June 2007

June 2007

Housing New Zealand Corporation:

Housing New Zealand Corporation is one of NZ’s largest organisations with over 68,000 houses worth more than $13 billion. “HNZC has embraced the 2006 NAMS Property Manual with great vigour and enthusiasm. To implement an asset management framework and to align the thinking in the manual, the Corporation has employed 3 full time staff to work on the project, supported by 7 ‘subject matter experts’ Corporation staff. In addition to ensure the NAMS manual is given ‘life’, it has become a standard agenda item on the Regional Asset Managers 6 weekly meetings. At these meetings we have started an introduction of the manual to Asset Managers with a ‘weakest link’ quiz based on various sections. The process is generating buy-in to the framework and positive debate around its application to the Corporation.” From Liam Greer, Principal Asset Manager, HNZC. Members can download the ‘weakest link’ quiz from the tools area of the website – hopefully HNZC will provide other initiatives as they unfold…

Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute:

The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) is undertaking a project to “develop a set of good practices for strategic asset management which will assist State Housing Authorities (SHAs) as they seek to improve housing outcomes for public tenants and extend the life of their housing stock by maintaining its viability and relevance. Supplementary aims are to scope the attributes of public housing stock and its associated issues, and to document and compare the asset management decision-making framework in each jurisdiction”.
Click here to see more information.

Spotless Maintenance:

Spotless Maintenance, Australia, has just started implementing the NAMS Property information management strategy for ACT Housing in Canberra. ACT has over 11,000 houses and a significant maintenance budget. The aim over the next 5 years is to survey 2,300 houses per year in a structured way to move from a reactive maintenance regime to more of a planned maintenance regime.

NZ Treasury:

NZ Treasury’s Capital Asset Management framework will be out for consultation in the coming months. A number of Agencies will be meeting in Wellington in early August to discuss how they can share information and knowledge in support of the framework. The Agencies aim to coordinate efforts to improve ways in which they manage their assets and make capital decisions. The key change is moving from a 5 year focus to a 20 to 40 year planning horizon. Some Agencies are already doing this while others are just starting to see the benefits.

Building Components Guidelines (BCGs):

The latest version of the NZ Building Component Guidelines is now available through the members area. The BCGs are referred to as the 2006 Vrs 2 BCGs as they link directly with Rawlinson’s 2006 Construction Cost Handbook. The previous version published in the 2006 NAMS Property manual is still available on the website but now called the 2006 Vrs 1 BCGs. This is a significant event for many organisations that use the BCGs, as they now have the means to update component unit rates annually, which provides more accuracy for predictive modelling and for the valuation process. See also the Word document that explains the key issues between the Vrs 1 and Vrs 2 BCG’s.

 

Asset Management Source for North America:

AMSNA is discussing an agreement with NAMS Property to distribute the NAMS Property product through the AMSNA website. There is good interest in the framework from US organisations and we will keep all informed of progress.

Information Collaboration:

A number of NZ Local Authorities are starting to share information using the NAMS Property framework and membership to determine individualised improvement plans based on a generic asset management framework review. This is similar to the traditional gap analysis but with a twist. A workshop involving Central Government Agencies and District Health Boards are participating in establishing criteria and attributes that will be used for internal auditors.

Local Authority Property Association:

The LAPA annual conference will be held in Rotorua in early September, for further details click here

Progress of NAMS Property

	Current as at 20 June 2007 Individuals from Central Governement organisations are becoming members over the past two months due to the upcoming Treasury CAM framework
	NZ still dominates the membership. Watch this space for US movements over the coming months...

Did you know:

This month we focus on using the Validate Data Function within the Demonstration System.