Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how sustainable facilities management (SFM) and sustainable buildings (SB) can be designed and managed, bridging these gaps with a more integrated process. The need to bridge the traditional gap between design, construction and FM demands more effective solutions based on life cycle assessments. This also requires a coordinated approach with emerging environmental and sustainable initiatives in new and refurbished buildings. The solutions to these issues and aspects of the “Green Shift” need to be co-ordinated at the strategic and tactical levels of an organisation with an aim of further implementation at the operational level. Design/methodology/approach: This paper takes the form of an exploratory approach based on six different case studies. The data have been sourced from cases studies involving interviews and documentation from large public institutions on how they manage and operate their existing buildings and how FM strategies are coordinated at all levels. A particular focus has been placed on buildings for higher education and research institutions. The authors have used a theoretical multidimensional framework for analysing the gaps based on models for sustainable development, life cycle assessments of buildings and recognised models for efficient FM. The case studies have been supported by literature research and documentation from a number of applied projects. Findings: In conclusion, this study demonstrates that in the context of the Norwegian cases, there is currently little consistency in the degree to which the bridging of the gap between sustainable FM and SB is achieved or attempted. Originality/value: This paper offers a contribution to the study of how public buildings approach the development of the building stock, whilst also dealing with the challenges associated with bridging the gap between the buildings and the FM that supports the building. The introduction and use of a multidimensional theoretical framework for analysing sustainability in buildings and FM creates a new platform for further research, development and implementation in practice.

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the drivers and barriers for green leases and tenancies in sustainable “Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method” (BREEAM) and “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED) certified office and office buildings in Norway, the UK and the USA. This study focuses on the differing perspectives between owners and tenants. It is then considered as to how these issues are dealt with during different phases of a buildings life cycle. This research is based on existing literature and semi-structured interviews that studied qualitative and quantitative elements in the context of ownership and tenancy of single and multi-tenanted sustainable office buildings.Design/methodology/approach: Using a mixed-method approach involving semi-structured interviews with both qualitative and quantitative elements along with desk research, this paper evaluates how green leases and tenancies in offices and office buildings that are BREEAM and LEED certified require a reconsideration and re-evaluation of the acquisition, operation and disposal of office buildings by building owners and their tenants. These stakeholder relationships are supported theoretically using a theoretical model that outlines the interrelation between the sustainable building and the relationships of the building owner, the user and the FM service provider.Findings: The data gathered from the interviews justify and partly contradict some of the statements within existing literature, diminishing the importance of cost and the barrier of split incentive but instead illuminate the importance of less tangible considerations such as company policy or a sustainability strategy. The results also note the realisation of a changing market for commercial real estate driven by the sustainable business needs of tenants for the occupation of workspaces.Research limitations/implications: These findings have the potential to further develop theories and provide an insight into how the relationships between actors from a business, procurement and contractual perspective need to be developed to ensure more proactive development of green leasing of new and existing sustainable office buildings, along with where strategic attention is required during the building design, construction, operational and use phases.Originality/value: This paper is based on original research through interviews and literature studies supported by an existing theoretical model. The results have been partly presented and initially discussed at the WBC World Congress 2016 in Tampere, Finland.

Purpose: This paper aims to identify the state of the art in Green Leases and Green Leasing in theory and practice, while also identifying how the roles and motivations of the stakeholders of “owner/landlord”, “lessee” and “facilities management” are different in a building that uses Green Leasing and Green Leases, as opposed to the one without.Design/methodology/approach: Through existing literature and existing case studies from 1995 to the present day, this paper will identify the state of the art of Green Leases and Green Leasing and the extent to which literature-based discussions have played out in their practical application in the real estate sector. The roles of key stakeholders will be analysed and then compared to the interactions and roles identified in a theoretical model that describes the same stakeholders but from a more traditional stakeholder perspective. This will be achieved through using literature from journal papers mostly from the disciplines of built environment, facilities management, finance, investment, law, management and real estate.Findings: The literature and case studies found in literature demonstrate a gradual move towards advancing Green Lease adoption and development. While the roles of key stakeholders do see a change in Green Leased buildings in terms of, for example, changing competencies for facilities managers (FMs) and more user engagement with their buildings sustainability, the literature indicated most of the changes are realised through a strengthening of existing interactions already evident in buildings without a Green Lease or Green Leasing.Originality/value: This paper provides a state of the art review on the development of Green Leasing and Green Leases in theory and practice from a stakeholder perspective. It provides possibility to expand further on the changing roles of these stakeholders in Green buildings, which in turn could also positively affect the further development of Green Leases themselves, as well as sustainable certification methodologies such as Europe’s leading certification “Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method” (BREEAM).

A wide variety of disciplines engage in Smart Cities as the scope and breadth of it is broad. Within the built environment, there is much discussion on how planning and construction phases influence Smart Cities. There is little discussion on the role of Facilities Management (FM). However, there has been much work on the influence FM has on design phases to ensure functional and usable buildings. Neglecting to scale up the influence of FM from individual buildings to city scale may have long term consequences on sustainability of cities. Taking a mindset of including an FM perspective early in the development of a Smart City is considered here in terms of social aspects of required services. The work draws on ideas of Urban FM to operationalize local needs which also responds to the need to link to broader city sustainable strategies. The starting point is from the development of two districts in Trondheim, Norway. In a three-day workshop, students interpret the needs of the area based on their own knowledge-based perspective, guidance from tutors of Urban FM and through engagement with local users of the area. The work highlights the potential of including an FM perspective in the development of cities.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how an Urban Facilities Management (Urban FM) focused summer school in Norway in 2019 impacted knowledge creation, as well as the host and foreign educators, along with the international student participants. This paper’s data collection is formed as a “post-event study” using interviews and a quantitative survey from both the students and educators to look at the impact of the summer school on the student and the associated educational programs. The outcomes of this study indicate that the impact on educators and their educational programs was substantial with regard to their teaching experiences. The study confirmed that foreign experience allowed not just for greater potential for cross institution cooperation for the future but also allowed for the usage of the summer school case studies in host and guest educational programs. For the students, the added value was in the international experience primarily and a chance to study on a case study project. The study was also successful in the dissemination of Urban FM knowledge. This paper also offers added theoretical value in the development of a model in future projects on how to capitalize on the potential impact of the summer school on educators and students. The possibilities for increased dissemination and knowledge creation in Urban FM is also significant.