Welcome to the spring/summer season! In the building management business this is always a busy time with getting the exterior of our buildings looking good to ensuring all mechanical systems are ready to transition to the cooling season from the long winter season.
At many building complexes the outside beautification is very extensive which allow the buildings to look totally transformed for this new season. The exterior landscaping program includes getting lawns in shape (re-seeding/sod replacement) to installation of mulch to installation of seasonal flowers/plants. Irrigation systems are checked and where these systems do not exist daily watering of new plants and flowers by maintenance personnel or landscaping personnel may be necessary. Members of the building management field are always looking for new ideas and inspiration to incorporate into their landscape design to keep their facilities looking refreshed during this season. In some areas there almost appears to be a competition between the various complexes to have the best landscape design for the year. It is important to take note of what works and does not work at your facility depending on site location and "tweak" the plants and flowers utilized to ensure the best results. As we all know first impressions are very important so having an impressive landscape design (year round) may help attract tenants to your facility.
Regarding getting mechanical systems ready for the spring/summer season is always a challenge here in the northeast. The temperature variations that occur during this time of year keep the mechanical teams on their toes to ensure the comfort of tenants on a daily basis. Having the capability to both cool and heat during this time of year may not always be possible depending on the type of HVAC system installed at your facility so informing your tenants of capabilities during these ever changing weather days is very important. As always proper maintenance of your HVAC is imperative to keep the system up and running effectively and efficiently.
From a BOMA perspective this is the time of year when we start having some great social events including our annual golf outing and our softball "challenge" with other local area
BOMA's. We also continue to provide our members with educational sessions (our session on electric car charging stations was very well attended) and informational sessions on upcoming BOMA International events (Summer Educational Convention being held in San Diego in late June). While we take a break from monthly programs in July and August our board and committee members continue to work through the summer planning programs and events which will start up again in early September. Looking forward to a great summer!
Debbie Korf, president of Southern Connecticut BOMA, is with Cartus, Danbury, Conn.