Forever Forward - Facilities Management, Asset Operations, Maintenance and Beyond!

In this episode, host Umesh Bhutoria teams up with David Clark, Director at Positive Zero, an independent consultancy that helps the property sector transition to a fully sustainable future.

A leader in sustainable design with a particular focus on Zero Carbon strategies and solutions, David brings his vast experience to help you figure out where to start, what data, resources, and skill sets are needed, and how to actually get to the implementation stage of a retrofitting programme.

And...there's much more!

Tune in now to get in on the action and take the next step in your retrofitting journey.

Keep listening to the Forever Forward - FM, Operations, and Maintenance Podcast for exclusive conversations and insights from industry leaders and experts!

Welcome to the world of smart buildings and retrofits in our latest episode titled 'State of Smart Buildings and Retrofits in 2023'.

This time, Umesh hosts Stefan Schmidt, building sustainability expert and Director of Smart Buildings Technology at Wiredscore, to unravel the trends shaping the present and future of this industry.

With Wiredscore's extensive work in the certification of global buildings and tech programs, the episode explores the top growth drivers, their impact on regional disparities, and the tech adoption barriers that bridge continents while revealing intriguing differences. From the UK to APAC and the US, discover the unique challenges and common threads woven into this transformative sector.

Next, Stefan uncovers the essence behind technology companies' involvement and paints a vivid picture of the evolving state of smart building solutions. As we traverse the UK, APAC, and the US once more, gain insights into regional nuances and disparities that underline the chasm between supply and demand expectations versus reality.

Finally, we engage in a thought-provoking discussion on the essential factors that can propel retrofits to the forefront. The conversation navigates the balance between user-centricity and operational efficacy—raising questions on whether the focus on occupants inadvertently sidelines the operators and maintenance teams.

Tune in to explore the thoughts and critical perspectives of our speakers, offering a panoramic view of the world of smart buildings and retrofitting.

Happy listening!

Welcome to yet another episode of the Forever Forward podcast! This time, host Umesh (Founder & CEO, Xempla) invites Robert Philbrook, Management Consultant at RPC Ltd. to discuss the state of Hard FM services, zeroing down on the UK's healthcare sector.

Robert carries decades of experience in facilities management, maintenance, and sustainability, including stints at companies like Skanska Facility Services and Bouygues Energies & Services among others. Having planned, managed, and successfully delivered the mobilization of Hard FM Services at the largest Health PFI in Europe, he opens up to Umesh about things that have changed and remained constant when it comes to asset maintenance and management across healthcare facilities.

The conversation then moves on to the role of modern-day FM companies in delivering what modern-day healthcare facilities need and where they might be falling short. There's also talk about the use of technology, moving to data-driven maintenance, the impact of HTM compliances and regulations on O&M regimes, and the pathway to Net Zero in the context of healthcare facilities.

Tune in to find a wealth of insights like you always do on our channel. Let us know your views on this episode and Subscribe now to stay abreast of our latest releases!

Welcome to a solo episode by Founder & CEO Umesh Bhutoria on the State of Facilities Management in the UAE - as of 2023. This episode brings you six predictions for the future of the industry, based on Umesh's interactions with leaders, experts, and customers in this up-and-coming Middle East country.

As the sequel to our episode "State of Facilities Management in the Middle East" released in Nov 2021, we carry forward from the predictions and observations we had made then. During the time that has passed since its release, 3 out of 5 predictions have turned out true with respect to digital transformation and technology adoption in the region. In the episode, Umesh also explains what strategies have worked and why (and what haven't worked and why) along with some advice on how companies should really start to differentiate their offering and transform their business model for the times to come.

We're keeping a close eye on the movements within the FM space in the UAE and would love to know your views on where the industry is headed! Send Umesh a message here or reach out to him on LinkedIn. Take care and keep listening!

In this episode, Umesh welcomes Hamza Zinedine B., Inside Sales, Marketing, and Strategic Partnerships at Jacobs GTO to examine the role of mid-level management in enabling digital transformation at facility management companies. 

In the facilities management space, a key leverage point in digital transformation that is out of sync is mid-level management. While senior management is aware of novel technologies and is driving the change, practitioners under middle managers are busy executing. Middle managers have an opportunity like never before to emerge as leaders who do not just “do digital” but help their organization ”be digital” at the very core.

Tune in as our speakers explore what being digital means, and how Facility Managers can overcome limitations to make the most of the opportunity that lies before them. Plus, there's more on the need for soft skills and digital competence that's growing rapidly in the FM industry.

Let us know your views on this episode.

Hey FM leaders! Are you 'being digital' or 'doing digital'? What's the difference? 

Inspired by a recent Mckinsey Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode, Umesh speaks about how most FM organizations are missing the digital agenda if they're just looking to tick use-case boxes without focusing on the larger outcomes. 

Umesh explains how being digital means imbibing it in your DNA and transforming how you run your organization from top to bottom.

The difference in the approach itself can spell day-night gaps in how successfully you're able to implement digital transformation, the scale at which you can implement it, and the benefits you can drive from it. 

Tune in to discover more insights on goal setting, whether it's a good idea for FMs to develop their own software, and how your existing workforce needs help to really 'become' digital. 

Subscribe to our channel to stay abreast of our latest releases! 

Drop your views on this episode, or connect with us on LinkedIn to join the Forever Forward movement!

In this episode, Umesh welcomes Marco Bonelli, Digital Lead at VINCI Construction UK to explore new developments in Building Information Modelling (BIM), digital twins for enhanced O&M, and everything that can move the needle beyond the construction phase. 

With 10 years of experience in the construction industry, Marco takes us through his journey of helping improve workflows and efficiency for teams and shares how to bring the most impact from digital to deliver better, faster, and cheaper.  

You're in for a treat as the speakers discuss BIM and digital twin adoption in the UK, the core users of these technologies, how they connect the worlds of building design and building operations, and the cultural barriers we need to overcome going forward.

In all of this, both Umesh and Marco wholeheartedly agree on the importance of teamwork and community in enabling more than what's possible and that making a positive impact in the lives of people is the biggest success there is. 

We would love to know your views on this episode. Drop a message here, or connect with us on LinkedIn to join the Forever Forward movement!

This episode with Kritika Kumar, Product Ops & Innovation at CLP Smart Energy Connect is a departure from the conventional conversations around energy service providers. Simply because of the fact that it's uncommon to see their drive for innovation, especially when it comes to managing energy consumption in commercial buildings, facilities, and beyond. 

Umesh and Kritika look into what kind of role an energy utility company can play in enabling more efficient use of energy resources within the built environment and figure out which stakeholders in the smart buildings space can lead the wave of innovation and transformation.

We'd love to know your views on this episode. Drop a message here, or connect with Kritika and Umesh on LinkedIn to carry on the conversation!

In this episode, Umesh welcomes Zul Azhan Abu Bakar, Co-Founder & CEO at Infinity Wave and a hugely popular figure across Asset Operations, Maintenance, and Facilities Management to discuss the state of technology adoption, drivers of change, and recent developments within the built environment space in Malaysia.

As the world moves towards data-driven maintenance and asset management, Zul and Umesh dive into the reality of situations at the ground level, examine the impact of various factors on the total cost of ownership, and try to put a finger on which stakeholders among the many involved should take charge of delivering this transformation. 

Listen to their conversation to uncover a wealth of insight into where the industry is headed in Malaysia and what trends to look out for in 2023! 

We would love to know your views on this episode. Drop a message here, or connect with Zul and Umesh on LinkedIn to carry on the dialogue!

This episode with special guest Justin Kirby is a fresh and perhaps the only sensible take on smart buildings and retrofit opportunities in brownfield projects! 

With an academic background in human-centered design, Justin has worn a number of hats throughout his career, spanning cross-cutting areas like technology, sustainability, design, and marketing communications. He speaks with Umesh about frameworks like Jobs-to-be-done to shed light on how a smart building is not a destination, but a starting point. Moreover, he uses the term 'connected' as a better representation of the smart building ecosystem, rather than terms like 'intelligent' or 'autonomous' buildings. 

Tune in to the conversation to uncover a wealth of insight on how everything ranging from solutions, technology, and infrastructure should be centered around the user if organizations are to strike bigger conversations with customers and achieve their desired outcomes. 

We would love to hear your views on this episode! Drop a message here, or connect with Justin or me on Linkedin.

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