Facilities Management

Facilities management is a set of tools and services that support the functionality, safety, and sustainability of buildings, grounds, infrastructure, and real estate. Although usually viewed from the tenant’s perspective of leased space management it can also benefit a landlord outside of the property management function.

Facilities management is normally focused on the space of a tenant or a multi-premises tenant to ensure that its facilities operate in a consistent manner that accommodates the tenant’s policy of process and procedures that adheres to a defined function of efficiency or to a set of requirements.

The more technical the tenant’s operation, the more a facilities management process is beneficial to the tenant. Often, tenants will engage a third party to facilitate this function rather than operate an in-house department as some of the functions are technical in nature and require several levels of expertise. Facilities management may look at functions as simple as cleaning but may include extremely technical functions such as security, mechanical and electronic in nature.

The facility management firm deals directly with the landlord or landlord’s property manager to resolve any real estate issues that affect the tenant’s efficient operation.