FM Expo, Dubai

Developers who fail to invest in professional property maintenance suffer in the same way as motorists who take their cars to cheap back street garages, it is claimed.

When it comes to selling those buildings that can show a 'service history' are likely to reach better prices than their competitors who cannot.

The issue will be highlighted at the FM Expo in Dubai which opens on Sunday June 8 and runs for three days.

Among the experts will be Paul Anson, Director of Dubai-based facilities management specialists Operon. 'Properties that are kept under a strict regime of planned maintenance and lifecycle replacements instead of 'man in a van' maintenance will fare better in the second hand property market,' he said.

'When individuals decide to save a few dirhams by maintaining their cars in back street garages, they will have no service history or genuine parts and they will see a severely reduced second hand value. In real terms, they haven't saved a few hundred dirhams in annual servicing costs, but in fact have lost thousands and the car's resale value will be significantly affected,' he added.

Anson said the same principle applies to the management and maintenance of buildings, and large developers in the UAE are starting to realise the benefits of partnering with experienced FM companies to give them a competitive edge over the long-term.

The ongoing construction boom in the UAE and the Middle East is building a huge demand for experienced FM companies who can provide expert advice in the planning stages of a building and help property developers to maximise profits over a building's lifecycle.

Developers ought to think about FM at an early stage. 'Property developers can benefit greatly from FM expertise at the planning stages of large projects,' said Catherine Penn, Business Development Manager of Emrill, FM company for Emaar Properties and Al Futtaim.

'Developers who do not utilise the resources of an FM consultant at the design review stage run the risk of implementing systems and designs which reduce building systems efficiency and ultimately impact on life cycle costs of the project.'

Scott Wilson, Managing Director of Emcor, the FM company working with property developers such as Dheeraj & East Coast LLC, said: 'The FM industry is taking off in this region because of the recognition by developers of the value add that experienced FM consultants and operators can bring to the design, procurement, commissioning, handover, and operations phases of real estate developments'.

A range of experts will from around the globe including the US, UK, Germany and South Africa be on hand at the FM Expo, the region's leading facilities management event, at Zabeel Hall in the Dubai International Exhibition Centre organised by Streamline Marketing Group.

Alongside FM Expo, is the new five day 'Property and Facilities Management Conference' at the Dusit Hotel Dubai with over 25 high-level speakers from the global FM industry addressing emerging trends and pressing challenges in the Middle East.

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