Kia ora ,
Welcome to our May edition - a month that always brings a well-deserved spotlight to the incredible work of facilities managers across Aotearoa and the globe.
Every day, you help keep Aotearoa’s spaces running smoothly, safely, and sustainably. Whether you're on the tools, behind the scenes, or leading the charge, your work makes a difference. But how often do we pause to truly celebrate that?
World FM Day offers us that moment - a chance to pause, reflect, and take pride in the impact of our profession. Whether you're joining our
Quiz Night, sharing a moment with your team, or simply acknowledging the mahi behind the scenes, we hope you find a meaningful way to mark the day and this year’s theme: Resilience in Action - Thriving in a World of Change.
Alongside all that we are celebrating, we continue to strengthen our advocacy efforts - keeping FM front and centre in the conversations shaping our built environment. We’re beginning to explore FM’s role in
Predator Free 2050, while continuing momentum on our
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) campaign - both timely reminders of the question we keep returning to: why isn’t FM at the design table from the start?
And if you’re already thinking about what we’ll be celebrating next -
Ngā Tohu a FMANZ Awards tickets will be on sale soon. This year, we’re proud to wrap the awards into something bigger: a curated celebration that goes beyond a single evening. It’s about connection, kōrero, and shared pride in our profession. From behind-the-scenes site tours and storytelling sessions to the main awards night and social gatherings, it’s a moment for our community to come together and shine. Watch this space.
Here’s to you, and everything you do. Happy World FM Day for next week - thank you for being part of it.
Ngā mihi mahana
Jo
Jo Duggan
CEO
FMANZ
Huge congratulations to our newly assessed members, who have recently been approved into their new membership categories.
Aaron Thompson, PFMANZ
Andrew Henderson, PFMANZ
Cooper Stewart, PFMANZ
Ellis Li, AFMANZ
Hannah Welsby, PFMANZ
Kaitlin Haami, AFMANZ
Maurice Banse, PFMANZ
Phoeun Ban, AFMANZ
Smit Gangani, AFMANZ
Steven Coyte, PFMANZ
They can start using their post-nominals in their email signatures, CV and more to demonstrate their commitment to their career and to the FM industry. Feel like you're missing out? Show the world you're serious about your career development by applying for professional membership. You'll find all the information you need
here
JUDGING EXCELLENCE - MEET THE TEAM
Each year, our
Ngā Tohu a FMANZ Awards Committee generously give their time and expertise to uphold the integrity and mana of both the awards and the judging process - and 2025 is no exception. This year, the committee is under the skilled leadership of committee chair
Vanessa Powell, joined by an outstanding team:
Shelton Hooper, Amanda Collinson,
John Hutchings,
Anthony van Meer,
Craig Stephens, and
Simi Mukherjee. Together, they’re working alongside our extended judging panel -
Stuart Bryant,
Matt Milligan,
Megan Penno and
John Braithwaite to carefully review and shortlist candidates. Read more
here.
CHAMPIONING CHANGE - LATEST UPDATES
As part of our ongoing advocacy efforts, we’ve been building momentum on our
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) campaign - raising awareness of the critical role air quality plays in the health, wellbeing, and performance of building users. We’ve recently met with opposition spokespeople from both the Green and Labour parties, gaining valuable support across the political spectrum. These conversations continue to open doors - not just for better ventilation standards, but for a wider conversation about the importance of having facilities management at the design table from day one. We’ve also kicked off a new initiative exploring FM’s role in
Predator Free 2050. Our first meeting brought together voices from across the sector to understand how our urban environments can contribute meaningfully to this ambitious goal. From public spaces to commercial properties, there's real opportunity for the FM profession to lead, helping shape environments that support both people and biodiversity. Keep an eye out - we’ll be launching dedicated resource pages for both campaigns soon, with updates, tools, and ways to get involved. This is just the beginning of two conversations that matter deeply for the future of our built environment.
GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT SUBMISSION
A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money. With our government spending billions of dollars every year, this real money is a real opportunity. A real opportunity to make New Zealand better. That was the central argument driving our recent feedback to the government on their review of how they buy the stuff our country needs, like roads, government buildings, and schools – the government procurement rules. And, if the government wants to get the best value for New Zealanders for their new construction projects, they need to include facilities management expertise and input in the planning stages, our submission said. Failing to do this is one reason why so many buildings are in poor condition – because the operational performance and maintenance is not considered at the design and construction stage. You can read the whole submission
here.
SHOWCASE YOUR DECARBONISATION EFFORTS
Are you ready to showcase your decarbonisation achievements and inspire the wider FM community? We're excited to invite forward-thinking organisations to join our '
Projects of FM' case study series, where your innovative carbon reduction initiatives can shine. Join the ranks of Auckland Art Gallery, PMG Funds, and AUT (coming soon!), who have already showcased how their FM teams are leading the way in cutting carbon emissions and slashing energy costs - check out their stories
here. This is your chance to celebrate your team's hard work and motivate others to follow suit. Nominating your project is simple: just email
editor@fmanz.org with a brief summary. If selected, we handle the rest - we'll craft a compelling, engaging case study that will be promoted across the FMANZ communications channels. Let us help you tell your story and amplify your impact in the journey toward a sustainable future.
WHAT'S ON
FMANZ ESSENTIALS FOR NEW MEMBERS
If you're new a new member, join us for the lowdown on everything FMANZ at our first 'FMANZ Essentials for New Members' session this
Thursday, 8 May, 12 - 12.45pm. These new bi-monthly online drop-in sessions are the perfect way to get the most out of your membership by learning more about our purpose, values, and how we support facilities professionals like you. Register
here.
ACCESS THE EXPERT Q&A - EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Join us for a live online Q&A session with one of the country’s leading emergency management experts,
Chris Hawker on
Friday, 9 May, 12 - 1pm. This is your opportunity to ask questions and gain insights on effectively preparing for, responding to, and recovering from natural and man-made hazard events. Chris was a presenter at last year's FM Summit and is not to be missed! Register
here.
WORLD FM DAY QUIZ EVENTS
Join us to celebrate World FM Day on
Wednesday, 14 May at one of our popular World FM Day quiz events - a chance to pit your general (and FM) knowledge against your peers and win some great prizes. Get a team together, or come solo, either way, we'll make sure you're included. Special thanks to
Resene for once again supporting these fun quiz events. Register
here.
CERTIFIED MEMBERSHIP PATHWAY SESSION
Do you aspire to elevate your facilities management career? Join us for our next online Certified Membership Pathway session on
Thursday, 12 June. Held bi-monthly, these sessions are your gateway to professional recognition. Join these sessions to support your journey to Certified Membership. Register
here.
FMANZ AWARDS 2025
Our
Ngā Tohu a FMANZ Awards evening promises to be a highlight of this year's events calendar. Join us as we celebrate the stars of FM at the Q Theatre in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on the evening of
Thursday, 24 July. To make the occasion even more meaningful, we’re planning a programme of exciting events around the awards including site tours on the day of the awards and the following day, ensuring those traveling from across the motu can maximise their trip. Awards tickets on sale soon - stay tuned!
BUILDING COMPLIANCE ONLINE WORKSHOPS
Building Networks'
Rosemary Killip returns once again to facilitate our Building Compliance online workshops.101 gives FM newcomers an introduction to building compliance and serves as a refresher for those already in the field. 201 is for experienced mid-management and senior FMs. Don’t miss these interactive sessions on
4 and 18 August. Register for 101 or 201 independently, or as a combo. Register
here.
FM SUMMIT 2025
We're heading to the capital for THE biggest and best
FM Summit ever. Join us in Tākina, Wellington's premium conference space, on
Thursday 9 and Friday 10 October for two incredible days of inspiring presentations, thought-provoking discussions and endless networking. Ahead of Summit, join one of our exclusive building tours on
Wednesday, 8 October, followed by a special welcome function at the Parliament buildings. Block the dates out in your diary now!
EXPLORING EXCELLENCE - FM STUDY TOUR 2025
New dates have now been confirmed for our inaugural FM study tour. Join us
3–6 December for behind-the-scenes access to some of Melbourne's iconic sites. Our exciting itinerary features exclusive site tours, including the MCG and Crown Casino, opportunities to learn from key industry leaders, and attendance at the FM Industry Awards for Excellence. Contact
jo@fmanz.org to register your interest.
RECOMMENDED
READ
Ross Brunton from the Education Committee recommends reading this informative article featured in Infrastructure News on proposed reform to the Public Works Act. Read the article
here.
READ
Asset management v facilities management - same, same but different? Check out this blog post, which aims to clarify the similarities and differences between Asset Management and Facility Management, as recommended by the Education Committee's Tracy Massam. You can find it
here.
READ
Are you keen to better understand the risks and benefits of AI in cybersecurity? Then delve into Property & Build's online article which comes highly recommended by Ross Brunton from the Education Committee. Read it
here.
QUICK REMINDERS
Don't forget to sign up for your local World FM Day quiz evening next Wednesday 14 May. You can register online
here.
A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR
Colour selection -
it can often be a long process for clients to determine a colour scheme for a project. A qualified Commercial Colour Consultant can help with this process and assist to narrow the options. If there is a Body Corporate committee or a number of people involved in the decision making, it is important to have the final choice documented and signed off to cover any issues, should they arise after painting is completed. It is vital that when painting starts, all parties should be certain colours meet expectations – rather than waiting until the end of the project. Viewing colours on colour charts can be very disconcerting. A neutral grey card can help to isolate a colour when viewing charts and making a selection. This prevents distractions from neighbouring colours. Once final colours have been selected, colour renders of the property and A4 colour samples of the paint are a good way to check final selection on site. Colours may appear different when viewed at different times of day, eg cooler in afternoon shadows and warmer in morning sunshine. Paint testpots are also a good option to test colour onsite.
WHAT IS IT?
Know which famous NZ building is featured in our close-up image? Be the tenth person to correctly guess and you'll win a $50 Prezzy card. Congratulations to John Braithwaite who was the tenth person to correctly guess our mystery artwork - 'The Starry Night By Vincent Van Gogh' - last edition.
Email your best guess to
editor@fmanz.org.