The FM Research and Benchmarking Institute (RBI) of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) has published definitive benchmarks for facility management (FM) professionals covering janitorial, maintenance, utility costs and sustainable practices. IFMA’s 2017 O&M Benchmarking Report, released in collaboration with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), draws data from 2,000 survey respondents throughout the United States and Canada and includes analysis of 98,000 buildings. New subjects in this year’s edition include security operations costs and staffing, organizational characteristics, FM supervisory trends and FM department placement within the organizational structure. The report is available for digital download from IFMA’s bookstore at bit.ly/omresearch for US$445 (US$295 for IFMA members).
Industry benchmarks, like the ones provided in this report, provide invaluable data that FM professionals — and anyone working with the built environment — can use to anticipate project outcomes and then compare the actual results with similar projects. As the world’s largest professional association for FM, IFMA is uniquely positioned to offer insightful benchmarks across a variety of markets and regions.
The RBI benchmarking process is methodically driven based on the key performance indicators identified in answering the proposed research questions. This process joins IFMA subject matter experts, contractors, collaborators and RBI staff in the task of developing the best, most useful products in the FM industry. The RBI process is grounded in traditional benchmarking techniques for identifying the best possible key performance indicators.
The 2017 O&M Benchmarking Report, which indicates a notable increase in janitorial costs over the previous edition, includes data subsets for 33 broad industry categories (including services, manufacturing and institutional) and 29 facility use categories (including office, industrial, assembly, retail and government types). The data points were drawn from a variety of building portfolio types (such as space within a building, single building and multiple buildings) cross referenced by region, climate and building age, type of ownership and more.
About RBI
The IFMA Research and Benchmarking Institute is focused on providing the best possible FM research products to a broad spectrum of market segments. The ability to convene facility management subject matter experts in pursuit of refining FM research is critical to the FM industry. Furthermore, the desire to support global strategies in leveraging global expertise is a testament to IFMA members and their desire to seek the best possible resources in supporting their professional responsibilities. For more information visit research.ifma.org.
About IFMA
IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for facility management professionals, supporting 24,000 members in more than 100 countries. This diverse membership participates in focused component groups equipped to address their unique situations by region (134 chapters), industry (16 councils) and areas of interest (six communities). Together they manage more than 78 billion square feet of property and annually purchase more than US$526 billion in products and services. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies professionals in facility management, conducts research, provides educational programs, content and resources, and produces World Workplace, the world’s largest series of facility management conferences and expositions. To join and follow IFMA’s social media outlets online, visit the association’s LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTubeand Flickr pages. For more information, visit the IFMA press room or www.ifma.org.
About RICS
RICS is a global professional body. We promote and enforce the highest professional qualification and standards in the development and management of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. Our name promises the consistent delivery of standards – bringing confidence to the markets we serve. The work of our professionals creates a safer world: we are proud of our profession’s reputation and we guard it fiercely.