MEP Matters

With MEP services making up around 30% of the FM offering, many FM companies are taking it in house instead of outourcing.

MEP makes up about 30% of the total FM offering. fmME finds out why more and more companies are choosing to provide this essential service themselves

While understanding is increasing surrounding the importance of FM in maintaining long term sustainability of the building, the importance of the tools within the building cannot go unnoticed.

MEP providers hold the key to making the job of an FM a straightforward one. The equipment installed from AC to HVAC systems, and the ways in which they operate in the first place are essential to the overall operation of the building.

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This is why many FM service providers have taken the decision to control the MEP aspect themselves.

Emcor Facilities Services is one of those companies. At present, the company deals with HVAC, electrical plumbing, mechanical and manages service providers of specialist services including elevators, fire-fighting, fire alarm systems, swimming pools, BMS, access control and CCTV.

Our FM and MEP service offering goes hand in hand,” explains head of operations Satinder Singh Pal. MEP is one component of FM. It makes up at least 30%. Cleaning, security, concierge and other services then make up 70%.”

While sometimes asked to come in once the building is up and running and provide an outline for the MEP requirements, Singh Pal who has been with EFS since July 2000 says there is much more value behind getting the MEP provider involved from the outset.

“If a client comes in at construction design stage, we can give value input there. We have a specialised engineer who will review design, give input and make changes at the beginning of the contract. Then for the lifecycle the engineer can give the cost for the coming 25yrs of the building.”

fmME’s MEP Company of the Year, MAF Dalkia has been operating since 2002. Currently employing over 1300 staff, it has offices in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Oman, it serves a wide portfolio of clients offering multi-technical and energy management services to the residential, commercial, industrial, education, telecommunications, aviation and healthcare sectors.

While the company offers a full FM offering , it finds that its MEP services are of the most value.

“The greatest value lies within the assets and specialised multi-technical services that set us apart from the competition within the same industry,” said Maher Al Aghbar, business development director.

Dussmann’s Abu Dhabi arm was formed in 2005 as a branch of the Dussmann Group which has over 56,500 employees in 21 countries worldwide. This year the group had an annual turnover of almost EUR1.6 billion making it one of the largest private multi services worldwide.

Dussmann Service specialises in its MEP offering among the wide range of technical management, general and specialist cleaning, security, reception services, pest control and waste management services that it offers said Erkan Bilal, general manager, Dussmann UAE.

But the company’s overall goal for the Middle East is to be able to offer the MEP offering alongside its FM services under a single umbrella.

“We understand ourselves as a holistic integrated FM service provider. We don’t see ourselves being an isolated cleaning or MEP company,” explained Bilal.

“Of course we do that occasionally depending on the project requirement but we try to sell solutions that integrate MEP such as security, cleaning, pest control, waste recycling - all those aspects which are sometimes of identical importance for our key customers.” said Bilal.