Sustainability in Facilities Management

sustainability

FACILITY MANAGEMENT

Facility management (or facilities management or FM) is an interdisciplinary field devoted to the coordination of space, infrastructure, people and organization, often associated with the administration of office blocks, arenas, schools, sporting complexes, convention centers, shopping complexes, hospitals, hotels, manufacturing, shipping, etc..

Role of the facilities manager

Facility managers have to operate at two levels: strategic tactical and operational.[2] In the former case, clients, customers and end-users need to be informed about the potential impact of their decisions on the provision of space, services, cost and business risk. In the latter, it is the role of a facility manager to ensure corporate and regulatory compliance plus the proper operation of all aspects of a
building to create an optimal, safe and cost effective environment for the occupants to function.

sustainable-facility-management
sustainable-facility-management

SUSTAINABILITY IN FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Climate adaptation, energy efficiency, sustainable development and green growth are societal challenges for which the Facilities Management (FM) profession can develop solutions and make positive contributions on the organisational level and with societal-level effects. To base the emerging sub-discipline of sustainable facilities management (SFM) on research, an overview of current studies is needed

Sustainable Facility Management is the Next Wave. The energy savings, productivity increases, reduction in waste stream, and water conservation and other sustainable facility benefits in existing buildings far outweigh the potential benefits from sustainable new construction.

The potential contribution of facilities management professionals to achieving sustainability goals is well documented. In a study of the barriers and commitment of the facilities management profession to the sustainability agenda,highlighted that FMs tasked with implementing and managing sustainability as a core business strategy face many responsibilities and challenges. Drawing on the stakeholder theory approach (Freeman, 1984), FMs as primary stakeholders “at the forefront of organisational behavior change are in a position to influence individuals working in business, government departments and public services” , have the best chance to add value for their organisations and customers through efficient management of sustainability issues and practices. The stakeholder theory, provides a suitable theoretical framework to analyse the relation between the policy issues and responsibilities as it explains how to identify and engage with stakeholders for group effort, mutual dependence and legitimacy.

Leave A Reply