● ●
● ●
Drones – Offer a safer way to monitor or
make repairs to building exteriors
Big Data – Increased computer power and
connectivity are providing FMs the ability
to quickly collect and analyse all sorts of
building data. This data can be used to
show what equipment will need proactive
maintenance and when, or to predict and
manage energy consumption in different
parts of a facility.
Focus on Green & Wellness
Going green is gaining traction in facilities
maintenance. According to the US Green Building
Council, commercial building owners will invest
US$960 billion on greening existing buildings
by 2023. In their daily operations, FMs look for
ways to be environment-friendly through recycling,
waste reduction and the use of green cleaning
products.
Besides cleanliness and comfort for building
users, FMs will be further challenged with a
higher standard in indoor environment quality,
namely wellness. There is the added emphasis
on wellness as big companies see a clear link
between the workplace and productivity. In the
US, there is a WELL Building Standard, a rating
system offering a comprehensive set of criteria
that measures indoor environment quality to
improve the wellbeing of workers.
WELL is administered by the International
WELL Building Institute (IWBI), a public benefit
corporation launched in 2013 whose mission is to
improve human health and wellbeing through the
built environment.
The standard is based on seven years of
research in partnership with scientists, doctors
and architects exploring the connection between
the buildings where people spend a lot of their
time, and the health and wellbeing impacts those
buildings have on their occupants. It is third-party
certified by Green Business Certification Inc.
47