FOCUS INTERVIEW
to FMs, including technology(iv) the future
of transport(v) and wellness at work(vi). The
organisation is also interested in helping
ensure the built environment reflects on
building inception through to everyday
operations and utilises the latest intelligence
in building information modelling (BIM) along
with real time operational data.
Says Marmot: “With the pandemic, one of the
key things we’ve had to do is increase the level
of air intake dramatically, and that requires
a lot more energy to heat or cool buildings.
Sensors providing real-time data have been
moving into buildings at a dramatic rate.
“However, it’s still in its infancy and, like any
technical change, it will take a while to get
established. For example, if every light fitting
is to be intelligent, then agreement is needed
across a huge number of suppliers on the
technology to be installed, and what to do with
the legacy of the last version.”
FMs, she believes, need to embrace the value
from the data that these technologies can ož er.
For instance, occupancy sensors at entrances
to buildings, and monitoring the use of li¢ s,
had been increasing year by year, providing
data to help optimise aspects such as cleaning
schedules based on real need rather than
routines.
32 FEBRUARY 2022
“Unfortunately, in FM we don’t always
have the skills to interpret the data.
We’ve got a lot of clever gadgets but
the knowledge they ož er isn’t always
shared. Simple questions like ‘why clean
a washroom that hasn’t been used all
day?’ are answered by ‘because it’s in the
contract’. We are not yet in a situation
where an evidence base is always available
to ensure that staž time, cleaning
chemicals, water and electricity are not
used unnecessarily, while other places that
need cleaning are ignored.”
Commuting is another area where the
BCO foresees changes to some FM services
that support environmental sustainability
and ož er health benefits through ‘active
travel’. Professor Marmot, notes: “In our
BCO Research Committee we sponsored
a report on Future Transportation looking
ahead into the world of ‘mobility as a
service’, forms of autonomous vehicles
and ‘active travel’. We looked at what
these diž erent approaches might mean in
terms of ož ice design, ož ice location, and
requirements for vehicle charging, lockers
and showers rather than parking.”
Another key area of interest for the BCO
is the rise of coworking spaces. This wasn’t
taken seriously until relatively recently as
a major business model, but according to
research it’s growing fast and is definitely no
longer the preserve of start-ups.
Says Marmot: “For large organisations,
a mixed mode of space is certainly on the
cards, with some buildings that it owns
or rents long term, and others which its
employees just use when needed.”
She adds: “I did some work a few months
ago amongst high tech companies in the
USA and what they were doing about their
workspaces and the results were very
interesting. What they are emphasising is
green, sustainable, healthy workplaces that
look like a holiday or a health resort. That’s
a model that says ‘what we want is a world
that is sustainable, healthy, fun, sociable,
and it isn’t about creating workspaces where
you just sit in rows of desks with your head
down.’ It’s much more about a sense of a
wider community and involvement in the
world.”
Professor Marmot recently co-edited
a book with Mike Schley for the IFMA
Foundation - Work on the Move 3: Building
better workplaces a¢ er the pandemic. As
well as co-editing she wrote two chapters:
Global workplace and workforce trends,
and Health and Wellbeing at work. It seems
that both the BCO and Professor Marmot
are most interested in looking at the bigger
picture, marrying the big global challenges
with the workplace.
“Our research suggests that we need
to bring together planetary health and
wellbeing with corporate, individual and
family health and wellbeing.”
As she concludes: “The BCO helps to raise
important ideas and ask experts to articulate
key issues, summarised in reports made
publicly available. Its contribution is really
important. If you look at the wide range of
BCO publications released over the past few
years there is little we have missed.”
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