i-FM: The online resource for facilities management professionals

Is M&E the most important service in the FM portfolio? It might be – after all, if a building is unsafe or if the work environment is uncomfortable, it can spell disaster for normal operations.

M&E can be highly technical; but the point at which it delivers, the point at which it impacts people, is highly personal. Too hot, too cold, not enough fresh air, poor lighting – these are amongst the complaints FMs hear most frequently. And when such issues begin to have a negative effect on morale and productivity, there’s a price to be paid that goes well beyond the cost of a good engineer.

But just as important these days is energy efficiency within the workplace. Eliminating waste and shrinking the carbon footprint have become the twin objectives for virtually every organisation when it appoints an M&E service provider. 

For a look at some of the challenges facing service providers, click here to read Room to Improve for M&E Outsourcers, a report on the ongoing research programme undertaken by BSRIA. This is supplemented by a series of articles, each with its own insights and advice - see the list below.

And for a snapshot of the sector, including client priorities, contract preferences and service trends, see our latest 30-second survey.

Follow the links below to read more:

• Goodbye Oily Rag
• Can Technology Make a Difference?
• Engagement, Accuracy and Culture
• Six Steps to Energy Reduction and Sustainability


The final FM Briefing for 2011 will be:

November: Sustainability