HOUSTON - Facility managers are increasingly following a master plan when implementing sustainable practices and are tying their efforts to measurable goals and business strategy, according to the results of a new International Facility Management Association (IFMA) survey. The study, Green Practice 2008, shows that while recycling and energy conservation initiatives are being practiced by the vast majority of facility practitioners, financial challenges still present the biggest impediment to going green.

Based on a survey of 573 professionals, the research report examines the forces driving sustainability, the green practices being employed, and the challenges facility managers face in implementing sustainable initiatives.

While most survey respondents reported implementing green building concepts without a master plan, 17 percent are adhering to one - an increase of 9 percent over similar data from 2002. The percentage of respondents who say they have not implemented any green strategies and do not plan to, fell from 16 percent in 2002 to only 5 percent in 2008.

Ninety-two percent of survey respondents are working to make their facilities more sustainable, and the same percentage reported having measurable goals related to sustainability. Seventy-nine percent said these goals are linked to the organization’s business strategy.

“For years facility managers have been advancing sustainable practices with the aim to lower operating costs and improve efficiency,” said Shari Epstein, IFMA director of research. “This study demonstrates the gradual shift toward incorporating sustainability into the overall business strategy in addition to the overall design and operation of the facility.”

For more information, visit www.ifma.org.

Publication date: 11/03/2008