well as environmentally friendly or unfriendly systems and materials that should be avoided.
The Facilities Manager should be involved from the design stage to assist in choosing finishes, such as flooring and wall coverings etc. This is to avoid costly mistakes from choosing finishes based on aesthetics only. For example, if you choose a tile for the entrance that becomes slippery when wet, it can pose a health and safety risk to tenants.
Design parameters can also influence the lifecycle cost( i. e. operational costs) of a building. This cost is, over time, greater than the initial build or setup costs, and should be managed intelligently. For instance, a building might be designed with a glass façade or glass dome, which might look attractive but the cost of regularly cleaning this could be exorbitant.
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What if my Facilities Manager can’ t be involved in the design stage?
If it isn’ t practical or possible to have an FM professional involved in a building from the design stage, you need to make sure that the consultants appointed for the various disciplines have sufficient experience, not just in design work, but in practical maintenance of systems too. A full brief of the tenant’ s requirements should be clearly documented and measured to guarantee that expectations are met by all parties.
It’ s never too late Even if the FM professional becomes involved in the project only once the building design and finishes have been specified and asserted by the client, they can move their focus to quality control on a broader basis. This will assist in avoiding unnecessary delays when it comes time to start commissioning( i. e. ordering equipment, finishes and other aspects necessary to make a work place functional) and the handing over of equipment to the FM team on completion of the building.
The triple bottom line- People, Planet, Profit The role of FM in business is changing from being purely operational in nature to one of strategic value to an organisation. Business is being asked to be accountable on a triple, bottom line basis, as it relates to people, the planet and profit. FM touches on all three aspects, so it is imperative that your FM strategy aligns with that of the business. In summary, having your FM professional involved in a new building, from the design stage through to its completion, makes good business sense.
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