Facilities Planning and Management

Also known as: Facility Management, Built Environment Management, Property and Facilities Management, Facilities Operations Management

In a Facilities Planning and Management program, you'll learn to strategically plan, design, and manage the physical spaces and infrastructure that support an organization's operations. This program covers everything from space utilization and building systems to financial management, sustainability practices, and risk assessment for various facilities. You'll gain the skills to optimize efficiency, ensure safety, and enhance the overall environment of corporate campuses, hospitals, universities, and other large properties.

Social SciencesManagementReal EstateOperations ManagementSustainabilityProject ManagementSTEM

A Week as a Student

Your Introduction to Facilities Management lecture covers lifecycle costing and asset management. You're trying to wrap your head around depreciation schedules for building components. Afterward, you head to an ArcGIS workshop, learning to map campus utilities. It's intricate work, pinpointing every pipe and cable. You grab a coffee with a classmate, discussing strategies for the upcoming Building Systems quiz, realizing how much interconnected information there is to absorb.

High School Preparation

Required Subjects

Algebra IIPre-CalculusPhysicsEnglishEconomicsTechnical Drawing or CAD

Recommended GPA

3.0-3.5+

Advanced Courses (AP/IB/Honors)

AP Calculus
AP Physics
AP Environmental Science
Honors Engineering Graphics
AP Statistics

Recommended Activities

Student Government (managing school facilities)
Construction or Design Club
Real Estate or Business Club
Environmental or Sustainability Group
Volunteering for campus event planning
Part-time job in property maintenance

Application Essay Topics

Describe a poorly designed public space you've encountered and how you would redesign it for optimal functionality and user experience.
Discuss the role of sustainability in modern facility planning and propose innovative solutions for a greener building.
Imagine you are tasked with optimizing the use of space in a growing organization. What factors would you consider, and what strategies would you implement?
Explain how technology, such as smart building systems or data analytics, can transform facilities management.

Alternative Path

You can begin by earning an associate degree in a related field, such as construction management or business administration, at a community college. Additionally, some individuals enter the field through entry-level operations roles and gain professional certifications (like the FMP or CFM) through industry organizations after accumulating experience.

Core Subjects

Click on "i" to learn more about each subject

Career Prospects

Growing Study Prospects

Graduates often become Facilities Managers, Property Managers, Space Planners, Operations Managers, or Project Managers. You could work in corporate environments, healthcare systems, educational institutions, government agencies, or within real estate development and management firms, ensuring that physical assets support organizational goals efficiently and effectively.

Impact of AI on this Study

AI is significantly impacting facilities planning by enabling predictive maintenance of building systems, optimizing energy consumption through smart automation, and enhancing space utilization analysis. Students will learn to leverage AI-powered tools for data analytics, IoT integration in smart buildings, and advanced security and access control systems, leading to more efficient and responsive facility operations.