Are we heading towards mature facilities management in Norwegian municipalities?

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss to what extent the maturity of a professional facilities management (FM) organisation can add value to the owner by keeping their building stock in good condition, functional and up to date in the long‐term. Are the Norwegian municipalities adding value in their building assets by applying a maintenance strategy? What are their strategies and how are they adding value to the end‐user? Is there any correlation between the maintenance strategy and the condition of the building stock?

Design/methodology/approach

Facilities management strategies and outcomes have been studied, in an attempt to map cause and effect related to the condition of buildings. A literature review of surveys and recent research has given input to a questionnaire that has been used in a survey of 31 Norwegian municipalities. Four municipalities were also given in‐depth interviews among key personnel of the FM unit of four municipalities. The authors have studied the effects of maintenance and how the indirect factors influence the maintenance.

Findings

Proper governance and political prioritization of maintenance and facilities management are found to have a positive correlation with good building condition. A long‐term objective and a strategy including a maintenance and management plan along with political commitment are key success factors for achieving a desired and sustainable standard of municipality buildings. It is difficult to document a correlation between maintenance expenses and building condition. This may be surprising, as it contradicts a general understanding in the FM sector. However, it also supports the assumption that building condition is influenced by a wide array of factors that interact with each other.

Practical implications

Establish a long‐term plan for the maintenance of the building portfolio, have a good overview of maintenance needs and user needs, clear strategy of how to develop the building portfolio according to user needs and ensure that the FM unit have good competence to do value driven maintenance.

Originality/value

The paper provides information about how 31 Norwegian municipalities are handling their building stock in terms of governance, condition state, maintenance and FM competence. The paper highlights the need for a change of mindset and asks: what are the strategies to have an upkeep and well developed building stock that adds value to user and owner? The success factor is highlighted to having a vision or policy of the properties that is followed up by conscious choices that prioritize actions to optimize available funding. This is useful in terms of communicating the consequences of lack of maintenance to politicians (owner representative).

Citation

Valen, M.S. and Olsson, N.O.E. (2012), "Are we heading towards mature facilities management in Norwegian municipalities?", Journal of Facilities Management, Vol. 10 No. 4, pp. 287-300. https://doi.org/10.1108/14725961211265747