Call for Southern Region TOBY Judges. Are you interested in learning about the South's best commercial office buildings? Then sign up to be a judge for the BOMA Southern Region TOBY competition. You will be judging buildings that won The Office Building of the Year (TOBY) award on the local level across the South. Judging provides insight into the TOBY competition, including the opportunity to experience the electronic judging process used in regional and national TOBY competitions. To sign up to be a judge, contact BOMA-Atlanta member Steve Harrison with Parmenter Realty Partners at sharrison@parmco.com.  

Leadership Academy Nominations Due February 29. Only two weeks remain before February 29, the due date for nominations for the 2008 BOMA-Atlanta Leadership Academy. The Leadership Academy is not just for senior property and facility managers and building engineers. It is designed to produce a diverse class of participants, from younger property and engineering professionals to mid-range and senior executives. University of Georgia MBA professors will teach the five-part series of full-day courses to provide property managers, facility managers and building engineers with over 30 hours of in-depth training for 35 hours of CPU credit. If you or someone you know would be a good candidate for the Academy, contact Gabriel Eckert at geckert@boma-atlanta.org. For more information or to download an application form, click here. 

Georgia Power Rate Case Filing Timeline. On February 5, the Georgia Public Service Commission issued a press release addressing natural gas issues and detailing a timeline for Georgia Power's rate case filing in 2008. To read more about this issue or view the filing dates, click here. 

2008 BOMA-Atlanta Trade Show. Elect your winning team at the 2008 BOMA-Atlanta Trade Show. The 2008 show will be held on May 21 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Cobb Galleria. Please note that the show will close briefly for the BOMA luncheon. The BOMA-Atlanta Trade Show is the largest one-day gathering of its kind of Atlanta building owners, managers and vendors. Allied members should act now to reserve their trade show booths. Last year's trade show sold out, and 2008 booths are going fast! For more information about trade show registration, click here. To reserve your booth, download and complete the application on the flyer's second page, and send it with your payment to the BOMA-Atlanta office via fax to 404-475-9987 or through the mail to the BOMA-Atlanta office. For an up-to-date listing of available booths, click here. For more information, contact Director of Finance and Administration Nancy Hodge at 404-475-9980, ext. 7, or nhodge@boma-atlanta.org. 

Weekly Legislative Updates Now on the Web. Each week, BOMA-Atlanta lobbyist FiveashStanley creates legislative updates to inform you about evolving government issues. To read these updates and keep track of current legislation, visit the BOMA-Atlanta Web site's advocacy section.

UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL COURSES
Click on the course title to register. Dates listed are course start dates. 

Intelligent NextGen Buildings: Combining Technology with Improved Building Systems. (February 28). Today's "intelligent buildings" incorporate building automation, structured cabling, wireless systems and controls, remote operations and more for enhanced tenant experience and improved operating results. This course is a must-attend primer for building owners, developers, property managers, architects, facility managers, engineers, system integrators and consultants. Instructors will demonstrate how intelligent buildings can contribute to LEED credits, lower operating expenses, streamline building operations and management, and reduce energy consumption. Learn about new building technologies such as wireless coverage, daylight harvesting, IP-based security and access control, digital signage and remote operations. The seminar is approved for 3 hours of continuing education credits through the Georgia Real Estate Commission and 4 hours of CPD credits through BOMI.

BOMA Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP): Benchmarking Energy Performance Webinar. (March 13) In this Webinar, you will learn how to benchmark commercial real estate using the EPA energy performance rating system. Manual and automated data input alternatives for benchmarking will be reviewed and lessons learned from building operators will be presented to facilitate fast, effective and accurate benchmarking results. To register for this BEEP Webinar, contact Leah Gehlsen at 1-800-553-8878 or  leah.gehlsen@stamats.com.

Asset Management. (March 26) Property managers today work hand-in-hand with asset managers and often serve as asset managers themselves. Therefore, you need to understand the asset manager's role, function, and place in real estate and business. This course will detail the role and responsibilities of an asset manager, as well as provide you with the skills to fulfill this position. You will learn to develop an asset management plan, including appropriate human, physical, and financial resources. You will learn about the measurement of financial objectives, including audits and reasons for them. You will gain an understanding of property acquisition, disposition, and evaluation of troubled property alternatives.

Commercial HVAC--Fifth Semester. (March 27) The BOMA Technical Organization (BTO) has partnered with Chattahoochee Technical College to offer a Commercial HVAC course for building engineers. This is the fifth course in the five-semester series. Semester courses are topic-specific and may be taken out of sequence. A certificate of completion will be issued to show attendance and completion of the required material. The classes may be taken in conjunction with SMA classes or any other seminars.

BOMA Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP): Energy Efficient Audit Concepts and Economic Benefits. (April 3) This comprehensive Webinar reviews energy audit practices and describes the benefits for energy management. Your training focuses on how to inventory equipment and how to sequence equipment for optimal performance, and provides tips for record management and measurement and verification. To register for this BEEP Webinar, click here, or contact Leah Gehlsen at 1-800-553-8878 or  leah.gehlsen@stamats.com.

BOMA Property Management (PM) 101. (April 18) Explore the world of property management through PM 101, a five-day course taught over five weeks. This dynamic course combines classroom-style learning, interaction with industry professionals, and behind-the-scenes tours of metro-Atlanta buildings. It is designed for assistant property and facility managers and others who are interested in expanding their knowledge of the industry. The Georgia Real Estate Commission has approved this course for 24 hours of Continuing Education Units.

BOMA Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP): Lo- and No-cost Operational Adjustment (May 8) This beneficial Webinar presents best practices for operations and maintenance measures to improve the energy efficiency of commercial real estate without capital expenditures. It also focuses on the financial impact of no- and low-cost adjustments and reviews how to use tools such as data loggers and metering to identify and verify improvement opportunities. To register for this BEEP Webinar, click here, or contact Leah Gehlsen at 1-800-553-8878 or  leah.gehlsen@stamats.com.

Facilities Planning and Project Management. (May 14) Through this course, you will develop the skills and knowledge critical to the successful execution of a facilities project: proper planning, selecting a building's team, and following through with attention to detail. You will learn how to assemble and manage facilities teams and how to plan and implement facilities projects, including methods to control key elements of the process. In this course you will examine case studies on SFP models, project management methods, and outcomes. You will also study how to close out projects, how to complete and use a facilities annual report, and how to read and interpret architectural drawings.

UPCOMING EVENTS

February BOMA Bash. (February 21) Hosted by select allied member sponsors, BOMA Bashes provide an informal social and networking opportunity for property managers, facility managers and building engineers. The February BOMA Bash will be held at Chequer's and is sponsored by AlliedBarton Security Services, Full Circle Restoration, ENTEK and Park Landscape Services. The bash is open to property managers, facility managers and building engineers. There is no charge to attend the event, although advance registration is required. Attendance is limited to the first 80 individuals who register.