The Future Impact of Climate on FM – Part 1

From the Editor.

Whether you are a believer or not, something is definitely happening to the weather around the world.? Every evening there is a new story of a major climate-based event.? From wildfires in Canada & Maui to flooding in Italy and tropical storms in California.

The global phenomenon of climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges of our time. As human activities continue to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the Earth's climate is undergoing significant shifts, resulting in altered weather patterns, rising temperatures, and more frequent and severe extreme events.

One area directly impacted by these changes is the built environment, specifically buildings' plant equipment, services and structure.

In this newsletter, we will delve into how climate change could affect these crucial components of plant and buildings, exploring potential challenges and adaptations that will be required to ensure the resilience and functionality of structures in the face of a changing climate.

Dominic Murnane CEO

Facilities plant and building structures have completely changed since I started work 40 years ago. Most factories and offices were heated by oil or gas boilers through radiators. Most roofs were sloped not like the football pitch sided flat roofs seen today. Ventilation was carried out by opening or closing windows or roof vents. It was a different world.

Very few people spoke about climate change and adverse weather conditions usually only lasted a few days at most. Comments were “that storm was almost as bad as the one back in 1958” not like today where storms are considerably more frequent and more violent, and droughts can last for many weeks or months. The climate is changing and while we are becoming more aware of the impact it is having now, what will it be like in 10- or 20-years’ time?

Many buildings have not been designed to absorb the future impact of climate change. For example, large membrane flat roofs. While they might withstand 1” (25mm) of rain falling within an hour could they withstand 2x, 3x or more within the same timespan? A monsoon can drop 8" (200mm) of rain in an hour.

Most AC is rated for use up to the mid 30’s Celsius not 40’c or above.

Adapting plant and buildings for climate change is going to become a major challenge and expense in the coming years. In the first part of this newsletter, we will look at the impact of the various elements of climate change on industry and building structures.

HEAT

Increasing and longer periods of high temperatures are one of the more common climate change indicators causing;

·?????? Water Shortages

·?????? Fires / Smoke Pollution

·?????? Increased Cooling / Energy Demands

·?????? Impact on Human Health and Comfort

HEAT - Water Shortages

Many industries require large volumes of water for manufacturing and cooling (Pharmaceutical Industry, Semiconductor Manufacturing, Food and Beverage Processing, Manufacturing, Construction Industry).

Many of these are located in or near large urban areas where there is already a high human demand for water. Places such as Dublin, Ireland are already suffering water shortages every Summer / Autumn. While the government has long term plans to address this, in the short-term decisions will have to made as to who has priority – people or industry. If industry will be impacted, then facility departments will need to develop contingency plans.

By implementing plans for these strategies, facility departments can contribute to sustainable water management, reduce water consumption, lower operational costs, and mitigate the environmental impacts associated with water-intensive operations.

HEAT – Fires / Smoke Pollution

Over the summer news stories have covered evacuation of towns, smoke pollution travelling hundreds of kilometers, loss of lives and destruction of property due to climate related fires. For now, smoke pollution rather than fire damage is potentially the biggest impact that Facility Managers could face, and this presents many building related challenges. Many industries require ‘clean’ work environments such as pharmaceuticals and food production as well as the impact on workforce productivity and health.

Most modern buildings are well sealed for energy conservation, and ventilation is provided via plant (AHU’s & fans). Poor air quality from wildfire smoke can easily exceed the filter capabilities of such plant causing loss of production reduced workforce productivity, absenteeism, and potential health issues among employees. Older buildings using natural ventilation will be impacted more.

HEAT – Increased Cooling / Energy Demand

Rising temperatures due to climate change can significantly increase the demand for cooling in buildings. This puts added stress on air conditioning systems and can lead to higher energy consumption, increased operating costs, and potential strain on energy grids during peak demand periods. Most air conditioning systems are designed to function with outside temperatures of?100’F / 38’C or less. Some buildings allow for easy heat transfer. One comes to mind which had an open internal floor structure resulting in an 18’c temperature differential between the ground and 5th floor. Staff wore coats on the ground floor to keep warm while staff on upper floors sweated.

Extreme heat can accelerate the deterioration of building materials and components. Over time, continuous exposure to high temperatures can weaken materials, leading to reduced structural integrity, cracks, and material degradation. This can impact the overall longevity and safety of buildings.

Excessive heat can pose health risks to occupants of buildings. Heat-related illnesses can become more common, and indoor spaces may become less comfortable and safe without proper cooling and ventilation systems in place.

WATER / RAIN

Increased heating of the planet means increased evaporation from the oceans and it must return in the form of persistent rain or storms which can cause severe damage to building structures. Increased rainfall due to climate change can have significant effects on commercial buildings, impacting various aspects of their construction, maintenance, and functionality. One of the most immediate concerns with increased rainfall is the potential for water infiltration and flooding. If commercial buildings are not properly designed to handle higher levels of rainfall, water can seep through roofs, walls, and foundations, leading to interior damage, mold growth, and structural weakening.

An inch (25mm) of water covering an area of 5,000 sq. metres weighs approx. 125 tonnes. Recent downbursts in Ireland have caused flat roofs to collapse and these are minor downbursts compared to other countries. Many multi-nationals and shopping centres have much bigger flat roof areas.

Many retail properties have entrances at streel level (no steps) to allow for disabled access. Heavy rain can result in street flooding that can easily enter unprotected businesses via doors or drains. Fast flowing water down a street can easily exert over 1 tonne of pressure per sq. metre against doors and windows so any gaps are easily penetrated.

By implementing these strategies, facilities teams can significantly reduce the risk of flooding and ensure that rainwater is managed effectively to protect the building's structural integrity and occupants' safety.

WIND / STORMS

Increased global heating fuels bigger storms. Scientists were surprised how fast hurricane Idalia grew to a category 4 before it hit Florida this week due to warm Gulf of Mexico waters. Protecting building from extreme winds from storms, hurricanes and tornados is an extremely hard task for facility teams.

Roofs are particularly vulnerable during a hurricane. Wind and wind-blown debris cause four types of damage that result in water intrusion--pulling roofing off, denting metal roofs, peeling back of membranes, partially or completely, or peeling away flashings and copings. Damage to roofing materials can start with winds as low as 65 mph, and at around 90 mph many roofs start to fail.

Basically, the wind is looking for either a place it can “grip” or compress on the roof and the FM team needs to survey for these week points.

Windows & doors are most at risk from flying debris which can lead to water intrusion. Of all sources, water intrusion causes the most building damage in a typical storm. Even if the windows do not break, water can leak through many small openings in buildings including around windows and doors, through penetrations in the building, or infiltrate when the exterior—roof or siding—is damaged.

REMEMBER – damage to your property will most likely be caused by flying debris from a neighbouring property, so it is beneficial to build a storm preparedness plan with them.

Hurricanes typically form and are trackable for up to two weeks before they hit land, and a few days before the storm it is possible to predict with reasonable accuracy what areas will get the brunt of the storm.?

In conclusion, climate change has the potential to significantly impact the functionality and longevity of buildings' plant equipment and services. The escalating cooling demands, altered energy requirements, water scarcity concerns, and the increasing threat of extreme weather events all underscore the urgent need for adaptation and resilience strategies in building design, construction, and operation.

As we move forward, collaboration among facility teams, emergency services, local authorities and building owners will be essential to develop innovative solutions that ensure buildings remain habitable, efficient, and sustainable in the face of a changing climate. Proactive measures taken now can mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on building infrastructure and pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient built environment.

To be continued in next newsletter.

CompassASSIST is a bespoke coaching / implementation programme that ensures the best possible financial and administrative results from your investment in either your own CMMS software or our own FacilityManager? CMMS. We will develop the plan parameters and assist in the tasks that your facilities team and all other ‘parties’ should take to achieve this objective.??

It is an essential programme to determine if incidents such as in the above event can happen within an organisations and then to build in the policies and procedures to ensure the prevention of such events.

Here are some of its components.

• Project Goals & Objectives:?The project main goals are to build an organized set of ?procedures or amend existing ones so that you can effectively manage and reduce the stress in your facilities role and maintain a healthy work-life balance. It will help you achieve the maximum ROI from your CMMS investment, while the objectives are the key milestones or achievements that must be completed to reach it.
• Success Criteria:?This is an agreement between CompassAFM and you the Client to define the?project success criteria (Scope, Schedule, Delivery, Satisfaction & Quality).
• Risk Analysis:?Use a risk assessment tool like a?SWOT analysis?to visually compare the risks v benefits of either remaining where you are or adapting to change.
• Implementation Timeline & Milestones:?Any implementation plan needs a clear agreed timeline as well as key milestones so that you can easily keep track of its progress to work successfully.
• Team Roles & Responsibilities:?A CompassASSIST implementation plan won’t work by itself. It will involve working with many people each with assigned roles and responsibilities to make up a successful team.

If you would like more information, request our CompassASSIST prospectus -

[email protected]

If you would like to get more information on proven methods and procedures to remedy the various actual scenarios above, or our upcoming events - contact CompassAFM at:

Email:?????????????? [email protected]

WhatsApp: ?????? 00353 87 6076565

Phone / Text: ?? 00353 87 6076565