA San Francisco chapter.

Carmina is also very involved with programs with IIDA for the San Francisco Chapter. Carmina’s contact information and smiling face can be found on our website at ifmasf.org AND at many chapter events! Welcome, Carmina and thanks for your thoughtful support!

2008-01-31T09:07:00.000-08:00

Overcoming Generational Differences in the Workplace: January 17th, 2008

Our inaugural program for 2008 took an entertaining and practical look at five generations in the workplace: the Veteran or G.I. Generation, the Silent Generation, the Baby Boom Generation, Generation X and Generation Y -- all of whom were represented at our program! And all of whom were quite outspoken!

After the lively and light-hearted presentation by our speaker, Kassia Dellabough, an independent consultant operating the Institute for Creative Learning (LERN.org), attendees had much more insight into the perceived quirks of those co-workers from different generations who are "not like us."

Bottom line? We CAN work together -- our complementary strengths and perspectives bringing creativity, experience, and improved levels of teamwork when we bring open minds and open hearts to the table.

Thank you, Kassia, for a valuable and informative presentation!

2008-01-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

Chapter Board Plans IFMA San Francisco’s Future

In mid-October, eight members of the IFMA SF Board and Committee Chairs gave up their Sunday to help plan the future of the San Francisco Chapter. In attendance was John Kennedy, President; Oscar Gomez, Vice President; Karen Cochran, Secretary; John Dilges, Education + Programs Co-chair; Kathryn Abbassi, Membership Chair; Emily Gibson, Chapter Administrator; and Kathleen Smith, Web Communications Chair. Nancy Kelley, Past President, facilitated the four hour planning session. Dawn Knoll, Secretary, was unable to attend, as she was fulfilling her second role for the chapter; as IFMA Foundation Liaison, Dawn was traveling to New Orleans for the planning of foundation activities at World Workplace.

The event was hosted by Karen Cochran at PG & E's Market Street offices. The group created a chapter mission statement, set goals in various areas of chapter activity and developed strategies to meet those goals. The timeframe was to plan the chapter’s future for the next three to five years.

Mission Statement

The San Francisco IFMA Chapter supports and promotes the professional development of the facility manager through a variety of educational activities and networking opportunities.

Goals

The group came up with goals for membership, programs and education, hospitality, finances, resources, communication, sponsorship and community service.

In review of the goals, there was found to be significant overlap between committees and areas of concern. The end result was the following set of summary goals:

SUMMARY

Increase participation by the membership
Increase communication within the chapter and beyond
Increase and leverage our resources
Increase our variety:
__Of participants
__Of program and event content
__Of locations of events
__Of revenue sources
__Of times of events (breakfast forums, luncheons and after work )
Increase collaboration with other chapters and organizations
Increase visibility to the public, members and sponsors
Increase professional credentials through the CFM review
Increase Community service
Introduce Metrics as a method of measuring our success

The balance of the planning session was focused on developing strategies and methods to help us reach our goals.

To better collaborate, we will be reaching out to the other three Bay area chapters, industry organizations including IIDA, BOMA, USGBC, Coronet, the AIA and PBD. We will partner with UC Berkeley and their FM programs to get students involved, potentially planning a mentoring program and career day to bridge the generational gap as well. And we will look to be involved in community service activities through outreach and volunteerism. We encourage our membership to let us know who they want us to support.

Our collaboration activities will allow us opportunities for visibility by putting us in touch with the Bay area public as well as other industry organizations. We’ll continue to update our award winning website, and will supplement e-mailings with seasonal postcards announcing upcoming events. Outreach to the local media and National IFMA through press/news releases will be some of the methods of getting our chapter and its programs recognized.

In order to support our incredibly diverse members, we’re asking them to tell us what mix of program times and subjects they prefer; our tours will continue to be a huge draw and a mix of round table discussions, panels and speakers will be scheduled. We’ll try out new forums for annual events; a white elephant sale, career fair and more. Events planned for outside the core geographic area will include car pooling or bus transportation as necessary.

Participation is a key to our success. Those of us who volunteer find the rewards enriching; many who join the Board and committees stay on for five or more years and develop close ties with their peers. We will continue to encourage our members and inductees to volunteer, as each participant brings a different viewpoint, set of resources and interests to our group. Our chapter is a jewel; we have a most diverse membership and such wonderful resources to draw from; great places to go and people to meet. We are committed to furthering the success of the chapter and hope you will join in - your chapter is what you make it!

Nancy Kelley
Past President

2007-10-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

IFMA San Francisco Chapter Wins the Web Communication Award!

Our talented Webmaster, Kathleen Smith doesn't toot her own horn much, so we're going to toot it for her!

Congratulations to Kathleen and the SF Chapter on our 2007 IFMA Award of Excellence in Web Communication! The award was presented at this year's World Workplace in New Orleans at a lovely banquet in the La Louisiane Ballroom of the Ernest Morial Convention Center on Friday evening, October 26th. Chapter members and friends in attendance showed our great appreciation for Kathleen's hard work and dedication with an uproarious round of applause and noisemaking. A great time was had by all!

Many thanks to Kathleen for her fantastic work on our SF Chapter website.

-Emily Gibson, Chapter Administrator, on behalf of the San Francisco Chapter of IFMA!

2007-09-21T18:50:00.000-07:00

Beta Test of CFM Exam Review - September 14th & 15th, 2007

The exam review sponsored by IFMA San Francisco and held at Genentech was a complete success according to its three leaders:

Jon Martens, CFM, CFMJ - Redwood Empire Chapter,
Chris Hodges, CFM, IFMA Fellow – Capitol Chapter (Wash. D.C.) and
Kit Tuveson, CFM, IFMA Fellow – Sacramento Chapter.

This was an opportunity for the committee to test the new exam review and some of the new exam questions that they have worked so very hard on along with seven other members of the Team.

The Team started with a learning matrix that outlined what a CFM should know and understand. One of the concepts that was presented several times throughout the two day session is that this is a “competency” exam and as such requires the examinee to constantly understand what the perspective of the Facility Manager is and NOT what they would do individually in their own current work situation.

There were 15 participants signed up and all appreciated the discussion of the new materials and how to think when answering 180 questions that have between one and three correct multiple choice answers. Yes, that’s right, some questions required choosing the correct three of the five or six multiple choice possible answers. Although the exam is 180 questions instead of 300 and has less time to complete with no breaks, 4 hours versus the 6 hours previously, the consensus amongst the previous exam takers was that there was adequate time to complete the exam but no time to dawdle either. The testing service determined that no one who has taken the exam so far has taken more than 3 hours 15 minutes to complete it. We were very fortunate to have Jon Martens offer the review session at this time.

The three members of the team packed up and left for Washington, D.C. on Sunday to administer the review and Beta Test to a group from the Capitol Chapter on Monday and Tuesday. The review will also be given at WWP next month in New Orleans.

If you are interested in signing up for the next CFM Exam Review, there is a review session scheduled for World Workplace in New Orleans. If you are not attending WWP, then keep your eyes open for a notice on our Chapter calendar as to another offering next Spring. You can also contact Jon Martens directly at jon@jemcor.com or 707.326.5508 and he will put you on his list of interested parties.

Thanks for your interest in the CFM Exam,

John Dilges, CFM
SF Chapter of IFMA
Co-Chair of the Programs/Education Committee

2007-09-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

Sustainable Landscape Design Round Table Discussion

On September 11th, we met at Genentech in South San Francisco for a encore presentation by David Nelson, ASLA, Principal-in-Charge and Senior Designer for Landscape Archtectural and Urban Design Projects at MPA Design. David's presentation revealed a world where hardcore engineering, green fundamentals (reduce, reuse, recycle), budgets and politics merge with the timeless values of nature and beauty.

The following sunset tour of the Genentech campus was punctuated by sightings of a Gen-cat (invaluable in the management of pestiferous but valued starlings and blackbirds), a magnificent memorial Norfolk pine, a solstice secret, strawberry trees, climbing ficus, 30-thousand pound ficus trees (on a laboratory roof), lichen covered Sonoma boulders, rubber duckies, 5% grades and 8% grades, wild grasses and naked ladies. Or maybe that's pink ladies -- the debate continues.

Special thanks to David for his help with many practical answers to questions regarding planning considerations and the facility management of landscapes.

2007-06-12T13:26:00.000-07:00

Play Ball!

On June 8th, members of IFMA San Francisco and IFMA East Bay attended our annual night at the ballgame to watch the San Francisco Giants battle it out with the Oakland Athletics.

We were pleased to have the opportunity to acknowledge our Platinum Sponsor, Genentech, on the Jumbo-tron. THANK YOU GENENTECH for stepping up to the plate again and continuing your sponsorship of IFMA San Francisco!

Photo by Emily Gibson

2007-05-13T17:11:00.000-07:00

LEED-CI Round Table Discussion at Bevery Prior Architects - May 8th, 2007

IFMA San Francisco held its latest “Roundtable” at the offices of Beverly Prior last Tuesday with a crowd of more than 30 attendees! LEED-CI was such a popular topic and was greeted with such enthusiasm that we are planning to continue to have more roundtables around the topic of LEED certification and how to become a LEED AP! If you are interested in this topic, please let us know by e-mail to admin@ifmasf.org.

Thanks,

John Dilges
Education Chair

2007-05-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

Tour Behind the Scenes of the San Francisco Ballet - April 17, 2007

Thank you Jason Blackwell and Andrew Havill for guiding us behind the scenes of the San Francisco Ballet and for being such gracious hosts. Seeing the practice studios, physio-therapy rooms, administrative offices, student lounge, and the very mysterious little room from which the ballet shoes are dispensed, greatly enriched our enjoyment of the performances that evening. Hearing about the unique facilities management challenges your staff meets with obvious affection and regard for the dancers' well-being made our own appreciation of their gifts that much greater.

It was a magical evening -- thank you, again!

2007-02-20T17:41:00.000-08:00

IFMASF Tours the San Francisco Conservatory of Music - February 15, 2007

Our tour guides were Donald Cremers of SMWM, the architects responsible for the design of the renovation and expansion of SFCM, and Elizabeth Freer of Oppenheim Lewis, Project Manager. Their generosity in discussing the solutions to the unique problems posed by the creation of a vital, living space encompassing rehearsal rooms, performance spaces, architectural heritage, and the extraordinary talent and psyches of the students, was greatly enjoyed and appreciated by the attendees. Not surprisingly, those solutions present unique challenges, as well, to the facilities management team at SFCM. The discourse on the technological aspects of the renovation was nicely complemented by the many human aspects considered and incorporated into this extraordinary creative space.

Thank you, Donald and Elizabeth.

Photographs provided by Wulf Trachta.

2007-02-15T16:04:00.000-08:00

Hey! Did You Know the Best Time to Get a Job is When You Have a Job?

Sign up for the IFMASF Job Search use group at Yahoo! and share your own tips and expertise on navigating the job market. Have you ever wanted an impartial review of your resume? Trying to find the perfect person to hire for your own team? Need a place to ask your peers everything you wanted to know about changing jobs but didn't know who to ask? This is the place.

The IFMASF Job Search use group is an offshoot of the Job Search Support Group organized by IFMASF member Adele Dow earlier this year.

New to use groups? Please note:

* You choose when and how to stay in touch
* Swap photos, files, polls, calendars, links, and more with members
* Quickly scan new postings and browse detailed message archives
* Plus enjoy many more ways to show and tell - 24/7

Visit IFMASF Job Search at:

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=42879/*http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ifmasfjobsearch

Or, navigate to groups at Yahoo! and search for ifmasfjobsearch.

Get involved and do good for yourself and others!

2006-10-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

World Workplace 2006

Doug Benway, Vice President of Sales with The Corner Office attended World Workplace in San Diego and was kind enough to share his photos of receptions and vendor displays with us. As in previous years, World Workplace 2006 was an exceptional opportunity to socialize with FM peers from across the nation, share ideas, and strengthen professional relationships.

Thank you, Doug!

2006-09-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

Casino Night on the Hornblower Yacht

On September 21st, IFMA San Francisco enjoyed a members and sponsors appreciation night on the Hornblower Yacht Entertainer. The beauty of the last night of summer as the Entertainer sailed the Bay perfectly complemented the dining, dancing, and casino gaming below decks. To see more pictures of this event, visit the photo archive on the chapter web site.

IFMA San Francisco extends a special Thank You to our event sponsors: ABM Engineering, Siemens, Resource and Design, Kimball Office Furniture, and Corporate Care.

2006-08-17T22:16:00.000-07:00

IFMASF Tours NRDC Certified LEED-CI Gold Offices in the Historic 111 Sutter Street Building

James Jenkins, Senior Vice President of GCI General Contractors conducted our tour of the National Resource Defense Council offices while pointing out highlights of the features which qualified the NRDC offices for their Gold level certification.

James graciously shared details of the LEED certification process, including many innovative solutions implemented by GCI, educating sub-contractors to "buy into" the LEED goals, on-site recycling of construction materials, using older air quality technologies in new ways, and much more.

Details of the goals met for LEED certification and a Material List are available for download as PDF files.

2006-07-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

IFMA San Francisco Welcomes a New Bronze Sponsor

Please join us in thanking DPR Construction Inc. for supporting our Chapter at the Bronze Sponsorship Level. DPR's core markets include Advanced Technology, Biopharmaceutical, and Green Construction. Please visit DPR at www.dprinc.com to learn more about our newest sponsor.

2006-07-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

IFMASF Tours Golden Gate Disposal & Recycling Facility

Our monthly program on July 27th began with a brief presentation by Heather Paulson, Outreach Associate with La Casa de las Madres, the oldest battered women's shelter in California. Visit the Community Relations page on our Chapter web site for information on other Community resources supported by IFMASF chapter members.

Chris Levaggi, Program Manager, Golden Gate Disposal and Recycling Company discussed the finer points of trash disposal, recycling, and turning food and yard waste into organic mulch. (And, yes, there was a test afterwards.) Did you know that California leads the nation and San Francisco leads the state in recycling waste? Not content to rest on their laurels, Golden Gate continues to develop innovative solutions to facilitate recycling at the office and residentially.

Wayne Gluhan with Crosspoint Technology discussed both the local and global aspects of managing e-waste. Attendees will wonder no longer about what to do with those old computers and monitors or how to really, really, REALLY delete that sensitive data from recycled hard drives.

The employees at Golden Gate are delightfully creative and their creations nicely complement the Artist in Resident program at Golden Gate. Below are pictures of Heather Paulson and original artwork available for purchase at Golden Gate. To see more pictures of the tour, including the sculpture garden and some lovely surprises, visit our Photo Archive page.

2006-07-16T12:24:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU CHAPTER SPONSORS!

Our sponsors make possible the programs and educational events that make the San Francisco chapter exceptional. We couldn't do it without them! If you or your company are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please visit our web site Sponsors page.

Thank You Sponsors!

Genentech, Inc.

ABM Engineering Services

Corporate Care

Resource and Design, Inc.

Huntsman Architechtural Group

Cor-O-Van

Wulfwerks

2006-07-14T16:50:00.000-07:00

Please Welcome Our New Board of Directors!

From left to right:

Oscar Gomez, Vice President
Dawn Knoll, Secretary
John Kennedy, President
Karen Cochran, Treasurer
Nancy Kelley, Immediate Past President

And a big THANK YOU to Roxanne Bell, last term's Immediate Past President and our dedicated Committee Chairpersons -- who would love to have YOU come onboard! Visit the web site (www.ifmasf.org) for contact information.

2006-06-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

On Friday, June 23rd, IFMA East Bay and IFMA San Francisco watched the Oakland A's whoop the Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Sigh. 40 tickets were sold to this joint-chapter event and a fine time was had by all.

Also, we acknowledged our Platinum Sponsor -- Genentech -- on the Jumbotron.

IFMASF sponsors a night out at the ballpark every year. We hope you'll join us next year!

2006-06-10T18:38:00.000-07:00

Ty Whitehead, Facilities Manager, Howard Rice, has been a member of IFMA SF since 2001. On the heels of completing a 100,000 sq. ft. renovation/restack in their Embarcadero Center facility, Ty studied for and passed the CFM exam on May 15th. Our heartiest congratulations go out to Ty, and best wishes for continued success in the FM field!

2006-06-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

Use Your Resume To Help Negotiate a Higher Salary

Most job seekers believe that salary negotiation starts once they have an offer in hand, but nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, your resume can make the difference between negotiating at the top end of the salary range—or the bottom end—in your next job offer. If that sounds strange to you, consider the following points:

A prospective employer’s first impression of you is created entirely by your resume.

The employer’s first impression of you will assign a value and build a level of urgency for the employer to contact you—before someone else does.

First impressions are nearly impossible to change.

If your resume sells your skills short, then you can’t expect to receive offers at the upper end of your salary scale. Your current resume could be losing you thousands of dollars in income power. By making a few key changes in your resume now, you can position yourself for higher salaries in the future.

There are three resume strategies for promoting high salary negotiation success:

1. Show that you are a high return on investment with quantifiable results.

Many job seekers throw around the phrase “results oriented”, but they fail to back it up with concrete evidence—leaving the reader to conclude otherwise. You may feel that you have no quantifiable evidence of your value in previous jobs, but every job has quantifiable results that can better reflect your worth on your resume. Revenue, sales dollars and material costs are not the only results that use numbers.

Consider using the number of man-hours saved in process improvements, the percentage of repeat customers, or the number of peers helped by a particular efficiency to help reflect your abilities. Every employee is hired to solve problems, and most problems have some quantifiable element at their core.

2. Illustrate the breadth of your experience.

Notice the use of the word “breadth” rather than “length” of experience. Just because a candidate has been doing a job for a long time does not necessarily mean he is worth more. Breadth of experience focuses on quality, not quantity.

There are two key ways to express breadth of experience:

Industry knowledge

Since industry expertise is usually in high demand, you can show your value through insider understanding of industry issues.

Transferable skills

If your career spans many industries within the same occupation, highlight the transferable skills that have enabled you to bridge the gaps from industry to industry.

3. Entice the reader to want to know more about you.

Job seekers often make the mistake of assuming that the job of their resume is to inform the reader. Not so! The ONLY job of your resume is to entice the reader to want to know more about you.

What that translates to is an understanding of what to include and what to leave off your resume. Too much detail can distract the reader and lose his interest, but not enough information, and the reader will wonder what you have been doing with your life. A proper balance between detail and result will win the reader’s interest and leave them saying, “I’ve got to call this guy for an interview today!”

A professional resume writer can create a resume that sells you as a high return on investment. By portraying you as someone with great breadth of experience and a wide range of critical skills, potential employers will see you immediately as someone of high value, building their vision—and your self-confidence—of you in the upper end of the salary scale.

Deborah Walker, CCMC
Career Coach ~ Resume Writer
Find more job-search tips and resume samples at:

www.AlphaAdvantage.com

2006-06-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

Kevin Manalili, Facilities Manager of Corporate Services at Genentech, is our most recent CFM. Congratulations Kevin.

2006-05-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

LEED Certification Brown Bag Luncheon a Hit!

Chris Hodges, Principal of FEA (www.feapc.com) and guest speaker at our May 11th Brown Bag luncheon on LEED Certification of Existing Buildings, takes a moment to relax at the Resource and Design offices. Comments about the Brown Bag program included, "(this program) was more getting into the nitty gritty of the details of the job," and "(brown bag programs) are an opportunity to talk to subject matter specialists." Participants agreed that the Brown Bag programs provide uniquely open access to industry professionals. Join us at future Brown Bag programs and take advantage of the extraordinary opportunities available to members of IFMA San Francisco.

2006-05-18T17:49:00.000-07:00

Corporate Care - Our Newest Gold Sponsor!

Chapter Treasurer, Oscar Gomez, receives a $5,000 check from Peter Serchia of Corporate Care. Thank you, Corporate Care, for your long-standing tradition of sponsorship and volunteerism!

2006-05-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

SF Chapter's 20th Anniversary

Chapter President, Nancy Kelley, displays a plaque sent by IFMA National Headquarters to commemorate the San Francisco chapter's 20th anniversary. 20 years? Yikes!

2006-05-16T17:54:00.000-07:00

Robyn Isom's Baby!

Woo hoo! Robyn Isom, a stalwart member of the Membership Committee, is a new mom! With great pleasure, we bring you this picture of beautiful Carmela, her adorable bundle of joy.

2006-05-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

Nancy Kelley Profiled in Bay Area FM Guide

Nancy Kelley is a veteran in the facilities management industry in the Bay Area, having formed Kelley Project Services almost 11 years ago. Kelley spent nine years with Firemans Funds, ending as a facilities manager for their 450,000 sq. ft. Novato headquarters. Then she realized that her specialty is carrying projects from inception through completion. "In many ways this means I'm a generalist," comments Kelley, "but in reality I must be well versed in many disciplines in order to knit their work together into one piece."

After ruling out a career in anthropology, Kelley redirected her energy by applying to design school and studied around the clock for more than three years before transitioning into facilities management work. Kelley completed her bachelor of arts in Interior Design at the Interior Design Internship in Denver, Colorado. She also holds a bachelor of arts degree in Anthropology and Family Studies from Colorado Women's College in Denver.

Although Kelley has been an active member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), over the last five years she has devoted most of her energies to the International Facilities Management Association. Kelley is currently the San Francisco chapter president.

Kelley's background in design and her interest in carrying projects beyond completion, allow her to ensure that the design really will support the operational needs of the company and the end user. She believes that her responsibilities require her to be very multi-disciplined in her work, being both a "big picture" and task oriented professional. Seeing the results of her work is equivalent to the "total being greater than the sum of the parts," she says.

When not managing projects, Kelley enjoys hiking with her Labrador retriever, Morgan, sea kayaking, and gardening. Some days when time and creative juices allow, Kelley can be found weaving colorful fabrics, creating jewelry and custom pillows, wall hangings, and sculptures.

Copyright 2005 Bay Area Facilities Management Guide

2006-05-02T20:07:00.000-07:00

Our Chapter Vice President, John Kennedy, participated in a Rebuilding Together project this past Saturday. He was the Construction Captain and Harvard Business School Bay Area Alumni was the volunteer team when they cleaned up a back yard, created a half court basketball court, and created a meditation area for InnerChange. InnerChange is a non-profit that helps the homeless and youth trapped in the juvenile justice system. The agency was thrilled with the results and all the volunteers felt like they really made an impact. John was able to pull this off with a budget of $2,000 and lots of help from volunteers. "I would recommend getting involved to anyone and there are plenty of volunteer activities based on the amount of time you have available." Visit the Community Service page at our web site for more volunteer opportunities. Enjoy the before and after pictures below!

2006-04-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

The Chapter will swear in a new Board of Directors for the 2006-2007 term in July. We need a Treasurer. We'd love some new Committee volunteers, too. Participating on the Board and Committees is a great way to hone your skills, make new friendships, satisfy CFM requirements, and have fun. Interested? Please email webmaster@ifmasf.org and we'll see that your email gets to the right person. Questions? Visit the Board of Directors page at ifmasf.org and contact the incumbents directly. Join the team!

2006-04-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

On April 20, 2006 we revisited the Bloomingdale's Dome Project. This new retail center on the site of the well-remembered Emporium opens this November. Visit the picture archive at ifmasf.org and compare the amazing progress between August 2005 and April 2006. This is only one of many behind-the-scenes tours made possible by the dedicated and creative Programs Committee of the San Francisco Chapter of IFMA. If you're not a member yet, consider joing us now. If you are a member, we look forward to seeing you at our next monthly program!

2005-11-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

In August, IFMA members went behind the scenes of the new Bloomingdale's project on the site of the old Emporium. The story of how the dome was raised from the literal and metaphorical depths to it's new prominence was fascinating!

Be sure to check out our 2006 Calendar on Events in January for more tours of special interest to Facilities Managers, more opportunities to develop professionally, obtain your CFM designation, network, and more as a member of IMFA San Francisco.