The added value of facility management in the educational environment

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to define the added value of facility management (FM) in general and to develop a typology of facility services based on their added value in the educational environment. Design/methodology/approach - This paper is based on a literature review and first assesses the different aspects of FM added value. The different variables and relations between the use of facility services and their effects on the educational achievement are then conceptualised and studied. Findings - Research shows that FM added value is the customer perceived trade-off between the effects of the use of facility services on the outcome of their processes, its costs and risks. On this basis, a typology of facility services was constructed around their level of fixity and their influence on the learning outcome. Practical implications - The typology strongly indicates for FM when to engage in the decision-making process relating to the educational environment in order to contribute to education. Also the typology is useful for deriving priorities for adjusting the current use situation of facility services to enhance their effectiveness in both a time and financially efficient manner. Originality/value - This paper operationalises the concept of FM added value and provides several hypotheses and firm recommendations for further research to maximise the contribution of FM. The paper also presents a practical framework for evidenced-based decision making on the use of facility services in the educational environment. It thus offers opportunities for FM to support the future learning landscape.