Computer-Aided Facilities Management

What Does Computer-Aided Facilities Management Mean?

Computer-aided facilities management (CAFM) refers to the use of information technology to effectively manage physical facilities in various ways. This can include long-range facilities management reporting, as well as more direct systems that actively manage aspects of facilities, such as lighting or heating and air conditioning equipment.

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Techopedia Explains Computer-Aided Facilities Management

Common features of computer-aided facilities management tools include systems that give information on floor plans and descriptions of the physical space, as well as reporting on energy consumption. These sorts of tools can also provide helpful equipment locations for a facility holding valuable or extensive business assets, such as machinery or hardware. Computer-aided facilities management tools can use extensive databases and visual modeling tools, along with geographic information systems or services, to give leaders and managers a bird’s eye view of a particular facility or building.

In addition to providing these sorts of physical tools, computer aided facilities management systems can be part of long-term planning and auditing resources. For example, planners might use these sorts of tools to evaluate the depreciation of a facility or for other tax purposes. A wide range of CAFM solutions has become extremely valuable to those who are tasked with efficiently managing the physical locations of a business or other entity.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…