FOCUS DIGITAL WORKPLACE
DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT
Cindy Hermsen, CEO of The Global Alliance of Facility Management Innovators, which serves as
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FMs, explains how the adoption of FMTech can empower the sector
Prior to the pandemic, it was to
meet the call for sustainability
within the built environments where
we mainly saw the emergence of
innovative technologies. From green
materials to sustainable energy, the built
environment responded with innovative
construction technologies. PropTech
solutions emerged to serve better
infrastructure and mobility demands,
while o ering Corporate Real Estate
(CRE) managers a host of applications
to better serve their tenants. The FM
sector on the other hand played catchup
compared to the rest of the built
42 FEBRUARY 2022
environment. But that was up until the
global COVID pandemic happened. Now
that climate action is becoming a priority
for corporations, the facility manager’s
role is moving closer to the widespread
adoption of digitalisation.
Nearly two years into the pandemic, we
have seen a remarkable transformation
on how we access, use and manage our
buildings. In order to respond and cope
with the necessity to provide a safe
and ež icient built environment, facility
managers rose to the occasion and
responded with the accelerated adoption of
digital technology and solutions. In ež ect,
COVID has ushered in the future workplace
well ahead of time and permanently
altered how we access, use and manage our
buildings.
ROLE OF FMTECH
So how does FMTech support facilities
managers? How can innovations in FM
help them increase their take up and
understanding of the role of technology
in delivering services and monitoring
performance? Let’s look at some examples
of how FMTech is helping facility managers
and is shaping the way facilities will be
managed in the future.