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Relating Facilities Management into an EMS
To the average American Facilities Manager,
"sustainability" is a term that they may have heard about but for which
they might feel they have little to contribute to. A commonly accepted
definition of sustainability is: "Providing for the needs of the present
generation while not compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their needs."* Understanding the linkage between
sustainability and operational efficiency is the key to realizing the
contribution the Facilities Manager may have to a successful environmental
management system (EMS).
Unless the environmental
staff is part of their responsibility, the facility manager may believe
that the activities of their organization may not have much relevance to
an EMS. In today's economy, the driving force for many companies can most
often be attributed to an improvement in the bottom line. The EMS can be
used as the engine that will drive improvement in efficiencies, which
correlate to an increase in profitability.
An understanding of this
primary motivating factor is the underlying feature of practical
sustainability. I would define practical sustainability as: activities
that measure a variety of environmental variables that will lead to an
improvement in the efficiency of use of natural resources, energy and
water. From a facility management viewpoint, such variables could
include:
-
Measurement of solid
waste disposal and recycling activities
-
Preventative
maintenance and repair of infrastructure
-
Use of materials and
chemicals in support of facility operations and construction
-
Use of water, energy
and other utilities
Most companies will tell
you that they are aware of the amount of water or energy used or trash
produced based upon invoices paid. Upon closer examination, a company may
find that the bills it pays for water are often an estimate from the water
supplier. Typically, water bills or energy invoices don't tell you other
details of where in your operation these resources are used. In order to
get to these values, a company may need to dig a little deeper, and
perhaps install additional monitoring equipment (water meters) in order to
collect the necessary data. Without a reasonably accurate accounting of
how much and where these resources are used, improvement in the efficiency
of use will be difficult to achieve. Simply stated, you need to know how
much you are using or generating, where it is coming from or being used,
in order to establish objectives and targets around a significant
environmental aspect of a product, activity or service. The ISO 14001
Standard is by far the most widely accepted international model for an
EMS. Using this EMS model, the monitoring and measurement element is
where the data trail is established to measure these parameters. Given
time, improvement in the ability to efficiently monitor this information
and an increase in reliability of the data can be anticipated.
A good example of where
EMS and practical sustainability meet is in the area of energy use. Many
organizations, realizing the global environmental impact of energy
generation, are finding the use of energy in their facilities to be a
significant environmental aspect of their operations. In addition to the
environmental impacts associated with energy generation, the financial
impact of purchasing energy can also be considered significant.
Accordingly, many companies embark on projects that reduce energy use with
subsequent reduction in global environmental loading and a positive
savings to the bottom line. A key factor in the success of such a project
would hinge on the ability to accurately measure and forecast energy
utilization in a particular process, whether it is lighting,
heating/cooling or related to a particular piece of equipment. A solid
baseline of energy data would be needed in order to recognize areas that
are amenable to improvement and the tools must be in place to accurately
measure the change once the project has been completed.
Facility managers may
find themselves in the position of realizing the extra "clout" that can be
obtained by leveraging the EMS to drive a project that will lead to
improved energy efficiency. The EMS provides the structure to establish
the project, based on objectives and targets. It also provides the forum
to present a viable project to senior management during the management
review process, which is a critical element of any EMS.
A reduction in solid
waste disposed is another common environmental objective for which a clear
target can be established. In addition to the positive environmental
impact a decrease in solid waste generation could have, the significant
benefit of getting all of the people who generate solid waste in an
organization involved in the activity can help to evolve a more robust and
effective EMS. Once again, the practical consideration of knowing where
the waste comes from is needed in order to effectively attack the
problem. Often, altering an activity to produce less waste will pay the
dividend of reducing the amount of material input into a process, thus
realizing a far greater monetary savings than just the reduction in cost
of trash disposal.
The procedures to go
about monitoring any of the areas that lead to sustainable practices lend
themselves to incorporation into an EMS, as a procedure or routine
activity that needs to be recorded. The measurement of these factors that
may be related to significant environmental impacts will provide the solid
evidence an auditor may seek during a certification or surveillance audit
of the EMS.
If you agree that
sustainability can assume a practical reality with the measurement of the
parameters described, then I would suggest that many organizations might
have already embraced this concept, without actually claiming they are
sustainable. As the focus of an EMS shifts from a driver of compliance
toward increased eco-efficiency, it is becoming apparent that facilities
organizations will play a crucial role in a successful EMS. That role
will be associated with performance metrics that will both benefit the
environment and be favorable to the bottom line.
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