Why KPIs Matter in FM
You cannot manage what you do not measure. FM KPIs transform building operations from reactive firefighting into strategic management. They enable data-driven decisions, justify budgets, demonstrate value to stakeholders, and identify declining performance before it becomes a crisis.
Maintenance Performance KPIs
| KPI | Definition | Good | Average | Poor | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPM Compliance | % of planned preventive maintenance tasks completed on schedule | Above 95% | 85-95% | Below 85% | IFMA, RICS |
| Reactive/Planned Ratio | % of work orders that are reactive vs planned | 20/80 | 40/60 | Above 60% reactive | IFMA |
| MTTR | Mean Time To Repair (hours from report to resolution) | Below 4 hrs | 4-8 hrs | Above 24 hrs | Industry |
| First-Time Fix Rate | % of reactive jobs resolved on first visit | Above 85% | 70-85% | Below 70% | IFMA |
| Work Order Backlog | Number of open work orders older than 30 days | Below 5% | 5-15% | Above 15% | Industry |
| Asset Availability | % of time critical assets are operational (lifts, chillers, generators) | Above 98% | 95-98% | Below 95% | EN 13306 |
Energy Performance KPIs
| KPI | Definition | Good (Office) | Average | Poor | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUI | Energy Use Intensity (kWh/m2/year) | Below 150 | 150-250 | Above 300 | ASHRAE, CIBSE |
| Chiller Efficiency | kW per ton of cooling (kW/RT) | Below 0.65 | 0.65-0.85 | Above 1.0 | ASHRAE 90.1 |
| Power Factor | Ratio of real to apparent power | Above 0.95 | 0.90-0.95 | Below 0.85 | IEC |
| Generator Fuel Consumption | Litres per kWh generated | Within OEM spec | 10% above spec | Above 15% of spec | ISO 8528 |
| Peak Demand | Maximum demand vs contracted capacity (%) | 70-85% | 85-95% | Above 95% or below 50% | Utility |
Safety KPIs
| KPI | Definition | Target | Red Flag | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LTIFR | Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (per million hours worked) | Below 1.0 | Above 2.0 | ILO, OSHA |
| Near Miss Reports | Number of near misses reported per month | Above 10 (large building) | Zero = under-reporting | Heinrich |
| Drill Compliance | % of scheduled drills completed (fire, evacuation) | 100% | Below 80% | NFPA |
| Permit Compliance | % of high-risk activities with valid permits | 100% | Any non-compliance | ISO 45001 |
| Corrective Action Closure | % of safety actions closed within deadline | Above 90% | Below 70% | ISO 45001 |
Occupant Satisfaction KPIs
| KPI | Definition | Good | Average | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall satisfaction | Annual survey score (1-5 or %) | Above 4.0 / 80% | 3.5-4.0 | Below 3.0 |
| Temperature complaints | Complaints per 1000 occupants per month | Below 5 | 5-15 | Above 20 |
| Helpdesk response | % of requests acknowledged within SLA | Above 95% | 85-95% | Below 85% |
| Lift availability | % of operating hours all lifts are available | Above 98% | 95-98% | Below 95% |
| Cleaning satisfaction | Audit score or survey score | Above 85% | 70-85% | Below 70% |
Financial KPIs
| KPI | Definition | Benchmark (Office) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total occupancy cost | All-in cost per m2 per year (rent + service charge + utilities + maintenance) | Varies by market | RICS, JLL, CBRE |
| Maintenance cost | BDT/m2/year or USD/ft2/year | USD 3-6/ft2 (office) | IFMA, BOMA |
| Energy cost | BDT/m2/year or USD/ft2/year | USD 2-4/ft2 (office) | BOMA, CIBSE |
| CAPEX reserve | Annual capital reserve as % of replacement cost | 1-3% | RICS, ASTM E2018 |
| Budget variance | Actual vs budget (% deviation) | Within +/-5% | Industry |
Building a Balanced FM Scorecard
An effective FM scorecard uses 10-15 KPIs across four perspectives:
- Asset performance — PPM compliance, reactive ratio, asset availability, MTTR
- Energy and sustainability — EUI, water use, waste diversion, carbon intensity
- Safety and compliance — LTIFR, near misses, drill compliance, permit compliance
- Occupant experience — satisfaction score, helpdesk response, temperature complaints
Report monthly with trend charts. Focus on trends not snapshots. A KPI moving in the wrong direction for 3 months is a systemic issue requiring investigation.
Common Mistakes
- Too many KPIs — measuring 50 things means nothing gets attention. Select 10-15 that matter.
- Measuring activity not outcomes — "number of work orders completed" is activity. "First-time fix rate" is outcome.
- No benchmarks — without external benchmarks, you only compare against yourself.
- Reporting without action — dashboards that no one reviews are waste. Every red KPI needs an action plan.
- Zero near misses = safety — zero near miss reports almost certainly means under-reporting, not a safe building.
References
Insights & Guidance
- Balanced FM scorecard: 10-15 KPIs across asset performance, energy, safety, and occupant experience.
- PPM compliance above 95%, reactive/planned ratio 20/80, MTTR below 4 hours, first-time fix above 85%.
- EUI below 150 kWh/m2/year (good office), chiller efficiency below 0.65 kW/RT, power factor above 0.95.
- LTIFR below 1.0, zero near miss reports means under-reporting not safety, drill compliance 100%.
- Report monthly with trends. A KPI declining for 3 months is systemic. Every red KPI needs an action plan.
Without KPIs, FM is reactive firefighting. With KPIs, you can justify budgets, demonstrate value, identify declining performance before crises, and benchmark against industry standards. Data-driven FM is professional FM.
- Too many KPIs — measuring 50 things means nothing gets attention.
- No benchmarks — without external comparison, poor performance looks normal.
- Reporting without action — dashboards nobody acts on are waste.
- Monthly FM scorecard/dashboard
- KPI definitions and targets document
- Trend reports (minimum 12 months history)
- Action plans for underperforming KPIs
- Is there a visible FM dashboard or scorecard?
- Are KPIs discussed in regular management meetings?
- Are maintenance records in a CMMS that can generate reports?
- What are your top 5 FM KPIs?
- What is your current PPM compliance rate?
- How does your EUI compare to industry benchmarks?
- Benchmarking — IFMA, RICS, or BOMA data services.
- CMMS implementation — FM technology consultant.
- Energy benchmarking — energy consultant with ASHRAE/CIBSE background.