SA experts OLD Mutual Properties is set for the second phase of a facilities management consulting contract for the owners of Ukraine's best-known retail complex, Univermag Ukraina, in Kiev. The owners, NCH Capital Inc of New York, who have invested in a $20 million renovation of the complex, briefed members of the Old Mutual Properties consulting team last year for an on-site design review of the electrical services, air-conditioning, heating and ventilation, lifts and escalators, fire services, building structure and plumbing.

'The review identified areas for design savings and made certain recommendations which have now been implemented,' said Richard Murphy, team head. 'In the second phase, our roles will switch from engineering to facilities consultancy.

Our focus will be on helping the owners manage and maintain the 25 000m2 centre. We will be preparing specifications and service level agreements for service providers to support the complex.

We will evaluate the capabilities of service providers and look to match the best expertise to the scope of the service level agreements,' said Murphy He said the assignment in Kiev was similar in scope to a variety of projects undertaken by the facilities management consulting team for clients in Southern Africa.

These have included Canal Walk, Cape Town's largest shopping centre; the University of Cape Town; Eskom; the Malawi Property Investment Company and Mhlume Sugar in Swaziland.

'We have not encountered any language or other problems in our first assignment in Eastern Europe.'