Facilities management includes activities related to providing comfort, health and safety, accessibility and security for visitors, occupants and employees in commercial real estate spaces. Facilities managers also coordinate agreements and relationships with building lease holders, contractors, developers. Their work falls under a wide range of categories including:
- Building operations and maintenance
- Energy, water, waste and recycling management
- Smart building technology and building management systems
- On-site experience and space planning
- Procurement and supplier management
- Emergency preparation and business continuity
- Property and asset management
- Lease administration and accounting
- Capital project planning, permitting and execution
Why is facilities management important?
According to ISO 41001: “Facility management (FM) integrates multiple disciplines in order to have an influence on the efficiency and productivity of economies of societies, communities and organizations, as well as the manner in which individuals interact with the built environment. FM affects the health, well-being and quality of life of much of the world’s societies and population through the services it manages and delivers.”
This description introduces the strong link between business quality and performance and FM, highlighting its role in shaping business relationships, but also enriching communities.
There are numerous benefits associated with effective FM systems integration.
Workforce resilience: It contributes to improved productivity, health, safety and well-being for organizations’ own workforce and the numerous contracted roles for cleaning, maintenance, landscaping, reception, security and catering.
Improved service and experience: Facilities managers contribute to ensuring continuous and effective customer service by managing on-site crews and staff. They also improve the experience of visitors by providing amenities, informational resources and effective navigational cues as well as aesthetic improvements to spaces.
Compliance with building codes, laws and regulations: Facilities management operates at the intersection of various private and public sector functions, interfacing with building codes, laws and regulations during construction, zoning, permitting, inspections, leasing, hazardous waste disposal and more.
Operating cost reduction: FM is a function that supports the efficient and optimized operation of buildings, contributing to cost reduction that aligns with organizations’ financial goals.
Environmental sustainability: From construction and refurbishment through operations, facilities managers play a role in ensuring building design, materials, landscaping, procurement, equipment and appliances, systems and contractual agreements contribute to sustainability goals where relevant.
Operational efficiency through resource management of energy, water and waste plays a huge role in this regard, and facilities managers may be responsible for collecting and reporting sustainability data linked to resources such as energy, water, waste and recycling.
For property owners and managers who choose to adopt ISO management standards, green building certifications such as LEED, Fitwel, and BREEAM, and report to benchmarking organizations such as GRESB, facilities managers are responsible for gathering information and implementing changes. These activities all require facilities managers’ coordination and active participation.
What is a facilities manager?
Clearly facilities managers must “wear many hats,” but their responsibilities generally fall into two main groups: hard and soft facilities management.
Hard FM: Facilities managers in this category focus on physical buildings and critical systems infrastructure. These require technical expertise related to maintaining and operating electrical, plumbing, HVAC systems, fire safety systems, elevators and other functional equipment and appliances in buildings. These managers also manage projects related to construction and renovation, Facilities managers working in these areas benefit from mechanical engineering expertise and knowledge of building codes and regulations.
Relevant skills and experience: Construction management experience, project management, engineering skills, building hardware and plumbing systems, and knowledge of regulations and building codes.
Soft FM: In this group, facilities managers focus on soft skills such as people management and improving customer service and experience. It includes establishing and maintaining contractual and lease agreements, managing contracted service providers, and improving landscaping, cleanliness, signage and design to appeal to facility visitors. Facilities managers may also be responsible for activities related to operational efficiency, energy management, building systems management and other technology-supported activities.
Relevant skills and experience: Real estate industry experience, leadership, communication, problem solving, supplier management, IT skills, hospitality services, administrative skills, purchasing, scheduling, design and ergonomics, and financial planning.
Roles with FM responsibilities
A variety of job titles include FM responsibilities:
- Director of facilities
- Facilities manager and coordinator
- Maintenance director, manager, specialist and coordinator
- Sustainability manager
- Efficiency consultant
- Property manager
Comparing facility and property managers
Commercial spaces have multi-stakeholder leadership and management present at all times including property managers. Facilities managers are often hired by space occupants, while property managers are hired by the property owners. They may collaborate to coordinate their work and align their financial and sustainability goals.
Facilities management structures
Facilities management teams will vary in size and complexity based on the organization size, number of facilities under management, and facility features, needs and purpose. This will affect the hierarchy of facility management roles and the level of specialization or integration each role has related to the business strategy. The organizational structure also affects how facilities financial, human resource and sustainability information is reported.
Division of responsibilities may be based on function, location, or service specialization. Companies may choose to hire consultants for specialized strategic planning or projects related to sustainability, expansion or energy efficiency. Outsourcing service requirements is common for specific functions related to special service categories such as custodial, pest control, cleaning, landscaping, etc. The primary facilities management functions overall can also be outsourced to dedicated facility management firms.
How building technology supports facilities management
Technology is a key component supporting facilities management for tracking, monitoring and reporting information related to daily operations. Facilities depend on a wide array of technological systems that support their various functions including electrical systems and lighting, temperature control systems, security systems and more.
One of the most important tools for facilities managers is a building management system that aligns all of the independent building systems into one control platform for tracking, analyzing and reporting the full range of complex building data. Such a tool is immensely useful for planning and timing the optimized use of systems while assessing ways to improve energy efficiency.
Smart building technologies are expanding to support optimization goals and automation, so implementing changes can occur instantly. Connected devices like sensors, timers and remote controls can adjust based on detected changes to occupancy or other factors like planned schedules.
Atrius Facilities is a new suite of management tools that connect the hard and soft management sides of facilities management in a remotely accessible cloud-based technology, improving the alignment and automation of multiple technological systems. These help managers organize, operate and optimize to meet their business and sustainability goals.
