September 15, 2004—Officers from the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International met recently and are pursuing new opportunities for joint collaborative efforts in the delivery of products and services to their members and stakeholders.
The two associations have worked together on a recent facilities study, and have provided content at their respective annual conferences, one of several instances of assistance for each others educational initiatives. Several IFMA chapters and BOMA local associations have been cooperating on programs as well.
Both associations believe further cooperation will advance the interests of the built environment and commercial real estate.
In the coming year, each association will increase its participation at each others conferences, building on current participation levels. IFMA and BOMA staffs also will pursue a joint built environment issues forecasting project. An industry wide facilities survey IFMA led, with BOMA and other industry partners, was very well received.
While specific collaborative strategies are expected to be announced in coming months, it became readily apparent that opportunities for joint educational program development, additional conference cooperation, advocacy efforts, research studies, and built environment forecasting exercises will be given serious consideration.
The associations complement each other in a variety of ways, and it is anticipated that additional opportunities for cooperation will be generated between the two associations that will benefit both groups respective memberships.
