IFMAs latest benchmarking report, Operations and Maintenance Benchmarks, reveals trends among janitorial, utility and maintenance costs for commercial facilities. These three cost categories—janitorial, utility and maintenance—were added together to determine the median cost of operations—$5.59 per rentable square foot, according to the surveys respondents.
The survey was conducted in spring and summer 2000 among IFMAs North American professional members. Eleven thousand surveys were mailed and 786 were used for analysis.
According to the report, the amount of space per person in facilities managed by IFMA members has decreased by an average of 13 percent across most industry categories.
While the Benchmarks III study of 1997 showed a mean of 471 gross square feet per person, the newest report published in April shows a mean of 407. The median gross square foot per occupant was 358 feet.
Janitorial costs
The report shows that the janitorial cost per square foot is higher when using in-house staff compared to work performed by a contractor or by a combination of internal and contracted staff. The median cost per square foot for cleaning offices, other work areas, restrooms and common support space is $1.08, up approximately 10% since the last benchmarking report. The healthcare industry reported the highest janitorial costs with $1.94 per square foot.
Utility costs
Although the utility data reflects costs before the current energy crisis, electricity costs still varied significantly throughout the US. The median electricity cost was $1.41 per gross square foot. New England and the Northeast reported highest electricity costs, $2.18 per gross square foot, and the North Central region reported lowest with $1.10 per gross square foot.
Maintenance costs
The median maintenance costs for external buildings was $0.08 per rentable square foot. Median maintenance costs for interior systems was $0.85. Median maintenance for roads and grounds was $0.21.
The majority of survey respondents use a call center or e-mail for maintenance requests. Almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents use a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
Routine repairs
Sixty percent of the respondents reported that routine repairs were responded to within 24 hours, 21% within two days and 19% in more than two days.
The survey also reflects facility characteristics such as age, ownership, hours of operation, site population, number of floors and hours of operation. For instance, 38 percent of respondents said their facilities are in operation 24 hours, seven days a week. The number of respondents reporting a seven-day work schedule was 47 percent, an increase of 3 percent over the 1997 study.
The cost of the report is $50 for members or $100 for non-members, plus shipping costs. The IFMA bookstore can be reached at 1-713-623-4362 or at bookstore@ifma.org.
