Purpose Refurbishment is inherently more sustainable than building new. However, planned and actual costs of refurbishment projects are bound to vary due to the complex nature of most such projects. This can affect the performance of refurbishment work. The purpose of this paper is to examine factors responsible for elemental cost variations between the actual and planned costs of refurbishment projects. The study also examines factors that contribute to differences in actual and planned cost between refurbishment and new build projects. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative approach was adopted for this study. A literature review identified factors responsible for elemental cost variations in refurbishment projects, as well as factors responsible for differences in actual and planned cost of new build and refurbishment projects. This was followed by a questionnaire survey of refurbishment projects across Malaysia. A total of 55 respondents provided input through a questionnaire survey to identify these factors. Findings This study demonstrates that procurement strategy (PS), inappropriate contractors (IC), poor project management (PPM), availability of funding, materials and equipment, and force majeure (FM) significantly affect refurbishment cost performance. Electrical installations, firefighting equipment, and painting were the building elements most affected by cost variations. A regression model for refurbishment cost prediction indicates that PS, IC, PPM, availability of funding, materials and equipment, and FM were significant predictors of building refurbishment cost performance. Originality/value This paper provides insight into the major factors affecting elemental cost variation of refurbishment works, as well as building elements most affected by cost variations and provides a model for predicting refurbishment cost performance.

Abstract. Sustainability is seen as a far-reaching issue now, and one which the facilities management [FM] profession cannot overlook. This paper explores current sustainable facilities management [SFM] knowledge and practice with specific focus on performance as part of a research focus toward proposing a sustainable FM performance management framework for sustainable healthcare waste management in Malaysia. This paper utilized a review of extant literature on the subject of SFM, FM performance and FM development in Malaysia as source of information. Findings reflect the increasing recognition of the need for the strategic FM function, and how facilities managers are best positioned to drive organizations' sustainability agendas. In Malaysian context, this recognition is barely evident as findings show FM practice is still immature and predominantly operational. Unlike developed FM markets, FM relevance in Malaysia is being driven by the public sector. Also findings show a disharmony between organizations' sustainability priority areas and the responsibilities for facilities managers to execute them where the sustainability policy of organizations prioritize one FM service and the facilities managers' responsibilities prioritize another. As most of SFM implementation is driven by legislation this seems to strengthen the position that, organizations continue to view support services as non-value-adding, as unavoidable liabilities. The implication of this is the pressure on the FM function to continually express its strategic relevance to organizations by tangible value-adding performance output. This creates a new perspective to measuring and managing facilities performance. This paper therefore elevates the importance of FM performance management in SFM context taking into account the peculiar position of the facilities manager. This is seen as a way forward for FM to better express its value to the organization .

Medical waste management (MWM) in developing countries such as Nigeria continue to lag in the development and implementation of successful MWM programs. The concentration of research on management practices, waste generation and characterization, disposal practices implies very little attention has been given to understanding the factors that are critical to implementing successful MWM programs. The aim of this study is therefore to identify critical factors of MWM success in developing countries, and assess the recognition and implementation of these factors toward achieving MWM goals in healthcare facilities (HCFs) in Benue State, Nigeria. This study adopted a case study approach. Factors critical to MWM success were identified from literature and validated through key informant interviews conducted across four (4) case study HCFs. The study found that, training, sensitization and awareness was considered the most critical factor, followed by environmental legislation in compliance with international environmental rules/regulations; and specific and elaborate regulations with regard to medical waste. The third most critical factors were financing and investment; infrastructure; and adequate and efficient workforce. It was found that implementation of the critical factors at the HCFs was poor. Issues contributing to poor implementation include lack of awareness on existing medical waste management guidelines; lack of enforceable national policy or regulation on medical waste management; inadequate finance among others. This stresses the need for increased participation at both internal (HCF), and external (ministry) levels in creating awareness on the risk potential of medical wastes and existing guidelines to encourage acceptable practices, and enactment of specific legislation dealing with MWM.

Low cost high rise residential buildings have had the highest number of fire incidents compared to other types of buildings in Malaysia. This study aims to determine the fire risk status of low cost high rise residential buildings in Kuala Lumpur through a fire risk assessment (FRA) approach. The study forms the exploratory phase of a wider research to develop a fire risk indexing (FRI) methodology for low cost high rise residential buildings in Kuala Lumpur. On-site fire audits were performed on three (3) selected low cost high rise residential buildings in the Pantai area of Kuala Lumpur using a 10-item FRA checklist. The results showed that all 10 FRA criteria recorded multiple issues ranging from the presence of multiple ignition and fuel sources to inadequate or vandalized firefighting equipment to lack of training of occupants on fire risk and safety. Further analysis showed that the fire risk status of the observed buildings was 'high'. A need for immediate intervention measures to improve the fire safety credentials of the observed case study buildings was established. Recommendations include reconsidering the design layout of rooms, improving active and passive fire safety protection systems, and training of occupants to improve their awareness on fire safety.

This study examined the evacuation strategies employed in high-rise buildings as well as determined factors influencing decision making in employing evacuation strategies in four selected high-rise buildings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Through a case study evaluation involving interviews with facility/building managers, walk through observations of the case studies and analyses of evacuation exercise reports, the study found that total evacuation was the most practiced evacuation strategy with occasional phased evacuation at one of the case studies. The study identified reliable emergency response, building characteristics/fire safety features, and evacuation exercise as the most important factors influencing decision making in employing evacuation strategies. Occupant characteristics was found to be the least important factor. The argument is that, efficient emergency response, passive and active fire safety systems, and evacuation exercise routines mean that challenges posed by the characteristics of occupants could be overcome. This paper gives new insights on factors influencing decision making in employing suitable evacuation strategies. This would benefit stakeholders e.g. building owners, facility managers, health and safety managers when drafting business continuity plans.