If you’re thinking of starting a new career, there’s no better place than the automated buildings industry. It’s one of the best kept secrets in technology careers today. It helps when starting or growing any career, to have a good understanding of the intellectual tools you’ll need, so consider this list of essentials skills and knowledge for the building automation industry.
Technical Knowledge: A solid understanding of building automation systems, including HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), lighting controls, energy management systems, and integration protocols (e.g., BACnet, Modbus). This includes knowledge of hardware components, software applications, networking, and troubleshooting.
Programming and Software Skills: Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in building automation, such as C++, Python, or Java. Familiarity with automation software platforms and tools for system configuration, programming, and diagnostics.
Electrical and Controls Understanding: Knowledge of electrical systems and controls, including wiring, circuits, sensors, actuators, and controllers. Understanding of control logic and the ability to interpret electrical drawings and schematics.
Problem-Solving and Troubleshooting: Strong problem-solving skills to diagnose and resolve technical issues in building automation systems. The ability to troubleshoot complex problems efficiently and effectively.
Communication and Collaboration: Excellent communication skills to interact with clients, engineers, technicians, and other stakeholders. The ability to clearly convey technical concepts, provide support, and collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
Project Management: Proficiency in project management principles, including planning, organizing, and executing building automation projects. This involves coordinating timelines, resources, and deliverables to ensure successful implementation and customer satisfaction.
Industry Knowledge: Staying up to date with the latest trends, technologies, and regulations in the building automation industry. This includes knowledge of energy efficiency practices, sustainability, emerging standards, and industry-specific best practices.
Continuous Learning: A commitment to continuous learning and professional development to keep pace with advancements in building automation systems and technologies. This can involve attending industry conferences, participating in training programs, and staying engaged with industry publications and forums.
Customer Service Orientation: A customer-centric mindset with a focus on delivering high-quality service and meeting customer needs. This includes responsiveness, attentiveness to customer requirements, and the ability to provide effective solutions.
Analytical and Data-Driven Approach: Proficiency in data analysis and interpretation to optimize building automation systems for energy efficiency, performance monitoring, and predictive maintenance. The ability to leverage data to identify opportunities for improvement and make informed decisions.
Developing and honing these skills can greatly contribute to success in the building automation industry, as they encompass both technical expertise and the interpersonal skills required to navigate complex projects and meet customer expectations. But just because these skills are important doesn’t mean you need to have mastered each now, or even know much about them. It just means you will likely encounter them in the future. If you feel confident in your dedication to learning, you’ll have few barriers to growing a successful career in the building automation industry.
In this article in our BACnet Basics Series, we look at Device Profiles, why they’re important and how they’re created. We’ve also included a real world example that illustrates how to use device profiles to accurately specify your own projects.
What are Device Profiles?
As we saw in BACnet Basics: What are BIBBs?, device functions come in five basic categories, each containing specific capabilities. For example, the category Data Sharing (DS) includes capabilities like Read Properties (RP), Write Properties (WP) or Change of Value (COV). If we combined all these services into a minimum collection of capabilities, we would be creating a device profile.
As an analogy, think of the profile “Automobile”. Every machine that claims to be an “automobile” needs the functions of Acceleration (A), Deceleration (D) and Maneuverability (M). Of course, there can be automobiles that do much more, but every “automobile” must, at minimum, perform these three functions (A,D,M).
Definition: BACnet device profiles define the minimum set of BACnet Interoperability Building Blocks (BIBBs) supported by a device claiming that profile. When a device claims a specific profile, you know that it contains a preset of specified functions and services. Profiles are handy because they provide a short-hand method for describing a device and its interoperability capabilities. Device profiles are organized into Groups and Families
Device Groups
Device Groups are general categories of device functions. There are four Group types:
Operator Interface—Covers the minimum capabilities for workstations and other user interface devices. Devices normally support A-side (Client) functionality.
Controller Device—Covers anything from programmable building controllers to smart sensors. Devices normally support B-side (Server) functionality, but more advanced supervisory controllers also include A-side (Client) functionality.
Control Station—Covers lighting control stations that are smaller client devices that support specific user controls such as manual light switches.
Basic Device—Covers all “miscellaneous” family functionality. Usually included alongside other device profiles.
Device Families
Each Profile Group contains various Families within it. Families cover profiles for various, supported building systems like Lighting, Life Safety, and General Purpose. For example, the Controller Device Group contains profiles for the following Family types:
(Example) Controller Family
General Purpose—General purpose controllers usually for HVAC and lighting.
Access Control—Access control controllers such as an access control panel
Lighting—Lighting controllers such as supervisory lighting controller
Life Safety—Life safety controllers such as a fire detection panel.
Elevator—Elevator controllers
Let’s zoom into the General Purpose profile family within the Controller Device Group and see what BIBBs it contains.
Building Controller (B-BC) —Field programmable and configurable supervisory controllers in HVAC and general purpose application.
Advanced Application Controller (B-AAC)—Controllers that run advanced HVAC or general purpose control applications.
Application Specific Controller (B-ASC)—Controllers that run specific HVAC or general purpose control applications.
Smart Sensor (B-SS)—Small sensors that provide sensor values to other devices.
BACnet device profile Families are organized in a container hierarchy. As you move up in complexity, you increase the minimum amount of BIBBS required. Like nesting dolls, each profile contains all the minimum profiles from the previous ones.
For example, the above General Purpose BACnet profiles increase in complexity as you move up from Smart Sensor to Building Controller. All BIBBS included in a Smart Sensor profile are always included in a Smart Actuator profile, and all the BIBBs included in those two profiles are always included in an Application Specific Controller, and so on.
Although higher level BACnet profiles contain more BIBBs, it’s not the number of profiles that matters. Each profile requires a minimum number and type of profiles. So, even if a device contains or exceeds the minimum number of BIBBs, it doesn’t guarantee it will meet the standard. It must contain the minimum number of the correct BIBBs to meet the profile standard.
Specifying Device Profiles: Boardroom Example
Let’s use the Device Profile Quick Reference Guide to see an example of how to choose the device profiles for a real-world project. Read the following scenario:
You want to outfit a medium-sized boardroom equipped with a control panel with a built-in controller. The panel will control the room’s temperature and lighting. You also need manual lighting controls near the door.
To determine the device profiles needed for the project, we can start by listing the functionality we need. We will need HVAC controls for temperature. For lighting, we will need controls for both the panel and a manual user control switch on the wall. Therefore, we will need functionality from the Controller Group and Control Station Group.
Next, we can determine what Families we need within each group.
For the Controller Group, we need:
General PurposeFamily for HVAC
Lighting Family for panel control lighting
Access ControlFamily for access
For the Control Station Group, we need:
Lighting Family for manual switch lighting control
Finally, we can choose specific profiles to fulfill our HVAC and lighting functionality.
HVAC Profiles
In the Reference Guide, we see the following profiles for the General Purpose Controller Family:
B-BC: The building controller is intended for field programmable and configurable supervisory controllers in HVAC and general purpose applications.
B-AAC: The advanced application controller is intended for controllers that run advanced HVAC or general purpose control applications. It does not require being configurable through BACnet.
B-ASC: The application specific controller is intended for controllers that run specific HVAC or general purpose control applications. It does not require being configurable through BACnet.
B-SA: The smart actuator is intended for small actuator devices that allow being commanded.
B-SS: The smart sensor is intended for small sensor devices that provide sensor values to other devices.
We can ignore the last two profiles, because we need neither actuators (B-SA) or sensors (B-SS) for the project. We can also eliminate the Building Controller (B-BC) profile because it does not require supervisory control. Depending on our HVAC needs, we could choose either the Advanced Application (B-AAC) or the Application Specific (B-ASC) profile.
Lighting Profiles
In the Reference Guide, we see the following profiles for the Lighting Controller Family:
B-LS: The lighting supervisory controller is intended for controllers in lighting applications that can command and operate subordinate lighting controllers, in particular through group write commanding.
B-LD: The lighting device is intended for lighting controllers that control individual lights or groups of lights. Normally used as leaf nodes in lighting group setups.
We would choose the B-LD profile if the panel only controls one group of lights. However, if the lighting is more complex, we might opt for the B-LS with supervisory controls.
Control Station Profiles
Because the room also requires manual user lighting controls, we need a profile from the Control Station Family. In the Reference Guide, we see the following profiles:
B-ALCS: The advanced lighting control station is intended for sophisticated control stations that support user view, control and limited configuration of lighting functionality. Provides full commanding support of lighting objects and group operations for them.
B-LCS: The lighting control station is intended for control stations that support simple control of lighting functionality and limited status indication. Provides limited support of commanding lighting objects.
The simpler B-LCS would work for this project. But, again, depending on the complexity of the room’s lighting, we might choose the more complex profile.
Conclusion
Through the Boardroom Example above, we can see how BACnet profiles make project specifications easier and more accurate. Standards and profiles support an accurate procurement process, requiring less change orders and adjustments. Defining capabilities also creates an outcomes-based workflow so that buildings function the way owners and tenants need them to.
Every complex topic or field needs a helpful naming system. Scientists name flora and fauna by genus and species. Even astronomers have their own planetary nomenclature. Standard naming conventions do just that—they standardize how we talk about things. They’re also a convenient way to condense large amounts of information into a short form. Hence, they function like acronyms. We needn’t sound out “self-contained underwater breathing apparatus” when we can simply utter S.C.U.B.A. right?
In building automation, the same need for standards and compression applies, and BACnet gives us a convenient way to describe the functionality of devices using something called BIBBs.
What are BIBBs?
Definition: BIBBs stands for “BACnet Interoperability Building Blocks” and is a standard naming convention for representing specific device capabilities using simple acronyms. That is, it creates simple categories to describe how one device works with another.
Without short-form descriptions, listing all the capabilities and services that a device offers would turn functional descriptions into a messy scrawl of technical jargon. By condensing these functions into acronyms, BIBBs makes it easier for FMs, system integrators, and building engineers to talk about the same things. BIBBs help buyers get the minimum number of services for the job without over-engineering and spending for extraneous functionality.
BIBB Categories
The BIBB naming system starts with five broad categories that list interoperability functions. These are high level functions that host specific capabilities within them. Categories include:
Data Sharing (DS)
The data sharing function describes how devices exchange data. Data sharing is essential for reading and writing data from one device to another. For example. If you wanted to regularly check the water temp of your boiler to monitor its performance, you would need the DS functionality.
Alarm & Event Management (AE)
The alarm and event management functionality is for detecting and notifying alarms and events. For example, if your boiler temps exceeded a specified setpoint, the AE function would allow you to receive an alert.
Scheduling (SCHED)
The scheduling functionality is for scheduling values based on date, time, and calendar. For example, if you wanted to schedule your boiler to provide after-hours heating for tenants.
Trending (T)
The trending functionality is for trend logging and historical data support. For example, if you wanted to store your boiler’s temp data to create a history for your engineer.
Device Management/Network Management (DM/NM)
The DM/NM is for setting up device and network management. It allows devices to discover each other, to synchronize clocks, and to reset a device to factory settings (reinitialize). For example, if you wanted to discover a newly installed boiler temp sensor.
Specific Capabilities
Specific capabilities, or sometimes called services, are distinct functions that exist within a BIBBs category. Capabilities also have acronyms. For example, the Read Property (RP) service is under the data sharing (DS) category. The service must exist for data sharing to occur. That is, a device (e.g., controller) must be able to read data, while another device (e.g., thermostat) must be able to send it. Many devices have both capabilities. Here are some examples of services for different BIBBs categories:
Data Sharing (DS)
Read Property Multiple (RPM)
Write Property (WP)
Change of Value (COV)
Alarm & Event Management (AE)
Notification (N)
Alarm Summary (ASUM)
View Notifications (VN)
Device and Network Management
Dynamic Device Binding (DDB)
Text Message (TM)
Reinitialize Device (RD)
Find a more extensive list of device capabilities here.
Clients and Servers
BIBBs also distinguishes between clients and servers, assigning and A and B category to each respectively. Client devices (A) can initiate or call for data or service from a device that can respond to that request (B). An example of this would be a controller (A) requesting temp data from a thermostat (B), which responds with the requested data. You can remember this order by recalling that the letter “A” comes before “B” in the alphabet, just as a request must precede a response.
Putting It All Together
Now that we have all three parts of BIBBs, let’s look at a full interoperability description. The BIBBs naming syntax places the category first, specific capability second, and server/client designation third. Each acronym is separated by a dash. Consider a BACnet controller that has data sharing (DS), a read property service (RP), and client capability (A). It would be designated as DS-RP-A. Can you guess what functionality a thermostat would require to send temp data back to the controller? If you answered DS-RP-B, you’re correct!
Conclusion
As we’ve seen, BIBBs are the “building blocks” of the standardized system of naming devices and their interoperability functions. Devices can have many different functions, so there’s also a need to group them. For example, controllers, sensors, and actuators must all have a minimum number of specific functions to work. These groups of functions are called BACnet device profiles. Like BIBBs acronyms, profiles give us a shorthand way of quickly designating and describing a device. Read BACnet Basics: What are Device Profiles? to learn more or visit The BACnet Institute for free training.
In our quest to compile a list of the best FM online learning resources for 2022, we looked at several important factors. For one, we wanted a good mix of quality and convenience. Some FMs will be looking for professional certification courses, while others may only need a one-off refresher video. Therefore, we included both certifying orgs with full course work along with eLearning platforms with à la carte selections.
Next, we also wanted to list free and affordable options along with paid ones, given the budget crunch many will likely feel this year. Finally, we wanted our list to be time-saving and relevant, so we included samples from each library, catalogue and resource for your consideration. We also think these samples reflect essential skills FMs will need to future-proof their careers. With that, here are a few of the best online online education resources for FMs in 2022.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning is a great source for quick, easy courses for specific topics. The online learning platform has several courses on project and workspace management FMs will find helpful. Plus, you can gain some experience in more technical topics like working with BIM software. Here are some FM-related courses we recommend for 2022:
The International Facility Management Association offers full course work for various FM accreditations. However, they also have short eLearning videos for primers into specific topics. While you don’t have to be an IFMA member to buy courses or videos, you do get discounted pricing and access to other benefits. We looked through IFMA’s catalogue of videos and found these gems for 2022.
Organisational Strategy for FM Departments in an IoT World
Bombs, Suspicious Packages & Active Shooters: How Do You Respond at Your Workplace
Creating a Powerful FM Legacy
Communicating in a Crisis
FM Podcasts
Industry articles on BAS and facilities management are abundant, but podcasts are a handy FM online learning resource too. Podcasts are perfect for time-starved individuals or those with long commutes. Here are a few FM-related podcasts to subscribe to this year.
BOMI International webinars (hosted by Lorman) are a must have for 2022 FMs who need to keep up with the break-neck speed of change in the industry. Prices vary from $85USD to $200 based on the topic, and attendees can include a downloadable recording for an additional cost. Lorman’s webinar schedule only runs a few months out, so we took a look at what they had to offer for their January and February line up.
Increase Your Ability to Retain Millennials in the Workplace (Feb 8)
Taking Care of Employees Based Overseas (Feb 8)
Responding to Negative Employee Comments on the Web(Feb 28)
Recent Developments Regarding Force Majeure (Mar 2)
IFMA Knowledge Library
The IFMA Knowledge Library is an FM online learning collection of articles, presentations, white papers and podcasts, all focusing on the latest data and trends for the FM industry. There are four different access levels, which includes two free levels. IFMA members get full access to all content, but those who don’t want to commit can purchase a “Knowledge Pass” for $200USD. Here’s some free and premium IFMA content from the Knowledge Library you’ll want to check out for 2022.
Proactive Maintenance Strategies for Operational Value (Article)
Put Your Money On It: Investing in Energy Efficiency (Video)
Why Facilities Managers Should Adopt a Multi-generational Staffing Strategy (Article)
Employee Experience & the Future of Work (Podcast)
Massey University
Massey Uni offers two diplomas in facilities management available through distance learning. The Diploma in Facilities Management (DipFM) is built for new FM professionals just entering the industry who want to strengthen their skills with foundational knowledge, while the Graduate Diploma in Facilities Management (GradDipFM) is aimed at professionals holding a non-FM related tertiary qualification, such as engineering, commerce or science. Both courses are one year full-time, but can be completed part-time. Also, both offer the option to exit at certificate level on completion of four papers.
Today baby boomers and seasoned FM pros are retiring at a hasty clip. According to IFMA Foundation’s Global Workforce Initiative (GWI), more than 50% of FMs will retire over the next decade or so. The change is having a dramatic impact on companies who are racing to curate decades of valuable knowledge and experience before it turns its focus to the golf course.
Sadly, most employees feel disconnected when it comes to knowledge transfer and sharing at work. According to a Gallup poll, only about a third of employees in the U.S., France, Germany, Spain and the U.K. strongly agree with the statement “In my company we openly share information, knowledge and ideas with each other.”
Clearly, there’s a knowledge gap that needs filling, and smart firms aren’t waiting for the inevitable resource hit from the “Great Retirement” to put them at a disadvantage. Instead, they’re building knowledge transfer plans well before the gold watches are given out. But what are the key elements of a knowledge transfer? How can you make the most of a retiree’s last six months? To answer these questions, we asked seasoned pros to give us some guidance.
Target Explicit and Implicit Knowledge
To start, focus the bulk of your efforts on capturing the two key types of knowledge for most businesses: explicit and implicit knowledge. Here’s a oversimplified definition of both:
Explicit knowledge (EK)—Objective info that is easily codified, communicated, shared and stored. EK contains objective facts and data and is sometimes referred to as “know-what,” as in you know what the information is.
Implicit knowledge (IK)—Subjective info that is hard to codify, communicate and share. IK tends to be subjective, context-specific and based on individual experience. IK is often referred to as tacit knowledge or “know-how”, as in you know how to do something.
Too often, firms make explicit knowledge capture the priority. With good reason—it’s the easiest, low-hanging fruit of knowledge. For example, before your building engineer leaves, you have him or her update the maintenance schedule. It’s a clear cut transaction where critical information is recorded and stored within your database.
But that same engineer’s brain also houses other tidbits of precious knowledge collected over the years. These gems of implicit knowledge could be an un-documemented energy-saving hack for your cooling plant, or a personalised way of handling an particularly obstinate vendor. Both pieces of knowledge are valuable to your company, and both will vanish with the employee, unless you capture them first.
Knowledge Management Systems
Effective knowledge capture requires a “knowledge management system” or KMS for recording, storing and sharing info and processes. But don’t let the term intimidate you. Yes, there are plenty of paid KMS platforms with loads of bells and whistles, but an effective “system” could be a simple Google doc. Corporate wikis like Confluence are popular platforms for curating information, and if you already have Office 365, Microsoft Teams lets you add a wiki app. The sophistication of your KMS will depend on the size of your company and the amount of info you want to curate.
Accessibility
Regardless of the KMS, it should be centralised and accessible. All staff need access to documentation applicable to their department. Otherwise, you construct roadblocks to both access and contribution. Also, run a single system. Using different tools across teams erects barriers and creates potential software conflicts.
“Accessibility is super important,” explains project management expert, Dan LeFebvre. “Certainly, the type of documentation an accounting team needs is different from what another team might need. But if all information is in the same place, and you can control who has access, then at least it’s consistent. You’re telling everyone, no matter who you are, this is where you go to access all of the information we have at the company.”
LeFebvre suggests assigning one person to manage your KMS. One point of contact makes it easier to ensure consistency and facilitate documentation.
Easy Contribution
Even if you have the world’s best KMS, you still have to motivate your retiring employees to contribute, especially those eyeing the exits. “The real challenge is often not the tool itself, it’s simply getting people to document their processes and knowledge,” explains LeFebvre.
Hesitancy can stem from lack of interest. “It’s extra work,” says LeFebvre. “And nobody likes extra work.” But, he admits, it’s often the case that some seasoned workers simply don’t know where to begin:
“It’s difficult to explain something you’ve learned over twenty years. If someone’s been at a company for a long time, they often don’t think about the process. They just do it. What they think is one step, may actually be fifty steps for someone who doesn’t understand the process.”
Cross-Training Staff
There are many benefits to be had by training employees to do different jobs within the company. Spreading knowledge and skills among team members staves off burnout and improves collaboration across the organisation. More importantly, it helps build a company’s resilience during retirements and high turnover.
Steve West—a former GM at Auckland Unlimited—uses cross-training to build flexibility into his organisations. “I’ve always tried to have a flexible workforce, where there’s a transfer of knowledge, so everything isn’t stored in one person’s head.”
Measure Knowledge Transfer
Like any effective manager, West understands the power of measuring a problem. He is currently developing an information management system or “resource matrix” that measures and records the knowledge and experience of his staff for cross-training purposes. “I use it to locate who has full knowledge, who has some knowledge, and who has no knowledge. Then we start to rotate employees through different venues. It’s helped us work towards building some flexibility so that knowledge is shared across all resources.”
Getting Staff Buy-In
Cross-training can be a tough sell to those who don’t like getting out of their comfort zone. To win over recalcitrant staff, West suggests practicing simple communication and encouraging employee contribution. “I even ask my staff to contribute to their own knowledge appraisal. I may have got my appraisal wrong. Maybe she’s got more knowledge on this value than I thought she did.”
“At the end of the day, it’s about simple communication: Here’s what I want to do. Here’s why it’s an unacceptable risk to the business. Do you agree or disagree? Generally speaking, if you persuade with logic, most people will probably get on board. They might not always like getting out of their comfort zone, but if you sell it in terms of its power of affecting their professional development, they’ll buy into it.”
Knowledge Transfer Via Mentorships
Pairing up retiring staff members with in-house or new employees is an effective way to transmit elusive implicit knowledge. Mentees get a chance to shadow and learn first-hand from older workers, plus they gain opportunities to form instant personal and professional connections with other staff members, which can help the on-boarding process.
West’s organisation uses mentorships and has seen huge success pairing experienced employees with new comers. But he cautions managers to not limit their experiences to a mentorship, and he ensures effective knowledge transfer by shifting his mentees from one venue to another.
“You can’t keep them bored too long either. Mentees need development in other areas too. It’s no good placing someone with a mentor and leaving him there and waiting to see what happens for the next few years. You’ve still gotta keep them interested and engaged in the business.”
Mentorships are also a valuable opportunity to build a culture of knowledge transfer throughout your organisation. LeFebvre advises businesses to make documentation a part of the company culture. “Make it a normal part of the process to dump knowledge as employees think of it. During a mentorship, for example, the mentor may at some point think: Oh, I completely forgot about this part of the process. You want their next thought to be: I better write this down’.”
Facilities managers must master many skills to be effective. Communication, multi-tasking, technical knowledge, and resilience to name a few. But in a market disrupted by pandemics, climate change, tech innovations and new regulations, knowing how to prepare for the future can be a challenge. To narrow things down, we asked FM experts in both education and the private sector to give us their perspectives on what skills FMs should be shoring up now for the future. What we found was not just a focus on new tech, but a good mixture of hard and soft skills, with the latter leaning heavily on communication.
1. Innovation Awareness
Tech tools for FMs are growing steadily, with an expanding list of digital solutions for BMS, CAFM, CMMS and energy management. The 2018 Global FM Market Report reports cloud-based services and anything-as-a-Service (XaaS) models will be two major trends moving into 2025. In short, the complete digitalisation of building management is fast approaching.
While digitalisation and automation produce more accurate building data and save time, such a dynamic tech landscape requires FMs to stay savvy about new tech. Dr. Eziaku Onyeizu Rasheed, a Senior Lecturer at Massey University, explains:
“Since the start of the Facilities Management profession, the FM’s role has evolved from the technical maintenance of building systems to more proactive, digitalisation of building management. So, FMs need to upskill to be conversant with the associated technological innovations.”
The struggle to keep up is putting pressure on already over-extended FMs. However, resources like online courses, industry blogs, workshops, conferences and FM organisations help fill knowledge gaps with the least time investment.
We can’t always know what’s happening with our audiences’ viewpoints. We can’t know how they got there, or how they take in information. But what we can do is create connections, and from that understanding.
Phoenix Lavin, Design and Construction Interface Manager
2. Perspective-Taking
In psychology, perspective-taking is the ability to perceive a situation or understand a concept from another person’s point of view. It’s a key personality trait for FMs who must manage many stakeholders and consider different perspectives. And with the pandemic and changing workspaces disrupting normal routines, FMs must adapt quickly. Adopting another’s perspective can facilitate that change quicker and easier.
“You need the ability to adapt your ideas with those of others,” Rasheed explains, “and to be aware that there are different views of particular issues and topics.” Her point is well taken: consensus and compromise first demands an accurate understanding of another’s stake in the situation.
Phoenix Lavin, a Design and Construction Interface Manager at Programmed, agrees. Lavin is a veteran FM who’s honed her skills of perspective-taking. She suggests the first step is tackling one’s own unconscious bias:
“We all bring a perspective to the table that’s informed by our ethnicity, race, socio-economic status and education level. These biases often ‘blind’ us to how others see issues.” she explains.
So how do you overcome unconscious biases? You don’t completely. It’s something to be managed rather than “cured.” However, for Lavin part of the answer is creating meaningful connections with others. Connections force us to see others as individuals rather than obstacles. “We can’t always know what’s happening with our audiences’ viewpoints,” she explains. “We can’t know how they got there, or how they take in information. But what we can do is create connections, and from that understanding.”
3. Building Systems Basics
Modern building management systems now automate much of the reporting, scheduling and monitoring for FMs. But today’s property managers still need a basic understanding of hard building systems for proper asset management.
Gas, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and fire safety are each complex systems in their own right, but today’s smart building technology is integrating each into a larger, connected whole. FMs must manage the complexity of these connections, which begins with a good foundation in technical knowledge.
Technical knowledge has even more value today, given the break-neck pace of technological and environmental changes. Rasheed highlights the importance of technical skills. “While their role has expanded to include the importance of soft skills,” she states, “today’s FMs still require technical knowledge to successfully navigate the complexities of the profession, especially in emergency situations.” A foundation in technical knowledge is an effective stopgap against the uncertainties of global warming, cybersecurity threats, pandemics and an evolving workplace.
Today’s FMs still require technical knowledge to successfully navigate the complexities of the profession, especially in emergency situations.
Dr. Eziaku Onyeizu Rasheed, Massey University
4. Communicating to Influence
All facilities managers need a deep understanding of communication. They tackle everything from delivering bad news on a CAPEX project to breaking down a technical topic for end-users. “What makes a good FM,” says Lavin, “is the ability to take information, process it, and then deliver it in a way that’s understood by your audience.”
It’s a straightforward notion, but Lavin explains there’s a deeper complexity to effective communication than simply sending and receiving messages:
“Effective communicators also seek to influence,” she says. “They ask: What is it I want my communication to do? Where am I driving people? I do a lot of organisation transition and change management. Sometimes that change is painful. I have to move an organisation away from the trainwreck they’re heading towards, and there’s a bit of grief and disruption.”
Lavin’s “soft landing” approach helps build inclusion and influence. “Soft landings are when we take the time to introduce people to change,” she explains. “And rather than leaving people feeling like change is being forced on them, it’s about how they can see themselves in this new building/facilities and how they feel engaged and part of the build and operation process.
“I’ve got to gently move you around here so you barely realise you’re going around the corner, and then voila! All of sudden now it’s your idea not mine. That’s the influencing component of good communication.”
5. Communicating to Build Credibility
Lavin adds that good communicators also work hard to establish their credibility, which takes more than just demonstrating your expertise on a subject. Sometimes it requires changing someone’s perspective of a situation or showing their non-expertise.
“It’s hard to create credibility in a job that people feel they can do themselves. With soft services, for example, everyone thinks they can do it. No one thinks there’s any technical know-how or planning in these things. It’s a bit like painting your house. Everyone feels they can paint their own house because they see people do it on TV…that is, until they go to do it.”
Lavin suggests overcoming these types of biases by reframing the situation. “You may come up against someone who says: I just don’t believe it takes two hours to vacuum a room. So, I ask them ‘How did you get to this idea?’ and they say, I compared it to vacuuming my own house.’ I ask, How often do you vacuum your house? and they say, Once a week. I say, “Well, how about I get the cleaners on your floor just to vacuum once a week for the next month. We’ll still pay them the same. Then you tell me how your physical environment feels to work in after a month.’ So far, no one’s taken me up on the offer.”
6. Adaptability
If FMs had a master soft skill, it would be adaptability. Like the buildings we manage, we like to think of our processes, habits and personalities as strong, immovable, structures that produce predictable outcomes. And while the work of facilities management has always required a certain level of nuance and flexibility, those personal qualities are in higher demand today. Pandemics, building tech, governmental regulations, flexible workstations and artificial intelligence are disrupting the management of built environments.
What’s more, the rate of change is faster than the production of new FMs, so continual education and adaptability are certainties for anyone looking to make a long-term career in facilities management. “Our ideas and practices cannot always be repeated,” Rasheed explains, “but we should adapt them to the prevailing nature of events. FM practice must adapt to accommodate these changes and remain relevant to organisations.
