This episode explores the evolving landscape of Facility Management in the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on the integration of digital transformation and ESG goals. Industry experts discuss how the sector is shifting from traditional maintenance to a data-driven model centered on human capital and technological innovation.
What does the future of facility management look like in the Asia Pacific region? In this episode, Kenneth Foo sits down with Michael Ng, Don Tze, and Dora Yim to explore how FM is evolving across Singapore and Hong Kong, from government-led digital pushes to the integration of high-level sustainability. They examine how multinational corporations are utilizing ESG reporting and "well certificates" to drive sustainability, as well as the critical role of change management in helping frontline workers embrace new technological tools.
This episode is sponsored by TMA Systems! Discover more at https://www.tmasystems.com/ifmapodcast
Time Stamps:
Michael Ng: [00:00:00] FM is actually all about people place process, right? When we actually talk about people, it's really the human capital. I think in all organizations, when you actually go to boss, you know, the boss will actually say that, if you want more people, I mean, what is actually the outcome, right?
What's actually the yield, what they can actually do. It's not just actually giving the budget to hire people, but I think it's actually important is to really create an understanding with your bosses and the C-Suites, is that, you know what, they've actually can bring the value in the FM organization.
Host: Welcome to Connected fm, a podcast connecting you to the latest insights, tools, and resources to help you succeed in facility management. This podcast is brought to you by ifma, the leading professional association for facility managers. If you are ready to grow your network and advance in your career.
Go to ifma.org to get started. [00:01:00] Have you ever wondered what does the future of facility management look like in the Asia Pacific region? In today's episode, Kenneth Foo sits down with Michael Ng, Don Tze, and Dora Yim. To explore how FM is evolving across Singapore and Hong Kong. Together they examine how multinational corporations are utilizing ESG reporting and certificates to drive sustainability.
As well as the critical role of change management in helping frontline workers embrace new technological tools. Now, let's get into it.
Kenneth Foo: We are from the Asia Pacific. I'm from Singapore and Hong Kong. We are here to, share some what is happening in the, the other part of the world. My name is Kenneth. I'm, I'm used to be the past president of Singapore chapter and Hong Kong chapter.
And with me here is the vice President of if Singapore chapter [00:02:00] Don chair will be the from Hong Kong chapter, the president and the the influencer. I think maybe you met her yesterday.
Dora Yim: Pretty lady,
Kenneth Foo: right? And yeah, very pretty. And Dora and she was the best president of Hong Kong chapter.
Michael Ng: Yeah.
Kenneth Foo: Well, I think guys name, I think it's important for us to share what FM is happening in part of the world. Yeah. From what you hear today, most of things we do and learn. And you listen throughout here, I would, they will share with you what is happening there and you can understand. But FM is everywhere.
The challenges we have is no different. Maybe Michael, you wanna share
Michael Ng: Sure.
Kenneth Foo: What's happening in Singapore so that at least the crowd here would know.
Michael Ng: Sure, sure. Well, I can actually sort of explain about a bit of, the Singapore site and what FM has been in place. A lot of stuff that we have been actually looking at.
It's really technology, digital transformation and all that. But one thing, one thing good about [00:03:00] it is that it's actually a government push right from the top to the built environment. That's how our Singapore chapter able to. Create an opportunity to to help the FMRs to, you know, get ready and, and be prepared for the world.
I mean, in, when you talk about digital transformation is actually something that is not easy. I think it technology is actually so complicated, you know, and as more and more that FM is actually coming to the industry, they, they need to. They need to really understand what is data management, how you can actually integrate datas.
We have lots of datas, right, as you can actually see in fm. So, so one is actually really digital transformation and second is actually really is, is about procurement, right? We are looking into integrated FM versus management where we integrate a, a number of outsource services [00:04:00] in into one. That are able to create an opportunity or or services to our clients in, in, in Singapore.
Yep.
Kenneth Foo: Thank, thank you. Michael. How about Hong Kong? Don?
Don Tze: Yeah. Well, Michael shares the, the micro micro level. We talk about the government, the, the relationship or the synergy between the government and corporations. And I would like to talk a little bit more about corporation levels and the modern FMRs is not just ordinary, traditional one.
We are not just taking care of operations and maintenance. We are embracing the technological wave and especially the IOT ai, something like that. So it is crucial for each corporation to see if they're going to embrace it, if they're going to adopt it. So it is being discussed all the time. Is FM is going to move towards this direction?
Is it for the top management? They consider the [00:05:00] ROI, right? Yeah. They will see if it is benefits to the corporation. It is, its benefit to the efficiency and also the effectiveness of facility manager, right? Mm-hmm. But the middle management, they also need to know how to really embrace it, how to absorb it.
We also talk about the data. We know that we have so many data, is those data can bring us some insights? Is these insights can bring us and lead to data driven management. Mm-hmm. Is it possible for our FC manager to do this? We, how, how do we do it? How is it practical for us to do this? Everyone has a BMS system in their portfolio, in their properties.
But how are we going to merge this BMS system to other operation system? Is the worker, the system procurement system linking to the BMS system? Are we going to use some video and a in the CCT system? In order for us to get more insights from [00:06:00] this data, this is something that the facility managers is looking into and it is a very hot and popular topic in Hong Kong at this moment.
Kenneth Foo: Okay, thank you. How about Dora?
Dora Yim: I want share something in another perspective that is quite different. You know, Michael, talk about governance. Don't talk about big data, data driven. But how this thing impact our facility manager. You know, in Hong Kong, in apac, we always use the term ESG, but here I heard people talk about sustainability.
E is something like environmental, just like energy. Saving S means social, but that one social means to us is wellbeing, you know? Wellbeing is very important. Recently we have the research result of that, the office workplace design will impact the staff performance. And another critical issues to have staff retention is the design of [00:07:00] the workplace.
You know, nowadays it's very difficult to hire staff and even you hire staff. They may not stay long. So the stock retention is also impacted by how the workplace we decide. So workplace is one of the critical elements in our FM operations, so, mm-hmm. So, nowadays back to normal that we may need go to office.
So office design will typically impact how we can be, what level to be to reach the sustainability? So nowadays, office always have their well certificates in Hong Kong to showcase the office is how healthy to maintain that level of sustainability. So we got well certificate, and during the COVID time, there is a health h and r that will be a very easy result or another is a health.
Out search that will be in FM operations. So it's quite crucial. [00:08:00] And also often design like lead operations is very common in Hong Kong. Mm-hmm. Particular those large corporation multinational corporation, they need to have the submit their ESG report. Yeah. So that is one of the criteria requirements for them in Hong Kong to apply.
For such kind of credential.
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Kenneth Foo: Okay, thank you Dora. The other thing is that you can see through the whole conference that we're talking about technology sustainability and also how to embrace it. But I'm sure that any of you still, like for technology at the moment what the challenges or maybe some of the listeners here would like to know.
Because all of us fm, we want to embrace technology, but it's always a challenge to convince our senior management and also how to convince our generation below, our technicians, our supervisors, they have not used technology before. How do they embrace it? Maybe you guys can share your experience and see how we can actually achieve that.
Michael Ng: Mm, maybe I, I would just actually like to actually start off with is that FM is actually all about people place process, right? When we actually talk about people, it's really the human capital. I think in all organizations, when you actually go to boss, you know, the boss will actually say that, if you want more people, I mean, what is actually the outcome, right?
What's actually the yield, what they can actually do. It's not just [00:10:00] actually giving the budget to hire people, but I think it's actually important is to really create an understanding with your bosses and the C-Suites, is that, you know what, they've actually can bring the value in the FM organization and, and one of the value is that we upskill.
We create opportunities for our fm, colleagues to grow, to understand data management, understand how to integrate, you know, perhaps, you know, data that we have because we have a lot of datas from, you know, CMMS, you know, from BMS, you know, how to actually interpret it in, in, in terms of sustainability.
The scope, the carbon footprints that we've actually looking at. I, I think the value of actually bringing in right, qualified people with a data scientists background, technology background, it's, it's the way to go. I think if you don't have the right people, right skill, you will not be able to actually manage.
I think that's my perspective in [00:11:00] Singapore context because we. We have to actually focus on the human capital to bring in the right people to, to help us to create an opportunity and, and value as well. Yeah.
Dora Yim: Maybe I go to my code about the, the people, you know, we need to change the people mindset.
There is a process called change management in fm. To change the staff, how they will cope with the new technology, how they can manage the dictator, how they can change from a manual operation model to rely on the IBMS. Something like that is very important. Yeah. So we also put lot of resources to have our staff not only train them, but change their mindset.
That is a process. Not one day can finish it. Yeah. It's a process ongoing. Yeah.
Don Tze: Yeah. Yeah. I think before changing our staff's or colleagues mindset, we have to change our mindsets first. Yeah, that's true. Because that's true. Yeah. The willingness to learn and the [00:12:00] openness of each candidate I think is very important to embrace these technology wave.
Yeah, because just like what I mentioned, the management would like to adopt ai. But if the facility manager doesn't know what is AI and how we are going to apply the ai, how can we persuade our frontline staff to embrace this wave with us? So we have to be very open. We have to be open mind in datadriven decision, data driven operation.
Yep. Just like, but, but this is a trend that people would like to know. It is a very popular topics in Hong Kong, for example, like. What I de deliver a speech or deliver a presentation regarding ai, how AI is changing facility management, how AI is when compared to autonomous vehicle. After that, my LinkedIn connection increased 20%.
So this is a data-driven, we know from the data that. The industry would like to know more about ai, how we are going to embrace the ai. So [00:13:00] this is something that we should embrace it and we should broadcast this message to our frontline staff, to our service provider so that they are going to on the same direction with us.
So this is some something that should,
Dora Yim: but the challenge is, is that the staff particularly. Frontline and mid middle level, they will think about job security. They will think about they afraid of loss a job. So that is how being the senior management, how we can cascade state the message to them, how we can make them feel comfortable.
That's right. To cooperate with us. That is so important.
Michael Ng: Yeah. Yeah.
Dora Yim: Go back to the change process. Yeah.
Michael Ng: Yes. Yeah.
Kenneth Foo: Well, I, I think it's right. That is people's fear. AI will replace them, but I. From our experience, AI is there to help you guys, right? Yeah. Yeah. I think how we use the tools yeah. Will help the people do work better and, and it's just a matter of change.
I think the fear is unfounded. Yeah. Having said that a lot of people nowadays, so, I dunno [00:14:00] this part of America, but in, in Asia it's quite hard to get, frontline staff and technician. It's quite hard to get the people to do the works down there. So sometimes AI do help them, so to make their work easier.
Yeah. The other thing is that, how do you think, how does this AI and technologies impact our customers? Do you think, from your perspective, do they understand what we FM are doing with ai? Would that thing will help the business?
Michael Ng: Yep.
Kenneth Foo: From your perspective.
Michael Ng: I think for, for me, I've actually worked in a hospital although I've actually sort of, support the chapter in many aspects of creating value of ai.
Smart technology is actually one of the pillars that the government is actually pushing for. I mean, for hospital is actually patient experience. We've used AI is actually very much for patient experience to really encounter. You know, when a patient comes to the hospital, what do you actually, you know, [00:15:00] help them?
How do you actually help them through ai? I think it very much that, you know, with a smart technology that if actually come to hospital, you can actually see where they are. You're gonna meet your doctor in one of the clinics from doctors. You can actually go to the scanning, you know, department.
From there, you get your imaging. That's actually very important, right? I think because without the AI technology, smart technology. That you inbuilt in, in your phones or in your apps, it will not actually create that patient experience in a hospital aspect. Yeah. That, that's my per perspective from a hospital.
Don Tze: So for commercial point of view, so our client is looking into ESG sustainability, right? They are, they, they would like to load the scope one, scope two, scope three emission. So. For the building, we should provide some data for them to do the reporting. So with the ai we can do some Chile optimization, we can do some.
Machine learning on the chiller or a H startup. So this kind of [00:16:00] methods can really help us to drive down the electricity consumption. So this is very, this is essential for the tenant as well. So if the total energy consumption of the building is decreased, so it is beneficial for their reporting as well.
Dora Yim: For me, it's similar as what mentioned by Don, but one more thing is that they always ask me what will be the investment? So interesting. But I don't think as much depends on the scale, how you do that. Yeah. Because some of the resources can be supported by the vendor itself, or sponsored by shared by, you know, different clients at the same time.
So that not be a a, a issue for us. But ultimately they wanted to have the ESG result.
Kenneth Foo: Yeah. Does through technology and things like that for customers for, especially for ESG, a lot of company have to report on ESG and governance nowadays. Do you think technology [00:17:00] provide the transparency they need
Michael Ng: mm-hmm.
Kenneth Foo: To, for this customer to use so that they are aware of what's happening in the building?
Dora Yim: Yeah, of course, of course. Yeah. Like me, I use some software that it present like a dashboard that I allow our client to log in. So they can see real data themselves so they feel very comfortable. So that is transparency there.
Kenneth Foo: Okay. Having say that, I think we got only one minute left. So what I want to, maybe you want to say one word?
Michael Ng: Yep.
Kenneth Foo: To share with the to encompass FM in Asia.
Michael Ng: Yep. I think one, one of the best thing is that, you know, for AI technology is actually coming up. I think, we are trying to actually create a value proposition to our stakeholders and, and a lot of things that we actually create is awareness and create, you know, our company.
One word. Yeah. You to work on that. Yeah.
Kenneth Foo: Thanks. Not 10 words. Come on, Don. One word.
Don Tze: Yeah. I think it's embrace. Embrace this,
Host: meet people.
Don Tze: Wow.
Kenneth Foo: Alright. [00:18:00] Thank you. Thank you very much for time. Thank you, and I hope you share some ideas of what we can do. Thank
Michael Ng: you.
Don Tze: Yeah, thank you.
Host: Thanks for tuning into the Connected FM podcast.
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