Property & Development Magazine Issue 427 | Page 43

Facilities Management

MAINTAINING
CONSISTENCY
Facilities management is one of the fastest
growing professions in the UK.
“For too long the boardroom has been too focused on

time, not only does people's use of a property change

the capital cost of a new building, not realising that

but so does that property's structural integrity. Risk

the vast proportion of spend comes in the revenue

management forms the basis of FM's everyday and is

line, maintaining the asset through its whole life,” says

concerned not only with meeting legal obligation, such

the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM).

as upholding adequate health and safety standards,

Facilities management (FM) is one of the fastest

but also moral, financial and reputation risks that recur

growing professions in the UK, taking into account

throughout a building's lifespan. Again, it's a task that

the complex and comprising nature of operating an

demands ongoing attention and a progressive

asset effectively. Devoted to the continuous coordi-

approach. A property's security can soon be compro-

nation of services specific to a property or business, it

mised by a faulty door-locking system; a loose wire can

encompasses a range of aspects, including: health and

render an entire floor out-of-bounds; failure to ade-

safety, security, maintenance and repair, inspection,

quately insulate a property can result in high, long-

cleaning and tendering.

term running costs and threaten a carbon manage-

With such a wide range of concerns, FM necessi-

ment programme. Planning within FM is seen as the

tates regular interfacing between businesses and

most effective way to promote a building's longevity; it

therefore comes with a variety of challenges, not least

represents the opportunity to maximise efficiency and

being able to provide consistency. While supply chain

schedule regular maintenance.

management is of great pertinence across sectors, it

With both the FM team and client liable for any

is only in the FM industry that effective sourcing and

potential failings, an understanding of regulatory stan-

management of suppliers is the core ambition.

dards is critically important. Whilst it varies between

Looking to support connectivity between suppliers

types of property, certification is often the basis for a

and service providers, the most successful in the sec-

structure's industrial or commercial use and it there-

tor have taken a flexible approach, appropriate to its

fore cannot afford to be overlooked. Legal responsibil-

dynamic form. With the use of advance software,

ities aside, those in the sector also have to negotiate

developed specifically for FM, organisation are now

both its own social and environmental responsibilities,

able to conduct: asset-tracking, reporting, invoicing,

as well as those presented by the client – a task in

document storage, issuing work orders, and inventory

which FM's interfacing dexterity comes in handy.

management. The advent of computerized mainte-

Recognising the significance of a property's opera-

nance management systems (CMMS) have been piv-

tional capacity, and how that can come to represent

otal for both preliminary assessment and subsequent,

either major profit or a major headache, FM is an inte-

proactive maintenance approaches.

gral part of property development. Able to maximise

So prone to change are buildings during use, it's

an organisation's economic value and do so with the

crucial that facilities can engage with their active sur-

ethical in mind, it is an aspect as valuable as the bricks

roundings in order to align with users' needs. Over

and mortal, themselves. n

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