Technology advances, new designs and growth are changing the roles of credit union facility managers from simply maintaining buildings to becoming key players in helping senior management teams meet member expectations and demands through the branch channel.

Both large and small credit unions both have been expanding their branch networks to leverage all types of building automation or building control systems and other facility management technology. That expansion aims to not only save time and money, but also provides executives with real-time information or comprehensive data to improve the management of facilities and make strategic decisions.

For the $60 billion Navy Federal Credit Union, which manages 252 branches, technology has played huge, vital and crucial roles in the way branches are operated and managed, Judy Harrison, vice president of branch operations, projects and training at the Vienna-Va.-based cooperative, said.