Facility Management

What are facility management services? 

Facility Management (FM) is integrating processes to maintain and carry out services that support and improve the effectiveness of the primary activities within an organization. The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) offers a definition that is confirmed by the BSI (British Standards): “FM is the integration of processes within an organization (a company) to maintain and carry out the services agreed on which improve and support (maintain) the effectiveness of its primary activities.”

However, facility management is not just managing buildings and services. The Spanish Society of Facility Management (SEFM) defines it as “a management model of companies’ real estate resources that aims to adapt these to the companies’ organization and human team at all times and at the lowest possible cost, through integrating all the management responsibilities over those resources in the figure of the Facility Manager.”

Professional FM includes constant analysis and optimization of high-cost processes related to real estate, services, and infrastructure (except the core business), and increasing the return on capital through the financial use of services and infrastructure within the framework of processes that are planned, managed, and controlled. 

What Norms and Standards apply to facility management?

In accordance with ISO (the International Organization for Standardization), whose main activity is developing international technical regulations, facility management applies the following standards:

• ISO 41001:2018: Property management and support services. Management systems. Requirements with guidance for use.
• ISO 41011:2017: Property management and support services. Vocabulary.
• ISO 41012:2017: Property management and support services. Guidelines for strategic sourcing and reaching agreements.
• ISO 41013:2017: Scope, key concepts, and benefits.

The Spanish Association for Standardization (UNE, which stands for One Spanish Standard) maintains that facility management falls under regulation UNE 178303:2015 Smart Cities. City asset management. According to the specifications, “Smart Cities include concepts like the city, technology, and citizens.” Some of its principles are more efficient public services, better mobility and security, citizen participation, and more sustainable cities.

What benefits does facility management offer? 

According to international studies and experiences, implementing or optimizing asset management can help an organization achieve some of these benefits:

● 30% savings when using Building Information Modeling (BIM).

● 15% savings by optimizing FM service costs.

● 20% savings in energy efficiency.

● 9% of net profits.

● 20% decrease in expenses by developing competencies in FM regulations, standards, and practices.

Facility management in Spain

In Spain, responsibility for a building or structure’s maintenance is usually entrusted to a company that specializes in general services through subcontracting – that is, through a contract that one company makes with another to perform certain services that were initially assigned to the former.

The external or subcontracted company manages or carries out a specific business function daily. Outsourcing implies a high level of trust, coordination, and two-way communication. Outsourcing can be done in one of two ways: the company may only hire staff, so the client will provide resources like facilities, physical and intangible materials (information, concepts, ideas ), etc.; or the company may choose to hire staff and provide the resources.

Through its Services division, Ferrovial carries out comprehensive and innovative solutions that provide added value and improve the operation of its clients’ activities. The services are adapted to the needs of different sectors, such as banking, real estate, utilities, retail, data centers, and unique buildings.

Ferrovial Services’ management model follows the principles of Lean Manufacturing, and it integrates data analysis and IoT (Internet of Things) solutions. These tools, along with the use of mobile devices and various technological solutions, ensure management of knowledge, a management system for performance, transparency in carrying out the contracts, and real-time customer access to multiple indicators for efficient decision-making.

Similarly, Ferrovial is present in the field of asset management through preventive and corrective maintenance, adjustments and construction, technical studies and reports, key management, and claims services. Construction related to the remodeling, restoration, and conservation of buildings is also part of these services.

Fun facts 

Facility management was born in the United States and was imported to Europe through England.

May 13 is World Facilities Management Day.

Ferrovial is a Silver Sponsor of IFMA Spain (International Facility Management Association Spain).

Cleaning, maintenance, and security are the most outsourced services.