Sustainable Business Magazine Issue 5/19

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SUSTAINABLE ISSUE 05/19

B U S I N E S S

M A G A Z I N E

KEMTEK

ADAM’S PROJECT

MANAGEMENT

RGM LIMITED ACLA:WORKS SOL EC LIMITED TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

ROCK HARD CEMENT

S U S TA I N I N G T O M O R R O W. T O D AY

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SUSTAINABLE

B U S I N E S S

M A G A Z I N E

SBM Media Ltd - Henderson Business Centre, 51 Ivy Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR5 8BF, United Kingdom • T: +44 (0)1603 516519 Email: info@sustainablebusinessmagazine.net www.sustainablebusinessmagazine.net

Editor:

George Newell

Senior Writer:

Marcus Bonnano

Profile Writer:

Liam Pritchett

Regional Manager:

Josh Edwards

Business Development: George Bell

Sustainable Business Magazine is committed to promoting sustainable printing.

This magazine is printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified material and manufactured using environmentally sustainable procedures.

All lithographic printer inks used are vegetable-based.

Welcome to the latest Americas edition of Sustainable Business Magazine.

Sustainable Business Magazine aims to spread awareness of sustainable values in business, as well as the exciting ways organizations meet challenges and champion corporate social responsibility.

In this issue, we take an in-depth look at Caribbean real estate, tourism, and industry.

To begin, we spoke to a Jamaican real estate developer who found a virtually untapped market for high-quality, lower-priced housing. Kemtek Development and Construction Limited’s Director of Operations, Garwin Tulloch, told us about building new communities, training employees, and charitable giving.

Next, we caught up with pioneering Trinidadian architecture firm acla:works. We spoke to firm directors Mandilee Newton and Gary Turton about a new sustainable office building, as well as the Trinidad and Tobago Green Building Council’s recently-launched Smarter Buildings Network. We also spoke to RGM Limited, one of Trinidad and Tobago’s leading property development and management companies, where CEO Gerard D’Arcy told us about their LEED-certified Savannah East building, and remaining competitive in a challenging market.

Elsewhere in Trinidad, we spoke to the Founder and Managing Director of Adam’s Project Management and Construction Limited, Imtiyaz Adam, about their new hotel and commercial center in Antigua, a school and mosque project in Panama, and their new green design for TATECO Credit Union.

Continuing our longstanding focus on tourism in the Caribbean, we spoke to Dr. Andrew Spencer, Executive Director of Jamaica’s Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), about developments which benefit tourists and locals alike.

In Barbados we spoke to Rock Hard Cement’s Chief Operations Officer, Darren Matthews, about manufacturing the materials used for some of the country’s most iconic buildings, and investing in sustainable construction and testing. To round off this issue, we spoke to Sol EC Ltd’s Saint Vincent and the Grenadines General Manager, Steve Francis, about sponsoring local projects, developing personnel, and offering less-polluting fuels to local consumers.

Details of upcoming sustainability events across the Americas throughout September and October can be found on our events calendar. Our featured events are the Water Expo (8th Edition) on 28th and 29th August 2019 at the Miami Airport Convention Center (MACC), the Energy Expo (formerly the MiaGreen Expo & Conference) on 12th and 13th February 2020, also at MACC, and the 2019 AASHE Conference and Expo on the theme ‘Co-Creating A Sustainable Economy’, from October 27-30 at the Spokane Convention Center.”

We hope that you find this issue both interesting and inspiring. Thank you for reading.

The Sustainable Business Magazine Team

Web Administrator: Ashley Hewitt

CONTENTS ISSUE 05/19 04

Kemtek

16

acla:works

26

RGM Limited

30

Adam’s Project Management

38

Tourism Product Development Company Limited.

44

Rock Hard Cement

48

Sol EC Limited.

52

Global Events

53

Advertisers Index

ISSUE 05/19 FRONT COVER IMAGE IMAGE COURTESY OF KEMTEK

© SBM Media Ltd 2019. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form for any purpose, other than short sections for the purpose of review, without prior consent of the publisher.

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KEMTEK

BUILDING DIFFERENT

Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Garwin Tulloch, Director of Operations at Kemtek Development & Construction Limited, about quality, affordable housing for Jamaicans, training employees, and investing in the community.

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St. Mary-based real estate developer Kemtek Development & Construction Ltd have been offering families across Jamaica the opportunity to own a home for thirty years this year. Founded in June 1989 by current Managing Director and Chairman Sylvester Tulloch, Kemtek revolutionized the real estate industry in 2004, when they developed a more efficient, cost-effective building system, which allowed them to take housing units to the market at a significantly reduced price, allowing lower- and middle-income buyers access to housing they would not otherwise have been able to afford. Today, Kemtek have offices in St. Mary, St. Ann, Trelawny, and Kingston, and they continue to construct quality housing at an affordable price.

INNOVATIVE MODEL Kemtek’s first project was the Keystone development, a residential community located in the town of St. Catherine, which took three years to complete. After constructing Keystone, Kemtek worked on a number of smaller projects in St. Ann and along Jamaica’s north coast. However, it was Greenwich Estates in 2004 which changed everything for Kemtek. “That project was really our pioneering one,” says Garwin Tulloch, Director of Operations and son of Kemtek founder Sylvester Tulloch. “It changed how we looked at marketing and how we looked at delivering a product.

Formerly, we built houses for people in middle to high income brackets. What we did with Greenwich Estates was we departed from conventional ‘block’ or brick-andmortar houses, and we adopted a system that provided much greater efficiency. As a result, we were able to offer a lower-priced unit to the general Jamaican public.”

The 128-unit Greenwich Estates development in St. Ann Parish offered many Jamaicans their first opportunity to buy a SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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www.omniindustriesltd.com house. “The opening day of advertising for Greenwich Estates was a Saturday,” says Mr. Tulloch. “By 11 a.m. on the following Monday all units were sold out. It took just hours, really. Realtors said to us that the houses were too cheap, but we figured it was in our interest to make a statement. It also afforded an opportunity for the average Jamaican to purchase a house. It means a lot to us, that we can serve that demographic. Ultimately, this market is bigger than where we were

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before, in terms of the numbers of people who could buy those units. So, since Greenwich Estates, we’ve been building houses for the average Jamaican, and we have had great success.”

STONEBROOK MANOR Since 2001, Kemtek have successfully applied the same formula, developing projects where improved efficiencies reduce the costs, allowing them to sell to ordinary Jamaicans. Today, the company is working

on their biggest project yet. Stonebrook Manor is an 895-unit development that has already had to pause sales in order for construction to catch up. “Stonebrook Manor consists of a mix of three-bedroom-threebathroom, three-bedroom-two-bathroom, and two-bedroom-two-bathroom homes,” says Mr. Tulloch. “The uptake right now is going extremely well. Sales were so good, we actually stopped selling at one point, to ensure we could deliver the units people were paying for. But now we’re in phase

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KEMTEK

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five, selling again, and the houses are flying out.”

Stonebrook Manor is Kemtek’s third development in Trelawny. Previously, the company built the 782-unit Stonebrook Vista, and the 152-unit Stonebrook Estate, both in the same area. “The market has shown us that we’re among the best in terms of quality,” says Mr. Tulloch. “But it’s not just the quality of our builds. We’re also able to offer that quality at affordable prices.

When you look around the marketplace and look at square feet relative to final 10 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

price, we’re among the best in the market.

We are confident in every single one of our houses, and that’s because the market has confidence in us.”

SHARING SKILLS The challenge for Kemtek is finding sufficient skilled labor to execute their vision of quality, affordable homes. “You find that the workforce is stretched thinly across the island, so when you find people who have the aptitude to learn, you have to train them,” says Mr. Tulloch. “Even if they’re not competent

initially, they can be trained to be competent.

Training is really important, because there aren’t many people in Jamaica who are already skilled in this industry. We need to have a new generation at Kemtek for the company to grow, so investing in these youngsters is a necessity. And once they are part of Kemtek there are plenty of opportunities. Of course, training comes with its own risks, because you may train an individual who may not stick with the company, which is a loss of investment.

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who can then contribute to wider society and Jamaica’s economy as a whole, and that’s a good thing.”

Human capital is at the heart of how Kemtek ensures completed projects meet their demanding requirements. The best quality materials mean little without welltrained, skilled employees to make use of them. “A ton of steel is a ton of steel, but

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the quality of the steel fixer, the quality of mason or the technician that puts up the systems, is more important than anything else,” explains Mr. Tulloch. “Investing in human capital and paying them a competitive wage is essential to us. One of the advantages we have is that we’re always working. A worker who comes to us knows that he doesn’t have to run all

about the place looking for work. He has security with Kemtek. And when he’s with the company and realizes he can work constantly for years, he recognizes that we offer quality not just to our clients but to our staff as well.”

COMMUNITY GIVING Kemtek doesn’t just build communities from scratch; for several years now, the company has also been contributing to local charitable and community development efforts. “Recently, Kemtek had the opportunity to help the St. Ann’s Bay Hospital, so we purchased a whole range of machines for them, including incubators and blood pressure machines,” says Mr. Tulloch. “The health sector is severely under-financed in Jamaica, so we feel contributions like that one go a long way. We’re also big fans of sport. Not only do we sponsor the local football league in St. Ann but we also sponsor the Mount Pleasant Football Academy team, which has just entered Jamaica’s top league.

In addition this, we’re keen to support upand-coming individuals through scholarships.

For the last seven years, we have given four scholarships each year to students who

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turning the dream of owning a home, into a reality for so many.

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showed an aptitude in academics and are in need of financial assistance. Each of those scholarships are for courses in mathematics at the Mico University College, where my father did his teacher training. We believe it’s important to sacrifice and to contribute, because we want to live in a society where we can support the nation’s overall health and development.”

After thirty years of building up a reputation for quality and affordability, Kemtek intend to continue doing what they do best: Building homes. “We are currently waiting for approvals on plans for a new estate in St. Catherine,” says Mr. Tulloch.

“We are moving out and doing another project about two or three miles from Old Harbour. That’s called Colbeck Manor and will be in excess of 1,000 two- and threebed units, mostly geared towards two-bed units. We expect to begin groundwork in January 2020, and we are currently negotiating with a lot of agents to get large parts of the land to development. We’re proud of our history and the projects we have completed, and we’re going to continue building homes for the average Jamaican for many years to come.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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ACLA:WORKS

“WE AT ACLA:WORKS HAVE EXPANDED TO MATCH DEMAND.”

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SMART CONSTRUCTION Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Mandilee Newton, Director at acla:works, and Gary Turton, also Director at acla:works, about the Smarter Building Network, passive sustainability, and socially inclusive spaces.

One of the oldest architecture firms in the Caribbean, acla:works, based in Trinidad and Tobago, have also worked on some of the region’s best-known buildings, from the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain to Eric Williams Plaza.

Last time Sustainable Business Magazine spoke to acla:works, in 2018, the company told us about their embrace of passive sustainability and socially inclusive architecture.

(See Sustainable Business Magazine EMEA issue 03/18 for the full feature.)

“The most significant new development for us is that we are about to enter something called the Smarter Building Network,” says Mandilee Newton, Director at acla:works.

“The Trinidad and Tobago Green Building Council (TTGBC) launched this program to build ground-level awareness on sustainability.

We ran two office building pilot projects last year with two of our members, which were both quite successful, and we are pleased to have been the first entrants into the program overall.”

“Another exciting development is that we have been working on a new green office building for a client,” says Gary Turton, Director at acla:works. “This client has been particularly good in allowing us to lead the

way, designing a sustainable and environmentally-sensitive building for them. The project is within a complex, and the building is not accessible to the public outside of consultants, but it is in use 24 hours a day. As long as we keep within a reasonable budget, they are very happy to be part of this move towards sustainable construction.”

THE SMARTER BUILDING NETWORK The Smarter Building Network was developed by the TTGBC to promote the use of sustainable practices and techniques in building operations and maintenance in Trinidad and Tobago. “The network is trying to build an organic awareness of sustainable issues and technology,” explains Ms. Newton. “It is an accessible, adaptable program which tackles four main areas of sustainability: Energy efficiency, water efficiency, recycling, and renewables. These categories are both important and very achievable for someone who is trying to be more efficient and more responsible in their operations.”

The Smarter Building Network allows buildings to be measured against a baseline of energy and water use based on an average office building, as well as offering SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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ACLA:WORKS

recycling programs and the opportunity to purchase renewable energy credits. “Once an entity is awarded compliance by the Smarter Building Network, we give them an intelligent sticker on their door, which can be scanned by visitors and provides the details of the building and how it has achieved its sustainable certification,” says Ms. Newton. “As well as acla:works being one of the first entrants to the program, I also took a personal role in developing the Smarter Building Network.”

WORKING WITH THE SUN ‘Passive sustainability’ refers to structures which are designed to minimize resource consumption through architectural features.

“In the early days, we wanted to go gungho with high-tech solutions to sustainability, incorporating operable facades and external systems that really responded to the environment and so on,” explains Mr. Turton. “The more work, we did the more we realized that the added premiums and 18 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

often the unwillingness of clients to invest in this technology were problematic. Ultimately, the passive sustainability approach allows us to work on large projects and expansive build sites that are more sustainable and environmentally friendly. In Trinidad, electricity is subsidized which actually acts as a bit of a disincentive for green technologies here, but we have still found a way through.”

In a major recent project, a 30,000 square foot office project for an undisclosed client, acla:works were able to put passive

sustainability front and center, and offer a way forward for sustainable construction in the Trinidadian market. “This project is an unusual building in that it is in use 24 hours, and there are staff there all the time,” explains Mr. Turton. “This obviously presented us with some unique challenges in terms of energy usage. Because there’s so much sun in Trinidad, it is important to make good use of it in some areas and protect ourselves from it in others. In this building, we have oriented most of the open facades to

the north and the south, which were a lot easier to protect against solar heat gain through external sun shading. On the east and west facades, where low angle sun can be quite intense, we located the services core against the west side and integrated a perforated panel on the east to break the sun from the entrance area. Those kinds of practical solutions contribute so much to reducing the heat load for a building.”

The office project also uses sunlight to minimize the necessity of artificial lighting.

“Because of the size and shape of the building, a lot of the sunlight wouldn’t actually make it to the center of the building,” says Mr. Turton. “In response to this, we opened it up a little bit and built an atrium and located the cafeteria there on the ground floor. We also added a skylight in the roof to bring sunlight straight down to this communal area and overall reduce the amount of artificial lighting required during the day.

The glazing used minimizes UV light and glare. There is also a dimming system in the building which is a little bit of a premium,

but the client has had the benefit of already seeing the reduction in their energy costs.

The dimming system is responsive to the amount of light in the room, in addition to occupancy sensors and so on. This has had such an impact that they will be using this system in all their buildings going forward.

Our mechanical engineers also supplied a variable air volume (VAV) AC system which will save energy compared to a standard system. We have used low usage fixtures for the toilets too. For taps, everywhere in the building is based on sensors so they are only on when required, and for showers the fixtures are also designed to cut waste to a bare minimum.”

LOCAL MATERIALS A hallmark of acla:works’s designs is the embrace of traditional architectural techniques and the use of locally-sourced materials.

“The perforated screen used outside to shield from the heat was something that we worked with a local fabricator to develop,” explains Mr. Turton. “Fretwork has served as

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ACLA:WORKS

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a combination of practicality and decoration in Trinidad’s unique and practical architectural history. Of course, computer numerical control (CNC) has changed the method of fretwork manufacture, and with laser or router milling, almost any material can be cut. On this office building project, acla:works has utilized this evolution in technology, applying it to sheets of aluminum to function as a sun and rain screen on the east elevation of the building.”

“We feel very strongly about using materials efficiently, so in this instance holes were punched into aluminum sheets to form the shade,” says Ms. Newton. “Since we don’t have that kind of manufacturing here yet (i.e. additive manufacturing), everything we do is cut out of a bigger product, until we are able to actually create the things we require using greater efficiency and less waste. So when we are using materials such as aluminum sheets, we are constantly trying to reuse and recycle every single part of those materials where possible.”

“Other products are also manufactured in the Caribbean, including a fig leaf-based veneer that we were able to use in the con22 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

ference room, as opposed to using an imported wood veneer,” says Mr. Turton. “We are always on the look-out for local products that we can integrate.”

HEAT ISLAND EFFECT Even the parking lot outside the office building uses carefully-chosen materials to reduce energy consumption. “The car park of the building is not made with asphalt,” says Ms. Newton. “It actually uses a type of pavement and landscaping to help reflect the heat and reduce the ambient temperature around the building. Asphalt has a reflectivity of zero while absorbing all of the sun’s heat, whereas when using concrete, a lot more heat is reflected, impacting the cooling load of the building. This phenomenon of urban heat is called heat island effect, and adjusting the materials used can have a huge impact. This reduces the impact on cooling systems within the building. In general, we also believe that this new office building project is falling in line with what the Smarter Building Network is aiming for and we are working hard to help our client get some of their properties enrolled in the program. We have been reducing their

energy use intensity over the years through passive means, and we think we can hit that baseline quite easily here.”

CHANGING WORK CULTURE Another element of the building’s design uses open spaces to improve user experience and encourage collaboration. “Our plan was broadly to move communal and living spaces

“...ALLOWING US TO LEAD THE WAY, DESIGNING A SUSTAINABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLYSENSITIVE BUILDING.”

towards the center of the building, including meeting rooms and cafeterias,” says Mr. Turton. “Private offices are located mostly around the perimeter but include glass fronting, which is to carry on the theme of transparency and provide a liberal access to the views and ensure sunlight is pervasive throughout the building. There are some informal meeting spaces within the office layout to allow for informal meetings, team working, and general collaboration.”

“The entire building is constructed around ease of work across multiple environments,” explains Mr. Turton. “This means consultants can come in for a few days and

have a desk that is incorporated into the environment and is not isolated at all. It’s all part of one big environment. We do naturally have some quiet spaces, which is important for more introverted persons being able to work effectively, and going forward this kind of workplace design is a growing area of research. You also can see in the color scheme that we have tried to be somewhat playful and tried to adapt to society in Trinidad which appreciates rich colors, in a playful and fun way. You wouldn’t want to spend too many long hours somewhere drab or cold and what we really want is to make sure people feel positive and comfortable.”

“We are seeing a lot of trends in workplace culture showing that the culture is becoming a lot less formal and a lot more domestic,” elaborates Ms. Newton. “People feel more at home, and ideas such as work cafes are becoming more common. This is something we incorporated into the atrium design. Work and play are blended a little, increasing the options and approaches for people looking to achieve their best work.

Since everyone is mobile nowadays and working from laptops or smart phones, your desk can be wherever you are, and this has greatly increased productivity. As a result, this is something that we are really pushing SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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ACLA:WORKS

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clients towards in the design of these spaces, especially within a 24-hour facility where user wellbeing is extra important. The client is quite conservative, but we really pushed them in this regard as we have in several other areas towards a progressive and modern design. Prior to our involvement in this project, the client had limited sustainability initiatives, but they have allowed us to push for this kind of construction. We really have played a critical role in taking a prominent client and encouraging them along this route of sustainability and green construction.”

PRE-EMINENT SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE When looking forward, acla:works aim to continue pushing towards a more sustainable built environment in Trinidad and Tobago. “The more people feel proud about their green buildings, the more people will want to make their own buildings renewable and sustainable,” says Mr. Turton. “We want to keep working with the Smarter Building Network and of course the TTGBC. Trinidad and Tobago’s waste recycling and reduction program has been in its infancy for some

time, and the Smarter Building Network is aiming to continue encouraging the reduction of non-recyclables by certifying buildings that are taking steps.”

“We at acla:works have expanded to design buildings that make people happy, and clients proud, while being efficient, flexible, and client-focused,” explains Ms. Newton. “The demand of contemporary design challenges, incorporating sustainable design, building information modelling, and integrated project delivery expertise gained through exposure to international architectural and planning practice is increasing. The value we bring to building procurement is realized through a sensitive yet sophisticated approach to the aesthetic and functional aspects of design, as well as the technical, financial, and contractual management of construction. In our changing business environment, we aim to be more adaptable and accessible and share our experience and ingenuity with more clients. We hope to extend our legacy into the future and definitely beyond our shores so that we can continue to make our clients proud of their buildings.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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RGM LIMITED

“WE SET THE BAR OF WHAT PRESTIGIOUS, HIGH-END COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT SHOULD STRIVE FOR IN TERMS OF INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY BENCHMARKS.”

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TAKING THE

LEED Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Gerard D’Arcy, Chief Executive Officer of RGM Limited, about LEED certification, sustainable facilities management, and expanding into the Caribbean.

With features including solar-powered LED lighting, variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air conditioning, occupancy sensors, rainwater capture, sophisticated insulation, and a living ‘green wall’, as well as a green rooftop deck, Savannah East, a commercial building in Port of Spain completed by real estate developers RGM Limited, was awarded LEED Silver in 2017, making it Trinidad and Tobago’s first ever LEED-certified building. RGM Limited acted on the growing demand for sustainable developments by the international market.

SUSTAINABILITY PIONEERS “We chose to pursue LEED status because it set us a target and gave us a template to achieve international sustainability goals,” explains Gerard D’Arcy, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of RGM Limited. “There are of course other standards out there, but we

chose LEED because it was the most established and recognized. We tend to follow developed markets when we have to, as that provides proven guidance which leads to the best results. As a result, LEED gave us a template on which to build a sustainable building. We thought it was important because we believe the built environment needs to transition into a more sustainable space. Trinidad needs to get on-board with the rest of the world and try to reduce the impact that the built environment has on the natural environment.”

RGM Limited is one of Trinidad and Tobago’s leading property development and management companies. With three major shareholders – RBC Merchant Bank (Caribbean) Ltd, Guardian Holdings Ltd, and Sagicor Life Inc. – RGM Limited is known for its A-class office space and its commitment to core principles of sustainability.

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RGM LIMITED country lacks true top-to-bottom integrated facilities management vendors who use technology and sustainable practices.”

“Servus manages Savannah East for us,” says Mr. D’Arcy. “They operate with sustainable practices built into what they do. That means the type of chemicals they use, the frequency with which they do things, and a general adherence to best practice. For example, the use of green chemicals and efficient low-consumption cleaning methods and equipment ensure they have low water consumption. There is a green policy that runs throughout their work. They are doing a good job and meeting performance requirements, not just in sustainability but for building appearance and maintenance.

We’re very happy with what they are doing and their other clients seem to be as well – the business is growing.”

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS In 2017, the last time Sustainable Business Magazine spoke with Mr. D’Arcy, the company was about to welcome the first tenants to their pioneering Savannah East office block (see Sustainable Business Magazine 03/16 for the full feature). Today, with Savannah East open for business, Mr. D’Arcy told us about how the building’s sustainability accreditation allowed them to remain competitive, despite challenging market conditions.

“RGM tends to target multinational companies, and they all have sustainability requirements in the buildings they want to occupy as a matter of corporate policy,” says Mr. D’Arcy. “That could be anything from embassies and government buildings to NGOs and even private corporations like BP. We saw that having a LEED-certified, sustainably developed building would be an asset and marketing advantage. Unfortunately, the market has been very quiet recently, and that’s been an issue in getting clients. However, within the depressed market, we’ve done reasonably well when compared to other buildings that we’re competing with.”

Since 2017, another building has also achieved LEED certification in Port of Spain, a few doors down from Savannah East. “We are proud to have pioneered LEED certification in Trinidad and Tobago,” says Mr. D’Arcy. “We set the bar of what prestigious, high-end commercial development should strive for in terms of international sustainability benchmarks.”

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BUILDING MAINTENANCE RGM Limited also has a wholly-owned subsidiary called Servus Ltd, a fully-integrated facilities management company tasked with managing all RGM’s buildings, as well as other commercial buildings. “Servus handles everything from high-end property management and administration to executing janitorial hygiene and security services, delivered directly,” says Mr. D’Arcy. “That company has grown from about 150 people to about 300 people over the past few years.” (See Sustainable Business Magazine issue 04/18 for an interview with Raul Mohammed, Chief Operating Officer at Servus Limited.)

While Servus is a highly successful business in their field, RGM’s involvement allows the company better control over the day-to-day functioning of their buildings and ensures the highest standard of services. “The maintenance business has proven to be very profitable,” explains Mr. D’Arcy. “Whether this economic slowdown happened or not, we would still naturally be focusing on that stream. We think the

CONNECTING WITH THE FUTURE Recently, RGM carried out upgrade work across all the buildings in their portfolio.

“We’ve had requests for things like more fiber optic cables and more bandwidth into buildings in order to meet demand,” says Mr. D’Arcy. “This is in line with the demands of international companies carrying out heavy internet-based operations. It’s a big challenge because of the work required to get fiber optics into already-established buildings. What we’ve found, though, are the vendors selling bandwidth are more than cooperative in incentivizing the buildings, because it’s new business for them.”

Meanwhile, going forwards, RGM are looking to expand in new areas. “We are going to put a focus on regional projects and try to generate some business in other nearby territories such as Saint Lucia and Guyana, perhaps Jamaica,” says Mr. D’Arcy. “There appears to be potential to market wares both in terms of our property development activities as well as for integrated facilities management and maintenance services. We are currently looking at multiple opportunities and hope to be breaking new ground in the coming months.” c

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ADAM’S PROJECT MANAGEMENT BHAGWANSINGH COMMERCIAL BUILDING.

“WE INVEST IN OUR STAFF SO THEY UNDERSTAND THE TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED TO DELIVER TODAY’S PROJECT IN THE MANNER THAT CLIENTS EXPECT,”

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SETTING

STANDARDS Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Imtiyaz Adam, Founder and Managing Director of Adam’s Project Management and Construction Limited, about significant projects, green construction, and new frontiers in the Caribbean.

Adam’s Project Management and Construction Ltd is a Trinidadian construction services company. Founded in 2001 as a specialist project management company, Adam’s Project Management and Construction Ltd have since developed general contracting services, as well as building materials manufacturing capabilities. Founder Imtiyaz Adam has a long background in civil engineering, which he brought to Trinidad with a view to taking on projects throughout the Caribbean, no matter how large.

“Over the years we have done many, many large projects, until about four years ago when we decided to buy a new steel plant called Universal Structures,” explains Imtiyaz Adam, Founder and Managing Director of Adam’s Project Management and Construction Ltd. “Our company invested about TT$35m into that steel plant, and we’ve been operating it since.

Universal Structures has become a mainstay of income for our organization. We’ve also branched out into owning our own

concrete plant. We now have a company called ProCrete, which means we pour our own concrete and have our own pumps.”

“Apart from that, we’ve also formed our own equipment division called Adampro,” says Mr. Adam. “With that, we decided to invest into excavators, rollers, dump trucks, and other heavy plant equipment. As a result, we now have a fully-fledged construction company with an emphasis on the

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steel aspect of the job. We tend to do our projects around structural steel. If we have a project such as a high-rise building that is only concrete, we may not do it, because our strength is in structural steel. At present we have about 50 management employees and close to 500 workers in the field.”

MAJOR DEVELOPMENT Today, Adam’s Project Management and Construction are working on one of their biggest projects yet. “At present, we are in the final stages of developing The Village, a new hotel and commercial center in Antigua,” explains Mr. Adam. “It is a 130-room hotel called The Garden Inn, which is not a full restaurant hotel because the surrounding commercial center will include restaurants.

Furthermore, there will be housing above the commercial units. We haven’t yet signed a management agreement for the hotel, but we are looking at high-end chains such as Hilton, Marriott, Wyndham, or Radisson.”

Adam’s Project Management and Construction have undertaken the project handin-hand with an initiative by the Antiguan

government called the Citizen Investment Passport (CIP). “The properties above the commercial units are intended specifically for international clients who would like to invest in property in Antigua,” says Mr. Adam.

“Each residential unit will cost USD$450,000 but via the CIP program they will also be

able to access Antiguan passports. The homeowners can then lease the rooms to rent. The Village will be right next to the American University of Antigua and therefore we intend to lease the rooms mostly to international students. The owners will generate income from leasing those rooms. As this

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ADAM’S PROJECT MANAGEMENT T: 674-8897 / 638-5746 / 355-2989 F: 674-8897 E: lifewear@lifewearmuffler.com

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is a large-scale project, we have done an environmental impact assessment. There is a large pond on one side of the site that has to be cleaned for the ducks, for example, and part of the environmental impact assessment is the pond has to be retained.”

DEVELOPING GREEN CAPABILITIES Although the Village is a milestone project for the company, it’s by no means the only large project that Adam’s Project ManageUWI STUDENT RECREATIONAL CENTRE.

ment and Construction have been involved with. “Over the past year, for example, we did a large project in Panama,” says Mr. Adam. “It was a school and a huge mosque. With that experience, we felt like we were at a stage where we could take on a serious construction project like this.

It has been a curve. We started small but ultimately reached a point where we wanted to continue challenging ourselves with bigger projects.”

In order to have reached this stage, staff training and capacity building has been essential. “We invest in our staff so they understand the technology required to deliver today’s project in the manner that clients expect,” says Mr. Adam. “A lot of the projects in Trinidad are design builds, with about 70% of projects in Trinidad tendered that way. In particular, the focus now is on green projects.

That is achievable if you train your staff. It is a key factor in ensuring we are able to deliver what is needed for clients and meet their expectations. We also align ourselves with other firms who have the capability to put money into staff training, so that they too can deliver.”

LANDMARK SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS Currently, Adam’s Project Management and Construction are working on a landmark green building design for Police Credit Union. “That is a large project, costing TT$140m dollars,” says Mr. Adam. “Police Credit Union want a four-storey structure with a basement and are trying to develop it to be compatible with international green building standards. The processes involved in construction are being recorded to show

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ADAM’S PROJECT MANAGEMENT MCDONALD’S - CIPRAINI BLVD.

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AMREV INVESTMENT WAREHOUSING BUILDING.

that we are reaching those expectations. It is one of the first projects of its kind in Trinidad, and it will set the standard for the industry.

We are looking forward to the challenge.”

Looking to the future, Adam’s Project Management and Construction are keen to expand their activities into new sectors and regions. “Our plans are to try to look at private developments, like what we are doing in Antigua, and not be dependent on clients for future projects,” says Mr. Adam. “We’re now looking at complying with requirements to work in the energy sector. Our company was just certified to do that, as it’s one of the areas with real potential growth.

There are also countries like Guyana that are blossoming. Those countries are looking for public-private partnership projects with contractors, and we are trying to now focus on things like housing over there. We have to move on with our company if we are going to survive. That’s reality. The economy in some other Caribbean countries has been great and the tourism sector is really performing well. In Guyana, for example, there are a lot of new projects, so companies are setting up branches there now. We are looking at being part of that process to ensure our relevance and success into the long-term future.” c

POINT FORTIN HARDWARE.

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TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

OF TOURISM Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Dr. Andrew Spencer, Executive Director of Jamaica’s Tourism Product Development Company, about stewarding major development projects, sharing the benefits of the industry with local people, and a path for the future of Jamaica’s economy.

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TRASH TO TREASURE: TPDCO BRANDING AT THE TRASH TO TREASURE LAUNCH

The Tourism Product Development Company Limited (TPDCo) is the Jamaican government agency tasked with maintaining, developing, and enhancing Jamaica’s tourism product. TPDCo works with other agencies and the private sector to co-ordinate projects in accordance with the Ministry of Tourism’s Five-Year Strategic Vision for Tourism Development in Jamaica, working under the longstanding Minister of Tourism, the Honorable Edmund Bartlett MP. With over 200 employees, TPDCo has a head office in Kingston and regional offices across the country.

“We refer to ourselves as the destination assurance agency for Jamaica,” says Dr. Andrew Spencer, Executive Director of TPDCo. “We ensure all the substance is in place to support the marketing efforts of the Tourist Board. We do this through our various departments. Standards and Quality deals with inspection of properties, attractions, and places of interest, and makes recommendations for those entities to be licensed. Our

A SCENIC VIEW OF THE RECENTLY UPGRADED MARKING STONE BEACH

A GRADUATE OF THE FALMOUTH TOUR GUIDE TRAINING RECEIVES HIS CERTIFICATE FROM DR. SPENCER. SHARING IN THE MOMENT (EXTREME LEFT) IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JAMAICA VACATIONS, JOY ROBERTS

Training Department delivers the Team Jamaica program, which is mandatory certification for all workers in the hospitality industry.

Our Craft Department trains individuals to produce high-quality artisanal products. The Product Development Department identifies business opportunities and helps Jamaicans enter the tourist industry by helping them with business plans and attract funding. We also have a Projects Department, where we have technical employees like architects, quantity surveyors, and engineers, who are tasked with ensuring the aesthetic appeal of destination areas.”

VITAL INDUSTRY Though tourism is tied with remittances as Jamaica’s joint-topmost earner, if anything, this belies the industry’s importance to the Jamaican economy. Tourism brings in more than half of Jamaica’s foreign exchange, and around one in four Jamaicans are employed by the industry. Tourism also encourages the diversification of the Jamaican economy, necessitating a whole gamut of economically-complex services, including well-managed air and sea ports, accommodation, transportation, food, electricity, telecommunications, and entertainment, all of which stimulates investment across a broad canvas of local business and infrastructure.

In order to manage a wide and diverse geographical area, TPDCo has set up six Destination Assurance Councils, each tasked with overseeing a specific resort area. “The councils are comprised of businesses and key stakeholders in each area,” says Dr. Spencer. “The resort areas are Kingston and SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

DR. SPENCER GREETS HON. EDMUND BARTLETT, MINISTER OF TOURISM (RIGHT) AT THE DISTRICT CONSTABLES PROGRAMME CLOSING CEREMONY.

South Coast, Montego Bay, Negril, Falmouth, St. Ann and St. Mary, and Portland and St. Thomas. These councils then make recommendations to TPDCo’s destination managers in each area, who filter this information into our offices.”

A new project for TPDCo is the creation of so-called Tourism Innovation Cities.

“Whenever a major resort is developed, there should be in and around that community further development which allows the community to provide for the needs of tourism,” explains Dr. Spencer. “In Montego Bay, which is our first Tourism Innovation City, we’re looking at all the communities in that

DR ANDREW SPENCER PRESENTING AT THE TOURISM SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDS

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area, finding what areas of linkage we can establish, and how we can help those people to thrive. For example, those people can start to supply the food provision. They can start providing entertainment in proximity to the hotels. This will mean the average Jamaican in these communities can earn, and it will also means that, when a tourist walks outside the gates of a hotel, he can walk into a community where he can have a similar quality experience along with an authentic interaction with the locals. This push is in the early stages, but we believe it’s going to transform social and economic development in Jamaica.”

PROUD HERITAGE Over 40% of tourists to Jamaica are repeat visitors. “This is something we’re hugely proud of, and we wanted to know what the critical elements were that were driving people to come back,” says Dr. Spencer. “We found that, in addition to wonderfully-maintained spaces, we have an intangible culture which is considered to be a huge pull. So we make every effort to weave our unique Jamaican culture into our tourism offerings.

Many of our internationally-recognized attractions are heritage attractions. Our Product Development Department has been tasked

with ensuring that all business proposals have that element of heritage, and we also recently hired two heritage officers on our staff for the first time in the history of the company.”

One particular heritage project TPDCo worked on recently was the Devon House ice cream parlor expansion. “The history of Devon House is a huge part of the product offering in Jamaica,” says Dr. Spencer.

“We thought the ice cream shop required development, in terms of accommodation for customers and more visual appeal. We were the project managers for that project, involved from design to implementation.

Today, the capacity is improved, and it’s a first-class-looking facility. In the future, we’re going to be looking at the overall configuration of Devon House and trying to create similar accommodations throughout for other entities which operate in that space, to create a more seamless configuration.”

UPGRADING AND ENHANCING Another major project for TPDCo is their recent Beaches Upgrading Project. “It used to be that the private beaches, for tourists only, were seen as significantly superior in quality to what local people are able to be a part of,” says Dr. Spencer. “The

COMMUNITY TOURISM: DR. SPENCER (CENTER) IS JOINED BY PARTICIPANTS OF THE 2017 COMMUNITY TOURISM TOOLKIT TRAINING

Beaches Upgrading Project means that all Jamaicans can visit great beaches. We recently completed a major upgrade at Marking Stone Beach in St. Mary, and at Lyssons Beach in St. Thomas. We’re now completing the Mount Salem Beach in St. Ann, and we’re preparing to do major works at the Norman Manley Beach Park in Negril. Soon, we’ll have one exceptional public beach in every one of the fourteen parishes of Jamaica.”

TPDCo also recently completed a new welcome sign at the Montego Bay roundabout. “It’s all part of that intangible cultural experience,” says Dr. Spencer. “More than 80% of all travelers to the country come through the Montego Bay Airport, so we created this fantastic, iconic experience at the roundabout. That was completed in January, and it is already becoming an attraction for people.”

DEVELOPING JAMAICA As tourists continue flocking to Jamaica, their impact on the Jamaican economy – and the lives of ordinary Jamaicans – only grows. “We’ve been seeing our visitor arrival number going up,” says Dr. Spencer. “Last year it was 4.3 million visitors, with in excess of 3 billion U.S. dollars in earnings. We have a target of 5 million

visitors and 5 billion dollars. We’ve also been looking at the retention of the dollar in the Jamaican economy, and we’ve seen it move from 30 cents of each dollar to 40 cents. That means more of the money is staying in the economy and having that ripple effect, which means it has a real impact on people’s lives.”

As part of their mandate, TPDCo ensure that workers in the tourism industry reap the benefits. “We recently came up

with a pension plan which is just about to be taken to Parliament to become law, which means every single person working in the industry will have a proper pension,” says Dr. Spencer. “Then there’s the Jamaica Center of Tourism Innovation (JCTI), which I’m the chairman for as well, which certifies talented Jamaicans who may have the skills but don’t have any paper qualifications. We started this program in high schools, and now we’re tapping into

A GRADUATE OF THE TPDCO ADMINISTERED DISTRICT CONSTABLE TRAINING PROGRAMME GIVES REMARKS AT THE CLOSING CEREMONY

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TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

“LAST YEAR IT WAS 4.3 MILLION VISITORS, WITH IN EXCESS OF 3 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS IN EARNINGS.”

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A SECTION OF THE RECENTLY RENOVATED RESTROOM AT THE MARKING STONE BEACH. THE RENOVATION FORMED PART OF THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM’S BEACH DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

people who already work in the industry.

We also ensure the environment is protected, by partnering with organizations like Recycling Partners of Jamaica. The recent ban on plastic was a major move to keep our water spaces clean.”

ONWARD AND UPWARD “Where tourism develops in Jamaica, the people in and around that area develop,” says Dr. Spencer. “You have better roads.

You have better infrastructure. You have greater access to facilities like beaches.

In the future, we’re expecting to see an

even greater direct contribution to GDP, with a double-digit contribution in the next decade. We’re also looking to see greater involvement of the population in the industry, and a strengthening of the educational programs for tourism and hospitality. We’re partnering now with UWI to develop a graduate school in tourism.”

“We’re also looking to see the development of the towns, with individuals able to derive a very substantial living from the industry,” says Dr. Spencer. “When we have greater inclusiveness of locals, we’re going to see a natural reduction of

ambivalence to the tourism industry, and a united Jamaica that understands the power of tourism to build lives and build the country. It will contribute to all the social services, education, and health. Lastly, I want to mention that a lot of the benefits we have had are directly related to our visionary Minister of Tourism, the Honorable Edmund Bartlett. We follow his lead in seeing tourism as something that will not just affect one class of society, but that every single Jamaican will have a hand in its growth, as the fastest and most impactful way to build our nation.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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ROCK HARD CEMENT

SOLID Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Darren Matthews, Brand Manager of Rock Hard Cement, about accessibility, quality, and environmental protection.

WHILE FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON THE CARIBBEAN, ROCK HARD CEMENT CONTINUES TO EXPAND AND GROW.

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Rock Hard Cement was founded by a Barbadian businessman and is a regional cement company. Through sustainable pricing, high-quality products, testing regimens and standards, along with a strong distribution network, Rock Hard Cement is able to consistently provide customers across the Caribbean region with high-quality cement.

Rock Hard Cement products have been utilized in large public and private construction projects. While focusing primarily on the Caribbean basin, Rock Hard Cement continues to expand and grow, distributing products to other, further-afield regions.

“Rock Hard Cement commenced operations in Barbados in 2015, after many years in the planning of the business.” says Darren Matthews, Brand Manager at Rock Hard Cement. “We entered the market because of the need to stop the monopolistic ways in which the sector had previously operated in the region. There was just one cement provider on the island and operating in the broader area at that time, and the pricing was

amongst the highest in the world and quality of an inconsistent nature. In our part of the world, we have a high demand for high-quality cement. It was therefore in our interest to start building a strong brand and distribution network to increase access to good quality and sustainable building cements.”

“Following on from the success in Barbados, we entered into Trinidad in 2016, which has also proven to be success for us as well as for the Trinidad market, which had also previously had only one cement provider and with the same challenges,” says Mr. Matthews.

“Our company is a tremendous benefit to the country, and we continue to gain market share and customer loyalty there. We have since expanded into Guyana, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Antigua, Dominica, and Sint Maarten, all with positive results.”

ROCK HARD BUILDINGS Rock Hard Cement products have been used for some of Barbados’ best-known new buildings. “Within our group, exists

the company that started it all,” explains Mr. Matthews. “That company is Preconco, a Barbadian owned, pre-cast company in operations since 1991, and the flagship of our group of companies. Preconco have exclusively used Rock Hard Cement since our inception in 2015. So all of their projects are Rock Hard projects, including The Crane Hotel and Resort, and Republic Bank. The developer of the Republic Bank project focuses significantly on sustainability, especially with regards to the building design itself, which is very rare in the Caribbean. That building in itself was an exercise in sustainable construction, including but not limited to solar energy and trying to generate additional energy to put back into the grid. The entire building is operated through these solar panels, deeming it fully environmentally friendly. Our other projects include condominiums, and we are tangentially involved in many ongoing projects throughout the countries where Rock Hard Cement is represented.Ultimately our product guarantees high early strength and

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ROCK HARD CEMENT better cohesion with aggregates and maintains a good concrete density. Comparative lower water-cement ratio provides an added advantage for the further increase of compressive strength of the concrete. It also provides a better surface finish. This in return allows for the cement to be used for greater volume of concrete, adding to the cost effectiveness. The various types of hydraulic cement that Rock Hard Cement offers have a lower CO2 footprint resulting from lower clinker content due to the addition of supplementary cementitious materials. This introduction of blended cements reinforces our unwavering commitment to the industry.” optimal curing and great workability, which the artisans appreciate. It suits all applications and allows construction companies to move forward with building in a timely and efficient fashion. For this reason it is favored by so many, and why it is incredibly useful within sustainability-minded projects.”

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT Rock Hard Cement is ASTM C1157 blended hydraulic cement, which is produced by blending Portland cement and other

cementitious materials like slag, fly ash, silica fume, clay, hydrated lime, and other pozzolans. “The use of hydraulic cement allows for a quicker set and hardens with the addition of water,” says Mr. Matthews.

“There are many benefits of using hydraulic cement. Hydraulic cement provides a higher durability of concrete structure due to less permeability of water. It has low heat of hydration-reduction in cracking, which gives a longer time to place and finish concrete. Due to high fineness, PPC has

TESTING EVERY BATCH Consistency and quality are central to Rock Hard Cement, as samples are sent to be tested throughout all processes. “Rock Hard has hydraulic cement that goes through various tests from the start to the final product,” explains Mr. Matthews. “We receive test reports on every batch of cement that is produced. This consistent testing on every single lot of product enables us to maintain a quality product. These tests take place throughout the manufacturing process

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by our independent construction materials testing laboratories. These independent laboratories are accredited to perform the ASTMC1157 standard performance specification for hydraulic cement. Results are for chemical and physical testing of the cement.

This means each time we get at least two different reports on the quality of the cement from independent accredited laboratories.”

ENVIRONMENTALLYFRIENDLY PROCESSES Rock Hard Cement also import bulk cement and then supply that bulk product to their ready-mix customers. “For that process we use a facility where the bulk bag is cut and the contents are transferred into a silo and then into the bulk trucks of the ready-mix companies,” says Mr. Matthews. “Throughout the entire manufacturing process there are zero fuel emissions, as all the motors are powered by electricity. The whole process is also dust-free, thanks to our top-of-the-line dust collection system. This helps reduce waste and ensures we are compliant with all health and safety standards. Compared to other cement providers, this is a very important distinction. Whether customers are concerned with the quality control aspects of our production or the efficiency and environmental impact, Rock Hard Cement delivers on their requirements.”

PEOPLE-FOCUSED HSE is deeply embedded in Rock Hard Cement’s operations. “From the environmental standpoint, we have a variety of systems in place at our facilities to ensure consistent adherence to personal and environmental safety,” says Mr. Matthews. “There is absolutely minimal environmental impact from our local distribution, and of course we are also contributing to the local economy via job creation, working closely with people who are driven by sustainable development as part of their core objectives and when planning their projects.”

From the beginning, Rock Hard Cement set out to enhance and revolutionize the cement industry in the Caribbean, giving a broad range of customers access to high-quality building materials. “One aspect of this is, of course, affordability, and another is high and consistent quality,” says Mr. Matthews. “We feel that the markets have received our products warmly, even where some territories took longer to adopted our product. All the territories where we operate are unique, and each area has its own techniques and preferences for working with concrete and other building materials. In the areas where there has previously been a monopoly, people are very eager to try something new compared to the territories that had alternative product, we need to emphasize quality to encourage people to

switch to our product by keeping our customers informed about our processes and the benefits of our quality product.”

CARIBBEAN INVESTMENT “We are also dedicated to assisting members of the communities who are in need of support through our Rock Hard Cares Foundation,” says Mr. Matthews. “Rock Hard Cares was established in 2018, with its main purpose being to lend a helping hand where it is needed within the communities in which we operate. Launched in Barbados, to date we have installed a ramp at the School House For Special Needs, we have provided back-to-school necessities for students, given living expenses to a family that lost their home over the Christmas season, provided a laptop for a young student who lost hers in a fire, and sponsored a summer camp for children.”

“We see Rock Hard as being essential to the Caribbean region,” says Mr. Matthews. “Our main objectives are to create the best cement types and be able to deliver in the most economical and environmentally-friendly way possible to all of the territories and markets in which we distribute. We are also committed to working with our Rock Hard Cares Foundation to support the communities in the countries where we do business.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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SOL EC LTD

FUELING SAINT VINCENT 48 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Steve Francis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines General Manager at Sol EC Ltd, about new ownership, investing in employees, and the future of fuel.

The Sol Group is the Caribbean’s largest petroleum marketing company, covering twenty-three territories in the region. With over 500 service stations, as well as facilities to fuel aircraft and maritime vessels, Sol serves an area of operations spanning tens of millions of people. Sol acquired Shell’s assets in the Eastern Caribbean, Guyana, Suriname, and Belize in 2005, and subsequently further expanded through the purchase of Exxon and Rubis assets in the region. In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, all Shell retail sites were re-branded “Sol”in 2014.

“We now no longer carry the Shell brand at our service stations, and only stock Sol products,” explains Steve Francis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines General Manager at Sol EC Ltd. “Despite re-branding, the change from Shell to Sol has been a smooth and relatively small one which our customers seem to be very accepting of. We command the largest market share in the country at 60%, selling LPG, diesel, gasoline, lubricants, grease, and even jet fuel.”

ACQUISITION AND RENOVATION In January 2019, 75% of Sol’s shares were purchased by a Canadian company, Parkland Fuel Corporation. “Since Parkland purchased their shares there have been some changes in terms of the leadership of the company,” says Mr. Francis. “We now have a new CEO, Pierre Magnan, who is from Canada but is based in Grand Cayman. We anticipate that following the acquisition there will be some movement towards Canadian working culture, and generally we feel that our employees are happy and accepting of these changes. We are looking forward to growing the business further, and we anticipate Parkland’s involvement facilitating this.”

“Another recent development is that in June 2018, we reopened a service station in Kingstown,” elaborates Mr. Francis. “This station has actually been in operation for the last fifty or sixty years. We totally rebuilt it, which has enhanced the aesthetics of the capital, and increased our offerings through the modern convenience shop there.

Compared to the previous incarnation of the service station, this is very modern, and our customers appreciate our modernizing of the outlet. There was some discussion on whether we should continue as it was or even give it up completely, bearing in mind that it’s in a very built up area, but I’m happy that we have rebuilt and persevered.

Opening this brand-new version of a longstanding gas station benefits both us and our customers.”

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SOL EC LTD

PECO International Ltd. Lower Estate, St. Michael, Barbados, W.I.Tel: (246) 436-9289 / 429-6903 Fax: (246) 429-3071 • peco@caribsurf.com

Distributors of Petroleum and Liquid Handling Equipment in the Caribbean for Gas Stations, Marinas, Terminals, Airports, Construction and Industry

OFFERING ASSISTANCE Responsible corporate citizenship is a byword across the whole of the Sol Group. “We recently assisted an organization called the World Pediatric Project, which has its headquarters here in Saint Vincent” says Mr. Francis. “We have offered them financial support to help with the cost of surgeries which are unaffordable for many families in their respective home countries, so they are performed primarily by U.S. doctors visiting Saint Vincent and other Eastern Caribbean islands. Our assistance means many more children can benefit from their important work. Naturally, this is a continuing project, and we hope to continue associating ourselves with these kinds of social interventions in the community.”

The Sol team is also involved in smaller, local projects in Saint Vincent. “We offer regular assistance with beach clean-ups and that kind of thing, especially the beach in the Arnos Vale area where we reside, which means more employees can get involved,” says Mr. Francis. “We were one of the first local organizations who chose to help clean up the beach. We have assisted a football team in their participation in the national

football league. We have also assisted many schools with materials and functions. We try to help as much as we can and in as many ways as we can.”

PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT In Saint Vincent, Sol also invest heavily in training employees. “We are always exposing our employees to various kinds of training, from sales and operational management to vocational skills,” explains Mr. Francis. “One of our maintenance technicians has just returned from Miami where he took a course to enhance his skills and streamline operations. Another maintenance technician is overseas as we speak, on a separate course about safety training.

Wherever we find courses and programs that can be of benefit to our staff, we try to enroll and sponsor employees. It is very important that our employees get the most out of their training. For example, when you look at the dispensers at service stations or commercial sites, we must have people who are able to troubleshoot and repair increasingly modern and automated equipment. By offering good employee development, we are able to keep

up to date, keep our employees up to date, and ultimately to serve our customers as well as we possibly can.”

ECONOMIC DRIVER Sol offers a range of products which are less polluting than conventional fuels, while ensuring Vincentians across sectors have access to the fuel they need. “The world is looking to renewable energy, but currently fossil fuels are still in great demand in this part of the world,” says Mr. Francis. “So it is very important that we have a good relationship with and reliable supply to our retail, commercial, marine, and power sector. We offer diesel with a lower sulfur content, which is of great benefit to the marine sector, as the International Maritime Organization will be reducing sulfur content for ships travelling our route by the year 2020. It is important that we have the necessary product to service these particular sectors.”

“We also offer our diesel with reduced sulfur content to our local transportation sector,” says Mr. Francis. “There is no public transportation system here, so mini-buses and so on are primarily private. When we provide an efficient type of fuel, there is a reduction in operating cost for local transportation. We support other education and training through sponsorship of activities such as graduation ceremonies, and we provide training in lubricants and LPG for retailers and users. We see our role as assisting economic development. If we don’t have a good supply of fuel to keep the economy turning, then obviously our economy would not be in the position it is in today.”

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE As the world moves towards new technologies and diverse sources of energy, Sol are positioning themselves to continue adapting to the changing needs of consumers. “We

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“WE TRY TO HELP AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND IN AS MANY WAYS AS WE CAN.”

are still evolving, and there are a lot of new plans being discussed,” says Mr. Francis.

“One thing we are aiming to do is to optimize our group’s strong supply advantages, inserting key products so that we can better serve customers in certain market segments.

This will allow us to get even closer to our customers. We also want to do more for the environment, and we plan to work with key external organizations in order to educate the public on the need to become more environmentally conscious.”

“Earlier this year, the government celebrated the commencement of drilling at a site for geothermal energy,” says Mr.

Francis. “Perhaps in another two years or so we may be utilizing energy from our volcano.

This means that there may be a reduction in demand for fossil fuels and for diesel in particular, which is something that we are cognizant of and preparing for already. There will also be an increase in solar production, as seen in Union Island, where in the last few weeks they installed a solar PV plant and were able to power the whole island for approximately eight hours a day. So we need to recognize these positive changes and work towards incorporating and benefiting from these changes when they are fully realized and implemented.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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GLOBAL EVENTS

SEPT

2019

3th - 5th

Intersolar Mexico Mexico City, Mexico

Intersolar Mexico serves as the industry’s go-to source for invaluable technology trends and premier B2B contacts in the promising Mexican solar market.

www.intersolar.mx/en/home.html

9th - 12th

24th World Energy Congress Abu Dhabi - UAE www.wec24.org

The triennial World Energy Congress is the World Energy Council’s global flagship event and offers a unique platform for global energy leaders to explore new energy futures, critical innovation areas and new strategies.

15th - 18th

ASME Advanced Clean Energy Summit Denver, CO, USA

ASME’s Advanced Clean Energy Summit (ACES) brings together attendees from government, academia, and industry for national and international perspectives on new advances of clean energy sources.

https://event.asme.org/aces

ADVANCED CLEAN ENERGY SUMMIT

Evolving into a Balanced Global Energy Portfolio Denver, Colorado, USA • event.asme.org/aces

21st - 23rd

Energy Storage International Salt Lake City, UT, USA

Part of North America Smart Energy Week, Energy Storage International is an event that proudly holds the title of being the “largest energy storage event in North America.” Its aim is to bridge the gap between energy storage and solar markets.

North America Smart Energy Week Salt Lake City, UT, USA

North America Smart Energy Week, powered by the leading solar organizations the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), is the largest gathering of solar, smart energy, energy storage, and hydrogen fuel cells professionals in North America.

www.solarpowerinternational.com/ energy-storage-international/

23rd - 26th

https://www.solarpowerinternational.com/ north-america-smart-energy-week/

September 16th - 17th, 2019

8th - 10th

ANDREC Bogotá, Colombia www.andrecweek.com

8th - 10th

Annual Canadian Wind Energy Conference & Exhibition Calgary, AB, Canada event.asme.org/power

As Colombia is accelerating towards 30% renewable energy by 2030, ANDREC is the only clean energy congress and exhibition in Colombia that teams a detailed market- researched agenda with a dedicated networking arena uniting the entire value chain.

The Annual Canadian Wind Energy Conference & Exhibition is the meeting point for all members of the wind energy industry - top business executives, technical experts, decision and policy makers, and government representatives - addressing the key issues facing the industry today.

15th - 17th

2019 NAEM EHS & SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT FORUM Toronto, ON, Canada

The National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM) EHS and Sustainability Management Forum is billed as the largest annual gathering for EHS and sustainability decision-makers.

21st - 22nd

Bloomberg NEF Summit London, UK

The BNEF Summit provides the ideas, insights and connections to formulate successful strategies, capitalize on technological change and shape a cleaner, more competitive future.

about.bnef.com/summit/london/

21st - 23rd

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North American Gas Forum Washington, DC, USA

Joining the North American Gas Forum as sponsor will provide you with optimum exposure to the decision makers in the gas business, right in the capital of decision-making.

OCT

2019 PATHWAY TO INNOVATION October 21–24, 2019 Phoenix, Arizona

ADVERTISERS INDEX A A1 Tools & Things

30

B Bewil and Company Limited Berger Paints

18 11

C Chan Ramlal Limited Conserve IT Contractors Warehouse Ltd.

32 9 30

E Electrical Depot

7

G Garot Trading and Installation

4

I Impact Trading Co Ltd Info Exchange Ltd

13 40

J Jen-Mar Business Machines JN Bank Limited Johnson Wiggins Associates

32 8 11

L Lifetime Solutions Lifewear Muffler Centre Ltd.

33 32

M Mapco Printers Limited

38

N Next Generation Electrical Inc.

O Omni Industries P PECO International

44

6

48

R Rapid On Site Refuelling Ready-Mix

10 44

S SCDC Ltd Sherwin Williams Sunlight Windows & Doors Surdeen Equipment

20 6 8 8

T The Water Source (Chromagen) The Water Source

30 27

U Unique Living

6

V Victoria Mutual Building Society

10

W Whan Tang Agencies

20

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