Computerised facilities management systems

Assembling information is what computers are good at: monitoring information is what facilities managers do with a great deal of their time. In theory a perfect match is indicated. In practice these tasks can be problematical, and the gap between what is expected of the applications software and its actual performance can be large. As a general strategy it is best to start modestly and develop progressively, always keeping the applications within manageable proportions. Commercially useful software for applications in architecture, building maintenance, energy management and project management has been available for at least 15 years. One of the main features of the development of these systems is their reliance on traditional approaches to building design and management Just as the first railway trains were like stage coaches on iron rails, so the first applications software mimicked the manual methods they superseded.