Acronyms in the World of Engineering
Here at SOWGA, acronyms are an incredibly common part of our processes and lives, with our company name being an example of one. This name originates from the different processes the business was set up to serve Steam, Oil, Water, Gas and Air.
We currently operate in the Facilities Management industry (FM for short), as we manage and maintain facilities across the London, Bristol, and Southeast areas. For those who may not know what facilities managements do, their purpose is to ensure functionality, safety, comfort and efficiency of the built environment by integrating people, place, process and technology.
Within all these locations, we have thirteen Business Units (BUs) that cover all the areas and sites we maintain, so we can ensure everything is kept organised and separated accordingly.
In terms of the engineering we cover, our focus is on: Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health (MEP) and we strive for Reliability, Availability, Maintainability & Safety in everything we do through Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS). All these factors show that we are conscious about our clients, employees, the environment around us, etc.
From Fan Coil Units (FCUs) to Air Handling Units (AHUs), these are both examples of projects we work on, where conditions must be regulated to ensure comfort and good air quality for our clients, which are all both examples of HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning).
Fitting with a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and also maintaining a great level of Quality, Safety, Health & the Environment (QSHE), we strive to make sure we are making a positive impact on the communities, our workforce, and the environment around us.
As well as this, we also carry out water testing on the sites we maintain, in which we look for traces of Legionella (L8). For those who may not know, Legionella is a bacteria that when ingested, can cause a pneumonia type illness known as Legionnaires' disease. In addition to this, it can cause a mild flu-like illness, which is referred to as Pontiac fever.
When organising, storing and keeping data secure, we utilise CAFM systems (Computer-aided Facility Management), specifically that of SimPRO, which also stands for Service Industry Management Professional. Like all businesses, us and our partners each comply with the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), which ensures that a company is environmentally aware of their CO2 emissions, how sustainable they are and more. While the social side is in regards to how a company treats its employees, maintains diversity, sufficient training and more, whereas the governance is dependant on how the company is managed by those in charge.
With innovation leading us towards better solutions and solving problems, we take great care and consideration into how we could use the Internet of Things (IoT), allowing for better communication between us and the devices we use. In many ways, we have shown our dedication in looking for new ways to become more sustainable, energy-efficient and aware of our impacts on the environment.