Importance of Facilities Management – A building whether a private or public building or a national or state building is not restricted to only mortar and bricks. There are more to it, such as the infrastructure for the provision of human comfort, the productivity contributed, the environment which is intended to enhance people’s health, and the sustainability of psycho-pathological or psycho-social balance.
Facilities Management is of tremendous importance as it has helped with the protection and maintenance of the owner’s interest and objectives in terms of the building and its construction.
The goal of Facilities Management is generating a good yield or return on investment while ensuring minimal implementation and integration of the design team for major alterations and repairs.
The aim of every Facility Manager is to significantly reduce the cost associated with major repairs and alterations while increasing the lifespan of the building through a responsive maintenance approach.
Facilities Management is a concept that ensures that buildings, technical systems, and equipment offer support in the operations of a building.
Hence, Facilities Management is the coordination of the physical and work (that is, the physical workplace) of an organization. The emphasis of the Facilities Management is on National Public Buildings which ought to be coordinated through the Facilities Manager to ensure optimal delivery, maintaining efficient and prompt maintenance to avoid economic loss.
Maintenance, on the one hand, is a crucial aspect of Facilities Management as it involves the planning and implementation of repairs in buildings.
National Public Buildings are buildings constructed, provided, promoted, and owned by the Government, especially the Federal Government.
The maintenance of Public buildings depends largely on its facilities Managers. Facilities Managers are the ones that can affect the maintenance of the buildings. There are two (2) notable types of maintenance: Preventive Maintenance and Corrective Maintenance.
Preventive Maintenance involves the usual interpretation to prevent the breakdown of buildings. The common costs associated with this are equipment downtime, labour downtime, replacement parts, and supplies.
Corrective Maintenance is the utilization of better development workforce throughout the construction and maintenance of the Buildings.
Facilities Management on National Public Buildings involves applying scientific and quantifiable methods such as planning, coordinating, decision-making, organizing, and controlling of the physical environment for the purpose of promoting and actualizing the goals and objectives of the Nation’s economy through the establishment of these buildings.
In order to do so, there ought to be a collective decision making on the site selection and soil testing, design and construction of the buildings, renovation, and modernization of old and deliberated structures and equipment, and review of the best practices and standard processes.
Therefore, on the National level, Facilities Management is a collective and shared responsibility.
The role of Facilities Management in National Public Buildings are:
- To improve the appearance of the buildings.
- To reduce the life cycle cost and the operational cost of the buildings.
- To improve the safety of the buildings and the facilities used.
- To collect and analyze data pertaining to building structures and equipment used for decision-making on its effectiveness and efficiency on the staff, government workers, and employees.
- To extend the life span and usefulness of a building through instructional effectiveness.
The roles of Facilities Management includes but not limited to the illustration of concepts by providing an opportunity for firsthand experience; the provision of thought diversity through inquiry and observation; the protection of people and the provision of comfort through scientific observations and evaluation.
The importance of Facilities Management on National Public Buildings cannot be overemphasized. Its importance helps the builders to decipher the best step to take in order to ensure that there is a minimal cost associated with repairs, major alterations, and refurbishing of equipment.
The problem associated with Facilities Management in National Public Buildings is lack of policy guidelines. There are limited to practically no policies guiding the government on how to maintain and manage its infrastructure. Such policies are crucial for the development and sustenance of these buildings.
Facilities Management is ideal and practicable if there are measures and policies put in place to ensure that. If not, it is another term created and used to define failed projects in the country. Therefore, Facilities Management is an integral part of the establishment and management of government buildings and infrastructures.
Lansar Aghaji & Co. is a qualified Facility Management firm in Nigeria that has a track record of quality delivery of facilities management.
We have offices in different parts of Nigeria to offer you professional services. You can reach us on +2348037082245 or www.lansaraghajiandco.com for more information.