Hard facilities management
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
Facilities management is the ‘...integration of processes within an organisation to maintain and develop the agreed services which support and improve the effectiveness of its primary activities’. Ref EN15221-1: 2006 Facility Management – Part 1: Terms and definitions. It is concerned with the management of facilities at both a strategic and a day-to-day level to deliver operational objectives and to maintain a safe and efficient environment.
Facilities management is an interdisciplinary activity with a high concentration of maintenance tasks that can be broken down into two types:
- Hard facilities management (the fixed, physical fabric of the facility, which cannot be easily removed).
- Soft facilities management (the services that help the facility to function).
[edit] Defining hard facilities management services
Hard facilities management services might include:
- Building maintenance.
- Electrical inspections and testing (including lighting installation and maintenance).
- Emergency routes and exits.
- Fire safety (including detection and life safety equipment).
- Lifts.
- Plumbing, drainage and so on.
- Heating ventilation and air conditioning services.
- Technical services such as CCTV systems, access control systems and other mechanical and electrical services.
[edit] Uninterrupted operations
Hard facilities management services are often essential to the continued operation of an organisation and require regular maintenance to ensure reliability. Some aspects of hard facilities management may be important for the continued safe operation of the facility and may be required by legislation such as the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.
Hard facilities management services may be incorporated into a planned preventive maintenance (PPM) strategy that minimises the likelihood of service interruption and breakdowns. PPM has the advantage of enabling a more proactive approach to maintenance and helps avoid small issues from becoming larger ones at a later date.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Asset management.
- BIM and facilities management.
- Building automation.
- Business process outsourcing (BPO).
- Facilities management.
- Facilities management audit FMA.
- Insourcing.
- Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management IWFM.
- Maintenance.
- Maximising maintenance budgets after lockdown.
- Planned preventive maintenance.
- Property management.
- Smart buildings.
- Soft facilities management.
- Vested outsourcing.
- Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.
Featured articles and news
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.
Passivhaus social homes benefit from heat pump service
Sixteen new homes designed and built to achieve Passivhaus constructed in Dumfries & Galloway.
CABE Publishes Results of 2025 Building Control Survey
Concern over lack of understanding of how roles have changed since the introduction of the BSA 2022.
British Architectural Sculpture 1851-1951
A rich heritage of decorative and figurative sculpture. Book review.
A programme to tackle the lack of diversity.
Independent Building Control review panel
Five members of the newly established, Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended, panel appointed.
Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter progresses
ECA progressing on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales.
A brief history from 1890s to 2020s.
CIOB and CORBON combine forces
To elevate professional standards in Nigeria’s construction industry.
Amendment to the GB Energy Bill welcomed by ECA
Move prevents nationally-owned energy company from investing in solar panels produced by modern slavery.
Gregor Harvie argues that AI is state-sanctioned theft of IP.
Experimental AI housing target help for councils
Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records.
BSRIA Occupant Wellbeing survey BOW
Occupant satisfaction and wellbeing tool inc. physical environment, indoor facilities, functionality and accessibility.