Contents

1. BACKGROUNDS AND OBJECTIVES..................................................................................................................2

2.2 CONTINUATION OF SUSTAINABLE VALUE CREATION IN THE MANAGEMENT AND USE
PHASE..............................................................................................................................................................2
2.3 FACILITY MANAGEMENT AS AN INDISPENSABLE INFORMATION SOURCE.............................2
2.4 SUPPLEMENTING RECOGNISED FACILITY MANAGEMENT PROCESSES....................................2
2.5 RECOMMENDED CLAUSES AND ACTION..........................................................................................2
2. RECOMMENDED CLAUSES.....................................................................................................................2
3.1 PRELIMINARY REMARK ON THE FACILITY MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT........................2
3.2 SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MANAGEMENT.........................................................................................2
3.3 RECOGNITION FOR FACILITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES.............................................................2
3.4 PROVISION, PROCESSING AND DELETION OF DATA................................................................2
3.5 ENERGY MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT....................................................................................2
3.6 SUSTAINABLE USE BY TENANTS........................................................................................................2
3.7 USER AND OPERATOR MANUALS................................................................................................2
3.8 CAPPING OF CONSUMPTION-BASED OPERATING COSTS..............................................................2
3.9 COMMISSIONING SERVICES IN LINE WITH REQUIREMENTS..................................................2
3.10 DETERMINING THE CO2 PERFORMANCE OF THE BUILDING AND OF ITS MANAGEMENT
AND USE:.........................................................................................................................................................2
3.11 SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE..........................................................................................................2
3.12 PROVISION OF SUSTAINABLE OFFICE WORKSTATIONS.............................................................2
3.13 INDEMNITIES AND PENALTIES..........................................................................................................2
3.14 ALIGNMENT OF THE AGREEMENT WITH FUTURE CERTIFICATION.........................................2
SYSTEMS.........................................................................................................................................................2
3.14.1 FUTURE CERTIFICATION OF FACILITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES....................................2
3.14.2 FUTURE CERTIFICATION OF LEASE AGREEMENTS...............................................................2
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION........................................................................................................................2
4. MAINTENANCE..........................................................................................................................................2
5. MEASUREMENT AND VERIFICATION...................................................................................................2
6. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND SECURITY..............................................................................2
7. PROCUREMENT AND STRUCTURAL MEASURES...............................................................................2
8. TENANT RELATIONS................................................................................................................................2
9. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CREATION OF A USER MANUAL..................................................2
10. OUTLOOK................................................................................................................................................2

1
GREEN FACILITY MANAGEMENT – BETWEEN CONTRACTS, ERTIFICATION
AND SERVICE PROVISION
Environmental protection and the responsible handling of resources have been an integral part of the

property sector for some years now. In addition to the construction of buildings, their management and

use are now moving to the fore. As a further development of new building certificates, certification

systems therefore assess not only existing buildings but increasingly consider criteria of management

and use.

The spectrum of building management usually comprises asset, property and facility management

and is characterised by an interdisciplinary collaboration of the parties involved. At an individual

building level, operative management is generally included in property and facility management,

whereby property management may also include strategic services. By contrast, investment decisions

are located on the investment or portfolio level and fall under the heading of asset management. Whilst

property management primarily concerns planning, steering and controlling, facility management is

responsible for an efficient implementation of the designated strategies in the individual property.

In some cases, instead of using property or facility management companies, parts of operative and

strategic management are also provided by the property departments of companies within the

framework of corporate real estate management. With the aim of developing standards for sustainable

building management at the level of property management, a working group was set up at the end of

2012 consisting of The international property consultant Cushman & Wakefield, ■ The German

certifying body of the BREEAM certification system, DIFNI (Deutsches Privates Institut für

Nachhaltige Immobilienwirtschaft), and ■ The international law firm DLA Piper. This working group

was extended at the end of 2013 to include the■ FM service provider WISAG Facility Management

(referred to in the following as “working group”) with the objective of extending the concept for

2
sustainable property management presented in October 2013 to include the area of facility

management. Since facility management is responsible for the on-site operative work, it is essential

that it be included in the implementation of the sustainability strategies developed. The result of the

working group is a catalogue of recommended clauses and action both for property management and

for facility management. The property management aspect has been presented in summary in a

brochure, which has been available since October 2013. The positive resonance to this brochure

encouraged the working group to prepare this brochure. The basic building blocks of sustainable

building management for the area of facility management comprise the following: ■ LAW: legally

examined green facility management agreement templates, ■ METHOD: a concept oriented to

certification, and■ CONTENT: differentiated and clearly formulated specifications of services and

coordinated processes.

3
1. BACKGROUNDS AND OBJECTIVES

2.1 SUSTAINABILITY WITH CHANGEABLE VALUE CREATION

The creation of value with respect to commercial properties is subject to decisive changes. It depends

on the life cycle of the buildings and the requirements of the users:

whilst subjects such as financing, marketing and yield are initially paramount, issues of operation,

management and leases then become important in direct succession. By contrast, sustainability requires

the integration of economic, ecological and social qualities in every phase of the life cycle. In view of

these shifting interests, the dependency of value creation on ecological and social qualities must be

constantly reassessed. Planned sustainability is already being implemented in new buildings in many

respects. However, if it is not continued during the management and use phase, its potential cannot be

used in full.

2.2 CONTINUATION OF SUSTAINABLE VALUE CREATION IN THE MANAGEMENT

AND USE PHASE

In order to ensure sustainability on a permanent basis, it is necessary to define suitable processes

and content. The aim is to unite the qualities of sustainability in the operative management of buildings

with economic interests such that they become an integral and constant part of value creation. Complex

diverging interests must be understood and harmonised.

Property management generally has a key position as a coordinating party between owners,

operators and users. Facility management supplements the situation with detailed knowledge at the

level of the building and the users. This usually leads to the following process:

1. Facility management collects and provides the requisite data for the assessment of

sustainability. These data are summarised and analysed by facility management in consultation with

property management.

4
 2. The conclusions drawn from this assessment are incorporated in the secondary processes of

facility management.

The repeated application of this process and the operative implementation of the findings thus

obtained by facility management serve to set into motion a continuous process of improvement in an

effort to achieve the greatest possible sustainability.

2.3 FACILITY MANAGEMENT AS AN INDISPENSABLE INFORMATION SOURCE

Facility management has an important role in the structured organisation of data management. The

loss of information – for example when facility management handovers take place – is a basic problem

of poor management of buildings. In view of the fact that customers are increasingly insisting on

specific proof of core process sustainability, the working group places value on the organisation of

continuous data capture and transfer processes as a condition for sustainable value creation in operative

building management. The survey procedures of internationally recognised certification methods have

been used here.

5
 2.4 SUPPLEMENTING RECOGNISED FACILITY MANAGEMENT PROCESSES

The individual services of facility management may touch all three dimensions of sustainability

simultaneously: economic efficiency, environmental friendliness and social compatibility. Whilst these

recommended clauses and actions deliberately forgo a division of the catalogue of services in

accordance with the traditional triad, all dimensions are equally considered in the individual services.

The overall package thus created combines qualitative indicators and ratios with respect to

sustainability management and performance.

In order to seamlessly follow traditional facility management processes, the working group

structured the concept presented here in accordance with recognised performance levels (so-called

service levels) in order to create and maintain an integrated sustainability structure for operative

building management by clearly specifying content and procedures. A further objective of the working

group was to base the form and content of the building blocks on given industrial standards (for

example GEFMA 160). The working group therefore supplements existing approaches in this brochure

and does not therefore pursue any special path of its own.

2.5 RECOMMENDED CLAUSES AND ACTION

The area of sustainability is very complex and subject to constant change in the property industry.

This also applies to building management which is faced with great challenges due to the constant

pressure of costs and high fluctuations in service providers at an individual building level. This

brochure addresses the currently relevant points which are necessary to achieve environmentally

friendly and cost-efficient building management which also takes social aspects into consideration.

Even if these recommended clauses and action have been developed in accordance with Part 2 of

the BREEAM Certification System for existing buildings, they have been deliberately formulated in an

open manner. They are also conceivable in connection with other certification systems or without a

current or aspired-to certification. These recommended clauses and action are not restricted to
premium properties but are intended to achieve building management which is as sustainable as

possible irrespective of the state of repair of a building. A decisive criterion of the working group in

formulation and selection was the quality required for sustainable management of individual buildings

and not the actual availability of data.

 2. RECOMMENDED CLAUSES

The Green Facility Management Agreement is usually a standard contract which has been extended

by individual provisions to achieve sustainability (“Green Facility Management Agreement”). These

clauses are to be found both in the contractual wording of a facility management agreement and in the

specifications attached to the agreement.

The following recommended clauses are individual contractual clauses of a facility management

agreement which are aimed at achieving sustainable management. They are to be understood as a

supplement to established rules and regulations designed to promote sustainability standards (for

example, DIN EN ISO standards) and the facility management specimen agreement of the industrial

association GEFMA. The sustainability criteria of the GEFMA guidelines 160 – which are currently at

the draft stage – are further specified by the following recommended clauses and the recommended

action presented in Chapter 4 of this brochure.

The contractual clauses suggested here have a special importance because so far there are no

comprehensive statutory requirements to finally regulate sustainability in the area of building

management. However, this is not a catalogue set in stone which must be implemented in its entirety.

Rather, the intention is to provide an overview of individual exemplary clauses. The parties are at

liberty to decide which individual clauses they wish to agree to what extent and in which form.

Adjustments may be necessary to align the Facility Management Agreement with the specific

characteristics of the individual building and the interests of the parties and of the user. Sustainable

facility management services do not just affect the contracting parties. Frequently tenants, users,

property management companies or other third parties are affected by them. Their economic,

ecological and social interests must similarly be incorporated in order to achieve sustainable building

management.
 As is always the case when contractual clauses are used which are intended for several contracting

parties and which have not been individually agreed with the other party, it must be considered that

they are subject to a more stringent efficacy control in accordance with the law pertaining to the

General Terms and Conditions of Business pursuant to Sections 305 et seq. German Civil Code

(BGB). Also when drafting facility management agreements aimed at sustainable building

management it should be ensured that clearly formulated provisions are used which do not lead to the

contracting partner of the user of the clauses being inappropriately disadvantaged. Otherwise,

individual clauses may become null and void. Since the area of sustainable building management is

only at the start of a development, it is not as yet possible to draw on pertinent court rulings.

3.1 PRELIMINARY REMARK ON THE FACILITY MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

The following recommended clauses use the definitions usual in the drafting of agreements. This is

to be borne in mind even in the preliminary remark. In addition to the definition of the contracting

parties and the property to be managed, information on the type of use, any certificates and other

recognitions of the property and of the facility management company can be included here:

3.2 SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MANAGEMENT

It is advisable to directly follow the preliminary remark in the agreement by an introductory

programme clause which stipulates the common understanding of the parties of the term “sustainable

building management”. So far there is no statutory definition of the term of sustainability. Therefore,

this clause sets out an interpretation criterion according to which the Green Facility Management

Agreement including the specifications are to be interpreted:

3.3 RECOGNITION FOR FACILITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES

 The extent and quality of the facility management services offered on the market differ greatly in

some respects. One possibility of assessment is to examine and analyse the degree of user satisfaction.

In addition, the recognition for facility management services by way of auditing by an independent

certifying body of a certification system guarantees compliance with quality standards. Otherwise, the

recognition will neither be awarded for the first time nor re-awarded after expiry of the period of

applicability or even withdrawn.

So far, there is no certification system on the German market which assesses the facility

management services themselves and awards a certificate to the provider of the services – and not to

the building – if specific requirements are met. However, there is the possibility for providers of

building management services, i.e. both property and also facility management services, to have their

services assessed within an established building certification system and to receive recognition for this.

The so-called Badge of Recognition, which is granted by DIFNI in accordance with Part 2 of the

BREEAM DE certificate to suppliers of building management services irrespective of the

sustainability standard of the respective structure and user behaviour, is an example of a recognition of

this type. In implementation of its guidelines 160, GEFMA is planning a certification system for

sustainable facility management services. However, the “Badge of Recognition” is currently the only

recognition system on the German market for sustainable building management services.

The following recommended clauses address the incorporation of the recognised services and the

resultant rights and duties of the parties.

3.4 PROVISION, PROCESSING AND DELETION OF DATA

The collection, storage and processing of data play a large role in the management of property. The

facility management company is usually responsible here for the collection and analysis of information
and for developing concepts for sustainable building management on this basis in accordance with the

objectives.

However, this can only be provided by the facility management company if it has access to all data.

This applies in particular to data collected by companies which were commissioned with building

management at an earlier date and users. The following recommended clause takes this fact into

consideration:

3.5 ENERGY MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT

The use and management of buildings is responsible for a considerable part of global energy

consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (approx. 32 per cent of energy consumption and approx.

19 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, see Fifth Assessment Report, Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change, June 2014).

Careful energy monitoring and management permit the savings potential in buildings to be used and

improved. In addition, environmental burdens and energy costs can also be increasingly reduced in this

way. The agreement of the so-called PDCA cycle is advisable here in which the facility management

company firstly prepares an energy concept (“Plan”) tailored to every individual property. Energy is

then monitored during the entire term of the agreement (“Do”). The energy concept and the actual

consumption figures are checked regularly (“Check”) using benchmarks. Finally, the owner and the

facility management company regularly agree improvement measures to achieve new objectives

(“Act”). The property management company which is entrusted with higher ranking monitoring tasks

can provide support here where necessary. There is frequently no direct contractual relationship

between facility and property management companies. In this case, on concluding the Green Property

Management Agreement the owner must ensure that a corresponding cooperation duty on the part of

the property management company is agreed.

3.6 SUSTAINABLE USE BY TENANTS

Individual provisions and content of sustainable facility management services may extend beyond

the spheres of interest of the contracting parties. It should be clarified here whether these provisions

affect separate sets of contracts (leases, property management agreements, supply and service

agreements with third parties).

All agreements aimed at sustainable building management and use should be harmonised with each

other. If there are no direct contractual relationships between individual parties involved, for example

between the facility Management Company and tenants, duties – in particular communication and

cooperation duties – should be agreed in the existing contracts.

The following recommended clauses contain proposals for the shaping of the triangular relationship

between owner and tenant on the one hand and owner and facility Management Company on the other.

It is assumed that there are corresponding provisions in the respective leases:

3.7 USER AND OPERATOR MANUALS

The property-related supplementation of the user manual which is usually to be prepared by the

property management company and the preparation of an operator manual are further aspects of the

Green Facility Management Agreement.

Whilst the user manual serves as an information source for users as to how they can influence the

sustainability of building management through their actions, the operator manual concentrates and

explains the core functions of sustainable building management for all parties directly involved in the

operative activities with respect to the property (property and facility management companies as well

as third companies etc.). It is aimed at achieving a common understanding of all parties. Chapter 5 of

this brochure contains recommendations on the preparation of a user manual.

 The following recommended clauses address rights and duties of the parties with respect to the user

and operator manuals. It is, of course, up to the parties to agree further powers or duties of the facility

management company with respect to the preparation, implementation and revision of the user and

operator manuals:

3.8 CAPPING OF CONSUMPTION-BASED OPERATING COSTS

Consumption-based operating expenses in commercial properties are rising continuously

particularly due to the steady increase in energy prices. Heating and electricity costs rose steeply once

again in 2013 compared to the previous year by 3 and 5 per cent respectively1.

The following recommended clause is a suggestion for the shaping of the caps to consumptionbased

operating costs, which has been a subject of much discussion in recent years. More and more tenants

favour an agreement of this nature in the leases but meet with opposition from the owners.

Owners are usually dependent on the facility management company for the agreement of cost or

consumption caps of this nature in leases; on the one hand so as not to endanger the competitiveness of

the rented areas through excessively high flatrates or caps and on the other so as not to have to bear the

substantial operating costs of the tenants themselves.

If the facility management company assumes responsibility for observing the cost and consumption

limits, it is advisable to agree a lead phase in order to become acquainted with the special features of

the property. It is furthermore strongly advised that the owner guarantees that the tenants follow the

rules of

conduct prepared by the facility management company and provide corresponding evidence of this.

If any misconduct becomes evident here, the facility management company should then be released

from its responsibility for adhering to the cost or consumption caps. Depending on the wording of the
1
lease agreements, costs which exceed the limit stipulated by the facility management company after

expiry of the lead phase must be borne by the owner or the tenants.

The following recommended clauses take account of these opposing interests.

3.9 COMMISSIONING SERVICES IN LINE WITH REQUIREMENTS

The following recommended clause is aimed at management in line with requirements which

promotes the satisfaction of the tenants and avoids the superfluous provision of services on the part of

the facility management company.

The following recommendation is a proposal for a regulation on the commissioning of services in

line with requirements in the Facility Management Agreement through direct communication between

tenant

3.10 DETERMINING THE CO2 PERFORMANCE OF THE BUILDING AND OF ITS

MANAGEMENT AND USE:

The facility management company can provide valuable support in determining and improving the

CO2 performance of the property and of its management and use:

3.11 SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE

Only through regular communication between owner, property and facility management companies,

providers of operating services and ideally the tenants can the entire potential of a property be

exploited to achieve a sustainability standard. The creation of a sustainability committee meeting is

expedient, particularly in the case of larger properties with several tenants.

3.12 PROVISION OF SUSTAINABLE OFFICE WORKSTATIONS

 In order to be equipped for changes in the economic environment, users of office space increasingly

place value on flexibility and are calling for provisions in leases which permit them to extend and

return space also during the current lease. Accordingly, there is no longer just a demand for closed

office space, but increasingly also for individual workstations in addition to the accompanying

equipment, such as filing and meeting rooms, as well as services such as secretariat and IT. The facility

management company can exert a decisive influence to ensure that these workstations are sustainably

equipped, managed and used. The following recommended clause deals with this issue:

3.13 INDEMNITIES AND PENALTIES

Binding contractual rules are essential if the sustainability concept is to be effective. The amount of

damage is frequently difficult to quantify if it arises from a breach of regulations which are aimed at

sustainable building management. Therefore, it may be advisable to supplement with a penalty system.

It is up to the parties to decide for which breaches of contractual duty and to which degree of fault a

contractual penalty is to be paid (only in the case of wilful intent or gross negligence, for example):

3.14 ALIGNMENT OF THE AGREEMENT WITH FUTURE CERTIFICATION

SYSTEMS

The working group expects that the certification trend will continue in the property sector in the

coming years. Certification systems have already been checking not only the sustainability qualities of

new buildings but also those of existing properties and of building management and use for a long

time. In a further development of the building certificates, there will be systems for facility

management processes in the future. Due to the absence of statutory requirements for this area, only

the examination by an independent certifying body creates the transparency, comparability and quality

assurance demanded by the market.

 Furthermore, the involvement of the users will become increasingly important because otherwise

substantial sustainability potential will go unused. The past years have shown that non-binding

declarations of intent on sustainability in leases are not very effective. The working group expects the

introduction of certification systems for user behaviour which will make a considerable contribution to

increasing the sustainability performance of properties.

3.14.1 FUTURE CERTIFICATION OF FACILITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES

On introduction of a certification system after conclusion of agreement, the contracting parties agree

in the following clause that the facility management services are to be certified in accordance with this

system. In this case, they will also include further duties of the facility management company in the

agreement.

The facility management company is usually dependent on the cooperation of the principal here. In

addition to agreeing a new or extended specification of services, the principal must adjust the

contractual relationships with any third parties in connection with the management and/or use of the

property. These are, for example, other providers of operator services, utility companies and tenants:

3.14.2 FUTURE CERTIFICATION OF LEASE AGREEMENTS

Sustainable building management is characterised amongst other things by the fact that the facility

management company is directly involved in coordination processes with the tenants. The

management of tenants, i.e. the conclusion, termination or extension of leases and correspondence with

tenants, is usually the responsibility of the property management company as part of commercial

building management. However, in view of its comprehensive knowledge of the property, the facility

management company can provide valuable input to optimise the management and use of the rented

spaces. This should not go unused.

 In a process to obtain a lease certificate, the facility management company can provide support both

to the landlord and to the tenant, possibly in close coordination with the property management

company:

3. RECOMMENDED ACTION

Sustainable building management requires the implementation of individual measures aimed at

sustainability. In facility management, these measures of sustainable operation are reflected in a

specification of services. The specification of services therefore represents a foundation of sustainable

building management and is attached to the Green Facility Management Agreement. This chapter

provides recommendations on preparing and implementing a specification of services of this type.

In the same way as the Green Property Management specification of services, the Green Facility

Management specification of services is divided into the following five categories:

■ Maintenance

■ Measurement and verification

■ Environmental protection and security

■ Procurement and structural measures

■ Tenant relations.

A classification of this type is intended to guarantee that the same understanding of sustainable

building management exists between all providers of sustainable building management services and

the owner and that interface issues and problems of understanding are prevented.

It is advisable for specific individual requirements for each category to be agreed between the

principal (for example the property management company or owner) and the facility management
company which may be assigned to the description of services set out below as excerpts and examples.

In this way, an important condition for the measurability of sustainable building management is

satisfied.

4. MAINTENANCE

The development and extension of an appropriate maintenance strategy (“maintenance strategy”)

are essential for efficient building operations. Furthermore, strategies must be developed which

facilitate an adjustment of the building to future requirements.

The consideration and implementation of the following aspects within the framework of the

specification of services would appear to be advisable with respect to the maintenance strategy:

■ Methodical requirements and procedures for correct auditing under consideration of safety,

accident prevention, health and hygiene requirements, operational safety ordinances, auditing

ordinances of the Länder as well as requirements of the German Insurance Association

(Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft e.V.) ;

■ Description of maintenance duties on expiry of the warranty period with respect to buildings

components, structural elements, technical installations and equipment under consideration of the

maintenance strategy selected;

■ Description of operative procedures to ensure the adaptability of the property to altered climatic,

functional and use-related requirements;

■ Description of checks to determine the tightness of media-carrying installations and distribution

systems (water, air), specifying the requirements placed on the documentation of leaks and agreement

of communication duties and deadlines (for example within three calendar days);

■ Securing of operational readiness of safety-related installations and/or installations with

environmentally relevant substances (for example of light liquid separators in underground car
parks/parking spaces or fat interceptors in [large] kitchens) under consideration of statutory

requirements;

■ Description of procedures to optimise water consumption;

■ Regular documentation on the implementation of the maintenance strategy. This proof also

comprises content and methodical adjustment of strategic requirements under consideration of the

needs of the respective property;

■ Systematic assessment of the state of repair of the building and presentation of any need to take

action under consideration of the maintenance strategy in accordance with the following:

– Support in the updating of the assessment of the overall property by an expert;

– Implementation of an update interval of at least five years;

– Updating on the basis of the initial assessment of state of repair under consideration of the

respective use;

■ Drafting of service and operational flow charts to secure a technically perfect operation with

reference to the following aspects:

– Securing of energy reduction by efficient workflows and energy monitoring;

– Identification of the relevant installations and components of the technical building equipment;

– Promotion of regular service work on the basis of the maintenance strategy to extend the life

cycle of the installations.

Furthermore, a selective use of sustainable materials for repair measures is desirable. The

specification of services could contain the following in this respect:

 ■ Information on reducing and possibly completely avoiding VOC emissions through the use of

low-emitting materials and products. This also applies to servicing and to structural changes (such as

repairs);

■ Concept for a property-related maintenance strategy geared to the state of repair as developed in

accordance with DIN 31051 in the sense of predictive servicing and preventive measures and their

annual updating. The maintenance strategy serves here to maintain or restore the target state of repair

of building components, structural elements, technical installations and equipment.

5. MEASUREMENT AND VERIFICATION

Using a building consumes valuable resources such as energy and water. Therefore, it is essential to

measure the impact of building use in order to control facility management processes with the

objective of achieving sustainable building management.

It is advisable to formulate the following requirements in particular for the preparation of the

specification of services with respect to energy consumption:

■ Regular meter readings to determine energy consumption according to building zones and

additional identification of the respective main, special and end consumers.

■ Annual analysis of the meter readings to obtain consumption data which serve as benchmarks for

the agreed energy efficiency objectives.

■ Presentation of the energy performance of the building using a procedure which has been

regulated by law or standardized in a different manner (for example procedure to create energy

certificates).

Provisions should be incorporated in the specification of services to promote the checking and

control of water consumption:

 ■ Development of a strategy and of an implementation concept for the efficient handling of water

which is coordinated with the owner and/or the property management company and the tenant

concerned;

■ Regular meter readings and additional identification of the respective specific main, special and

use-specific end consumers and furthermore a comparison with the water bills and actual use of rain

and grey water;

■ Active monitoring of water consumption;

■ Preparation of the meter readings using flowcharts to determine the main consumer groups;

■ Integration of the meter readings in a strategy to minimize water consumption, for example in the

use of the bathrooms, tea kitchens, canteens, for cleaning purposes and further implementation by the

optimum setting of technical installations such as heating and room ventilation technology;

■ Presentation of the reduced water consumption in the developed strategy for the handling of

water;

■ Development and submission of a separate strategy on handling water if this has not already been

taken into consideration in guidelines or an environmental management system;

■ Annual transmission of data in digital form and comparison of the property-related performance

ratios with recognized benchmarks under consideration of the objectives of the strategy and the

systematic identification of efficiency enhancing measures (so-called Capex Recommendations).

In addition to the responsible handling of resources, sustainable building management is aimed at

increasing user comfort. A healthy and productive indoor climate is an important prerequisite here.

Therefore, the following tasks of the facility management company should be agreed in the

specification of services:
 ■ Regular checks and preparation of proof of compliance with statutory requirements placed on

ambient air parameters such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen

concentration if the technical building equipment provides suitable measuring equipment;

■ Identification of workstation zones and definition of the air quality aspired to (target situation)

under consideration of statutory requirements;

■ Functional description of the control of ventilation at the workplace, for example by opening

windows or mechanical ventilation systems supplemented by datasheets and photographic

documentation;

■ Coordination with the owner and/or the property management company about the target and

actual situation;

■ Regular (annual) measurement and documentation of the actual situation, of the deviation analysis

and development of a catalogue of measures.

6. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND SECURITY

This chapter in the specification of services should in particular contain requirements on compliance

with environmental and social standards such as structural and technical precautions for fire, water and

atmosphere protection.

Furthermore, the following regulations are advisable to also motivate the users to sustainably use

the building in an environmentally friendly manner:

■ Support in the development and implementation of an environmental management system for the

structured stipulation of operational environmental objectives. The following services to be provided

by the facility management company in coordination with the respective user can be specifically

agreed here:
 – Collection of data and stipulation of objectives to reduce energy and water consumption;

– Collection of data and definition of objectives to reduce waste and increase recycling;

– Measures and objectives to enhance the overall environmental performance, for example by

reducing CO2 emissions and a supply chain management directed at sustainability;

– Stipulation of duties to provide evidence as well as monitoring and optimisation mechanisms;

– Provision of evidence on compliance with requirements of applicable national laws (for

example requirements of the Water Act, Federal Immission Control Act, Federal Soil Protection Act,

Federal Nature Conservation Act and the Act on the Transportation of Hazardous Goods), regional

acts, legal ordinances, constitutions of municipalities and administrative requirements;

– Provision of proof of compliance with other technical instructions and guidelines;

– Provision of proof required for a certification (such as ISO 14001) and/or validation (EMAS,

for example) of the environmental management system;

■ Establishment of a committee which is freely accessible to users (Sustainability Committee) to

address and solve property-related environmental issues and introduce a standardised procedure for the

recording, analysis and initiation of corrective measures.

7. PROCUREMENT AND STRUCTURAL MEASURES

The following duties can be incorporated in the specification of services to promote the

procurement of sustainable materials, products and services in connection with sustainable building

management and including maintenance measures:

■ Drafting and verification of procurement guidelines for materials, products and services which

take into consideration the location of the property and contain the following in particular:
 – Strategy for the handling and avoidance of VOC emissions as part of the maintenance

guidelines;

– Statements of terms and conditions of the supply agreements;

■ Reduction in CO2 emissions through optimisation of means and paths of transport for material

procurement;

■ Proof of environmental compatibility of materials by test seals and certificates;

■ Provisions on the safety of products and materials;

■ Purchase of VOC-reduced materials/substances (for example low-solvent or waterbased paints,

adhesives, cleaning agents etc.), proven by the corresponding product datasheets;

■ Efficiency requirements for the first time procurement and the replacement of sanitary

installations;

■ Regular reporting on location-related use of the procurement guidelines and the implementation of

the efficiency requirements with respect to the sanitary installations.

8. TENANT RELATIONS

The following can be regulated in the specification of services to determine and implement

measures which are aimed at promoting tenant satisfaction and increase tenant acceptance for

sustainable building management:

■ Conducting of tenant surveys usually by a commissioned third party;

■ Membership and participation in the Sustainability Committee:

– Identification of sustainable and in particular ecological aspects which fall within the area of

responsibility of the facility management company and may be influenced by the tenant;
 – Target definition, development of areas for action and regulations on approval by the owner

and/or the property management company; – Implementation and monitoring.

■ Complaints management:

– Provision and implementation of a system to record and track tenant complaints (“trouble ticket

system”);

– Processing of complaints and implementation of short-term measures; – Analysis of complaints

and coordination of objectives.

■ Transparent environmental performance through planning (stipulation of objectives, measures,

content, communication paths and platforms) and coordination with the owner and/or the property

management company.

In particular, the following points could be the subject matter of communication:

– Energy certificate;

– Energy consumption within a specific period;

– Covering of energy requirements through renewable energies;

– Information on water and energy saving measures conducted;

– Excerpts from the environmental management strategy of the property;

– Intelligent lift concept for energy saving;

– Location of the next public transport stop;

– Processing of complaints and implementation of short-term measures.

 9. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CREATION OF A USER MANUAL

The recommended action presented above clearly shows that the objective of sustainable building

management cannot be fully achieved without incorporating the user. It is therefore evident that the

user should be provided with information about sustainable building operations and the aspired-to

objectives and should be actively involved in the management processes.

A suitable instrument here is the training of users. Alongside this, a property-related user manual

should be created and the users trained in its use. A user manual is created and instructions provided on

its use are based on cooperation between property and facility management companies. The user

manual is continuously updated.

Some confusion frequently surrounds the terms of user and operating manual. Whilst both have the

common aim of promoting and ensuring sustainable building management including safety aspects,

they are aimed at different readerships: the operating manual describes different scenarios for the

service providers responsible for operations, i.e. facility management company and other operators,

whilst the user manual serves to provide users with information and recommendations as to the

behaviour in the building which leads to a reduction in the consumption of resources. Furthermore, the

user manual usually contains information on personal safety.

The following list provides examples of the content of a user manual:

■ Sustainability objectives of the building, of management and use;

■ Situation, surroundings and important contacts;

■ Reaching the property, i.e.

– Car and parking possibilities and

– Public transport;
 Building, property such as

– Access via the main entrance,

– General access times/manning of the reception,

– Behaviour in the case of fire/evacuation, escape routes etc.;

■ Building technology and equipment such as

Recommendations on the use of heating, ventilation and cooling, for example:

“All office, conference, kitchen and canteen areas are conditioned using heating/cooling

ceilings. The heating and cooling cannot be regulated individually, i.e. there is no individual room

control.”

– Electricity and IT supply;

■ Building operation:

– Copiers, printers;

– Telephone;

– Delivery/information for the suppliers;

– Mail;

– Canteen;

– Waste disposal and information on the waste concept:

“Paper, residual waste, organic waste and special waste are separated in the building.

Therefore, waste is separated in accordance with the following criteria:

Conference room booking/training rooms;

– Cleaning;
 – Office furniture;

– IT support;

– Coffee points;

– Smoking in the building.

10. OUTLOOK

This brochure contains basic building blocks using which sustainable building management may be

realised at the level of facility managment. It is primarily aimed at owners, asset and property

managers, providers of operator services and property departments of companies whose core business

is not property with the objective that they align their cooperation with the requirements of LAW,

METHOD and CONTENT using the services of a facility management company.

The working group selected this format for its concept of a sustainable property management (see

brochure “Green Property Management Agreements” – Recommended clauses and action for

sustainable property management”) and has kept this format here in the knowledge that the dynamism

of the market and the perception of the subject of sustainability will also continue to change. It is

therefore to be expected that some of the recommended clauses and action will become less important

whilst others will have a greater practical impact. The results presented in this brochure are by no

means to be understood as an unalterable set of regulations but as a contribution on the path towards

comprehensive sustainable building management. The working group is planning to adjust the current

building blocks or to supplement with further building blocks whenever the market calls for new

contractual clauses and/or service content.

The members of the working group would like to encourage you, the readers of these

recommendations, to become actively involved in the discussion surrounding the further development
of sustainable building management. We would be delighted to receive your suggestions and

comments. Please write to GreenFM@dlapiper.com.