Towards a Framework to Integrate Facilities Management Cost Effective Parameters in Design Process

Abstract

Facilities management (FM) has a significant growth since last two decades as a new and exciting profession that embraces many essential parts of the built environment. Emphasis on early involvement of FM in the design stage to deliver of an efficient building; which is easy and cost-effective to maintain for the occupants. Present days, maintainability turn into foremost concern and unprecedented challenges for the project team as building projects are getting much more complex and difficult. However, lack of considering FM at early design phase has become a potential issue to increase the operation and maintenance budget, premature aging and dilapidation. Thus, this paper explores the consideration of direct involvement of FM knowledge and experience in early design is found useful for the improvement of cost effectiveness in long term perspective, and subsequently the aim of this paper to investigate the impact of design issues towards easily-maintainable building projects at post-occupancy stage and providing the actual avenues to integrate FM in design development process. Therefore, a critical analysis of the literature has been carried out to identify the potential errors of design at post occupancy stage. The paper critically analyses the current approach of building design; and explore the contributions of FM knowledge during the design phase. Based on the study of literature, it has been established that majority of the maintenance issues at using stage is design originated problems; mainly architectural, structural, mechanical, HVAC, and plumbing and sanitary. The involvement of the FM knowledge and experience at design process will contribute to reduce major repairs and alterations in the lifespan of the building.