APPLICATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OF COMMERCIAL (OFFICE) PROPERTIES - A STRATEGY

Abstract

Commercial (Office) properties are becoming more complex by the day with the inclusion of intelligent features in new building design as well as those which undergo retrofitting. These buildings are also those becoming obsolete at a faster rate due to the rapid advancement of office technology and environment requirements. The demand by both owners and users for higher standards of management due to changing attitudes towards the workplace warrant a closer examination of the current practice of property management and the improvements which can be made to it. The results of a survey conducted of property management consultants indicates that property management is still practised in a traditional role in Singapore. There is therefore scope for the role of property management to be expanded. IT with its immense capability, offers many opportunities for improving the tasks of the property manager. In the course of formulating a strategy for IT application, the property consultant should not ignore the opportunities presented by computerised facility management systems to widen the scope of property management, thus providing a more efficient and effective range of services.