Linking occupant complaints to building performance

Building operations connects the building, its performance, and end-users. When there is a mismatch between users’ expectations and operations processes, complaints can arise. This paper investigates whether adopting enhanced complaint handling processes can help diagnose performance problems. Using two LEED platinum-rated office buildings as cases, we describe the components that make up an enhanced complaint handling process, and discuss some of the social dynamics of complaints in buildings. We suggest that enhanced complaint handling might contribute to a form of ongoing commissioning that goes beyond primarily reactive or dismissive treatments of complaints

Factors Influencing Individual Recycling Behavior in Office Settings

This study explores office recycling behavior and its antecedents through a survey administered to 1,788 workers in Taipei, Taiwan. The instrument measured household and office recycling behavior, commitment to and motives for recycling, and the convenience of carrying out recycling in their office settings. Prior experience was shown to be an excellent predictor of office-based conservation behavior. However, to be effective, prior experience must be of the same specificity as the office behavior being predicted. Thus prior experience with general household recycling was effective at predicting general office recycling behavior, but was unable to predict more specific recycling behavior. Likewise, prior experience with a particular material—In this instance paper—predicted office conservation behavior with respect to that material alone. Organizational commitment and individual commitment were found to be modest predictors of office-based conservation behavior, although economic motivation was not found to be a particularly effective predictor of such behavior. Implications for office-based recycling programs are discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67924/2/10.1177_0013916595273006.pd

Outsourcing as a strategy for facilities management provision in Nigerian universities

Outsourcing in universities is a form of privatization in which external providers are contracted to provide a traditional campus function or service but has however remained relatively unexplored. The purpose of this study is to explore its use as a strategy for facilities management (FM) roles in Nigerian universities. Using a cross-sectional questionnaire survey, total of 43 responses representing 43 out of 134 sample units used for the survey were received to give an overall response rate of 32%. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and Spearman's rank correlation. Findings among others, reveal that five FM roles to which outsourcing has been most effective are campus security, cleaning services, plant operation and maintenance, waste management and laundry in that order while most of the procurement options have significant correlation with outsourcing success. The paper concludes that a number of FM services and functions have been outsourced or are currently being outsourced. Moreover, the services outsourced are mainly janitorial services which support the teaching, research and learning in the universities. By implication, knowledge of the level of effectiveness of outsourcing as a strategic option for FM will enable the universities adopt best options that will ultimately increase the efficiency and effectiveness of corporate governance within institutions. The paper recommends that universities should consider launching advocacy on the potential benefits of outsourcing to bolster the full acceptance of outsourcing particularly for hard FM which is presently not the case according to findings of this study