International Facility Management Association Research Articles

Barriers to the implementation of energy-efficiency practices in the U.S. retail sector: facilities managers’ perceptions compared by facility size and business revenue

PurposeThe retail sector has the largest energy consumption among commercial buildings in the U.S. Although previous studies explored benefits, barriers and solutions for implementing sustainability in various building sectors, research focused on retail facilities has been very scarce. This study aims to explore U.S. facilities managers’ perceptions of barriers that prevented the implementation of energy-efficiency practices in the retail sector. Their perceptions were compared by facility size and facilities management company’s business revenue.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was distributed to the members of the International Facility Management Association and the author's LinkedIn network. The survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis and ANOVA.FindingsManagers from large facilities, as opposed to those from small ones, significantly more agreed that the unavailability of building automation systems, a lack of professional writing skills and a lack of awareness of life cycle cost (LCC) were the barriers. Business revenue did not cause significantly different perceptions of the barriers except for a lack of awareness of LCC and a lack of support from upper management.Originality/valueThis study fills the research gap on energy efficiency in the retail sector by revealing U.S. facilities managers’ perceptions of the barriers to the implementation of energy-efficiency practices in retail stores. This novel study compares perceptions of the facilities managers by facility size and business revenue; this comparison has not been performed before. The study also identified several new barriers to the implementation of energy efficiency in the retail sector.

Application of BIM Implementation Process in the Operation and Maintenance of Information Management System in Building Facilities

The appalling state of building facilities in Nigeria, poses a great concern to stakeholders. This stems from lack of adequate information management in the operation and maintenance of building facilities. Therefore, the study is aimed at assessing the application of BIM implementation process in the operation and maintenance of information management system in building facilities. The study made use of a quantitative research approach, making the population for the study to encompass facility management practitioners (Onsite Facility Engineers, Onsite Facility Technicians, Facility Management Professionals [IFMA] and Facility Management Company owners) who are fully registered with International Facility Management Association (IFMA) in Abuja-Nigeria. The sample size for the study is 184 and the respondents were selected by a systematic random sampling method with a close ended questionnaire used for the data collection. The questionnaire is administered via Google forms; and questionnaires shared through the google form link were answered and the results were collected through google response tools, and 121 copies of the questionnaire were duly filled, returned and used for data analysis. The result shows that the implementation of BIM in operation and maintenance of facilities is very low as manual and stand-alone computer system are still predominant in most of the operations carried out by the practitioners and the stakeholders. The study further revealed that Improvement in asset information management that lead to increased efficiency of facility assets is significantly affect by the operational system. The result also shows that Facility managers are traditionally included late in the building lifecycle and posed a high challenge to most practitioners and this has made the application of BIM in operation and maintenance of information management in facility management very negligible, as such the paper suggest that BIM usage in the O&M of buildings should be encouraged and imbibed right from the planning and designing stages of building facilities. Facility managers/professional should also be included right from the inception of a building life cycle to the end of the building.

Improving Foundational Understanding regarding Facility Transition through a Survey Assessment of Industry Professionals involved in Commercial Building Decommissioning

ABSTRACT Commercial buildings are asset intensive facilities and therefore have unique challenges in the asset lifecycle management. When procedures and guidelines on decommissioning are not enforced, these buildings can be left unattended for years. As a result, the lack of maintenance may expedite asset deterioration, thus leaving less material salvageable for future use. This study aims to better understand current trends in the decommissioning of commercial buildings by surveying industry professionals across three possible dimensions 1) planned decommissioning, 2) condition assessments on commercial buildings, and 3) current awareness of procedures and guidelines. Through correlation analysis, the study explores how professionals’ roles in the industry relate to these three dimensions, offering valuable insights into the dynamic interplay shaping decommissioning practices. This study analyzes data collected through a Qualtrics survey designed to target construction and facilities management professionals. The 720 respondents were associated with the International Facilities Management Association and the American Institute of Architects. Results of the study show that planning for decommissioning mostly occurs once a building has been vacated or due to reactionary planning in an attempt to save a facility for reuse or remodeling. There is a consensus among the survey respondents that condition assessments on unoccupied/vacated buildings should be conducted annually. Results also indicate that although there are instances where vacated facilities maintained a minimal supply of utilities, there are many instances where facilities have had lights switched off, doors locked, and the building completely shut down. This study provides results that identify key variables as to what may influence how a building is decommissioned and promote standardized decommissioning procedures and guidelines for commercial buildings.

Reaching the unreachable workforce : Adopting a mobile-first communication strategy to retain employees

Ineffective communications cost companies more than just safety and productivity issues; they are a direct cause of turnover. While corporate leaders feel their communications are relevant and the way they are delivered is effective, research shows their employees do not feel the same way. In a tight labour market, businesses cannot afford to overlook this fact. As an integrated facilities management (IFM) company that distinguishes itself in self-performing more than 80 per cent of the hard and soft services it provides clients, ESFM depends on an engaged workforce to deliver on its client promises every day. As noted in its bi-annual employee engagement survey, the company recognised its internal communications were missing the mark with respect to hourly employees. Deskless workers, spread across the country and covering multiple shifts, were challenging to connect with. To address these challenges, ESFM inverted the traditional top-down communication cascade as the first IFM company to leverage the Nudge app, originally designed for retail workers, to implement a mobile-first communication strategy for frontline personnel. Adapting the app’s capabilities for the FM space was a process, but ultimately empowered ESFM to digitise critical learnings and best practices to efficiently equip its employees with the knowledge and tools necessary to execute on their clients’ highest priorities. Business outcomes following the first year of implementing this communications approach earned ESFM the George Graves Award for Facility Management Achievement from the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA) in 2020. This paper shares business outcomes from this award-winning communications programme, as well as steps any company can apply on their journey toward developing a more intentional, engaging and effective communications strategy.

US healthcare facility management workforce trends: a comparison with demographics, compensation and tenure of facility management professionals in nonhealthcare industries

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to better understand the state of the healthcare facility management (FM) workforce and trends and how it compares to the nonhealthcare industries.Design/methodology/approachA survey was developed, based on relevant literature, regarding respondents’ gender, race, age, educational attainment and job tenure. The survey was sent electronically via Qualtrics® system in February 2021 to members of the International Facility Management Association membership; 3,557 individuals completed the survey by April 2021, for a 29% response rate. Only data from 1,407 US respondents working in facility operations were included in this study. Of the 1,407 respondents included in this study, 89 worked in the healthcare industry. The majority of respondents not working in healthcare industry (1,318) were employed in government, education or banking and investment.FindingsThe demographics of facility managers in the healthcare industry are similar to the demographics of facility managers in other industries: the majority of the FM workforce is male, middle-aged, white, college educated and employed in-house. While healthcare and nonhealthcare facility managers have similar responsibilities across job levels, compensation for entry-level FM roles in the healthcare industry is significantly lower than for entry-level FM roles in other industries. This low pay in healthcare FM, compared to other industries, may exacerbate ongoing challenges related to talent recruitment and retention and justify pay banding increases to improve attraction of top talent into healthcare FM. Both healthcare and nonhealthcare industries hire new college graduates for entry-level FM jobs, but the healthcare industry is more likely to hire individuals who majored in liberal arts compared to other industries more likely to hire individuals who majored in subjects related to the built environment such as FM and engineering. To compensate for low entry-level pay, healthcare organizations may be focusing recruitment efforts on liberal arts students who have little to no training in the built environment because they have lower pay expectations. Older healthcare facility professionals also have shorter job tenures with their current employers than do older facility professionals in other industries; this trend appears to be recent and not be related to pay or the COVID-19 pandemic. A surge of senior-level FM retirements may be creating advancement opportunities for older entry- and mid-level FM personnel in healthcare; if this situation is a factor, research should be conducted to understand its implications for recruiting and developing healthcare FM talent.Research limitations/implicationsOnly data from US respondents who were working in healthcare facility operations at the time of the study were included in the data analysis.Originality/valueHealthcare organizations can use the study’s findings to help address FM workforce challenges unique to their industry staff recruitment, retention and succession planning.

Built Environment Professionals’ Perception of the Importance of Facility Management Professionals at the Design Stage

There is a misconception that facility management (FM) professionals are needed only after a building has been completed, in order to manage maintenance and operating expenses. Hence, they are hardly considered an essential part of the design team. To query this notion, this study investigated the perception of built environment professionals on the importance of FM professionals at the design stage. Quantitative research using a questionnaire survey was adopted. Three hundred and forty questionnaires were administered to four categories of built environment professionals (engineers - civil, electrical and mechanical; architects; quantity surveyors, and builders) in Lagos, Nigeria and 266 (78%) of the questionnaires were found useful for analysis. The data was analysed using percentages, mean, relative importance index (RII) and Kruskal-Wallis test. The outcome of the analysis showed that respondents agree that FM professionals are important at the design stage in order to review design from a maintenance, operation, and serviceability perspective. The study also revealed that architects and quantity surveyors are fully convinced that FM professionals are crucial at the design stage, while builders and engineers are not. It was suggested that the governing body of FM professionals, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), should organize forums where other built environment professionals can be educated on the importance of involving FM professionals at the design stage. Moreover, IFMA should leverage its membership base to secure meetings with owners of facilities with high running costs and demonstrate to them the savings accruable had they engaged FM professionals at the design stage. This is with a view to encouraging such owners to engage IFMA members from the onset of their subsequent projects. Doing so will ensure the delivery of cost-efficient facilities.

Barriers to building information modelling and facility management practices integration in Nigeria

PurposeThis paper aims to explore and review the critical perspectives of stakeholders in the facility management (FM) industry as regards the barriers to building information modelling (BIM) integration, with the view to providing significant insights to mitigate the barriers to BIM implementation.Design/methodology/approachAn extensive literature review was conducted to identify critical barriers to BIM–FM integration. Ten categories of barriers were identified from the literature review and used to design a Likert scale-based questionnaire, which was administered to registered members of International Facility Management Association based in Lagos, Nigeria. The data collected were analysed using both descriptive (mean score, standard deviation, frequency tables and charts) and inferential statistics (Shapiro–Wilk and Kruskal–Wallis tests).FindingsThe descriptive and inferential analysis demonstrated a disparity in the ranking of the ten barriers among the groups. Six (out of ten) barriers to BIM implementation for FM practices are identified as critical (mean score greater than 4.0): insufficient awareness levels of BIM–FM integration benefits, non-existence of contractual and legal framework for BIM implementation, limited studies on BIM–FM inter-relationship, poor acceptance levels and resistance to change among stakeholders, perception of BIM and inadequacy of mode data. And the results of the one-sample t-tests show that there were statistically significant differences in the six.Practical implicationsThis study offers significant insights to industry stakeholders in understanding BIM implementation barriers in FM, as well as the framework for mitigating them. These findings could also be applied to other developing countries, with special consideration given to locational differences.Originality/valueThe valuable information provided in this study could be used as a roadmap to improve BIM–FM practice implementation in Nigeria. It also measured differences in the opinions of professionals.

Framework for Facilities Management Services Procurement in Public Buildings in Abuja-Nigeria

Deciding what to provide in-house and what to outsource is not always easy, because of the pros and cons of each approach. This study assessed the suitability of outsourcing and in-house routes for procurement of facilities management (FM) services in public buildings in order to develop a framework to assist FM practitioners in making decisions on procurement of FM services in Abuja. Mixed methods research methodology was adopted involving the administration of 122 structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 10 International Facility Management Association (IFMA) members in Abuja-Nigeria. Findings show that the top three factors driving outsourcing of FM services delivery are cost reduction, improved performance standard and improved customer orientation and service. While, the top three factors driving in-house of FM services delivery are improved quality of services, improved performance standard and improved responsiveness and cycle times. This indicates that the framework to procure FM services includes provision of clear policy which should consist of a policy statement, methodology resource mobilisation, government policy regarding the maintenance of the facility mapping of the facility and a means of measuring performance of FM services providers. The developed framework provides a significant understanding that can support decision making on FM services in terms of whether the route to be adopted is either in-house or outsourcing.

As-built BIM in real estate management: the change of paradigm in digital transformation of economy

International Facility Management Association (IFMA) traditionally divides the management of real estate into asset, property and facility management. The paper explores how the emergence of building information modelling (BIM) has influenced the distribution of information about the building among the stakeholders. As-built BIM in industrial buildings is a significant part of digital transformation of industrial assets and emergence of Industry 4.0. The tendency of transferring the ownership of information from facility manager to asset manager as well as the increase of transparency is analysed in the recent literature. The development of as-built BIM has given the possibility to the owners of real estate to become not only the owners of the assets themselves but also the owners of digital assets. In order to clarify current situation in the scientific community, the research interest in building information modelling among the studies mentioning facility management, asset management and property management has been analysed. The role of information about the building components as well as practical examples of operational expenditures reduction are explored and discussed.

Evaluating the Impact of Facility Management Credentials

ABSTRACT The field of facility management (FM) has existed alongside other related fields, such as engineering and construction, yet its place within traditional education pathways is less formalized than is the case with other areas of the built environment. As such, those seeking entry into the profession will discover that it is largely undefined and a function of experience, with many professionals looking to supplement their experience with credentials and continuing education to better prepare themselves for advancement in the FM profession. To better understand and evaluate the impact and value of FM credentials in the industry and for its members, data were collected through two online international surveys of FM professionals and FM organizations. The research was commissioned by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA). The results indicate that FM professionals experience value in attaining a credential, and their employers also benefit. The return on investment of the IFMA credentials was calculated to be 15:1 over five years.

Awareness and utilisation of building information modelling (BIM) for facility management (FM) in a developing economy

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the awareness and utilisation of building information modelling (BIM) for facility management (FM) among FM companies in Lagos, Nigeria. This was with a view of increasing the awareness level and promoting adoption of BIM in FM practice.Design/methodology/approachPrimary data used for the study were sourced through questionnaire administered on the 37 FM companies that are corporate members of International Facility Management Association in Lagos, Nigeria. Frequency distribution and relative significance index were used for data analysis.FindingsFindings of the study suggest a low level of awareness and adoption of BIM for FM in the study area. Only 2 of the 31 FM companies surveyed were using BIM for their FM services. Also, the majority of the respondents (n = 22, 71 per cent) perceived that the awareness of BIM in the facilities management industry in Nigeria is very low.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study provided industry stakeholders with information on the level of awareness and utilisation of BIM for FM practice in Nigeria, thereby giving insights on the possible integration of BIM with FM practices in developing countries.Originality/valueThe paper is a pioneer research on the awareness and utilisation of BIM for facilities management from the perspective of an emerging property market like Nigeria.

Developing facilities management (FM) competencies for Malaysia

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the significance of facilities management (FM) competency levels from three different stages, namely, strategic, tactical and operational levels, to propose a set of FM competencies for an enhanced FM industry in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachThe overall focus for this paper is to discuss on the area for each level of competencies for asset and facilities management (AFM). This is done through a questionnaire survey focusing on the competency areas posed by FM companies in Malaysia and a comparison review of all FM levels as outlined by the international professional bodies, namely, International Facility Management Association, British Institute of Facilities Management and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. This paper also looks at formulating a holistic framework for an effective AFM for the benefit of FM industry in general and Malaysian FM industry specifically.FindingsThe findings indicate that among the significant factors for the respective strategic, tactical and operational practice of FM are strategic: managing change, benchmarking and strategic facilities planning; tactical: risk management, emergency preparedness, FM technology, service-level agreement and supply management; and operational: space planning and management. This study also proposes a set of holistic FM competency areas which can be implemented by the FM industry in Malaysia.Originality/valueThis research sets a baseline for a set of FM competencies, an area of FM which has not been regulated in the FM practice in Malaysia.

Leveraging BIM for digital built environment asset management

A National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) study shows that all stakeholders in the capital facilities industry waste a huge amount of money looking for, validating, and/or recreating facility information that should be readily available. The total cost of these activities within the capital facilities industries in the United States was conservatively estimated at $15.8 billion in 2002, with two-thirds of that cost occurring during the facilities’ operations and maintenance phase. This is confirmed by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Maintenance Survey in 2009, which states that the loss of information generates an added cost of 12.4% of total annual mean OM (2) management of mechanical equipment status; (3) qualitative condition assessment of buildings; and (4) appraisal of the service life of building components and systems according to ISO 15686-8. These four tools allow to compute and control some key indicators of the asset, with also the possibility to compare them inside a portfolio. This paper presents the four tools, paying also attention to the workflows to be followed and to the different data needs of the stakeholders involved.

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT OUTSOURCING: THEORETICAL TRENDS AND EVIDENCE FROM PRACTICE IN NIGERIA AND UNITED KINGDOM

Previous research has acknowledged facilities management (FM) as a discipline that optimises the delivery of facilities and its related services through use of high profile strategies that provide cost effective, high quality and integrated approach to the concept of managing facilities and its related services. The purpose of this paper is to examine the theoretical trends in outsourcing of FM functions and the current state of FM practice using Nigeria and UK as case studies. This re- search used a combination of literature review and questionnaire survey. The questionnaire survey was conducted to further explore (through comparative analysis) the perception of 30 (15 from UK and 15 from Nigeria) carefully selected facilities managers in UK and Nigeria who are subscribing members of British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) and International Facilities Manage- ment Association (IFMA) Nigeria’s chapter respectively. 22 respondents consisting of 13 received from UK respondents and 9 from Nigeria responded to the survey giving a response rate of 73%. Findings reveal among others that FM has grown from the traditional day-to-day operational management to being a strategic management tool; while janitorial services and facilities maintenance remain the most outsourced FM services.

Analysis of risks associated with facilities management outsourcing

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyse the risk factors associated with outsourcing of facilities management (FM) services.Design/methodology/approachThe study administered questionnaires on 146 registered members of International Facilities Management Association (IFMA), Nigeria chapter, who carry out their professional practice in Lagos, Nigeria. The survey, conducted in February, 2011 targeted facilities managers, property managers, maintenance officers and procurement officers cutting across the three levels of management. A total of 61 of them returned valid questionnaires, giving a response rate of 41.8 percent.FindingsFindings reveal that “poor quality of services” was rated the most critical risk factor associated with facilities management outsourcing, while “security” and “inexperience” closely followed in that order. Also, there was no significant difference in the rankings of the stakeholders on more than 75 percent of the factors.Research limitations/implicationsMost practitioners would have been left out of the survey due to non‐registration with IFMA due to the seeming novelty of facilities management practice in Nigeria.Originality/valueThis paper provides an unambiguous empirical‐based analysis of outsourcing risks from the perspective of facilities management practice in Nigeria.

Developing a sustainable approach to corporate FM in Nigeria

Purpose – This paper aims to examine common environmental practices and strategies for implementing sustainable FM among Nigerian FM practitioners.Design/methodology/approach – A review of the literature on sustainability and environmental management was undertaken. Data collection was through self‐administered questionnaires directed to a sample of 150 facilities managers who are members of the International Facility Management Association (Nigeria Group), Lagos, Nigeria. Structured interviews with five top facilities management professionals were also conducted. The data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, means, z‐test, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and relative importance index. The survey achieved a response rate of 30 percent.Findings – The survey revealed that many of the practitioners put a premium on achieving energy efficiency as a very vital environmental practice within their organizations. A strategic management procedure is more important for the implementation o...

Strategic Management Applications in Rejuvenation Efforts of South-Western Nigerian Hotels: Facilities Management Perspective

A survey was conducted of probabilistically determined fifty-seven hotels of various ‘stars’ in South-Western geo-political zone of Nigeria to investigate the responsiveness of the hotel organizations to strategic property management practices in particular level of use of facilities management, level of commitment to business development, use of information and communication technology and support services procurement methodology. Data were collected from hotel organizations through their general managers, staff and customers with the aid of questionnaires. A combination of stratified and cluster sampling techniques were used. Kothari’s formula was adopted to determine the appropriate sample size while descriptive statistics and balanced score card were used for data analysis. It was found that use of facilities management as a strategic management instrument is at low ebb (36%), the same is true of level of commitment to business development (46%), use of information and communication technology (39%) and support services outsourcing (46%). The use of balanced score card principle shows that the four variables all less than 50% may be balanced but in a negative sense suggesting non-responsiveness to the use of strategic management practices. This discovery also affirms that receptivity to FM is at low-ebb in the hotel sector of Nigeria’s economy and a pointer to ignorance of FM as instrument of strategic change. The study recommended that International Facilities Management Association (Nigeria Group), hotel organizations and Governments at all levels in Nigeria should be conscious of this development and put in place strategic actions to educate the gentries on the efficacy of FM in running hotel businesses. The hotel managements are also encouraged to be responsive to new ways of doing things especially when such a method would have a tremendous impact on the performance of the hotels.

Out‐tasking

Describes the results of a report by The International Facility Management Association and Gelb Consulting Group Inc. on outsourcing in the USA. Discusses the recent growth in outsourcing and details which areas are most likely to be contracted out to other firms. Examines the future for this and outlines several recommendations for those considering outsourcing.

CONTRACTING‐OUT: THE WAY FORWARD?

At a conference in London almost two years ago, David Cotts, President of the North American International Facility Management Association (IFMA) gave a personal view of the changes he felt would affect the facilities management profession over the next decade.

Book Review

Book reviewed in this article: Visualization Techniques, Richard B. Leinback, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice–Hall, Inc., 1986 Home: A Short History of an Idea, Witold Rybczynski Interior Space, Stuart Miller and Judith K. Schlitt Profitable Career Options for Designers, Mary V. Knackstedt, ASID, NHFL with Laura J. Haney The Seated Man: Home Sedens, A. C. Mandal, MD., Denmark: Dafnia Publications, 1985. 100 pages, liberally illustrated, paper–back, in English Designing Places For People: A Handbook of Human Behavior for Architects, Designers and Facility Managers, C. M. Deasy, FAIA and Thomas E. Lasswell, Ph.D. Workbook For Ergonomic Considerations In Office Design, Developed by Robert Arndt, Ph.D. The IFMA Report #2 – Demographics and Trends, 1986. Authored by the Research Committee of the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA), Stephen Philips, Adolf Coors Co., Chair., Houston, TX; IFMA, 1986 Premises Of Excellence: How Successful Companies Manage Their Offices, Sheena Wilson with Ziona Strelitz and Jennifer O'Neill