DEGW have published a follow-up to their British Orbit study, Orbit 2, covering the subject of facilities management from a North American point of view.
In their report, DEGW have come up with a system to rate offices for how well they will cope with the demands of different types of organisation “and different densities of information technology now and in the future”.
This new rating process for office buildings in North America is seen as a contribution to productivity. The task can be carried out by in-house staff or consultants. An important lesson, says the report, is that buildings that look the same rarely perform the same, and the rating process is designed to probe into the factors which make the difference.
A practical example is given. A firm is faced with a long-term decision whether to lease or buy. To choose between what looks like comparable options, the firm will have to know what facilities will deteriorate or become obsolete. DEGW claim their rating process will make the choice simpler.
Reports are available from Building Use Studies, 8-9 Bulstrode Place, Marylebone Lane, London W1M 9FW, price £35.
