Definition of Facility Management - Term Paper Example

Running head: Facility Management Facility Management Unit Name Student Name Student Number Semester Year Introduction Facility management involves operations on, and maintenance of industrial and commercial properties (Mote, n.d). Most of the functions associated with facility management include security services, janitorial, management of all the properties, buildings, space planning and other support duties. Security management on the other hand entails management of assets, human and premises security as well as implementation of policies to safeguard the organisation. For this reason therefore, there must be an interaction, integration and interdependencies between the facility manager and the security managers for the activities to carry on efficiently. Integration This is the coordinated management by both facility and security managers. The process of integration starts from the time of facility construction or leasing at which the facility manager has to ensure the adherence of the premises location with safety standards, environmental issues and health. For this reason therefore, the security manager has to be involved in the verification processes of these safety standards. For example, construction may be near damping sites or sewers and thereby considered unsafe by the security managers. The coordinated operations by these two managers ensure that the facilities are set up in a safer, comfortable and stable location. In addition, the security systems set up to protect the premises, falls under both the facility and security managers and therefore, all the procurements relating to the security systems requires the presence of the two managers. This establishes the feasibility of each purchase in relation to cost, applicability, benefits and safety of both the physical premises and the workforce. Despite the security managers being wholly in charge of the security issues, a coordinated acquisition of the security facilities with the facility managers ensures that smooth management of these facilities and enables both managers to establish a safer environment. The security managers have the mandate of detecting security breaches and notifying the rest of the management team with possible solutions to eradicate these breaches. These breaches vary from information technology to physical threat of facility collapse, theft and compromise. Since the facility managers have the mandate of managing and controlling the operations on and of the facilities in the work place, there should have a coordinated management by both the security and facility managers in the event of a security alert. The security manager therefore detects the problem and notifies the facility manager in time, and thereby developing a coordinated approach towards a safer environment for both the people and the premises. Interaction According to Cotts, Roper and Payant, there is need for a continuous interaction between the facility and security managers for an effective management of the organisations’ assets and people (2009). There exists an interaction between the two managers as the facility manager tries to understand the set out security trends from the security manager as well as during the systems' analysis to ensure a safer working environment. The facility manager must know and understand all the installed security devices to incorporate them among all the other facilities in the organisation. The facility manager is also responsible for providing security criteria and guidelines to the security managers for the protection of all the workplace people and assets. In order to achieve this, the two managers have to comprehensively discuss, evaluate and analyse all the security threats on the organisation. The facility manager is also entitled to coordinate physical security surveys around the premises and this practise takes place in the presence of the security manager (Rondeau, Brown, & Lapides, 2006). During the planning, installation, design, application, renovation and modification processes for any security facility, both of these managers must involve each other’s idea, views and contributions. Failure to interact during these processes may result into an uncoordinated security system, not fully understood by either of the managers. If for example there was the installation of computer-aided security systems, both managers must work together to establish a common access protocol, highlight on control and agree on the administrators for the system. In addition, it is the mandate of the facility manager to ensure that the organisation operates under the current and cost effective security systems. To achieve this, the facility manager must enquire from the security manager on the effective and up-to-date security systems. The facility manager is also answerable to the security managers on the management of security resources in the organisation. For this reason, the two must always communicate on the resource status in the organisation and act accordingly to their findings. As the facility manager formulates the documents regarding expansion and any other construction process in an organisation, it is the mandate of the security manager to review all these documents to ensure their adherence to the security acts and regulations. Lastly, despite it being the mandate of the facility manager to provide work force and equipments to enhance the security of the organisation, the security manager has to give consent. This is in a bid to prevent any collisions within the management on matters regarding the recruitment and acquisition of security facilities. Interdependencies Both the facility and security managers require the services and functions of each other to beef up on the security trends. One of the areas of interdependencies is in the understanding of all the security trends by the facility managers from the security managers. The facility manager has to depend on the security manager for information concerning all the security facilities installed in the organisation to effectively manage and control their operations (Mathis, & Jackson, 2008). Another area that contains interdependencies is in the design process for the installation of a new security facility. The security manager has to depend on the facility manager for the designing of the security systems with regard to the need for security developments as well as need for facility expansion. The security manager cannot work alone but instead requires the participation of the facility manager on matters concerning design, installation and management. The facility manager also requires information from the security managers on the current security facilities that are both cost effective and applicable to the enhancement of the organisation’s security. In addition, the facility manager requires the presence of the security officer during the process of coordinating the physical security around and within the premises. This is because some access, modification and transfer rights rests solely on the security managers and their physical presence is necessary. In the event that a security breach occurs, the facility manager has to depend on the information from the security manager to know the facilities requiring modification, those requiring complete replacement as well as knowing those that require testing of their effectiveness to avoid any security compromise. For this reason therefore, the information derived from the monitoring process by the security managers is of paramount importance to the facility managers and helps to establish areas requiring security beef-ups and enhanced systems. The facility managers also depend upon the security managers to provide alerts of insecurity during either a facility construction or expansion and the facility managers use this information to set up new and functioning security facilities. The security managers depend upon the budget set aside by the facility managers concerning any possible expansion or new-installation process. This makes the security managers to operate under the specifications of the facility manager’s budget unless an emergency dictated otherwise (Levitt, A. M, 1997). All these dependencies between these management positions develop cooperation, cohesion and collaboration, traits that enhances security for both the people and the physical assets. Technologies for high-rise buildings A high-rise building's definition is that of a house exceeding 21 floors, which require earthquake resistant technology and design for safety (Moon, 2010). However, these specifications vary depending according to location with some areas defining high-rise buildings as buildings containing 12 floors and more. For this case therefore, the facility managers has to acquire as much knowledge as possible regarding a certain location and concerning the structure of the buildings. Several technologies, which include an Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS), Computer Aided Design (CAD), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Business Intelligence Tools (BI), have found constant usage in high-rise buildings to acquire this information (Chobot, 2007). These tools are very important when the workplace faces structural weakness or lack of space for the employees to work in, comfortably and efficiently. The workplace information system helps the facility manager in planning for new facility installation, relocation, and expansion of the organisation’s holdings (Becker, 1990). This technology is web-based to enable for communications between office bearers and the facility managers on the best time to relocate based on availability of space and the cost of relocation. If according to the workplace management system there were a projected consumer growth, then there would require a growth in the work force that would automatically require a larger space and at this point, relocation becomes inevitable. While relocating, the facility manager needs the CAD technology to visualise the structures and office spaces of the targeted relocation sites in the high-rise buildings. This technology uses models of real structures and gives detailed information of the structural security against disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes and fire. The facility manager also establishes by real time the space allocations in a given building, possible relocations and available bookings. By using the CAD tool, the facility manager establishes all the structural weaknesses as well as any faultily installed gadget that is hazardous to both people and the premises at the comfort of his/her office. The CAD tool helps the facility manager determine the actual measurements of the office space and using this information, he/she formulates the best sitting arrangement that is both cost effective and spacious. This information must comply with the specified security standards to avoid casualties in the event of a disaster strike (Elledge, 2009). In case of an emergency, the facility manager establishes the available exit routes; locations of safety gadgets like the fire extinguishers as well as the available safety spots within the building and formulate the best evacuation routes. In the high-rise buildings, the design and construction technologies, determine the safety of the structure against disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes and fire. In addition, since definitions of high-rise buildings vary with location, the facility managers have to use the Geographical Information Systems tool to establish the safety of the building. This tool stores all the information of a certain location and this information is very helpful in establishing the safety of the people and premises in a certain building. The Geographical Information System enables the facility managers to plan on the distance of relocation and the practicability of relocating all the organisation’s facilities through these distances. The tool saves on time and cost of physical involvement by the facility manager in establishing the classification of the location in terms of high-rise buildings. This tool also helps to acquire all the geographical and geological information about a given locations with detailed information on how prone the area is to earthquakes and other natural disasters. Both the facility and security managers use the buildings management systems as well as the intelligent buildings technologies to ensure safety of the people and the premises. These technologies are essential in controlling, integration and automation of all the processes in a high-rise building. These systems encompasses technologies such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s) that are used to logically control some of the most important issues like proper lighting, air conditioning, filtration and climate control (Mills, 2004). These technologies control buildings inside larger buildings in a bid to regulate the power and resource utilisation and thereby reduce wastage and cost associated with these resources utilisation (Wells, & Association of Energy Engineers, 2003). Other than saving on energy and its related expenses, the security and facility managers use these technologies to monitor the functionalities and effectiveness of certain facilities that affect the people working there directly or indirectly (John, 1999). In addition, the building intelligence system establishes the working conditions of all the security devices, identifies the faulty ones and prompts the facility manager to replace them. Conclusion In nearly all managerial activities, the interrelationship between the security manager and the facility manager is evident. These interactions, integrations and interdependencies of these two managerial positions help to strengthen the security measures and to intensify on the future trends for the safety of the people and the premises under their watch. In addition, the technologies used by the two managers are similar since the goal for each one of them is the safety of the people and the premises. Therefore, the two managers should always work together to realise a safer and comfortable working and residing place for the people. References Becker, F. (1990). The total Workplace: Facilities Management and the Elastic Organization. New York: Van Nostrand. Chobot, M. (2007). Heading Up A Move: Churn is a fact of life. Managers can use technology to keep the process under control. Retrieved Aug 22, 2010, from http://www.todaysfacilitymanager.com/tfm_07_03_profdev.php Cotts, D. G., Roper, K. O., & Payant, R. P. (2009). The Facility Management Handbook. New York: AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Elledge, J. C. (2009). Tricks Of The Trade: High-Rise Buildings Evacuations. Retrieved Aug 22, 2010, from http://www.todaysfacilitymanager.com/articles/tricks-of-the-trade- high-rise-building-evacuations.php John, H. (1999). Mastering the Facility. Retrieved Aug 22, 2010, from http://www.allbusiness.com/operations/facilities/360833-1.html Levitt, A. M. (1997). Disaster planning and recovery: a guide for facility professionals. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Mathis, R. L., & Jackson, J. H. (2008). Human resource management. Florence: Cengage Learning. Mills, G. (2004). Intelligent Buildings Design and Building Management Systems. Retrieved Aug 22, 2010, from http://www.businessballs.com/intelligentbuildingsdesign.htm Moon, S (2010). An Analysis of Landmark Impact Factorson High-Rise Residential Buildings Value Assessment. International Journal of Strategic Property Management. Retrieved Aug 22, 2010, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5397/is_201006/ai_n54369448/ Mote, D. (n.d). Facility Management. Retrieved, Aug 22, 2010, from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Ent-Fac/Facility- Management.html Rondeau, E. P., Brown, R. K., & Lapides, P. D. (2006). Facility management. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Wells, J., & Association of Energy Engineers. (2003). Solutions for energy security & facility management challenges. New York: Fairmont Press. Read More