A key player in Dubai’s growing facilities management (FM) market is predicting that the FM industry will outstrip the emirate’s booming construction business in the next few years.

Edward Sanders of Dubai-based Drake & Scull Facilities Management, said that while the pace of building work in the city will eventually begin to slow, the need for companies to maintain and manage the completed resorts, buildings and facilities will increase at a rapid pace.
Sanders, head of FM Consultancy, said: “The facilities management industry is going to be massive, both in the UAE and across the Middle East. It has been estimated that in the lifecycle of a building the design and construction phase only accounts for 20 per cent of the overall costs. The remaining 80 per cent is for operations, maintenance and management of the facilities during their lifetime.”
He said that currently $36 billion was invested in construction and infrastructure works in Dubai, putting the life-cycle cost of maintaining and managing all of these upcoming facilities at around $144 billion according to this 20/80 per cent estimate.
Drake & Scull Facilities Management is part of the Emcor Group of the UK and US, a leading facilities and engineering company servicing over 1 billion sq ft worldwide with an annual turnover in excess of $4.7 billion.
It will be exhibiting at FM Expo, the region’s first exhibition dedicated to facilities management. Organised by Streamline Marketing Group and dmg world media, it takes place from June 4 to 6 at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Sanders said: “According to figures from UK construction research organisation BSRIA, the facilities management market in Dubai was worth Dh2.5 billion in 2005. However as more and more developments come online, the potential growth over the next three to four years is off the charts as all of these new buildings will need facilities management.”
FM Expo is sponsored by Johnston Lighting (platinum sponsor) and FM providers AMC and MAB (support sponsors).
It will run alongside the Office Exhibition, Hotel Show and the InRetail exhibition and around 10,000 key decision-makers, including architects and property developers, are expected to attend.