August Luncheon Speakers

Bettye Watson Russell
Herman Miller Inc.
Workplace Strategist (Atlanta, GA)

PRINCIPAL
STEVEN W. CLEM, AIA, ASID, IIDA
 
Steve Clem joined Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates (TVS) in 1978 as an architect.  After years of concentrating on the exterior of buildings, Steve found he had a passion for interior design and interior architecture.  Steve, along with a team of individuals, saw a need and growth opportunity within TVS.  Since 1990 he has led a studio of interior designers and architects focused on the practice of interior design and in 1996 they formally established TVS Interiors as a division of TVS. This same year he was named Principal of TVS Interiors, Inc.   Since the company's inception, Steve and his team have garnered more than 60 interior design and architecture awards for design excellence.  Many of these same projects have also been published in national design magazines including Interiors, Interior Design, Contract, Metropolis, Facility Design & Management and locally in Atlanta Magazine.   Steve and his team have also been honored for their commitment to sustainable design, including the design of the first LEED-CI Platinum certified project, the Interface Americas Showroom in Atlanta, Georgia.
 
Steve earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Georgia Institute of Technology in 1976.  He continued is studies at the San Francisco Center for Architecture and Urban Studies in 1977 and then received his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Illinois in 1978.  Steve has an in-depth understanding of corporate office, performing arts, educational, convention centers and retail project types.  In addition, he is a member of numerous professional and community organizations including the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Interior Design and the International Interior Design Association.

Topic:

Human and Environmental Change:  "Planning the Future and Navigating the Unexpected"

Presentation:
Bettye and Steve will present a case study on the renovation of tvsdesign's office space and the change management process which created a successful outcome.  tvsdesign recognized the need to plan for the future based upon several obvious factors:  a lease expiration, succession planning, multiple generations at work, and a commitment to sustainable practices.  At the time, the economy was strong with most companies in "growth" mode, "The World is Flat" was the best read, and we were all planning around how this would affect our businesses going forward.  Needless to say, this turn of events corrected itself in an unexpected way that not only affected our domestic economy, but the global economy.
Objectives:
 
1. Learn how to build a Change Management process to achieve positive results for your organization.
2. Experience how the Change Management process translated into a successful project for the future of a global business practice.
3. Learn how this initial process created a viable plan which withstood economic uncertainty.

Register Here
 

Last month, IFMA members and guests enjoyed an evening of learning and networking at Skanska's LEED® Gold Certified Commercial Interiors space. Jimmy Mitchell with Skanska, discussed how they were able to reduce their carbon footprint through electrical efficiency, water conservation and HVAC efficiency within their facility. 

For those who missed the tour, here's what we learned:

• Increasing the efficiency of buildings is a key factor in decreasing the stress on infrastructure.
• Select materials with low volatile organic compounds (VOC) to reduce unhealthy emissions from materials such as paint and carpet.
• Before beginning construction, complete a Clean Air Construction Management Plan.
• To earn one LEED® point, the US Green Building Council recommends use of 70% Energy Star equipment.
• Quality ventilation and carbon dioxide monitoring maintains a safe working environment for employees.
• During construction, all waste should be properly separated through the use of designated bins and sent to the appropriate recycling facilities.  For Skanska this process resulted in 95% of construction waste being diverted from the landfill.  To obtain two LEED® points, 75% diverted waste is required.

Georgia Tech Corner

The Georgia Tech Facility Management graduate program is in the final stages of accepting applicants for the fall semester, beginning August 17th.  All classes are offered in the evening to accommodate working professionals.  Flexible enrollment allows you to determine the number of courses to take each semester and graduates have taken between 12 and 48 months to complete the program. 

If you would like to learn more or get additional information on course content, the application process, or touring the campus and classrooms, please contact the Graduate Recruiter, Brenda Morris at 404-385-7479 or brenda.morris@gatech.edu.

FM June Sustainability Breakfast: Centergy Building

Ron Willis of ICS Contract Services presented the Facility Managers at the June FM Sustainability breakfast with valuable information on implementing day cleaning at facilities that can reduce the operation cost and improve cleaning quality.  Ron spoke about how this change impacts employees as well as how you can not just turn a night crew staff member into a day crew but instead groom the day crew to be as detailed as a concierge attendant to the tenants needs. , The other demonstration was the use of quieter cleaning equipment required to avoid disruptions to the daily operations in an office environment.

The benefits to the organization is that you do not have to keep the lights on overnight for the cleaning crew and save on your electrical cost by not having the lights on at night.  Ron stressed how a facility manager needs to bring the employees and the tenants into the process of switching from a night crew to a day crew for it to be a success. This is done through signage and communications directly with the tenants as well as understanding there concerns.  A day crew only cleans what needs to be cleaned, so productivity is increased.  They also come to know the employees on a personal level and know not to interrupt the tenants if they are on a conference call or in a meeting. After a while the tenants will become accustomed to the personal approach of the day cleaner and actually enjoy the new process more then the night cleaning. Heavy detail work can be conduced on the weekends during the day as well and still find a cost savings benefit.
 
The other speaker at the event, Harry Conley of Fifth Street Management spoke about the impacts of day cleaning at the Centergy building in Midtown specifically.  He shared with the group other areas they have changed at the Centergy Building in regards to sustainability such as xeriscaping, drip irrigation, planting perennials, and using a satellite-based smart clock for the buildings landscaping.  Fifth Street Management has started sub-metering tenants when they utilize power over a certain limit, which enables them to have to pass on high energy use costs to other tenants in the building that are not using the additional energy and only to those tenants who do use it.  They have also shut off the power in the building were it is feasible on Saturdays to save on energy and reduce cost to the building. By going to single -stream recycling program they have increased the recycling in the bldg from 17 % to 70%. This was a well planned and informative event that left the attendees wanting to know more.
 

Sustaining Patron Profile

Baker Audio, Inc.

Baker Audio, Inc. provides professional design/build and technical service support in the related fields of audio, video, and mission critical systems. With over 56 years of experience, Baker excels in providing unique and compelling sight and sound communication solutions.
 
Baker provides services for local, national, and international clients.  Our markets include corporate, hospitality, education, performance venues, and places of worship.  While our clients' businesses are diverse, they share a common need:  to have innovative technology solutions designed to improve the access and exchange of information with their customers and employees.
 
The success of any business is largely dependent upon building relationships and maintaining those connections, and as a long-time Sustaining Patron of IFMA, we have benefitted from this association in many ways.  IFMA has provided Baker the outlet with which to build and keep these relationships. Additionally, Baker has gained knowledge of the industry through the many presentations, tours, and education forums.  Lastly, being a Sustaining Patron has helped Baker gain recognition in the community through the constant exposure that IFMA provides.
 
Baker values its opportunity to be a Sustaining Patron of IFMA and will continue to support the organization in the years to come.