Facilities data are facilities history. They are essential for warranties,
insurance claims, operations, and planning.
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When a Band-Aid Can Save You Money-Even
in the Long Run!
 The
school board meeting was about to get ugly. The PTA was as hot as
the east wing of the elementary school. They wanted that cooling
tower repaired-and repaired properly! Hadn't it broken down last
September too? The board president turned to Ted, the new school
facilities manager, for an explanation. Ted began to explain, "Well,
we patched several rust spots last summer, but the tower is really
on its last legs." He was interrupted by the board president: "We
were very clear about our expectations for the repair of capital
equipment before you were hired. We will not tolerate a Band-Aid
approach to maintenance in this school district. Is that understood?"
Ted handed a spreadsheet to the board president before answering,
"Yes sir, a Band-Aid approach is a waste of money 99 percent of
the time, but the cooling tower in question is an exception. You
see, it's 19 years old," he said, pointing to an entry on the spreadsheet,
"and only has a 20-year expected service lifetime. So it doesn't
make sense to invest in a complete overhaul when the school will
be getting a brand-new piece of equipment next year. It's not a
good use of our maintenance budget." The board president realized
that Ted was right. He had the data in hand to prove it.
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 For
more information about facilities data collections and audits, visit
the following web pages: Basic Data Elements for Elementary and Secondary
Education Information Systems at http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=97531;
Facilities Information Management: A Guide for State and Local School
Districts at http://nces.ed.gov/forum/publications.asp;
Facilities Assessment at http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/facility_assessment.cfm;
and Operation and Maintenance Assessments: A Best Practice for Energy-Efficient
Building Operations at http://www.peci.org/om/assess.pdf.
Commissioning: A Special Type of Facilities Audit
Even the best-trained auditors are unlikely to know whether systems are
operating as designed and intended just by looking at them (because "systems"
can not be evaluated as easily as components can). For this reason, new
and renovated facilities must be commissioned, re-commissioned, or retro-commissioned.
 "Commissioning"
is a specific type of facilities audit intended to verify (and document)
that a facility will operate as designed and meet the demands of its intended
use. Commissioning focuses not on individual elements in a building, but
rather on system performance within a facility. A third party (who is
not beholden to either the education organization or the construction
contractor) generally carries out commissioning before site responsibility
is transferred from the contractor to the school district. Commissioning
typically occurs upon completion of a construction or renovation project;
however, pre-commissioning can occur as early as the design phase, at
which time impartial experts review blueprints and building specifications
for adherence to building codes, HVAC requirements, and other performance
criteria.
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Risk Management
Entails Protecting Facilities Data
Developing a data storage and security
plan for an education organization is a
substantial task in its own right. The National Forum on Education
Statistics provides guidance in Safeguarding Your Technology: Practical
Guidelines for Electronic Education Information Security, available
at http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=98297.
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Facilities Data
Access as a Component of Emergency Preparedness
When Jerry, the head of the maintenance
office for the school district in his small community, received
a call from the chief of police, he remained calm. "Yes sir," Jerry
said, "I'll e-mail the building's blueprints immediately." He looked
at his watch. "And I can have a paper copy to you in 15 minutes."
As he hung up the phone, he turned to Eileen, his assistant. "There
is an emergency at the high school and the police chief needs information
about the egresses. Print out a copy of the blueprints while I e-mail
him an electronic copy." Within three minutes of receiving the call,
Jerry was speeding toward the high school with a copy of the blueprints
in hand to supplement the electronic copy already sent to the chief.
The rest of the day's events would be out of his control, but Jerry's
planning had ensured that the maintenance office had done everything
it could do to help.
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Commissioning focuses not on individual building elements, but on system
performance within a facility. It is tantamount to a "stress test" in which
major building components are systematically tested to ensure they meet
required specifications.
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Commissioning should be included in all construction and renovation contracts
as a standard requirement prior to the transfer of liability from the contractor
to the school district. Although initial commissioning can occur as early
as the design phase of a project, and more likely upon the completion of
construction activities, additional tests should be required throughout
the first year of building use so that components can be examined during
the range of seasonal conditions (e.g., hot and cold, wet and dry). When
formulating the details of a commissioning effort, district representatives
should identify all systems to be studied or controlled, the design logic
that supports the approach, applicable industry standards, and the acceptable
range of system output (which varies with seasonal conditions).
Re-commissioning (the act of "commissioning again") should occur any
time a building is renovated or substantially modified (e.g., a classroom
is changed into a computer lab) or, in the absence of renovation and modification,
on a five-year cycle to ensure that systems are performing appropriately
over time. Re-commissioning involves retesting systems relative, at least
in part, to baselines established during the original commissioning. By
adopting this approach to facility auditing, the status of systems can
be measured and assessed relative to their "as-new" condition.
Retro-commissioning is performed on existing buildings that were never
commissioned. Although a school district may not be able to hold contractors
responsible for failing or missing systems identified during retro-commissioning,
the data can be useful in establishing baselines and identifying system
deficiencies. This is especially valuable information for facilities that
have been upgraded or otherwise modified since original construction.
For
more information about commissioning, visit the following web pages: Building
Commissioning at http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/commissioning.cfm;
Building Commissioning Association at http://www.bcxa.org;
Portland Energy Conservation, Inc. (PECI) at http://www.peci.org/;
and Practical Guide for Commissioning Existing Buildings at http://www.ornl.gov/~webworks/cppr/y2001/rpt/101847.pdf.
Commonly Asked Questions
Why is a facility audit considered to be a data
collection?
A
facility audit is an element-by-element assessment, or inventory, of an
organization's buildings, grounds, and equipment. If the large amounts
of collected data (what, where, age, condition, maintenance needs, etc.)
are not organized in a usable format, they will not meet the information
needs of users. Thus, facility audits must be treated as data collections,
and managed as such.
How can facilities data inform decision-making?
Facilities data can, and should, inform both short- and long-term
policy making decisions. Moreover, the data also help with day-to-day
operations and decision-making. For example, suppose a high school's ice
machine breaks down and the estimate to repair it is one-third of the
cost for a new machine. The repair-or-replace decision should be based
on facilities data-that is, the age and expected life of the ice machine.
What information needs to be collected during
a facility audit?
Data should be collected on all buildings, grounds, and equipment
at all sites, buildings, rooms, and spaces. It should include both permanent
features (structures) and temporary features (e.g., traffic patterns and
snow buildup areas). Each element should be described by: what, where,
size, number, age, condition, whether it is working as purchased or designed
(as well as whether it is working sufficiently well to meet the needs
of users), repair history, sizes and specifications for replacement parts
(e.g., oil type and filter sizes), evidence of future needs, recommended
servicing, and estimated remaining useful life.
Additional Resources
Every
effort has been made to verify the accuracy of all URLs listed in this
Guide at the time of publication. If a URL is no longer working, try using
the root directory to search for a page that may have moved. For example,
if the link to http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/performance.html
is not working, try http://www.epa.gov/
and search for "IAQ."
Basic Data Elements for Elementary and Secondary
Education Information Systems
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=97531
A document providing a set of basic student and staff data elements that
serve as a common language for promoting the collection and reporting
of comparable education data to guide policy and assist in the administration
of state and local education systems. Core Data Task Force of the National
Forum on Education Statistics (1997) National Center for Education Statistics,
Washington, DC.
Building Commissioning
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/commissioning.cfm
A list of links, books, and journal articles about building commissioning.
National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC.
Building Commissioning Association
http://www.bcxa.org
A professional association dedicated to the promotion of high standards
for building commissioning practices.
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Commissioning Has Its Rewards!
The
accountant overseeing the school renovation project had been against
commissioning from the start. "Even if it does cost less than one
percent of the project, that's more money than I'd like to spend...
I mean for that price, we could upgrade the landscape in front of
the building," he had argued to Carl, the maintenance manager who
had insisted on the commissioning. Carl always had the same reply,
"I know Howard, but the commissioning will pay for itself, just
wait and see. Don't you know that fifteen percent of all completed
buildings are missing components that they have paid for?" In the
end, Carl got his way and the third-party commissioning was performed
by a local general contractor. When Carl got the results, he walked
straight into Howard's office and personally placed them in the
accountant's hands. "See, Howard. I told you commissioning would
pay for itself. It uncovered over $3,000 worth of equipment that
we paid for but is still missing." Howard looked at the report.
"Yes, Carl," he paused to study the findings a bit longer, "but
do you see that the report shows that the current configuration
of the HVAC system is not fully efficient?" Carl interjected, "But
it's good that we find that out now, Howard." Howard interrupted
him, "That's not good, Carl. It's fantastic. Why, fixing that alone
will save us the cost of that commissioning in just two years. You
know, Carl, this commissioning report doesn't just save us money
now, it saves us money in the future when we're running the building
too." Carl rolled his eyes, knowing that he had been right all along,
but pleased that Howard had finally seen his point, "Is that so,
Howard?"
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Some types of data management may be mandated by state and local regulations
(e.g., maintenance records on the boiler, amounts and types of fuel used,
the operation of emergency generators, and pesticide use).
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Building Commissioning Handbook
http://www.appa.org/resources/publications
A book that focuses on building commissioning, including the roles of the
consultant, contractor, test engineer, commissioning agent, and owner; the
process of equipment and systems performance testing; testing checklists;
commissioning terms; and guidance with regard to hiring a commissioning
agent. Heinz, J.A. and Casault, R. (1996) The Association of Higher Education
Facilities Officers, Alexandria, VA, 311pp.
Building Evaluation Techniques
Step-by-step techniques for conducting an effective building assessment,
including the evaluation of overall structural performance, spatial comfort,
noise control, air quality, and energy consumption. Includes sample forms
and checklists tailored to specific building types. George Baird, et al.
(1995) McGraw Hill, 207pp.
Energy Smart Schools
http://www.eren.doe.gov/energysmartschools/building_maintaining.html
An initiative by the U.S. Department of Energy to provide detailed information
about how to increase school building energy efficiency and improve the
learning environment. Includes a discussion of school facility commissioning.
Facilities Assessment
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/facility_assessment.cfm
A list of links, books, and journal articles about methods for assessing
school buildings and building elements for planning and management purposes.
National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC.
Facilities Audit: A Process for Improving Facilities
Conditions
A handbook presenting a step-by-step approach to all phases of
facility inspection. It is designed to help a facility manager assess
the functional performance of school buildings and infrastructure and
provides information about how to quantify maintenance deficiencies, summarize
inspection results, and present audit findings for capital renewal funding.
Kaiser, Harvey (1993) APPA, The Association of Higher Education Facilities
Officers, Washington, DC, 102pp.
Facilities Evaluation Handbook: Safety, Fire Protection,
and Environmental Compliance, 2nd Edition
A guide to help plant and facilities managers conduct inspections
and evaluations of their facilities in order to identify and address problems
in the areas of maintenance, safety, energy efficiency, and environmental
compliance. Petrocelly, K. L. and Thumann, Albert (1999) Fairmont Press,
Lilburn, GA, 200pp.
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The Importance of Benchmarking
Effective long-term planning (including
both policy and financial initiatives) must be based on accurate
information about the physical condition of facilities and their
ability to meet the functional requirements of the instructional
program. One way of determining functional ability is through the
use of benchmarking, which is the act of charting and comparing
activities, standards, levels of performance, and other factors
against a facility's history, similar facilities (its peers), or
independent building usage data (as can be found in trade publications).
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Defining a school, a classroom, or an instructional space can be a tricky
endeavor and is beyond the scope of this Planning Guide. For a detailed
examination of facilities terms and definitions, visit http://nces.ed.gov/forum/
publications and read Facilities Information Management: A Guide for
State and Local School Districts.
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Facilities Information Management: A Guide for State and Local School
Districts
http://nces.ed.gov/forum/publications.asp
A publication that defines a set of data elements that are critical to
answering basic policy questions related to elementary and secondary school
facility management. Facilities Maintenance Task Force, National Forum
on Education Statistics (2003) National Center for Education Statistics,
Washington, DC.
Guide for School Facility Appraisal
A guide that provides a comprehensive method for measuring the
quality and educational effectiveness of school facilities. It can be
used to perform a post-occupancy review, formulate a formal record, highlight
specific appraisal needs, examine the need for new facilities or renovations,
or serve as an instructional tool. Hawkins, Harold L. and Lilley, H. Edward
(1998)
Council for Educational Facility Planners International, Scottsdale, AZ,
52pp.
Operation and Maintenance Assessments: A Best
Practice for Energy-Efficient Building Operations
http://www.peci.org/om/assess.pdf
A publication that describes what an operations and maintenance assessment
is, who should perform it, the benefits of an assessment, what it costs,
and the process of performing an assessment. Includes a glossary of terms,
sample site-assessment forms, a request for proposal checklist, sample
procedures and plan, and a sample master log of findings. (1999) Portland
Energy Conservation, Inc. Portland, OR, 54pp.
Portland Energy Conservation, Inc. (PECI)
http://www.peci.org/
Provides information about commissioning conferences, case studies, procedural
guidelines, specifications, functional tests, and the model commission
plan and guide specifications.
Practical Guide for Commissioning Existing Buildings
http://www.ornl.gov/~webworks/cppr/y2001/rpt/101847.pdf
A document that describes commissioning terminology, the costs and benefits
of commissioning, retro-commissioning, steps to effective commissioning,
and the roles of team members in the commissioning process. Haasl, T.
and Sharp, T. (1999) U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Safeguarding Your Technology
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=98297
Guidelines to help educational administrators and staff at the building,
campus, district, and state levels better understand why and how to effectively
secure an organization's sensitive information, critical systems, computer
equipment, and network access. Technology Security Task Force, National
Forum on Education Statistics (1998) National Center for Education Statistics,
Washington, DC.
Facility Audit Checklist
More information about accomplishing these checkpoints can be found
on the pages listed in the right-hand column.
| Accomplished |
Checkpoints |
| Yes |
No |
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Have district planners scheduled a facility audit? |
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Has a chief auditor been selected (based on expertise, perspective,
experience, and availability)? |
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Has a qualified auditing team been assembled? |
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Has the scope of work been identified for the audit (i.e., how detailed
and comprehensive should the audit be)? |
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Has a data collection system (e.g., collection forms) been selected
for the facilities audit? |
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Has an automated data input system been selected as resources allow?
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Have audit findings been submitted in an electronic format that
can be manipulated by district users? |
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Have audit findings been reviewed by facilities managers for accuracy
and quality? |
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Are the findings from the facilities audit being stored securely
as valuable organizational assets (e.g., redundantly)? |
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Has an automated document imaging system been implemented as resources
allow? |
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Has a Computerized Maintenance Management System been installed
in any organization that has more than 500,000 ft2 of facilities
to manage? |
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Are facilities data being used to inform policy-making, short- and
long-term planning, and day-to-day operations as appropriate? |
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Have facilities been commissioned, re-commissioned, or retro-commissioned
as necessary? |
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Have commissioning, re-commissioning, and retro-commissioning been
planned to include seasonal analysis of systems? |
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Have commissioning, re-commissioning, and retro-commissioning been
planned according to the Energy Smart Schools recommendations? |
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Have facilities audit findings been used to establish
benchmarks for measuring equipment life and maintenance progress?
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