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Pioneering the ongoing evolution of facility management by establishing a future-oriented global research agenda.
Why is research important for FM?
Because the spaces we inhabit can be used more strategically to improve business outcomes and the lives of individuals, and in doing so, Facilities professionals can increase the value they deliver.
What topics are most important to you?
The value proposition of offices, how to best enable post-occupancy agility and evolution of spaces, the impact of the built environment on physical/emotional/cognitive wellbeing, and how spaces can be used to foster inclusion and belonging.
Facility Managers' roles and responsibilities are multifaceted and need to evolve with the dynamic ways of working in the built environment. Research-based thought leadership is an important resource for FM leaders to make well-informed decisions.
What impact do you want to have on the FM industry with your work?
Contribute to research-based thought leadership that is insightful and relevant for Facility Managers' use in solving current challenges and effective planning for the future of their organizations.
What does research mean to you?
Research is the root of evolution. In conducting research, we create an honest critical view, to learn problems structuring, to find solutions from to improve the quality of decisions. In other words; to help FMers to create better places for humans. Therefore we can inspire people to be leaders and knowledge multipliers in FM.
Research is a crucial aspect of the facility management industry. It helps to identify the latest trends, best practices, and emerging technologies that can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of facility management operations. Research can also help facility managers to identify the needs of their clients and stakeholders, and to develop strategies to meet those needs. Additionally, research can help facility managers to identify the most effective maintenance practices, which can help to reduce downtime and increase the lifespan of equipment and facilities.
It means working rigorously to investigate the problems at issue and find solutions to the problems. The research outcomes are meant to beneficial to mankind and the environment. Why is research important for FM? It is important for improving the standard of FM, both in practice and academia.
What does research mean to you? And why is it important for FM?
Research, for me, is about finding answers to the myriad challenges we face in today's society. The FM profession stands as a pivotal force in achieving net-zero buildings, mitigating climate change effects, and securing a sustainable future. In this light, identifying and addressing challenges is crucial for advancing FM's knowledge base. By undertaking research and offering solutions, we enable the FM profession to evolve, supporting client decisions and anticipating future challenges.
Curiosity is the wellspring of our development as human beings, and research is a significant derivative thereof. It aids us in enhancing our comprehension of the world around us, elucidating phenomena, and formulating solutions to intricate and consequential issues. Throughout the ages, research has profoundly transformed our lives and will continue to do so. In our field, numerous questions remain unanswered. Research will assist us in gaining a deeper understanding of the interactions among people, facility management, and the built environment, and how we can positively influence these dynamics. Our research can certainly also contribute to addressing the major challenges of our time, such as climate change, technological impact, safety, public health, social inequality, biodiversity, and sustainability.
FM - like management in general - means making decisions every day. Well-founded, fact-based decisions, which only science makes possible with its work, are far superior to gut decisions. And then there is the matter of innovation, which also progresses more slowly without science. I come from the real estate industry, so: make the world a more sustainable place - reduce people's ecological footprint, make real estate planning, construction and operation more socially and economically sustainable.
It's a natural response to curiosity! Research means wanting to understand a topic matter, following a rigorous process to investigate it, and sharing your findings so that everyone can learn from them. In my mind, without research, the world would stand still. FM needs to continuously develop to stay relevant and to make an impact, and in order to do so, research is crucial.
