Smart faces: using communication strategies to optimize technical information flow in middle-out facilities management

With rapid technological evolution, Energy Management Information Systems (EMIS) have improved energy and water consumption visibility and provided the ability to rapidly detect energy and water waste. However, their integration with facilities management has had little attention from researchers. This study explores the design and optimization of technical information flows between automated data analysis systems and human facilities management systems in a UK Higher Education Institution (HEI) case study. Semi-structured interviews were used to support the co-design of an intervention, based on the systematic integration of EMIS into existing facilities management systems. When the intervention was deployed, longstanding and previously unidentified issues were quickly highlighted and resolved, leading to significant savings. The study concludes that integrating EMIS and Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) can enhance the efficiency of middle-out actors in reducing energy and water waste in facilities management. While near-real-time feedback and other technological solutions are effective, the findings highlight the importance of communicating technical information clearly through appropriate channels, as well as middle role challenges such as limited resources, high workloads, and insufficient senior management backing. As facilities management adapts to and integrates new technologies, its full potential can be realized through effective communication and feedback mechanisms.