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1
Sustainability in Facilities Management
Making It Happen
Creating value through FM in the built environment
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Sustainability in Facilities Management
FOREWORD
'The BIFM's report is a very useful piece of work; it raises awareness of aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility where facilities
management knowledge gaps exist and where training and skills can be developed by the industry to address them. The report will
feed into the DTI Sustainable Construction Strategy and sets out the five-year programme to close the gap and deliver sustainability
into day to day facilities management operations. This evaluation will help to provide a framework to guide future policies and give
them a clear and relevant scope for the construction industry. The overall Strategy framework will focus on the principle of Sustainable
Development to which the Government as a whole is signed up; Government and Industry are working closely together to deliver their
contribution to sustainable development. It is in the interests of both our economy and the construction industry to achieve this
because we want a sustainable, innovative and productive economy which delivers high levels of employment. We also want to see a
just society that promotes social inclusion, sustainable communities and personal wellbeing. Furthermore, the vision has to be
delivered in ways that protect and enhance the physical and natural environment, and uses resources and energy as efficiently as
possible.
I commend the BIFM's Sustainable FM Strategy Report as a valuable guide to its members.
Elizabeth Whatmore
Director, Construction Sector Unit
This report has been written by the BIFM Sustainability Group following initial research performed
by the BRE in April 2006.
Sunil Shah, Chair Sustainability Group
Sue Inness, Constructing Excellence
Lucy Black
Annie Hall, CITB
Gordon Ludlow
Mindy Hadi, BRE
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Sustainability in Facilities Management
Executive Summary
Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important issue for Government,
professional institutes and the business community in general. However it is not
always appreciated that it is the members of the facilities management profession
who are at the forefront of the delivery of sustainability in terms of its impact on the
selection, operation and management of properties.
This report sets out a five year strategy based upon a research study on the
knowledge and usage of sustainability practices and principles by professional
facilities managers in the UK, the barriers that prevent increased implementation and
the support required to bring about change. The work has been commissioned by the
Sustainability Forum and the British Institute of Facilities Management.
The report will feed into the DTI Sustainable Construction strategy and sets out the
five-year programme to close the gap and deliver sustainability into day to day
facilities management operations.
In the light of the increased desire from Government and industry to provide a more
sustainable built environment, this research has provided an insight into the key role
There is an increasing focus
played by the facilities management profession in delivering this. It has been asserted
on the role of the client in
that until very recently, most of the emphasis in terms of sustainable development has
providing leadership as part
been on new buildings, although the vast majority of the building stock in the UK is
of integrated construction
made up of existing buildings.
teams. FM provides a
unique bridge between the
A series of measures will be implemented to raise the profile for facilities managers.
end users of a building and
Much will be captured through the Sustainable FM Project, a collaboration of
the construction and design
industry, professional institutions and charitable bodies. The Project will present
professions enabling the
information and develop tools on sustainable facilities management to implement
articulation of client and end
sustainability measures by those who influence the management and performance of
user needs.
Elizabeth Whatmore, Head
the existing building stock.

of Construction Sector Unit,
DTI
Develop a series of Case studies and Proofs demonstrating tangible benefits
and value covering a range of facilities and sectors;

Sharing good practice and quick wins across peers, and recognised
organisations providing a useful catalogue of initiatives for implementation;

Provision of a centralised web-based knowledge portal for the Facilities
Management community throughout the building lifecycle;

Developing and integrating sustainability into professional competencies and
skills using the skills matrix into Asset Skills will be a priority.
The role of the client and Government is critical, whether an owner or investor, to
enable FMs to utilise those skills, metrics and case studies.

Development of more innovative procurement packages to enable longer term
returns to be made;
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Sustainability in Facilities Management

Engagement with the supply chain through specifications to substantiate
Corporate Reports, Internal Briefings and maintain brand image;

Government has a role to lead by example in the drive to implement
sustainability measures as the largest landowner and landlord. The ability to
set specifications and drive the FM industry forwards should not be
underestimated.
A longer term set of measures are necessary to embed the value FM provides in the
building lifecycle and mechanisms to drive continuous improvement:

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) will be developed through the building
lifecycle, led by FM, to capture environmental, social and economic principals;

Government to ensure clients are required to demand sustainable buildings
through a range of fiscal and punitive measures;

To engage the FM community an awards programme and recognition scheme
between the FM industry and government will provide an incentive and the
ability to reward good practices;
4
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Sustainability in Facilities Management
Introduction
There is an increasing desire from Government and Industry to develop and provide
buildings in a more sustainable manner to support communities, employees and
shareholders throughout their lifecycles, described through the Sustainable
Facilities management is the
integration of multi-disciplinary
activities within the built
environment and the
management of their impact
upon people and the workplace.’
Ian R Fielder, CEO, British
Institute of Facilities
Management
Communities plan and Sustainable Buildings Task Group. With property churn at less
than 2% per annum, the vast majority of buildings are those already standing. There
is a significant amount of work, case studies and guidance documents to instil the
ideas of sustainable development, yet there has been a relatively low return in terms
of real change.
The role of Facilities Management is significant, acting as a facilitator between the
end user (occupants within the facility) and the client (owner or investor) to deliver
FMs main function in the operations and management of facilities. However, there is a
significant influencing role over the service and supply of goods and activities through
procurement, specification and performance management. There is also an influence
over the investor and owner of the facility through the selection of new facilities,
refurbishments and operational performance rating.
A review of the UK FM market found the market is worth £106.3bn with annual growth
levels expected to be between 2-3% in real terms from 2006-2010.1 FMs operate and
manage buildings, but they also specify, purchase and lease premises – having a
great impact on the sustainability performance of organisations. This strategy takes
into account the full FM activity and where benefits can be delivered.
Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important issue for Government,
professional institutes and the business community in general. However it is not
always appreciated that it is the members of the facilities management profession
who are at the forefront of the delivery of Sustainability in terms of its impact on the
operation and management of properties.
Facilities Management’s role in Sustainability is one of supporting the Board to deliver
aspects critical to the FMs operational activities around the premises, local community
and staff welfare. The level of commitment provided by the Board to Sustainability will
be an enabler to make things happen. Facilities managers have a crucial role to play
in the delivery of more sustainable facilities, through a number of stages in the life
cycle of a building. It is increasingly understood that the benefits sustainable buildings
bring for their occupants/users include: a reduction in absenteeism; increased
workforce productivity; improved learning abilities; and a reduction in inpatient stay
times.
These benefits are provided through the integration of FM and design
knowledge into the facility.
1
UK Facilities Management Market Development Report published by MBD
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Sustainability in Facilities Management
The focus of this research has been to understand the barriers and gaps which exist,
leading to Facilities Managers' relatively poor uptake of sustainability knowledge, tools
and Government support. It has also sought to learn lessons from the construction
industry, where significant resources have been made available to incorporate
sustainability criteria into the operational practices.
This report sets out the findings of a research study into the knowledge and usage of
Sustainability practices and principles by professional facilities managers in the UK,
the barriers that prevent the increased implementation and the support required to
bring about change. The work has been carried out by BRE (The Building Research
Establishment) on behalf of the Sustainability Forum and the BIFM (British Institute of
Facilities Management).
FMs operate and manage buildings, but they also specify,
purchase and lease premises – they can be the client.
The report also reviews and looks to learn lessons from the construction industry,
which has been the subject of a concerted effort and resourcing to incorporate
sustainability criteria, training and processes. Over the past number of years
measures have been successful in engaging within the construction industry – it is
important to understand what drives this success and to link the facilities management
activities to transfer this knowledge.
The intention of this research has been to highlight the areas for additional focus and
attention and is intended to provide an overview of the issues affecting sustainability
within FM, and how the industry responds. It is anticipated that both the Industry and
Government take up these recommendations and implement more fully through
detailed research and tangible outcomes.
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Sustainability in Facilities Management
2
Learning Lessons from the
Construction Industry
The construction industry as a whole is notoriously slow to change its practices, and
its reaction to sustainability as an issue is no exception.
Sustainability has
traditionally been seen as a fringe interest and was largely ignored by the majority of
the industry over the last twenty-five to thirty years. However, there has been a
noticeable change in awareness of sustainability in mainstream business over the last
two years and in the last six months a rapid sharpening of attention (partly because of
legislative changes).
External view and
internal recreational
space of the National
Trusts building in
Swindon.
Drivers for Change
Much research has been carried out regarding the drivers for more sustainable
practices within the construction industry. The generally accepted conclusion is that
they fall into four broad categories:

Economic pressures

Client demand

Public perception

Legislative requirements
Economic pressures are often, but not always, linked to legislative drivers – for
example, changes to waste management legislation have meant that waste disposal
to landfill is becoming much more expensive, and this trend will undoubtedly continue.
Pressure from investors and insurers to reduce risk by adopting more sustainable
practices is also a contributor.
Client demand is a critical issue, but unfortunately many clients are not well-informed
either about sustainability or about construction projects and therefore are not in a
position to establish appropriate requirements or to assess proposals to see whether
their aspirations are being met. Whilst they can appoint experts to help them to do
this, they very often do not know what the possibilities are and therefore do not ask
the right questions at the right time.
Public perception is generally perceived as an issue by larger construction
businesses, and particularly those which are listed on the Stock Exchange. Beyond
this, few construction companies would list it as a major driver, despite the fact that
many
small
businesses
in
particular
gain
much
of
their
work
through
recommendations from previous clients. This is not the case for many other types of
organisation, who feel that they gain clear advantages from being seen to be more
sustainable; this is, however, rarely translated across into the procurement and
management of their buildings.
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Sustainability in Facilities Management
Legislation is, without exception, seen as a significant driver by all levels and types of
organisation, and it is this aspect that has most influenced recent changes in attitude
towards sustainability, such as changes to the Building Regulations and Site Waste
Management Plans. Legislation should not be relied on as the sole means of raising
standards, however: the tendency will always be to work to legal minima unless
pressure to go beyond these comes from elsewhere.
Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)
The first set of KPIs was published in 1999 by Constructing Excellence with three
main objectives:

Whole Life Value Toolkit
To provide companies and projects with a simple method of establishing a
performance measurement system;

To provide a straightforward method of benchmarking performance against
ing Stakeholder Value - Investment Option Appraisal Tool
others in the construction industry; and

To track long-term trends in performance (and specifically to demonstrate
whether the industry was achieving improvement targets which had been set
out in the report ‘Rethinking Construction’).
The first set of KPIs measured broadly economic issues, but other sets have since
been developed to include people management issues and environmental indicators,
as well as KPIs for specific sectors within the construction industry. This means that
all three strands of sustainability are now being addressed to some extent. In broad
terms, industry performance is improving across all three strands, though in varying
degrees with many factors static or in decline.
g better investment decisions, based on best whole life value!’
It is interesting to note that the Constructing Excellence demonstration projects outperform the rest of the industry on all measures except that of profitability – and this
figure should be treated with caution, as the ‘All construction’ data is company-based,
whilst the demonstration project data is project-based. Evidence collected by
Constructing Excellence from ‘best practice’ companies shows that measurement and
benchmarking can yield real benefits to organisations by highlighting their
performance and showing where action is needed to make improvements.
Training and Awareness
The Constructing Excellence demonstration project programme was established in
order to raise awareness and prove the value of undertaking innovative approaches
to construction projects, and to disseminate practical experience gained by those
adopting new techniques. However,
whilst the demonstration projects are
undoubtedly useful in highlighting what can be achieved, there is little evidence despite the significant investment in the whole demonstration project process - that
they have succeeded in convincing mainstream construction organisations to change
their practices across the board. Some approaches have moved from ‘innovation’ to
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Sustainability in Facilities Management
‘best practice’ (such as the adoption of partnering), but on the whole it is only the
leading companies that have adopted these new practices and the majority of the
industry remains very little changed.
Training is therefore crucial in ensuring that more sustainable practices are adopted.
This means training at all levels, whether in degree and vocational courses or as a
requirement of Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and with a range of
Similar to other respondents, the
majority of facilities managers
claim some competence in the
majority of skills. The most often
technical content including general awareness-raising. Considerable work has been
undertaken to identify the skills needed in order to deliver a more sustainable built
environment and this forms a good basis for the development of appropriate training
requirements and courses to meet those requirements.
cited reason for not doing these
tasks is that they are not required
by the client.
Finding from ConstructionSkills
Report
ConstructionSkills FM Research
MRM Consulting conducted research for ConstructionSkills, into the skills of
facilities managers in sustainable development.
The findings are drawn from a
wider paper on how the whole construction industry is dealing with sustainable
development. Early in spring 2006, ConstructionSkills polled four hundred managers
from the industry about their skills in, and use of, sustainable development. Fifty of
these managers were responsible for managing facilities such as buildings and
estates. The questions asked were taken from a framework of skills required for
sustainable development. Respondents were asked to rate their skills against this
framework and the frequency that they use each skill.
The skills in which more than 60% of respondents claim competence is in their ability
to:

Assess the level of nuisance/contamination from the running and operation
of the building;


Make all facility users aware of the need to reduce, reuse and recycle waste;
Establish and run occupier/user groups that collect and report on
management needs;

Design procedures for tenants/users that encourage them to reduce energy
usage; and

Monitor and report on performance of the structure against its financial
targets.
The skills fewest (<40% of respondents) claim competence is in their ability to:

Install and maintain water saving/efficient devices throughout the facility;

Install and maintain building services systems and devices to minimise water
demand;

Design and run a recycling plan for the facility;

Make all facility users aware of the need to minimise their use of water; and

Measure the waste generated by a facility.
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Sustainability in Facilities Management
As with other parts of the supply chain, whilst facilities managers claim high levels of
competence, the frequency with which they are called upon to use those skills is
variable. The tasks that facilities managers do most often as revealed by the survey
are to:

Ensure the facility is operated for flexibility of use;

Monitor and report on performance of the structure against its financial
targets; and

Install and maintain building services systems and devices to minimise
energy demand.
The tasks that facilities managers appear to do least often are:

Make all facility users aware of the need to minimise their use of water;

Establish and run occupier/user groups that collect and report on
management needs;

Design procedures for tenants/users that encourage them to reduce water
use; and

Design and run a recycling plan for the facility.
Facilities managers offer a valuable insight into what makes a building sustainable
and their experience should be captured and used to change design and build
methods. The actions to increase the frequency which the least done tasks are done
are easier for this group if they are the owner/occupier because they operate with
fewer constraints than contractors or designers.
Summary
Much of the construction industry’s focus on change has been internal, which has
been beneficial for many of the indicators mapped. However, to deliver sustainable
buildings, the buy-in and leadership from clients is required to fully realise benefits on
both sides. The internal focus has led to the construction industry pushing ahead
without ensuring the client is cognisant with the reasoning for changes being
implemented. As such, many clients have been negative to the changes causing a
status quo in moving ahead with many of the innovations. The demonstration projects
have enabled this understanding at the opening stages.
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Sustainability in Facilities Management
3
Description of the Research
The Facilities Management profession has developed through the coalescence of a
number of previous disciplines. Individuals themselves have found themselves in an
FM profession more often than necessarily choosing it as a career path. The ability to
identify these individuals and engage them is further complicated by the number of
professional institutions individuals are members of.
14%
13%
Alongside the typical FM and end user institutions including BIFM, CIBSE, and
Engineering Institutions globally, FM professionals are also members of RICS, RIBA
Commercial FM
Service Providers
and CIOB which they had gained from previous roles. Indeed, many involved in FM
It was therefore necessary to operate a range of data collection methodologies to
engage the facilities management profession and obtain the information required to
achieve the project objectives. The main element of the research was the
development, distribution and analysis of a questionnaire survey directly to
professional institutions and through e-mail bulletins, website posting, journals etc.
This was supported by a series of interviews and a workshop to validate initial
findings.
A total of 120 responses were received from the questionnaire, which is
acknowledged as a low proportion of the FM industry. However, the responses were
verified through a workshop attended by over 45 FM professionals and are deemed
strong enough to support views being put forward to the Government Sustainable
Construction Strategy review. The responses were spread across a range of work
roles and across public and private sectors.
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
R
et
W
a r Hea ai l
eh
l th
ou
ca
se
re
/s
t
M
an ora
ge
uf
a
En ctur
in
te
g
rta
in
m
en
t
H
ot
Sp
el
o
&
r
H
ca t
ou
te
si
rin
ng
g
(
H
ou priv
at
si
ng
e)
(s
oc
ia
l)
59%
om
m
er
ci
al
of
f
Ed i ce
s
uc
at
C
io
iv
ic
n
Bu al
i ld
in
gs
O
th
er
Other
hold multiple memberships across a range of institutions.
Percentage response
In House FM
Providers
C
14%
Facilities
Consultants
Building type specialised in by organisation
It has been recognised that this form of engagement attracts respondents who have
an interest in Sustainability in the first place, and will therefore not be representative
of the profession as a whole. Given the type of research, this has been recognised
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Sustainability in Facilities Management
and has enabled the ‘leading edge’ of the industry to be tracked, with the vast majority
of the ‘tail’ following.
What we must be careful of is to ensure the FM industry as a whole will benefit from
sustainability practices, rather than to focus upon the leading edge. In addition, the
client must also be aware of both the drivers and benefits to enable the industry to
move forward.
Percentage response
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
More than 15
years
11 - 15 years
6 - 10 years
1 - 5 years
Less than 1
year
Time working in FM
Interestingly the respondents have spent an average of over ten years in the FM
industry and have formed strong views on practices that will be effective in the
industry.
To this extent, a Sustainability Skills Matrix has been developed relating the facilities
management profession to those within the built environment throughout the lifecycle
of facilities. This document was produced with industry consultation and involvement
by the Skills sub-group of the Sustainability Forum. The Skills Matrix was formally
handed over in June 2005 and it now forms the basis of work undertaken by three of
the Sector Skills Councils relevant to the built environment (ConstructionSkills,
AssetSkills and SummitSkills).
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Sustainability in Facilities Management
4
Knowledge and Understanding
Implementation of initiatives by FM is often made as a matter of good management
practice and personal intervention, rather than to comply with the direct requirements
of a Policy Statement. This was the general feedback from the study and may be due
to the position of the facilities group within an organisation with Facilities Managers
perceived as enablers. This should be an esteemed position but in many
organisations colleagues and management perceive them to be “low priority workers”,
“the guys that sort out the fixing of your lights and the unblocking of the toilets.”
‘Our green procurement of
cleaning products was not led
to procure something that is
safer for our staff and the
environment. It doesn’t come
from a central policy document
saying you will, it comes from
us interpreting what our
requirements are and what
legislation is rather than being
80
Percentage Response
by being green … we decided
60
40
20
0
IiP
Carbon
Trust
ISO14001
CE
BREEAM
dictated to by policy.’
Unknown, Facilities
Manager
Business in
the
Community
Envirow ise FTSE4GOOD
Percentage of respondents rating their knowledge of best practice initiatives as
‘Good’ or ‘Very good’
The knowledge of sustainability by facilities managers is integral to the delivery of
effective operations and management, and has an undercover influence as they are
involved in all aspects of the business, from security to communications. They are an
integral part of the business but often have a lack of Director level influence. The
ability to exercise this control and influence is based, in part, on the level of
understanding and the ability to utilise this knowledge.
Knowledge of best practice initiatives was expectedly high, with Investors in People
by far the most recognised single standard at 67%, and both the Carbon Trust and
ISO14001 recognised by 58% of respondents. All three have received a wide level of
advertisement to raise awareness. At the opposite end, measures such as Envirowise
was recognised by only 30% of respondents – a surprisingly low response rate for a
fundamental service available to reduce environmental risks on operational sites.
There was also a higher level of knowledge relating to environmental and social
regulations and legislation than for best practice initiatives. Health and Safety at Work
Act (89%) and the Disability Discrimination Act (77%) were familiar to the vast
majority of respondents as would be expected given their relevance to the work of
most facilities managers. However, many of the incoming environmental legislative
requirements including the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive were relatively poorly known
(50%), both which have considerable implications for facilities managers.
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Sustainability in Facilities Management
An assessment of the knowledge and use of individual facilities management services
relating to the following activities was reviewed to determine the gaps.

Procurement activities;

People including employees and suppliers; and

Property based activities.
Percentage of respondents rating their knowledge as ‘Good’ or ‘Very good’
and the difference between Knowledge and Use.
30
Procurement
20
10
0
Green Procurement
(materials)
Ethical procurement / Supplier / Contractor
purchasing
Management
50
Green Procurement
(cleaning products)
Property
40
30
20
30
Waste
management /
recycling
Monitoring
energy /
water usage
Contamination
/ pollution
Biodiversity /
ecology
Natural
ventilation
strategies
Renewable
energy
technologies
Energy /
water
conservation
0
Life cycle
assessment
10
People
25
20
15
10
Community
Involvement
Workstation
Assessments
Workplace
Risk
Assessments
Monitoring
Customer
Satisfaction
Equality and
diversity
issues
Staff
Development
Strategies
0
Green
Transport
Initiatives
5
14
Sustainability in Facilities Management
Usage ratings were consistently lower than knowledge as would be expected – there
is obviously a difference between knowing about something and being motivated to,
or able to, use it.
When knowledge and usage ratings were examined for the detailed issues, it was
apparent that higher ratings were given for areas where there was a legislative
requirement to comply e.g. Waste management, Workplace risk assessments,
Equality and diversity issues, rather than for those where the driver was best practice.
This finding was also supported by the fact that compliance with legislation was by far
the top rated organisational driver by the respondents for taking measures into
account. Much of the knowledge and awareness represented by the FM profession
related directly to legal compliance requirements, which was also felt to represent a
strong understanding of the subject matter. In this sense, for example, best practice in
‘Waste Management and Recycling’ would be achieved through achievement of
compliance, rather than through avoidance and minimisation of waste itself.
Another key factor in knowledge related to the wider strategies and policies of the
client organisation, seen as a key aspect of a facilities manager’s role such as
Monitoring customer (occupant) satisfaction, Supplier/ contractor management and
Monitoring energy and water usage. Activities with the least awareness were those
which could be seen as less mainstream, with a focus on ‘environmental’ rather than
social or economic areas, for example natural ventilation strategies, renewable energy
technologies and biodiversity and ecology issues.
From the research, the Sustainability issues that a facilities manager should know
about are Energy, Waste, Business case and Staff engagement (facilities manager
and users). Increasing knowledge and information will fill some of the gaps.
In particular, facilities managers require information that will help them to make the
business case for Sustainability i.e. cost and benefits analysis, information on
exemplar projects and best practice. Information about what peers offer is also
required, engaging organisations that are known for their good Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) work to share their experience. Example specifications are also
seen as important to help streamline processes and reduce wasted time for busy
facilities managers who see lack of time as a major barrier for them.
This information could be delivered via a number of routes. The main sources of
knowledge that are used are professional / trade bodies, professional journals,
publications and the internet. In common with other professionals, facilities managers
today are very short of time and therefore are unable to research or read many
sources of information, tending to use one or two trusted sources, in particular their
professional journals. The internet was also a very popular source of information;
however, the success of the search very much depends on knowing something about
the issue in the first place to be able to enter the correct search term.
15
Sustainability in Facilities Management
5
Drivers for Change
There were a number of factors that were viewed as key to transforming facilities
managers’ ability to implement sustainability practices in their work. Facilities
managers were aware of the terminology but felt that they had very little detailed
knowledge with further information gathered from colleagues or external sources such
as websites. It was recognised that under legislation, FMs have a “duty of care” to
their customers and therefore provide the “statutory minimum”, with few proceeding
beyond this line. Those that do, point to the ethos of the company as an important
‘‘We have a mentality which,
factor.
regardless of the legislation, we
try to work to… what is best for
the environment, our
environment within the
constraints of finance available‘
Unknown, Facilities
Manager
Legislation
Compliance with legislation was seen as an important driver for change, particularly at
the board level. It was felt that ‘if you don’t use legislation, organisations don’t
engage.’ However, increased legislation was not seen as the main way forward.
Although it overcomes the cost barrier and raises awareness, it only sets minimum
standards. As was seen in the research findings, the reported level of knowledge of
some of the existing and proposed legislation in the Sustainability arena was not very
high. Facilities managers also feel that they already have too much in the way of
existing and forthcoming legislation and regulation to deal with but that what was
needed was a way of clarifying and consolidating what already exists. Instead of
additional legislation, the way forward was felt to be to identify the business benefits
and then persuade companies that Sustainability is a business advantage. The DTI
viewpoint, expressed at the workshop was in line with this argument. They prefer not
to go down the route of enforcement but would rather encourage “Self will and self
regulation” to deliver Sustainability.
60
40
20
om
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ha
ia
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fit
y
s
of
W
G
or
ov
kp
er
la
nm
ce
en
C
tI
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ni
ti a
m
pi
tiv
St
o
es
ni
af
ng
fR
In
et
no
en
va
ti o
ti o
n
&
n
R
ec
ru
itm
en
t
0
Le
ga
l
C
Percentage Response
80
Main Drivers
Main drivers for taking Sustainability into account
16
Sustainability in Facilities Management
Legislators must therefore decide on the extent to which sustainable development
should be factored into regulations and legislation that has a direct impact on the
facilities management profession.
Corporate Culture and Policy
Whilst the facilities manager is often well placed to be consulted on the development
of a Sustainability policy, it was often the case that policies were created without their
involvement. Facilities managers often have the skills, and the understanding of the
core business, however, a lack of knowledge, demonstrated benefits and limited
budgets have meant that sustainability continues to “sit along the sidelines” for
professional facilities managers.
In order to encourage increased implementation of Sustainability within the facilities
manager profession, a shift in organisational culture is needed towards one of best
practice rather than one of doing the minimum to achieve compliance. It is possible
that many facilities managers are doing what they have to as driven by legislation,
particularly in the areas of health and safety and diversity. These are the areas in
which they have the most knowledge and experience. To go any further many feel
that a fundamental culture change is needed. Part of this problem perhaps lies in the
perceived cost and low benefits of implementing best practice.
Communication, both vertical and horizontal, is a key issue, but needs to be a twoway process. Facilities managers need to communicate their role in delivering
Sustainability and what they are doing to implement it in their organisation. They also
need to be involved in discussions about the delivery of sustainability at a strategic
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
ire
ct
or
D
D
i re
ct
or
Pr
op
er
ty
Fi
na
nc
e
lD
ire
ct
or
ire
ct
or
D
R
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D
on
't
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/u
ns
ur
e
O
ire
ct
or
Fa
ci
li
tie
s
C
D
EO
th
er
0
/M
D
Percentage response
level.
Person responsible for driving Corporate Responsibility
Responsibility for driving Sustainability within organisations
Another area of culture change is the need for increased involvement for the facilities
manager in the design and construction of the buildings they operate. It was seen as
vital for other members of the design and construction professions to recognise the
17
Sustainability in Facilities Management
importance of the facilities manager role in providing advice to the design team on the
implications of their decisions for sustainable occupation in the long term.
Some facilities managers preferred to focus upon particular strategies such as waste
management, green procurement and green transport rather than on an overarching
sustainability policy. They implemented these services because they saw these as an
issue for themselves, rather than as a response to a policy ‘dictated from the top’.
However they did not always feel that they were in a position to implement new
initiatives without wider approval.
It appears that a key factor driving a culture supporting Sustainability is the amount of
top level involvement. Where Sustainability was driven from the top, by the CEO or
MD, the priority given to Sustainability issues was seen as highest. This could be an
indication that one of the keys to changing culture is to bring those at the top of
organisations on board through providing them with the business case proofs and
cost benefit information. It was interesting to note that after legislative compliance, the
highest driver for an organisation taking Sustainability into account was Enhanced
Reputation. Many organisations where Sustainability has been taken on board are
finding that this is helping their business, giving them a unique selling point in the
marketplace in the light of the increased consumer interest in such issues as ethical
investment and fair trade.
Recognition Schemes
Award/recognition schemes and Publicity promotion would serve to raise the profile of
Sustainability within the business community. Sustainability Awards from BIFM and
PFM have raised the profile of the subject, but there has been little penetration
throughout the property industry. Such a scheme to gain this level of recognition
would only be successful if it were high profile, backed by the government for example
a joint DTI/BIFM initiative.
Internal recognition schemes such as linkage with key performance indicators,
bonuses and part of annual appraisals were also noted as means to increase
recognition of sustainability throughout an organisation and into the supply chain.
18
Sustainability in Facilities Management
6
Barriers to Implementation
Lack of understanding and proof of the business case, by both the Client and FM, is
one of the main barriers preventing facilities managers from taking Sustainability into
account in their work, together with a perceived lack of information and training. Few
facilities managers are receiving any training related to Sustainability, largely due to
few training programmes for facilities managers - possibly because there is no
demand for it as there is no awareness of why it is essential. As time constraints were
an important issue for facilities managers - they have little time for training, searching
for information or introducing innovation – all perceived as time-consuming tasks.
‘‘Sustainability should be in the
company's DNA: the way it
interacts with its stakeholders - and
Understanding of the Business Case
considered as vital as H&S. It
Targeting facilities managers to implement sustainability issues might be ineffective if
should not be an "add on": it should
they must rely on management for financial backing for such initiatives. Board level
be integral to the way a company
managers welcomed sustainable initiatives but failed “to understand that things like
behaves.’
recycling cost money and time”. There was some confusion about what is meant by
Unknown, Facilities Manager
Sustainability for facilities managers, even amongst those who had a good level of
awareness. Often the terms CSR and Sustainability are used interchangeably.
Facilities managers wished for increased coherence in the Sustainability agenda - ‘we
need ‘simple Sustainability’ to bring it all together and make it easier to understand
what one needs to do.’ This situation is compounded by the perception that there is a
raft of regulations and legislation related to Sustainability that is often inconsistent and
confusing.
30
20
10
on
st
ra
in
Bu
ts
si
ne
In
fo
ss
rm
C
at
as
io
e
n
an
d
Tr
ai
ni
ng
Af
fo
rd
ab
il it
y
Aw
ar
en
O
rg
es
an
s
is
at
io
n
Cu
Bo
ltu
ar
re
d
Le
ve
lI
nt
er
C
So
es
us
ur
t
t
om
ci
ng
er
In
Se
te
rv
re
ic
st
es
&
P
ro
du
ct
s
C
ha
m
pi
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on
pp
in
li e
g
rK
no
w
le
dg
e
Pe
rc
ei
ve
d
R
is
k
0
Ti
m
e
C
Percentage Response
40
Main Barriers
Main barriers to take-up of Sustainability
A facilities manager pointed to the lack “of demonstrated benefits behind the
promotion of sustainability issues”, with examples not providing the tangible evidence
of the benefits provided. There is a need to provide greater clarity and recognition to
the understanding of costs and benefits to develop a financial case for Sustainability –
19
Sustainability in Facilities Management
‘quantifying the value of Sustainability actions over and above the minimum regulatory
requirement’.
Affordability
Another key barrier was the affordability of Sustainability measures. There is a
perception that Sustainability implies increased expense although, as research has
shown, this is not necessarily the case. This underlies the need to demonstrate that
measures can save money within the short return periods. However, many occupying
businesses are focussed on short-term capital cost as opposed to longer-term whole
life costs and it was felt that for this reason, clients only demand and pay for minimal
compliance. This is compounded by the fact that many business occupiers do not
own their own buildings and therefore do not see the value in making an investment
that they will not be able to take with them when their lease expires.
There is a role for facilities managers to operate with their supply chain to identify
alternative funding solutions to deliver benefits over longer time frames. Energy
management services providing capital infrastructure and management of supply and
demand over a 10 to 15 year timeframe are current examples which deliver on-going
benefits.
It is interesting to note that, according to the survey findings, the perception of
increased risk from taking Sustainability into account was not seen as an important
barrier. Risk is often cited as one of the main reasons for lack of take up of
Sustainability measures and innovation.
Information and Training
Few within the FM profession have received any formal or in-house training on
Sustainability as it relates to their work. This is an area of concern particularly as,
those who participated would be assumed to be those who had some interest in and
knowledge of the topic. Appropriate training may exploit the “undercover influence” of
facilities managers. If facilities managers are to be encouraged to be proactive about
addressing Sustainability then they will need tools and skills that will easily transfer
the multitude of theoretical policies, into operational possibilities.
Together with the facilities managers, training and education will also need to be
provided to clients and the supply chain to avoid many of the gaps made by the
construction industry. The demand needs to be generated through a series of training
platforms ranging across media, length and audience within an organisation.
20
Sustainability in Facilities Management
7
Moving Forwards
In the light of the increased desire from Government and industry to provide a more
sustainable built environment, this research has provided an insight into the key role
played by the facilities management profession in delivering Sustainability in the built
environment. It has been asserted that until very recently, most of the emphasis has
been on new buildings, although the vast majority of the building stock in the UK is
made up of existing buildings.
‘We can initiate sustainable
practice within our organisation
This research has been an opportunity to broaden the scope of the Sustainability
– find out what tools and
Forum’s input into the Government’s strategy for sustainable development to take into
processes will enable cost
account the viewpoint of the facilities managers who operate and manage these
savings to be made, improve
existing buildings.
people’s lives and give the
company an excellent
The study has also explored some of the reasons why the pace of change has
reputation.’
perhaps been slow in terms of the implementation by facilities managers of
Unknown, Facilities
technologies, techniques and services that support Sustainability. In particular the
Manager
research has highlighted some of the barriers and knowledge gaps that prevent the
increased take up of Sustainability by facilities managers and will provide a baseline
for action planning and further research to address these gaps and barriers.
Typical issues for resolution identified through the research include:

Incentives to take small steps on small projects that can make a difference;

Increasing the occupant awareness of buildings;

Increased coherence in the Sustainability agenda to simplify and make it
easier to understand what one needs to do;

Good communication horizontally and vertically - ‘A lack of communication
from above equals a lack of knowledge, thus resulting in fear of risk involved.’
Two Year Programme
A series of measures to be implemented in the next two years designed to raise the
profile for facilities managers and drive into the business and supply chain as an
internal focus to raise the profile and the capabilities of the industry.
Much will be captured though the Sustainable FM Project, a collaboration of
industry, professional institutions and charitable bodies. The Project will present
information and develop tools on sustainable facilities management to implement
sustainability measures by those who influence the management and performance of
the existing building stock.

FMs and Clients are looking for evidence to support a business case to
implement sustainability measures. There is a need to develop a series of
Case studies and Proofs demonstrating tangible benefits and value covering a
range of facilities and sectors;
21

Sustainability in Facilities Management
To provide the kick-start to any programme, the no cost options provide quick
wins for any organisation. Sharing good practice and quick wins across peers,
and recognised organisations provides a useful catalogue of initiatives for
implementation;

There is a wealth of information available through various guidance, websites
and further information – some of it contradictory. Many have limited time to
review the information and confirm the most appropriate action plan. Provision
of a centralised web-based knowledge portal for the Facilities Management
community throughout the building lifecycle, highlighting existing tools and
awareness in a way that is understandable and accessible to all levels of the
‘The role of the client is
critical, whether an
industry;

Delivery of Sustainability for organisations must be led from the top, with
owner or investor, to
agreed roles and responsibilities throughout. Guidance is necessary for many
enable FMs to utilise
FMs to define their specific functions including role, responsibilities and
those skills, metrics and
case studies’
performances;

As with all professions, there is a need for Continual Professional Development
Unknown, Facilities
to ensure the FM community are equipped with the right tools and knowledge
Manager
to implement the measures. Developing and integrating sustainability into
professional competencies and skills using the skills matrix into Asset Skills will
be a priority.
Coupled with an internal understanding for the FM community, education and
awareness must also be provided to clients to engage them in their role and
Government to provide the incentives. The role of the client is critical, whether an
owner or investor, to enable FMs to utilise those skills, metrics and case studies.

Many outsourced and in-house paybacks are focussed on a relatively short
timescale precluding many of the initiatives that provide significant lifecycle
improvements. Clients should develop more innovative procurement packages
to enable longer term returns to be made;

Organisations are under increasing pressure to provide evidence of
sustainability practices substantiating statements made in Corporate Reports,
Statements and Internal Briefings. Engagement with the supply chain and coordination of the sustainability measures through specifications are crucial to
meeting the public statements and maintaining brand image;

Senior level responsibility and engagement is critical to the effective delivery of
sustainability within the organisation and culture change necessary to ensure it
becomes part of day to day business. Clients have a responsibility to identify a
senior owner for the programme;

Government has a role to lead by example in the drive to implement
sustainability measures as the largest landowner and landlord. The ability to
set specifications and drive the FM industry forwards should not be
underestimated.
22
Sustainability in Facilities Management
Five Year Programme
A longer term set of measures are necessary to embed the value FM provides in the
building lifecycle and mechanisms to drive continuous improvement:

Mechanisms are in place for the construction industry to provide Key
Performance Indicators to measure improvement. KPIs will be developed
through the building lifecycle, led by FM, to capture environmental, social and
economic principals;

There are few incentives in place to encourage public or private organisations
to procure or deliver sustainable buildings. Government to ensure clients are
required to demand sustainable buildings through a range of fiscal and punitive
measures;

To engage the FM community an awards programme and recognition scheme
between the FM industry and government will provide an incentive and the
ability to reward good practices;