Arkman has a Strategic Approach to Improvement Projects:

•  Project Management & Engineering

          Our core activity -where we develop specifications to make our clients’ strategic decisions a physical

          reality & bring their concepts to life;

• Risk Management

          Developing a robust risk management approach for construction & industrial activity;

• Performance Improvement at All Levels

          Where we’ve delivered integrated process improvements & provided cost-effective solutions. 

 Recent Projects:

• Healthcare: A new state-of-the-art Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory at the Mater Private Hospital;

• Safety & Construction: Disability Access for County Wexford VEC; PSDP for a range of clients;

• Energy Efficiency: Energy Management for Ferns National School through Eco Evolution’s “Eco Ed” project;

• Industry: Energy Assessments for SEAI & Glanbia; Energy Project Engineering for a range of clients.

Keeping Up with New Developments:

• The MEETA Annual Conference focused on Structures for Continuous Improvement, Implementing Change & effective Asset Management;

• An Engineers Ireland Seminar on Designing for Safety in Construction, offering practical advice for designers & design teams;

• Committee meetings to craft the proposed International Standard for Asset Management – ISO55000 – to be in place by 2014.  Based on PAS55, it will establish a common language for Asset Management.

Effective Project Management should imply best practice risk assessment and safety management. With the right approach, these objectives are not difficult to achieve and should be less costly and more effective than the alternative reactionary approach, which always increases the risk of a costly incident or occurrence.

The development of User Requirement and other specifications is a complex and time-consuming activity. Arkman can provide specialist knowledge that will help business to streamline this process. We can also assist with avoiding difficult issues should they occur during a project and will advise how to deal with them if the need arises. In addition, Arkman also has all the Project Management skills necessary to optimise outcomes for a project.

Contact Arkman Consulting for more.

Today, Asset Management is a holistic activity that takes into account all the responsibilities that owning, managing or operating an asset demands. Asset Management standards have evolved to a very high level (PAS55 and others) and are continuing to do so.

These standards help businesses to get the best possible return from their assets, while at the same time assisting them to mitigate or eliminate risks.

Contact Arkman Consulting for more information.

Organisations are often reluctant to take the step of consulting outsiders on issues like this. There is often concern about the cost and about not getting value for money or even an outcome. Before engaging a consultant on such an undertaking, try to clarify some simple ground rules in advance. For example, if there is an interest in undertaking a Maintenance Audit, the advice below is worth following:

1. Be satisfied that the consultant has a good background in the subject.
2. Define the brief. This is the most important stage of the procedure. Be absolutely sure that you are satisfied with the brief and get the explicit agreement of the consultant at this stage.
3. Include clear deliverables and outcomes in the brief.
4. Do not hesitate to include explanatory and follow-up actions in the brief.
5. Obtain a fixed cost for the activity defined in the brief.
6. Finally, try to keep to the brief.  If changes are required, then follow a similar approach with them as well.

Performance Improvement Tools

Use the procedure above to start a Performance Improvement Programme. This can include any or all of the following:

• Maintenance Audit
• Maintenance Process Improvement
• Spare Parts and Stock Control
• PAS55
• Lean Tools Application.

Arkman has provided just such analysis on many projects and for a variety of problems. Many organisations, both large and small, have faced difficulties where the appropriate experience or time is not available in-house.

Give us a call if you find that you require such assistance.

A Domestic BER certificate is required for domestic premises.

A Non-Domestic Building Energy Rating or Commercial Building Energy Rating (BER) is required for a commercial building.

A BER Assessor is someone who is registered with Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) to carry out BER assessments in compliance with the requirements of the European Communities (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2006.

A Provisional BER is an assessment of the specifications and plans of a proposed new building prior to the completion of construction. This certificate is valid for 24 months from the day it was issued, and should be calculated for all proposed new works.

A building’s BER certificate and related advisory report is valid for 10 years from the issue date.

From 1 July 2008, all new non domestic buildings require a BER certificate. However a BER certificate is not required if planning permission was applied for or a planning notice was published on or before 30 June 2008 and where substantial work (i.e. the structure of the external walls) is completed by 30 June 2010, except when such building is offered for a second or subsequent sale or letting.

From 1 January 2009, all existing non-domestic buildings being sold or let require a BER certificate.

One BER certificate is required for a building which contains residential accommodation above a non-domestic space (e.g. a pub or a shop), provided that the only access to the residential space is through the non-domestic space.

A registered Domestic BER assessor carries out the assessment for domestic premises. The assessment for a Commercial Building is carried out by a registered Commercial BER assessor.

v  Equipment reliability and performance.

• Reliability and performance will not be achieved by accident. It requires knowledge and planning. It also requires continuous system monitoring and adjustment to ensure that expectations are met. This must be done by individuals with the necessary skills to achieve the objective.

v    Energy cost reduction and control.

• Equipment specifically concerned with energy consumption requires special consideration. This equipment is using energy resources and is likely to have particularly high running costs. Therefore, further specialist knowledge is required.

v  Statutory Compliance: Safety and Environmental.

• Construction Safety such as the performance of the PSDP role and Environmental Inspection and Certification can all be undertaken by Arkman.

v  System design and optimisation.

• Any new system should be specified and designed to achieve a detailed documented level of performance.  The appropriate knowledge should be available for undertaking this task.

Please contact Arkman for a free initial consultation.

Arkman has developed special protocols for all aspects of Project Safety. Particular attention has been focused on construction safety in recent years and Arkman has frequently acted as Project Supervisor for the Design Process (PSDP) in a range of different sectors. We have developed a validation process to ensure that the PSDP role is carried out in accordance with the legislation and in the most practical way possible.

Contact Arkman for further insight into this service.