7 Challenges Faced by Embassies – And How They’re Solved by Effective Facilities Maintenance
Embassies face a number of challenges related to the management and maintenance of consulate properties. In weighing up the value of in-house maintenance personnel versus facilities maintenance companies, primary concerns range from security and trust to compliance and the suitability of buildings for purpose.
These maintenance challenges have the potential to be directly solved by working with the right facilities maintenance providers. In this blog, we take a closer look at some of the more common challenges faced by embassies – and how specialist facilities maintenance teams like Voltix Services provide solutions that counteract these challenges.
THE CHALLENGE: SECURITY AND TRUST
The very nature of the work done in embassies creates security challenges. A number of threats exist – including riots, industrial action, local reaction to international events, weather events, cyber security, and even terror attacks, which makes security a paramount concern.
Naturally, security may be a deterrent when considering who should conduct regular maintenance of the premises – and the more people admitted to work on the premises creates scope for security and confidentiality breaches.
THE SOLUTION: SECURITY-FOCUSED FM
Facilities maintenance teams should fit in with the security protocols set by your embassy. This may involve training in security procedures, wearing uniforms, and adhering to confidentiality measures, for example. At the very least, facilities maintenance personnel engaged in this level of work should undergo thorough screening and establish a relationship of trust.
Of importance here is finding a team that employs in-house maintenance personnel rather than contractors. By partnering with a comprehensive facilities maintenance provider, access is simplified as fewer providers are required for a greater number of skills. Additionally, this facilities maintenance team should be focused on general health and safety, risk management and mitigation, and personnel safety in conducting their work.
Your facilities maintenance team may also be able to install security systems and infrastructure as required. In the case of new buildings or renovations, FM teams responsible for construction should arrange for building plans and blueprints to be made available to bodies like the Diplomatic Protection Group (DPG) as part of security best practice.
THE CHALLENGE: IN-HOUSE MAINTENANCE
In-house maintenance may be appealing in some respects, but there is potential for maintenance challenges in the long term. For example, failure to conduct maintenance, skills gaps, and irregular reporting can create maintenance backlogs and oversights. These can be costly to rectify, result in operational disruption, and could necessitate emergency maintenance down the line.
THE SOLUTION: OUTSOURCED, CONTRACTED FACILITIES MAINTENANCE TEAMS
The right facilities maintenance group brings a diverse range of benefits to their embassy clients. By providing a full range of maintenance services – by well-trained and experienced individuals – all maintenance issues are addressed with high-level expertise.
These skills bring valuable insights in creating optimal maintenance schedules, forecasting, and meaningful advice around the lifespan of equipment and the effectiveness of systems. Facilities maintenance professionals can also advise on renovations, optimised workspace functionality, and sustainable shifts. A meaningful partnership with an FM company creates scope for maintenance and asset strategies that affect budgeting and business continuity into the long term.
This leaves less to chance and mitigates the need for reactive and emergency processes.
Additional benefits include:
- FM teams are undeterred by multi-site concerns, which often typify embassies.
- The expertise to innovate around budgetary constraints.
- The ability to work with both historical and modern buildings with equal proficiency, both of which present unique maintenance challenges and concerns.
- The skills to assess and advise on the appropriateness of mechanical and electrical systems and correct as needed.
- Responsibility for inventory and budgeting for inventory, with reduced on-site burdens.
- Provision for emergencies.
THE CHALLENGE: HUMAN RESOURCES
In any industry or operations, facilities impact those who occupy and work within them. Impaired functionality, workplace wellness, and health and safety practices are some examples of the challenges created by poor maintenance practices.
Staffing needs at embassies also have the potential to fluctuate around changing foreign policy priorities and other factors. Staffing changes affect the utilisation of buildings – and so their maintenance needs. Especially within the context of limited space for the different functions performed within embassies, the primary challenge is maximised efficiency of space against the backdrop of budgetary and design constraints.
THE SOLUTION: AN ADAPTABLE FACILITIES MAINTENANCE APPROACH
Facilities maintenance professionals are best-placed to evaluate and problem solve spacing issues within the embassy context. Familiarity with regulation around different building types and construction expertise combine – and facilities maintenance experts can present solutions geared towards minimal disruption.
Additionally, facilities maintenance providers should be able to advise on the best way forward with UK employment and health and safety regulations – and building regulations – in mind. FM professionals are also well-versed in working with local authorities, landlords, and within the conscripts of historical buildings to ensure the integrity of operations meets compliance imperatives.
THE CHALLENGE: THE MOVE TO SUSTAINABLE OPS
Embassies around the world are becoming increasingly focused on changes they can make for the good of the environment. The shift to renewable energy alternatives or cutting energy consumption in meaningful ways is a daunting task. Trying to identify areas of wasted consumption and implementing changes can be a resource intensive exercise, which often means it falls by the wayside. Concerns around operational disruptions must be weighed against legislative pressures to address energy efficiency, water usage, and carbon emissions.
Ultimately, every embassy wants to display environmental leadership and increased public scrutiny on this point makes sustainability something that needs to be addressed by every organisation.
THE SOLUTION: SIMPLE GAINS FOR SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH FACILITIES MAINTENANCE
The first step to making sustainable changes is to understand the details of consumption. Facilities maintenance providers like Voltix Services provide services with an energy focus. This includes a multi-prong approach that utilises IoT smart technologies to make adjustments around hard data.
Facilities maintenance professionals can also guide the shift to renewable energy, indicate easy gains around simple infrastructure changes, and modify wasteful consumption patterns for utilities, water, heating and cooling to ensure optimal usage.
THE CHALLENGE: COMPLIANCE
We mentioned compliance above, but in-house compliance is labour intensive and time consuming. Balancing familiarity with sometimes changing regulations with monitoring, reporting, and record-keeping requirements can seem like an impossible task at times.
The consequences of non-compliance also have a negative impact financially and in terms of reputational damage – and no embassy wants to compromise on standards for health and safety and wellness.
THE SOLUTION: COMPLIANCE IN THE HANDS OF THE PROS
Facilities maintenance professionals work to ensure embassy compliance obligations are met on every front. For example, embassy buildings in London have traditionally been in the Belgravia-Knightsbridge-Kensington triangle and modifications to listed buildings have been a compliance concern for many.
Embassy buildings are considered ‘the face of a nation’ and facilities maintenance teams can focus on up-keep, aesthetics, and maintenance within the confines of regulation on this front. They can also take it to the next level, ensuring everything from fire safety to HVAC maintenance is done by the book.
THE CHALLENGE: TRADITIONAL BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS VERSUS TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION
Once new building management systems have been implemented, a potential challenge lies in problems around testing, which can affect continuity and create issues around functionality. There is also often an increased cost implication associated with this.
Digital transformation with in-house maintenance teams also often involves a process of trial and error to find the most effective systems. This can have the effect of hindering the speed of technological adoption, which affects flexibility and performance.
THE SOLUTION: MAKE INNOVATIVE FM TEAMS PART OF YOUR TEAM
By delegating BMS considerations to facilities maintenance professionals, BMS testing is in the hands of trained engineers. Regular, monthly reporting drives accountability and gives embassies the metrics by which to gauge return on investment and assist in scheduled preventative maintenance, as well as the best reactive maintenance responses.
At Voltix Services, we also utilise advanced IoT smart technologies for data-driven maintenance insights. This assists in predictive maintenance, forecasting, and time-sensitive reaction, as well as long-term strategy.
THE CHALLENGE: PROPERTY SUITABILITY
What an embassy needs from its property is rarely static. This creates important considerations around maximised functionality of embassy space, as well as costs savings wherever possible. For those missions requiring more space, the cost barrier around properties can mean renovation is unavoidable.
In previous years, the high value of traditional embassy properties saw some embassies relocate with premises sold or rented for astronomical prices and converted to residential houses or apartments.
The move was to more functional, less opulent locations. Whatever the driving force for change, relocations and renovations of embassy buildings often mean steep expenses. This underscores the importance of optimising functionality and operations in existing spaces as cost-effectively as possible.
Where relocation or renovation is unavoidable, your facilities maintenance provider should be able to make recommendations and assist in ways that align with your specific considerations and long-term needs.
PARTNER WITH VOLTIX SERVICES FOR EMBASSY MAINTENANCE
Voltix Services is proud to have a successful and expanding contract with the Kuwait Embassy. We bring value to embassy partnerships through a full suite of services, with a combination of onsite engineers and emergency callout services 24/7/365, with a commitment to excellent customer service. Our team adapts to your team’s needs to provide maintenance services, strategies, and solutions for streamlined embassy operations. Contact us today for more information.