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What is Facilities Management? An Overview of The Service and Industry

Facilities management is a broad, all-encompassing term that sounds both familiar and alien. This duality can make it challenging to pinpoint a precise definition. To clarify, we’ll break down facilities management into two definitions: a service and an industry.

OCS Team

OCS Team

28 Jan, 2025

Facilities Management Services

While the term “facilities management” is suggested in its title, it can still be too vague to grasp what it actually entails. Accruent defines it as “the way organisations manage their buildings so that users (whether they are employees, customers, or other stakeholders) can get on with their work.” As a provider of facilities management services, we operate through the framework of stewardship and care. We look after spaces through a host of actions like cleaning, catering, mechanical and engineering maintenance, pest control, and more, all to ensure spaces are conducive for their users.

Facilities management services can be broadly categorised into two main areas: Hard Facilities Management (Hard FM) and Soft Facilities Management (Soft FM).

1. Hard Facilities Management (Hard FM)

a) Building Maintenance
This includes the upkeep of the physical structure of buildings, such as plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and other mechanical systems. Regular maintenance ensures these systems operate efficiently and safely.

b) Catering Services
This includes the upkeep of the physical structure of buildings, such as plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and other mechanical systems. Regular maintenance ensures these systems operate efficiently and safely.

c) Energy Management
Implementing energy-efficient practices and technologies to reduce consumption and costs. This can involve upgrading to energy-efficient lighting, optimising HVAC systems, and using renewable energy sources.

2. Soft Facilities Management (Soft FM):

a) Building Maintenance
This includes the upkeep of the physical structure of buildings, such as plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and other mechanical systems. Regular maintenance ensures these systems operate efficiently and safely.

b) Catering Services
This includes the upkeep of the physical structure of buildings, such as plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and other mechanical systems. Regular maintenance ensures these systems operate efficiently and safely.

c) Security Services
This includes the upkeep of the physical structure of buildings, such as plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and other mechanical systems. Regular maintenance ensures these systems operate efficiently and safely.

d) Pest Control
This includes the upkeep of the physical structure of buildings, such as plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and other mechanical systems. Regular maintenance ensures these systems operate efficiently and safely.

e) Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance
This includes the upkeep of the physical structure of buildings, such as plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and other mechanical systems. Regular maintenance ensures these systems operate efficiently and safely.

A woman with long dark hair smiles, standing in front of a modern staircase with glass railings. She is wearing a navy blue polo shirt with the OCS logo. Natural light is coming through large windows in the background.
A smiling person with long dark hair wearing a navy blue polo shirt with the OCS logo. They are standing in front of a staircase with glass railings and white walls, leading upwards in a building with large windows.

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