6 | JANUARY 2020
News
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
2020 FOCUS: COMMERCIAL GLAZING
MAINTENANCE IN THE FM SECTOR
Maintenance, in all its forms, is a crucial
part of facilities managers’ roles – in
the simplest sense, it centres around
the efficiency, safety and functionality
of a company’s building, services and
equipment. It’s no secret that window
and door maintenance is a priority
that often features on the facilities
management (FM) agenda, but why
will it be higher on the list than ever
before in 2020? James Sutherland,
managing director of Huddersfield-
based Dortech Maintenance,
explores this in more depth.
The era of the
specialist
It’s true that facilities managers
are no strangers to frequently
servicing their capital equipment
to maximise efficiencies and
the operational lifespan of their
machinery. However, during the
last 12 months, shrewd FMs have
been increasingly recognising
that their glazing is actually an
asset that also requires a planned
maintenance strategy to minimise
disruption and maintain security
throughout.
However, while 2019 has been
a key year for catalysing this
change in mindset, there’s still
a long way to go. The glazing
maintenance industry has wit-
nessed a large number of issues,
such as installations of incorrect
glass specifications – stemming
from cost-cutting procurement
strategies. This is where a more
specialist, and less generalist,
approach prevails.
Challenges facing the
FM industry in 2020
There’s no doubt it’s been a
turbulent year for the country’s
economy, and this has put the FM
sector in a very difficult position
– especially where budgeting
and contingency planning is
concerned. In 2020, it will be all
about shifting from a reactive to a
preventative mindset.
With uncertain-
ty still very much
in flux surround-
ing Brexit and eco-
nomic stability, it’s
likely that FM budgets
will continue to be impact-
ed – with less money allocated
for upkeep projects – business
models will have to be adjusted
to align with this reduction in
funds. Yet, while being more
cautious with corporate expendi-
ture isn’t a bad thing, sometimes
this can lead to greater issues
when it comes to making deci-
sions around building upkeep –
commercial glazing maintenance
being a prime example.
For instance, it’s probably
because they rarely fail, that
the importance of commercial
windows and doors maintenance
has so often been overlooked –
and this will go on to challenge
industry professionals next year.
In truth, because windows and
doors are usually regarded as a
day-to-day, functional element of
a building – their importance is
often underappreciated. It’s only
when they fail to work correctly
that they receive the attention
they need.
However, there’s irony in not
prioritising glazing maintenance,
because this has the potential to
actually cause more pricey re-
placement issues – which could
Repair versus replace
have been avoided if a planned
preventative maintenance (PPM)
strategy had been in place. In
essence, with a reduction in
budgets and more consideration
given to the cost-effectiveness
and ROI of departmental spend-
ing, more facilities professionals
will be faced with the choice of
continually optimising the lifecy-
cle of their existing installations,
or footing the higher bill of a full
replacement job at a later date.
In addition, 2019 has seen an
increasing number of organi-
sations introduce initiatives to
enhance energy efficiency – with
the aim to make their sites more
future-proofed and sustainable.
This is a trend which will un-
doubtedly continue throughout
2020, as more companies imple-
ment measures to improve their
green credentials.
One easy way to ensure an
efficient energy footprint and
healthier bottom line – in terms
of heating bills – is regularly
maintaining windows and doors.
For example, if the seals are
broken, or moisture is appear-
ing between windowpanes, it’s
a sign that valuable warmth is
being lost. So, if it’s not on the
radar already this year, this is a
key area which facilities manag-
ers should look to consider in
2020.
The old adage ‘prevention is
cheaper than the cure’ really does
ring true when it comes to com-
mercial glazing, and while there
have been lots of discussions in
industry as to the real importance
of PPM strategies, it’s encourag-
ing to see more firms adopting
this stance.
Where possible – and, of
course, safe – restoration should
always be recommended over
renewal. That’s because taking
care of windows and doors –
keeping them clean and checking
their functionality – can ward off
any nasty, and financially-damag-
ing, surprises. It can also prevent
any unnecessary downtime for a
company too.
While this is not a new concept
for the FM industry, given busi-
nesses’ benefit-cost ratios being
increasingly under more under
the scrutiny, it’s more important
to take note of than ever.
As a result, it’s looking like
2020 will be the year that repair
truly overtakes replacement, as
more industry experts recognise
that PPM presents both a long-
term economic benefit as well as
a priceless tool of reassurance
that a building is safe, and cor-
ners haven’t been cut.