The why of Networking

When you are an entrepreneur slogging hard to make your business a success, you need to work smart and use all the possible tools in hand. This includes joining networks, attending meets, interacting, collaborating, actively participating, proposing initiatives et al. While all this might seem like too much work, considering how busy you already are and how pressed for time; this is a much needed task.

You want to know why? Then go through the points below and if these resonate with you and make sense, then put them to use and see how your business grows.

Be like a bee

A bee never just sits on one flower always. It goes from flower to flower collecting honey. As it collects honey it also gives back something to the flower. A pollen here, a pollen there and soon you have a garden full of beautiful flowers of different hues. Similarly, when you network you take with you contacts that you already have; you make new contacts, you also get the opportunity to connect with the contacts of the people you network with. Imagine this A meets B, B introduces A to C, C introduces A and B to D..... so on and so forth. Isn’t this a win win situation?

Be a Student

While you network, you come across all kinds of people. Some great successes at their business, some failures at all ventures, some learners, some preachers, some teachers, some experienced veterans! These are your teachers! If you pay close attention, you will learn so much in a single night’s interaction. If you are a good learner, you might even get an opportunity to meet the best of the best personally and take private tuition from them. The possibilities are endless. Networking will always ... repeat always .. give you take always.

Be a sponge

Observe and absorb as much as possible. You will gain insight into so many market trends just by paying attention. You don’t need to necessarily know everything there is to know about the industry when you start off, but believe me, you will be a lot richer in terms of industry knowledge by the end of a meet.

Take away

The most important take away of Networking are the referrals. Most referrals referred at networking meets are of high quality and are genuinely genuine. When a person refers someone to someone, his reputation is also at stake here. So he will make sure that he passes on good referrals. How you convert the referrals is up to you!

Participate

Don’t just be a face in the crowd when you attend networking events. Straighten your shoulders, put on your best smile and have a conversation with people. You are here not for the free coffee or snacks, you are here to meet, interact and gain some. Unless you talk about yourself and your business, no one will know you. 

You need to make your presence felt for people to remember you and thus want to stay in touch with you.

In all, Networking is not just about dressing up and going into a room full of entrepreneurs. It is about letting the world know that you too are an entrepreneur and that you too are here to profit as much to teach and learn.

                                                                                                                                              

The wish to be a MOTHER

Saw an advt in the news papers this morning (July 30, 2015. Mumbai Mirror. Page 5). While the gist of the matter gave me heart, what bothered me were the specifications! We use such discretion while selecting marriage partners and now are doing so for progeny as well!  

Yes, being sure about what you get is good, but such classifications as “fair or wheatish complexion”! What is that for? Shouldn't the requirement be for a “strong, healthy, ailment free, living a good and clean lifestyle, intelligent donor?

It takes two sets of people for a baby to be born. What guarantee that the receiver is as fair or as wheatish as the donor? What if the receiver is dark and the chromosomes are dominant and therefore the foetus takes on the dominant characteristics? Will the resulting baby be disowned because he or she is dark?

Such advts make my blood boil.

Like I said before the fact that people are advertising openly for egg donors is a sign that now people are more aware, knowledgeable and are more willing to for in for IVF. They are no longer seeking ONLY divine intervention, Babaji ki dua or jadibuti ka chamatkar!   

I guess there is still a long way to go before we accept colour, creed and class. However, till we get there, let me rejoice in the fact that we have atleast woken up. HALLELUJAH! 

Worse than an ANIMAL - He is condemned!!!

Mornings are more often than not spoiled after going through the morning news papers! Today morning was no different and yet I closed the paper with a sickening feeling in my heart. The headlines “SC to hear if Navy right in sacking staffer for incest” http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-to-hear-if-Navy-right-in-sacking-staffer-for-incest/articleshow/47919111.cms made me wonder. Are they ACTUALLY wasting time questioning the right of the Navy to sack this sicko or are they condemning the INCEST!!!!

The case in question is about the need for the Supreme Court to examine a critically sensitive issue wherein they want to check if a Navy officer can be dismissed from service for having consensual sexual relations with his daughter! What is it that I’m missing here? 

For me its a clear cut case of RAPE! Rape of a young girl, rape of trust, rape of faith, rape of the relationship that fathers and daughters share, rape of justice, rape of integrity, rape of dignity, rape of everything that glorifies fathers!

Why then is there a need to even get into any other argument?

The man is guilty in the sorrowful eyes of the girl, in the eyes of the Armed Forces Tribunal, in the eyes of the Navy, and most importantly in the eyes of GOD! There SHOULD be no need for appeal.

He has disrespected his role as a father, he has disrespected his daughter, he has disrespected the relationship, he has disrespected the sanctity of the father daughter bond, he has disrespected common sense and intelligence. He has no right to appeal.

He is condemned!!! MAY GOD NEVER SAVE HIM!!! AMEN!!!

Seeking Happily Ever After

Offlate Ive been thinking about how wishes for the newly wedded need to undergo a change. Gone are the days of “Love laughter and happily ever after”, “Wishing you happiness always”, “Congratulations on your wedding”, etc etc.

Those wishes were meant for couples who stood by each other through thick and thin, through sickness and health, through good times and bad, through children and grandchildren and for marriages that celebrated their 50^th year with much pomp and show. 

These were couples who had their differences, sometimes didn’t meet eye-to-eye on all issues, who argued and maybe shut doors with a bang at times! But these were also couples who stuck together (willingly or otherwise) for the sake of their children and for peace in the family and because they didn’t want to be seen as failures.

These days it’s about “MY space”, “MY freedom”, “MY identity”, “ME”, “ME”, “ME”! There is nothing wrong with that. Having and knowing your selfworth is very important, but this feeling of selfworth is also true for the partner.  

Today marriages are lavish affairs, each wedding outdoing the other in terms of location, theme, clothes, invitations, menu, shor sharaba, naach gana! However how many of us from my generation and the one following us can boast of a 15^th wedding anniversary .. and hopefully a 25^th and thereafter a 50th!!!

I believe that wishes now need to undego a change. We must now wish the newly wedded “A happy marriage where you respect each other”, “A blissful life where you live, share, care with each other and love eachother”, and yes “A graceful book (Note – not chapter) where you write memoires of love, respect and care”.

Our wedding vows need more words like Respect, Monogamy, Care, Cherish, RESPONSIBLE Freedom and LOVE.

And after all of this, if marriages still don’t work out.... You stop, introspect, take a deep breath and start all over again with the blessings of your loved ones. AMEN     

An expo to boost The Green movement

 October 25th, 2012 - 2 years, 224 days ago  Vandana 

Building Technology, Construction materials/Chemicals | Viewed times | No Comments

In a bid to provide momentum to the Green Construction movement in India, UBM India has announced EcoBuild India 2013 – an exhibition and conference on sustainable design, construction and the built environment. Sanjeev Khaira, Managing Director, UBM India speaks to Vandana Joshil about the expo and the company’s future plans.

With the booming construction industry in India, it is the right time for an expo like Ecobuild which focuses on innovation in design and low carbon technologies. How have you planned the expo and what type of exhibitors are you expecting?

Ecobuild is the world’s largest exhibition dedicated to the future of sustainable building design, construction and the built environment. Launched in 2004, Ecobuild in the UK is held annually in March at London’s ExCeL and is attended by the most influential individuals and organisations from the design and construction sector. To provide a platform for the sustainable built environment in Asia, Ecobuild China was successfully launched in April 2012, and now in 2013, we will introduce Ecobuild India.

We feel the time is right to bring the event to the Indian market, as always, we took the decision to launch following significant research and consultation with key stakeholders in the sector. It is clear that that the construction sector in India is set for unprecedented growth. The industry is currently worth more than US$ 300 billion, this is estimated to increase to US$ 500 billion by 2015. At present there are nearly one billion square feet of projects that are registered for LEED in India, with nearly 1500 projects in the pipeline trying to get LEED rating. Achieving this rating is only possible if every aspect of the building conforms to the required sustainability standards.

At a macro level, 380 million people live in cities with inadequate urban infrastructure. This figure is anticipated to rise by 60% by 2030. Fifty three cities in India have a population of over one million and by 2030 this is expected to rise to sixty eight. The country is struggling to meet the growing demand for critical resources and also needs to manage rising energy costs. All these conditions convinced us the we need launch Ecobuild India, next April, in Mumbai.

Sustainability in construction is a very vast area. Are you going to touch on all the verticals of green construction?

We are looking at several hundred companies to take part in the first edition. The Expo will cover over 7000-8000 metres and will target a B2B audience. The exhibition will showcase all aspects of a sustainable building – from renewable energy generation, water management, building services, systems control, finished products – with timber sourced from sustainable sources rather than from the rainforest, external building systems- cladding and self cleaning glass.

Visitors will be architects, specifiers, developers, construction technicians, builders, manufacturers and distributers – we are targeting people who make significant purchases and handle large scale implementations. Often people come to an exhibition to get an update on the latest technology in the market, and we expect many of our exhibitors to launch their latest products at the expo – particularly the international exhibitors. Ecobuild already has a relationship with international players in the UK and China, and they have shown a positive response to the Indian market and want to work with us here.

What will be the focus of the technical seminars?

We have designed a comprehensive content programme based on two broad themes – Beyond the Built Environment – achieving India’s Sustainable future and the second is Making Sustainable Design Construction happen. This will not only include a lot of theory but will also talk about what actually happens on the ground, in a commercial context. For instance some solutions that work in other parts of the world might not actually work in India because of the climatic conditions etc. There will also be a comprehensive seminar programme that will be technical and have an educational focus. I am really excited about the Experience Zone where companies will showcase actual products. In this zone, we will recreate parts of an actual office space to give a complete understanding of what’s actually involved in the layout and mechanics of an installed system.

There will be a combination of Indian and International experts, thought leaders in and outside the industry. Also, there will be developers, architects, environmentalists and technical people. We aim to have a mixed broad base of speakers so that we have interesting and informative sessions that provoke discussion and dialogue.

What are UBM’s plan for the future and the areas it wants to explore as India needs to be introduced to many more advanced technologies?

UBM India has grown considerably since we set up in India in 2006. We now annually deliver 25 exhibitions, over 80 conferences and another 20 round table discussions/awards type events. We organise 125 events in all, and have four magazines and eight web portals. Essentially, we bring buyers and sellers together and we collect communities around areas of interest. Globally, we operate in 40 different verticals; and currently in India we are operating in 18, so we see plenty of opportunity to look at other markets and expand the number of verticals in which we operate. We are also looking at expanding our profile within the verticals we are currently in.

- See more at: http://buildotechindia.com/an_expo_to_boost_the_green_movement/#sthash.8AO4GGbK.dpuf

The Sreepada Dance Kalari – Coming together of Architecture & Dance

 November 29th, 2012 - 2 years, 189 days ago  Vandana 

Projects | Viewed times | No Comments

When classical dancer Methil Devika wanted to build a dance academy that would be a space not just for Learning Dance – but also be thriving and a common space for people from the arts background and allied fields, Architect Vinod Kumar M M of Dd Architects from Kerala was ecstatic. From this combination of the passion for dance and the relationship between Architecture and dance was born the Sreepada Dance Kalari in Ramanathapuram, Palakkad.

Methil Devika wanted a space that would give the necessary creative energy to conceive new dance productions and would also pay reverence to the traditional texts of Natyasastra. The space would have to be a thriving and common platform for artists. As an architect, Vinod has always been excited about the relation between Architecture and dance. For him – just like an architect crafts a building with forms and materials, the dancer creates space through his/her body/mudras. The relation between the human body and the enclosed space has been a topic of interest and this project provided an opportunity to practice the ideas that he had nurtured in his mind.

For him, architectural structures are living spaces if done with interest and the right attitude. The architectural team treated the Sreepada Dance Kalari structure with utmost respect. They played music during the foundation stone laying and later during the inauguration, the teacher and her students performed with the sun’s rays falling on them through the central skylight. That ceremony was a celebration of form, structure and life all around – something that is often missed or forgotten in the architecture of today.The structure which was completed in 2011 took over 10 months to complete and gave the design team the confidence that even within tight budgets, interesting, innovative structures could be created.

The traditional and the contemporary blissfully coexist in this pristine, purpose-built space, which also adheres to time-honoured norms of the Natyasastra. – Methil Devika

As per the Indian concept, a temple is considered to be living and representing the Human body. The designs of all Koothambalams of Kerala temples are based on these concepts and are constructed according to the guidelines given in the Nātyasāstra of Bharata Muni. Sreepada is an attempt in the modern times to create such a contemporary temple for the practice of Dance.

Since the Dancer through his/her body relates with the audience and outer space, care has been taken to design an eco friendly structure where one can relate with the Sun, rain and the breeze within the kalari.

Thus on a normal day with the movement of the Sun, changing moods are created with the changing patterns of light and shade within the space. With music and dances performances added, the space comes alive.

The way an architect crafts a building with forms and materials, the dancer, creates space through mudras. The relation between the human body and the enclosed space has been an interesting topic for me. – Vinod Kumar

During the rains the structure takes on a life of its own with the sound and smells of the rains in the courtyard. The design element is seen even in the chilankas (ghungroos) that the team used for detailing in the doors and also in the general branding/signage and the lighting fixtures.

The entry at the road level is marked with a small entrance gate which has stone lamps, as seen at temple entrances. A changing room was made near the entry from where the site descends down to the dance hall. Within that is a small stage for practice which actually is the foundation of an old house which was on site. The natural levels were kept as they were and thus from the road level till the paddy fields behind the dance hall, it is a natural descend. The architectural team retained/strengthened the foundation, so that it could be a space for having future additions.

As one enters the structure, there is a small entry court filled with pebbles and then a practice hall. There is a door in the east which has a symbolic ‘sreepada’ in brass on the floor. Towards the south of the structure is a small open space for students to relax after practice sessions. Flower bearing trees which add fragrance to the dancing space have been planted in the open space.

Daylighting is mostly done through three small courtyards within the hall and also through a central skylight. This creates interesting changing patterns of light and shade throughout the day.

As the levels of the site which follow the natural flow of water are maintained, there is a natural stepwise levelling from the road to the paddy field even after the project got completed. There is a level difference of around 150cms from north to south. The architect has used basic sustainable materials like brick, stone, bamboo and terracotta tiles for construction. Treated bamboo which were sourced from Wayanad in Kerala were used for jallis while stone and bricks were sourced locally. Terracotta, both flooring and roof tiles were sourced from nearby districts.

Most of the work has been done through local workers. Stone craftsmen who did the Dharmachakra carving in the entrance lintel were brought from Tamilnadu. Local fabricators made the roof structure and proved to be efficient and accurate in their works. The Kerala mural paintings on all the four sides were made as per the Natyasastra texts and were made by a young mural artist called Prabeesh. Infact ever since its formation in 2002, Dd Architects has been striving to develop a contemporary vocabulary suited for the Kerala context inspired from the rich tradition. The firm also work towards the revival of the local craft related to the building industry.

Since the site is in two levels – the entry at the road level and the Kalari at the paddy field level there were immense possibilities for landscaping. Shade grass, pebbles for courts, stone paths, fragrant flowering trees have been used throughout the landscape to give the site a very ‘close to nature’ feel. Most of the existing trees were retained and maintained. The project has the distinction of being awarded the Kerala State Gold Leaf award by the Kerala chapter of Indian Institute of Architects.

Methil Devika is a recipient of the National honours like Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2007 from the Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademy and the Devadasi National Award from the Government of Orissa 2010 for her proficiency in the performance and academic practice of Mohiniyattam.

http://buildotechindia.com/the_sreepada_dance_kalari_coming_together_of_architecture_and_dance/

Integrated wireless lighting systems

 February 23rd, 2013 - 2 years, 103 days ago  Vandana 

Energy efficiency, Lighting | Viewed times | No Comments

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

Lutron, a company pioneering in the invention of the first solid-state dimmer (1961) and the first product to control all light sources without additional interfaces (2001) is now offering Integrated guestroom solutions for the hospitality industry. Javier Segovia, Sales Director and Manjul Trehan, Director (Sales) India, explain the new wireless technology which makes the room settings flexible.

The wireless technology provides solutions to the hotel owners savings in terms of energy, labour and maintenance and to hotel guests in terms of room ambiance and comfort. Most often while changing the layout and settings of a guestroom or any room, the light fixtures and switches stay where they are unless the owner is willing to invest time and money on breaking into the wall, removing the concealed wiring and fitting it else where. With the wireless technology, all one needs to do is remove the controller and put it back in at the new location. This is as simple as pulling a card out of a wall socket. The only difference being that both the card and the reader can be taken out without causing damage to the wall and put up on another wall without delay.

This capability of being able to change not just the settings of the fixtures but also the switches controlling them is the need of the day in the current hospitality industry. This is a patented Lutron technology called ‘Clear Connect’. It consumes battery only when in use and its operations are as simple as pressing a button. As soon as the button is pressed, the message from one device to the other takes less than a second. The battery is expected to last for 10 years as the power consumption is very low and the product is very safe as it communicates in less than a second.

The technology is safe, adaptable to corporate and residential settings as well. In terms of a corporate setting, an antenna can be installed in the false ceiling while all the other components can be wireless. If a room is closed off, one can still operate the lights etc with a wireless sensor and a wireless belay sensor. Additionally, it is also possible to have a wireless switch on the glass partitions or doors etc. Every fixture will be controlled by Lutron without any cables. This eliminates the need to rewire everything everytime there is a change of function or layout or room setting. This also does away with the problem of employing labour for wiring or dismantling and putting up walls.

The technology is based on the Radio Frequencies and Lutorn has designed its systems to use 365 frequency (in India). This is a restricted band which is not open to most of the other wireless systems. Between the Maine and FM, this is the safest frequency and not as crowded as 2.20 Giga hertz.

The largest well known installation from the company is the Empire State Building which uses 40,000 RF installations. The technology is available with a manual which is simple and self explanatory. Lutron to an extent does specify the design technicalities to the MEP consultants, designers & architects and helps explain the execution of the job to a builder or the contractor and also provides line drawings. We also help the end user programme it according to their requirement. All the instructions are in writing and contractors are expected to read them properly. Whenever and wherever possible, Lutron tries to visit the site and ensure that the instructions are being followed properly.

The company provides lighting control and blind control solutions for the high end as well as the medium and lower end market segments. The company is poised to launch a new retrofit product to save energy in all segments from hospitals & hotels to residential.

CASE STUDY

Empire State Building sets a new standard for sustainable, commercial renovation

In new commercial construction, sustainable building practices are becoming the norm, but, when it comes to renovating the more than 81 bsqft1 of existing office space in the world, owners and property managers face a process that can be much more difficult to navigate.

Ownership of the Empire State Building Company (ESB) has partnered with service providers and vendors to test and prove processes and products and provide guidelines for energy efficiency retrofits in existing buildings. Using its platform as the World’s Most Famous Office Building and its leadership in energy efficiency, ESB draws attention to pathways which are both economically viable and environmentally sustainable, and available for any building, anywhere in the world.

Anthony Malkin of the Empire State Building Company is refreshingly upfront about his conviction that sustainability is multi-faceted, “When we spend money, we want to be responsible stewards of the environment, but have to keep return on investment (ROI) top of mind. If a business is not profitable, it is not truly sustainable. At ESB, we want to create a road map for efficient retrofits and work with leading vendors who can create products that can help us reach our goals. Lutron has done that for light controls and developed a product we use, and any company can utilize in its renovation plan.”

The Right Steps in the Right Order

Working with the team of Clinton Climate Initiative, Johnson Controls, Jones Lang LaSalle(JLL), and the Rocky Mountain Institute, ESB approached the building retrofit process by defining the right steps in the right order. Starting with the building core, engineers first worked to control building loads by eliminating potential for wasted energy.

Every window in the facility was refurbished, radiative barriers were added to the exterior walls, and a more efficient lighting design was adopted to reduce lighting power density from 1W/Ft2 to .7W/Ft2. ESB’s goal has been to reduce energy use by more than the 38% guaranteed by its performance contract with Johnson Controls, Inc. when compared to a building that meets ASHRAE 90.1 code. To promote even greater energy savings, wireless occupancy sensors communicate with the Lutron dimming ballasts and the HVAC system, to turn lights off and reduce HVAC energy use when the space is unoccupied. By turning lights off in unoccupied areas during typical work hours, and not just after hours, the building saves nearly 38% more lighting electricity than it would with time clock control.

Daylighting addresses the opportunity to control light levels and energy use during work hours, but what about nighttime light levels? Common practice for night lighting involves keeping 20-25% of fixtures on at 100% light for security. The Lutron digital solution enables uniform night lighting throughout a space, but at very low levels such as 10% light output. This strategy uses less energy, while delivering a safer, more aesthetically appealing and inviting space.

Results

Beyond just performance, flexibility and energy savings in tenant spaces, wireless control reduces installation and operating costs to deliver an ROI under three years. “ROI is so important to meeting our goals, and to creating a replicable blueprint for success,” explains Dana Robbins Schneider of Jones Lang LaSalle. JLL is the project manager of Empire State ReBuilding programme. “When we first started investigating and testing light control solutions, we could meet our performance requirements, but we were facing a 6 year payback. An integrated, wireless and digital control solution from Lutron reduced that time period to 2.75 years, while enhancing building performance and flexibility.”

http://buildotechindia.com/integrated_wireless_lighting_systems/2/

Energy Efficient Steel Solutions

 February 25th, 2013 - 2 years, 101 days ago  Vandana 

Building Technology, Construction materials/Chemicals | Viewed times | No Comments

Finland based Rautaruukki Corporation (Ruukki) specialises in steel and steel construction providing customers with energy-efficient steel solutions for better living, working and moving. Focussing on rapid growth on the Indian market, the company aims to provide special steel products and solutions to Indian and global customers operating in India. Besides a Sales office in Mumbai, Ruukki is also present in India through its partner SteelForce also located in Mumbai.

Currently in India, the company is more focussed on special steels products – Raex wear-resistant and Optim high-strength steels for original equipment manufacturers (OME). Raex is a high-strength, wear-resistent steel with high impact strength. It can prolong the useful life of equipment, reduce wear and improve efficiency. Optim is a high-strength steel with good bankability, forming properties and high quality surface. Both these products find applications in material handling and transport equipment and for booms and other crane parts.

In terms of structural steel for the construction industry – the company has not entered the Indian markets as yet, however in the European market the company is established as steel based construction solutions company. They supply special steel – double grade steel for the framework structures of buildings which not only increase the strength but also the durability of the structures. The steels provided has high tensile strength which means that very little steel is required for actual construction. The energy-efficient building solutions include fully recyclable and reusable life panel, energy panel systems, energy piles & integrated photovoltaic façade system and Solar façade.

Traditionally the building industry believes that heavy is good and the safer one feels. However this notion is changing. For example, in Stockholm, Sweden, a stadium is being built. Considering the Swedish weather, they wanted movable roofs to close the arena during bad climate and open it up on warm sunny days. It had to have retractable roofs and in order to make this work efficiently we used high strength steel tubes. The use of tubes brought down the weight of the structure by 585 tonnes which is 13000 of steel to emissions. Since the weight of the roof went down the rest of the arena could be made simpler using less emissions to transport to the area also.

Similarly for buildings that use piling, we have a solution called energy piles. Ruukki’s energy piles combine the foundations of a building with the collection of ground source heat. Energy piles are particularly suitable for offices, hotels and both single-storey and multi-storey commercial buildings that require both heating and cooling depending on the time of year. Energy piles can be used for all buildings whose foundations are based on piles. The suitability of energy piles for different types of buildings has been assessed by means of analyses, tests and simulations. For example, energy piles can satisfy 71% of the heating needs of single-storey commercial buildings in the form of free heat, as well as up to 100 % of the cooling needs.

The energy pile solution utilises renewable local energy. This improves the environmental efficiency of the property throughout the entire lifespan of the building. In addition to the fact that environmental certification systems take into consideration renewable energy systems in their scoring, they are also important for the users of the building. Environmentally efficient buildings have significantly higher occupancy rates than other buildings in which environmental efficiency has not been prioritised.

Compared with traditional district heating and compressor solutions, the energy pile solution offers 32% lower costs over a period of 25 years, including investment and energy costs. Additionally in comparison with traditional heating and cooling solutions, the investment in a ground source heat solution based on steel piles can be recovered in just five to eight years depending on conditions and alternative forms of heating.

“We believe that India is in a growing phase – economically and as a country. This growth is seen in the infrastructure sector and there are many structures coming up all across the country. As an investment the company is open to enter the market with competitive solutions when the time is right ” said Thomas Hornfeldt, Senior Vice President, Special Steel Sales.

- See more at: http://buildotechindia.com/energy_efficient_steel_solutions/#sthash.qQG5CZbj.dpuf

Providing Workspace Solutions

 March 22nd, 2013 - 2 years, 76 days ago  Vandana 

Systems | Viewed times | No Comments

Vestian Global Workplace Services, a fully owned subsidiary of Vestian. Inc, Chicago with offices in USA, India, China and the Middle East, recently launched its FM arm in India.

The biggest challenge is maintaining the quality of human resource. As the FM industry is at a nascent stage, it is vital to train the manpower down the pyramid and update the workplace on developments in the field such as key parameters and essential guidelines. We need competent engineers who are proficient with civil &mechanical apparatus, electrical instrumentation, IT etc. Our present education system lacks this kind of comprehensive curriculum; and as pioneers in the field, we would encourage and support specialized courses on FM.

Vestian has meticulously supported businesses across South-east Asia to achieve optimal real estate solutions through its extensive service portfolio, which includes strategic consultancy, transaction advisory and “project services for the past three years. Majority of our clients continue to look for end-to-end support post construction; so introduction of FM arm was a natural progression. Having the required bandwidth and experience, the company aims to bring global best practices and customize them to the local needs, and raise the bar for the industry”, says Col. Ramesh Kumar, VP. Facilities Management, Vestian Global.

Presently, FM market in India is valued at INR 585 billion and slated to develop at a CAGR of 25%. Challenges include the presence of a vast number of unorganized players in the industry. Retaining of quality manpower is also a major challenge owing to the lack of formal training/academic courses that cater to knowledge seekers in this sector.

The company is a complete workplace solutions provider focused on occupier’s business needs. “Our experts are proficient at the diverse facets of real estate services such as assessing geographies, devising transparent engagement structures, and strategizing conflict-free, legally compliant solutions tailored to the client’s requirements. The thought space is indicative of the planning stage, whereas the functional space involves creating and sustaining the infrastructure.

“Vestian is essentially a one-stop solution provider for emerging markets such as India, China, Sri Lanka and other South-east Asian countries. We help them establish their business in these geographies, and also assist to maintain and manage facilities; so that they are able to focus on and achieve their business goals. In short, we provide a platform and manage that platform for a seamless operation. We provide services from ‘Thought to functional space”.

“We have a defined set of policies and processes that include checklists, reports, customer feedback and KPA to ensure SLA adherence. We also adopt global benchmarks for construction and FM industry, while compliant standards are met as per the local geographies.”

KPI indicators are identified through regular quality audits, reporting mechanisms, which holistically elucidate performance of the workforce as well as tangible elements of the process (E.g. customer feedbacks, vendor feedbacks, help desk reports which clearly indicate the turnaround times for service requests).

Most companies in the West, commission third party vendors for functional requirements like Facilities Management. This common practice increases the overall efficiency of the system and extends support for the management to focus on achieving its business goals. “Also, it is highly imperative that the existing education system and align the present curricula to the evolving needs of the industry. “

- See more at: http://buildotechindia.com/providing-workspace-solutions/#sthash.9t0JEevo.dpuf

Individual Needs–Individual Designs

 March 22nd, 2013 - 2 years, 76 days ago  Vandana 

Bathrooms, Interiors | Viewed times | No Comments

Every person uses the bathroom in his or her own unique way – individual requirements differ and place high demands on the flexibility of bathroom furnishings. This prompted Duravit to ask what a contemporary and sustainable bathroom programme actually has to offer in order to best meet all requirements and to cater for all applications. The bathroom manufacturer found the answer in collaboration with Matteo Thun & Partners, taking into account all relevant parameters and looking for the overlap between product design, architecture and interior design. Asutosh Shah, Managing Director, Duravit India Pvt. Ltd simplifies this complex equation.

By focussing on three key areas, Duravit is setting standards in design, quality and state-of-the-art technology. All the new products of the Company will be launched on the world’s leading trade fair for innovative bathroom design ISH 2013 in Frankfurt in March. In India, Duravit will offer the whole product range.

“A big part of our success lies in the cooperation with international designers – different ideas and views meet each other for a successful cooperation. With high-profile designers like Matteo Thun, we continue to develop innovative new products for different lifestyles and budgets. Neither Duravit nor Matteo Thun are interested in “design for design’s sake”. Good design is not just about looks but equally about practicality and sustainability. This applies to the materials used, their environmentally-friendly production and design – from planning to the finished bathroom,” said Asutosh Shah.

For architects and planners, it is essential that a bathroom series for use in both public and semi-public areas is functional, hygienic, easy-care, easy to assemble, versatile and available at a price that is in line with project requirements. When developing with Matteo Thun & Partners, Duravit focused on these key points right from the start. At the same time, the new bathroom programme sets a completely new standard in an important market segment, thus generating added value for building projects.

The unique range being offered includes — the washbasin variants that range from hand rinse basins to furniture washbasins with the rectangular basic form offering generous shelf space and a comfortable basin depth for maximum utility; the narrow, elegant rim around the washbasin and the tapered outer edge that neatly slopes inward; and wall-mounted and floor-standing bidets and toilets that have an extra-flat seat which makes them light and elegant. The rimless wall-mounted toilet is DuraStyle’s innovative solution whenever short cleaning times and optimum hygiene are required. A new flushing technology guarantees optimum results, even with small amounts of water. As there are no hidden areas for deposits and dirt to collect, the bowl is much easier to keep clean.

Wall-mounted and floor-standing toilets with matching SensoWash® shower-toilet seat are also available to meet users’ demanding hygiene requirements. Nine urinals with identical outer dimensions, optionally available with electronics, as well as a waterless urinal add the finishing touch to the DuraStyle ceramic programme. The entire ceramic range is also available with the easy-clean WonderGliss surface coating.

In principle, all the new series of products are protected with a so-called design patent. Thanks to the open and accessible rim area, the new rimless toilet is much easier to keep clean. The water enters the bowl evenly and powerfully so that the entire interior surface is fully rinsed during the flushing process. As a modern wall-mounted toilet of the 4.5-litre generation, the DuraStyle rimless toilet delivers optimum flushing results, even with small water volumes, and it also saves water.

Additionally, in these rushed times, consumer appreciates overall concepts that encompass every imaginable area of the bathroom. “We offer a holistic and pleasant overall atmosphere. The basis for this is the right blend of attractive designer items, exquisite materials colour and also light. We offer those holistic bathroom concepts, including also light indications for bathroom mirrors and bathroom furniture. Thanks to the long service life of LED lights, Duravit not only meets the highest design requirements but it also makes an important contribution to sustainability.”

Sustainability and water saving products have a very important impact on modern bathrooms, especially in the case of toilets and urinals. In the 1980s, Duravit had already reduced the amount of water consumed by its toilets to six litres as opposed to the nine or more litres that were standard at the time. Added Shah, “Thanks to ongoing research and development, we are today able to offer toilets that flush hygienically using just 4.5 litres or even less water. With Dual-Flush technology, a household of four can save about 17,000 litres of water per year. Another good example is our Architec Dry urinal that operates completely without any water. A hose diaphragm integrated into the outlet opens automatically when urine flows through and then closes again, effectively preventing any odours. Moreover, we run own production sites in all our biggest markets. Beside broader advantages, this local presence ensures short transport distances and thus saves water and energy.”

For Duravit, India is a very important future market. It has a growing lifestyle consumer base due to its healthy economic development and demographic trend of a growing young and working population. India is a sales market that offers a sustainable growth based on a real demand. Therefore, we will keep our focus and extent our activities in this region.

As the population continues to grow, the need of sustainable concepts to protect our ecosystem increases. Thus, sustainability will become more and more important also for the sanitary industry. For Duravit, thinking and acting sustainably means actively taking responsibility. This starts already with the product development where the consideration of environmental impacts is an integral part.

“Over decades, we have been investing consistently in research and development to ensure that we need much less water and energy during the production processes today. Another contribution to sustainability is our focus on using ecological state-of-the-art technology. Moreover, we promote sustainability in bathroom design: Given that the bathroom places the highest demands in longevity, we have been committed to the motto ‘modern but not modish’ since the start of our design strategy. The high performance of the ceramic material underlines this approach.”

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