Research Program to Sustain the FM Professional

Abstract

Arizona State University has been involved in identifying the future Facility Manager (FM) paradigm which results in a sustainable FM profession. The $16M, 20-year international research program has identified, created and tested out a solution to the almost impossible task of replacing the aging FM professionals. The research has identified the future FM as one who is leadership based and leads the entire supply chain from inside the organization. This paper will cover the three year results of finding the future FM by accessing the top 10% of ASU’s 85,000 students through Barrett’s Honors Program, 7th – 10th graders through the Barrett’s Summer Honors Program, and culminating this year in placing the education in one of the top private schools in the state of Hawaii for high school students, testing the approach on 116 Brazilian engineering undergraduate students and getting approval for testing a 14 week program in the Tempe High School. The model is proposed as a prototype for future FM professionals and how the FM professional can become sustainable.