Management of Facilities refers to giving the importance as a job performed in with the actual area in which the functions and the services are carried out. It is very true in buildings or areas, such as office buildings, schools, hospitals, and retails, which span too many spaces to say that facilities management includes an array of functions to keep things controlled, secure and comfortable. This guide will let you know about the various facilities management types along with the areas of that category without any specialised lengthy terms. Be it a newcomer or someone wanting to widen their understanding, this guide is bound to take care of what you seek.
Before we can actually dive to what facilities management types are, it will give us some insight on what facilities management really is. Facilities management takes care of all coordination and management of a building facility's operational services and systems. Thus, it should ensure that space is working well for its occupants.
These persons are the first guards of keeping the whole facility, sometimes in terms of structural perfection, compliance or even safety requirements that all activities support an environment for broad use be it employees, students or customers.
For a better understanding of facilities management, it is best to enroll in a Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM) offered by the British Academy for Training and Development.
The segmentation of facilities management includes hard FM, soft FM, and specialized FM. Below, we will explain these into their subtypes with examples.
Hard Facilities Management (Hard FM)
Such aspects that are of hard FM cannot be associated with any of the physical properties of building structures. They can be the touchable things that require maintenance to make them functional and safe.
Here are some of the important examples of hard FM:
Such aspects that are of hard FM cannot be associated with any of the physical properties of building structures. They can be the touchable things that require maintenance to make them functional and safe. Here are some of the important examples of hard FM:
Activities covered by building maintenance include those keeping the external element of the physical structure of a building intact. Most common examples include:
Fix a leak in plumbing systems.
Painting and redecorating to maintain aesthetics.
These systems ensure the circulation of proper air for heating or cooling, according to the needs of the occupants. Facilities managers ensure that these systems are installed and serviced and any repairs arranged, as needed.
Electrical systems need to be inspected, scheduled often, and maintained to avoid hazards such as short circuits or failure of power. This includes checking:
Wiring and connections.
Functionality of standby power systems, such as generators.
Replaced light fixtures and bulbs.
Plumbing services include maintenance of the water supply systems including pipes and drains. Facilities management ensured that leakages, blockage in waters either non-existing or reduced supply is avoided.
It's very important to ensure a sound structure of a building. Such as:
Inspect load-bearing walls and foundations.
Repairing damage caused by weather effects or tear and wear effects.
Fire alarms and extinguishers, as well as sprinklers, are put under schedule tests or checks which have reference to the regulatory requirements for safety, and the set benefits in times of emergencies.
Soft FM services are people-centric and exist to enhance usability and experience within a space. These services are typically very non-technical in nature and relatively easier to adapt or change to specific resident needs.
The importance of the clean environment in health and morale, looking after cleaning schedules, waste disposal and hygiene standards, for example:
Daily cleaning of floors, restrooms, and communal areas.
Deep cleaning and sanitization when required.
Recycling and waste management.
Most important is keeping people safe and property secure. This is from security management such as:
Hiring and training security personnel.
Installing and maintaining surveillance cameras and alarm systems.
Managing access control systems (e.g., key cards or biometric scanners).
Catering services for food and beverages for the occupants of workplaces, schools, and hospitals offer the very basic models such as vending machines to the very sophisticated full-service cafeterias.
Receptionists or Front Desk personnel are the vital link in welcoming and managing inquiries from visitors. Facilities managers ensure that the front of the house operates as required.
Outdoor areas, well maintained, contribute to the building's aesthetics and
suffered,again with; lawn mowing, hedge trimming; planting flowers, maintenance of gardens; Keeping them clear when it snows, or when there is a fall of leaves.
This aspect of management plans for pest avoidance and management of infestation causing property damage or health risks.
Some buildings or industries would have specialised facilities management based on the unique operational requirements. Here are some examples of specialised facilities management:
Hospitals and clinics require specific facilities management because they have needs for running sterilised environments and medical equipment. Activities involved are:
Managing hazardous wastes.
Ensuring availability of medical gases, that is, oxygen and nitrogen.
Maintaining medicines and vaccines in temperature-controlled storages.
Schools and universities need services appropriate for students, educators, and so forth, such as:
Classroom layouts and IT infrastructures.
Sports facilities and labs.
Safety on playgrounds.
Sensitive technologies are contained within data centers. Consequently, they require specific conditions of both environmental and other types including:
The cooling systems must be managed to achieve an intended temperature to avoid overheating.
An uninterrupted power supply must be provided.
The facility must also be able to prevent unauthorised access.
Unique requirements pertain to the construction of retail stores, restaurants, and hotels such as:
Beautiful effects by interiors.
Crowd management during peak hours.
Safety of food using food safety areas.
FM works in factories and warehouses to operate more efficiently and safely. The important activities include:
Keeping machinery and equipment in working order.
Monitoring disposal of industrial waste.
Maintaining employee safety in hazardous environments
Among these essential areas is facilities management, which incorporates managing functionality, safety, and operating efficiency for varied spaces and encompasses both physical facility and occupant needs. It involves considering hard FM services for structural maintenance interventions, and soft FM services for cleaning and security, and extending those even for specialized FM of industries such as healthcare and retail. Each form has its own particular need. Therefore, by classifying all the categories of FM, organisations can develop environments that help to achieve those goals more effectively. The British Academy for Training and Development offers comprehensive courses in Facilities Management to help you excel in this vital field.