A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
A ...
A/C
Air conditioning
Added value
Providing enhancements to a contract through innovation and efficient use of resources.
AHU
see Air handling unit.
Air Handling Unit
An air handling unit (AHU) is a component of a buildings ventilation system.
Asbestos
A hazardous building material that is no longer used. Its handling and disposal is now highly regulated as it can cause life-threatening disease. Originally used for its insulating and fire resistance properties visit www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos for more information.
Asset Management
A process of proactively managing a buildings assets to ensure maximum efficiency and return on capital investment.
Asset Register
An asset register is used to record the specification, make and model details of equipment and plant within a building. It is used for both planned and reactive maintenance services to ensure the service schedule meets specifications.
B ...
Baseline costs
The overall costs for providing the facilities service, including sub-contracted elements, within the scope of the contract but excluding overheads and profit.
BAU
see Business as usual.
Benchmarking
The process of one organisation comparing an element of a contract such as performance or cost, or a specific process or method with an organisation in a similar industry, often an industry standard or best practice example.
BIFM
The British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) is one of the leading trade bodies in the UK facilities management industry. Founded in 1993, the Institute provides information, education, training and networking services for over 12,000 members – both individual professionals and organisations.
BMS
see Building management system.
Building Management System
A Building management system (BMS) is a computer-based system that controls and monitors a building’s mechanical and electrical equipment such as HVAC, lighting, power, fire and security systems.
Bundling
see Consolidation.
Business as Usual
A financial term used to describe the fixed price element of a facilities contract.
Business Continuity Planning
Business continuity planning is the process of ensuring an organisation can sufficiently recover and restore partially or completely interrupted critical functions/systems within a predetermined time after a disaster or extended disruption. Also see disaster recovery.
Business Excellence
The European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) describes Business Excellence as 'outstanding practices in managing the organisation and achieving results, all based on a set of eight fundamental concepts.' These concepts are 'results orientation, customer focus, leadership and constancy of purpose, management by processes and facts, people development and involvement, continuous learning, innovation and improvement; partnership development, and public responsibility.'
Business Excellence Model
A model for organisations to utilise the principles of business excellence and integrate them into strategy and tactical level operational elements.
C ...
CAD
Computer aided design (CAD) is often computer software, supported by specialist hardware enabling the user to create and maintain floor plans typically showing furniture layouts, partitions, facilities, infrastructure and building services.
CAFM
Computer aided facilities management. A system that would typically integrate database, performance and graphical functions to assist in tracking and maintaining assets and monitoring performance.
CCTV
Closed circuit television. Often used as part of a wider security strategy to compliment manned guarding and combined with 24/7 monitoring.
CHP
Combined heat and power.
Churn
Relocating staff or workstations within a building. The number of moves per year is expressed as a percentage of the number of workplaces provided, e.g. 100 staff with 80 moves = 80% churn.
Client-side Thinking
A term used to describe an individuals or organisations underlying influence that can shape facilities management delivery. Facilities Management companies are service providers who deliver services to clients. To possess clientside thinking the individual must have previously held a facilities role in a 'client' type organisation.
Condition Based Maintenance
A maintenance regime based on the assessed condition of plant rather than one focused on scheduled servicing intervals. Can be assisted through remote condition tracking.
Consolidation
The consolidation of services is the grouping of two or more individual service lines together with a multi-disciplined contractor with the ultimate goal of achieving operational and cost efficiencies. The integration of services can help with the introduction of a single-team culture and can provide reduced management costs through the removal of duplication across the individual services.
Continuous Improvement
The continuous of improvement of performance is often driven by an excellence model or other quality management system. By using a model a score can be obtained to reflect a snapshot of organisation performance. By driving forward compliance and progress an organisation can demonstrate an increased score over time can be .
Contract Implementation
see Contract mobilisation.
Contract Mobilisation
The process of starting a contract and managing the different elements associated with it, such as, TUPE, equipment and material purchasing, asset review, H&S planning and assessment, performance management scope.
Contract Period
The length of a contract, usually stated in years with start and end dates.
Core
Refers to functions and activities that are fundamental to business and therefore not outsourced, as non-core functions and activities may be.
Core Area
The part of a building containing lifts, stairs, common lobbies, plant and service areas, ducts and toilets.
COSHH
Control of substances hazardous to health. COSHH refers to legislation and regulations concerning the duties and responsibilities of employers and employees to ensure that such substances do not cause harm.
Cost Transparency
Refers to the breakdown, and subsequent provision of the breakdown to the client, of full cost information of a contract including resource, material, equipment, overhead and profit.
Counter Measures
Measures implemented to counter the possible risks identified during risk management.
CPD
Continuing professional development
CRE
Corporate real estate.
Credit/Reward Framework
The mechanism for providing monetary incentives against a set of defined performance criteria within the Performance Management System
Critical Success Factors
A Critical Success Factor is an element which is necessary for an organisation or project to achieve its mission.
CSR
Corporate social responsibility.
D ...
DDA
Disability Discrimination Act.
Deep Clean
A deep clean refers to the process of an intense clean period, that will normally involve cleaning duties/processes outside of the day-to-day specification.
Disaster Recovery
Disaster recovery is a sub-section of business continuity planning and refers to the specific provisions for handling a critical issue, such as a catastrophic power failure, flood or security breach. See business continuity planning.
E ...
EAC
Electronic access control
e-business
Also called e-commerce and refers to business transactions, marketing communications and sales that take place through the internet.
EIA
Environmental impact assessment
Empirical
Often relates to empirical evidence and is based on experiment, observation or experience rather than on theory.
Environmental Management
The management of an organisations environmental performance through policies, processes and initiatives such as carbon offsetting, recycling and minimal travel policies.
EPC
Energy performance certificate
e-portal
A web-based 'door' to a wide range of information or services with a common theme.
Ergonomics
The study of people and the equipment with which they work with the ultimate goal of improving the interaction to minimise adverse effects such as repetitive strain injuries and other health complaints.
F ...
Facilities Management
Facilities management is the integration of processes within an organisation to maintain and develop the agreed services which support and improve the effectiveness of its primary activities'. European Standard definition, adopted by the BIFM.
Facilities Manager
An individuals job role, responsible for co-ordinating facilities services or the providers of facilities services.
Facilities Services
The range of support services required in the workplace, e.g. cleaning, catering, security etc.
FCO
Fixed capital outlay.
FCU
A fan coil unit (FCU) is an component of a buildings air conditioning system.
Feasibility Study
An exercise undertaken to establish the best option, for example, between refurbishing and relocating. Looks at all elements such as associated resource, cost and short, medium and long-term benefits.
Financial Close
This is the point in contract negotiations when the financial elements of the agreement are finalised. The term is often used in news of PFI schemes, where financial close is typically achieved some months after the preferred bidder has been selected.
Fixed Wire Testing
The testing of a buildings fixed wire infrastructure to ensure its continual safe operation.
Flexible Working
A modern term applied to a great range of 'new' approaches to work, covering everything from the physical environment such as hotdesking and break-out areas to terms & condition elements, flexi-time, annualised hours etc. UK legislation on flexible working applies primarily to parents with young children and focuses on changes in hours spent at the place of work.
Floor Plate
The gross internal floor area available on one floor.
FM Software
A piece of computer software designed specifically for facilities management, such as Helpdesk software or asset tracking. Also see CAFM.
FMA
The Facilities Management Association (FMA) is one of the UK’s leading trade associations. Primarily representing employers engaged in delivering non-core services in the FM sector.
G ...
Gross Internal Area
The total area of the building between internal faces of external or atrium walls, including internal structure and core, but excluding roof plant and unlit areas.
H ...
Hard FM
Hard FM is the maintenance of a buildings mechanical, electrical, fabric and landscape assets.
Helpdesk
A popular FM service used in conjunction with many areas such as maintenance and cleaning. A helpdesk's main responsibility is usually the logging and co-ordinating of works across building portfolios from one central point. Also used for centralising key services such as health & safety and loss prevention reporting.
High Level Works
Works, such as cleaning, that occur at in high level areas, generally agreed to be any height above an individuals hand, when held above their head. Requires use of platform or other lifting equipment.
Holistic
The wider view of a system (physical, economic, technological) and the idea that all the properties of a the system cannot be determined or explained by its component parts alone, i.e. the system is not a sum of the individual parts. Instead, the system as a whole determines in an important way how the parts behave.
HVAC
A term used to group the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems of a building.
Hygiene Services
The provision of feminine sanitary services in washroom facilities.
I ...
IAP
Indoor air pollution.
IAQ
Indoor air quality.
IB
Intelligent building.
Indicative
Showing a sign of, or indicating, a particular event or status
Inherent
Described as a natural quality. If someone or something is inherent, it is a permanent and inseparable element, quality, or attribute
Input specification
States the resources and processes that will be used to achieve a specific function or task. Commonly used in cleaning services, for example, though recent years have seen a shift towards output specifications.
Integrated services
see Consolidation.
IOSH
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is an organisation for health and safety professionals in the UK.
IP
Internet protocol. Internet Protocol is the computer networking protocol used on the Internet. One of the most well known uses is for an IP address, which specifies each individual computer on a network.
ISO 14001
Environmental Management System. A system to ensure an organisation's environmental practice is managed and process to driven to encourage and drive continuous improvement.
ISO 9001
Quality management system accreditation. A system designed to ensure an organisation is systematic and process driven in how it operates. The organisations processes will encourage and drive continuous improvement. An organisation has to earn ISO accreditation and receives regular external audits.
ITT
Invitation to tender.
K ...
Key Performance Indicator
KPI's are used to define and measure progress against set objectives; the more clearly defined, the better they will work. KPI's often back-up an SLA and state exactly what will be tracked to monitor service performance. Elements demonstrate compliance with contract outputs for service delivery.
Key Performance Outcomes
A series of empirical data and subjective data demonstrating effective and efficient management of the contract, human resource and service delivery elements.
KPI
see Key performance indicator.
L ...
LAN
Local area networks.
LCC
Life cycle costing. Also see Lifecycle.
Lifecycle
The recognition that buildings and systems have a lifespan and can be managed over the full length of the period with respect of service delivery and its associated costs.
M ...
M&E
Mechanical and electrical services: cabling, lighting, air handling, heating, ventilation etc.
Method Statement
A document that gives specific instructions on how to safely perform a work related task, or operate a piece of plant or equipment. It is a legal requirement to have Method Statements in place to advise employees and contractors on how to work safely.
Mobilisation Period
The period of time required to complete all elements associated with the mobilisation of a contract. Also see Contract Mobilisation.
N ...
NEBOSH
The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health is an internationally recognised H&S training provider.
Net Internal Area
Total area of a building between internal faces of external or atrium walls excluding core areas.
O ...
OEM
Original equipment manufacturer.
Output Specification
States the service to be delivered as opposed to the resources that will be put into a particular task.
Outputs
The contract is based on an output specification, meaning that the contractor works towards an end goal, without the client being prescriptive about how to achieve it. Also see Output Specification.
Outsourcing
The procurement of services from external providers, normally covering both the service (or services) and management function.
P ...
Partnering
An approach initially developed in the construction industry in which client and contractor align their objectives and work together to reduce the problems associated with the traditional adversarial approach. The relationship can be formal or informal, and is underpinned by trust and openness.
PAT
Portable appliance testing.
Performance Management
The measuring, recording and analysis of performance data to demonstrate service delivery and provide a benchmark for future improvements.
Permit to Work
An operative, engineer or individual will often have to obtain a permit to work in order to carry out facilities duties. The process can include the submission of relevant H&S data and a site tour. The process is to ensure all people on the site remain safe throughout the course of the works,
PFI
see Private finance initiative.
Planned Preventative Maintenance
A maintenance regime that operates on the basis of scheduled works that are planned for each asset set within a building. Service frequencies are determined by either one or more of the following; experience, statutory compliance, manufacturers recommendations and predictive modelling. For an alternative see Condition Based Maintenance.
PPE
Personal protective equipment.
PPM
see Planned Preventative Maintenance.
PPM Planner
A document used to plan maintenance schedules and allow effective and timely co-ordination of the service.
PPP
see Public private partnership.
Primary Circulation
Major routes through work areas that link fire escapes. Also see secondary circulation.
Private Finance Initiative
A strategy in which public buildings are designed, built, financed and operated by a private sector consortium typically for a contract period of 25 to 30 years on behalf of a public sector client. PFI's relevance in FM is mainly in the education and healthcare sectors.
Project Management
The management of a task or group of tasks to a specific timeline, budget to a pre-determined set of outcomes.
Public Private Partnership
A more general term than PFI, but based on the same principles.
Q ...
QMS
See Quality management system.
Quality Management System
A management tool providing active process maps to follow either ISO 9001 or the excellence model and allow manageable growth through continuous improvement.
R ...
R&D
Research & development.
Reactive Maintenance
Unplanned maintenance activities; an inevitable supplement to planned preventative maintenance regimes in the operation of a building.
Recycling
The collection and processing of used materials in order to utilise the raw material to produce new products.
Request for Information (RFI)
A pre-qualification stage that is often issued before a Request for Proposal (RFP) to judge the capabilities of service providers. Will usually include a companies technical knowledge and experience as well as financial and operational information.
Request for Proposal
A RFP is an invitation for suppliers to submit a proposal for the provision of a pre-defined set of service/s. The RFP will outline all the specific information required as part of the process which can include a service delivery model, account management details, full financial breakdown and contract mobilisation strategy.
Retail Price Index
The retail price index is the industry standard measure of inflation, published monthly by the Office for National Statistics.
RFI
see Request for Information.
RFP
see Request for proposal.
RIDDOR
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 regulates the UK businesses statutory obligation to report deaths, injuries, diseases and "dangerous occurrences" that take place at work or in connection with work.
Risk Assessment
An assessment of the risk involved in carrying out a particular task, job or process accounting for the environment, equipment and materials required.
Risk Management
The process of assessing hazards (factors with the potential to cause disruption or harm) and risk (the likelihood that disruption or harm from a particular hazard will occur). Also see Counter Measures.
RMS
Remote monitoring system.
ROI
Return on investment.
RPI
see Retail price index.
S ...
Secondary Circulation
Secondary routes connect groups of workplaces to the primary circulation routes.
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
An SLA sets out in detail the services to be delivered under a contract between a provider and its client. It clarifies the measures of acceptable service that will be used, as well as any penalties to be applied if acceptable levels are not achieved. Often used in conjunction with key performance indicators.
SLA
see Service level agreement.
Soft FM
Soft FM is the day-to-day people driven areas of FM such as cleaning, security, catering, reception, mailroom and helpdesk.
Space Planning
The process of determining the amount of floor space available in an area, floor or entire building and how it is best used to meet individual, group and corporate needs.
Specialist Clean
A clean requiring specialist equipment or materials e.g. a clean involving bodily fluid.
Stacking Plan
Graphic representation of space allocation to illustrate positioning of departments or groups within a building. A key step in making decisions about how to use space efficiently within a building and effectively for the groups involved.
Statutory Testing
Refers to the legally required testing of building assets and systems such as PAT testing, fixed wire testing, emergency light testing and water testing.
Stipulation
A stipulation is a condition specified as necessary within a contract.
Sustainable FM
The concept of sustainable practices forming the basis of facilities management operations including energy efficient products, environmentally friendly materials and recycling based waste management.
T ...
T&C's
Terms and conditions of contract.
TCO
Total cost of ownership.
TFM
see Total Facilities Management.
Total Facilities Management
Total facilities management is a strategy in which a provider takes responsibility for the delivery and management of all required service lines on the behalf of a client. The integrated nature of TFM solutions will often provide both cost, operational and performance efficiencies.
Total Viable Count
Total Viable Count is used as part of legionella testing and gives a quantitative representation of the presence and amount of micro organisms such as bacteria, yeast and mould in a sample.
TQM
Total quality management.
TUPE
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (1981). TUPE protects the rights of staff transferred to a new employer in the context of outsourcing a contract or transferring a contract to a new service provider.
TVS
see Total viable count.
U ...
UPS
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is a system that utilises isolated back-up batteries and/or generators to supply power in the event of a disruption to normal supplies. Large scale uses can be found in infrastructure and hospitals, while day-to-day business use is often based around maintaining IT systems.
V ...
VOIP
Voice over internet protocol (VOIP) is a system for making voice 'telephone' calls over the internet using specialised software and/or hardware.
VPN
A virtual private network (VPN) is the creation of a secure network over the internet to connect to a remote server. A VPN allows users to connect to work systems and files from a remote location.
W ...
WAN
Wide area network.
Washroom Services
A wide ranging service usually involving one or more of the following areas; feminine hygiene bins, air fresheners, hand dryers; soap, hand towel and toilet roll dispensers and the consumables that feed them.
Waste Management
A waste management service is characterised as the collection, transport, processing and recycling or disposal of waste materials from a building.
Wi-Fi
Wireless protocol used in IT networks. Allows users to connect to networks without wires/cables reducing IT infrastructure costs and allowing connections in areas where cables cannot be installed i.e. outdoors, historical buildings, transport.
WO
Work order.
