About us

What is Facilities Management (FM)?

Due to the wide scope of services FM can cover, and the way such services vary between organisations, even FM professionals struggle to agree on the definition of FM.

In essence, the key objective of any Facilities Manager is to provide efficient, value for money services that support and enable the core activities of the organisation and which are able to adapt to the needs of the organisation, its buildings and all its associated services.

At an organisation’s senior level, FM contributes to the delivery of strategic and operational objectives. On a day to day level, it provides a safe and efficient working environment, which is essential to the performance of any organisation – whatever its size and purpose.

Back to top

How does FM work within the University?

Standing regulations in the form of The Estates Regulations are issued by BESC under the authority of Council, and apply to all University buildings within the functional estate.

The Estates Regulations divides the responsibilities for maintaining University buildings between BESC (Estates Services) and the occupying department. This is embedded as common practice within the University.

The Estates Regulations, in general, address ‘Hard FM’ services and ‘Soft FM’ services are the responsibility of the occupying department.

Departments provide their FM services in a number of different ways depending on their size and requirements. Estates Services FM provide a managed FM service to a number of departments across the University.

 
Back to top

Services provided by Estates Services FM

Facilities Management covers a wide and diverse range of services. Some examples of services provided by Estates Services FM are below.
Back to top
General building maintenance Catering Cleaning Workplace Compliance Waste management Purchasing and Finance Security IT solutions for facilities management Lectures and event management University wide services Image Map
Back to top

What are the benefits of managed FM for the University?

Across the University, FM is fragmented and operates in different ways from single building/facilities managers/administrators to large staff teams.

Part of the University’s Estates Services FM remit is to identify how we might better coordinate services across the wider University to achieve the following benefits:

  • paying less for services by having more people buying the same service.
  • improving value for money through consolidation of labour, equipment and other resources.
  • enhancing service levels.
  • ensuring service contracts are effectively managed.
  • ensuring legislative compliance.
Back to top