*SPECIAL PREVIEW: from FM Aug-Sep 10 Issue

Making a warehousing and distribution operation more efficient is all about improving the efficiency with which you manipulate both products and data. The basics of good logistics can be characterised as follows:

• the efficient manipulation of products is all about minimising the distances your team members have to travel to handle those products and the number of times they have to handle them; and
• the efficient manipulation of data is all about doing as much manipulation of the data as possible relating to your products within your computer system before it gets to your team members, rather than relying on those team members to physically manipulate the products.

Much time and effort is spent on configuring warehouses and distribution centres to optimise operating efficiency. Methods used may include some of the following:

• employ forklifts with smaller turning circles to reduce the widths of the pallet racking aisles;
• install higher pallet racking to condense the size of your warehouse or distribution centre (DC) and reduce its overall footprint;
• structure the location of your products within the warehouse or distribution centre (DC) so that the most frequently accessed or sold products are closest to the centre of operations, and the least frequently accessed products are furthest away, thus reducing the distances travelled by your team members in the manipulation of your products.

Robert Meade.

THE NEXT STEP: AS/RS
But if you have already done the above and need an even tighter, more efficient operation, then how do you take the next step? Install an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS), as such systems make it possible to significantly reduce the footprint of the shelving and pallet racking required to store the products in your warehouse and DC, while dramatically reducing the labour required to manipulate the products.
An AS/RS can provide versatile material handling solutions for factory automation as well as warehouses and distribution centres. Designed to be at the centre of an integrated material handling system, an AS/RS delivers the speed and efficiency required for today’s supply chain management (SCM) environment. A high-quality AS/RS helps reduce errors, streamline processes, decrease cycle times, recapture floor space, and improve productivity.
To help you understand how an AS/RS works, consider it as a self-contained module within your warehouse or DC that is responsible for the highly efficient storage and retrieval of your products. It consists of a dedicated storage and retrieval machine (SRM) that runs on two rails within each aisle of the module’s racking, with one rail located on the floor and the other rail suspended between the racking at the top of the aisle, and with both rails being near the centre of the aisle. Located on either side of the SRM are the customised shelves or racking for the storage of your products. The SRM automatically stores and retrieves your products within the shelving or racking of the AS/RS.
As the AS/RS is an enclosed environment into which your team members cannot venture, product access is via either individual ‘pick up and deposit’ (P&D) stations dedicated to each aisle, or via just one or two P&D stations at the front connecting to the AS/RS through either a dedicated conveyor system or a dedicated shuttle car system. The whole AS/RS is controlled by a centralised control system that is integrated with and controlled by your warehouse management system (WMS).
However, an AS/RS has advantages in not being restricted by many of the physical limitations of a normal warehouse or DC operation, especially if you are designing a new warehouse from the ground up.
These advantages can include the following:

• an AS/RS, its SRM and the racking can be built to a height of more than 30 metres, if desired, thus dramatically reducing the storage footprint, whereas normal forklifts are impractical above a height of 10 metres;
• racking for an AS/RS can form the building structure and be clad as a building would, thus reducing building costs;
• an SRM can travel at up to 200 metres per minute within its aisle, whereas forklifts are limited to walking pace, or a crawl at heights;
• the aisle for the SRM only needs to be slightly wider than the largest load to be stored within the AS/RS, thus eliminating the space wasted within normal aisles for forklifts;
• items stored within the AS/RS cannot be misplaced or lost by operator error, as the controlling computer ‘memorises’ the storage location of all stored products;
• as the AS/RS is a machine, the whole structure and its machinery, with the exception of the point of input and output, must be fully enclosed to preclude ingress by personnel, thus guaranteeing the safety of your team members, and thereby providing high security should your products require secure storage;
• if your products need to be stored within either a chilled or frozen environment, then all the above benefits can contribute to significant reductions in both the capital costs required to build the facility, as well as the long-term costs of operating the facility, especially through the significant reduction in the power consumed to maintain the required temperatures within the smaller environment.

Although AS/RS technology is not new, with the leading manufacturers having been supplying warehouse and distribution operations with this technology for more than 40 years, advances in computer technology have made industry-leading AS/RS designs the norm rather than the exception in efficient warehouse and DC operations.
The world’s best AS/RS manufacturers include lines to not only store and retrieve normal pallet-sized unit loads, but also store and retrieve almost any sized load used in a warehouse or DC environment, from small cartons or tote boxes right up to large and heavy manufacturing components. All systems offer high-density storage capacity in a compact footprint, but with high accessibility.

APPLICATIONS
For example, in warehouses and DCs around the world, AS/RS technology is used to automatically store and retrieve groceries, packaged food, fresh food, chilled food such as vegetables, frozen food, agricultural products, beverages, pharmaceuticals, electrical goods, chemicals, hardware, raw and finished products used in metals processing, furniture, motor vehicle parts, aircraft parts, food processing work in process, sterile containers for hospitals, books for libraries, and even apparel.
However, you may be concerned that an AS/RS will limit the operating flexibility of your warehouse or DC, especially from the point of view of its ability to respond to urgent requirements. This is not an issue if the manufacturer of the AS/RS has a broad range of models with widely different performance specifications capable of supporting a wide range of products and retrieval requirements, and if the system is configured to accommodate a wide range of products, including fast moving consumer goods (FMCG). Also, the solution must consist of an appropriate balance of manual and automated processing to best suit your industry and products. For example, should your team members need to pick individual cartons of products from within your AS/RS, then the AS/RS can be designed and configured to achieve this goal in an efficient manner without your team members having to travel the distances required to achieve the same process in a normal warehouse of DC.

AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE
The use of AS/RS technologies in Australian is lagging behind the rest of the world, as there is a perception based on past experiences and technologies that a typical AS/RS might have limited flexibility to support the nimble and flexible warehousing and distribution operations of current businesses in markets such as FMCG. Also, there has been limited market availability of broad-based AS/RS technologies that are capable of supporting a wide range of products and businesses.
One of the large driving forces behind the adoption of AS/RS overseas has been the ability of an AS/RS to provide efficient storage and retrieval of products in a significantly smaller footprint than any other competing technologies, thus reducing the amount of land required for the warehousing and distribution operation.
While land availability has not been a traditional problem in the Australian market, our emphasis on OHS has certainly led to the adoption of AS/RS units for reasons of workplace safety. This is an area where AS/RS technology can provide the following significant benefits:

• depending on how much of your traditional product storage and retrieval can be replaced by an AS/RS, your warehouse or DC can realise proportionate reductions in the need for forklifts and their ever-present dangers.
• as all elevated bulk or unit loads are within the confines of the AS/RS, none of these products or loads can fall on team members.
• all product selection from an AS/RS involving your team members can be configured to be fully ergonomic.

FASTER, SMOOTHER, TOUGHER
Of course, another growing area of concern for warehouses and DCs in Australia is the growing requirement to provide faster, more frequent deliveries of products to your customers. Traditionally, this is achieved by employing more team members, or by asking your team members to work longer hours. However, AS/RS technology can provide the ultimately flexible solution with quick response times and the added advantage of reduced operating costs through the reduced need for labour.
As a facilities manager, you are frequently looking for ways to do things better and smarter. If this is you, and you would like to improve the operation of your warehouse or DC, then you should explore what high-quality, broad-based AS/RS technology can do to improve the efficiency, safety and cost effectiveness of your operation. Remember, this proven technology is not new. It has become highly refined with the top suppliers overseas and has a long history of success.

Robert Meade, warehouse applications manager for Webb Australia, has 35 years of comprehensive experience in the logistics and supply chain industry in Australia, including the operational management and design of leading warehouses and DCs.
Webb Australia, now more than 50 years old, provides innovative materials handling solutions to Australian business through value-added engineering and is now the Australian agent for Daifuku, the world’s leading manufacturer of high- quality, broad-based and robust ASRS technology.

Top image courtesy of Daifuku.

More information
Webb Australia www.webbaust.com.au
or email Robert Meade at r.meade@webbaust.com.au

‘Achieving the Green Dream: Tomorrow’s Technology Today‘ will be held from 16-17 September, 2010, in Melbourne.
This national conference will focus on gaining practical knowledge on implementing and delivering new sustainable building technologies.
As we all know, there is a formidable array of new building technology that is designed to improve sustainability and energy efficiency in buildings, but the volume of information is stretching the skills and understanding of those who implement it. The idea behind the Achieving the Green Dream conference is to identify the new technologies confronting those who work in our industry, and to better prepare them for the challenges they face.
Topics and case studies presented on include:

• Solar cooling in Australia
• Geothermal
• Phase change material
• Black and greywater reuse
• Cogeneration / Trigeneration
• Biomass renewable energy
• Seawater cooling
• District energy precincts
• Report on world leading intelligent buildings - integrated controls
• Mixed mode ventilation.

More information & registration details
Achieving the Green Dream www.airah.org.au/greendream2010

Anyone who has visited the MCG will be aware of its special status in Melbourne’s culture. As a venue famous for its crowd-wide humour, raw emotion and theatricality, it inspires mixed feelings of reverence and relaxation – respect tinged with mischief.
It is for the sake of the mischievous minority (and for the general safety of all patrons) that the ground is being equipped with state-of-the-art, 1080i, IP-networked closed circuit TV (CCTV) cameras, supplied by the security company Axis Communications as part of a major security system overhaul won by Integrators Australia.
During a tour of the newly fitted security rooms last week under the guidance of the ground’s security manager, Andy Frances, together with numerous members of the Axis Communications team, it was plain to see that the $3 million security fitout, when complete, will pave the way for a new era of sophistication in ground management.

Andy Frances.

According to Frances, the ongoing refit involves the phasing out of all analogue cameras in favour of approximately 480 HDTV cameras installed throughout the interior and exterior of the stadium. So far, 15 percent of the new cameras have been installed, incorporating ‘intelligent’ video capabilities such as advanced motion detection, audio detection and detection of camera tampering. According to Frances, Axis camera equipment was chosen for its image clarity and quality. He says the initial assessment process was straightforward, involving the mounting of different brands of cameras in identical positions. Images from each camera were then rated from one to ten according to predetermined criteria and the Axis cameras were a clear winner.
The entire system is run from a main security room near Gate 2, supplemented on match days by duplicated operating systems on the third level (pictured top of page) overlooking the playing arena. Amazingly, just two IT specialists run the entire (main room) Genetec surveillance system – which has a 70-terabyte capacity! On match days, two additional IT personnel work upstairs with Frances alongside members of Victoria Police and other professionals.

The main MCG security room.

The system’s most striking feature is its practicality and simplicity. Despite the massive number of cameras involved, all true-colour images are viewable on fewer than a dozen monitors. Four rearward, wall-mounted monitors satisfy OHS requirements for prolonged visibility and comfort, while every attempt has been made to incorporate touch-screen functionality into the screens to speed up response times and maximise user-friendliness.

WHAT CAN YOU SEE?
The completed surveillance system will provide almost blanket coverage of the interior of the stadium and its curtilage. With the capacity to zoom in on a face from the far side of the ground, the cameras can help security officers identify offenders instantly. In the near future, says Frances, it will also be possible for an image to be sent via mobile phone or PDA to any of the 210 to 250 guards patrolling the ground on match days. Likewise, if a patron or guard report an alleged offender in a specific seat, a camera will be able to zoom in on that seat automatically based on the coordinates.
Just as importantly, the system will be able to play a role in identifying missing children, for example, on busy days. It will be feasible to play back a video of a wandering child’s last known whereabouts or produce a high-quality still image of that person (and their clothing) for broadcast, if appropriate.

THE FUTURE OF SECURITY

An Axis Communications 5534 camera at the MCG.

As surveillance systems become more sophisticated, their functionality is blossoming to include a range of non-traditional applications. The security system at the MCG heralds a new era of camera-based tools, including people counting, accurate face recognition and associated alarm functions, as well as manual and automatic emergency evacuation responses (such as opening gates or triggering audio alerts).
These kinds of applications, which complement ‘security’ systems with a variety of safety and business-related tools, represent the future of large-venue surveillance. As Frances notes, the system is ‘a good four or five years’ ahead of systems being used anywhere else in the world.

More information
Axis Communications www.axis.com
Integrators Australia www.iaust.com.au

The 2010 Asset management Awards Dinner, held recently at Adelaide’s Hilton Hotel in conjunction with the ICOMS Asset Management Conference, attracted over 200 of the industry’s leaders and practitioners in asset management and maintenance.
Chairman of the awards committee and MC for the awards dinner evening, Geoff Cannon says, “the Asset Management Awards offers organisations an opportunity to reflect on their asset management journey to date, and also consider their next steps towards achieving a continuously maturing approach to the management of its physical assets.”
This year’s round of entrants included:

• Airservices Australia, Technology & Asset Services, Queensland
• BHP Billiton Western Australia Iron Ore, RGP 4 Operational Readiness Project - NJV Hub, Western Australia
• CS Energy Ltd, Queensland
• Transfield Services (Australia) Pty Ltd - Power Generation Services, Starfish Hill Windfarm, South Australia.

CS Energy Ltd received a Bronze Level of achievement, while Airservices Australia, BHP Billiton Western Australia Iron Ore and Transfield Services all received a Silver Level of achievement.
“To receive entries from not only all across Australia, but also from across the industries of mining, aviation, electricity and energy, is verification that asset management is becoming an integral component to effective business today,” Cannon says.
All recipients receive an on-site review by three experienced asset management assessors, who then produce a detailed report on each participating organisation, outlining its strengths and opportunities, as measured against criteria that reflect the philosophy and models of the asset management body of knowledge.

MAJOR AWARD
The Nominee Award, awarded to the participant organisation that achieved the highest score in the 2010 Asset Management Awards, was given to BHP Billiton Western Australia Iron Ore. BHP Billiton Western Australia Iron Ore is invited to become a finalist in the 2010 ‘Australian Engineering Excellence Award’, to be held by Engineers Australia in the Great Hall of the Australian Parliament House Canberra later this year.

NEXT YEAR’S AWARDS
Submissions to the 2011 Asset Management Awards will open shortly. Contact Kate Robertson, awards and communication coordinator, for more information at kate.roberton@amcouncil.com.au

More information
Asset Management Council www.amcouncil.com.au

July 2010 - The way we define and rate ‘green’ flooring is changing, and this is set to have a profound influence on the use of flooring in Australia. HARTLEY HENDERSON reports.

With a view to recognising environmental advances made by polyvinyl chloride (PVC) manufacturers in Australia, the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has revised its Green Star PVC Credit to encourage the development and use of best practice PVC material.
Historically, the PVC Credit encouraged the minimisation of all PVC use in green buildings. Now, however, the GBCA has recognised that advances in the life-cycle of PVC – from raw materials, through to manufacturing, to recycling at end of life – are minimising the environmental and human health concerns previously associated with PVC building materials.
In addition, the GBCA has established a new Assessment Framework for Product Certification Schemes so that from 1 July 2010 no single certification body will be recognised above others. Previously, Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) was the only product certification body recognised by GBCA to certify products and materials as a component of GBCA Green Star ratings assessments. A new set of ‘best practice’ criteria and benchmarks has now been established against which all certification schemes seeking recognition within Green Star will be assessed.
With the rapidly escalating demand for greener buildings, these developments have opened up the playing field and are likely to lead to a broader range of flooring product designs and options.
GBCA’s Green Star executive director, Robin Mellon, says the life-cycle of PVC has changed considerably over the past five years, so the former negative PVC Minimisation Credit has been replaced with the new positive PVC Credit to reward and encourage best practice performance in the life-cycle of the product.

Image courtesy Armstrong World Industries.

“The revised PVC Credit sets out key best practice criteria to help identify products that have a reduced environmental impact. All Green Star tools are affected by the new initiatives, so they have also been reviewed and updated because they all look at flooring as a major materials area. With the four product areas for this credit being flooring, piping, conduit and cable, vinyl flooring and PVC-backed carpet can now contribute towards up to two points for use in Green Star projects,” Mellon says.
“When seeking to install green flooring, people should look for certification by one of the main certification schemes that examine key environmental and health impact criteria. They should also look for products certified through schemes that have GBCA recognition and that address whole-of-life considerations.”
The Vinyl Council of Australia (VCA) has commended the GBCA for reviewing its position on the use of PVC products in the built environment.
VCA chief executive, Sophi MacMillan, says the new arrangements recognise the progress of the Australian PVC industry, particularly through its Product Stewardship Program, to improve the environmental performance of PVC products. “The new GBCA approach will have a significant impact on shaping the future of the industry by giving recognition to individual PVC manufacturers and product suppliers that have improved environmental and health aspects of their products and processes,” she says.
“The GBCA has recognised that the existing PVC Credit in Green Star was not particularly effective and that by encouraging the use of best practice PVC products, a better environmental and health outcome will be achieved.
“Choosing products that meet best practice criteria in the new Credit will improve environmental performance in the building sector and encourage a more sustainable PVC industry.”

GREENTAG LAUNCH
Ecospecifier Global, which has now been recognised by GBCA as a product certifier, recently launched its GreenTag life-cycle assessment-based eco-label rating and certification process with two parallel assessment streams. (See the article in Facility Management, April-May 10 issue, pp. 42–43.)
According to the company’s technical director, David Baggs, the four-tier (platinum, gold, silver or bronze) GreenTag LCARate system, which is underpinned by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) testing processes, has been developed to rate and position products within the green building market. “LCARate is underpinned by the world-first building information modelling (BIM)-based life-cycle assessment software developed by the CRC for Construction Innovation over the past seven years,” Baggs explains.
“The GreenTag GreenRate system is designed to be able to certify different levels of Green Star credits in the materials calculators. It is an efficient one-stop solution to speed up product research and planning processes in the specification and purchase of green building products.
“Furthermore, because we can focus on all green building products across the entire sector, libraries of green products can be created for architects to utilise within LCADesign so they can quickly assess the impacts of their buildings with brand specific products.
“Then, as a next potential development step, it is possible to employ a BIM-based CAD tool such as Archicad or Revit to create one model that will do both whole-of-building life-cycle assessments and construction documentation for buildings. The BIM model of the building can then be further used to manage the facility once operational.
“In addition, a building’s carbon profile can be constructed virtually, and a whole-of-building carbon intensity facility management plan developed. For the future, this BIM scenario, in association with GreenTag, points to a huge forward development pathway, with significant productivity improvement opportunities for the whole built environment.”

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
Prominent vinyl flooring supplier, Polyflor Australia, welcomes the establishment of a level playing field with the introduction of a PVC Credit.
Marketing manager, Peter Bates, believes that previous certification arrangements were prejudiced against PVC products, and did not take into account the way in which Polyflor products were manufactured, including initiatives to minimise waste, energy and water usage.
“The whole of a product’s life-cycle is now taken into account in assessing how green the product is without the favourable weighting given to products that are made from renewable resources, which in some instances require more energy to produce and maintain. In the case of flooring, 80 percent of a floors environmental impact is in its in situ use. In view of this, Polyflor has made a significant investment in developing greener products to minimise maintenance costs,” Bates says.
“Polyflor’s range of resilient vinyl flooring comes with a long-life, polish-free maintenance guarantee which significantly reduces water and chemical usage for the life of the floor. We also put a lot of emphasis on recycling, including provision of bins on site for collection of flooring off-cuts and flooring accessories, which are taken back for reprocessing.”
Bates believes GBCA’s new PVC Credit towards Green Star ratings will have a significant impact on the industry. “Previously, only linoleum received GECA approval and even if it was not ‘fit for purpose’ it was often specified by architects because it was recognised as a ‘green product’. However, with the introduction of the PVC Credit, it is likely that the use of linoleum in healthcare and aged care projects will begin to diminish,” he says.
“Vinyl flooring is less expensive to install, costs less to maintain, and will now be recognised to be as green as linoleum, so architects will be more likely to specify PVC, especially in healthcare applications.
“The market for PVC flooring is set to escalate significantly as the demand for green products grows from builders, developers, landlords, tenants and facility managers.”

PVC GAINS STATUS
Armstrong World Industries, which produces PVC tiles and sheet flooring at its manufacturing facilities in the Melbourne suburbs of Braeside and Thomastown, has a commercially based market focus, including hospitals, supermarkets, education facilities and government housing.
According to Armstrong’s vice president – Southern Asia/Pacific, Michael Jenkins, who is also chairman of the Vinyl Council of Australia, the company’s focus in recent years has been to take back qualified recylcate for reuse both from other sources and from its own on-site off-cuts. “We are now turning our attention to taking back end-of-life product after a successful trial phase,” he says.
“There have traditionally been some misconceptions about PVC, but these have now been addressed by the GBCA. Key areas that require a continuing focus are the materials that go into PVC, recycling of the end product, and the development of programs to bring outside products, such as PVC bottles, into the recycling and manufacturing processes.
“Although PVC is now relatively green, there are continuing opportunities for improvement, including in the materials supply chain and manufacturing processes. Since 2007, we have diverted 367 tonnes of waste from landfill, and the aim now is to be manufacturing in a waste-neutral manner. Also, we have achieved a 25 percent reduction in CO2 emissions since 2000 and the target for 2011 is 40 percent reduction.”

CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM
InterfaceFLOR, which manufactures vinyl-backed carpet tiles at its plant in Picton NSW, operates a product ReEntry™ program whereby the company takes back its products at end of life for recycling, as well as the vinyl-backed carpet tiles of competitors.
The company’s national manager sustainable solutions, Bobby Ali-Khan, says this closed loop recycling process allows the vinyl and nylon components of the carpet tiles to be recycled again and again.
“Currently, all our product ranges on average are composed of 50 percent recycled content and our ReEntry program is expanding enormously year on year. Many of our ranges have up to 68 percent recycled content. In all cases, our message is that we want our product back at the end of life,” she says.
“Importantly, less energy is embodied in the recycled product compared to a piece of carpet made from virgin material. The future for InterfaceFLOR is a range of products that will not be dependent on diminishing natural resources.
“In terms of sustainability, all of InterfaceFLOR’s products became climate-neutral in 2007. All greenhouse emissions calculated over the entire life-cycle of the company’s carpets have been eliminated or offset. We offer a sustainable solution for the full life-cycle of a piece of carpet through raw material extraction, processing and manufacturing, transportation, installation, usage, maintenance and cleaning, removal, recycling and end-of-life options.”

Hartley Henderson is a Victorian journalist specialising in the construction and building industries.

Top image courtesy InterfaceFLOR.

More information
Armstrong World Industries www.armstrong-aust.com.au
Ecospecifier www.ecospecifier.org
GBCA www.gbca.org.au
InterfaceFLOR www.interfaceflor.com.au
Polyflor www.polyflor.com
Vinyl Council of Australia www.vinyl.org.au

Digital Signage World Australia 2010 is an exhibition of the world’s leading digital signage solutions providers, combined with an applications-focused conference. It is the only event that brings together end-users from all the key vertical markets, as well as the advertising industry.
Kiosk Self Service World Australia 2010 is a trade show and conference. It is the only event that brings together senior executives from across a broad range of industry sectors to learn about the benefits of self-service technologies, source solutions and form important partnerships.
Facility Management is proud to be an official media partner of these events.

More information
Digital Signage World Australia 2010 www.terrapinn.com/2010/digital
Kiosk Self Service World Australia 2010 www.terrapinn.com/2010/kiosk

Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water, Senator Penny Wong, says the Carbon Neutral Program – an initiative of the National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS) – will allow businesses to certify their products, services or operations as carbon neutral.
Businesses will be able to apply to the Carbon Trust for use of the NCOS logo (pictured right). If they are successful, they will be able to use this logo to market their products and services.
“This program will benefit consumers by giving them greater certainty about whether a product is truly carbon neutral,” Senator Wong says.
Businesses that have already indicated their intention to participate in the Carbon Neutral Program include: An Meá, Australian Paper, Australia Post, ANZ, Carbon Planet, Foster’s, Jetstar, Keytek, National Australia Bank, Lion Nathan, Printer Workz, Qantas, Sensis, Sustainable Living Fabrics and Virgin Blue Airlines.
Professor Robert Hill, chairman of the Australian Carbon Trust, encourages additional Australian businesses to participate in the Carbon Neutral Program.
“The Carbon Neutral Program will provide a benchmark for consumers and businesses to assess claims of carbon neutrality,’’ Professor Hill says.
The National Carbon Offset Standard, which commenced on 1 July 2010, aims to provide national consistency and consumer confidence in the voluntary carbon market. The Carbon Neutral program will replace the carbon neutral component of the Greenhouse Friendly program, which ended on 30 June 2010. It will be administered by the Australian Carbon Trust.

More information
NCOS www.climatechange.gov.au/government/initiatives/australian-carbon-trust.aspx

Richard Marshall.

Ross Donaldson.

The appointments represent a bold initiative for the future growth and expansion of Woods Bagot and continues the firm’s ongoing development as one of the world’s most dynamic and innovative architectural practices.
The decision for a joint leadership role was made to align with the firm’s aggressive growth strategy, particularly in the Asia, Europe and North America markets; along with the need of the firm to broaden their leadership across the areas of strategy, culture and consolidation of global operations.
To this end the role will be shared with incumbent Ross Donaldson leading the financial, strategic direction and new initiatives focus of the business; and Urban Design director Richard Marshall focused on leading the firm’s integrated management, design and delivery structure and people and culture programs.
“Following the global financial crisis, we understand that it is a fiercely competitive global market,” says Ross Donaldson.
“We must be seen to be elevating the efficiency of our operations as well as being seen as innovators in the design intelligence we bring to the market. It is critical we explore new strategies for improving our competitive edge and the quality of the service we bring.”
A recent outcome of this design intelligence exploration is Woods Bagot and Buro Happold’s design partnership of ‘Zero Emissions Design’ (ZERO-E) – a new model for large-scale sustainable development that significantly advances the construction industry’s contribution to realising a zero carbon economy by 2050.
In addition, the creation of the joint role recognises that both Marshall and Donaldson have strong but different client and professional focuses, ones which are in great demand within the firm.
“Our focus is on how we bring value to our clients through design, on how we drive innovation in our work and on how we can create better, more sustainable and more meaningful buildings and urban environments. We feel that this is an important differentiator for us as a business and our new joint role will allow us to magnify the firm’s success across many fronts,” says Marshall.

More information
Woods Bagot www.woodsbagot.com

In the June-July 10 issue of Facility Management we teamed with Targus Australia to offer readers the chance to win one of four office accessory packs, each valued at $274.80 RRP, containing:

• A7 notebook slipcase ($59.95 RRP)
• Combination cable security lock ($74.95 RRP)
• Wireless keyboard and mouse set ($79.95 RRP)
• Lap chill mat $59.95 (RRP).

Congratulations to the winners:

1. Leanne Ogden, administration manager, GHD, Canberra, ACT
2. John Komorowski, project officer, Dept of the Premier and Cabinet, Facilities Management Branch, WA
3. Roslyn Jenner, executive – Corporate Real Estate, Charter Keck Cramer, Richmond VIC
4. Trish Francis-Stead, personal assistant to Northern Region Manager, Opus International Consultants Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand.

We hope all winners enjoy their magnificent prizes.

More information
Targus Australia www.targus.com/au

Multi-dwelling apartment buildings present a number of options for delivering hot water services. The two main alternatives are centralised boilers, used to service the whole building, and individual stand-alone instantaneous water heaters installed in each apartment.
With increasing pressure for new buildings to achieve green targets, property developers face the mounting challenge of evaluating which of these options is most suitable. Measures such as ‘efficiency’, ‘cost’ and ‘environmental performance’ are commonly used interchangeably without a full comprehension of their implications. If an informed choice is to be made, it is important to understand what these terms mean and how they interrelate.
In Australia, centralised hot water services for apartment buildings tend to be gas-fired, while stand-alone instantaneous hot water units can be either gas-fired or electrically operated. Gas-fired hot water systems – whether centralised or stand-alone instantaneous – have burner heating efficiencies of 80 to 85 percent. Electric instantaneous hot water systems, by comparison, have a heating efficiency of 99.5 percent.
Clearly, in terms of heating efficiency, electrical systems win hands down. However, there are other factors that contribute to the overall system efficiency and environmental performance: system architecture, installation quality, and ‘cleanness’ of energy source. Operating costs are also a powerful decider in system selection.
It is necessary to weigh up all these factors in order to determine the best option from both environmental and cost perspectives. As will be seen, given the global and national push towards renewable electricity sources, electrical water heaters present a particularly compelling solution for the future.

CENTRALISED SUPPLY
Centralised gas-fired hot water heating systems are generally assumed to have the lowest carbon footprint of the three systems available, but this is not necessarily the case. Since they operate continuously, regardless of demand, centralised gas-fired systems tend to be inherently inefficient in their design and can be costly to operate. Typically, a centralised hot water plant comprises a ring-main that extends throughout the building, with individual feeds radiating to each individual apartment (see Figure 1). With this type of system, heat is lost from the storage tank and from the long pipe-runs making up the ring-main and the apartment feeds.

Figure 1. A centralised hot water plant comprises a ring-main that extends throughout the building, with individual feeds radiating to each individual apartment.

One notable feature of the reticulation architecture of these centralised systems is that the water in each of the apartment feeds is often significantly colder than the water circulating in the ring-main. This necessitates draining the cooler water from the feed – often referred to as ‘dead-legs’ – every time hot water is wanted, resulting in significant water wastage. While most environmental impact studies focus solely on energy usage, water wastage becomes an important factor to be considered given the water restrictions in force in many Australian states.
Centralised gas-fired systems also often present a more expensive initial cost for the property developer, given the requirements for a dedicated plant room, large commercial gas boilers, hot water storage tanks, circulating pumps, and the reticulation pipework. Moreover, these systems are often associated with higher maintenance costs.

INSTANTANEOUS SAVINGS
By comparison, stand-alone instantaneous systems offer many advantages. As water is only heated at the time of use, energy is not wasted in maintaining a stored volume of hot water, and operating costs are reduced. Furthermore, with heating units located closer to the point-of-use, pipe-runs are shorter and less water is wasted by the user while waiting for sufficiently hot water to arrive at the outlet.

Instantaneous hot water units also benefit from lower installation costs when compared to centralised systems, as the requirement for large items of plant and reticulation infrastructures is eliminated (see Figure 2). With fewer components, instantaneous systems often prove more reliable than more complicated centralised systems. They also minimise the impact to residents in the event of equipment malfunction. As a worst-case scenario, a breakdown in an instantaneous water heater may leave a single apartment without hot water. A system malfunction for a centralised hot water system, by contrast, has the potential to cause the loss of hot water for an entire building.

Figure 2. Instantaneous hot water units benefit from lower installation costs than centralised systems, due to the ability to minimise requirements for large items of plant and reticulation infrastructures.

These stand-alone instantaneous hot water units are generally owned as part of the apartment, and, as such, the residents only pay for their own water use and servicing. Conversely, centralised hot water systems are usually owned by the building’s body corporate, with maintenance and operation costs often averaged out and passed on to the building occupants through the body corporate fees. This can lead to low-consumption water users effectively subsidising the high-consumption users within a building, unless hot water meters are installed to aid accurate billing for hot water use by each apartment. Even with the aid of meters, the end users still end up paying for the inefficiencies of the hot water system, as these are incorporated into the cost of the hot water used.
The choice between gas-fired or electrically operated instantaneous water heaters has subtly different implications. While the service and infrastructure requirements of instantaneous gas-fired hot water heaters are greatly simplified compared with centralised gas-fired systems, the units still require annual servicing, adding to the maintenance costs. Likewise, while instantaneous gas water heaters bypass the need for a reticulation system, individual gas feed pipes – complete with meters – are required for each apartment and significantly increase installation costs.
For the apartment itself, instantaneous gas-fired water heaters typically need to be located externally for safety reasons and for flue requirements. This works well where apartments have balconies, but for buildings without a suitable accessible and usable external area, this option may not prove viable. Given the requirements for external placement, the water heaters will not necessarily be able to be installed adjacent to the bathroom or kitchens where the hot water is needed, leading to water wastage through longer pipe-runs.

THE ELECTRIC EDGE
Three-phase instantaneous electric hot water heaters, on the other hand, require a simpler infrastructure that allows greater flexibility – and arguably lower life-cycle costs. These units tend to be smaller than their gas-fired counterparts, and benefit from greater heater efficiency. Moreover, without the requirements for gas feeds or flues, these units can be positioned exactly where they are needed in an apartment. This enables pipe-runs from the heater unit to the application to be minimised, and in some instances virtually eliminated.

Figure 3. A typical apartment, fed from a centralised gas-fired system, wastes 7000 litres of water over the course of a year. A three-phase electric water heater system can reduce this down to 1600 litres.

Instantaneous electric hot water heaters achieve the lowest levels of water wastage of any hot water system available, partly through their capacity to reduce delivery pipe lengths, and partly through the ability to heat water more quickly than competing systems. A study conducted by Carbonetix Climate Change Solutions has shown that a typical apartment, fed from a centralised gas-fired system, wastes 7000 litres of water over the course of a year, simply through waiting for hot water to arrive at the tap. An instantaneous electric water heater system can reduce this down to just 1600 litres.
Of course, the performance and convenience of instantaneous electric hot water systems need to be weighed against the running costs and environmental performance that these systems offer. The study by Carbonetix indicated that for a typical 25-apartment building in Victoria a centralised gas-fired hot water system delivers 14 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than instantaneous hot water systems for typical usage in this state. However, if hot water usage is kept to an achievable 29 litres per day per person, electric hot water heaters become the greener choice.
The Carbonetix study purposefully targets Victoria, given its reputation as the worst producer of greenhouse gases per kilowatt hour in Australia – a direct consequence of using lignite (brown coal) to fuel the state’s electricity-generating power stations. For states using anthracite (black coal) as the fuel of choice for electricity generation, greenhouse gas emissions immediately drop by around 25 percent, thereby ensuring electrically heated hot water systems will outperform centralised gas-fired plants, regardless of the hot water usage figures.
Given that electricity generation in Victoria has historically had a poor environmental performance record, there is considerable potential for improvement. Renewable sources of electricity generation are expanding every year, and it is expected that legislation will help persuade electricity providers to continue seeking ways to increase the sustainable proportion of the energy they supply. Over time, with a greater proportion of electricity being sourced from renewable sources, the overall carbon impact of electricity generation has the potential to fall. Gas-fired appliances, by contrast, offer much less scope for further reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the future.

Property developers need to weigh up the cost effectiveness and the environmental performance of the various water heater technologies to determine the most appropriate hot water service option for new multi-dwelling blocks. Here, developers have the opportunity to minimise equipment and installation costs, while delivering efficient, reliable and environmentally responsible hot water for building residents long into the future.

Darren Fletcher is Stiebel Eltron Australia’s sales director.
The Stiebel Eltron group is a global designer and manufacturer of innovative water heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems technology, headquartered in Holzminden, Germany. Its broad spectrum of solutions includes instantaneous electric water heaters, heat pumps, space heaters and water filtration systems.
The Australian division of Stiebel Eltron is headquartered in Melbourne, supported by a network of offices in Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide, along with distributors in Perth, Hobart and Auckland, NZ. All offices are equipped with comprehensive sales, service and technical support teams.
Stiebel Eltron Australia’s core product focus is on instantaneous electric water heaters, point-of-use hot water and filtration systems, and heat pumps for commercial and residential sectors.

More information
Stiebel Eltron Australia www.stiebel.com.au