In today’s complex building landscape, the conversation about fire safety, resilience and operational performance can no longer stop at compliance.
The decisions made during design don’t just define how a building looks or how it functions on opening day; they define how safely and effectively it will operate for decades.
Yet too often, one vital voice is missing from that early dialogue: the facilities management professional.
Bringing facilities management (FM) professionals into the design phase is not a luxury; it’s an operational necessity.
Duncan J. White
Their insight connects theoretical design with the reality of day-to-day use, maintenance, and emergency response.
When FMs are engaged from the outset, buildings are not only more sustainable and cost-effective but also inherently safer.
Architects and engineers create the framework of a building. Facilities managers live in it.
They are the custodians of its systems, the responders to its failures and the guardians of its occupants’ safety.
When their operational expertise is excluded from design, critical oversights often emerge later, after the walls are sealed and the systems commissioned.
Consider fire protection systems. It’s one thing to design a sprinkler or alarm network that meets NFPA standards; it’s another to ensure those systems are accessible for inspection, testing and maintenance over a 30-year lifecycle.
FMs know where maintenance panels should be located, how fire doors are likely to be used (and abused) and how real-world occupancy patterns might influence egress routes.
Duncan J. White
Their lived experience ensures that design decisions align with operational practicality.
A design that looks perfect on paper can become a logistical challenge in practice, especially if it requires specialised access just to test an alarm circuit or replace a fire pump component.
Involving FMs early helps designers foresee these challenges before they become costly retrofits or operational headaches.
The financial and safety costs of excluding FM input are substantial.
According to data from the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), up to 80% of a building’s total lifecycle cost lies in its operation and maintenance, not its construction.
Duncan J. White
Yet most design decisions are made with only the construction budget in mind.
That imbalance can lead to systems that are difficult to maintain, energy-intensive or even prone to premature failure.
From a fire safety perspective, this can translate into increased risk.
Poorly accessible fire alarm panels, hidden dampers, or cramped mechanical rooms make inspections cumbersome and anything that complicates maintenance tends to get deferred.
Deferred maintenance, in turn, compromises life safety systems. The result is a building that might be compliant on day one but drifts toward noncompliance and vulnerability over time.
Duncan J. White
Early FM engagement also reduces the likelihood of “design-bid-build regret”, those moments when a facility discovers that design intent doesn’t match operational need.
The earlier operational feedback is integrated, the less likely a project will suffer from expensive redesigns, last-minute change orders or post-occupancy retrofits.
Involving FM professionals from the design phase isn’t just about avoiding mistakes; it’s about building smarter, safer facilities from the ground up.
Collaboration creates a continuous feedback loop: designers understand operational constraints; facilities teams understand design rationale.
Duncan J. White
Together, they can anticipate issues that might not appear in a code review.
Take the example of a new healthcare facility. Fire compartmentalisation, smoke control systems and evacuation procedures in hospitals are incredibly complex.
Designers focus on meeting NFPA 101 Life Safety Code and local jurisdictional requirements, but FMs bring knowledge of how patients are moved, how staff respond under stress and how systems are tested without disrupting critical care.
Their insights can influence the placement of fire barriers, the selection of materials or even the design of alarm zoning.
Duncan J. White
Similarly, in large commercial buildings, FM input can guide the integration of smart monitoring systems that allow real-time visibility of fire and life safety equipment performance.
By shaping the digital infrastructure from the outset, facilities teams can later leverage predictive maintenance tools, reduce downtime and enhance reliability.
Today’s fire protection dialogue is increasingly intertwined with broader conversations about sustainability and resilience. Facilities managers sit at the intersection of these priorities.
They are responsible for balancing energy performance, occupant safety and long-term maintainability; factors that must be considered together, not in isolation.
For example, a building envelope designed purely for energy efficiency may inadvertently impact smoke exhaust performance or limit firefighter access.
Conversely, a fire suppression system that uses large volumes of water could strain a facility’s sustainability goals.
FM professionals help navigate these trade-offs, ensuring that safety, sustainability and operational feasibility are all optimised.
Duncan J. White
Moreover, resilience—the ability of a building to withstand and recover from disruption is fundamentally tied to operational readiness.
FMs plan for continuity: backup systems, emergency response procedures and recovery logistics.
Embedding that mindset during design strengthens a building’s ability to protect its occupants and resume operations after an incident.
The shift toward lifecycle thinking in construction and fire safety aligns perfectly with FM involvement.
Digital twins, BIM integration and performance-based design are only as effective as the data and operational insight that feed them.
When FM professionals contribute during design, they can ensure that as-built information supports future maintenance, training and compliance documentation.
Furthermore, NFPA 3 (Commissioning of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems) and NFPA 4 (Integrated Testing of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems) increasingly emphasise coordination between design, construction, and operations.
Including facilities managers early not only supports compliance with these standards but also enhances the effectiveness of commissioning and ongoing system integration.
Fire safety is not a static achievement; it’s a living system that must function flawlessly, day in and day out. That level of reliability doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through collaboration.
Involving facilities management professionals from the design phase isn’t just a best practice; it’s a strategic imperative.
Their operational insight turns design intent into lasting performance, ensuring that buildings remain not only compliant but truly safe and resilient across their lifespan.
Duncan J. White
As the building industry continues to embrace integrated design, sustainability and smart technologies, it’s time to recognise FM professionals not as end users, but as co-designers of safer, smarter buildings.
Their seat at the design table isn’t optional; it’s essential.
Stay safe!
