Redefining FM in Educational Facilities

By Surajit Biswas, Head of Project & Building Consultancy Division of Land Sterling

- Surajit Biswas

What started as little more than janitorial and caretaker services during the 1970s, Facilities Management (FM) has now evolved into a major organizational function which integrates people, place, process and technology within the built environment with the purpose of improving the quality of life of people and the productivity of the core business.

However, the true outcome of FM can only be realized if its methodologies and deliverables are designed to the mission goals of the industry sector it serves and nowhere is it more profound than in educational facilities.

Here I will attempt to briefly explore elements of FM which could positively impact its application on educational facilities such as university campuses, large schools and research centres.

FM Theme FM services for educational facilities should adopt a central theme which recognizes that an educational facility is a production house of future leaders, making of responsible citizens and a hub of intellectual data.

As such the facility cannot be viewed as just an infrastructure containing the educational process.