Maintaining Bahrain Financial Harbour

The two 52-storey 100,000 sqm office buildings known as Harbour Towers - East and West, plus the 25,000 sqm commercial centre known as Harbour Gate form an iconic gateway to the Bahrain Financial Harbour master plan. As the tallest structure in Bahrain, Harbour Towers are affected by high north-westerly winds coming straight off the Arabian Gulf which average anywhere between 29 and 63 knots throughout the year. Bahrain is an outstanding country but the winds which affect the island cause ‘dust haze’ which can impact not only the façade of the buildings but also increases the challenge of maintaining filters on air conditioning systems and internal cleaning, in particularly in foyers and entrances.

Maintained by EFS Bahrain along with Bahrain Financial Harbour Holding Company B.S.C.(c), the Bahrain Financial Harbour master plan developer, and Financial Center Development Company B.S.C.(c), the developer and owner of the Harbour Towers and the Harbour Gate property, specifically provides professionally managed FM services to the BFH master plan as a whole and to the Harbour Towers and the Harbour Gate property in particular as well as to other leading corporate occupiers and other property owners in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Working closely with their client Financial Center Development Company B.S.C.(c), EFS has put in place predictive maintenance routines and robust rectification systems to ensure the property is maintained to the highest standards expected of a Grade A office building. Planning aside, the key to success for EFS is the flexibility to adjust routines and process to meet the changing needs of a dynamic luxury estate, despite the perennial windy and dusty conditions.

Scope of work

EFS Bahrain provides total facilities management (TFM) services across the BFH masterplan estate and the Harbour Towers and Harbour Gate property. This includes cradle to grave management of the entire facilities and operations in addition to tenant fit-out and project management. In the last two years particularly, EFS has worked closely with our client to enhance both the facilities and experience of all tenants and visitors. This has included the provision of Guest Service Officers, hospitality services, event management, special project management and enhanced health & safety systems.

EFS directly employ 46 people to support the estate, but also directly manage a large number of subcontractors. An essential ingredient to our service delivery model is their Guest Service ethos. Their front of house team of Concierge and Guest Service Officers (GSO’s) are the front line to meet and greet every tenant and visitor to Harbour Towers, controlling access and egress with a smile! The engineering and soft service teams also work closely with all occupants to ensure the overall experience meets their expectations and the highest standards. Cooling and water distribution, cleaning and security are all managed by the EFS team.

Challenges

The greatest challenges in all high rise buildings are usually those that pose the greatest risk. Fire safety, security and vertical transportation are all central challenges in high rise occupancy, but equally is the maintenance and distribution of internal chilled water and cooling, particularly in the Middle East where external temperatures and humidity are some the highest recorded globally. All engineers and technicians are directly employed by EFS and all sub-contractors are managed using strict service level agreements and measured key performance indicators (KPI’s). In doing so, EFS can ensure a level and quality of service delivery anticipated by all occupants and can work with internal teams and sub-contractors to investigate improvement opportunities.

EFS feel fortunate to work with a proactive client, tenants and Civil Defence in Bahrain. They strive to continually improve evacuation systems and processes which culminate in regular full scale coordinated the evacuation of Harbour Towers. This is monitored by Civil Defence and improvement strategies identified post exercise. Continuous improvement is essential as it ensures the life safety of all occupants and ensures we can evacuate the buildings in a controlled manner. The safety, security, and well-being of all tenants are both central and critical to the overall service delivery philosophy of the estate.

Benefits

EFS provides its many corporate occupiers and building owners professional management and international best practice, in particular through systems and procedures. EFS are in the fortunate position to have a presence in 20 countries and with an FM employee pool of over 15,000 people. This coupled with 17 years of Middle East experience in every business discipline means Harbour Towers and Harbour Gate as well as the other properties within the BFH masterplan benefit from extensive intellectual property and experience.

EFS Bahrain and EFS Group operate on foundation principals of prudence, deliverance, and sustainability. This is disseminated through every aspect of business and challenged locally and globally. This differentiates them from their competitors and cuts them apart from the pack.

Innovations

NA / FCDC use their own CAFM system ‘Tally’ which EFS operate and feed into. However, the philosophy in moving from security officers to Guest Service Officers has been the innovation with the greatest impact on the estate. The paradigm shift from traditional manned guarding to the current Guest Service delivery model has made a significant impact to all tenants and visitors. The visual image and communication skills of GSO’s enhance the overall professionalism that Harbour Towers deliver daily, and as ambassadors for the estate, the GSO’s are first and last impression of EFS in their service delivery.

Key takeaways

Communication between the client and EFS is the critical success factor. This has become an essential ingredient of their relationship and has ensured a clear understanding of client needs, tenants requirements and drives the flexible approach to service delivery. Clear and regular communication has created a true partnership rather than a master and servant relationship and allows both parties to be comfortable in discussing strategy for the estate to support growth and enhance service delivery.

Future Plans

Harbour Towers is the premier destination for corporate and other occupiers looking for Grade A offices in the Kingdom of Bahrain. EFS provides an outstanding service delivery within an iconic estate which is a reference point for business development in Kingdom. As Facilities Management continues to mature across the Middle East, EFS Bahrain will see growth from prospective clients who wish to ensure both risk mitigation and the application of international standards. With intellectual property across numerous industries and a support network in 20 countries, clients will get a ‘localglobal’ delivery of TFM services.

The 2017/18 forecast for Bahrain continues to look promising. With $32 billion in projects set to drive economic growth, there is a real air of opportunity in the Kingdom. New malls, the biggest IKEA in the the Middle East and high-end residential communities will continue to attract new residents, visitors and internal/ external investment. EFS Bahrain is well positioned to support modern and sophisticated buildings to ensure quality service delivery and long-term asset preservation.