Sustainability is by far the most common and on-going trend in Facilities Management.

Oh, how we love such buzz words!

Simply put, “sustainability” is the goal of meeting our current needs without compromising the abilities of future generations to meet their own needs.  It’s all about environmental science in the workplace: energy, waste and water management against environmental impact. To stand out in the industry, a facilities manager must be committed to environmental stewardship and incorporating sustainable practices into day-to-day operations through programs such as recycling, energy efficiency measures, green landscaping, custodial services, clean energy and transportation to name a few.

Most Facilities Management teams have always focused on this because let’s face it, the financial gains as well as the health and safety benefits of pursuing green space cannot be denied. Over the last few years, it’s become mainstream.  When something becomes mainstream, it results in yet another certification to acquire for credibility and proof that you know how to do your job.

LEED is an internationally recognized green building program.  Participation in the voluntary LEED process demonstrates leadership, innovation, environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

What came first The FacMan or the LEED?

There had to be people already implementing measurable programs for the consensus-based program to become market-driven.  Then the market demands a third-party verification standard for an “unbiased” evaluation, and BAM!  Facilities Managers have a necessity for more letters connected to their names.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not minimizing the importance of LEED programs or criticizing the certification credentials.  Such certifications have given much needed attention and credibility to a career field often under-valued, if even recognized.  But do they really confirm or deny the knowledge, efforts or initiatives currently in place for many Facilities Managers?  Not always.

The project certifications however, provide benefits beyond personal career goals and objectives in the form of tax credits, zoning allowances and other government initiatives.  Project certifications and professional credentials go hand-in-hand. This being the case, those letters have become a symbol of the trend…

Facilities Managers LEED the way to sustainability.

For more information on obtaining LEED certifications and credentials:  http://new.usgbc.org/leed

I remember when I first got into Facilities Management.

Well, I’d been in the field for years, but they called it “support services.”  It wasn’t until I was actually managing the support staff and engineers that I found myself under the official umbrella.  It didn’t bring much prestige.  Most people seemed to think the facilities managers were the people in charge of Christmas decorations.  Ironically, that was true.

It was the fall when I took on the position, and ultimately the task of refreshing the ancient decorations on a shoe string budget.  I found myself in a large conference room stripping all of the wreaths down to the twisted wood vines and creating the new look.  For several days, I clothed styrofoam balls, created bows and painted bells…and stood amazed that I was making such a fine salary off such a job.

That was before the drama started.  It was before the awakening.

People still don’t immediately understand the role of Facilities Management.  Wikipedia describes it as:  an interdisciplinary field devoted to the coordination of space, infrastructure, people and organisation, often associated with business services functions, such as offices, arenas, schools, convention centers, shopping complexes, hospitals, hotels, etc. as well as non-core functions and activities related to the business.

*Crickets Chirping*

What does that mean?

To put it in more simple terms, Facilities Management is the field dedicated to creating and ensuring a functional environment, which includes people, place, process and technology.

I usually still get blank stares at this explanation, to which I quickly respond.  “When you have a complaint and don’t know who to call, whether it be a clogged toilet, a leaky Liebert, a blown circuit, your phone is down or the vending machine doesn’t stock Nutty Bars, Facilities Management is the group you need to call.

That usually satisfies the basic question, but it doesn’t really express the insanity of the job.  Anyone in the field can toss around terms like sustainability, risk management and efficiency control, and then explain construction projects, infrastructure design, support services and operating budgets are often their core functions, but the most time-consuming task for a facilities manager is simply dealing with people.

Facilities Managers are either the most grumpy and rude people you’ll ever meet, or they are the ones most likely to be laughing and dancing through the cubicle maze.  Either way, they are rarely bored because there is no such thing as mundane in this job.  If you are one who feels a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day when you see you’ve marked through the tasks on your checklist, this would not be the job for you.

Good intentions are paved with checklists.

A facilities manager will start the day off with 10-20 priority tasks that will become secondary to the black light bulb over reception or the foul smell on the executive floor…or the employee who’s colostomy bag burst in front of the mail room.  We are jugglers of the unexpected, the disgusting, the novel and the senseless.

And for the most part, I love my job.