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PP 319986/101 Volume 17 Number 4 Summer 2012

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF HOTEL ENGINEERING

HOTEL ENGINEER T H E



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3 Publisher’s Message

5 State News

11 A Guide to Quality LEDs

17 Guest Room Technology: What Guests Want!

20 Big Opportunities to Reduce Waste to Landfill and

Save Money

27 Total Facilities Live

30 Empowering the Hotel Engineer

33 Regulation Update

38 What’s That You Are Walking On?

41 Back of House

43 Reducing Electricity Costs by Load Shedding and

Demand Management

44 Anchor Point and Static Line Inspection Intervals

47 First Impressions in Façade Maintenance

50 Energy Management Using Pressure Balanced

Showers

60 Get Out of the Back Room: Keys to Developing and

Growing Your FM Career

64 12% Chromium Utility Stainless Steels

66 Summer: Time to Focus on Problem Pests

72 Going Green

74 Product News

CONTENTS

Front cover: Sydney’s newest five star

hotel, The Darling at The Star, has

won world-wide acclaim after it was

named the Best International New

Hotel for Construction and Design.PP319986/101 Volume 17 Number 4 Summer 2012

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF HOTEL ENGINEERINGHOTEL ENGINEER

T H E

44



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advertisements or editor ial. The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or otherwise alter ar ticles for publication.

All original material produced in this magazine remains the property of the publisher and cannot be reproduced without authority. The views of the contributors and all

submitted editorial are the author’s views and are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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Editorial Consultant

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Editorial Contributor

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ADVERTISING

Melbourne:Neil Muir

T: (03) 9758 1433

F: (03) 9758 1432

E: [email protected]

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T: 0488 390 039


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AIHE STATEPRESIDENTS

Ian Crookston, QLD


Anura Yapa, NSW


David Zammit, VIC


Tony Fioraso, WA


PUBLISHER’S MESSAGEHello, and a very happy 2013 to everyone.

As I write this it’s just one day before Christmas, my very last

job and I am out of here for a couple of well-earned weeks

of holiday.

This time of year I always like to thank everyone whom has helped

in putting this magazine together throughout the year.

In particular all those people whom take the time to write for

us, offering their knowledge through some excellent articles

throughout the year. The AIHE state presidents for their input

and a big thank you to Neil Weenink whom is always happy

to offer his assistance and his regular contribution looking at

many years in the hospitality and engineering industry with

“Back of House”.

As all engineers know, lighting is a huge part of the power bill, over

the last 12 months there has been a lot of discussion about lighting

in hotels and in particular the LED.

They are the future of lighting, are highly efficient and have a long

life, however with so many different manufactures of LEDs now in

the marketplace, some have shown to be of varying quality.

We asked Bryan Douglass, CEO of the Lighting Council Australia to

give us some information on what to look for when assessing which

LEDs to buy.

Both Brendon Granger and Jenny Campbell spoke at the recent

AIHE Conference. They have put their presentations into words for

us where Brendon brings part 1 of 2 on Guest room technology

and Jenny her expertise on Waste Management.

As usual we have a wide variety of articles, exterior cleaning, pest

management, and the first of a couple of ar ticles from Bob Holesko,

Vice President facilities HEI Hotels and Resorts America on his

hotels energy conservation programme.

Till next time…

Neil Muir





AIHE

STATENEWS

NEW SOUTH WALES

Greetings from

NSW chapter.

We had a

successful year

in 2012 and now

begin another

with the hopes of

many more goals

to be achieved.

Let me begin

with the update on AIHE NSW Chapter

events for the past

few months.

The September meeting was held at

Quay West Suites and Dr. Kalyani Perera

of Independent Monitoring Consultants

presented an informative presentation

on Indoor Air Quality. In October we

had a committee meeting to discuss the

arrangements for the AGM and the chapter

Christmas Party.

The State President’s meeting was held

in November at Hyatt, thanks Steven

Eames and Ian Crookston for the

arrangements of the venue. A webinar on

administration of the new AIHE website

was conducted with K. Money of Broadway

Infotech, the developers of the website.

In November we had a breakfast meeting

at the New South Wales AGM at Pullman

Sydney Hyde Park.

Election of office bearers took place with all

positions declared vacant. I was re-elected

as the President of the NSW chapter. Other

newly elected members are as follows:

President Anura Yapa

Vice President Stephen Wilson

Secretary Benjamin Gray Treasurer Elizabeth Tam

Event Coordinator Jason Manley

Committee Members – Brendon Granger,

Scott O’Brien, Trevor McCarren and

Jackson Wong

Congratulations to all the new committee

members and thanks to the previous

committee for their effort and contribution

during last year for the our Chapter. I must

mention another name here, very special

thanks go to Carl Van Den Heaver who has

been a great support to the Institute; he

will be continuing his services as the Public

Officer of the chapter. Carl arranged the

venue for the AGM.

The chapter’s Christmas gathering was held

at Pullman Sydney Hyde Park on Saturday

the 1st December. It was a fantastic

evening, where the attendees got to enjoy a three course dinner, music, the dance

floor and door prizes. Everyone received

a bottle of Wine (special limited release

for the Institute). Credit goes to all the

members who helped organise this

year’s Christmas Party. I was unable

to be fully involved in organising the

events at the latter part of this year due

to various work commitments in my new

role at Shangri-La Sydney. A special

thank you goes to Carl who proposed the

venue, Elizabeth and Brendon for arranging

the invitations on my behalf, and Trevor

for organising the decorations, music

and the dance floor. All the drinks were

sponsored by CHILL TECH Services andCraftWORK Project Management, we

appreciate your generosity.

A committee meeting was organised at

the request of Brendon Granger to plan

for the year 2013. We had this meeting at

Quay West Suites on the 12th December

and foundations have been set for another

great year.

In closing, I would like to express my

appreciation to the committee members,

all Engineers and our corporatemembers and various hotel General

Managers for their support over the past

year and look forward to working with

all in the future.

Wishing you all a good year ahead.

Anura Yapa JP

President – AIHE NSW chapter



VICTORIA

Another year has just passed us by,

I hope it was kind to all of our readers,

and everyone had the opportunity to

enjoy some time out with your families,

making the most of the recent festive

season.

The Victorian chapter has gratefully

appreciated the support of all our

members, both hotel engineers and

corporates. It has been rewarding to meet many newcomers that

have attended our meetings, hopefully they have gained some

benefit from what our Institute has been able to offer during the

course of 2012.

To wrap up the year, we held our AGM in December, traditionally

a month that we do not host a meeting. As our attendance and

support over the past year has been positive, we decided to host

our AGM and Christmas cocktails to close off the year. We had anattendance of 30 members, the meeting was held at Grand Hyatt

Melbourne, making for a memorable evening.

The outcome of the AGM returned all of the existing committee

back into their positions. We also welcomed one new member.

The 2013 committee now consists as follows.

Committee Members – New appointment, Soudi Noori.

Re-elected, Adam Vince, Don Robertson, Ian Charman, Ponce

Casass, Greg Mallet, Andrew Eldred, John Appleyard & David Jones.

Meeting Coordinator – Stephen Docherty

Secretary – Peter Barbour

Vice President – Anton Van Den Brink

President – David Zammit.

Madeline McLagan who was a previous committee member advised

that she would not run for reelection in 2013. We thank Madeline

for her support and look forward to our ongoing association.

Our November meeting was hosted by Gladstone Forbes at

Park Hyatt Melbourne. Leenah Khor and colleagues from Reece

Onsite delivered an informative presentation for all our members.

November also marked a milestone for Gladstone. After 24 years

with Hyatt, Gladstone has taken a well earned break after leaving

his position of Engineering Manager at Park Hyatt Melbourne.

I personally wish Gladstone the very best, after having worked with

him over this period, I am sure we will see him back in the industry

sometime in the near future.

Victor Herrera, Building Manager at Novotel on Collins hosted

our October meeting. That evening we had the pleasure of two

corporates providing us presentations. David Wilson and Michael

O’Dea of mySmart CTI, along with David Jones of Middy’s Electrical.Both presentations complemented each other, whilst introducing

us to the latest technology available in the areas each company

represent. After concluding the presentation, Victor was kind enough

to take us through several refurbished rooms within the Novotel,

giving us a comprehensive update of what his team had undertaken

to enhance their guest experience.

As we are already into a new year, I would like to thank all

committee members for their assistance during 2012 and cer tainly

look forward to their support in fur ther growing our chapter in

2013. A special thank you to Peter‘s other half, Monica Barbour,

who has assisted Peter behind the scenes in the role of secretary.

I sincerely thank Monica for her support to our chapter in her

administrative capacity.

I would also like to thank my fellow state presidents, Ian, Anura and

Tony. I know all three gentlemen have been instrumental in driving

their respective chapters and are committed to the growth of AIHE.

I look forward to our continued association this year.

In closing, I take this opportunity to wish all our members, readers

and their families, a safe & healthy 2013. I am grateful for your

ongoing support of our chapter.

David Zammit

President AIHE Victoria Chapter [email protected]

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The September meeting was held at the

ThyssenKrupp Perth offices.

Our guest presenter was Omega Power

Equipment.

Heinz Ruetschi gave an informationsession overview on the Theben

product range.

AIHE

STATENEWS continued

continued on page 8…



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Omega also displayed some of their Green Energy products as

listed below:

• Eco Air Hand dryers.

• LED down lights.

• Energy * Rated Exhaust Fans with built in Draft Stopper.

Our October meeting was held at the Holiday Inn City Centre andwe had two guest speakers on the night:

Clevertronics

Clevertronics are a company who specialise in emergency lights

and exit signs. They are Australian owned, with their Head Office

and factory in Melbourne, and a large warehouse and sales facility

in Malaga.

Michael Duce, Head of Engineering at Clevertronics conducted an

informed presentation on ideas for the emergency and exit lighting

industry and the future trends in this ever-evolving industry, which

includes revolutionary new technology, incorporating the most

environmentally products available.

Dali vs. standalone systems:

Proposed changes to emergency lighting standards in Australia:

• 40% of Exit/emergency signs used in our city don’t comply. How

and why?

• The safest way to achieve energy saving in stairwells

• The best use of jumbo exits

Infinite Energy

Aidan Jenkins is the Managing Director of Infinite Energy, one

of the largest Solar PV companies in Western Australia. Infinite

Energy has been one of the companies driving the solar revolution

forward, having installed over 4000 systems across WA and Qld.

Infinite Energy also has almost 1mW of Commercial solar projects

in progress including what will be the largest “behind the meter”

installation in WA.

Topics that were covered:

• Introduction to Solar PV

• WA’s strategic solar advantage

• Solar on a commercial premises

• Solar as an investment – financial returns

• Demonstrating green credentials

Many thanks to Mitch French Chief Engineer of the Holiday Inn City

Centre.

The Western Australian chapter continues to sponsor an

apprentice award with the Master Plumbers & Gasfitters Association

of WA, Master Painters Australia WA Association, MPA Skills Training

& Employment.

This award will be presented to two pre-apprentices each quarter

for the most improved and most safety conscious, each winning

pre-apprentice will receive a $100 voucher from the Institute.

In closing I urge all General Managers of Hotels to encourage their

engineers to join and make use of the networking advantages of

the AIHE.

Regards

Tony Fioraso

President AIHE

Western Australia

AIHE

STATENEWS continued

…continued from page 6





QUEENSLANDThe last quarter of 2012 was rather quiet

with only the December Christmas Party

to report. It is hoped that the back of

house tour of the newly built Gold Coast

Hospital which was scheduled in October,

will still proceed in the early New Year.

The 2012 Christmas Party was a Dinner &

Show run by, and at, RACV Royal Pines. Fire

& Ice was the show which had a number of

Gymnastic acts that entertained everyone

through out the dinner. Later, was a band

for all to dance the remainder of the night away. The four AIHE tables

were just a small number attending with over 500 guests in attendance.

A Great night was had by all!

If you’re not aware, the new AIHE website is now operational, so if

you have any questions or wish to update your personal details do

not hesitate to email [email protected] and we will assist as soon

as possible.

Ian Crookston

President AIHE QLD Chapter

Visit our website at

www.aihe.com.au

AIHE STATE NEWS continued



Overview

Solid state lighting is a rapidly developing technology offering a

useful alternative to traditional light sources. LEDs (a form of solid

state lighting) can provide excellent illumination in a wide range of

applications. They are highly energy efficient. They have a long life –

lasting up to 50 times longer than incandescent lamps and two tofive times longer than fluorescent lamps, making them ideal for

hard-to-access locations. LEDs are durable and can withstand

vibration and shocks. They are not affected by regular on-off

switching, which is good for areas such as bathrooms. In addition,

they are at full brightness as soon as they are switched on and

many are fully dimmable.

However tests on some LED products found in the marketplace

indicate a wide variation in product quality and how effectively they

may light space. Some lower quality LEDs sold may not provide

sufficient light, may flicker when dimmed, change colour through life

or fail prematurely.

LED products are still in a comparatively early stage of development,

and comparatively few have undergone rigorous testing in real-life

settings over a prolonged period of time. Accordingly users need to

be aware before investing in the technology.

This article provides some basic advice on how to select a quality

LED. Consumers are encouraged to look for the important LED

product features summarised below, including light output, colour

characteristics, lifetime and energy consumption.

Common LED performance indicators1. Lamp equivalence claims

Be cautious of claims that lamps are equivalent to common

incandescent or halogen reflector lamps. The best LEDs are

currently about four to five times more efficient than their

typical incandescent lamp equivalent. This means that for an LED

lamp claiming to produce as much light as a 60W incandescent

or 50W dichroic reflector lamp, it will need to use at least

12W of energy. Look for sensible numbers on any claim of

equivalence and compare products.

2. Light output

Another way to determine whether an LED is suitable is to look

for information about the light output, measured in lumens (lm).The higher the number of lumens, the more light is emitted.

Lumens are the best, most accurate way to compare two

different types of lighting. If the lamp carr ies a lumen output

rating, it may also indicate that it was actually tested for this

performance – a good sign.

A Guide to Quality LEDsBRYAN DOUGLAS

Chief Executive Of ficer | Lighting Council Australia

A sample SSL Quality Scheme label produced by Lighting Council Australia



of the product has been measured. The most useful measure is

when light output from the complete light fixture is measured.

3. Lamp lifetime (hours)

Some LEDs claim to have very long rated life, 60,000 hours

or more – having been tested but under the best laboratory

conditions. For high quality LED products, the expected (and

more believable) lifetime is somewhere in the range of 20,000

to 40,000 hours. It is very likely the claimed LED life is not based

on testing for the indicated life. Rather, life can be based on a

minimum 6,000 hours operation and then a prediction of the

light output decay is used to determine operational lifetime.

Look for realistic lifetime and manufacturers who can back up

their lifetime claims, either with testing or certification indicated

on the product packaging.

4. Lamp warranty period (years)

A good approximation for information on lifetime testing is

the warranty period that a manufacturer is willing to provide.

For a lamp claiming to last 25,000 hours (about 34 months of

continuous operation, or 22 years of regular nightly use in a

home), a manufacturer should be able to provide a warranty of

at least two to three years. If a longer life time is claimed look

for a corresponding longer warranty of perhaps five years. Look

for a clear statement of warranty period.

5. Colour temperature

LEDs are a coloured light source and are designed to produce

white light using a number of methods. As a result, they actually

The following table shows the number of lumens that a range

of traditional incandescent light bulbs produce. An LED with the

same number of lumens as one of the lamps in the table should

have a similar light output.

Incandescent (GLS) lamp Light output in lumens

25W 220 lm

40W 420 lm

60W 720 lm

75W 930 lm

For a LED lamp to provide equivalent light to the common

50W MR-16 dichroic downlight, it must produce a minimum

of 480 lumens. To achieve light output equivalent to the best

quality MR-16 downlight, it will emit 900 lumens. Always look for

a clear statement of light output in lumens.

Unfortunately the information on some LED packaging is not

always accurate. Sometimes the information on light output will

relate to the light source – that is, the LED chip, not the light

fixture (luminaire), of which the chip is only one component. It

is also important to note that LED light sources tested under

laboratory conditions will always have a higher light output

than the LED lamp when used in normal conditions. If unsure

about the specifications, intending purchasers should contact the

manufacturer or supplier to understand how the light output



produce white light in a number of ‘shades’ - just like incandescent

and fluorescent lamps – from warm-white (similar to a regular,

incandescent lamp) to cool white or bluish white (daylight).

Look for and make sure to choose the colour that best suits the

intended application and that you are most comfortable with.

6. Colour Rendering Index

Some LEDs are better at helping the human eye discern colours

than others, depending on the method used to produce white

light. Look for lamps that have a Colour Rendering Index

(abbreviated CRI) of at least 65 for outdoor use, and 80 or

better for indoor use. A new international measurement more

specific to LEDs is under development, but in the meantime the

best way to judge how well the LED light influences the colour

of objects is, if possible, to view them installed in the intended

application. Look for and make sure to choose a CRI number to

suit the application.

7. Energy Efficiency

Many people assume that LED lamps must be extremely

energy efficient; however this is not always the case. Many LEDs

currently on the market are similar to or a little less efficient

than the equivalent fluorescent lighting. Some poor quality LED

lamps have been found to be only marginally more efficient than

incandescent lighting, and less energy efficient than other types

of lighting such as compact fluorescent lamps.

The energy efficiency of a light is measured in lumens per Watt

(lm/W). If this measurement is not marked on the package,

simply divide the number of lumens by the number of Watts.

The higher the number, the more efficient the product. Look for

an energy efficiency rating on the product.

8. Safety rating

All lamps must be safe to operate. At a minimum this means

they have met mandatory requirements and earned their safety

marks. While marks such as ‘UL’, ‘CE’ or other certification

have no legal status in Australia, they may indicate the product

meets the required safety standards. Look for at a minimum a

compliance claim to the standard IEC 62560.

9. Other label or website information

Some ‘information’ on LED packaging may in reality be

misinformation. Less reputable suppliers may provide a range of

logos, and other cryptic insignia, that has minimal or no value. Such

may include ‘UL’, ‘CE’, ‘RoHS’, various numbers and green claims

(greenwash). Look for and view such claims with scepticism.

An Australian certification scheme for LEDsIn response to many poor quality LEDs in the marketplace and exaggerated claims

from some suppliers about their product’s performance, Lighting Council Australia –

a not-for-profit organization representing Australia’s lighting industry – has developed

a labelling-based cer tification program to assist purchasers of LED products. The

Solid State Lighting Quality Scheme is a voluntary industry program that provides

confidence to the market that an LED product carr ying the Scheme’s label matches

certain critical performance claims made by the supplier (energy efficiency, light

output, colour temperature and CRI). Registered products appear on a searchable

database on Lighting Council Australia’s website (www.lightingcouncil.com.au).■

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The Hamer Hall project located in the Melbourne Arts Centre precinct

at South Bank stepped into the new age of advanced technology and

energy saving concepts.

Sourcing quality product whether it’s for your home or a large scale

project such as this makes all the difference. It was important to

maintain the original atmosphere of the centre while implementing

energy saving lighting that wasn’t like the normal glary LED lighting

with the funny dots. On a project like this atmosphere means every-

thing and good quality lighting adds to making the whole experience

pleasurable. Sometimes it not just about saving money or benefiting

the environment even though in this instance the Hamer Hall AR111

and Par38 LED lighting achieved this also without any compromise.

Not having to worry about colour shift or making your skin look pasty,

they do the job they were meant to do unlike some LED options that

were tested.

These particular LED lamps were chosen for the commercial quality

they offered, not only were they good value and high output with

excellent lumens per watt, they also look like the original halogen

lamps being replaced adding value to the finished project.LED lamps used in this case study:

AR111 by Megaman

Par38 by Megaman

Crown Silver LED by Megaman

The David Jones national lighting project with over 22 stores was

initially implemented to save money on electricity and maintenance

costs, providing an economical green solution to the existing energy

wasting lights.

After the first brief testing with a lot of LED lamps and modules on the

market it was realised that a more rigorous testing approach was

needed, leading to the development of more than twelve brands in

store running continuously for over six months. This approach was

taken due to the massive number of lights in the project over the whole

of Australia, failure was just not an option.

It soon became clear that important factors needed to be met when

choosing an LED such as minimal colour shift, good life and light outputover the life of the lamp, glare control, excellent colour rendering,

retrofit options, fitting options, different beam angles and good lumens

per watt for efficiency.

During the course of the trial there were LED lamps and fittings that

failed, changed colour, were too glary, had a lot less light output than

when they were turned on and some just didn’t have at all the light

output needed for a commercial project.

At the end of the trial the final standing LED was chosen because of its

stability and cost effectiveness and it covered all the important factors

not normally thought about when deciding on an LED option.

LED lamps used in this case study:MR16 10W, 8W, 4W by Megaman

MR11 12v by Megaman

‘On a project of this scale

failure was not an option’.

‘Maintaining the original

atmosphere was very

important’.

‘Maintaining the original

atmosphere was very

important’.

A Brief LED Case Study on Two

Major Projects.Scott Gracie

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BY BRENDAN GRANGER

In this series of articles I am going to discuss “Guestroom Technology”

and in particular what guests want.

AIHE Presentation August 2012

GUEST ROOM TECHNOLOGY:WHAT GUESTS WANT!

We will look at some of thebiggest trends in technology

across the globe right now and

talk about how they impact us as hoteliers

There are a lot of changes in technology at

this point in time and we can probably talk

for days, but, we won’t. I will focus on those

that mainly affect individuals as hospitality is

about being hospitable to individuals.

I’ve broken the trends down into the 5 Key

areas, and they are:

Ubiquity – internet access is now common

place;

Mobility – internet access from the palm of

your hand;

Cloud – private data accessible via the

internet;

Social Media – you probably go to

Facebook; and

iVideo and iTV – we’ve probably made

this one up, I’m not sure. What we’re

talking about here is video and TV over

the internet and the fact that guests arebringing their own devices and content. In

a sense their own entertainment.

I’ll cover the first three trends in the article

and the remaining two in a future article.

Ubiquity

So, let’s look at the first one, Ubiquity. The

meaning of ubiquity has been around since

the 1500’s but today, it’s used to mean that the status of something is extremely

common. Something found everywhere.

It is normally used when talking about

technology and often in reference to the

internet.

Internet accessibility – there are 2.3 billion

people that have access to the internet,

about 33% of the entire population. 70%of those in Oceania and Australia have

internet access, 80% of people in Nor th

America, and 26% of people in Asia. Asia

represents a substantial growth oppor tunity.

Asia currently represents 45% of the total



Cloud Computing

The thirds trend is Cloud computing. Cloud

computing is private or business information

that you control and accessed via the

internet. It could be things like data storage,programs like SkyDrive. It could be email,

for example Gmail. There are personal

and business applications; Microsoft 365

is a Cloud based version of Microsoft

office. There are customer relationship

management products like Sales Force as

well accounting packages etc. Having your

application and information in the Cloud

means you can access it from anywhere that

you have internet access.

Cloud computing is becoming common

place and it is predicted to increase at a

50% annual compound growth over the

next 3 years.

So, what’s the impact of Cloud computing

on hotels?

Many guests will need to access the Cloud

in order to conduct business. So once again,

we see an increased demand for internet

access. It’s also going to put more pressure

on bandwidth than traditional business

email and web browsing.

Your guests will need to access their

applications/information in the Cloud to

be productive. Since it is business related

they will pay to be more productive and

will have low tolerance for a poor internet

service or bandwidth.

To summarise, I have discussed, 3 of three

5 major trends that we are seeing being;

Ubiquity, Mobility and Cloud computing.

These are all changing the way we as

individuals and companies do things and

of course, how hotel guests do things and

what they expect from hotels. The trends

above mean that guests expect great

internet connectivity, increasing demand

for wireless and increasing demand for

more and more band width. As businesses

provide access to business tools via the

internet, guest tolerance for a poor internet

experience is diminishing. The increase

prevalence of smart phones and tablets is

not only put increasing demand on wireless

availability but also wireless signal strength

as antennas in tablets and smart phones

are weaker than those in tablets so existingwireless infrastructure may be insufficient

for today, let alone tomorrows guests.

Next time we’ll look at Social Media and

iTV and iVideo.■

access. They’re predicting that wireless

internet access will exceed desktop based

access in 2016 and in the same year, tablet

sales will exceed notebook sales.

So what is the impact on hotels?

Well, hotel guests are now checking in

with more devices. 40% of your guests

have 2 or more Wi-Fi devices. 25% have

3 or more Wi-Fi devices. Most of these

devices need charging so there’s an

increased demand for power outlets. Most

of these devices are used to access the

internet which puts an increased demand

on bandwidth.

Guests are now also bringing their own

content on these devices as well or accessit on the internet on the device within

in your property. As a result there is less

dependence on the in-house video-on-

demand solution to the point where new

built properties are seriously considering

if they need a video-on-demand solution

or not.

There’s an increased demand to enable

guests to readily access their own content

just as they do when at home. They want to

play/watch what they want, when they want

and if they’re in a hotel room and they’ve

got an 8-inch tablet and the room has a

42 inch TV, it would be great if they could

connect their device to the TV and watch it

on the TV.

Tablets and smart phones are great for

video but of course video uses more

bandwidth. The other thing about video

is it is a continuous stream. Hotels are

seeing bandwidth consumption rates

increase as a result of mobile devices and

it’s only going to continue.

Mobile devices also have a dramatic

impact on a hotels wireless network,

because these devices depend on wireless.

So there is an increased demand for

wireless but not only that, there is an

increased demand for wireless across the

entire hotel, not only in the guest room but

by the pool and in all the public areas and

restaurants.

The other thing to keep in mind is that

wireless antennas on tablets and smartphones are weaker than those on a laptop.

So, your existing wireless infrastructure may

not be adequate enough to cover the entire

property when it comes to a tablet or a

smart phone.

worldwide internet users and it has grown

eightfold in the last 10 years. However, only

26% of the Asian population have access to

the internet. Over the last 10 years, there

has been more than a fivefold growth in those who have access to the internet.

Internet access today is so common place –

it’s now viewed almost as a standard utility.

So what does this mean for your guests?

Well, probably nearly all your guests have

access to great internet connectivity at

home and the office and they expect

the same level of internet access at your

property no matter what your star rating

is and they have a low tolerance to poor

bandwidth.

Mobility

The next trend is Mobility. What we mean

by mobility is literally mobile computing.

Hand held portable computing that are

internet capable, smart phones and tablets,

and they don’t all start with “i.”

87% of the population have mobile

phones. More people own a mobile

phone than own a toothbrush. There are

currently 1.08 billion smart phones out

there and that’s about 20% of the entiremobile phone market. As we said, not all

of those smart phones are iPhones, in fact,

just under 30% are iPhones. Smart phones

that use the Android platform (Samsung,

LG HTC, Sony Ericsson etc) are the most

common at just under 50%, followed by

Blackberry with 16%, Microsoft at 5% and

the Symbian operating system (Nokia etc)

at under 2%.

Of the 1.08 billion smart phone users

out there, 89% of them use their phone

throughout the day not just for makingcalls of course. 84% use a smart phone

for internet browsing. Tablets are now the

fastest selling consumer electronic device in

history. There are now 145 million tablets

out there and 84.1 million are iPads, that’s

about 58% of the market.

The big thing about smart phones though

is the Apps. Basically, an apps takes the

information from the internet and presents

it in small usable chunks. There are now

Apps for just about everything you would

want to do. There are over 1 million appson Apple and Google and over 45 billion

apps have been downloaded.

Coupled with mobile devices are the

predictions with regards to wireless internet



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BIG OPPORTUNITIES TO

REDUCE WASTE TO LANDFILL

AND SAVE MONEY

BY JENNY CAMPBELL | ENCYCLE CONSULTING

Hotel Engineers play an essential role in improving waste

management and recycling practices of hotels across Australia.

Solid waste from Australian businesses makes up about 30%

(or about 7 million tonnes) of waste to landfill in Australia each

year. In real terms, this is a ‘waste’ of materials and money.



The Accommodation and Food Services Sector produces

2.2 million tonnes of waste nationally per annum. Currently

around 32% of waste from this sector is recycled and the

remaining 68% is sent to landfill, even though most hotel waste is

recyclable or compostable.

Waste to landfill is expensive and will become more so, particularly

with the Price on Carbon, reduced availability of landfill space and

increasing landfill levies.

It’s generally cheaper to recycle or compost, so why is over two-

thirds of hotel waste going to landfill? Often it is because there is

no-one willing to tackle the issues and realise the oppor tunities. Inhotels where waste management works well, it is very often the

hotel engineer who has the know-how to understand the data and

identify the opportunities for waste through developing a waste

management plan.

A waste management plan specific to the hotel can help all hotel

personnel to understand their responsibilities for managing waste

in their work area. A waste management plan describes all the

For all site specific paint specifications and inspections please contact

QLD/NT Bev Allan 0414 181 135 [email protected]

NSW John Riordan 0414 181 166 [email protected]

VIC/SA/TAS Terry Ward 0414 181 179 [email protected]

WA Alan Tomkins 0417 537 307 [email protected]



waste and recycling systems in place and sets out an action plan for

implementing new waste minimisation or recycling initiatives.

Most of the waste generated by hotels is either recyclable or

compostable. The recyclables are cardboard, glass bottles, plasticbottles, steel cans, newspaper and office paper. Food waste is

compostable and makes up around 40% of the total waste

stream from hotels by weight (more if there are large

restaurants or conference areas).

Many hotels have recycling systems for

cardboard and glass or commingled (mixed)

recyclables in place, but may not have a clear

picture of how effective they are at

diverting waste from landfill or where

the opportunities are for saving

money and managing waste

more efficiently.

The hotel engineers who understand

the costs and performance of their waste

management system have a simple, but

effective waste and recycling data reporting

and management system. The system is not

necessarily complicated, and most of the relevant

information can be obtained by requiring your service providers to

give you the numbers you need in a useful format.

On a monthly basis, update your figures and keep track of the

tonnages sent to recycling and landfill and the expenditure. By

monitoring the data provided by your waste and recycling serviceproviders you will be able to determine a recycling rate for your

hotel. From here future targets and performance indicators can be

set. Without a measurement system in place, it will be difficult to

manage your recycling or composting initiatives. Keeping an eye on

the numbers uncovers the opportunities for more efficient systems

and provides the good news stories for the marketing team and the

corporate annual report.

When setting up your data management system, most hotel

engineers tend to think about whether the numbers they collect

and monitor will answer the important questions for them. How

much does it cost for your hotel to dispose of waste each year?

While waste disposal costs may not be a large part of your hotel’sbottom line, the disposal fees are likely to only be the tip of the

iceberg when it comes to working out how much waste really costs

your hotel. Have you included all the bulk bins for refurbishments?

Have you included all the waste and recycling streams, such as

cooking oil and grease trap waste?

Most hotels find that food waste is a significant part of their waste

stream and is also the fraction that causes the problems; it’s smelly,

heavy to move around and can create problems with vermin. Food

waste is also a part of the waste stream that causes problems in

landfill. Food waste decomposes in landfills to produce methane

which is a greenhouse gas over 20 times more potent than carbon

dioxide. It also produces leachate, a liquid that if not managed wellcan contaminate ground water.

Food waste can be diverted from landfill if it is segregated from

all other waste in hotel kitchens. In most Australian States, waste

service providers offer an organics collection service where food

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to avoid the need for packaging

and instead use more re-usable

containers such as crates. Of

course, you need a good system

to make sure that these cratesare collected by the suppliers

regularly and don’t clutter up

your loading dock.

If you’re going to all that effort to

reduce waste and recycle, why not

support the industry further and

create more demand for recycled

products, by purchasing products

such as office paper with recycled

content? There might be other

products you could purchase with recycled content too.

After you’re implemented some great initiatives and started to

achieve reduced waste generation rates and higher recycling

performance, make sure you tell your staff, guests, customers,

shareholders and broader community all about your hotel’s success.

But be careful to get your facts straight, otherwise you may be at

risk of ‘green washing’.

Hotel Engineers play an important role in driving waste reduction

and recycling initiatives in hotels. They understand the numbers.■

waste is taken to commercial

composting facilities for processing

into compost products. There are

also new technologies available

such as GaiaRecycle - a machine that dehydrates and sterilises food

waste to produce a dry, sterile

organic material, approximately

10% of the volume of the or iginal

waste that can be applied directly

to land or sent for compost

processing.

By treating food waste on-site, it

reduces the need to have waste

removed. It can also reduce

manual handling of waste and eliminate all sorts of manual

handling headaches for stewards, kitchen and loading dock

personnel. It will also reduce odour and potential occupational

health and safety issues.

Substantial cost savings can be realised by not producing waste in

the first place. There are a number of ways that your hotel could

generate less waste. You could put the onus back on suppliers and

couriers to take back their packaging, particularly those annoying

single-use timber pallets that seem to reproduce in hotel loading

docks. A review of purchasing policies could identify opportunities

phone 08 9444 7668 www.encycle.com.au [email protected]

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Total Facilities LiveBOB HOLESKO | CEM, CEA

VP OF FACILITIES HEI HOTELS & RESORTS NORWALK, CT

ENERGY MANAGEMENT FROM AUDIT TO IMPLEMENTATION*CASE STUDY*

Looking back at where HEI’s energy

conservation program began

compared to what it has become I

realize that I became par t of the “Perfect

Storm” for hotel energy conservation.

A “Perfect Storm” is an expression

that describes an event where a rare

combination of circumstances come together resulting in an event of unusual

magnitude. HEI’s rare combination of events

include:

1. Acquiring Hotels in need of energy

conservation upgrades

2. Having access to Capital

3. Having the freedom to implement

change

In 2006 I attended the annual LIGHTFAIR

International Expo in New York City. During

a lunch break with my entire team of

energy conservation consultants, suppliers,and installers, I challenged them all by saying:

“HEI Hotels & Resorts needs to win the

ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award

ASAP.” Winning the award would mean

more than helping the environment. It

would mean that HEI had developed and

implemented a program that was effective,

measurable, and had proven results.

Of course doing so required not only

coming up with the program but getting

the program endorsed by the “C” Level

Leaders at HEI (CEO, CFO, COO). It was

no small task, but I knew my team and Icould make it happen.

In 2009 we won the Association of Energy

Engineers (AEE) Award for Corporate

Energy Management of the Year , making us



The final Step in HEI’s “Perfect Storm”

energy conservation program targeted

Operational Programs, Awareness

& Incentives. Now that I had great

benchmarking data, “C” level support, anda robust capital commitment the missing

link was to bring it all together from an

operational stand-point.

At HEI we never stand pat and are

always looking for ways to improve our

hotels’ financial performance and reduce

our carbon footprint, “Corporate social

responsibility isn’t just a catch-phrase

at HEI, but something we work hard to

demonstrate every single day,” said HEI

CEO Gary Mendell. For example, now that

we have replaced all applicable 100 watt

incandescent bulbs with an 18 watt CFL

we now want the hotel staff to turn

off the 18 watt CFL. Main Operational

Enhancements implemented companywide

include:

• Energy Dashboard: We developed a

custom dashboard trademarked as the

Energy Looking Glass or ELG which

allows the Chief Engineers to monitor

energy use daily.

• FAB 4 Incentive Program: Identified

the key energy consuming department

heads – Chief Engineer, Executive

Housekeeper, Executive Chef and

Banquet Managers and developed an

incentive that instilled an energy saving

culture that was lacking.

• Energy Set Point Program (ESP):

Developed a program that certifies

the optimum operating parameters

for all key energy consuming set-

points such as domestic hot water supply and chilled water supply. Each

hotel can have a few dozen ESPs to

monitor.

In closing, one of the keys to HEI’s

success was the performance, buy-in and

commitment of our hotel Chief Engineers.

These are the guys that make it happen

and are responsible for steering the ship

through the “Perfect Storm”. Without their

dedication we would not have been able

to reduce our energy consumption 20.2%

companywide since the programs beganback in 2005.■

on I had nearly guaranteed approval on any

project that delivered an estimated three

year ROI or better. This set me up nicely for

step two.

Step two, which began in 2007, was the

aggressive implementation of proven

energy conservation capital projects. Many

of these projects were augmented with

utility supplier and State funded Demand

Side Management (DSM) Rebate programs.

Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) and

Projects that were implemented portfolio

wide and commonly referred to as the

“Low Hanging Fruit” or “No Brainer”

items included:

• Lighting Retro-fits: T-12 fluorescent tubeswith magnetic ballasts and incandescent

EXIT lights & bulbs replaced with T-8

tubes with electronic ballasts, LED EXIT

lights and compact fluorescent (CFL’s)

bulbs.

• Guestroom Thermostats: Replaced non-

programmable stats with programmable

stats.

• Variable Frequency Drive’s (VFD’s):

Installed on applicable systems with

motors 10HP or greater.

• Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning(HVAC) Controls: Energy Management

System (EMS) overdue software

upgrades, heating & cooling outdoor air

reset controllers, refrigeration & heating

equipment control upgrades, etc.

• Window Film: Rebate driven project.

• Miscellaneous: Installed photo cells,

motion detectors & timers on lighting

systems, installed plastic strip doors on

walk-in coolers & freezers, high quality

scales to weigh loads in laundry to

maximize efficiency of equipment, etc.

These items became known as “HEI’s

Standard Energy Conservation Capital

Package” and are implemented as needed

at all new HEI hotel acquisitions. A major

benefit of this methodology is the “Bundling

of Projects” since many of the HVAC

related items and especially the window film

projects when measured as a stand-alone

project have an ROI of 4+ years but when

bundled as part of a “Package” hit the 3

year ROI threshold. A simple rule of thumb

is that “Any project teamed with a lightingretro-fit sells easier.”

the first hotel company to win that award

since Marriott won it back in 1978. The next

year we won ENERGY STAR Partner of

the Year (POY). Our Goal had been

met. But why stop there? Every aspectof our energy conservation program

was effectively saving energy, preventing

pollution and was saving millions of dollars

each year. We kept at it and have since

won POY in 2011 and won ENERGY

STAR’s highest award, Sustained Excellence,

in 2012.

What it took to build one of the most

successful energy conservation programs

the US Hospitality Industry has ever seen

was simple but not easy, nor did it happen

overnight. Key elements of the program

included:

• Reliable Data/Benchmarking: Results had

to be measureable

• Upper Level Commitment: Executive

level leaders at the company had to buy

into the program and supply the capital

• Proven Technology: While risk can be

good, going with what was known to

work provided guaranteed results

• Effective Implementation: Of both

the capital projects and operational

programs.

• Reward Success : Incentives helped to

get the necessarily support from the

Chief Engineer and hotel Department

Heads.

Step one of implementing the program

was for HEI to join ENERGY STAR in

2006. This allowed use of ENERGY

STAR’s Portfolio Manager Program for

hotel by hotel benchmarking through

use of utility data.

This benchmarking supplied the hard data

and performance results needed to sell

the “C” Upper Level Management on the

investment rational of energy conservation

capital projects. The Net Present Value

(NPV) discount rate had to exceed 20% in

order to get that buy-in. In 2005 HEI had

already performed lighting retro-fits on

nine hotels. Using the Portfolio Manager

Program, I could show that this initial

round of lighting retro-fits delivered a 33%

return on investment ( ROI). That made ita slam dunk as an investment. From then



With the ever increasing energy bills set to spiral upwards, alternative sus-

tainable lighting needs to be embraced to help reduce overhead costs in both

commercial applications and domestic usage of electricity! High energy users,

such as the hospitality industry, large shopping malls and retail outlets are now

converting to this technology to meet with their future goals and policies with

high emphasis on energy reduction and sustainability. LED (Light Emitting

Diode) lighting products are an alternative that can help reduce electricity

bills. LED’s have over the last few years improved remarkably in quality and in

the components used.

On a negative note, we hear from clients and within the industry of ‘inferior’

LED products being offered at over inflated prices, this regrettably reflects

adversely on the LED industry in Australia. The significant and critical factor

in using LED lighting solutions is in the ‘quality’ of the components within the

light (LED chip, driver, transformer) to produce a superior product which pro-

vides the required lumens/candela at low wattage for the specific applications

that it is intended for, together with longevity of life span, and importantly a

competitively priced unit. Our products encompasses all of the above and we

pride ourselves on our after sales support service to our many clients.

We focus and specialise in special projects that include new builds, retro fits,

upgrades in the hospitality and corporate/commercial property arena, wherein

our clients are major hotel-chains, resorts, property developers. We work

closely with one of the largest power companies in Queensland. In addition, we

provide advice and support various shire councils.

Our product range is extensive and includes downlights, spotlights (MR16),

tubes (T8), decorative, exterior lighting, etc. LED lighting is highly diverse

with a wide range of styles to suite both, indoor and outdoor environments.

Consequently our range changes regularly with new technology and designs

being introduced into the market. As a result our website does not reflect in its

entirety our complete product range.

We offer a unique service to clients in designing LED lighting solutions to opti-

mise the product for their applications: brightness, colour, beam angles… and

to budget constraints without compromising on quality. It is imperative that the

application in which LED’s are used for are correctly applied the first time, addi-

tionally to ensure quality and energy efficiency. The installation or retrofit to

any LED lights from the usual incandescent or halogens is simple. Furthermore,

due to the relatively low heat emitted from LED’s negates a possible fire hazard

and reduces the air-conditioning load. An interesting feature of the LED light

is in its absence of UV rays, which has a positive impact in not attracting most

insects to the light, our products are to Australian standards and approvals and

subject to the product and project, carry an extended warranty.

For larger projects we work closely with our client, particularly on ROI (return

on investment) time lines and optimisation of illumination in a given area, in

order to provide a lasting impression. Based on the usage of the product, the

ROI is reduced greatly and power bills can be curtailed substantially.

For further information on MIH Lighting products, please visit our website at

www.mihlighting.com or call Ben on (07) 3315 2203.

PHONE: (07) 331 52203EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.mihlighting.com

ADVERTORIAL



EMPOWERING THEHOTEL ENGINEERROSS SHARMAN | Technical Director | Knowledge Global

ANDY GOONESEKERA | Director of Engineering | InterContinental Sydney

Profi t squeeze

The rising cost of electricity continues to squeeze

profitability and long term business sustainability.

This year’s introduction of carbon as a cost item

along with huge rises in network costs has

provided an added incentive to reduce energy

consumption.

Procurement managers are feeling helpless

as increasing percentages of the bill are non-

negotiable. The ability to reduce electricity

costs now largely becomes an issue of reducing

energy consumed, which means the pendulum of

opportunity has swung towards the engineer.

The Energy Savings Scheme and

Knowledge Global

To improve their hotel’s energy performance,

InterContinental Sydney engaged KnowledgeGlobal to use its award winning software system

EMMA. Knowledge Global is also an accredited

certificate provider of the NSW Energy Savings

Scheme (ESS). InterContinental Sydney is an

innovator in their sector and is the first hotel using

this approach.

The ESS was created to help manage long

term electricity costs within the state. Electricity

retailers are mandated to buy a number of

Energy Saving Certificates (ESC) and this cost is

passed onto all business consumers

The current value of one ESC (equivalent to one

carbon tonne) is around $30. In rough terms

if you have invested in an efficiency project and

now save one Mega Watt Hour (MWh) you will

save around $170 in electricity costs, additionally

there is a potential to earn $30 from ESCs for

each MWh saved (minus administrative costs).

The scheme can be interpreted as a reward

mechanism for saving energy; and is legislated to

run to 2020 unless it is replaced with a National

Energy Efficiency Scheme.

The short term option – deemedsavings (forward creation of credits)

Promises of free or discounted lighting products

are commonly offered in NSW and VIC. This

is made possible as sellers can forward claim

certificates based on the potential energy savings

of these lights for the product lifespan.

The problem with this course of action is that

this potentially makes claiming ESCs for other

works in your facility costly and onerous. Installing

ESC discounted lights will mean you need to

apply a suitable method to ensure you are notdouble counting the energy savings.

The ESS allows you to forward create or

annually create certificates for non-lighting

projects using the project impact assessment

method. However this relies on detailed

engineering assessments of the project and as

such administrative costs of creating the ESCs

are increased.

Using the longer (and smarter) term

option– actual savings

The approach Knowledge Global offers is very

different; they use the metered baseline method,

establishing a baseline from historical data and

then continually measuring the savings against

this baseline. As various efficiency projects are





savings of $250,000, and the generation

of 1,700 ESC’s per year (current value of

$51,000). A staged LED lighting roll out

will further grow these savings, putting the

hotel in a much stronger fiscal position.InterContinental Sydney will continue to

reap these rewards until 2020 or even

longer if the federal scheme takes off.

And into the future ….

Looking into the future; the development

of LPG export industry will result in

significant increases in gas costs, and cost

pressures on waste and water will increase.

Therefore, initiating and reviewing your

sustainability management strategy with the

right tools and reward mechanisms today,will ensure you a competitive advantage for

tomorrow.

Ross Sharman, Knowledge Global

www.knowledge-global.com

Phone (02) 8216 0993

Andy Goonesekera, InterContinental

Sydney www.sydney.intercontinental.com

real smarts around electricity tariffs and is

instrumental in budgeting, planning, returns

on investment and procurement. It can also

be used to track the energy performance

of individual assets – useful in trackingactual performance against forecasted

performance (often promised by vendors).

This now means the engineer (and finance)

has the tools and mechanisms in place to

squeeze every inch of efficiency out of

their hotels. That pendulum of opportunity

should be grasped with both hands and be

used to earn the engineer the status they

deserve.

InterContinental Sydney – Case

Study

After a chiller replacement in 2009,

there have been a number of smaller

projects and a continued roll out of best

management practices at InterContinental

Sydney. As a result, energy consumption

has dropped by 18% from its baseline,

resulting in approximate annual electricity

realised, the actual energy savings against

this baseline can be accurately quantified

and registered as ESC’s.

This approach effectively creates aconsistent stream of revenue that can

be used to re-invest in new projects. A

process of continuous improvement of

energy performance is created, which is

measured and managed by the Knowledge

Global software EMMA. Unlike the deemed

savings, this method means revenue is

available for the full duration of the scheme

– delivering longer term rewards.

So often good maintenance, innovative

thinking and best practices that reduce

energy go unrecognised and unrewarded – this approach allows the results of this work

to be quantified and financially rewarded.

This approach encapsulates all energy

savings and contributes to the overall saving

of energy.

An additional benefit of using EMMA has

been that it has been able to provide some

Interior Design – Refurbishment – Procurement

F Furniture & Bedding Packages

F Custom Designed Furniture made in Australia

F Audio & Visual Equipment

F Kitchen & Laundry Appliances

F Flooring Products including

Custom Designed Carpets

F Window furnishings

F Kitchens & Bathrooms

F Painting & LightingF Project management

F Full turnkey refurbishment specialists

F Ongoing operational procurement services

1800 SURJIO (787 546) I [email protected]

Be Impressed



HOTEL ENGINEERRegulation UpdateDEREK HENDRY | HENDRY GROUP

Smoke Hazard Management: Building Code of Australia (BCA)

AUST – HENDRY building surveyors advise that the Building Code

of Australia (BCA) in Clause E2.2 ‘General Requirements’ establishes

the requirements under the BCA for smoke hazard management

and sets out other general provisions. As a guide for building

surveyors when faced with performance based designs it would be

reasonable to accept minor departures from the deemed-to-satisfy

provisions (for instance the variation of sprinkler or smoke detector

head spacings) by using the performance Clauses EP2.1 and EP2.2

in Part E2.

Building Code of Australia Clause E2.2 General

Requirements

Where a design involves a complete departure from the deemed-

to-satisfy provisions of BCA Table E2.2a, General Provisions, expert

assistance should be obtained to assess compliance with the

performance criteria.

Class 2 to 9 buildings under the BCA must comply with E2.2(b), (c)

and (d), which cover the fire mode operation of air-handling systems

in order to maintain the basic integrity of the fire compartments.

In addition to E2.2(b), (c) and (d), BCA Class 2 to Class 9

buildings must comply with the requirements of Table E2.2a,

which provides some general and specific strategies for smoke

hazard management.

The following illustration from BCA Illustrated depicts the

requirements for smoke hazard management in a building over

25 metres high with multiple uses. Please note no ‘Issue’ and

Explanation’ is included.

E2.2(b) requires an air-handling system which is not part of a smoke

hazard management system to be designed and installed with

suitable strategies to ensure that, in the event of fire, it does not:

• Recycle air from one fire compartment to another; or

• Otherwise contribute to the spread of smoke between fire

compartments.

In a fire, an air-handling system which is not part of a smoke hazard

management system must either shut down or operate as a smoke

control system in accordance with AS/NZS 1668.1:1998 ‘The use of

ventilation and air-conditioning in buildings – Fire and Smoke control

in multi-compartment buildings’.

Where the air-handling system is shut down in fire mode, it must

incorporate automatic smoke dampers where the ducts penetrate

any fire barriers.

The use of a purging arrangement of smoke

control, in accordance with AS/NZS 1668.1, is

allowable in buildings which are not covered by the

general provisions in BCA Table E2.2a, and in some

instances in conjunction with other measures in

accordance with Table E2.2a.

Any air-handling systems which serve more than

one fire compartment and can be covered by

Clause 7 of AS1668.1 must be designed and

installed in compliance with that section of the

Australian Standard, except where the system

serves a carpark. This approach is intended to

minimise the spread of smoke between fire

compartments.

Note that provisions on the operation of carpark

ventilation system in the event of a fire in the

carpark, are included under the general provisions

in BCA Table E2.2a.



fire-service booster connection must be provided adjacent to allow

boosting of the system.

The fire brigade’s use of the fire-service booster connection ensures

that sufficient water pressure is available for fire brigade officers

to utilise the fire hydrants (fire-service booster connections also

connect to a building’s sprinkler system).

The illustration opposite from BCA Illustrated (http://www.

bcaillustrated.com.au) depicts the access requirements to fire-

service booster connection. (Please note ‘Issues and Explanation’ of

a fire-service booster connections not included).

Essential Safety Measures Audit - Fire ServiceBooster Connections

The Following is a part extract of clause 1.1 Safety Measures

covering fire-service booster connections:

Table I1.5 SAFETY MEASURES – SIGNS

Safety MeasureBCA provisions for determining

standard of performance

Fire hydrant system

(including on-site pump set

and fire-service booster

connection)

E1.3

An AS/NZS 1668.1 system for zoned smoke control and automatic

air pressurisations for fire-isolated exits must be controlled by a

smoke detection system installed in compliance with Clause 5 of

BCA Specification E2.2a Smoke Detection and Alarm Systems.

Fire Brigade Connections: Essential Safety Measures

AUST – Essential Property Services advises that fire brigade

connections under the Building Code of Australia (BCA) are ‘fire-

service booster connections’. Fire-service booster connections

(which become nominated essential safety measures) consist of an

arrangement of valves and pipe work specifically designed to suit a

building’s needs. The design of the fire-service booster connection

must enable the fire brigade access to sufficient water quickly, to

allow them to attend to a fire.

Building Code of Australia

The Building Code of Australia in clause E1.3 Fire hydrants, specifies

the requirements for the installation of a fire-service booster

connection. A par t extract of clause E1.3 follows:

E1.3 Fire hydrants

(b) The fire hydrant system -

(vi) where the water supply system is taken form a static source,

suitable connections and vehicular access must be provided to

permit fire brigade personnel to draw water from that source and a

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Table I1.12 SAFETY MEASURES - OTHER MEASURES

Safety Measure BCA provisions for determining

standard of performance

Glazed Assemblies B1.4

The Building Code of Australia nominates the following Standards

applicable to glazed assemblies:

• AS 2047-1999 Windows in buildings - Selection and installation

• AS 1288-2006 Glass in buildings - Selection and installation

Essential Safety Measures Audit - Glazed Assemblies

An essential safety measures auditor must locate the glazed

assemblies in the building and report any defects in the building’s

essential safety measures logbook.

Derek Hendry is the Managing Director of the HENDRY group of consulting

companies that include HENDRY Building Surveying Consultants, HENDRY

Disability Access Consultants, Essential Property Ser vices and Emergency Plan.

HENDRY pioneered the private certification system of building approvals in

Australia, and the consultancy assists clients nationally in all facets of building

control and disability access compliance, essential safety measures audits and

emergency planning requirements. HENDRY publish a monthly e-newsletter

entitled ‘Essential Matters” and provide a subscription service, BCA Illustrated,

which provides over 3000 illustrations that interpret and explain the BCA as

it applies to your building. http://www.hendrygroup.com.au

Essential Safety Measures Audit - Fire Service Booster Connection

Most building surveyors/ certifiers will nominate AS 1851-2005

Maintenance of fire protection systems and equipment in their

state’s essential safety measures schedules/ determinations for

the inspection, testing and maintenance of fire-service booster connections. Essential safety measure auditors must check the

fire-service booster connections maintenance contractor’s

logbook for the designated inspection frequency and record in the

building’s essential safety measures logbook details of the facilities

observations.

Glazed Assemblies: Essential Safety Measures

AUST – Essential Property Services advises that the Building Code

of Australia (BCA) in Part B1 Structural Provisions allows for

glazed assemblies in buildings, providing compliance with specified

requirements. The building surveyor/ certifier should be specific in

the description used in the essential safety measures determination/schedule so that the essential safety measures auditor can locate all

glazed assemblies.

The illustration on page 35 from BCA Illustrated depicts a ‘glazed

assemblies’ in a shopfront, door and side panel. (Please note ‘Issues

and Explanation’ of glazed assemblies not included).

The following is a part extract of clause I1.1 for an Essential Safety

Measure known as glazed assemblies:





Answer: The Floor!

How often do we think much about what we are walking on…

floors and pavements?

Well…hardly ever, but what we walk on is by far, our most physical

contact with a building!

Other than turning handles and taps, we barely touch a building,except for the floor…and we are in heavy physical contact with

it always.

So this particular relationship between user and building is rather

unique. And it varies with user.

For babies, the floor is almost their whole world. For kids and

teenagers it is the medium used to speedily get from one place

to another. For adults it’s about ease of movement and cleaning.

For the elderly who often shuffle while walking or use walkers or

wheelchairs, a floor or pavement type can mean the difference

between being able to move about or not.

And the floor…what does it have to do? Well, there are many things it needs to do – and these all vary in importance depending

on the building and application!

Generally, floors need to be durable to withstand constant abuse

and impact. They also need to be cleanable, reparable, provide

ease of movement, not let you slip too easily, not damage you or

other things too much when dropped, look good, manipulate light

and glare usefully, and not hold odours (spilt stuff and air-borne

substances, including pollution, settle on the floor).

So you can see…the humble floor or pavement is an unexpectedly

complex part of a building.

A Closer Look at Floors

This will be just a whir-wind tour of the world of f loors.

Floors need to be durable. Harder floors will generally last longer

than softer floors, but harder floors are more likely to result in injury

during a fall, cause fatigue, cause more sound reverberation (echo),

or cause breakage of dropped objects.

Floors need to be cleanable. Lighter and plain colours may reveal

dirt more than dark patterned colours. Textured or fabric surfaces

can be harder to clean than smooth surfaces, however smooth

surfaces may release more dust into the air. Smoother surfaces are

easier to clean but can be less slip resistant.

Floor slip resistance is an important safety issue. It is more critical

with Wet Area floors, food preparation area floors (which can

become more slippery with less cleaning), and mechanical work area

floors. Certain materials (eg polished timber, smooth concrete and

polished tiles) can be slippery especially if the floor is dusty or wet.

38

What’s that you are walking on?BY GREG BLAIN ARCHITECT



Crushed gravel is sharp and uncomfortable to walk on in bare feet.

River washed rounded stones are hard to source, are expensive,

and can destroy natural habitat to obtain. Recycled crushed

concrete and brick can provide a rounded aggregate and is an

environmentally sensible choice.

Stairs – Another Floor Dimension

Stairs can have similar characteristics to floors, but of course they

involve users also moving in the ver tical dimension. This brings in a

whole new set of safety issues.

A handrail should never be too far away on a Stair.

Also the most used part of the Stair is the tread nosing (the tread

edge). The foot tends to rotate on the nosing so this par t is cr itical.

Durable, slip resistant nosing pieces can be used however these

need their top surface flush with the Stair tread surface. If they are

sitting proud (or above) the tread surface, they can form a trip

hazard for users descending the Stair.

Curved Stairs can be unsafe as each tread is tr iangular shape and

users tend to walk across the Stair (from the outside to the inside)

meaning they traverse treads of irregular width.

Spiral Stairs can save space and may be quirky, but can be unsafe as

they can be difficult to traverse, increasing fall potential. Also, only

small things can be carried on them.

Landscape Stairs and steps require some different considerations

especially regards safety.

Landscape Stair safety can include having slightly rounded edges (to

reduce fall injury), slip resistance, and having regular and predictable tread widths and heights. Timber needs to be smooth and splinter

free – if not maintained timber deteriorates to eventually become

splintered and dangerous.

A landscape Stair descent trip hazard may be created by different

materials settling differently. An example is timber sleepers forming

the vertical part of the step, in-filled behind by pavers, and the

pavers settle lower than the timber.

The Humble Floor is Anything but…

You have now some appreciation of design of that humble and

unassuming part of every building – the floor. Step lightly and

carefully when selecting flooring. There are a million differentproducts and types.

As with anything building related, it is often best to consult an

Architect. Once built, decisions become real, affecting people’s lives

and are harder to fix.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Greg Blain has been a Registered Architect

since 1989 and his experience spans over

30 years in the Building Industry. Greg

currently operates a Practice specialising in

detailed architectural design and architectural

specification writing (www.BlainSpecifications.com.au). Greg also has produced a series of

small books designed to help Australian house

owners succeed with their new house or

renovation project (www.HouseDesignHelp.

com.au).

Slip resistance considerations often need to be balanced against

cleaning requirements. However safety must always take priority.

Slip resistance can come from the material surface itself or by applying

a slip resistant coating. Slip resistance rating can be determined,

specified, and then site-tested once the flooring is installed.

Floors need to be flush (no steps or sudden level changes) to avoid

trip hazard. Avoid single steps as they can be an unexpected trip

hazard which can be eased with warning colour and/or textile floor

change, but it is still best not to have a single step.

A floor level change of about knee height (even if Law allows

no handrail) can be a fall danger. A handrail should be provided

(including a mid-rail for children). This handrail could be set-back so

a person can use the floor change as a seat and not hit their head

when they stand.

A source of unacceptable heat reflection and glare comes from light

coloured external pavements (including standard grey concrete) andfloors near large windows. Darker colours should be used to avoid

excessive heat reflection and glare.

Outside Floors – Pavements

Of course, like internal floors, well designed outside pavements can

enhance our quality of life.

But the design and selection of pavements involves different

conditions, primarily needing to withstand the rigours of nature.

Basic design factors can include texture (roughness causes fall

abrasion injury), durability, trip hazards and steps, slip resistance,

drainage, sealing, cleaning, maintenance, load (people, cars), glare

from lighter colours, and falls/slope.

Rough paving will likely not suit the elderly, wheelchairs, children’s

wheeled toys, and cleaning. It can cause more abrasion injury during

a fall, than smoother paving. Some coarse paving (eg very rough

cobblestone or natural stone) may even cause ankle injury.

I prefer to use lightly honed concrete pavement. It is fair ly smooth

(more usable for the elderly and less abrasion for children falling), it

is fairly easily cleaned (especially if sealed), requires less maintenance

(tiles and pavers can come loose or settle unevenly), and it is very

durable.

If there are in-ground services under pavement which may require

future access, segmental (individual) pavers laid on compacted road-

base is a sensible choice.

Pavements need to be drained and surface water drainage must not

cause erosion, or discharge to a neighbour.

Roofs or awnings should not discharge rain water (or even drip

dew) directly on to paving, as this can promote paving mould

growth which is a slip hazard and causes paving deterioration.

Sealers for earthen or concrete pavers can be applied to protect

against spills and staining. However surface sealers (which dr y over

the pavement surface like paint) can alter the slip resistance and

can peel off over time. I prefer to use penetrating sealers which get

absorbed into the surface of the pavement.

Gravel for pathways is not ideal as it can’t be compacted and moves

when walked on (like course sand), the elderly can’t walk on it,

children may play or throw it, cats like to defecate in it, and dogs like

to dig it.





Ileant much of this when I first meet the lad doing research on the

Southern Harvester in 1953. Goodness what a stink is set about

by a whaler! She had just arr ived on Tyneside from a season in

the Antarctic. Being always interested in the other fellows ship, and

in particular, what machinery was down below, I paid a visit, and it

was here in his stinking lab that I first met Wilson.

By then so he told me, his father had given up on the hospitality

business but that the whole caboodle was there in trust for Willy

when he left off ‘fooling around in fish oil.’ Which I felt was a mite

unfair to humankind. OK so I am the first to grieve at the loss of a

single whale to human butchery, and am also the first to applaud the

great Stop Whaling monitories. However I will persist in saying this:

As with all great notions and inventions landing on the shoulders

of those before, so did the oil from the whale fit the needs of one

moment in time. Consider illumination before whale oil, before

kerosene was distilled from coal, before the greatness of Edison,

Faraday and the many others. Consider the fluid in the early clutch

less auto transmissions. Fact is that whale oil be it sperm or theother was immaculately suitable for many engineering purposes.

Back then, to the ancient Hotels in the Nor th of Britain. Wilson

talked of the days of candles and oil lamps. And of coal and steam

[heavens!] and the new fangled incandescent light bulb. Which of

course the ladies were entirely against. Imagine that glaring light on

our not always perfect presentation, they said. And worse, the cable

sneaking around on the floor. What magic is this, begora? The clients

using the old hotels maintained a dim view of the ‘oil-less lamps’ for

a considerable time. Not to mention the noise and smell from the

power plant somehow connected to the afore mentioned cables;

indeed a most distressing situation altogether!

And then the pre WW1 kitchens Wilson’s Father had told his son

that over the years it had been likened to hell on earth, stashed

away in the nether regions of the hotel or tacked on to a free

standing restaurant; a place best forgotten, hot, humid, a place of

long working hours, hard floors with puddles of dirty water; a place

where young boys were tyrannized by the Chef and men grow old

before their time, burned out by the flames of their stoves and the

pressures of their environment. Ugh.

Key words here are the ‘flames of their stoves.’ Many of our

generation have seen [and sweated over] Chinese Wok appliances in

hotels and many of us have maintained the darned things, including the wet exhaust systems associated. Many a to-do I have had with

Chefs over this one, but I fear that Chinese history and culture has

the casting vote. On the other hand, using the same Satanic Fires to

cook a couple of eggs seems to me a mite over the top.

Whichever, Fire has been an important part of all cultures and

religions from pre-history to the modern day, and while Wilson

knew this, his interest was left of centre - in a word petroleum

hydrocarbons. Just why he went from a North Sea oil rig to an

Antarctic whaler he kept under his hat. These professor type chaps are

a bit hard sometimes for we mere mortals to keep up with. But going

on his record, you could believe that his next move may have been in

distilling coal and oil shale. Oil refineries began manufacturing keroseneafter crude oil became readily available during the mid-1800s.

Kerosene distilled from crude oil quickly replaced other oil-lamp fuels,

and kerosene lamps became the most common lighting source until

electricity became widely available in the 1930s and 1940s.

Any one out there served in hotel’s using these grand old systems?

You’d need I would guess to be in your eighties at least. Drop me a

line why don’t you?

So Wilson and I said our farewells on the Southern Harvester,

little knowing then when we should meet again, indeed at a Wake

following his passing. May I say this was a marvellous event, and

Wilson would have been proud? As the evening rolled around,various references were made to the ‘Hotel Industry’ and to the

exquisite comradelier generated.

Even then. Even so long ago, the Upstairs Downstairs theatre of our

beloved hospitality was alive and well.■

A friend passed on recently who was surely from ‘back of house’. He was what

was then called an Engineering Chemist, and of all things was something of a

guru on whale oil. His father owned an ancient stone walled hotel in the north

of Britain, and young Wilson dutifully learned the tricks of the trade, up to a

point that is. His true passion was with hydrocarbons, and it so happened that

the fellow Drake who put together the first successful drilling rig on the planet,

cemented Wilson’s passion indeed for the ‘term of his natural life’.

NEIL WEENINK’SBACK OF HOUSE





Do you have an OnSite Generator?

Can you manage your electricity load?

REDUCING ELECTRICITY COSTS BY LOADSHEDDING AND DEMAND MANAGEMENT

BY MICHAEL NEWTON | WATT UTILITIES

If your answer is yes you may be able to

explore an alternative way to negotiate

electricity contracts with significant

reductions.

Our Electricity network is geared for

customers to buy from the wholesale

pool at the spot price but the pool is

nearly exclusively used by the generators

and retailers. The spot pr ice for wholesale

electricity is calculated for each half hour

period during the day and is the clearing

price to match supply and demand in the

market. Generators and retailers also trade

in financial instruments known as hedge

contracts outside the wholesale pool

to hedge the fluctuations in spot prices.

Normal customers don’t by from the pool

due to risk and volatility in cases when thepool prices spike. Yet if you can manage load

to avoid these risks you can access low cost

electricity at wholesale rates.

Saving electricity costs using existing backup

Generator assets or Load Shedding

Demand side participation, also referred to

by the market as load shedding, curtailability

or DSM, is the situation where an electricity

consumer can reduce their consumption

of electricity in response to a change in

market conditions, such as high spot pricesor network constraints. This is a deliberate

action taken by the customer when demand

drives spot prices high and can be a manual

process or automated using communication

and control equipment. This strategy is

beneficial to both the customer and the

market as it allows the customer to avoid

the peaks of high spot prices, risk-managing

this potential exposure. A similar strategy,

called load shifting, is a process where

specific demand is intentionally moved to a time when there is lower overall demand

and consequent lower spot prices.

There are also now alternatives to

traditional retail contracts. There are

niche retailers out there that will allow

you to access the wholesale pool if you

can manage your load. This now offers a

significant opportunity in reducing costs.

What are some of your alternatives to

traditional retail contracts and why would

this potentially benefit your organisation if you can load shed?

These options are available as an alternative

to normal electricity contracts:

• Capped Pool

• Managed Pool

• Structured Options

• Managed Purchasing

• Short Term Grid connected backup

generation

• Renewable and base load generators

• Automated Load Management Systems

Demand Side Management and Demand

Reduction

Reducing and managing your electricity

demand also plays a significant role in

going green. Looking at this option

not only has a positive impact on your

bottom line it expands to wider

economic impacts and has significant

environmental benefits. There is an

interesting statement listed on theCSIRO website about Demand-side

Resources, it says, demand-side resources

could be worth up to $1 billion per year

to the National Electricity Market while

helping to keep the lights on during

extreme events. Not small change by

any means.

DEMAND reduction has to be a key

topic if we are to develop a sustainable

approach on the development of new

power infrastructure. Our electricity

supply is often taken for granted by most

people yet it is now a matter of concern.

With our population growth, temperature

shifts in the extremes with heat waves and

cold snaps and our general demand for

power increasing, we will we get to a point

where our demand for electricity is greater

than supply.

So if you want to be serious about

making a real difference and also have

reduced electricity costs start learning

about DSM (Demand Side Management)and load Shedding. The bottom line is

you weigh up your apparent risks, open

your eyes to the opportunities and think

out side the traditional methods and you

could save significant costs. ■



Hotel Engineers are well aware of the multitude of mechanical,

electrical and cleaning services required to maintain optimum

hotel services ef ficiency and amenity for hotel clients.

However, the maintenance of some of these services can be

hazardous, and require specific safety measures such as anchor

points for working at heights. These anchor points and static

lines are themselves required by law to be inspected at regular

intervals and while the frequency of inspections is addressed

by state legislation, there are differences from state to state

and the legislation can sometime seem contradictory.

This article will provide an outline for hotel engineers on the

requirements on a state-by-state basis and explains where to

find the answers to manage this most hazardous of tasks.

Anchor Pointand Static LineInspectionIntervals

BY MAX WINTER | THE HENDRY GROUP

HOW IS THE LEGISLATION STRUCTURED?

Priority is given to legislation as follows:

The OHS Act of each State is the primary legislation and mandates

compliance with health and safety regulations which deal with

specific risks such as asbestos management, confined spaces, plantand height safety. The detail and content vary from State to State

but, essentially, the Regulations are legal documents.

Codes of Practice and Compliance Codes give practical advice

regarding specific r isks. Workplace safety authorities regard

compliance with the Codes of Practice as complying with OHS

laws. Compliance with Australian Standards are not necessarily

legally binding unless called up in higher order legislation as applied,

incorporated or adopted. Under these circumstances, compliance

with that Standard becomes mandatory and the Standards

effectively form part of the legislation.

South Australia

The South Australian Regulations mandate inspections of

anchorages that are permanently fixed at least every six

months. The Australian Standard dealing with fall prevention



inspected six-monthly, “other than” the anchorage points. This

creates a lot of confusion for users. When read literally, the

legislation implies that all the components of a system should be

inspected, such as the ropes, inline shock absorbers, end terminals

and shuttles, except for the anchorage point, which need never be inspected.

Surely the most fundamental part of a system that is designed to

stop a person hitting the ground would be the anchorages, which

hold the system to the main structure. Despite this contradiction

in the Regulations, a more logical approach is to interpret the

regulations to mean that the full system must be inspected on a

six-monthly basis, not just the anchorage points. The importance

of anchorages cannot be overstated: they hold the system together

and the regulations deal with them in 25 different paragraphs!

Fortunately, Section 321 4(a) clearly states that a system must

be inspected at six-monthly intervals and that records are to bemaintained for at least four years. The Regulations make continual

reference to anchorages being a part of the system, which brings

closure to this contradiction.

Western Australia

Western Australia’s Regulations call for six-monthly inspections of all

fixed anchorages. There is no reference in these Regulations to any

Australian Standards.

Australian Capital Territory

The National Code of Practice for the Prevention of Falls in General

Construction is nominated as a Code of Practice in the ACT,

meaning that there is a requirement for six-monthly inspections of

permanently fixed anchorages.

Victoria

Victoria was the first state to introduce a separate set of

Regulations for the Prevention of Falls in 2003, and while the

current Regulations do not specify the frequency of inspections, the

Compliance Code does.

Inspection is required within six-monthly intervals when the

anchorages are permanently fixed and in “regular use”. The

Compliance Code does not define regular use, so it is up to the

hotel engineer to determine whether the anchorage points are‘regularly used’. The Compliance Code makes 32 references to

anchorages, which reflects their perceived importance to height

safety compliance.

New South Wales

The NSW Regulations deal with working at heights in Division 6 of

the 2001 Regulations. The 2001 Regulations calls for inspection “on

a regular basis”. The more recently published position paper and

2006 Safe Working at Heights Guide confirms that requirement in

relation to inspection and testing.

WHAT CAN GO WRONG?

If anchors and static lines are not routinely inspected and

maintained, they can fail. Fixings can loosen and rope fittings can

dislodge. Site conditions can also change; new air conditioners may

be installed, for example, or gutters may become inaccessible from

the ground. Dangling from the side of a building in a harness can

equipment, AS/NZS1891, is also adopted as a Code of Practice in

South Australia.

Since the Regulations are higher-order legislation than a Code

of Practice, the requirement for six-monthly inspections takes

precedence over the 12-monthly inspections required under AS/NZS1891.

Queensland

Section 323 10 (c) of Queensland’s Workplace Health and Safety

Regulations states that every component of a system must be



lead to tragedy when toxic shock/suspension trauma kicks in. If the

equipment fails or is incorrectly configured, there is also a chance of

hitting the ground, fully dressed in your harness.

THE BOTTOM LINE: THE LEGISLATION ANDINDUSTRY PRACTICE

In terms of inspection frequency for anchor points and static lines,

in most States, the law points to six-monthly inspections, although

differing circumstances may mean the answer may not be quite so

straightforward. Work Place Safety Assessors can help you appraise

the most suitable requirements for your needs.

About HENDRY company, Work Place Safety Assessors

As par t of the HENDRY group of consultancy companies, Work

Place Safety Assessors are able to provide working at heights

audits, confined space audits, storage and racking, asbestos register

maintenance, chemical storage audits, cooling system audits,

emergency planning, fire safety advisor, evacuation diagrams, fire

system testing, building audits, fire door audits, essential safety

measure audits, glazing audits, building surveying, energy compliance

audits and disability access audits.

Work Place Safety Assessors have the national presence required

to deliver our services across Australia, while maintaining the State

OHS legislation expertise necessary to provide for your local

needs with offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne,

Adelaide and Perth. Work Place Safety Assessors provide a

complete suite of workplace safety and compliance services to

building owners and managers, and can provide an obligation-freequote on your needs.■

For more information go to www.wpsa.net.au for your local State

office, call Work Place Safety Assessors on 08 8274 3713 or email

[email protected]



Cleaning and maintaining the exteriors of buildings is an important way to

improve the image of your hotel or motel – and technologically advanced

cleaning equipment makes it easy to achieve outstanding results.

First impressions in façade maintenance

First impressions count – it’s an

accepted fact in all walks of life.

If you want to sell your house, a tidy

front garden and freshly painted front door

will help; cordon bleu chefs will often say

that we eat with our eyes, so go to greatlengths to make their dishes look beautiful;

and if you want to get that new job a smart

suit will go down better than jeans and a

scruffy T-shirt!

The same goes for the image of your

hotel or motel – so keeping your premises

pristine, both inside and out, is crucial.

They are the public faces of your

organisation, so if they look below par,

chances are that both existing andpotential new clients will be less than

impressed and take their custom

elsewhere. A smar t, clean façade to your

buildings presents a professional face to

the world, stating that your business really

does mean business.

Making sure that effective and regular

cleaning regimes are in place is

therefore a must, but there are many different issues that need to be taken

into consideration when cleaning the

façades of buildings. Safety is arguably

the most important, and there have

47



Pure water is used in this type of cleaning

because it leaves glass and surfaces spot

and streak free, without the need for

chemicals. Pure water is, as the name

suggests, water in its purest form. To get to this state the water is processed to

remove the minerals and impurities that

would otherwise dry and lead to spots and

streaks. These impurities are known as Total

Dissolved Solids (TDS) and are measured

in parts per million (ppm) – water is

considered pure when its TDS is measured

at 0ppm. The two water purification

methods recognised by the cleaning

industry are:

• Deionisation (DI) – where the water is

filtered through ion exchange resin whichattracts and removes 99% or more of

the minerals

• Reverse Osmosis (RO) – where the

water is passed through a series of

been significant changes in this area in

the last few years.

Design and technology provide

safe solutions

Advances in technology have a big part

to play in influencing how an industry

sector evolves. Nowhere is this more

apparent than in the most obvious and

visual manifestation of façade maintenance

– window cleaning.

The ‘traditional’ days are long gone –

thanks to advances in design that have

made window cleaning faster, safer and

more efficient. Water-fed poles have

become the equipment of choice for professional window cleaners, allowing them

to clean high buildings and windows safely

from the ground, alleviating the need to

work at height.



membranes and filters which retain and flush away most of

the minerals and impurities

Water-fed poles continue to evolve, incorporating new design

features and materials that make these systems even easier touse, with the added bonus that they deliver even better quality

results in a fraction of the time, saving companies money too.

The ‘next generation’ water-fed poles provide a better

balance between weight and rigidity. Because the poles

are lighter it makes the cleaning operative’s job easier and

more comfortable, but this reduction in weight does not

compromise rigidity, meaning that the poles are still

responsive and easy to control, allowing brushes to get right

into every corner.

Advances in brush head design, water delivery via multi-jets,

angled adapters and pole extensions that allow operatives toclean to heights of up to 65ft while keeping their feet firmly on

the ground, all make this sector of the industry a fast-changing

and exciting place to work in.

Assess the risks

As with any cleaning job, site surveys and risk assessments will

help to establish the best equipment to deliver the results you

require. It can also identify gaps in knowledge or training, and

how frequently your façade needs to be cleaned.

The different materials that need to be cleaned must also

be taken into consideration. For instance, is it primarily glass(windows) that need to be cleaned, or are there other

materials on the exterior of your building that will also need

attention, such as metal signage? With an increasing awareness

of environmental issues, companies are also thinking about

incorporating energy saving into their business activities, and

energy creation is also a hot topic.

Solar panels are becoming more and more popular – for

residential and business premises – but they need regular

cleaning. Exposure to rain water does help to wash off some

dirt, but it also adds new dir t particles to the panel. A build

up of dirt and soil can reduce the light absorption of solar

panels, making them less efficient and effective. Water-fed

pole technology is now stepping up to the mark to provide

solutions to this particular problem by developing larger

brushes with soft bristles specifically designed to clean and

prevent damage to solar panels.

With further developments in technology and training in

response to market forces and customer needs, façade

maintenance and cleaning can only continue to become easier,

quicker and more professional.

For more information about the latest facade maintenancecleaning technologies, contact Pall Mall Manufacturing, provider

of specialist accessories to the commercial and industrial

cleaning sectors, and exclusive distributors for Unger cleaning

equipment in Australia – telephone +61 2 9584 8644 or visit

www.pallmall.com.au

20-21 May 2013, Singapore

Suntec Singapore InternationalConvention and Exhibition Centre

Phone 1300 789 845 or

visit www.piscinesplashasia.com

Pool & Spa Trade Show

Media Partner Organised By

Platinum Sponsor Supported by

R E G I S T E R

N O W



Now that we have compulsory maximum flow rates for showers and taps the challenge for the Hotel Industry

has been to meet water restrictions and building code

requirements and still provide guests with satisfactory showers.

The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Scheme (WELS)

has been in operation now for over 5 years so this means that

any shower head purchased for the guest rooms will have a

flow restrictor fitted. The maximum flow rate mandated by the

regulations is 9 litres per minute (3 Star WELS rating). The problems

caused by these restrictors and the remedies are discussed later.

The positive outcome of these regulations is that not only is water

consumption reduced but energy consumption is also reduced, bothresulting in utility cost savings.

The water and energy savings generated by these regulations can be

used to investigate and purchase the best solution for the guest and

the hotel.

Firstly, assess how much water is saved and secondly how much

energy is saved. Then consider what is the best shower solution at

a flow rate of 9 litres per minute that will maximise the showering

experience for your guests.

When a shower is turned on, the hot tap is usually turned on full

to allow the hot water to arrive at the hot water tap more quickly,

then the cold water is added to provide the required showering

temperature. The resultant flow rate for a non flow controlled

shower is usually 18 to 20 litres per minute.

Previously a flow rate of 12 litres per minute could achieve

significant water savings using almost any style of shower head.

To reduce the shower flow rate to 9 litres per minute presentsa challenge in shower head design. The design must ensure that

9 litres per minute can be delivered in a manner so the shower

feels comfortable and looks good. It is important that the

consumer is satisfied with the quality of the shower as well as

the savings.

HOW MUCH WATER IS SAVED?Before the Installation of Efficient Pressure Balanced

Showers

Significant savings can be achieved in water usage in Hotels and

Serviced Apar tment buildings. The magnitude of these savings

will depend on the number of people occupying the room or apartment and the ablution habits of the guests.

Figures 1 to 3 opposite show the calculations for usage of water

in Hotel rooms with different room densities before flow control

is installed.

After the Installation of Water Efficient Pressure Balanced

Showers

We have based this comparison on a shower providing a pressure

balanced flow rate of 9 litres per minute for the shower and 6

litres per minute for the basin. We have assumed the shower head

selected meets the suggested performance criterion detailed further

in this article.

Figures 4 to 6 show the reduction in water consumption when

a water efficient pressure balanced shower system is installed to

reduce the water consumption in showers and flow controllers are

installed in the basins.

Energy Management using

Pressure Balanced ShowersBY CHRIS MCDONALD | JEM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Figure 1 – Occupancy Density of 1 – without any flow control

Fixture Type Ave Daily Use Flow Rate l/m Times used/person % of Total

WC 75 litres 11 litre flush 6.8 22%

Bath 27 litres 180 litre bath 0.15 8%Shower 210 litres 20 1.5 63%

Basin 23 litres 12 6 7%

TOTALS 335 Litres 100%



Figure 2 – Occupancy Density of 1.5 – without any flow control



Bath 41 litres 180 litre bath 0.15 8%

Shower 315 litres 20 1.5 63%



Figure 3 – Occupancy Density of 2 – without any flow control



Bath 54 litres 180 litre bath 0.15 8%

Shower 420 litres 20 1.5 63%



Figure 4 – Occupancy Density of 1 – water efficient pressure balanced shower

Fixture Type Ave Daily Use Flow Rate Savings % Litres/Room Saved

WC 75 litres 0 0

Bath 27 litres 0 0

Shower 126 litres 9 40% 84

Basin 11 litres 6 50% 12

TOTALS 239 litres 29% 96

Figure 5 – Occupancy Density of 1.5 – water efficient pressure balanced shower


WC 112 litres 0 0

Bath 41 litres 0 0




Figure 6 – Occupancy Density of 2 – water efficient pressure balanced showe


WC 150 litres 0 0

Bath 54 litres 0 0






HOW MUCH ENERGY IS SAVED?Savings in Energy Calculations

A large percentage of the water shown above as saved is hot

water. Because water used in showers is warm water the hot water

component of the total flow rate can be calculated.

This can be calculated as follows:

The highest showering temperature for most people is 42 degrees.

But stored water must be at a minimum of 60 degrees C to prevent

the growth of bacteria such as legionella.

Assume an average cold water temperature of 15 degrees C .

Under these conditions the percentage of hot water required to

produce a shower at 42 degrees is 60%.

Therefore, 60% of the water saved in the shower is hot water.

The hot water saved at the basin is estimated to be only 20% as

some of the usage is cold water only.

The energy required to heat the hot water can now be calculated

by using the formula:

kW =m3 x 1.28 x Δ t

η

Where

kW = kilowatt of energy

m = quantity of water in cubic metres

1.28 = a constant factor

Δ t = temperature difference between the hot and cold water

η = efficiency of the hot water supply system

To calculate the actual energy required to heat hot water the

system efficiency must be considered.

A decentralised continuous electric storage system will have an

input to delivery point efficiency of about 85%.

A centralised storage system (the most common) that is indirectly

heated from a central plant can have an input to delivery point

efficiency of 45% or less.

In both cases the system efficiency allows for both standing and

circulating losses, plus the heating medium transfer losses.

These efficiency percentages are approximate and will depend on

the piping system design and type of insulation used.

EXAMPLECalculate the annual energy savings for a 250 room hotel with an

occupancy rate of 75% and an average room density of 1.5.

Calculations:Before any flow control water consumption

Water consumption in rooms in cubic metres

= (503 x 250 x 365 x 0.75 )/1000

= 34,424 m3 per year



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To calculate the hot water consumption this consumption is then

split into the shower usage and the basin usage as follows:

Shower usage = (315 x 250 x 365 x 0.75)/1000


Basin usage = (35 x 250 x 365 x 0.75)/1000

= 2,395 m3 per year

The remainder is the water used in the WC and bath

The percentage of water that is hot:

Shower – 60% = 12,935 m3 per year

Basin – 20% = 479 m3 per year

TOTAL hot water usage = 13,414 m3 per year

The energy required to heat this hot water in a centralised,

indirect fired system that has a system efficiency of 45% is

calculated below:

kW = (13414 x 1.28 x 45)/ 0.45= 1,716,992 kW per year

After the installation of an efficient pressure balanced shower

system

Water consumption in rooms in cubic metres

= (359 x 250 x 365 x 0.75 )/1000


To calculate the hot water consumption this consumption is then

split into the shower usage and the basin usage as follows:

Shower usage = (189 x 250 x 365 x 0.75)/1000

= 12,935 m3

per year Basin usage = (17 x 250 x 365 x 0.75)/1000

= 1,163 m3 per year

The remainder is the water used in the WC and bath

The percentage of water that is hot:

Shower – 60% = 7,761 m3 per year

Basin – 20% = 233 m3 per year

TOTAL hot water usage = 7,994 m3 per year

The energy required to heat this hot water in a centralised, indirect

fired system that has a system efficiency of 45% is calculated below:

kW = (7994 x 1.28 x 45)/ 0.45= 1,023,232 kW per year

A reduction in energy of 693,760 kW per year

SUMMARYWhat is the best Shower system solution for a 9 l/m flow

rate?

Research has shown there are four main requirements for a shower

experience.

• A pleasurable experience

• Plentiful spray

• Strong even pressure (water velocity)

• Even and stable showering temperatureThe first two items – a pleasurable experience and plentiful spray

are dependent on the design of the shower head. This design

determines how the water is delivered to the body and if the

delivery method makes effective use of the available water quantity.

The diagram below is of a typical water saving shower head and

shows some of the deficiency in the current designs.

The main faults with this shower are,

• A hollow centre to the spray pattern.

• The spray is narrow and does not cover the body. This usually

means the user has to move around constantly in the shower to

keep warm and to rinse any soap from the body.

These problems have always been an issue for low flow shower

heads.

A recent design has solved these problems. A technology called

“Twin Jet” has been developed and patented. (see figure opposite)

This technology solves the problem of hollow centres in the

shower head and is designed so the spray covers the full width

of the body. The computer simulation diagram below shows how

this is achieved.

A strong even pressure and stable showering temperature are the

two items that conventional restricted shower heads cannot always

provide because a restrictor is fitted into the shower head or arm

to provide the 9 litre per minute flow rate. However, the best way

Figure 7 – Water and Energy savings per year for a 250 room hotel, 75% occupancy – Occupancy Density of 1.5Utility Usage in Rooms No Flow Control Water efficient shower Savings % Saving Quantity

Water in rooms only 34,424 m3 24,569 m3 37% 9,855 m3

Hot Water Energy 1,716,992 kW 1,023,232 kW 40% 693,760 kW



to provide stable showering temperatures and pressures is to install

the flow control into the shower tap to provide pressure balance

between the hot and cold water supplies.

EFFICIENT PRESSURE BALANCED SHOWERS VS.

SHOWERS WITH RESTRICTORSShowers with Restrictors fitted into the arm or head of

the showers.In the past many Hotels and serviced apartments have been

fitted with a restrictor or a restr icted shower rose, by the building

developer. This has been done in an attempt to provide water

conservation or to meet the requirements of the local Supply

Authority.

Generally the guest is dissatisfied with the quality of the shower

so they will complain about these shower roses. The Hotel then

replaces them with an unrestricted shower rose.

The net result of this is the attempt at water conservation is

neutralised and the money spent on the restricting shower roseshas been wasted.

These showerheads will save water but there is an amenity cost to

the end user that can result in a negative attitude towards water

conservation in showers.

Phone: 02 9807 8592 or Fax: 02 9807 8594

for your local distributor

Water Efficient Technology from:

JEM Australia Pty. Ltd. ACN 071 535 450

[email protected]

www.jemaustralia.com

Our water saving and pressure balancing

technology has been installed into more than

70,000 hotel rooms throughout Australia

and the Asia Pacific region.

–

These properties have maximised their

water saving but have not compromised guestcomfort and satisfaction.

–

The benefits JEM technology offers is not

achievable by fitting a shower head alone.

WELS Compliant Products Now Available



The main amenity costs when restricting shower roses are used are

as follows:

• Not enough water.

Conventional restricted shower head – A flow rate of 9 litres

per minute can appear to be insufficient when the design of

the shower head cannot deliver the water in an efficient manner.

This then results in guest complaints of “not enough water” and

“poor shower pressure”.

Solution - “Twin Jet” shower head – A twin jet shower head

has been specifically designed to deliver a flow rate of 9 litresper minute and will even operate at flow rates as low as 7.5 litres

per minute with a spray pattern that gives good coverage over

the body.

• Uncomfortable shower.

Conventional restricted shower head - The velocity of the water

discharging from the showerhead is too high. The high velocity

gives the feeling of holes being drilled, by the water, into your

body. This high velocity can cause pain and general discomfort to

the user.

Solution - “Twin Jet” shower head - A “twin jet” shower head

produces a softer shower spray to provide a comfor table shower with no narrow jets of water.

• Dangerous shower. – Everyone has experienced temperature

fluctuations in the shower when someone turns another tap on,

we call this “thermal shock”.

Conventional restricted shower head - when a restr icted shower

rose is installed the thermal shock is increased dramatically. There

have been incidents where people have been scalded, or injured

jumping out of the way of a shower when the temperature has

suddenly changed.

Solution - Pressure Balanced “Twin Jet” shower head – when

the shower flow rate is controlled by the in-tap pressure

balance the thermal shock is eliminated. The in-tap pressure

balancing system balances the hot and cold pressuresseparately so that when they mix together in the pipe to the

shower head any changes in the hot or cold pressures are

absorbed by the individual hot or cold pressure balancing

valve. This results in a shower flow that is stable in temperature

and pressure.

CONCLUSIONThe best solution for a hotel shower is the combination of a shower

with pressure balance and “twin jet” technology.

There are showering systems on the market that provide the

combination of these technologies that are 3 Star WELS rated

that can be retrofitted or can be provided buil t-in to new

shower taps.■







(Somersby, NSW): BAC Australia, the country’s leading manufacturer

of evaporative cooling, thermal storage, and heat transfer

equipment, has had its sustainability credentials validated by

winning the 2012 Hunter Manufacturing Award for Environmental

Excellence.

With its national headquarters and manufacturing plant located

in Somersby, the award recognises the company’s expanding,

sustainable commitment to environmental excellence over the last

12 months on the Central Coast.

This award comes on the heels of the company winning the Central

Coast Business Excellence Award in Sustainability in August. It

was also a finalist in the Central Coast Business Excellence Award

Manufacturer of the Year.

Along with acting locally to generate an impressive suite of waste

reduction, recycling and management activities, the company

launched its nationwide environmental management plan in May.Titled visionblue, the plan has set the company on the path to being

carbon neutral by 2020.

According to Managing Director, Craig Johnson, the Hunter

Manufacturing Award recognises the effor ts of BAC Australia staff

members who have been working hard to reduce the company’s

environmental footprint.

“We are delighted to have been recognised with this prestigious

award, particularly given that it recognises the contributions of

businesses on the Central Coast, of which we are a proud member,”

he said.

Johnson said that while the company had been working hard

to offer environmentally sustainable solutions for its customers

for many years, placing greater focus on its own environmental

management has been an important step for a business that

considers itself a leader for the local community.

“For some time we have been highlighting the environmental

performance of our products to our customers, however the truth

of the matter is that until recently we haven’t really been walking the talk ourselves,” Johnson said.

“visionblue is our commitment to walk the talk, and the awards we

have won this year recognise our efforts so far, and provide great

motivation to continue into the future.”

“We have taken the approach that if we want to build a

sustainable business for the longer term, the communities in which

we operate need to benefit. Furthermore, we need to minimise

any negative impact on our environment and also educate our

customers and the wider industry about the most sustainable

approaches to heat rejection.”

The visionblue plan is being implemented alongside state and local

government coordinated programs, including the Sustainability

Advantage Program.

Johnson added that the company had also benefitted greatly

from collaboration with Central Coast Manufacturing Connect, a

new organisation recently set up to act as an umbrella group for

the different organisations in the region that support the

manufacturing sector.

“What’s good for the environment is also good for business, and

we’re pleased that our customers as well as our peers on the

Central Coast are recognising this,” said Johnson.

For fur ther information please contact: Craig Johnson, Managing

Director, phone 0419 517 550.

ADVERTORIAL

Localmanufacturer

awarded for its

environmental

leadership



GET OUT OF THE BACK ROOMKeys to Developing and Growing

Your FM CareerMICHEL THERIAULT FMP, RPA, LEED AP

Success for you and your company are driven by results. Get

results by improving performance.

You can improve performance by implementing strategic

management practices in all aspects of your responsibilities.

Leverage the fundamentals you already know and implement

practical tools and techniques that maximize value and improve

results. Use these techniques to drive performance from yourself

and the staff, systems, suppliers and contractors you rely on to

deliver services and manage your facilities or buildings.

Strategy in Facility and Property Management

All too often, property and facility managers spend most of their

time managing day-to-day issues and focussing on tactical services

that their customers rely on.

Getting better results means carving out some time to think ahead,

develop ideas and sell both the ideas and the implementation to

senior management.

Start by looking at your organization’s own strategy and goals. What

do you need to do to support them? What are you missing that

will help you achieve results? Do you have the right staffing, skill sets,

systems, internal support and information to get results?

While a Mission, Vision and Values is often seen as a head officeissue, it can serve a very important purpose if developed properly

from the ground up for your team instead of in a corporate board

room. Developing a Mission and Vision with your staff can foster

useful discussion, focus attention on what matters and guide

decisions.



Call Tracking

Understanding what is happening in your buildings or portfolios is

important. Tracking calls from occupants and categorizing them can

provide you with information you need to assess subcontractors,

identify trends that need to be corrected, support capital planning

and business cases.

While a formal call centre is ideal, for smaller portfolios or

buildings, a simplified system, which could be an excel spreadsheet,

can provide you with the data you need as you track all calls

and requests. This includes all sources, including your suppliers,

technicians, security staff, and calls you field yourself. In one example,

tracking the number and type of problems related to elevators -

which were often made to the security guard in the lobby - helped

support an elevator modernization project. A building with similar

elevator problems that was managed by a different Property

Manager wasn’t tracking the problems and couldn’t justify their ownelevator project, since they didn’t have any information to back-up

their business case.

Be sure to track the data in a way that you can analyse and

turn into information you can make decisions with. Categorize

the calls and record the date in a format that can be sorted and

analysed.

Customer Satisfaction Surveys

Feedback is an important part of any efforts to improve results

and service. The best way is to ask your customers. Use several

techniques. While you may already visit your occupants and ask

them how satisfied they are with services, this is often only with the tenant or occupant representative and misses information from

everyone else. As well, it isn’t in a format you can use to compare

trends or analyse results.

Develop customer / occupant satisfaction processes and programs

that enable you to effectively measure results and act upon the

information to make improvements instead of simply

benchmarking satisfaction results. Don’t just use an annual survey.

Implement a transaction survey to follow-up on their satisfaction

with specific issues they have called about and work performed on

a monthly basis.

Ask a modest number of questions and make sure you can act on

the questions. Try to track the location of the response, for instance

by building, floor, tenant or occupant. Keep the same questions each

time you do the survey to enable comparisons over time. If you ask

for comments, don’t leave it open. Be specific and you are more

likely to get responses.

Enter the information into a spreadsheet or other system so

you can do comparisons and get information that you can use.

Different results for cleaning on different floors may be related to

the janitorial staff themselves, for instance, and are easily corrected.

Temperature problems with one tenant may indicate problems with

the system. Concerns about response time to issues may promptyou to re-examine your process and improve it.

Performance Management

Performance management is often seen simply as measures in the

form of Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)

It can also be a launching board for developing a strategic

plan, which is an important way to set your direction and

identify what you need to implement or change to improve

your operations.

Getting and Using information for Decisions

Developing strategy and making decisions takes information, not

just data. Data is dimply a series of facts while information gives

meaning to the data and provides the knowledge necessary to

make decisions that improve results.

A good example is measuring performance. A performance

dashboard that shows results at a point in time is just data. A

twelve month trend graph of the same data provides information.

Also, don’t focus as much attention on what is going well - focus

on the results that are outside of the norm. This takes less time

and gives you the best value. If you have call centre information,filter out the so-called normal results and dig into the issues and

problems to find root causes and either correct problems or

adopt solutions. For instance, an unusually low number of

janitorial calls in one building or area may mean someone is

bypassing the system, not that there are few problems. Comparing

those results to Satisfaction Survey results, for instance, can reveal

the truth.

You can leverage existing systems and processes to get the

information you need or plan changes or new systems to give

you what you need. Often, corporate systems are not designed

to give you the information you need, so you must seek other

ways to get the information or implement your own facility/

property systems.

Getting Information

Improving results requires information and information takes data.

Getting the data is an important process and if you have systems

and processes that provide it, you need to leverage them. If you

don’t have data, the best way to improve results is to implement

ways to get it. The most common ways to get data are:

Computerized Maintenance Management Systems

This not only enables you to schedule regular preventive

maintenance routines, it should also track failures and correctivemaintenance, whether identified by your staff, suppliers or customer

calls. By tracking work against equipment and where possible

identifying the resources, time and cost of the work, you can use

the information as part of your capital replacement programs and

future business cases, both for projects and resources.

It helps you make decisions on what equipment should be replaced

and contributes to the justification you need for funding. It also

helps support environmental and energy projects, a key area for

getting results.

An example is an organization that had their subcontracted

maintenance contractor on a work order system, but their in-housestaff activities were not. After adding the in-house staff to the same

system, they discovered patterns that allowed them to redirect

in-house staff to higher value work and reduce overall costs. That’s

an example of using a maintenance management system to provide

information that gets you results.



square foot as well as cost of delivering work order services,

maintenance, etc.

Have a formal process with your staff or suppliers, giving them a

chance to see the results on an ongoing basis and identify solutionsand changes that will have a positive impact. Sometimes they are

beyond their control, but if they identify them, you can take action

and improve results.

By looking strategically at what you do and tr ying to improve

results using performance based approaches, you will not only

make it easier to make decisions and manage your operations,

you will get results that get attention and not only support your

corporation’s goals, they will increase your value to the

organization.

Michel Theriault is Principal with Strategic Advisor, specialising

in facility management consulting and training.For more information, contact him at [email protected]

or visit his web site at www.strategicadvisor.ca or his blog at

www.thebuiltenvironment.ca

There is much more to it, however, and by using the techniques as

part of a larger process instead of simply a way of measuring and

penalizing poor performance, you can get better results from your

staff and suppliers.

First, the very nature of measurements looks backwards at past

results, not forward. Expand it out by using historical and trending

techniques with the data and create information you can use to

manage performance going forward by preventing problems before

they result in failed service.

While measuring key results (i..e KPI’s) are important, you should

also look at the underlying processes that create those results and

measure them as well. Use the data to develop information that you

use constructively with your staff or suppliers to analyse and solve

problems rather than waiting for failure.

Include costing information in your performance measurements.In corporate facilities, this would include cost per square foot,

real estate cost per FTE, cost per Move/Add/Change, etc. For

commercial property management, this also includes cost per





12% ChromiumUtility Stainless Steels

Background

Almost all of the stainless steels in use

have 16% chromium or more and have

nickel or other additions to make them

austenitic and hence formable, tough and

readily weldable. However, the formal

definition of a stainless steel is that it is an

iron- and carbon-based alloy with more

than 10.5% chromium. Historically, the

corrosion mitigation industry regarded

alloys with more than 12% chromium as

stainless steels mainly because those alloys

did not corrode in mild environments.

Because of the perceived problem of high

initial price when using stainless steels,alloys that are ‘barely’ stainless (and with

low nickel to boot) are more competitive

with painted or galvanised carbon steel than

higher alloys.

How were these grades developed?

More than 30 years ago, developments

from the 409 grade (used for car exhausts)

led to a weldable ferritic that was tough

to sub-zero temperatures. Two versions

were developed: a stabilised grade for

corrosive environments and anunstabilised grade that matched

international standards. One issue was that

the titanium used for stabilisation was hard

on the refractories and caused the surface

finish of flat product to be less appealing.

However, when end users moved to

unstabilised versions, corrosion problems

arose in some applications. Research lead to

further alloy development and proprietary

grades with outstanding resistance to weld

sensitisation.

What is different about these materials?

• They are ferritic (and attracted to a

magnet), and can be bent, formed, cut

and electric process welded like carbon

steels.

• The balance of their metallurgy limits

grain growth when heated. So, unlike the

ferritics used for cladding, thick sectionscan be welded without excessive grain

growth and embrittlement.

• After welding, they have a duplex ferritic-

martensitic microstructure that does not

usually require heat treatment.

• As ferritics, their thermal expansion is low

(actually less than carbon steel) which

reduces distortion risk during welding or

furnace operations.

• They have good scaling resistance in air

to ~600˚C and reasonable strength at

that temperature compared with more

expensive austenitics with a scaling limit

of ~800˚C in air.

• Like duplex alloys, they do not suffer

from chloride stress corrosion cracking.

• Like duplex alloys, they do not suffer from

chloride stress corrosion cracking.

• They provide excellent and economic

resistance in corrosive wear applications

compared to hardenable carbon steels,

surface-treated materials of higher alloys.

However, there are a few cautions:

• Low chromium, low nitrogen and no

molybdenum means thay have low

corrosion resistance (PRE~11). They

will pit in marine environments and in

less severe conditions they cannot be

used if aesthetic appearance is critical.

Painting is a useful option in aggressiveenvironments.

• Neither cold work nor heat treatment

will increase their strength, although

they are slightly stronger than 300 series

stainless steels. Because they do not cold

work, they should be less susceptible to

galling then austenitic stainless steels.

• While it is nothing to do with the

material, supply is mostly limited to sheet

or plate, i.e. bar, hot-formed sections,

hollow sections and wire are generally

unavailable.

What are the alloys?

There is a plethora of proprietary and

standardised grades with between 10.5%

and 12% chromium. The Ferritic Solution

This article appeared in the Australian Stainless Magazine

published by the Australian Stainless Steel Development

Association.



Table 1

Zinc Aluminium Cr12 [ratio to

zinc]

Corrosivity (mild steel

corrosion rate)

15 80 315 [21] Medium (33μm/yr)

7 60 200 [28] Low (24μm/yr)

Years of life with mild steel = 1 year

Welding of Cr12 Stainless Steels

AS/NZS 1554.6 deals with welding of structural stainless steels and

compacts all three branches of the 12Cr grades under ‘1.4003’ for

selection of consumables. The recommendation is to use a 309L

consumable although 18-8Mn (Note 8) is also prequalified. Heat input

should be between 0.5 and 1.5kJ/mm and the interpass temperature

should not exceed 150˚C.

As with all stainless steels, contamination by carbon steels must beavoided and any heat tint should be removed prior to exposure to

corrosive service. While owners using Cr12 alloys for corrosive abrasion

service regard the in-service removal of heat-tint surface layers as

sufficient, this is only true if sufficient material is removed to expose the

virgin stainless steel before the first rest period with corrodents on the

surface could promote pitting.

Applications for 12Cr Stainless Steels

Applications include piggeries, rail cars, road transpor t, sugar and

mineral industry (especially with corrosive wear), effluent tanks, under

pans for conveyors, ducting (including furnaces), BBQ plate, electrical

meter boxes, floor plates, gravel screens, railway overhead support

towers, etc.

Acknowledgements

This paper has been prepared with support from ASSDA colleagues

and especially Acerinox, Atlas Steels and Sandvik. Their assistance is

gratefully acknowledged.

Reprinted with permission of Australian Stainess magazine as published by

the Australian Stainless Steel Development Association

booklet available from the ISSF [www.euro-inox.org/pdf/map/

The_ferritic_solution_EN.pdf ] lists about a dozen. In Australia, the

major proprietary grades are 3Cr12 and 5Cr12 where the ‘3’ and

‘5’ are labels, not compositions, and may include additional letters

for other grades in the family. However, these labels cover threedifferent material design decisions – and only those in (A) below are

standardised:

A. Low chromium, no molybdenum and low nickel, carbon and

nitrogen. These are covered by S40977/1.4003 in ASTM A240/

EN10088.2 respectively or S41003 in ASTM A240.

B. As above, but with stabilising titanium or titanium plus niobium.

There are several rules for titanium content but 4 (C+N) with

a limit of 0.6 is used. The Ti/Nb will lock up C and N and reduce

the risk of sensitisation, i.e. it limits corrosion associated with

welds.

C. As above, but with lower carbon and nitrogen limits and specificcontrols on ferrite and austenite stabilising elements. This gives

immunity to sensitisation in corrosive environments where there

is a risk of fatigue.

How were these grades developed?

The cost of steel that has been galvanised is currently up to 30%

less than the cost of a 12Cr utility stainless steel when transport,

pickling and other costs are included. When added to the cost

of better trained (and hence more expensive) staff required for

fabricating stainless steel, it is apparent that on a prime cost basis,

even this basic stainless steel will not be cost competitive. However,

on a LCC basis, the 12Cr grades have a significant advantage

primarily because of durability.

Table 1 shows the relative lifetime of zinc (as a proxy for galvanising)

and aluminium vs a 12Cr stainless steel in a medium and low

corrosivity environment where the atmospheric corrosion rates for

carbon steel are listed averaged over a 20-year exposure. It is clear

that the life cycle cost of the 12Cr stainless steel is much better

than either of the alternatives listed.



Most hotels and motels are at high risk for a rapid pest

infestation, particularly during the hot humid summer

months.

Keeping them at bay can be expensive and ineffective without full

cooperation from the proper ty manager.

According to Glenn DuBois of Australian Pest ControllersAssociation, the usual periodic use of insecticides must work in

conjunction with non-chemical controls managed by the property

owner / manager.

In addition, there are new pest control products on the market

that give far superior safety and effective control of insect pests

commonly associated with the hospitality industry.

In this article, we examine three prime pests that regularly infest

hotel and motel premises, namely, bed bugs, ants and cockroaches,

and what the property manager can do to help ensure such pests

are effectively controlled.

Bed Bugs

Bed Bugs are blood-suckers and are commonly found in motels,

hostels or boarding houses where itinerant travellers stay overnight.

Bed bugs are transported with luggage, clothing and other ar ticles,

but not on the person. It is not practicable to know if boarding

guests are ‘bed bug carriers’. Bed Bugs do bite, at night, often

evidenced by dots of blood in a line on bed linen.

Non Chemical Pest Control procedures include the regular

inspection of the entire bedroom, particularly bed linen and other

areas where luggage and clothing are stored, for signs of bed bugs.

These areas should be thoroughly vacuumed on a regular basis

paying particular attention to underside of mattress and nooks and

crannies in these areas.

Look for dots of blood in a line on bed linen. The blood has a sickly

sweet odour. Also look for dried blood deposits around cracks in

the bed, bed-head, flooring, bedside furniture and mattress.

Bed bugs feed for 3 to 5 minutes at night, in the early morning

hours, before returning to their harbourage area, usually located

within a few metres from their feeding area. Bed bugs can survive

for long periods without a blood meal.

High standards of hygiene and sanitation will certainly help as an on-

going preventive measure.

All clothing, bed linen, curtains, fabrics and the like must be

laundered prior to insecticidal treatment. Seal gaps in furniture, floor

boards and cracks in wallpaper and other such areas where bed

bugs can hide during the day light hours

We recommend to use a professional pest controller for periodic

insecticidal treatment in any commercial lodgings situation where

bed bug infestations are likely to be a problem..

Do NOT attempt do-it-yourself pest control using a surface spray

on bed-linen or mattress. Such a use could be a DANGER to the

health and safety of the occupants and will most likely result in

ongoing infestation.

A new product recently released by Bayer, namely Temprid

insecticide spray is highly recommended to be used against bed

bugs. Where a spray cannot be used say near electricals we

recommend Permethrin dust be used.

In addition, it may be essential for the entire room to be treated

using pyrethrum insecticide dispensed through a fogging or misting

machine, in order to flush the bed bugs out of their hiding areas and

into contact with the Permethrin dust or Temprid surface spray.

The cost of professional pest control for bed bugs using the

recommended low hazard insecticides, will depend upon several

SUMMER

Time to Focus onProblem Pests

BY GLENN DUBOIS MCom(UNSW) | Secretary Of Australian Pest Controllers Association Inc.





factors, including the size of the property, the extent of infestation

and ease of access to treatment areas.

Bed bug control requires extensive time, effort and expertise to

solve a severe infestation. Service warranties may vary dependingupon the circumstances and risk of reinfestation.

Ants

Ants often infest kitchens, pantries and dining areas in large

numbers. Until recently, ants were by far the most difficult of all pest

control problems to solve in a timely and cost effective manner. The

latest generation ant control products are non-repellent to the ants

and to focus on achieving a transfer effect, that is, the ants come into

contact with the surface spray and transfer the chemical back to the

colony nest. The chemical has a delayed effect and is highly effective

at entire colony eradication.

Ants live in permanent colony nests located in a variety of habitats,

in the soil, in timber, under pavers, in wall cavities and roof void

spaces of buildings.

Correct identification of the particular pest species of ant is vital

to implementing a control program. You need to know their likely

nesting location and the type of food they prefer. Some species

nest in the ground, others are more likely find a home in your roof

void or wall cavity. Some ants prefer sugary foods whilst others

are predominately meat eaters. The problem ants for kitchens and

commercial premises are usually the sugar feeding variety.

Non-Chemical Pest Control – Procedures include regular inspectionof premises for signs of an ant infestation. Try to locate their

nesting site which sometimes is easier said than done. They follow

pheromone trails back to their nest. Where practicable, minimise

food and water source for the ants. Food supplies to be stored

in sealed containers. Food and other edible waste products to be

stored where ants and other pests cannot gain access.

Chemical Pest Control – make sure the pest controllers uses the

latest generation of ant baits is that have a delayed lethal transfer

effect.

Ant baits are applied to high activity areas. Foraging ants collect and

carry the appetising food bait back to feed the other ants in thecolony nest. The ant baits are designed to be very palatable to the

ants but takes several days before the lethal effect kicks in. Enough

time to be transferred back to the colony nest to be fed to other

ants. With sufficient dosage the entire colony is eradicated in matter

of days.

If applied in sheltered locations, the new generation ants baits and

sprays, should last the majority of the extended summer period. You

would be unlikely to need any follow up procedures. So it’s probably

cheaper in the long run to use the more expensive but highly

effective ant control products.

Cockroaches

Everybody hates cockroaches due to their unsanitary environment.

They eat rancid meats and almost anything organic.

Several species are problematic in Australia. It is the smaller light

brown German cockroach that can rapidly infest kitchens and other

food handling premises. The female German cockroach carries an

egg sac of about 40 eggs – which can hatch and reach maturity

within one month. A very rapid breeding cycle.

Generally cockroaches are nocturnal. Preferring to come out in the

quite dead of night when no one is around. If you see them during

the day you have a large infestation.

Non-chemical procedures include regular inspection of premises

for signs of cockroaches. Their faeces look like small black dots often

confused for tea leaves. Particularly inspect incoming goods for live

cockroaches, cockroach eggs and faeces. If you spot some contact

the supplier to advise them of the problem. Where practicable,

minimise food and water source for the cockroaches. Food supplies

to be stored in air tight sealed containers. Food and other edible

waste products to be stored where cockroaches and other pests

cannot gain access.

Seal all cracks and crevices in the premises where cockroaches may

congregate. They even like to hideout under picture frames.

Minimise cockroach harbourage areas. Where practicable, store all

containers and articles, particularly cardboard boxes off the ground

as otherwise,

Chemical controls – Make sure any pesticides used by professional

pest controllers are the latest generation of cockroach baits thathave a delayed lethal transfer effect.

Cockroach baits are applied to areas in the kitchen away from

regular human contact. The foraging cockroaches eat the bait and

carry it back to feed to the other cockroaches in the nest. With

sufficient dosage the entire nest of cockroaches are eradicated in

matter of days. Regular insecticidal treatment is required ■

A WORD OF WARNING: There are many of the older style

insecticides for pest control on the market that are far cheaper but

will not give such certainty of total elimination of the infestation.

Make sure you ask the pest controller if they use these leading newgeneration products. They are safer and much more effective.

For further information go to PestControl.org.au or contact

Glenn DuBois at Australian Pest Controllers Association Inc. Phone

1300 660 200

factors includin the size of the ro ert the extent of infestation









There is continuous

pressure to “go green”.

Sometimes it may be

subtle such as using

biodegradable coffee

cups, but there are a

lot more accepted

green initiatives such

as, it being almost

commonplace to take

your own reusable bagwhen shopping.

Goinggreen

BY JOHN TAYLOR

The hospitality industry has been a trailblazer in the green

initiative particularly with the guest determining the

frequency of laundering linen goods and more emphasis willbe placed on housekeeping to use green initiatives by guests and

property owners and managers. A lot of cleaning products you are

currently using can be classified as “green” but you probably don’t

even realise it. But firstly a short description of “green cleaning”

courtesy of Wikipedia – ‘green cleaning refers to using cleaning

methods and products with environmentally friendly ingredients

designed to preserve human health and environmental quality’.

Environmentally friendly includes products made from recycled and

waste materials and renewable resources. Another consideration

is the amount of waste material generated by the cleaning process.

This can include dirty water such as the cocktail of chemicals and

waste that are generated when cleaning and “disposable” clothsand paper products and the energy required to carry out the tasks

e.g. lights and power.

There are a number of environmental goods and services cer tifying

authorities with GECA (Good Environmental Choice Australia)

one of the most recognised. They have stringent testing guidelines

to ensure their certified products are worthy of carr ying their

logo. Look at the products you are currently using and if you see

the GECA logo you know it is environmentally friendly and as the

GECA logo becomes more widely recognised your guests will

appreciate your environmental initiatives.

An example of a GECA certified range of bathroom paperproducts is one where clean office waste paper is processed

with the pins and staples thankfully being removed and sent to

scrap metal merchants, the ink being reprocessed into products

such as fertiliser and the paper being sanitised and pulped and

made into toilet tissue, hand towel and facial tissues. Some paper

72



well as being a safety issue for the operator. Purified water is

used to wash the windows by extension poles and soft brushes.

The extension poles are made of super light yet very strong

materials like carbon fibre and can be up to 18m long. Solar panels

dramatically loose their efficiency unless cleaned on a regular basis

and pure water cleaning is ideal.

There are a number of chemical free methods available for cleaning

polished stone floors. Diamond and ceramic infused pads can

be used to eliminate the need for floor polish. Floor polish needs

to be replaced regularly by stripping and resealing which generates

a lot of waste chemical. The gloss level from polish is greater than

maintaining with infused pads but there is a lot more energy and

chemicals required to get this possibly unnecessary extra gloss.

The use of large area vacuum cleaners to clean areas such

as ballrooms and meeting rooms not only reduces the amount of

power and time required to vacuum with small machines but saves

the power required to light the area. Battery powered machines are

quieter than electric machines and can be used without disturbing

guests or when cleans are required between conference sessions

and they use less power to charge than electric machines.■

manufacturers are using bamboo and sugarcane waste while

others are using a combination of virgin plantation timber and

recycled paper.

Plastic garbage bags may not be seen as a “green”

product but there are not too many cost effective alternatives.

Black garbage bags are predominately made from recycled

material. It is common practice in plastic bag factories to

remanufacture the waste from clear and coloured plastic into

black garbage bags.

There are masses of “green” cleaning chemicals on the

market. Most manufacturers have a green range made from a

variety of base materials including sugar cane waste, citrus by-

products, cotton waste and a range of enzymes. Not only are the majority of products safer for the environment but also for

the user especially considering they are using them all day long.

There are an increasing number of people, particularly children,

which have allergic reactions to traditional cleaning products. A

marketing tool could be that “only natural chemicals are used

to clean rooms”. The products are as effective as or better

than traditional chemicals and the costs are becoming on par.

Microfibre has been one of the greatest revolutions in the

cleaning industry in the last decade. Microfibre cloths with

sanitising attributes and blocks of microfibre that only need

water to activate are common. Mopping systems that require

little or no chemical to work and minimal amounts of water and virtually no dirty water to dispose of are being widely

used. Microfibre products are available in the standard colours

of red, blue, green and yellow so it is easy to establish a colour

coding system.

Steam cleaning has great “green” attributes. The steam

cleaning machines use as little as 5ltrs of water per hour and

for most jobs, no chemicals. There is minimal waste water to

be disposed and steam can be very effective for removing

build up and residue normally requiring strong chemicals. It

has great sanitising attributes and is well known as an effective

method to kill bed bugs.

Vacuum cleaners are a necessary tool in housekeeping.

There are low energy vacuum cleaners on the market that

claim that the cost of the machine can be saved over the life

of the vacuum cleaner by the energy savings. Other machines

have extremely good filtration that stop dust spreading into

the air and causing additional resources to be used to clean

the dust. Good quality vacuum cleaners remove sand and grit

from the carpets which extends the carpets life which means

less waste from dumped carpet. Regular shampooing also

extends the carpets life and makes vacuuming easier which

means less power is required to clean the carpet. Disposable

dust bags, even though they have to be dumped, offer greater

filtration which extends the life of the vacuum motor so itdoes not have to work as hard and use excess power and

returns cleaner air to the room reducing the airborne dust.

Exterior window cleaning with pure water has reduced

the need for cleaning chemicals and squeegee rubbers as

There are a

number of chemical

free methods

available for cleaning

polished stonefloors. Diamond

and ceramic infused

pads can be used

to eliminate the

need for floor

polish.



Permanent

Pothole SolutionsPermanent Pothole

Solutions has expanded its

offering to include Buckets

Permanent Pothole

Solutions has been

providing its “Asphalt

in a bag” permanent

cold patch in 20 kg bags to local councils,

roadtek depots and mines throughout

Queensland for over 2 1/2 years, we nowhold stock in NSW, VIC ACT and QLD.

We have now expanded our offering

to include:

Asphalt in a bag –

20 kg bags in Mix 7, Mix 10 and Mix 14

Asphalt in a bag –

1 Tonne bulker bags in Mix 10

Asphalt in a bag – 20 kg buckets in Mix 10

“Asphalt in a bag are not designed to

replace traditional hot mix for road building

purposes, but to provide a quick and reliable

means of effecting permanent repairs,” says

Jackie based in South East Queensland.

“The mixture works so well that many of

the Asphalt contractors and local councils

now use it for repairs and maintenance all

around the country.”

Manufactured from selective aggregates,

bitumen and polymers our mixture is

designed to suit the harshest of weather

conditions. With an indefinite shelf life in its

bagged/bucket form. The ready-mix is ideal

for maintaining paths, driveways and roads

Our products expand and contract with

the surface and will bond to concrete, steel,

asphalt and even wood, explains Jackie.

Install in 3 easy steps. Requires no mixing

or additives. Ready to use straight out of

the bucket or bag. Simply tip into hole,

pat down with a shovel and drive over

immediately providing minimal disruption

to traffic.

For more information, consult

the website atwww.permanentpotholesolutions.

com.au or give Jackie a call on

1300 789 967 for price

and availability.

New ProductRelease:

WAVE 75Maytronics Australia

(www.maytronics.com.au) is pleased

to announce the launch of it’s newest

commercial cleaner – the WAVE 75.

This rugged addition to the commercial

family compliments the existing range and

provides an entry level commercial cleaner

for the smaller commercial pool market –

including swim schools, smaller hotel pools

and unit block pools.

“The Wave 75 is a fantastic addition to our

family of cleaners, it really supports those

smaller commercial pools that still need the

heavy duty aspect of commercial cleaning

but don’t quite have the budgets to buy

the larger commercial range products like

the ProX or ProExpert, “ said Cameron

McKinlay, Commercial Manager for

Maytronics Australia.

Maytronics operates throughout Australia

and the world and is regarded as the leader

in Robotic Pool Cleaner technology. “We

are 100% focused on providing outstandingservice, support and the right solutions

for customers in the robotic pool cleaner

segment”, said Dan Kwaczynski, Managing

Director of Maytronics Australia. Maytronics

has service facilities in all major centres and

local dealers that will support the roll-out

of the Wave 75 across the market.

The Wave 75 specification:

• 24 m cable

• 2,3,4 hour cycle

• 2 year warranty

• Swivel – YES

• Fine Filtering – YES

• Combined or Wonder

brush options

• Remote control – YES

• Caddy – YES

PRODUCTNEWS

For more information,

Maytronics can be contacted on

1300 MYDOLPHIN or

www.maytronics.com.au



Saturn

OneTouch –

Perfectly

suited to any Hotel room

refurbishment

Exceptional guest experience, repeat

business and brand loyalty, drive and dictatea hotel business’ profitability.

Hotel refurbishments are essential in

order to maintain star ratings, brand

reputation and market share, while offering

a premium level of fit out for the guest in

an environment which is comfortable and

aesthetically pleasing.

Clipsal by Schneider Electric can advise and

supply the complete electrical solution to

create a superior guest experience, while

reducing your maintenance and operationalcosts. Our integrated electrical solutions

include:

• Integrated lighting control systems (C-Bus

and DALIcontrol)

• Emergency lighting and monitoring

systems

• Data and MATV systems

• Climate control systems

• Metering and monitoring systems

• Building management and security

systems

• Power conditioning and circuit protection.

As well as the above

systems and solutions,Clipsal by Schneider

Electric can provide the

most comprehensive

range of stylish power

outlets and switches.

Beautifully crafted

and architectural by

design, Clipsal’s power

outlets and switches

are available in many different styles, colours

and configurations.

Saturn OneTouch, Clipsal’s latest electronic

switch and dimmer, offers a touch of style

above all others. This product is perfectly

suited to any hotel room refurbishment,

and is compatible with standard electrical

wiring. From accommodation suites through

to corridors, foyers, reception, restaurants,

function rooms, pools, day spas, car parks

and back of house, Clipsal’s extensive

hotel solutions can assist to meet your

refurbishment objectives – and provide a

superior guest experience.

For more information about

Clipsal’s Hotel Solutions – visit

promo.clipsal.com and enter

keycode H012E to receive a free

brochure..

TECO Australia

introduces

Bar Fridges

to its rangeFollowing its successes in supplying

Split System and Window Wall Air Conditioners, and LED/LCD TV’s to Mining

Camp Accommodation and Common

Area Portable Building Units, Student

Accommodation areas and Hotel/Motel

Rooms, TECO have introduced a range of

Bar Fridges specifically designed to cater for

the hospitality industry.

Engineered to Perform with Super Quiet

operation, Stylish Design, Internal Light,

Glass Shelving and handy Drink Can

Dispenser in the 117Ltr Freestanding or

Under Bench Bar Fridge is suitable for medium to large rooms, and to cater for

Student Accommodation and smaller Hotel/

Motel Rooms, that require a small fridge

for guest convenience, TECO have also

introduced a 50Ltr Bench Top Bar Fridge.

To complement this range, TECO Australia

will introduce over the coming months,

Vertical Freezers, Chest Freezers and Frost

free Refrigerators with Multi Flow Control

ranging from 215Ltr to 410Ltr.

For more information visit

www.teco.com.au



Are you looking for new or replacement appliances,

lounges and sofa beds (custom made in Australia),

bedding, furniture packs, case goods or flooring products

(including custom designed woven carpets)? Is your

property in need of a refurbishment (full or partial)?

From Interior Design to Refurbishment including Project

Management, Surjio Ceanee can offer a complete

solution tailored to suit your operation. We also have a

Procurement division for the supply of white goods, TV’s

and other operational items. For the ultimate in service

and quality contact 1800 SURJIO (787 546) or

[email protected] and

Be Impressed.

Be Impressed pressed



INDEPENDENT MONITORING CONSULTANTS

Head Office 23–25 Daking Street North Parramatta NSW 21511300 131 405 (02) 9890 5067 [email protected]

New South Wales Ian Hartup 0411 109 353

Queensland Brisbane Ms Yih Pien (Ping) Chang 0412 116 114

Cairns Keith Friedrichsen 0408 368 921

South Australia Roz White 0431 503 195

Victoria Tony Cairnscross 0412 117 114

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that more than 50 percent of all commercial buildingshave significant Indoor Air Quality problems, a figure that most people are oblivious to.



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