aquama® takes off!
aquama® takes off!
Geneva International Airport confirms its position as one of the world leaders in sustainable development.
Through the visionary strategy of the Geneva Airport management team, an ambitious approach has been elaborated to pave the way for a forward thinking alignment of resources management with the world's best Clean Technologies.
Geneva Airport has become the world's first international airport to secure the finest of hydrolysis technology. aquama® is proud to contribute to the airport's insightful energy management strategy. The airport facilities can now fully benefit from the latest of aquama® solutions aquama® interviewed Mr. Giuseppe Placa, Head of Maintenance Services at the Geneva Airport.
Interview with Giuseppe Placa, Head of Maintenance Services at the Geneva Airport
Mr. Placa, would you please tell us about your role at the Geneva airport?
«I'm in charge of the Maintenance Services, which include four types of tasks for a budget exceeding CHF 7.5 million/year
The majority of our time is devoted to ensuring supreme hygienic conditions of the airport's common areas, whether used by the public and passengers, or premises used by a variety of departments dedicated to airport services, as well as airlines representations and the management team of Geneva Airport; which represents near 200’000m2.
Then we have the responsibility to organize both collecting and the sorting of over 600 points of waste containers, and ensure most adequate handling and recycling throughout all 5 airport platforms.
Geneva Airport handles over 14 million passengers a year (...)
Would you be so kind to share with us some of your daily challenges?
Our daily challenge is not only to ensure the optimal planning and organization aspects, but also to guarantee the quality of the services offered at the Geneva Airport, throughout the year!
It is important to know that the Geneva Airport handles over 14 million passengers a year (2012).
The environmental issues have inspired the airport management to set strategic priorities in order to reduce the ecological impact.
You have a strong team of over 180 employees / partners, what is your strategy to ensure effective coordination on the ground?
The Maintenance Services department has around 14 employees, including myself ; and several daily providers that help us achieve our objectives, which represents roughly 180 resources. Furthermore, there are around 20 companies that have been mandated to assist us in various tasks and contribute to level of quality of our services. The organization, planning, monitoring and control are fundamental; reason why, we hold regular briefings with our partners, in order to ensure the collect of efficient feedback.
We are truly impressed with your (and the Geneva Airport Management) environmental commitment, could you please shed some light on your motivations?
Nowadays, the environmental challenges and sustainable development have been fully integrated by public entities and private companies.
The population is getting more and more involved in the process of recycling. Today, more than ever, there is a great will and a candid conscience.
(...) At Geneva Airport, there is a very competent team dealing with environmental challenges and management team with a pragmatic vision and the necessary resources to succeed.
(...) At Geneva Airport, there is a very competent team dealing with environmental challenges and a management team with a pragmatic vision.
How do you marry the collaborative economy (the way to consume and not the consumption itself) with a quality service?
Ecology can be approached from several angles, Geneva Airport is trying to maintain close contacts with its partners; we help them find solutions to increase sorting rate and optimize its efficiency.
Training and information sessions are held throughout the year for both business and tenants. Furthermore , we provide a variety of complementary services to our partners, in order to help them improve recycling effectiveness.
Additional services could be requested from the Maintenance Services department.
You have opted for a comprehensive partnership with aquama®, what was your vision?
(...) The airport CTO who heard about the hydrolysis process by aquama®, has asked me to evaluate the benefits of a partnership and assess the feasibility of the solutions for our teams.
Who would have imagined that it would be possible to clean or disinfect with solutions made from tap water, salt, electricity and a simple microfiber cloth? While maintaining an optimal level of hygiene in a huge public complex such as the airport?
To my great surprise, and thanks to aquama® innovative technology, the solutions responded perfectly to all our needs.
the reaction is very positive, attitudes are changing, a new era has begun
We hence decided to acquire the units that would best meet our objectives.
We are now the proud owners of ECm Red and ECm Blue and have been using extensively on all types of surfaces across the airport premises, the impact is significant and the return on investment exceeds our expectations.
This success has encouraged several partners to follow our path and benefit from aquama® solution.
In addition to the econological benefits, were you able to enhance your cleaning process?
It is obvious that we should not just stop at the strategic economical profitability; the benefits will be reflected in the prices offered to customers, so they have an advantage that the competition could not offer.
One of the greatest advantages from the aquama® solution is its simplicity, aquama® Blue, the cleaning solution eliminates dirt and grease on any surface like no other, where aquama® Red, has a supreme disinfecting capability, while having a neutral pH 7!
No more headaches with what product to use on which surface; and no need to worry about storage and handling, since aquama® provides their revolutionary near zero logistics approach, where solutions are generated ready to use directly on site and on demand.
What was the reaction of your customers/ partners upon the implementation of the aquama® solution?
We are fortunate to have our own media: Airport's newspaper and television channel, in order to advise stakeholders efficiently.
In the case of aquama® we were successful in informing our employees then the various service providers concerned.
Frankly speaking, everyone is free to adhere to the vision of Geneva Airport and its evolution, or dare I say, this technological revolution by aquama®; but nobody remained indifferent to this choice, the reaction is very positive, attitudes are changing, a new era has begun.
Can you tell us if you were able to generate a “greater interest” in your offers thanks to aquama® ecological solutions?
Today we are in a phase of analysis, reflecting on our experience and its favorable outcome.
Are we heading towards the market by providing strong recommendations to our partners? Or, why not go further?! Become the first international airport relying 100% on cleaning and disinfecting solutions made from water, salt & electricity and are 100% biodegradable. This would be a formidable sign that would motivate many to follow the path of Geneva Airport.
What is the key value added advantage of our solution aquama® Indigo® (clean & disinfection all in one) to your Services?
aquama® Indigo® is the simplest and most efficient solution that I know to carry out both cleaning and disinfecting duties, it is even simpler than two solutions aquama® Blue and aquama® Red
How long did you need to implement the solution at the Geneva Airport?
Very simple, we stopped ordering cleaning products from usual providers and replaced with aquama® Blue & Red.
This great partnership has empowered us to collaborate constructively and allowed us to achieve our mutual objectives
We then proceeded with the training of service managers and they trained their teams. Furthermore, aquama® offered custom made sessions to demonstrate the uniqueness of the concept and its effectiveness, while preserving the environment.
it is not only the professional development that is stimulating, it is also the favorable dynamics to think and do differently, for our children and our environment's tomorrow
In your opinion, what are the future challenges for the world of Facility Management?
Facility Management will take a greater importance in the future. Its development will become more professional and with distinct specialties, however, not everyone will have the necessary skills, or vision. The Facility Management is no longer just outsourcing the activity but an ongoing process to improve existing services.
What can we improve on our side, in order to empower you to attain your goals more efficiently?
Our collaboration has been initiated on an advice basis, exchange of experiences, maintaining superior quality standards. This great partnership has empowered us to collaborate constructively and allowed us to achieve our mutual objectives.
In fact, it is not only the professional development that is stimulating, it is also the favourable dynamics to think and do differently, for tomorrow, our children and our environment's tomorrow.»
aquama® is the answer for any company wishing to benefit from the power of hydrolyzed solutions to clean and/or disinfect, in any business and on all surfaces.
Our Vision:
To provide innovative solutions, 100% biodegradable, for disinfection and cleaning, today and tomorrow.
22 centuries of innovation:
Hydrolysis is a principle known since Ancient Egypt. However, it was publicly introduced and stabilized in May, 1800 by two eminent British scientists, William Nicholson and Sir Anthony Carlisle. Based on this ancient principle aquama® provides the world's best hydrolysis.
Because nature deserves better!©