A new guide aimed at helping facilities management professionals with the design and construction process has been launched
The British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) has launched new guidance aimed at equipping “facilities management professionals with the skills, knowledge, and guidance to effectively engage at each stage of the design construction process”.
The document, ‘Operational Readiness Guide: A guide to ensuring long term effectiveness in the design and construction process’, will deliver more efficient value to end user organisations. It covers compliance, people, processes, procurement, and technical elements of the FM industry.
The guide was developed by BIFM’s Operational Readiness steering group, which includes a number of practitioners in the facilities management industry. They were assisted by BIFM and academics.
The release of the document coincided with the deadline for organisations wishing to undertake public sector projects to become BIM Level 2 compliant.
Authors of the guidance stated that facilities management professionals need “to be engaged from the start, and learnings and insights from operators applied to close the gap between building design and performance” if they are “to deliver long term effectiveness and relevance for the end user”.
FMs have a significant role to play as a representative of the end user of a building. As such, they need to have a substantial understanding of the key requirements of the user to deliver high performance buildings. BIFM said the process maximises the productivity of buildings through sustainable and energy efficient measures.
The guide builds upon the foundations laid in 2013 through the RIBA Plan of Work, which has been aligned to the new BIM process model.
Peter Brogan, research and information manager at BIFM said: “The Government Construction Strategy set out the aims for the public estate to embrace BIM as part of a process of continual improvement and better development of its assets.
“It has long been recognised by FM professionals that for our profession the soft landings processes are the way of FM to deliver this mandate, and that different professions from across the built environment have different roles to play.
“However, in real terms, much of the advice and discussions were theoretical, and translating this into new ways of working and processes has demanded new ways of thinking and innovation.
“Therefore this guide has been created to determine in practical terms what happens at each stage of the construction process and the specific role that FM, as part of the project board, has to play.”
Webinars will be held relating to the guidance, enabling authors to talk through it with FM professionals. They will be held on the following dates:
- 5 May 2016 – Operational Readiness and FM’s Role Part 1: Stages 0-4 Strategic Definition through to Technical Design
- 12 May 2016 – Operational Readiness and FM’s Role Part 2: Stages 5-7 Construction, Handover & Close Out and In Use.
The guidance follows the March 2016 publication of BIFM’s ‘Good Practice Guide Asset Management Surveying Practice’. This outlined Asset Management data and Computer Aided Facilities Management systems. A webinar dedicated to providing an overview on this topic will be held on 21 April.
