Facility management is the special field of maintenance of caring for or tending to commercial buildings or institutions such as hospitals, hotels, clinics, hotels, resorts, schools, offices, sports arenas and the like.

Facility management can include such duties as caring for air conditioning, plumbing, electric power, lighting, cleaning and security. With modern-day technology, the above duties can easily be assisted by means of computer technology.

The basic role of a facilities management staff is to properly maintain and secure the site(s) or area(s) to which such staffs is assigned. Facilities management staff workers can have various individual responsibilities. For instance, some may be assigned to coordinate or delegate different duties to other workers.

Some may be assigned to clean and sanitise the areas to which they are assigned, others to repair, still others to fix plumbing problems, to troubleshoot electrical problems and other matters of concern to the facility's tenants and management. In essence, facility management is designed for the smooth functioning and coordinating of overseeing the security of the client's property and their tenants.

The terms "Facility Management" or "Facilities Management" is not to be confused with "property management"; their titles may seem similar, but they are not exactly the same as some may think. Property management usually entails the purchasing and releasing of property whereas Facilities Management involves only the maintenance or caring for it.

Facilities Management of a client's property can continue over an extended period of time, in some cases it can continue even for decades. As was indicated earlier, such a staff's responsibilities can be varied and often requires much work and maintenance.

For example, various systems have to be renewed and replaced every year or every few years or so, such duties as maintaining the HVAC, or Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning; preventative maintenance, in which different tests are conducted periodically to ensure that resources are being properly maintained and are working correctly.

Another is the maintenance of the electrical power systems, to ensure and secure that all power resources are functioning properly and what power resources are available in the event of a blackout. And then there are the building automation systems, or BAS, as it is called, which is the function control of the entire facility, or building.

And of course fire safety systems are a crucial element in facility maintenance. Thousands are lives are at risk, so nothing is to be taking lightly. Before one realises it, their lives can be in imminent danger. This is why such safety mechanisms as sprinkler systems, smoke/fire detection systems, fire extinguishing systems and evacuation plans are all in order and is checked periodically to ensure their effectiveness in the event of an emergency.

The office space layout is also important in the maintenance of facilities. Management has to make sure that tenants are upholding building code and occupancy laws so as not to cause unnecessary crowding, especially in the case of a fire or some other disaster.

The roles of a facility manager are varied, but taken with the right attitude and sense of commitment; it can be a rewarding career indeed.