Infrastructural and economic challenges, sustainable building heritages, energy efficiency, estate management in a changing climate, green building methods, maintenance funding; these are all issues which higher education institutions grapple with to create the best possible conducive academic environment in which to enhance the production of knowledge.
These are also the issues which The Higher Education Facility Management Association (HEFMA) of Southern Africa delegates will discuss at the association’s annual conference to be held for the first time at Rhodes University in Grahamstown from 19 to 22 October 2009.
The theme of the conference this year is “Sustainable Facilities Management in a Changing Environment”. “The theme could not have been more appropriate given the political, economic and social changes, some of which are unprecedented, our country and region is undergoing,” said Dr Sizwe Mabizela, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic & Student Affairs, Rhodes University.?
“As we consider how best to accommodate and provide access to increasing numbers of students, especially those from poorer communities, higher education institutions are forced to rethink infrastructure development and facilities management models not only to meet today’s demands, but to place us on a better footing to successfully negotiate future challenges.”
In the current environment where electricity prices are escalating, water resources lessening and global warming impacting the world negatively, how do you maintain a campus so that you continue to enable the enhancement of teaching, learning and research? “We need to continually find new and innovative ways to manage our facilities,” says Les Reynolds, incoming president of HEFMA and Director of the Estates Division at Rhodes.
“For my term as president, I would like to consult with other universities, to reach out and to bring people involved in facilities management closer, to talk and to share knowledge about how best to deal with these challenges.” Emphasising what an integral part facilities managers play in facilitating the transer of knowledge at universities, Reynolds also hopes to get better recognition for his colleagues in the field.
Keynote speaker, Dr Saleem Badat, Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes University will present a talk titled the “The Physical Infrastructural Challenge”. Patrick Finch of Bristol University will talk about the economic challenges faced by British Universities. Professor Hugo Nel will talk about creating sustainable building heritages for universities as they develop over the decades. Ben Cobbing of Conservation Support Services in Grahamstown will introduce the use of Geographical Information Systems in assisting the sustainability of maintenace programmes. Mr Silesh Mansingh, Energy Marketing Manger for the Southern Region will speak about the perrennial importance of energy efficiency in South Africa.
Greg Steele, CEO of the Master Builder’s Association for the Eastern Cape, will be the main speaker on Wednesday when he discusses cost saving building methods. Barry McKay, Vice-President of The Australian Tertiary Education Facilities Management Association (TEFMA) will speak about how maintenance is funded at New Zealand universities. John Elliot of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University will discuss how estates can be managed in a changing climate. Neil Cameron of Johnson Controls will talk about intelligent building designs and whether they are going greener.
On Thursday, Bill Elvey of the University of Dallas, Texas, USA, will speak about how maintenance problems are solved at American universities. Mr James Kwenani and Mr Gordon McGregor, of the University of Namibia will follow with a talk of how a Sixties designed building can be innovatively transformed into a user friendly green building with solar power.
Conference proceedings will be wrapped up on Thursday with the annual general meeting followed that evening by the induction of Reynolds as president of HEFMA.
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HEFMA has 23 members, who generally function in the field of facilities management, from institutions of higher learning across Southern Africa. It also has about 60 associate members and has developed strategic partnerships with The Australian Tertiary Education Facilities Management Association (TEFMA), The British Association of University Directors of Estate (AUDE) and The American Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers (APPA).
The aim of HEFMA is to develop and maintain high quality standards in the management, maintenance, operation, planning, utilisation and development of the physical infrastructure of higher education campuses. This includes promoting professional ideals and standards to ensure the best academic environment and to provide professional service thorugh constant education, information sharing and collaboration.