Business View Oceania - April 2024

them with a value proposition. It was an important step forward for FMA to being the representative body for the entire industry. We recognise that it’s a very broad industry and that the opportunity to represent the interests of the industry is equally broad.” BVO: What are the biggest industry challenges today? Burt: “Key challenges at the moment include making sure that people understand what compliance looks like in buildings, because we’re a highly regulated industry. So one focus is how we, as an industry, influence what that compliance regime might look like. Another economy-wide issue is sustainability and the important role that our members play in tackling things like energy management and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. That’s an ongoing challenge that keeps us right in the spotlight. “A third challenge, which has been highlighted through this period of COVID-19, is the importance of people’s safety and wellbeing when they’re using a facility–whatever that facility might be. We have members who operate commercial properties, residential properties, hotels, hospitals… so it’s an industry that really needs to understand what facility users are trying to gain, and working to enable that experience. “In days past, very technical industries would be responsible for making sure the air-conditioning was operating, or the lights turned on, or the elevator was working. Today, it’s much more focussed on the experience people have when they’re interacting with a facility. That’s balanced with the value that facilities managers can provide people in their use of a facility. There is sometimes a tension between those two things, but currently they’re both very predominant for our industry to understand and work within.” BVO: How has the FM industry adapted during COVID-19? Burt: “Previously, FM wasn’t a very well-recognised 33 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 06, ISSUE 04 FACI L I TY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIAT ION AUSTRAL IA