For decades, maintenance and engineering departments seemed to operate on their own. Their offices often were in the basement of facilities or in separate buildings altogether. Managers — whose departments were considered a “necessary evil” in many organizations — often were excluded from organizations’ strategic planning activities.
How times have changed.
A quick glance at three articles in this issue reveals ways that maintenance and engineering departments are making stronger connections with occupants and organizations:
At Harvard University Business School, the facilities management team uses the green roof on McCollum/MacArthur Hall as a way to engage with the building’s occupants and the surrounding community. See the article on page 6.
At Purdue University, the grounds department has adapted to changing landscapes and mower technology advances to ensure campus landscapes create positive first impressions among prospective students and faculty — a critically important responsibility in the highly competitive environment of higher education. See the article on page 10.
The facilities department for Polk County, Florida, ensures its successful use of drones to inspect exterior building areas — including a troubled roofing system — by communicating clearly with building occupants prior to inspection activities. See the article on page 18.
In truth, maintenance and engineering departments have always been strongly connected to building occupants and organizational missions. The difference now is that managers are making these connections more obvious to more interested parties — a move that ensures executives and occupants better understand the critical role facilities play in organizations’ core missions.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor for the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
