Introduction to Facility Management – The Enabler of Change

What is the course about?

Content

This course gives an introduction into the area of Facility Management and Facility Services.
Therefore, it illustrates

• the macro-economic impacts,
• the micro-economic impact of the facility services on the economy as a whole.

It presents the concept of the life cycle of a building and how Facility Management can optimise the life cycle costs (total costs of ownership).

In the second part, the course presents the different definitions of FM set up by

• different associations and
• international standards in this field.

The similarities and trade-offs are analysed and the management tasks are presented on basis of  practical examples.

This knowledge is essential before thirdly introducing the roles within the real estate industry: owner, tenant/user and service provider and their representatives.

Course content

What will you learn?

Knowledge and Competence to

1. differentiate between FM and FS
2. differentiate the most important definitions of FM: their overlapping and trade-offs as well as their strategic messages
3. apply the key management tasks of a Facility Manager
4. distinguish between the roles and representatives within the real estate industry
5. be capable to differentiate between management of facilities and the job title Facility Manager
6. identify the life cycle phases of a building and how to influence the total cost of ownership in the early phase of design
7. Define the macro-economic and micro-economic impact of the Facility Services.

This knowledge transfer is supported by a mix of learning methods such as videos, slides and the chapter 1 of the Springer Book “Modern Facility and Workplace Management”. Quizzes enable self-evaluation of the gained competences and discussion forums foster the exchange with other students and the experts. Not only the theory of FM and FS is introduced. The theoretical parts are illustrated by giving practical examples from several industry use cases.

What is the target audience?

The course is designed for

• young professionals from the service sector, who want to understand this new management discipline
• craftsmen and
• students of economy and business administration as well as technical studies such as civil engineering and architecture

What prior knowledge is required?

No prior knowledge is required, but thirst for knowledge and curiousness about people, their demands and how infrastructure and services can support and enable them best.

Course instructors

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Alex Redlein

Dr. Alexander Redlein is university professor for Real Estate and Facility Management at the Vienna University of Technology, president of REUG and past president of IFMA Austria. After his interdisciplinary studies at the Vienna University of Technology and at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration he is now engaged in research, education and consultancy in the area of FM for more than 20 years. He is head of the research group “Real Estate and Facility Management” (IFM) at the Vienna University of Technology which consists of 15 researchers. Beside his research activities he acts as a strategic advisor, sets up FM concepts for international companies and municipalities. He optimised their FM processes, ICT and workplace management. As a researcher he conducted international studies about macro- and micro-economic importance of FM. His workplace research concentrates on the influence of workplace on the productivity and well-being of the employees. He also analysis the impact of digitalisation and automation on Workplace Management, FM and Facility services. In addition, he heads a MBA for FM at the Vienna University of Technology and several FM certification courses in CEE and also in India. Since September 2019 he is ME310 international teaching staff at Stanford university.
Affiliation: Institute for Real Estate and Facility Management (IFM), Vienna University of Technology, E: redlein@tuwien.ac.at W: www.ifm.tuwien.ac.at