Episode 24: The Department of Facility Maintenance
On this episode of the One O'ahu Podcast, new Department of Facility Maintenance (DFM) Director Gene Albano joins host Brandi Higa to discuss his decision to join the City and County of Honolulu, his strategy for keeping our streams maintained, and ways to promote energy conservation in City buildings and facilities.
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Joining the City ‘ohana
Earlier this month, Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced the appointment of Gene Albano as the new director and chief engineer of the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Facility Maintenance (DFM).
“This was just an opportunity for me to now do something different and hopefully serve the public,” explained Director Albano.
DFM is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance programs for City roads, bridges, traffic signs, streetlights, streams and public buildings. The department also maintains the automotive, heavy vehicle and construction equipment fleets of most city departments and agencies.
Stream maintenance and storm preps
The maintenance of city-owned streams, channels, ditches and other flood control and storm drainage systems located throughout the island, as well as enforcing the maintenance of privately owned streams, falls under the duties and functions of DFM. This is a difficult task to manage not just ahead of storms and potential flooding events, but all year long.
“In essence it’s prioritizing to see where the need is immediately and then identifying how we plan moving forward,” Albano responded when asked about his strategy when it comes to the maintenance of our streams. He added, “the streams are very important in terms of its water quality and how it impacts the supply of water.”
On this episode of the podcast, Albano goes on to discuss the importance of good water quality for the water that enters the City’s drainage system. DFM’s Storm Water Quality Division works to empower and provide guidance on minimizing our impact on water quality in order to protect public health and the environment.
Design with the planet in mind
Just one of the exciting highlights from the City’s 2023 Annual Sustainability Report, included a third consecutive year of declining electricity usage by the City, with a 3.4% decrease in electricity used in fiscal year 2022, compared to fiscal year 2021. This is a trend Albano wants to see continue.
“I see the industry here in Hawai‘i, and the City, already recognizing how critical it is to design/plan, knowing that we are stewards of the environment,” said Albano. “Therefore, I’m here just to continue that support and maybe impart some of the things I’ve learned globally, working with different countries, and seeing how I complement what the experts in the City have and seeing if it makes sense for them.”
Albano is a LEED professional in energy and environmental design and a certified International Code Council Electrical Plans Reviewer.
