FM Champions: Making Magic Happen, Part 1
“Facility Managers are the magic fairies who come in during the night and throughout the day to make adjustments, so things are seamless for the end users,” says Edmundo Martinez, a seasoned facility manager, problem-solver, and building maintainer in California.
Edmundo has been with DPR Construction for 23 years, most recently as the facility manager for their three Bay Area offices, where “every day is a learning experience.”
Personal growth and opportunity are what led Edmundo into facility management. He sees the value in being part of a construction company, surrounded by great technical builders and construction resources. For Edmundo, collaboration has directly contributed to his success. “My coworkers and end-users have elevated me to become a well-rounded facilities manager,” he says.
Every office Edmundo manages has different building systems, people, and personalities. One office is the first certified commercial Net-Zero Energy Building (NZEB) in San Francisco, complete with high-efficiency mechanical equipment, SolaTubes®, a photovoltaic system and lighting solutions. Another office was built in 2000, with older equipment and tracking mechanisms for energy efficiency. What excites Edmundo is how he can maneuver through these differences to provide efficient and effective means for end users to do their jobs productively and comfortably. “The offices are an extension of the organization,” he says. “It is important for me to maintain the same level of service for the end-users that DPR’s customers and clients expect to receive.”
Edmundo’s advice to somebody who would want to enter this profession? “Technology is consistently and constantly changing,” he says. “Stay innovative and make sure we are implementing all the environmental and sustainability criteria in order to just be a better society.” His baseline philosophy, “Don’t be afraid to ask questions, don’t be afraid to fail, make adjustments in order to succeed,” embodies the spirit of his role as a facility manager.
Edmundo looks at the VueOps solution as a partnership that can enable proactive solutions, providing information to prevent downtime, and ensure that facility managers have the proper items in place.
Many people only notice facility management when things are out of balance - when everything is functioning correctly, we tend to forget that there are “magic fairies” in the background making it all function smoothly. It is people like Edmundo Martinez and facility managers like him to celebrate on World FM day, and every day.
