Edinburgh Napier University

  A sustainable environment is the primary focus of many building designers, and even building users in order to attain high level of satisfaction of occupants' safety and comfort and to meet the sustainable development (SD) agenda requirements. Facilities management (FM) has an important part to play in creating this sustainable environment and has been defined by many. It is viewed as a practice, process and profession; that integrates multidisciplinary activities within the built environment, which includes maintaining, improving and adapting buildings and assets through time, in the most cost effective way, to meet an organisations' agreed business objectives. However, does this integrative role help in achieving sustainable building (SB)? There is limited research in FM view in relation to SB. The aim of this paper is to determine FM functions in relation to SB throughout the phases of the building life-cycle. The research methodology adopted is the review of existing literature sources on SBs and the documents produced by the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The research methodology also involves a review of the competencies of FM as stated in FM professional standards. The first part of the paper identifies SB constituents with reference to internationally recognised standards (BREEAM, LEED and ISO) and literature in relation to SB. It then evaluates the role of FM in relation to the identified SB constituents at the design, construction and operations phases of the building life-cycle. The findings of this research reveal FM functions in SB constituents in energy consumption and efficiency, water management and efficiency; waste management; pollution; building users comfort which includes (visual, acoustic and thermal comfort) and indoor environmental quality; and building life-cycle costing. These FM functions are found to be operative mostly at the design and operations phase. This paper helps FM practitioners to be aware of their role in SBs. There is need for FM practitioners to function at the construction phase and SB constituents in building material use and efficiency; land use and conserving local heritage and culture.