Buncombe County has produced creative and impactful campaigns which have spurred real change in their community. The county first started with the Buncombe Green Initiative in 2009 to emphasize energy efficient steps citizens could take to increase sustainability. Building on the success of Buncombe Green, the county started the GrowBC campaign in 2011. This initiative focuses on five issues: a greener, healthier, kinder, safer and smarter community.

The county wanted to become more energy efficient and so an operations plan was created which outlines ways to reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint while keeping a high level of service to citizens. The plan includes several years’ worth of historical energy data and sets benchmarks to measure future progress. Buncombe was able to set specific and realizable targets for energy savings because they understood the county’s historical energy consumption and trends. Measuring and verifying their progress let the county realize the impact they are having, plus they can educate the public on the value of these initiatives.

Buncombe County continues to be successful because they practice what they preach. They instituted changes in the government’s operations and reported the progress of their efforts to residents. By proving the county’s dedication to sustainability, they engaged the public more and saw behavioral changes which led to time and money savings for both citizens and the government.

Read more about Buncombe County’s sustainability plan and green initiatives in the links below:

The IBM Center for The Business of Government’s report on Promoting Environmental and Energy Programs in Local Government

Buncombe County’s Sustainability Plan

Energy Use and Carbon Emissions Report

Buncombe Green

Visit the NCCCMA webpage for more information.

A critical access hospital in Franklin, North Carolina, discovered there is an easier way to manage their facilities with MaintenanceEdge. Gary Thompson, Director of Engineering & Environmental Services and Debora Nobles, Administrative Assistant, share their experience implementing FacilityDude and the positive impacts on facility operations.

Why did you choose FacilityDude?

We loved that MaintenanceEdge is web-based. Now it’s easy to give everyone access to request a work order. Our previous system was a desktop system with a server, and not everyone had access to it. The reporting and ability to pull a variety of information out of the system was a huge advantage as well.

What business challenges were you facing?

Previously with our old system, once work orders were closed, it was as if they were deleted from the system. We could not access them, so we lacked searching and reporting capabilities. We desperately needed a way to easily search completed work for reporting purposes and to track our equipment and related maintenance.

How did FacilityDude help you solve these business challenges?

FacilityDude’s reporting capabilities and search allow us to better manage things and get more insight out of our data. We now know the maintenance history of every piece of equipment, which helped tremendously for planning and budgeting.

Having advanced search has increased efficiency. Recently we had to find the work order for an equipment installation. We knew who completed the work and the approximate timeframe for the work, so we were able to search using those criteria. We found the work order in less than five minutes. Previously we would have had to sift through paper files, so this is a considerable improvement.

Additionally, one of the convenient features we discovered is how we can add a piece of equipment at the same time a work order is entered. Before with our previous system, we would have to quit the work order and therefore lose any data that was already entered. Then we could add the equipment and fill out the work order. Having a nimble system is very convenient. It takes the pressure off having to remember to do everything step by step.

Read more of Gary and Debora’s comments by downloading the entire case study below.

Documents

• Angel Medical Center - Client Success Q&A

For more information about the North Carolina Parks & Recreation Directors Conference, visit their website: http://cnr.ncsu.edu/rrs/ncprdc.html

The Town of Kernersville, North Carolina has integrated MaintenanceEdge into their operations. Mike Horney, Operations Manager, recently shared how implementing FacilityDude has improved his department’s reporting abilities as well as their communication.

Why did you choose FacilityDude?

 It’s web-based, so we didn’t have to worry about hosting or get IT involved, and it’s very affordable.

What business challenges were you facing?

Our previous system was just an email account which people sent their requests to and so we had no record of what was being done. We also had no easy way to go back and analyze the data of completed work orders. If we needed information, we would have had to sift through hundreds of emails to find it. Before FacilityDude, we didn’t even try to put together reports about our department because it was so difficult, if not impossible.

How did FacilityDude help you solve these business challenges?

Before FacilityDude, we had no idea where our resources were going. Now we can track all the work done on our buildings and equipment. We can monitor the status of every work order we have, and view a history of requests. I can put together detailed reports in minutes with just a few clicks. We prepare reports every month showing how many work orders we completed, how many emergency work orders we did, and our work orders by craft. These reports help us justify our staff and budget needs. 

Read more of Mike's comments by downloading the entire case study below:

Documents

• Town of Kernersville Client Success Story

These days, public works professionals have to apply “bigger picture” thinking to their jobs. It’s no longer just about fixing the day-to-day issues; it’s also about considering the future needs of the community. Issues like climate change, resource scarcity and the needs of the population give public works professionals a lot to consider when deciding on new community projects. Decisions should be made which balance what’s best for residents, the environment, the community as a whole and which improve quality of life.

The difficulty facing public works is that the needs of the city and the environment can be at odds. For instance, a city may need to reduce their emissions but also have a problem with traffic congestion. Simply expanding the streets does nothing to deal with environmental concerns. The government needs to make decisions which encourage the behavioral changes they want to see in residents. Instead of expanding streets, put in more bike and pedestrian lanes, or encourage the use of public transportation. In this way, cities and counties can make changes with the long-term in mind, which will make their districts more sustainable.

Another trend public works would like to see are residents taking an increased sense of ownership over their communities. Public works departments are involving citizens in the planning process of projects so that their interests are taken into account, since public infrastructure should belong to the public. Public works professionals must also bear in mind that many of their customers are not born yet. Future generations will benefit from the projects and programs that public works departments are doing today, which should be taken into account when planning new community projects. This new perspective of public works requires that professionals examine every decision they make and ensure that the result will positively impact both current and future community demands.

This shift in thinking highlights the critical need for public works professionals to take a proactive approach in managing assets and infrastructure. The result of being more proactive is that the life of equipment and infrastructure can be extended, which reduces the government’s expenses, as well as guarantees that future generations get to enjoy the benefits of the infrastructure maintained by public works. With the help of dedicated software tools, public works professionals can ensure they keep track of their entire department’s work. A thorough record of the efforts of the public works departments gives a clear picture of the past, which helps map a course to the future.

American City & County published an informative article about this new role that public works leaders must take on, which can be found here: http://americancityandcounty.com/pubwks/facilities/future-sustainable-development-201008/

FacilityDude wanted to share this great news with everyone, so we had our Vice President of Strategy, Brian Bell, record a message about the construction and recap the success we have had as a company this year. Thank you to all of our clients, employees, partners and vendors who have helped make this a great year for the Dude.

If you are familiar with the Dude, you know we are crazy about our mission to make a positive difference in the lives of our clients. We also have that same passion to make a difference and give back in our community. 

Last week FacilityDude team members had the opportunity to join Habitat for Humanity of Wake County on a large community revitalization project in Raleigh, NC. We were divided into teams and assigned to different projects including roof trusses and framing, roof repairs, painting, installing hardware, landscaping and cleaning up the job sites. It was a great experience to work side by side with the Habitat for Humanity staff to fill a need and improve the lives of several families in our community. It was also rewarding to know that one of the homes we worked on would be dedicated to the family before Christmas – a wonderful reminder of the meaning of the holiday season. We would like to express our appreciation to Habitat for Humanity for letting us volunteer; you are awesome and we thank you for all you do!

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian housing ministry. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat for Humanity has helped build or repair over 400,000 houses and served over 2 million people around the world. Habitat welcomes all people--regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or any other difference--to build and repair simple, decent, affordable houses with those who lack adequate shelter. Habitat affiliates work locally in communities around the world to select and support homeowners, organize volunteers and coordinate house building and repair. Homeowners are selected based on their need for housing, their ability to repay a mortgage and their willingness to work in partnership with Habitat.

Check out more at http://www.habitat.org

Why did you choose FacilityDude?

FacilityDude’s Planned Maintenance module is affordable and user-friendly. Having a web-based system along with the wonderful customer service means it is easier for us to manage. You guys take great care of us.

What business challenges were you facing?

We were lacking an effective Planned Maintenance (PM) program and reporting. Our previous program did not provide the level of detail needed for articulating what items were to be reviewed and addressed for each piece of equipment. Our reports would state that equipment had been repaired, but lack specific information about action taken. We were questioning whether planned maintenance was as thorough as it should be to result in long term gains and extended equipment life.

How did FacilityDude help you solve these business challenges?

FacilityDude has helped us set the new baseline for proper planned maintenance. Work orders contain specific tasks for each piece of equipment and the staff is armed with these standards during the process. We feel confident PM is now optimal to gain the maximum life out of our equipment. Additionally, we now have an accurate inventory and maintenance record for all our equipment, which is very helpful during regulatory reviews.

Read more of Allen's comments by downloading the entire case study below:

Documents

• Providence VA Medical Center Case Study

FacilityDude will be at the Annual Conference of the Virginia Association of Counties, November 13-15 at The Homestead in Richmond, Virginia. VACo brings together county officials from all over Virginia to discuss ways to provide better service to their citizens through new ideas and technologies. FacilityDude will be present to share how to reduce costs through utility and maintenance management. Come by booth #403 to learn how we can help you serve your community with efficient, sustainable buildings!

Visit the Virginia Association of Counties webpage for more information.

Stop by and see FacilityDude at the NLC Congress of Cities, November 9-11, 2011 at the Phoenix Convention Center. This year’s event will offer insights into today’s most pressing challenges confronting cities. Come by booth #1234 to learn how we can help you serve your city through efficient, sustainable buildings. 

For more information about the National League of Cities’ Annual Expo, please visit:

http://www.nlc.org

Come see FacilityDude at MHA’s 89^th Annual Convention & Trade Show November 9-11, 2011 at the Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach, Missouri. FacilityDude will be speaking with healthcare professionals about how they can improve asset life, reduce costs and support compliance through our affordable, easy-to-use web-based facility management software. Stop by booth #162 to learn how we can help you serve the community with safe, efficient healthcare facilities!

For more information about the Missouri Hospital Association’s (MHA) Annual Convention please visit: http://web.mhanet.com/

Visit FacilityDude at the Midwest Healthcare Engineering Conference & Trade Show November 2-4, 2011 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. FacilityDude will be meeting with healthcare professionals about how they can improve asset life, reduce costs and support compliance through our affordable, easy-to-use web-based facility management software. Stop by booth #319 to learn how we can help you serve the community with safe, efficient healthcare facilities!

For more information about the Idaho Midwest Healthcare Engineering Conference & Trade Show please visit: http://www.mwhcec.org/

Join FacilityDude this week at the Carolina Industrial & Facility Maintenance Show at the Metrolina Tradeshow Expo in Charlotte, NC.  FacilityDude will be on hand talking with maintenance professionals from North and South Carolina about our easy-to-use, affordable facility management software.  Stop by booth #117 to learn more about our solutions and how they can help your organization increase efficiency, improve services and save money!

FacilityDude celebrates National Healthcare Facilities and Engineering Week, October 23-29, 2011. This annual weeklong observance, sponsored by the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE), recognizes the important role that healthcare maintenance and engineering staff serve in maintaining a safe, secure environment for patients, visitors and staff. They are an essential member of the healthcare team — the unsung heroes who keep a facility operational. Without their dedication, it would be impossible to care for the community.

Please join FacilityDude in thanking them for their dedication and hard work.

For further information on ASHE, please visit www.ashe.org.