Application of computer‐aided facilities management (CAFM) for intelligent buildings operation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the concepts of intelligent buildings (IBs), and the opportunities offered by the application of computer‐aided facilities management (CAFM) systems.Design/methodology/approach – In this paper definitions of IBs are investigated, particularly definitions that are embracing open standards for effective operational change, using a questionnaire survey. The survey further investigated the extension of CAFM to IBs concepts and the opportunities that such integrated systems will provide to facilities management (FM) professionals.Findings – The results showed variation in the understanding of the concept of IBs and the application of CAFM. The survey showed that 46 per cent of respondents use a CAFM system with a majority agreeing on the potential of CAFM in delivery of effective facilities.Research limitations/implications – The questionnaire survey results are limited to the views of the respondents within the context of FM in the UK.Practical implication...