Facility management companies must already be involved in the planning phase of the project

Professional facility management is becoming increasingly popular – typically when a facility is designed, built and delivered to extend the lifecycle of the facility. At this point in time, elements and systems that encompass the built environment are already in place, and facility owners are using FM companies to operate and maintain them.

These include, but are not limited to, building facades, air conditioning, drainage, sewers, ceilings, lighting fixtures, irrigation, security, parking lots, and others. All that is required is a facility management team that comes on board, manages the construction of the facility and maintains it accordingly.

Sounds easy, but is the only approach to get an FM company on board once the build is done? The simple answer is ‘no’. You could hire an FM company as early as the first design phase.

Let’s imagine a high-rise building with an attractive glass facade, unique design, impeccable interior and the latest imported systems. Facility management companies that would be responsible for maintaining the tower are usually not involved in this phase.

Now that construction is up and running and an FM company is brought on board, some challenges and complications could arise. This can be caused by neglecting environmental, weather, and environmental conditions that can create window-related challenges, noise and smells from garbage and trash canals, clogged drains, challenges with cleaning facades and patios, or faulty lighting fixtures, to a few call.

Yes, the assigned FM company will do the job, but they may need to run an energy-intensive air conditioning system, for example investing in machines they have never used to clean the “beautiful” facade, train the staff on operation and maintenance these machines and systems, import of spare parts and handling of additional shipping costs and customs duties etc. These costly expenses would be borne by the owner of the asset and taken into account in the commercial scope of services and the contractual agreements of the FM company.

On the other hand, FM experts who are involved with owners, architects, designers and other stakeholders from day one can offer their knowledge and technical expertise during the planning, design and pre-construction phases of a project. They can help identify barriers that may arise when choosing a particular design or system, make more cost effective and practical recommendations that align with the goals of the asset owner, and maintain its long-term value.

Despite this benefit, the role of FM is often overlooked in the early stages of real estate planning and development. Our data shows that only 20-25 percent of projects involve FM companies during the planning and construction phases.

Although hiring FM would incur avoidable costs early in the facility’s life cycle, it could help avoid potential operational challenges that risk property depreciation and require a larger investment to address any issues that become apparent after handover were. FM companies also use technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) to plan, design, build and manage buildings and infrastructure effectively, thereby reducing costs, creating efficiency, increasing productivity, and increasing safety improve the quality.

More and more asset investors, designers and developers are starting to bring FM companies and consultants on board from the start in order to minimize future challenges and create a long-term asset from the conceptual design phase. In my opinion, this is the way to maintain long-term value.