Facilities Management (FM) is a fresh and fast growing professional discipline that provides property and related services to enable businesses to optimise working conditions.
Vice Chairman of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Sri Lanka, Elmo Fernando said the rapid rise of FM has outpaced criticism that it is simply a marketing platform or an attempt to exaggerate the importance of the group of specialist middle managers.
Mr. Fernando said the real significance of the function lies not just in the effective resource of support services but in the professional management of all physical resources which underpin the ability of organisations to do business and above all, to develop and change with time and circumstances. RICS is now offering alternate designation or status ‘Chartered Facilities Management Surveyor’ for those professionals who could satisfy stipulated criteria of this professional body.
Speaking to The Sunday Times FT this week, Mr. Fernando said facility managers will know how to get the best out of the facility which goes beyond just operating and maintaining buildings. “Facility managers will learn to change the operations or patterns of running a building depending on security or economic changes,” he said. “Facility managers should think about security and safety aspects as well as energy and space planning. Buildings should use less energy by making use of natural ventilation and natural light.” Energy efficiency is part of the concept of ‘green buildings’ which includes ensuring health safety such as checking on carbon monoxide levels. Mr. Fernando said there are still no authorities in Sri Lanka to check on these features.
Mr. Fernando added that it is imperative to get the usage of the building correct; wasted space, inefficient departmental interfaces, together with an unattractive working environment far outweigh the popular implications of isolated rental appraisal and maintenance costs. The facilities manager’s success will come from an in-depth grasp of applied economics influenced by a strong practical approach to property occupation.
Mr. Fernando said the many and varied functions performed in FM are not new but the trend towards creating an all-embracing professional who harnesses these complementary functions together into a cohesive approach to work-space management is.
The role of the facilities manager is recognized as something more pro-active than that of the traditional premises, building or maintenance manager.
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