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Four generic FM “trails” to the future are explored. These trails follow the four types of resource that are basic to the FM function; the financial resource trail (business), the human resource trail (people), the physical resource trail (property) and the knowledge resource trail (information). These trail are considered in turn with speculations on the opportunities and risks that each competing future might hold. The paper concludes with nine strategic positions from which a rich, robust and diverse variety of viable futures for FM can be developed.

Discusses the strategic brief and its application to facilities. The briefing process is, therefore, of crucial concern to the facility manager and facility user. The traditional process begins with identifying needs of the client and user, as this is the first condition of responsible design. This is flawed, however, because of its failure to be flexible towards the needs and objectives of the client/user in the future. Mechanisms for continuous adjustment to briefing processes will need to be put in place to accommodate these objectives. Fundamental changes in the pattern of the supply side of the property market also need to be taken into account. Strategic briefing procedures would ensure future facilities are more robust to functional change and make a more responsive use of existing facilities.

Proposes a research initiative for facilities management. Outlines the essential questions that facilities research should be involved in answering and following a general discussion of current research approaches. Develops a model to illustrate these questions. Places the potential areas of facility management research within a framework of training, practice and education. Concludes that facilities management should develop an application research approach to ensure a problem‐oriented, multi‐aspect and collaborative focus around real management problems related to the performance of buildings and use of facilities over time.

The focus of attention of the design and construction professions has in the past been concentrated on new building design and development, and little attention has been given to the use and maintenance of buildings over time. An agenda for facilities education to address this problem is set out. A postgraduate facilities education programme, to be set up in the next two or three years, will have a curriculum which covers five areas: physical characteristics of building stock; human issues of building occupancy; financial issues of development and use; locational issues; and management issues – which cut across the traditional boundaries of the “property” professions.

The purpose of this paper is to address a fundamental question that all facility directors and senior managers face. How should facility management support arrangements be positioned and repositioned to meet the needs and expectations of an organisation, its staff and customers, as priorities shift and business circumstances change?

Case studies were undertaken to investigate the precise nature and reasons for change to FM support arrangements, across a variety of organisational types and sectors. Data were collected through document searches, semi‐structured interviews, direct observations and supplementary questionnaires and follow‐up discussions. Field trials of this prototype framework were conducted to obtain expert opinions, comments, criticisms and suggestions for improvement, employing a methodology similar to that used in clinical trials for new medical procedures.

The main findings from the investigations cover the nature and purpose of change in FM and the key factors that were involved. A number of major opportunities for innovative developments in the facility management field were uncovered, together with five key areas for further research, through which to advance the role and remit of facility management generally.

The research here has produced a generic decision framework for positioning and repositioning FM support arrangements. This framework will enable facility managers to adopt a more secure approach for collecting essential information, identifying key issues and options, and should encourage a more rigorous and critical examination of alternative FM arrangements prior to implementation.

This paper aims to help establish a more coherent and credible FM platform to support future developments and their alignment to business. A critical review is undertaken of current claims and assumptions concerning the importance of FM, particularly in relation to its scope and strategic impact. The paper finds that there is an urgent need to reposition and rebrand FM as an integral part of infrastructure and services management, within the business resource management process alongside finance, HR, IT and Intangibles. Only a summary account is included, but full references to some 30 sources are given. The paper provides the basis for a consolidated and coherent alignment of property and facility management to business strategy and operations. This paper will be of interest to academics, consultants and those in advanced FM practice who recognise the need for a secure theoretical base from which to market FM to business.

This paper introduces the special issue, which includes some papers originally presented at the “Futures in Property and Facility Management II” conference in March 2004. Focuses on the themes of this and a previous conference, several years ago – “Futures in Property and Facility Management”, at University College London in June 1999. The conferences considered the strategic opportunities for property and facility management worldwide, bringing together senior facility professionals, service providers, property clients and academics to debate alternative futures. The first conference focused on four themes; new strategic directions, new performance imperatives, policy and investment and the promotion of knowledge exchange. The second “Futures” conference had four interrelated themes: possibilities for new alignments in the future, real estate dilemmas, work, time and place, and a reform debate.

This paper looks at the practical opportunities for collaboration between facilities management (FM) practice and research. It provides a framework for mapping the basic origins for innovation in FM and the territory for collaborative research, through which futures in FM may be explored.