Built Environment Professionals’ Perception of the Importance of Facility Management Professionals at the Design Stage

There is a misconception that facility management (FM) professionals are needed only after a building has been completed, in order to manage maintenance and operating expenses. Hence, they are hardly considered an essential part of the design team. To query this notion, this study investigated the perception of built environment professionals on the importance of FM professionals at the design stage. Quantitative research using a questionnaire survey was adopted. Three hundred and forty questionnaires were administered to four categories of built environment professionals (engineers - civil, electrical and mechanical; architects; quantity surveyors, and builders) in Lagos, Nigeria and 266 (78%) of the questionnaires were found useful for analysis. The data was analysed using percentages, mean, relative importance index (RII) and Kruskal-Wallis test. The outcome of the analysis showed that respondents agree that FM professionals are important at the design stage in order to review design from a maintenance, operation, and serviceability perspective. The study also revealed that architects and quantity surveyors are fully convinced that FM professionals are crucial at the design stage, while builders and engineers are not. It was suggested that the governing body of FM professionals, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), should organize forums where other built environment professionals can be educated on the importance of involving FM professionals at the design stage. Moreover, IFMA should leverage its membership base to secure meetings with owners of facilities with high running costs and demonstrate to them the savings accruable had they engaged FM professionals at the design stage. This is with a view to encouraging such owners to engage IFMA members from the onset of their subsequent projects. Doing so will ensure the delivery of cost-efficient facilities.