ACCRA TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT

DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION TO FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

FA C I L I TAT O R : O H U I C A E S A R - D Z U N U
J A N U A RY 2 0 2 4

WEEK 1 AND 2
Study Area
 What is Facilities Management
 Roles and Skills of Facilities Management
 Core competences
 Types of FM
 Importance of Facilities Management
 Facilities Management Challenges
 What is Facilities Management?
What constitute a facility?
A physical setting used to achieving a specific purpose.
Examples:
Buildings and Structures
Infrastructure

Furniture, fixtures, and equipment

External Areas
 What is Facilities Management?

As defined by ISO and adopted by IFMA,

Facility Management is an organizational function which integrates people,
place and process within the built environment with the purpose of improving
the quality of life of people and the productivity of the core business.

Thus, it is a profession that uses various discipline to ensure the proper

functioning of the built environment by integrating People, place,
processes and technology.
Some Deductions
1. FM is a core organizational function that strategically aligns the physical
building to the business objectives.
2. FM integrates people, place and processes to create efficient and effective
operations through the multidisciplinary collaboration.
3. FM focuses on maintaining, operating, improving and planning for the future
needs of the built environment as well as ensuring sustainability.
4. FM aims at creating an environment that positively impacts its users.
5. FM supports the objectives of an organization through the optimization of the
built environment.
Scope of Facilities Management
 Types of FM
FM is categorized into two types

Electricals Landscaping

Plumbing
Hard Escalator Cleaning
Soft Custodial

Services Services
Services

Manguarding
HVAC
Delivery Models of FM
In-house Facilities Management
Outsourced Facilities Management

Importance of FM in an Organization
 Supports core business

Ensures compliance
Cost management
Operational efficiency
Sustainability
Asset management
Delivery Models of FM
Facilities management can be delivered through the In-house model and the
out-sourced model
In-house Facilities Management: refers to the practice of managing landed
assets and chattel internally. This utilizes the team’s own staff and resources. It
provides several advantages for building managers seeking greater control and
customization in managing their facilities. Through direct oversight,
communication with staff, and tailored solutions, companies can ensure efficient
operations tailored to their unique requirements.
•Control and oversight: In-house facility management allows teams to
maintain direct control over all aspects of facility operations, ensuring
alignment with KPIs, goals and standards.
•Direct communication with staff: With in-house management, there is
direct communication between facility managers and staff, facilitating quicker
response times and clearer directives.
•Tailored solutions to specific needs: In-house teams can customize
solutions to address specific facility requirements , offering flexibility and
adaptability to changing needs and conditions.
In-house facility management also presents several challenges that
facility managers must consider. These downsides include resource-
intensive operations, limited access to specialized expertise, and
potentially higher costs for specialized services.
•Resource-intensive: Managing facilities in-house requires significant
investment in personnel, equipment and infrastructure, which can strain
resources.
•Limited expertise and scalability: In-house teams may lack
specialized knowledge or skills, limiting their ability to address complex
issues or scale operations efficiently.
•Higher costs for specialized services: Building management may
incur higher costs when hiring external experts or contractors for
specialized services that their in-house team cannot provide.
Outsources Facilities Management Model is the process by which a firm
employs a separate company (the supplier ) under a contract to perform
a function which had previously been carried out in-house, in some
aspects by so doing transfers to that supplier their assets, including
people and management responsibility’- (Barrett, 1998)
Tthe strategic use of outside resources to perform activities traditionally
handled by internal staff and resources’- (Robert Handfield, 2006)
Out sourced Facilities Management Model. The Industrial Revolution
(1950s -1980s) gave birth to the outsourcing strategy as diversification
became very critical. In the 1990s, as the Focus shifted on adopting a
cost saving measures, non-core functions of various institutions were
outsourced. Till date the outsourcing model has evolved into the
development of strategic partnerships through integrated facilities
management contracts
Why the need to Outsource?
1. It reduce and control operating costs
2. Improve company focus- core business
3. Gain access to world-class capabilities
4. Free internal resources for other purposes
5. Let off a function that is time-consuming to manage or is
out of control
6. Ensure the availability of resources which are insufficient
or unavailable internally
7. It share risks with a partner company

The ‘ principal case’ for Outsourcing

The 'non core' argument
The 'cost' argument
The 'flexibility' argument
The 'expertise and innovation' argument
Challenges of Outsourcing

1. Critical service or asset failures

2. Loss of business knowledge
3. Service provider underperformance
4. Cultural rejection
5. Loss of knowledge
6. Labour risk
7. Lack of benchmarking
An effective technique of dealing with the threats associated with
outsourcing is for the client organization to understand and manage
threats through each phase of an outsourcing initiative.
 Roles and Skills of Facilities Managers
Role:
Represents or Acts on behalf of an investor / building owner.
Ensures that building meets the operational needs of its occupants.
Coordinates with other professionals.
Oversee and manage the building assets.
Maintain a healthy, safe and secure environment.
Skills:
 Communication / Customer Service  Team Leader and Player
 Problem Solving/ Thinking outside the box  Negotiator
 Financial know - how
 Core Competences
Project Finance and Quality
Management Business Assurance

Leadership and Occupier or Real Estate

Strategy Human Relations Management

Risk Information
Sustainability
Management Technology

Operations and
Communications
Maintenance
 Core Competences Con’t
Project Management: Overseeing and managing all projects and related
contracts.
Leadership and strategy: Strategic Planning, Staffing and Lead
Organization
Risk Management: Emergency preparedness planning and procedures.
Environment Stewardship and Sustainability: managing built and
natural environment, compliance to laws.
Communications: identifying and managing stakeholders.
Operation and Maintenance: Building operations, maintenance and
occupant services.
Occupancy and Human Relations: Staff development, Health and Safety.
 Core Competences Con’t
Finance and Business –strategic planning, budget, financial analysis,
procurement.
Quality Assurance: best practices, process improvements and audits.
Real Estate and Property Management: planning, acquisition,
management and disposal.
Technology: Software , AI etc.
 Importance of Facilities Management Services
 Ensure a safe and tenantable premises.
 Maintains the life span of a property.
 Minimize running cost of a space.
 Allows business managers to focus on the core business of an entity.
 Provides strategic planning.
 Streamlines responsibilities and provide tailor made services.
 Facilities Management Challenges
Maintaining aging assets or equipment.
Keeping up with changing regulatory and compliance requirements.
Technology
References
Hester Van Sparang, Bernard Drion (2020) introduction to Facilities
Management . Taylar & Francis Limited
Booty, F. (Ed.). (2009). Facilities Management Handbook (4th ed.).
Routledge.
https://knowledgelibrary.ifma.org/11-core-competencies-of-facility-
management/(23/06/2024)