ISO Facility Management Standards Proposed
ANSI is inviting all interested stakeholders to submit comments on the British Standards Institution's proposal by Aug. 12.
The first two International Organization for Standardization standards addressing facility management will be developed if a British Standards Institution proposal to ISO is adopted. Based on three existing European standards, they would consist of a standard describing the basic functions and scope of FM and a second standard explaining how to prepare effective FM agreements between clients and service providers, according to BSI's proposal, which describes FM as "one of the fastest developing disciplines globally."
For that reason, standards with the potential to be adopted globally are needed, BSI states in the proposal. "New associations are emerging globally and they are looking for guidance and standards upon with to base their own development within their respective countries," it states.
The proposal recommends that the new ISO committee, if formed, cooperate with Global FM, an international association that includes the International Facility Management Association (based in Houston) and also FM associations from Britain, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa, Hungary, France, and India.
ANSI, the American National Standards Institute, asked stakeholders July 6 to submit comments on the proposal by Aug. 12. Comments should be sent to Steven P. Cornish, ANSI senior director for international policy, at [email protected]. Those received by the deadline will be reviewed and compiled for the recommended ANSI position and comments, which will be presented to the ANSI ISO Council for formal approval.