by Rebecca Walker — April 21, 2010—The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) announced that its Board of Directors has approved the charter for the Greater Shanghai Chapter of IFMA, establishing what it says is the first chapter for facility management in the People’s Republic of China.
The official, historic announcement was made during IFMA’s Facility Fusion event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Led by a mix of Chinese Nationals, Europeans and Americans, the IFMA Chapter was formed over a period of nine months with the assistance of Facility Center China, SourceCo Li Yi, Archibus, Aden, FacilityOne, Elitech, Screampoint, CB Richard Ellis, SSOE and other local Chinese facility management firms. Screampoint is also providing office space for the newly formed IFMA Chapter at its central Shanghai offices.
Facility Management is an emerging profession in China. The proper care, maintenance and management of Chinas buildings will provide a safe and sustainable future for the country, notes IFMA. By promoting facility management to the professional level, the Greater Shanghai Chapter of IFMA will contribute education, training, products and services that will assist China in managing its physical assets. The enormous growth of buildings in China over the past decade will continue to increase, taxing an already overloaded system. The Greater Shanghai Chapter of IFMA will assist China in meeting these demands.
Ron Anthony, a Director on the Board of the Chapter, added: “Our dedication to the profession of Facility Management in China goes beyond our core business. The formation of the Greater Shanghai Chapter of IFMA will provide leadership, education and guidance to the people of China for the care and management of their built environment as they continue their explosive growth as a nation for years to come.”
IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for professional facility managers, supporting more than 19,500 members in 60 countries. The association’s members, represented in 125 chapters and 16 councils worldwide, manage more than 37 billion square feet of property.
For more information, see the IFMA Web site.
