MGT200 Property Management & Design (8)

• Demonstrate their understanding of the procedures and processes associated with the maintenance of a hotel building complex.
• Recognise the layout, characteristics and function of various parts of a hotel's building, plant and equipment.
• Identify various problems arising in building, plant and equipment and make decisions to rectify them.
• Construct operational and capital budgets for the maintenance department and facilities within a hotel.
• Analyse costs and evaluate budgets to exercise tight budgetary control with an aim to improve the hotel's operation and increase profitability.
• Supervise the implementation and management of effective energy and waste management programs in all areas of the hotel that comply with requirements of legislation, regulations and bylaws.
• Synthesise knowledge acquired in this and other subjects and apply it to the process of developing and designing a hotel project.

At the commencement of the subject, students are introduced to the organisational elements of a hotel's maintenance department. An overview is provided of the role and scope of the maintenance department in a hotel and the structure and staffing required to support it. The advantages and disadvantages of in-house and contract maintenance services in the upkeep of hotels are identified. The importance of having documented maintenance procedures and of keeping accurate records is stressed. The communication and interpersonal skills required in dealing with technical staff, trades people, contractors and service providers are identified. In tutorial sessions, students role play situations involving the demonstration of these skills. Through an analysis of the design, operation and care of the engineering systems, the importance of maintaining the plant and equipment is studied in practical settings. As a result of these analyses, students are expected to understand the significance of a hotel's: water supply and disposal system; electrical and lighting operations; air conditioning and ventilation services; refrigeration plant; security equipment; and transport and communication systems. Managerial responsibility for the development, implementation and supervision of routine, preventive, scheduled and emergency maintenance systems is analysed. The implications for the manager, clients, employees, shareholders and hotel owners of failure to implement appropriate maintenance strategies are identified. The need to be familiar with relevant legislation, regulations and by-laws is considered. Expectations of the hotel manager for the containment of costs and the management of budgets in relation to the buildings and plant are detailed. Considerations of the role of budgets in the control process, the use of a Uniform System of Ho