Where an organisation is undertaking a large change to the physical environment an Operational Readiness Strategy and Team should be put in place. To deliver long term effectiveness Acacia would recommend that a Facilities Management professional should be engaged from the start of the project. These members of the team will bring learnings and insights to ensure that there is no gap between building design and performance. This process supports the achievement of not only sustainable and energy efficient building operations but also of providing work environments that maximise the productivity of the occupants.
Acacia see Facilities Management professionals as the representative of building users. Therefore it is the role of facilities management to clearly understand the building user’s requirements as well as the organisation’s business needs and to provide input to the project team to ensure that they deliver a high performing building that is fit for purpose.
BIFM has developed an Operational Readiness Guide that provides practical insight of the roles and responsibilities of the Facilities Management discipline at each stage of the RIBA Plan of Work process.
