-Some people asked me how you are working in facility management while you are an interior designer! How's interior design related to the facility management,

Well, some people don't know how it's related, and here I like to explain from my experience what some people don't know,

*- Achieving Design for Maintainability Goals,

-Acquiring, operating, maintaining, and disposing of an institutional or commercial facility or a facility system comes with costs. These facility-related costs usually fall into the following categories:

​- *Initial costs, including purchase, acquisition, and construction; utility costs; operation, maintenance, and repair; demolition and disposal; replacement and refurbishment; residual values, including resale or salvage values or disposal costs; finance charges; and environmental or remediation.

- *Of these costs, those for operation, maintenance, and repair are more than three times the cost of initial construction, and studies show these costs equate to 60-80 percent of a building’s life-cycle costs.

*-The practice of design for maintainability can have a profound impact on an organization’s financial outlay for facilities, so maintenance and engineering managers need to ensure the beginning of construction projects includes a discussion of operations and maintenance issues in order to optimize the building’s life cycle. Managers also need to be sure the organization thoroughly explores the maintainability of a new facility, not only during construction and operations but during feasibility, planning, and design.


*- Bringing the interior designer into the project at the conception of the design phase will create a cohesive final product and reduce costs by eliminating change orders. When an interior designer works with other design team members, electrical and data sources can be better located, finish materials are better detailed for installation, and project scheduling is more effective


*- An interior designer will want to create and develop an interior space that looks good and functions to the required use but also ensures the health, welfare, and safety for occupants. This goes beyond selecting furniture and finishes. It requires the interior designer to be educated on products, codes, and materials, and to be able to successfully communicate this vision.


*- As the design process begins to finalize, other critical information needs to be added, such as maintenance and custodial support. You should provide existing standards for cleaning and maintenance. These discussions will assure that the look and feel at the opening are carried through for years to come. As materials, colors, and other design elements solidify, it’s critical for you to know what’s ahead so you can prepare or procure equipment essential to upkeep and maintenance. Interior designers may bring ideas about materials to reduce maintenance time, or finishes that require less toxic cleaning chemicals.


*- The interior designer was able to do research and provide information on cleaning methods for sustainable products that were less toxic than the products the housekeeping staff had been using.


*- As the process enters the shovel-in-the-ground stage, the design team should continue its vigilance and involvement. As no surprise to anyone involved in construction, the blueprint-to-built process sometimes leaves a gap. That’s what the request for information (RFI) process is for. As questions arise, you and the interior designer need to continue to communicate, making sure that alterations, additions, or deletions don’t interfere with original goals.


*- This cooperation must continue during the submittal process, as the general contractor submits exactly what’s going to be used. Submittals for interior finishes and furniture may vary from the original design intent. These variances should be reviewed by you and the interior designer for aesthetic and maintainability considerations. Final inspections and a punch list should be completed by both parties to make sure both accept the final product. It may mean an agreed-upon change that fits the design concept and the ability to maintain the space in the future
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*- As the facility is occupied, the need for informational manuals, warranties, and other documentation is vital and is something the interior designer should be asked to provide upfront as part of his/her services. This type of documentation should be detailed and easy to store and retrieve. It should also provide references for repair or replacement in the future. The value for the interior designer? The design will stay looking good for years to come, which reflects well on his/her work. The value for you? Access to important information on maintaining the newly designed space.