IFMA & World Workplace - News
IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for professional facility managers, supporting more than 19,500 members in 60 countries. The association’s members, represented in 125 chapters and 16 councils worldwide, manage more than 37 billion square feet of property and annually purchase more than US$100 billion in products and services. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies facility managers, conducts research, provides educational programs, recognizes facility management certificate programs and produces World Workplace, the world’s largest facility management conference and exposition. To join and follow IFMA’s social media outlets online, visit the association’s LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages. For more information, visit the IFMA press room or www.ifma.org
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IFMA releases FM benchmarking report
HOUSTON—The International Facility Management Association’s Legal Industry Council has released its first benchmarking report, providing facility professionals in the legal field a way to compare operational costs and best practices with others in the industry.
The Legal Industry Council of IFMA Benchmarking Report 2010 offers detailed information from facility managers in more than 50 North American law firms on topics including:
- Amenities and services offered
- Space types, uses and standards
- Components of disaster preparedness plans
- Furniture standards and manufacturers/models used
- Outsourcing and support services
- Vendors and consultants used
- Equipment use and charge backs
- Sustainability and environmental issues
Facility professionals from law firms including Clifford Chance U.S. LLP; King & Spalding; Proskauer Rose; Sidley Austin LLP; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, and Flom LLP; and Vinson & Elkins contributed to the report. The benchmarking survey was conducted with the support of HOK, a global architectural firm specializing in planning, design and delivery solutions for buildings and communities.
To purchase a copy, visit www.ifma.org
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IFMA gives international student award
HOUSTON—The IFMA Foundation is pleased to introduce the International Student of the Year award program.
Open to students from around the world, the International Student of the Year award will recognize the student who best exemplifies the future of the facility management profession through academic achievement, excellence and enthusiasm for the industry.
Providing scholarships enhances the foundation’s mission to identify, fund and promote education and research for the advancement of facility management. In 2009, the IFMA Foundation distributed more than US$84,000 in scholarships to 27 deserving facility management students.
An international panel of judges will be appointed by the IFMA Foundation’s executive committee to evaluate the award applications. The panel will be chaired by an IFMA Foundation trustee and will consist of a combination of senior facility management practitioners, service providers, consultants and academics.
For more information, see www.ifma.org
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IFMA releases legal benchmarking report
HOUSTON—The International Facility Management Association’s (IFMA’s) Legal Industry Council has released its first benchmarking report, providing facility professionals in the legal field a way to compare operational costs and best practices with others in the industry.
The “Legal Industry Council of IFMA Benchmarking Report 2010” offers detailed information from facility managers in more than 50 North American law firms on topics including:
- Amenities and services offered;
- Space types, uses, and standards;
- Components of disaster preparedness plans;
- Furniture standards and manufacturers/models used;
- Outsourcing and support services;
- Vendors and consultants used;
- Equipment use and charge backs; and
- Sustainability and environmental issues.
Facility professionals from law firms including Clifford Chance U.S. LLP; King & Spalding; Proskauer Rose; Sidley Austin LLP; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, and Flom LLP; and Vinson & Elkins contributed to the report. The study was conducted with the support of HOK, global architectural firm.
“No matter what idea I bring to management, they always want to know what the industry standard is,” said Mark E. Roberts, Legal Industry Council president. “This report allows me to show what other firms are doing and why we should or should not be encouraged to do the same. If done periodically, surveys such as this will also help us identify trends within the legal marketplace.”
For more information, see www.ifma.org
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IFMA announces chapter in Shanghai, China
HOUSTON—The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) announced that its Board of Directors has approved the charter for the Greater Shanghai Chapter of IFMA, establishing what it says is the first chapter for facility management in the People's Republic of China.
Facility Management is an emerging profession in China. The proper care, maintenance, and management of China’s buildings will provide a safe and sustainable future for the country, notes IFMA. By promoting facility management to the professional level, the Greater Shanghai Chapter of IFMA will contribute education, training, products, and services to assist China in managing its physical assets. The enormous growth of buildings in China over the past decade will continue to increase, taxing an already overloaded system. The Greater Shanghai Chapter of IFMA will assist China in meeting these demands.
Ron Anthony, a Director on the Board of the Chapter, added: "Our dedication to the profession of Facility Management in China goes beyond our core business. The formation of the Greater Shanghai Chapter of IFMA will provide leadership, education and guidance to the people of China for the care and management of their built environment as they continue their explosive growth as a nation for years to come."
For more information, see www.ifma.org
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Study finds economy on upswing
MILWAUKEE—Johnson Controls’ fourth annual Energy Efficiency Indicator, conducted in conjunction with the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), indicates that the U.S. economy is on the upswing.
A survey of more than 1,400 North American executives and managers responsible for making investments and managing energy in commercial buildings found that planned investment in energy efficiency is expected to rebound in 2010. Following a decline last year, the survey found that 52% (up from 46%) are planning to make capital investments in energy efficiency and 60% are planning (up from 55%) to make operating budget expenditures in efficiency programs over the next 12 months. However, a significant number of the business leaders surveyed (38%) said that the largest barrier to making energy efficiency investments is limited capital availability.
“Our research shows attention to energy efficiency is continuing its growth among business leaders,” said Dave Myers, president of Johnson Controls Building Efficiency business. “Commercial buildings consume 18% of the energy and 35% of electricity used in the U.S. each year. A focus on improving energy efficiency in existing buildings is the best way to address carbon reduction goals being set by a growing number of organizations.”
For more information, see www.johnsoncontrols.com
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IFMA Foundation releases white paper
HOUSTON—The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Foundation, a global leader in education and research for professionals in the built environment, has released “TheEconomics of Sustainability in Commercial Real Estate,”a study of the incentives and motivations of real estate managers to invest in energy efficiency retrofits. Among the paper’s findings:
- Commercial building owners often find the best return on investment in sustainable upgrades before a significant lease rollover;
- Public perception is a driving factor for many public companies considering energy efficiency improvements; and
- Owners are more likely to invest in energy efficient upgrades when tax incentives are in place.
The paper includes a case study on energy efficiency retrofits at the Empire State Building, where project managers aim to reduce energy use by 38%. The case study details the eight projects selected among dozens.
The report is available to download for free at www.ifmafoundation.org
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Peer-reviewed journal debuts
ATLANTA— The peer reviewed, open access International Journal of Facility Management is pleased to announce the publication of its inaugural issue.
The journal is supported by the Georgia Institute of Technology Library and Information Center on the Open Journal Systems/Public Knowledge Project software system and is sponsored by International Facility Management Association (IFMA), the IFMA Foundation, European Facilities Management Network (EuroFM), Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), Building Owners and Managers Institute (BOMI), and Facility Management Association New Zealand (FMANZ).
An open source, Internet-accessible journal devoted to the science, technology and practice of facility management, the new journal is designed for both academics and professionals. The inaugural issue contains four papers related to performance based facility management, benefits and risks of sustainable building, engaging a multi-generational workforce, and issues related to the concept of a Chief Facility Executive.
Co-founder and co-editor Eric Teicholz commented, “IFMA’s own research confirms the projected high salary growth cited above based on an expected shortage of facility managers in the near term. During this period of expansion, we hope the new publication will serve to inform and educate a wide audience of researchers and practitioners about issues of importance to our profession across the globe.”
To subscribe and/or register as a potential author, visit www.ijfm.net
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