From Attendee To Presenter: My First Five Years With The TFM Show®
My TFM Show® report.
By Jeff Crane, P.E.
Since my initial visit to The TFM Show® in 2000, our industry and our nation have changed dramatically. A dot com crash, attacks on 9/11, a series of corporate scandals, and an offensive against terrorism have been followed by slow but steady economic growth and increased corporate hiring. Although high oil prices could slow the recovery, empty office space and idling industrial facilities are showing new signs of life while low interest rates continue to fuel new construction. These are generally good indicators for the facility management industry, and with a few exceptions, I noticed an optimistic vibe at the show.
This year, the show was particularly enjoyable for me. It was my first experience as a TFM Show® session presenter. If you have a few minutes, I want to fill you in on my experience and what you might have missed.
(4/19) Tuesday
After a quick flight to Chicago, I sat in traffic aboard an "express" shuttle to the convention center. As I noticed the tracks between the highways to and from O'Hare, I thought of the light rail project planned for Charlotte, NC (where I work), and it reminded me of the chicken and the egg riddle. If mass transportation is sold as a means to reduce congestion, a quick aerial shot of the Windy City could save Charlotte taxpayers millions of dollars.
After checking into my room, I went down to the hotel restaurant/bar for dinner. Within a very short time, TFM Show® management, exhibitors, and guests had unofficially gathered. Every few minutes another table was added to the developing party and by the time last call rang out, about 30 of us were talking about facilities issues, construction projects, business ideas, and our families, engaging in one of the most valuable aspects of trade shows and professional conferences-networking! Hmm.were you expecting me to say drinking? Shame on you! Although I think the guy who stood on the table must have been doing a little of both.
(4/20) Wednesday
I woke up late (probably too much networking Tuesday night) but had time to sign in and attend several education sessions. I particularly enjoyed Dr. John Studebaker's presentation: "Reducing Energy Costs: Management Techniques That Really Work." He discussed the importance of understanding utilities contracts and explained how rate plans and load profiles impact monthly expenses. He also reviewed specific components of utility bills and presented several opportunities for reducing and managing these important expenses.
After lunch, I walked the exhibit hall and met several suppliers. The Antron® carpet booth had an impressive demo-they actually poured iodine/coffee/ink cocktails on carpet samples to demonstrate the stain resistance of their product. Even the most skeptical observers had to admit that was pretty cool.
I also spent some time in the Group C booth catching up with famous "Tricks of the the Trade" Columnist Jim Elledge. We were manning the booth so attendees could stop by and "Ask the Experts" anything and everything. After being stumped in the first few minutes, we quickly scouted the area and identified the nearest rest rooms and concession stands.
Wednesday evening, we enjoyed a welcome reception at the Field Museum. After being treated to a few of Chicago's famous foods, a group of us explored the Ancient Egypt exhibit and were fascinated by displays explaining pyramid construction, mummification, farming, tools, jewelry, and the culture of the early Egyptians. Can you imagine having a design/build meeting with a pyramid architect and a pharaoh?
(4/21) Thursday
Thursday morning I attended Jim Elledge's session, "Benchmarking: The Downfall of Corporate Facilities" and enjoyed the discussion of facilities management and various statistics and metrics compiled by BOMA, IFMA, and other trade organizations. Jim was careful to point out that many of these statistics represent a very limited sampling of facilities. He warned facility managers to be careful when applying seemingly universal benchmarks to facilities with distinct operations and needs.
Another fantastic education session Thursday was led by Bruce Groves called "Solving Mold Problems in Buildings." Bruce reviewed the fundamentals of biology problems in buildings and explained why it's practically impossible to establish IAQ standards. He said that since there are so many things naturally in the air and since everyone has some kind of sensitivities, specifying standards would be a very inexact science. Bruce referenced EPA troubleshooting checklists and many operational tips were offered. I think everyone found the information valuable and enjoyed the lively discussion.
Thursday afternoon included a general session where Best of Show awards were followed by the guest speaker, former Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt. After a humorous opening, Mr. Babbitt descended into predictions related to the environment. His suggestion about oceans rising 20' by the end of the century sounded like something right out of a Hollywood disaster film. (I had never thought about my home in the middle of the Carolinas as potential oceanfront property.)
I think facility managers everywhere would agree that we have a responsibility to minimize the environmental footprint of our operations. There are plenty of social, economic, and competitive reasons to cut utility consumption and be as efficient as possible. But the scientific community is still studying global climate fluctuations and evaluating if weather changes are natural or influenced by humans.
Thursday afternoon, I walked the exhibit hall and watched a fascinating masonry demonstration with junior craftsmen building structures while their precision and speed were monitored by more experienced masons.
Thursday evening featured the Facility Executive of the Year award and dinner. The guest of honor, Ward Komorowski, recognized his entire facilities team and his family. He graciously thanked each of them for the support and hard work that contributed to his achievement. A wonderful slide presentation and Ward's moving speech were the highlights of the night.
(4/22) Friday
Friday morning I gave my HVAC and IAQ presentation. My group and I discussed the critical knowledge gap that frequently begins during mechanical design and tends to grow during construction, start up, and operation. We thought about the need for facility managers to participate in the facility design process and to understand how and why they should adjust their buildings' mechanical operations. We also talked about the delicate balance between energy efficiency and indoor air quality. EPA checklists for IAQ troubleshooting and ASHRAE standards were reviewed and referenced. The group discussed several relevant examples and questions. I really enjoyed the interactive session and everyone's participation. For a copy of Crane's slide presentation, please download HVAC & IQ - "Speaking the Language" from our website.
After the morning sessions, I had to catch an early flight and was unable to participate in the excellent facility tours. But I'm already looking forward to next year's TFM Show® April 10-12, 2006 at Chicago's Navy Pier.
Feedback about this article? E-mail your comments to bkraemer@groupc.com.
