Heritage site area type classification for facility management purposes

Abstract

Purpose

Although heritage sites are numerous, facility management (FM) is maybe the most important process in heritage site management systems. The similarities and differences of the sites should be considered before implementing common FM information systems that support more heritage sites with various area types. The presented classifications are collected and made primarily to support this process. Specialties of heritage sites were also observed from FM point of view. The paper attempts to identify a few groups that can be used well for FM system installations.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper observes the sites from several points of view. The sites are classified by heritage types, by facility planning point of view, by fragmentation and the rate of built‐in area, by human influence, by application. It offers three methods for area classification, later the computerized supporting systems are observed.

Findings

On most heritage sites FM is probably the most important management process. These cultural and natural sites are handled usually by governmental authorities and/or such organizations that can serve more sites permanently.

Research limitations/implications

Since, the heritage sites are various, there might be several exceptional cases that are not collected in this paper.

Practical implications

The paper offers guidelines and ideas to enhance the FM system implementation on different types of heritage sites. Using these groupings, several problems can be identified early in the planning phase of such information systems.

Originality/value

This paper attempts to present the diversity of the objects on the heritage sites, trying to categorize them for FM purposes from more viewpoints. Most of these sites are currently not applied with efficient FM support.

Citation

Bozány, A. (2007), "Heritage site area type classification for facility management purposes", Journal of Facilities Management, Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 62-77. https://doi.org/10.1108/14725960710726355