COMMON FACILITY MANAGEMENT ACRONYMS AND TERMS

COMMON FACILITY MANAGEMENT ACRONYMS AND TERMS

A

A/C -Air Conditioner or Air Conditioning

    A system used to control the humidity, ventilation & temperature in a building

AC-Alternating Current

    An electrical current that can reverse its direction
ACM-Asset Condition Monitoring

    Identifying equipment defects to improve asset reliability and predict anomalies that might lead to future breakdowns

ADAAG- “Americans with Disabilities Act” Accessibility Guidelines

    Requirements and regulations, as stated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), that guide the construction and alteration of facilities to ensure ease of access for people with disabilities

AEC-Architecture, Engineering & Construction

    Shorthand for groups commonly involved in the drafting and design process both before and during facility construction

AED-Automatic External Defibrillator

    A portable electronic device that shocks and restores the heartbeat of a person experiencing cardiac arrest

AFR-Annual Financial Report

    A comprehensive report that compiles information on a department’s financial performance throughout the preceding year

AHERA-Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act

    An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruling that regulates how asbestos is maintained in schools

AHU-Air Handling Unit

    A device used to circulate air as part of a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system

AM-Asset Management

    A computer system that can perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.

Allocation

A certain amount of funds that are designated for a specific expenditure or project

AMP-Amperage

    A unit used to measure electrical currents

Appropriation

    Money set aside with a specific purpose in mind

AR-Augmented Reality

    A technology that superimposes a computer-generated image or other sensory experience on top of a real-world environment

AI-Artificial Intelligence

    A technology that superimposes a computer-generated image or other sensory experience on top of a real-world environment

ASE-Active Shooter Event

    One or more persons actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill multiple people in a confined and populated area

B

BAS-Building Automation System

    An electronic system that manages HVAC, lighting, fire safety and any other electrical assets in a facility

BEMS-Building Energy Management System

     A system that monitors, optimizes and automates control of a facility’s energy needs, including lighting, HVAC, security, fire and other systems

BMS-Building Management System

    A system that monitors, optimizes & automates control of a facility’s energy needs, including lighting, HVAC, security, fire & other systems

BIM-Building Information Model

   A process through which buildings are 3D modeled with easily-editable ‘smart objects’ that represent HVAC, electrical systems, lighting, mechanical assets, etc., which allows architecture, engineering & construction (AEC) professionals to gather sophisticated data about how a

Building Envelope

    Physical separators between the interior and exterior of a building including walls, floors, doors, windows & skylights

C

CAD- Computer-aided Design

    The process of creating technical drawings via computer software

CAFM-Computer-aided Facility Management

    Supplementing facility management with software, usually through file organization or work order scheduling

Capital Improvement

    The construction, installation or assembly of a new or existing asset to accommodate a change of function, unmet need, code compliance or new technology within a facility

CMMS-Computerized Maintenance Management System/Software

    Software that analyzes and collects actionable facility data that teams can use to more effectively manage assets and perform maintenance and cleaning tasks

Compliance (Facility)

    The process of completing inspections and work to ensure facilities meet certain standards and requirements, typically set by a third-party organization.

Contractor

    A person or company that is hired to provide materials or labor as part of a service contract

Cost Overrun

    The amount spent on a project over the budgeted amount

CPPM-Capital Planning and Project Management

    Planning and managing a variety of activities as they pertain to facility construction and renovations, including capital planning, budgeting, funding, bidding, procurement, project cost tracking, scheduling and project documentation

Cx-Commissioning

    A process through which the subsystems in new construction are verified to be up to the standards of the building owner

D

DC-Direct Current

    A simple electrical current that flows in one direction (e.g., a battery)

Demand-Based Operations

    The cleaning and maintenance of space and equipment based on actual user demand, rather than assumption.

Digital Twin

    A digital replica of a living or non-living physical entity, including physical assets, processes, people, places, systems, and devices.

DM-Deferred Maintenance

    The practice of postponing maintenance activities and repairs to save costs, meet budget funding levels or realign available 

E

Egress Plan

    A map of a facility that houses critical indicators such as posted emergency routes, evacuation paths and red exit signs that lead to stairs and doorways

Emergency Management Plan

    A plan that a business or organization puts in place to mitigate risk in case of a disaster

EOD-End of Day   

    A common deadline for projects or tasks

EOW-End of Week

    A common deadline for projects or tasks

ERP-Enterprise Resource Planning

    Integrated management of core business processes, often in real-time and mediated by software and technology

EUI-Energy Use Index

    A calculation of energy use per square foot in a facility

F

Facility Management

    The maintenance and upkeep of a business or organization’s buildings, grounds, assets and/or equipment

Facility/Facilities Manager

    A person who ensures that buildings, assets and machinery remain in suitable condition to meet the needs of people who rely on them to accomplish day-to-day activities. Facility managers oversee a wide variety of tasks, which may include asset maintenance and management, custodial work, occupant safety and security, landscaping, and parking lot maintenance

FCA-Facility Condition Assessment

A process through which a group of trained professionals assesses the overall status or the health of a facility

FCI-Facility Condition Index

    The ratio of the cost of deferred maintenance to the cost of asset replacement in a facility

FM-Facility Management

    A discipline that spans many different trades with the overarching goal of supplying support to and ensuring efficiency of building operations, assets, grounds and transportation

FMS-Facility Management Software

    Software designed to automate, simplify and otherwise boost the efficiency of the facility management teams

FSA-Full Service Agreement

    An agreement between two persons or businesses where one agrees to provide a specified service to the other

G

GSF-Gross Square Footage

    Total area of enclosed space measured to the exterior walls of a building. Gross square feet is an umbrella term that includes everything in a facility, even unusable spaces (like areas in between walls)

H

HEPA-High-efficiency Particulate Air (Filter)

    A type of air filter that utilizes fine mesh to trap microscopic particles from the air, including dust, dander, pollen, mold and other common allergens

HID-High-intensity Discharge (Lighting)

    Specialized light bulbs or lamps that create a great amount of visible light per watt and are commonly used in streetlights, gymnasiums, warehouses, stadiums and other large facilities

HIPAA-Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

    Legislation that uses data privacy and security provisions to safeguard medical information and prevent healthcare fraud

I

IAP-Indoor Air Pollution

    Contamination found in a facility’s indoor air that may lead to adverse health effects

IAQ-Indoor Air Quality

    The air quality within and around buildings and structures

IWMS-Integrated Workplace Management System

    A software system that organizes workplace resources

M

M&O-Maintenance and repair of assets and infrastructure

Maintenance Backlog
A measure of required maintenance work that has not been completed
Maintenance Technician
A person who supports an organization’s goals and objectives by performing maintenance-related duties, including installation, repair and troubleshooting of facility equipment and assets
MEP/FP- Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Protection (assets)
An umbrella term for assets in a facility
MRO-Maintenance, Repair and Operations
 
MTD- Month to Date
A commonly used time frame when monitoring performance metrics
N
NASF- Net Assignable Square Feet
The sum of all areas in a facility that are usable for programmatic purposes. NASF can be calculated as net square feet (NSF) minus spaces you cannot assign a specific use to. For instance, an office or a classroom would be included in NASF, while a hallway or lobby would not
NCSF- Net Cleanable Square Feet
The sum of all floor areas that requires custodial services. This can be represented as net square feet (NSF) minus areas that cannot or do not have to be cleaned (such as closets or areas where a significant amount of equipment covers floor space)
 
NSF-Net Square Feet
The total area of usable space that’s available for furnishings, equipment and personnel. Net square feet is essentially gross square feet (GSF) minus unusable space
O
Occupant
A person who resides or spends time in a facility
OEE- Overall Equipment Effectiveness
A best practice that identifies the percentage of planned production time that is truly productive (with a score of 100% indicating perfect production)
OEM- Original Equipment Manufacturer
A company that manufactures or develops a product that is sold by a different company
O&M Manual- Operations and Maintenance Manual
A comprehensive document that provides all the details necessary about a specific asset as well as individual pieces of equipment to help the maintenance staff keep everything running smoothly
One-time Cost/Fee
An expense that an organization pays only once
OTF- Operate to Failure
A process by which an asset is purposefully run without maintenance until it fails or breaks down, at which point reactive maintenance is performed. No maintenance, including preventative maintenance is performed on the asset up until the failure event
 
P
PDM- Predictive Maintenance 
Techniques that determine the condition of in-service equipment to estimate when maintenance should be performed. This approach promises cost savings through preventative maintenance, as maintenance tasks are performed only when warranted
PDU-Power Distribution Unit
A device with multiple outputs that supplies power to other assets
PM-Preventive/Preventative Maintenance
Scheduled maintenance tasks meant to pre-empt equipment failure and ensure optimal performance
PO-Purchase Order
A document sent from a purchaser to a vendor that indicates types, quantities and prices of ordered products or services
POC-Point of Contact
A person or department that can be approached for information or assistance on a specific topic
PRF-Project Request Form
A paper or electronic document that lays out the core details of a project, allowing stakeholders to see what the project is, why it’s worth completing, how long it should take and what resources will be dedicated to it
Profit and Loss (P&L) Statement
A chart summarizing how the department managed its funds, including its original budget, revenue and expenses. Normally, this is reviewed by leadership teams on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis
R
RCFA- Root Cause Failure Analysis
A systematic procedure that aims to investigate the root cause(s) of asset failure(s)
RCx- Retro-commissioning
Commissioning an existing building; an evaluation of a building’s current systems to identify areas for improvement
Reactive Maintenance
Repairs that are done when equipment has already broken down (to restore equipment to its normal operating condition)
Recurrent Costs
Static expenses repeated throughout the year, such as employee wages, software subscriptions and utility bills
Reserve (Funds)
Profits or funds that have been appropriated for a particular purpose. Reserves are sometimes set up to purchase fixed assets, cover reactive maintenance or unexpected repairs
RFI-Request for Information
A business process that allows a person to gather more information on the capabilities of a product or supplier (often used for comparative purposes in the decision-making process)
RFP- Request for Proposal
A document that solicits proposal, often made through a bidding process, by a company interested in procuring a commodity, service or valuable asset
RFQ- Request for Quote
A process that involves a vendor providing a business with a quote for a particular service, project or product. Typically, an RFQ focuses on cost estimation and precedes the submission of a Request for Proposal.
 
ROI-Return on Investment
A term that represents the benefit(s) received from an initial investment
RTF-Run to Failure
See “OTF”
RTU- Rooftop Packaged Unit
A large air handler on a roof
S
SaaS- Software as a Service
A software distribution model where a third-party provider hosts software applications and makes them available to consumers via the Internet
SAML- Security Assertion Markup Language
A standard protocol for web browser Single Sign-On (SSO) using secure tokens. SAML eliminates dedicated passwords for software applications and instead uses standard cryptography and digital signatures to pass a secure sign-in token from an identity provider to the software application. If software applications authenticate users through a shared identity provider, users do not have to re-authenticate every time they use or revisit an application
SBS- Sick Building Syndrome
A situation in which the occupants of a building experience acute health- or comfort-related effects that seem to be linked directly to the time spent in the building. No specific illness or cause can be identified.
Sensors
Devices connected to the facility assets that feed readings such as temperature, vibrations and usage back to a software system.
 
SFP- Strategic Facility Plan
 
A two-to-five year facilities plan that encompasses all owned and/or leased spaces and sets strategic facility goals based on the organization’s business objectives
SLA- Service Level Agreement
A commitment between a service provider and a client. Particular aspects of the service (including quality, availability and responsibilities) are agreed upon between the service provider and the service user
Smart Building
The automated centralized control of a building’s HVAC, lighting, Access Control, Security Systems, and other interrelated systems through a Building Management System or Building Automation System.
SOP- Standard Operating Procedures
Step-by-step instructions that help someone complete a complex task
SRP- Service Request Portal
A software feature that allows users to send requests electronically
SSO- Single Sign-on
A user authentication service that permits a user to use one set of login credentials (e.g., name and password) to access multiple applications
Subscription (to Software)
Making or agreeing to make a regular, recurring payment for software
T
T&M or TM- Time and Materials
 
A metric used to calculate the costs of services
 
TCO- Total Cost of Ownership

 A financial estimate intended to help facility managers and building owners determine the direct and indirect costs of a product, system or asset

Tenant

A person who occupies space or land from a landlord

TPB- Total Project Budget

Total amount of monetary resources that are allocated to a project

U

Useful Life

An estimate of the number of years an asset will remain in profitable service

USF- Usable Square Feet

The square footage that occupants can actually use to host business activities, equipment, furniture and personnel. Usable square feet does not include common areas of a building such as lobbies, restrooms, stairwells, storage rooms and shared hallways

V

VFD-Variable Frequency Drive

A type of controller that varies the frequency and voltage supplied to an electric motor

VR-Virtual Reality

A computer-generated and fully-simulated immersive environment

W

WO- Work Order

 An electronic or paper form that outlines services that need to be performed