The First Facility Management Blog

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International announced it has been approved as a U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Education Provider. USGBC has approved the technical and instructional quality of two of BOMA’s education series, the BOMA Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP) and the Sustainable Operations Series (SOS). BEEP’s six on demand Webinars have been approved for a total of 12 GBCI CE hours and the four Webinars in the SOS series have been approved for a total of six GBCI CE hours, all counting toward the LEED Credential Maintenance Program.

The BEEP series gives building owners and property managers information, strategies, technologies, how-to guides, and resources to reduce energy and costs in their buildings. It was developed by the BOMA Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s ENERGY STAR® program and is supported in part by a grant from EPA. SOS builds on the BEEP program by clearly demonstrating how green operations can effectively enhance the bottom line, improve tenant satisfaction and benefit the environment. Each course features practical strategies and case studies on buildings that have employed green operating practices.

BOMA is committed to enhancing the ongoing professional development of the building industry and LEED Professionals through high-quality continuing education programs. As a USGBC Education Provider, BOMA has agreed to abide by USGBC-established operational and educational criteria, and is subject to annual reviews and audits for quality assurance.

All USGBC-approved Education Provider courses:

• Support the LEED Professional Credentialing Maintenance Program;
• Align with USGBC’s educational mission;
• Are delivered in a variety of formats and target multiple learning levels and audiences; and
• Are peer-reviewed to meet USGBC’s standard for instructional design and content quality.

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has released its new Guide to Developing a Standard Operating Procedure Manual, which aims to assist property professionals with developing or updating a standard operating procedure (SOP) manual for their commercial properties. SOP manuals are critical in facility management since they aggregate policies, procedures, instructions, and directives so buildings can be managed safely, efficiently, and consistently.

“We are excited to publish the new Guide to Developing a Standard Operating Procedure Manual, which will serve as a vital tool for property managers looking to develop or update a SOP manual,” remarked BOMA International Chair James A. Peck, RPA, FMA, senior director of asset services, CB Richard Ellis. “This publication simplifies the often daunting process of compiling building policies and procedures into one cohesive document, and will allow property professionals to manage their properties even more effectively.”

BOMA’s new Guide to Developing a Standard Operating Procedure Manual is a downloadable publication and features  easy-to-read, step-by-step guidelines on how to create an SOP manual, with detailed outlines of 18 commonly used sections, including Tenant Emergency Plan, Lease Administration, Accounting and Reporting, Business Plans and Re-Forecasts, Contracts/Contract Services, Management Office Operations, Physical Operations, Safety and OSHA Compliance, Fire and Life Safety Systems, Security, and more. The guide also provides business tips from the author, Marc Fischer, MBA, CPM®, RPA, CCIM, along with a comprehensive listing of additional resources.

For more information and to purchase BOMA’s Guide to Developing a Standard Operating Procedure Manual, visit the BOMA Bookstore.

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has released Office Buildings: Standard Methods of Measurement and Calculating Rentable Area (2010), a new measurement standard that will help property professionals easily and accurately measure office buildings. The new office measurement standard provides important improvements and changes to the Standard Method for Measuring Floor Area in Office Buildings, the last office measurement standard from BOMA released in 1996. The new publication has several key enhancements that add new methodologies, clarify gray areas, and make it more user friendly via a new interactive downloadable format.

“The updates we have made to the standard reflect the needs of users in the field. We have also brought the standard into the digital age by including hyperlinks to definitions and full color illustrations in the PDF document, eliminating ambiguity and making it easier than ever to understand,” remarked BOMA International Chair James A. Peck, RPA, FMA, senior director of asset services, CB Richard Ellis.

The new features of the standard include:

• A new Single Load Factor Method. This new calculation, “Method B,” applies to the occupant area of each floor to determine the rentable area and is the same for all floors of a building.
• More options. Users can choose either the new Method B or the measurement methodology of the 1996 standard, referred to as “Legacy Method A.”
• Regional leasing practices. A new clause in the standard states that if external corridors are the only way tenants can access their space, property managers can include them as building common areas and therefore include them in their common area maintenance allocations.
• Measurement clarity. The standard introduces new terms to simplify and clarify the process of measurement, including a step-by-step sequence that includes boundary line definitions. Users will be able to zoom in on full color illustrations to get a closer look at how classes of space transition.

For more information on BOMA’s new office measurement standard, visit the BOMA Bookstore .

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International conferred four buildings with the BOMA 360 Performance Program designation. These buildings join a growing number of best-in-class buildings to receive the BOMA 360 designation since its launch last spring. The BOMA 360 Performance Program recognizes best practices in building operations and management in commercial properties.

“As building owners hold properties for longer due to current market conditions, effective and efficient building operations and management are critical,” commented BOMA International Chair James A. Peck, RPA, FMA, senior director of asset services, CB Richard Ellis. “The BOMA 360 designation is like a stamp of quality assurance that denotes a building is best-in-class. Tenants, prospective tenants, owners and investors can rest assured that 360 buildings exceed industry standards on every level.”

The BOMA 360 Performance Program is an online self-assessment that evaluates properties on six major areas of building management: building operations and management; life safety/security/risk management; training and education; energy; environment/sustainability; and tenant relations/community involvement. The holistic nature of the BOMA 360 Performance Program means that every aspect of building performance is assessed and scores are based on how buildings meet an extensive checklist of best practices. The program comes at a critical time, as building owners and managers are looking to differentiate themselves from competition in a distressed market.

The newly conferred buildings include:
1300 Clay Street
Oakland, CA
Owned by: OCC Venture, LLC
Managed by: Shorenstein Realty Services, L.P.

400 & 450 N. Brand Boulevard
Glendale, CA
Owned by: MetLife Real Estate Investments
Managed by: Cushman & Wakefield of California, Inc.

Accenture Tower
Minneapolis, MN
Owned by: California State Teachers’ Retirement System
Managed by: CB Richard Ellis

Wachovia Financial Center
Miami, FL
Owned by: 200 South Biscayne TIC I & II, LLC
Managed by: Cushman & Wakefield of Florida, Inc.

On December 3, 2009, seven of New York’s Capital Region commercial real estate properties were honored at a celebration of the area’s real estate industry.

400 State Street

The Office Building of the Year (TOBY) Awards, a nationally acknowledged program, recognizes quality in office buildings and excellence in management. Awards were presented by the Capital Region Building Owners and Managers (BOMA) Association.

Properties were recognized in the following categories:

• 400 State Street, Schenectady, under 100,000 Square Feet (pictured above)
• United Step 1, Malta, 100,000 to 249,000 Square Feet
• SUNY, Research Foundation, Historical
• CDPHP, Albany, Corporate Facility
• Capital Region Health Park, Medical Office Building
• 50 Wolf Road, Colonie, Government Building
• The College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering’s Albany NanoTech Complex, Suburban Office Park, low-rise (pictured below)

This year’s award event marks the second annual TOBY Awards in the Capital Region which is part of a national program recognizing outstanding buildings and properties throughout the country. Local winners have the ability to advance to regional competitions as part of the Mid Atlantic Conference. (One of last year’s winners, 625 Broadway, Albany, managed by Owens, Renz & Lee, went on to win the 2009 MAC Regional TOBY.)

The College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering’s Albany NanoTech Complex

“Capital Region BOMA is thrilled to provide this competition in order to elevate the much deserved recognition of these outstanding facilities, owners, and property managers. The commercial office buildings in and around the region are of the highest caliber with respect to innovative architecture, sound construction and outstanding management” said Sarah Jermano, Capital Region BOMA president.

The Capital Region BOMA also recognized three individuals for contributions to the industry and their association:

• Joseph Miller, Picotte Companies, Member of the Year
• Jim Grady, Tri-State High Rise Services, Allied Member of the Year
• Leonard Duffy, First Columbia, Engineer of the Year

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has issued “100 Days, 100 Ways,” a list of tips and strategies to help property professionals make going green a priority on Earth Day and every day. With the office building industry accounting for nearly 20% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, BOMA has committed to making the commercial real estate industry sustainable and energy efficient.

Just as BOMA is dedicated to “greening” the industry, the Obama administration has pledged to make greening America a centerpiece of its agenda. With only one week separating Earth Day and the close of President Obama’s first 100 days in office, BOMA released the list to commemorate a shared green vision with the new administration.

“These 100 straightforward strategies for going green are critical tools any property professional can put to work today,” said BOMA International Chair and Chief Elected Officer Richard D. Purtell, portfolio manager, Grubb & Ellis Management Services, Inc. “We look forward to working with the Obama administration and other public leaders as we continue to make energy efficiency and sustainability a priority throughout the built environment.”

Here are just 10 of the 100 ways commercial real estate professionals can green their operations this Earth Day:

1. Benchmark energy consumption through ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager
2. Harvest rainwater for landscaping
3. Institute a tenant energy awareness program
4. Convert inefficient lamps and ballasts to T8, T12, and T5 lamps
5. Add composting to landscape maintenance plan
6. Hold an e-waste day and collect old printers, computers and electronics for recycling
7. Team clean building floor-by-floor to reduce electricity use
8. Install solar shades to block heat
9. Install bicycle racks in building for tenants who bike to work
10. Use low-VOC paints, sealants and adhesives for building improvements

See all 100 strategies by downloading this PDF: 100-ways-100-days.

The Building Owners and Manager’s Association (BOMA) International’s survey that produces the pioneering benchmarking publication, the Experience Exchange Report (EER), launched on February 16 with several revolutionary enhancements. This year, the nearly 90 year old benchmarking tool has transitioned to a completely online format with the help of Kingsley Associates, an industry leader in research and consulting services.

The online format will bring about improvements in how users submit and access data. The submitting process will be streamlined, with several useful updates:

• A step-by-step format to help submitters identify where they are in the survey process “Tooltips,” that define what’s needed on each line;
• Automated filters that check data for typos and incorrect information; and
• Comment fields for submitters to clarify information and data input.

For EER end users, querying data will also be more efficient and user friendly. Users will be able to customize searches to find the market information they need, which will maximize its utility. A new pricing structure will allow users to access and pay for only the data they need. There will also be discounts for submitters, as well as for users accessing data in multiple markets, and for corporations with multiple users.

These key enhancements come at a critical time, as industry professionals recognize that benchmarking property performance is critical to surviving—and thriving—in a recession. The EER provides comprehensive building operating income and expense performance data in more than 65 line items, and in 2008 covered 300 U.S. and Canadian markets. Property and asset managers regularly use the EER to gauge their performance. Investors and appraisers use the data as a barometer for assessing how a property is financially positioned in its and comparable markets.

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International commends the U.S. Treasury for taking decisive action to restore liquidity to the financial system and create a functioning credit market for commercial real estate. Last week, Treasury Secretary Thomas Geithner announced a plan to unlock the nation’s frozen credit markets that includes expanding the Fed’s Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF) to include newly originated AAA commercial real estate securities.

The Treasury’s new plan is a significant and positive step that will thwart potential mass foreclosures in the commercial real estate industry that many experts fear. In a letter BOMA sent in collaboration with 11 other national real estate organizations to the Treasury last November, it was estimated that more than $400 billion of secured and unsecured debt will mature before the end of 2009. The strategy will go a long way to foil the widespread detrimental effects on local communities that would have resulted without the plan.

“We congratulate Treasury Secretary Geithner on a productive first step in office that will help prevent a further tailspin in our economy,” stated BOMA International Chair and Chief Elected Officer Richard D. Purtell, portfolio manager, Grubb & Ellis Management Services, Inc. “BOMA looks forward to working further with the Treasury, the Obama Administration and Congressional leaders to develop strategies to bring about full economic recovery.”

BOMA International has been responding to the credit crisis since it began, advocating for policymakers to enact measures to energize credit markets, restore bank lending capacity, support American businesses, create jobs, and restore the economy. In July, Purtell testified before Congress on the ramifications of the credit crunch, emphasizing the importance of credit availability to the commercial real estate sector. Since then, BOMA has consistently urged policy leaders to recognize commercial real estate’s contribution to the local tax base, the central role the industry plays in job creation and the benefits of a healthy real estate industry to the overall economy.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), along with nine other organizations, is forming a consortium in response to the U.S. Department of Energy request for consortia to advise the department on high performance building issues. The HighPerformance Commercial Green Building Partnership (HPCGBP) brings together leading organizations from all aspects of the building community to provide guidance and technical leadership on key sustainability issues to the Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Program.

“This partnership will ensure that the voices of the building industry are being heard,” says Bill Harrison, ASHRAE president. “At a time when reducing energy consumption in buildings is paramount, the consortium gives leaders in the built environment and in those industries affecting construction a clear path to offer advice to the DOE on our goals, concerns, and new technologies.”

ASHRAE initiated formation of the partnership and will serve as the group’s secretariat. Other members of the HPCGBP’s steering committee currently includes the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), American Institute of Architects (AIA), Alliance to Save Energy (ASE), Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), International Code Council (ICC), Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The partnership intends to be recognized as a “Partnership Consortium” by the Department of Energy as requested in response to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 Section 421. Section 421 is part of the formation of the Net-Zero Commercial Building Initiative, which is intended to develop a research, development, and deployment strategy toward achieving net zero energy commercial buildings.

Partnership participants reflect all disciplines necessary to design and build high performance commercial buildings, including:

• architects and engineers
• the development, construction, financial, and real estate industries
• building owners and operators 
• academic and research organizations
• building code agencies and organizations
• independent high performance green building associations or councils
• experts in indoor air quality and environmental factors
• experts in intelligent buildings and integrated building information systems
• utility energy efficiency programs
• manufacturers and providers of equipment
• public transportation industry experts
• nongovernmental energy efficiency organizations

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has launched Rx - Resource Exchange, a comprehensive Web-based menu of resources to help commercial real estate professionals cope with the economic downturn. As the market tightens and the credit crunch starts to flow into the commercial market, efficient and effective building operations are increasingly important. BOMA International has combed through extensive resources to create a one-stop shop with all the tools property professionals need to both enhance building operations and gain professional development insight.

BOMA International Chair and Chief Elected Officer Richard D. Purtell, portfolio manager, Grubb & Ellis Management Services, Inc., explains, “Now more than ever, it is vital that property professionals sharpen their skills and manage their buildings efficiently as only the firms that cut costs without cutting services will make it out of the financial crisis on top.”

These these seven smart strategies straight from Rx - Resource Exchange can help you not only survive but thrive in a down economy:

1. Back to Basics - A tight market means getting back to basics—brush up on your property management skills by taking BOMA’s Foundations of Real Estate Management course.

2. Put it in Writing - Are your building occupants helping you cut costs through energy efficiency practices? Green your leases with BOMA’s Guide to Writing a Commercial Real Estate Lease, Including Green Lease Language.

3. Network, Network, Network - Get a leg up by networking with industry pros at as many events as you can.

4. Control Costs - Did you know that energy is the largest controllable operating cost? Sign up for relevant Webinars to improve your building’s operational efficiency.

5. Measure Your Success - How does your building’s income and expenses measure up in your region or market? Find out by using the industry’s premier benchmarking tool, BOMA’s Experience Exchange Report.

6. Take the Challenge - Cut energy costs by signing on to BOMA’s 7-Point Challenge, a commitment to reduce your building’s energy consumption by 30% by 2012.

7. Be Informed - Check out the SelectLeaders/Cornell Job Barometer to stay up to date on the latest career trends in real estate.