From the Editor
The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) recently released its 2011 research report, Facility Management Forecast — Exploring the Current Trends and Future Outlook for Facility Management, and, not surprisingly, sustainability is front and center.

The trends cover three categories: externally driven, which are dictated by societal and other factors; internally driven, which arise within the profession; and organizationally driven, which come from corporations and organizations with in-house facility departments.

Sustainability topped the externally driven list, which is no surprise considering the rapid adoption of green building practices in commercial and institutional facilities.

"Sustainability continues to grow in importance and prominence worldwide," according to the IFMA release announcing the report’s availability. "Organizations have begun to incorporate it into business goals and culture, and within the profession, it has moved from an emphasis primarily for new construction to influencing existing building operations."

Existing building operations also were the focus of another external trend — an aging building stock. "As facilities and mechanical systems reach and exceed their expected operating lives, significant issues of 'repair or replace' must be addressed."

A large part of the repair-or-replace decision is the technology available and its impact on the energy efficiency and sustainability of facilities. Complex building systems and controls were the focus of another external trend, and it was good to see IFMA cite the importance of training to ensure front-line technicians have the expertise necessary to maintain advanced equipment.

"The industry can leverage new technologies to better manage facilities, but it also needs to ensure adequate training is in place to educate practitioners on new systems," according to the release.

Other interesting trends include:
*the increasing quantity and complexity of data, which poses challenges and opportunities for the profession
*the importance of finding top talent
*the need for an evolving skill set for managers and technicians
*the growing recognition that facilities and maintenance management contribute to the health and well-being of building occupants, which benefits efficiency, productivity, and profitability.

To read about all the trends, click here.

— Chris Matt, Editor

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