Lucernex expert and President Joe Valeri (see Joe’s management summary here) provides details of why Location is the key to Real Estate Technology.

My last blog discussed the very loose definition of IWMS and how it tries to describe a wide array of very different vendors. In this blog I will discuss one type of IWMS, Location Management Software, and what the different end users may need to focus on when selecting a Location Management IWMS.

What are the three things that matter in real estate – Location, Location, Location. This old adage about real estate applies to commercial real estate technology as well. The location is what real estate is all about whether you are a 2000 store retailer, a 30 building corporation, a large hotel company or a multi-building campus – everything you do in relation to your real estate is based on a location. And, managing the performance of each location to perform optimally is the ultimate goal for each location whether it’s optimizing revenue or minimizing cost.

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On Monday (February 22^nd, 2010), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that planned regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the authority of the Clean Air Act would be phased in over the next several years. As reported previously, the EPA’s proposed regulation of GHG emissions from large emitters was expected to take effect in 2010. Continue Reading

On February 12^th 2010 after a 106-day relay, the 21^st Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver were opened by lighting the Olympic Flame. During two weeks the world’s best athletes compete for the ultimate goal; an Olympic gold medal.

I just love the Olympics. The sheer dedication, atmosphere, euphoria, disappointment and all other human emotions are a true inspiration for me. When I think about parallels between the Olympic Games and IWMS, there are quite a few of them. I think IWMS vendors can learn a lot from Olympic Athletes. Continue Reading

Lucernex President Joe Valeri (see Joe’s management summary here) provides a start to the conversation.

The term “Integrated Workplace Management Systems” or “IWMS” was coined by Michael Bell formerly of The Gartner Group. This new term was then used as the basis for producing an IWMS market assessment including a Gartner Magic Quadrant. This type of assessment is commonly produced by Gartner to compare technology vendors in many industries. Without a common term, in this case IWMS, there would have been no way to ‘lump’ a bunch of vendors together into a comparison document. In reality, at the time the term was coined, the vendors thrown into the IWMS bucket were very dissimilar and often addressed very different markets. Since then, however, using the IWMS blueprint provided in the IWMS market analysis containing the Magic Quadrant, the vendors have actually enhanced their products, changed messaging and in some cases merged to better fit the image of “IWMS”. While features of the vendors have grown more similar, they remain different in some very important ways, most notably their expertise in specific customer bases and specific functionality that addresses that base.

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1. Lack of realistic expectations

The first deadly sin is the most important one. Lacking realistic expectations is devastating for all projects. Don’t think that one project will save the world. It simply will not. If you embark on a journey with unrealistic expectations, you are preparing yourself for misery. Only projects with realistic expectations can lead to the desired outcome.

2. Lack of specific outcome

Success can only be measured against actual results. This however is impossible to do if the outcome of an IWMS implementation is not correctly specified. If you want to successfully implement an Integrated Workplace Management System, it is imperative that you clearly specify the outcome.

3. Lack of commitment

Without solid commitment IWMS implementations fail. Period. You need to ensure that both the project team and the project sponsors stay engaged with the project during the entire project. Most projects are initiated with a lot of enthusiasm and energy, however during the project this energy diminishes significantly. Only IWMS implementation projects with a committed project team and committed support from senior management can lead to the desired outcome.

4. Lack of planning

Once the IWMS implementation project has been started don’t stop planning. This will get you in trouble. Squandering your time in the beginning of the implementation project will lead to stress and dissatisfied IWMS implementations. Therefore you should aggressively guard the project planning in the beginning of the project.

5. Lack of quality

The lack of quality of ensures that you have to do re-work, which this puts your IWMS implementation project under pressure. Whatever you do; do it right the first time; every time.

6. Lack of communication

Your IWMS implementation project will not be run in a vacuum nor in your head. Communication with project stakeholders is extremely important. Don’t count on people’s mind-reading capabilities, but communicate. Be clear your communications. Listen carefully.

7. Lack of authority

Without the proper authority, IWMS implementation projects will run out of time and budget. The decision-making process will be unnecessary lengthy and complex which will have a very negative effect on the project outcome. Therefore you need to ensure you have the appropriate authority available within the project, or by external senior management support.

Jim Duport of Lucernex has authored an excellent response to the question: What is GAAP rent and how does it impact SOX?

In essence, GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principals) rent is an averaging of the rent over the term taking into account rent abatement and fixed/known rent increases. The rent cost calculated based on GAAP is then charged/booked to the Income Statement / Profit & Loss (P&L) statement. The P&L statement is what is reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and is used for tax purposes. In many corporations, the GAAP rent is also the cost that is charged to the real estate department’s or end-user’s budget.

CPI & GAAP — a CPI GAAP analysis

What happens if there is free rent and rent increases are based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a “CPI GAAP analysis”? Since increases are not a “known” value, it is difficult to apply GAAP to a lease with CPI increases.

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Last Wednesday, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) agreed for the first time that corporations are required to warn investors of climate change risks that affect their business. These risks included current and future greenhouse gas regulation and legislation, indirect consequences of regulation or business trends, and the physical impact of climate change.

Environmental leaders referred to the SEC’s announcement as, “a clarion call about the vast risks and opportunities climate change poses for US companies and the urgency for integrating them into investment decision making”.

Read the full story to learn how this important ruling could affect your company.

Read the full story.

A guest post by Jade Craven on Problogger inspired me to create this list of 20 IWMS, CAFM and CMMS Blogs To Watch in 2010.

In this randomized list you will find some very interesting blogs that have to do with Integrated Workplace Management Systems and their environment.

1. Facilties Leadership | Increasing the value of Facilities Management in higher education
2. FacilityBlog | The First Facility Management Blog
3. Technology4Design | Blog and discussion forum on construction design technology and processes including CAD, BIM
4. Idisis Blog |  OSIS, Archibus and Infrastructure Goodness
5. IWMSnews | Intelligent Workplace Management Tips that will help to optimize facility management and real estate performance of organizations around the globe
6. FM Insight | Managing The Built Environment Improving Management and Operations for Facility, Property and Asset Managers
7. Tririga Insights | Building knowledge for business and government leaders to help drive measurable real estate and environmental sustainability returns.
8. Bricsnet IWMS Blog | The Bricsnet IWMS Blog
9. IWMSconnect | Corporate Real Estate Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) industry forum empowering the IMWS business community to make sustainable business decisions through thought leadership and collaboration (although no public blog, still a great resource!)
10. MicroMain ToolBelt Online | ToolBelt Online by MicroMain is intended to foster research and discussion surrounding maintenance and facility software. You’ll find reviews, discussions, best practices and tips for making to most of your CMMS and CAFM systems.
11. IWMS and Business Performance | Integrated Workplace Management Systems (IWMS) now offer powerful tools to drive and measure business performance relative to real estate assets, facilities utilization, and service productivity and effectiveness. This Blog delves into these capabilities particularly in the context of an unprecedented and prolonged economic crisis
12. Mintek Blog | On the Mintek Blog you can find posts about IWMS, EAM and CMMS
13. Lucernex Technologies Blog | Location Performance Management Software Blog
14. Reliable Plant Blog | Maintenance Excellence, Reliability Engineering, Lean Manufacturing, People Management
15. Mistress of the Dorkness | Melanie (Stone) Perry’s [aka. Wanderer] CAD Blog! Well, this will mostly be dedicated to CAD/Technology (especially as it relates to Facilities Management [FM] and BIM)
16. BLAUGI – Blog of AutoDesk International User Group
17. eMaint Blog | Maintenance Management Solutions Made Easy
18. Manage Engine Community | Enterprise IT Management Blog from ManageEngine
19. Maintenance Connection Blog | A community for current and future Maintenance Connection Users
20. Scheduling Chronicles | The REAL story on scheduling, resources, people, events and more

There you are 20 Blogs that I frequently read. Which blogs are in your Google Reader? Which blogs do you recommend? I would love to hear your favorites. You can submit your favorites in the comment box below.