Two training talks, participation in fairs and some changes in the approach of the association, the results of the last three months of work.
RITEL, unavoidable regulations
On July 15, 2013, the Colombian regulation RITEL or Technical Regulation for Internal Telecommunications Networks was officially published, which establishes the requirements that all owners must take into account when designing and building telecommunications networks (telephony, internet, cable or wireless television, among others) in modern buildings.
It is established that the standard begins to be mandatory compliance and implementation from August 2014, so the association took advantage of this conjunctural need to offer tools to all those who are affected by this regulation.
During the talk, the scope of the regulation and the main technical aspects for the access and use of the common telecommunications infrastructure in buildings under criteria of free competition, non-discriminatory treatment, technical and economic viability were discussed.
Technical measures related to the design, construction, supervision and commissioning of internal telecommunications networks, under international engineering standards, were also mentioned.
The person in charge of offering this training was Germán Cortés, president of the engineering firm Insetrón Ltda, and who is also an electronic engineer from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, a specialist in electronic security, communications and automation for intelligent buildings, with more than 25 years of experience.
It works (for now) in properties that comply with the co-ownership regime or horizontal property (PH). Its objective is to establish the technical measures related to the design, construction and commissioning of internal telecommunications networks in such a way that new constructions of real estate subject to the horizontal property regime have a technical standard that regulates the construction and use of said internal network.
Although it is the responsibility of the builder to deliver the new properties in accordance with this regulation, it is important for the owners and managers to know about this issue to ensure that all the established parameters are being met.
Among the specific obligations of the builders established in the regulation are the following:
- Design, supply, build, install and enable the network and physical infrastructure of the wired networks.
- Design, supply and install the network for capturing sound broadcasting signals, open TV and other wireless networks
- Design, supply and install the main and floor cabinets, passage boxes, ducts, pipes, etc. required by the Internal Telecommunications Network.
- Design, supply the civil works, halls, ducts, entrance chambers, etc. required by the Internal Telecommunications Network.
- Respect environmental and safety standards.
- Offer a 6-month warranty
Administration panel in TecnoEdificios
During the last congress of TecnoEdificios, AGEM participated in the academic program with the organization of a panel entitled "Building Management: The role of the building manager oriented towards good management".
This panel was attended by four professionals who shared their work experiences and responded to the concerns of more than 50 attendees present at the Plaza Mayor Convention Center in the city of Medellín.
Germán Forero of the San Vicente Foundation Hospital; Milton Campo of the Univentas Shopping Center; Erick Cerquera of the National University of Colombia Headquarters Medellín and Oscar Mauricio Gutiérrez de Alquería; were the four guests who shared their experiences in the management of their respective facilities.
One of the most interesting points of the discussion was to know the different challenges faced by these professionals due to the nature of the facilities under their charge. In the case of hospital services, there are specific regulations regarding waste management, for example.
Another trend that was evident during the panel was the predominance of contracting services through an outsourcing model of service agreements and only a relatively small team working directly within the organization to coordinate and supervise the different processes.
Finally, the general conclusion of the meeting focused on emphasizing the importance of contributing to the organization in the approach of strategic actions and not only from the daily operational activities.
AGEM will become ACFM
A year and a half after the meeting that formalized the creation of the Association of Modern Building Managers – AGEM –, it is preparing to evolve and become the Colombian Association of Facility Management – ACFM.
The change, approved at the Members' Assembly held on June 4, seeks to align with existing international concepts regarding the operation and management of buildings; in addition to betting on promoting the concept of Facility Management in the Andean country.
ACFM will continue to work for the same objectives that have so far marked the work of AGEM, which are the union and continuous training of those professionals who manage, administer and operate facilities in the Andean Region.
If you wish to be a member of AGEM/ACFM, propose training talks or support the work of the Association, you can contact the email [email protected]
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