Facilities Management Middle East
CAFM IMPACT
Abdellatif Sfaxi, chief executive officer at Khidmah, finds out CAFM’s impact on facilities management excellence
Through combining people, procedures and technology, Facilities Management (FM) aims to ensure an asset's operation, safety, and efficiency. But how can an FM company keep track of and analyse all the jobs for which they are responsible for in order to ensure business continuity? This is where technology comes into play. Whereas FM generated data was previously documented using a variety of tools like spreadsheets, blueprints, and others, today’s successful and sustainable FM firm must embrace innovation and technology.
Nowadays, FM's activities have expanded to include operational efficiency, physical and cyber security, employee well-being, optimum resource usage and consumption, risk management, and asset upkeep. The use of Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence-based systems such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Computerised Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), and Computer-Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) are some of the innovative technologies used in the FM sector today to minimise costs and optimise returns.
CAFM is a modern FM system that uses real-time data and automated procedures to digitise assets and streamline critical operations. It includes Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems, Building Information Models (BIM), and Computerised Maintenance Management. The majority of CAFM systems can perform a variety of functions, including facility-related scheduling and analysis, where data is collected from various sources and stored, accessed, and analysed as needed using technological interfaces or human transfer techniques. The CAFM market has expanded dramatically in recent years. According to research, implementing CAFM systems can save a company between 5% and 15% of its operating costs. Builders, developers, and owners are discovering that a CAFM system can assist in maintaining and operating their facilities more effectively and efficiently.
In reality, CAFM has transformed the way facility managers carry out their responsibilities.
In order to secure data protection, improve human and financial resource management, and provide solutions that reduce costs, increase efficiency, and improve customer satisfaction, CAFM systems help FM organisations in moving critical logistical operations to the digital realm, helping improve building sustainability and quality while increasing productivity.
Hence, a facilities manager can use CAFM to ensure that the company's managed assets are used efficiently and effectively at the lowest possible cost while providing the most value. While the facility is in use, strategic and operational tasks such as technological, infrastructural, and administrative tasks can be completed.
CAFM's predictive maintenance management capabilities are another important feature. It may plan asset maintenance at various intervals,
CAFM IS MUCH MORE THAN AN ASSET MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE SYSTEM IN AN FM’S DAY-TO-DAY LIFE; WHEN USED CORRECTLY, IT CAN SAVE AND PRESENT ALL OF THE CRITICAL INFORMATION REQUIRED TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE DECISION.
track spending, and make assetrelated decisions, helping with cost management and the prevention of unexpected repairs in the long run. It also serves as a report database, storing records of any safety and non-safety issue that arises in the facility, allowing businesses to be ready for any type of review or audit. According to studies, predictive maintenance can save up to 25% on overall maintenance costs.
Furthermore, CAFM can help with vendor management by keeping the FM team informed of each vendor's projects and progress. The team may also delegate tasks to vendors and interact with them based on the service level agreements (SLA) provided and budgeted.
It does not stop there. CAFM also enables real-time monitoring of service delivery and aids in improving service provider performance, optimising service quality, and increasing cost efficiency from the end-user perspective. It also enables FM providers to manage personnel responsibilities and assign resources based on work schedules and operational abilities to provide highquality service levels to clients.
Moreover, CAFM software can also help determine whether sustainability programmes are being properly implemented, allowing the FM team to decide whether additional sustainability projects are needed to improve performance and manage cost reductions. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), lighting accounts for approximately 35% of a building's energy expenses, and CAFM may help reduce these costs.
CAFM has grown in popularity over time and is now considered a necessity rather than a luxury. The global CAFM market was valued at $830m in 2019 and is expected to be worth $1.4bn by the end of 2026, with an 8.24% CAGR between 2020 and 2026.
CAFM is much more than an asset management and maintenance system in an FM’s day-to-day life; when used correctly, it can save and present all of the critical information required to make the ultimate decision. It can help with operating cost reduction and team performance evaluation. It also enables facility managers to budget for lifecycle costing, equipment replacement, and renovation projects, as well as improve energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and space utilisation.