4 Facility Management Trends

Some of the most important discussions around the FM industry today focus on trends such as digitisation, globalisation and commercialisation. But what does that mean exactly for facility managers? We present 4 trends in the FM industry at a glance.¹

Integrated Services

In the past the technical, infrastructural and commercial building services were often offered and commissioned separately. However, the trend in FM is increasingly turning to integrated services, so-called system services. The reason is obvious: Suppliers of complete services can create synergies between the different disciplines.

Awareness of sustainability

Life cycle thinking and sustainability considerations dominate in many industries. Especially in the real estate industry, sustainability has become an important competitive factor. Not surprisingly, builders and FM service providers can not escape the topic. There is a trend towards “green” FM, which means the sustainable use and management of real estate. Green FM should make office buildings and other buildings more ecological. One thing is clear: there is a need to catch up  in this area. The Sustainability Radar 2017 of WISAG Facility Service Holding GmbH shows that companies often lack an overall concept for sustainable building operation.

New ways of working

In today’s society, the user is moving more and more into focus. FlexDesk and home office are not just a “startup thing” anymore. For this reason, it is not surprising that the need for remote service ordering (such as room reservations and logistics services) is increasing. In order to determine the actual utilization of office space, intelligent data collection and flexible FM contract models are indispensable.

Smart technology

In the facility management industry, technical developments play an important role and promise great progress in the efficient use of resources. One of the main trend of digitalisation is Internet of Things (IOT). This term encompasses the concept that every device can be connected to the Internet with an on / off button. An example of this: intelligent containers that let the cleaning staff know when they have to be changed or refilled. Even an intelligent access solution is almost indispensable in this context.

Essential goals that can be pursued with the digitalisation in facility management include reducing operating costs, conserving energy and optimizing operations.

But where are the technical innovations in facility management? Prof. Dr. Michael May, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Joachim Hohmann and “The Facility Manager” want to find out at the Future Lab 2018 on 21st and 22nd November 2018 in Munich. We keep you up to date!

^{Source:
1 The findings are based on the study “Scenario for the Future of the Global Facility Management Industry” by the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies}