The German Association for Facility Management (gefma) and the German Council of Shopping Places (GCSP) have officially launched the joint project “SustainFM Retail”. The aim of this initiative is to further develop the established SustainFM management system, specifically adapting it to the requirements of retail properties. The primary intention is to systematically evaluate the operational quality of properties, identify optimisation potential, and thus contribute to the economic viability, value retention, and value appreciation of retail locations.
The methodological further development of the system is supported by the expertise of STRABAG Property and Facility Services, WISAG, and SustainProperty. As an operational project partner, MEC is supporting the project with its experience in managing retail locations. The implementation and practical testing are initially planned for a retail park. This project results from the existing cooperation between the two associations and combines gefma's facility management expertise with GCSP's specific expertise in the field of retail properties.
The collaboration aims to create a uniform assessment and decision-making basis for asset, property, and facility management. This should enable continuous monitoring of operational activities, identify untapped potential, and derive targeted measures to increase quality and efficiency. Annelie Casper, Managing Director of gefma, commented that the discussion about ESG, transformation, and future viability must be translated into concrete property operations. She emphasised that SustainFM Retail should make visible what quality is created in operations and where specific improvements can be made.
Specific Requirements and Added Value
Retail properties present special operational requirements due to their characteristics – such as high visitor frequencies, diverse tenant uses, intensive delivery traffic, and complex cleaning, security, and technical services. The integration of these elements must be functionally ensured. At the same time, energy consumption, operating costs, and the quality of stay significantly influence the attractiveness of a location. SustainFM Retail aims to make these complex interrelationships transparent and manageable.
- —Asset Management receives a more precise basis for risk assessment, investment decisions, and the development of object strategy.
- —Property Management can more specifically manage costs, contract contents, and services from external providers.
- —Facility Management gains concrete starting points for improving technical processes, resource utilisation, and service quality.
These measures can contribute to the long-term value development of the properties in combination. Ingmar Behrens, Secretary General of the German Council of Shopping Places, underlined that retail locations are complex systems whose functioning requires optimal interlinking of owners, operators, service providers, and users. He noted that the research project creates a common knowledge base for this.
Methodology and Testing
The basis of SustainFM is the GEFMA 160 guideline, which considers property operations in five dimensions: organisation, economy, ecology, socio-culture, and technology. The system extends beyond isolated sustainability metrics and integrates operating concepts, processes, service provider contracts, and responsibilities. The methodological further development for retail properties is being carried out by Frank Rüll and Mike Jordt from STRABAG Property and Facility Services, Oliver Voigt and Dr. Dirk Fittkau from WISAG, and Zoltán Csomor from SustainProperty Advisory. Key focuses are on defining suitable assessment criteria, the necessary data basis, and the underlying assessment logic. Matthias Felten and Jörg Wege from MEC contribute their experience from managing retail locations as operational project partners and support the practical testing. The application of the methodology in ongoing operations and the derivation of concrete improvement measures will be reviewed at a retail park.
