Hertfordshire, United Kingdom: Building Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) has informed incorporating Building Information Modelling (BIM) into the Facilities Management Professional Standards to reflect the growing impact it has on the working practices of FM professionals.

The addition, a press release issued by the institute said, follows a BIFM survey that was run in the late summer 2016 in conjunction with UK Construction Week, which revealed that 85% of respondents support opportunities to fully integrate FM throughout the building project life cycle.

Furthermore, the press release said that the majority of those who took the survey also agreed that BIM can help support the ongoing delivery of facilities management beyond initial construction, suggesting that the sector is astute to understanding the value that BIM technology adds to construction projects.

Launched in 2014 and forming a global competence model for the industry, the FM Professional Standards, the press release revealed, clearly define the key functions performed by FMs, the main components of each functional area and the competences that are required to be a proficient professional when carrying out those functions. The competences are defined for each level in a FM’s career and can be used to benchmark skills, knowledge and competence for those working at all levels in the FM profession, it added.

The institute highlighted that the update to include BIM recognises the need to meet the requirements of FMs as the industry adapts to the challenges and opportunities that it will bring to the profession.

Stating that the institute acknowledges the importance of BIM, Linda Hausmanis, Acting Chief Executive of BIFM, said: “Our first FM Leaders’ Forum recognised our role as custodians of future building information and since then we’ve been advocating BIM in FM projects and have published our own BIFM Operational Readiness Guide.

“It’s therefore fitting we now have BIM within the Property Portfolio Management functional area of the Professional Standards, which have been endorsed by leading employers in the sector, to ensure FM maximises and protects the value of property assets and ensure all new building projects and refurbishments are fit for purpose.”