Sustainability Metrics in Library Facility Management

Abstract

Libraries are now expected to operate sustainably through energy efficiency, resource and energy use, and environmental stewardship in both buildings and service delivery. This paper presents a holistic framework of sustainability indicators developed for library facility management. It identifies key indicators across five areas of energy consumption, water use, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), waste management, and sustainable procurement of products. The research examines the current state of sustainability in public and academic libraries, and how sustainability performance is influenced by digital disruption, green building certification (LEED, BREEAM), and user behaviours. The sustainability indicators are examined through mixed methods that include a survey, facility audit, and performance dashboard to provide an evidence-based approach to improve sustainability. The findings demonstrate that while many libraries express interest in achieving energy efficiencies, few measure or integrate clear sustainability indicators into the daily management of their operations. A sustainability scorecard was developed with alignment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and offers timely recommendations to decision-makers and library facilities managers as a way forward. The work creates a space to continue the discussion and action for libraries to continue their advancement towards sustainable libraries and would encourage library facilities to approach operational conversations and strategies using data to identify informed, evidence, and metric-based sustainability and facility decision-making that seeks a reasonable balance between environmental concerns, user comfort, and the resilience and adaptability of operations.