CFM IFMA Certified Facility Manager Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

Outsourcing facility management services (C) is the best solution for a new operation that will expand over time.

Advantages of outsourcing:

Provides flexibility for future expansion

Reduces overhead costs

Ensures service continuity without permanent staffing commitments

Why not other options?

(A) Temporary agency staff may lack the expertise for long-term operations.

(B) Hiring permanent staff is premature for an evolving operation.

(D) Relocating existing staff could disrupt corporate operations.

The most important feature of an IWMS is the use of standards that allow integration (Option B).

Why Option B is Correct?

IWMS platforms manage real estate, facilities, space, maintenance, and sustainability in one unified system.

Integration with various technologies, databases, and software standards is essential to ensure smooth facility operations and data consistency.

IFMA’s Technology Core Competency emphasizes that FM professionals must implement IWMS solutions with seamless integration capabilities to optimize facility performance.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?

Option A (Ease of use): While usability is important, integration is the defining feature of an IWMS.

Option C (Hardware mobility): Mobility is beneficial, but not the most critical feature of IWMS systems.

A facility manager must follow the organization’s policy (Option C) to ensure compliance with employment agreements regarding uniforms and stipends.

Why Option C is Correct?

Workplace policies outline reimbursement rules for issued materials.

Ensures consistency in handling employee departures and prevents disputes.

IFMA’s Human Factors Core Competency states that FM professionals must adhere to HR and organizational policies.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?

Option A (Request reimbursement personally): Lacks formal enforcement and can cause disputes.

Option B (Absorb the loss): Not all organizations allow this, and a formal policy must be followed first.

Cost per square foot calculation:

Building #1: $1,100,000 ÷ 55,000 sq. ft. = $20 per sq. ft.

Building #2: $1,100,000 ÷ 50,000 sq. ft. = $22 per sq. ft.

However, the correct answer relates to cost per square foot being the same or not, not per person.

Why not other options?

(A) Building #1 does have a lower cost per sq. ft., but the correct format requires comparing both.

(C) Cost per person is different from cost per sq. ft.

(D) Incorrect since Building #1 has a lower cost per sq. ft.

A formal review ensures an objective, structured assessment of concerns and solutions. This process involves:

Gathering feedback from staff at multiple levels to identify the root cause of dissatisfaction.

Verifying project adherence to scope while recognizing employee concerns.

Creating an action plan to address issues, balancing corporate standards with employee needs.

Why the other options are incorrect:

(A) Reviewing materials does not account for employee experience or perceptions.

(C) Informal discussions may lack accuracy and fail to provide a complete picture.

(D) Ignoring concerns damages credibility and workplace satisfaction​.

A real estate master plan is a long-term planning document that provides a conceptual layout to guide future growth and development. It includes considerations for infrastructure, zoning, transportation, and land use. Local governments and planning agencies typically require a master plan before issuing permits. This plan aligns with strategic facilities management and ensures sustainable development by integrating urban planning principles​.

The most critical factors when consolidating a real estate portfolio (Option A) include:

Current space utilization: Determines how efficiently space is used and identifies underutilized areas.

Overall occupancy cost per square foot: Ensures that cost efficiency is maximized in real estate decisions.

Geographic proximity/overlap: Helps avoid redundancy and improves operational efficiency in location planning.

Why Option A is Correct?

Real estate consolidation should be driven by efficiency, cost management, and operational alignment.

IFMA’s Real Estate & Property Management Core Competency emphasizes that FM professionals must evaluate space efficiency, cost, and strategic location advantages when making consolidation decisions.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?

Option B (Lease vs own status, neighborhood amenities, political environment): These factors matter but are secondary to space utilization and cost efficiency.

Option C (Make-up of workforce, outdated interiors, tax incentives): Workforce demographics may influence layout design but are not the most critical factors in consolidation decisions.

Minimizing intrusion while maintaining security (B) is the best approach for a densely populated area to balance facility needs and community well-being.

Considerations for urban landscaping projects:

Avoid excessive noise/light pollution

Maintain adequate security and emergency alert capabilities

Why not other options?

(A) Providing energy back to the grid is beneficial but not a primary landscaping concern.

(C) Excessive lights/sirens disturb residents and are unnecessary.

(D) Security patrols are important but should not interfere with community dynamics.

The greatest benefit of an Integrated Work Management System (IWMS) is that it improves customer service (C) by streamlining facility operations, space management, and asset tracking.

IWMS integrates key facility management components such as real estate, maintenance, project management, and environmental sustainability, enhancing efficiency.

Why not other options?

(A) Making board members happy is not a primary benefit.

(B) Centralizing floor plans is useful but not the main advantage.

(D) Building systems still require monitoring even with automation.

The planned maintenance to corrective maintenance ratio (Option C) measures the effectiveness of preventive maintenance compared to unplanned repairs.

Why Option C is Correct?

A higher planned maintenance ratio means fewer emergency breakdowns and lower repair costs.

Tracking this ratio helps assess maintenance efficiency and justify preventive maintenance investments.

IFMA’s Operations & Maintenance Core Competency emphasizes the importance of balancing planned and corrective maintenance to optimize resources.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?

Option A (Work being done right the first time): This measures quality control, not the ratio of planned vs. corrective maintenance.

Option B (Serving occupant needs): While maintenance affects occupants, this ratio specifically assesses cost-effectiveness of preventive strategies.

The IFMA Risk Management competency states that effective mitigation starts with identifying risks and hazards​.

Option D (Correct): Risk assessment ensures hazards are identified and mitigated before escalation.

Option B (Predictive maintenance) is preventative, but not risk mitigation.

Mitigation focuses on eliminating risks before they impact operations​.

The most appropriate response to a workplace accident is to retrain staff in existing risk assessments and safe work practices (Option B).

Why Option B is Correct?

Immediate retraining ensures employees understand and follow safety procedures to prevent future incidents.

It demonstrates proactive risk management and compliance with workplace safety standards.

IFMA’s Risk Management & Emergency Preparedness Core Competency emphasizes ongoing training and reinforcement of safety protocols.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?

Option A (Review risk assessments in six months): Too slow—risk management should be immediate.

Option C (Disciplining those aware of the risk): Risk management focuses on prevention and correction, not blame.

A prioritized list of critical facilities and systems (Option B) ensures that resources are allocated to the most essential areas first after a disaster.

Why Option B is Correct?

Facilities and systems that are critical to business operations must be restored first.

This list helps emergency teams focus on the most urgent repair and recovery efforts.

IFMA’s Emergency Preparedness & Business Continuity Core Competency emphasizes prioritization in disaster recovery planning.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?

Option A (Contact information for emergency personnel): While useful, it does not help prioritize resource allocation.

Option C (Personnel recall list): While important for staffing, it does not prioritize facilities and systems for recovery.

A facilities register is a comprehensive inventory of facility assets such as buildings, infrastructure, and grounds​.

Option B is correct because it tracks and maintains records of physical facility assets.

Option A relates to financial records, not facility inventory.

Option C describes a CMMS or IWMS, not a register.

Option D pertains to emergency response lists, not asset management.

A facilities register supports maintenance planning, asset tracking, and financial forecasting​.

Infrastructure resilience is the ability of a facility to anticipate, absorb, adapt to, and recover from disruptive events. The four key components of resilience are robustness (ability to withstand disruptions), resourcefulness (ability to identify and manage disruptions), rapid recovery (ability to restore functionality quickly), and redundancy (backup systems to prevent total failure). These factors ensure a facility can continue operations despite disasters or disruptions​.

Life-cycle costing (LCC) accounts for all costs associated with a building throughout its lifespan, including:

Initial costs (planning, design, construction).

Operational costs (utilities, maintenance, repairs).

End-of-life costs (renovation, decommissioning, disposal).

LCC enables informed decision-making by comparing long-term cost implications of different design and material choices, supporting sustainable and cost-effective facility management​.