1.3 Data Collection
Walking the Campus. An essential step in an inventory is to field check the configuration and use of each space. This task should be performed by a qualified individual, usually someone with the institution’s central administration, who thoroughly understands the FICM definitions and the importance of consistently applying them. As there may be discrepancies between the floor plans and the actual spaces, this step provides an opportunity to update the floor plan drawings. Furthermore, required and optional space data (e.g., the space use category, academic discipline category, number of stations, suitability for current use) should be ascertained or verified by inspection.
Updating facilities inventory data is also essential. This task is especially important when organizational moves or space renovations take place. While overall building dimensions may not change frequently, space use, assignments, and geometry are more likely to do so with greater frequency.
Working From Drawings. On most campuses, a department of facilities planning or management will have access to architectural drawings of most buildings, whether or not they have responsibility for maintaining those drawings. An initial set of building, floor, and space data can be compiled from these drawings as a basis for creating an initial space inventory or for maintaining an existing one. Four data elements are required for each space in a basic space inventory: unique identifiers for each building, floor, and space; organizational assignment(s); actual space use(s); and confirmed locations of walls to accurately determine the area and other basic building features such as door, window, and column locations within each space.
Many institutions also use electronic technology to collect their facilities data. Options include developing and using machine-readable data collection forms, entering the data directly using hand-held devices while conducting the physical inventory, and recreating scaled floor plans.
A growing number of institutions are setting up and maintaining building drawings in CADsystems and digitizing existing drawings to set up electronic space inventory files. In electronic form, these drawings can be kept current with subsequent renovations. These electronic files can be linked with the inventory files so that both files can be updated simultaneously.
Accuracy of Drawings and Measurements. Scaling of drawings is not recommended as a method for determining the area of a space or a building. Drawings are frequently out of scale; if they are drawn to a small scale (e.g., 1/16” = 1’0” or smaller), significant errors can result from manual measurements taken directly from drawings. A word of caution: If there is no alternative but to determine space areas from drawings (i.e., it is impossible to measure the actual space), remember that photocopies of drawings may alter their scale. A sample of actual spaces should be physically measured to ensure the drawings are accurate to scale.
Computer-Generated Area Calculations. Computer-generated calculation of spaces or building areas from electronic “as-built” record plans of a building is the most accurate method for calculating area. This assumes, however, that the building was actually constructed as shown on the plan documents. Field verification of building and space dimensions is advisable, as very few organizations track all the minor alterations made to their buildings and many of these changes go unreported to the campus facilities department.
Physical Measurements. Even if field dimensions are taken to verify building and space dimensions or to establish the base drawing data, there may be a difference between the field measurements and the actual drawing; however, such differences are typically marginal within an overall building inventory.
Acceptable Margin of Error. When taking physical measurements to update or verify drawing data, a 2 percent margin of error is acceptable for the purposes of facilities data values.
Partial Inventories. An incomplete building and space inventory is better than no inventory, provided it is accurate. Institutions beginning the inventory process may be wise to plan initially on collecting less information and increasing the scope of the inventory in subsequent updates to facilitate successful implementation.
There are several logical approaches:
- Collect only the required data—space identifiers (building/floor/space number), space use categories, organizational assignments, and area in the first inventory—leaving other (optional) elements for a later survey.
- Collect data by class of facility, perhaps starting with academic and research buildings, then administrative ones, then auxiliary and residential facilities.
- Plan an ongoing program that will inventory or update a portion of all facilities each year, especially the academic and research facilities, in which changes can have significant impacts on educational and research programs.
Combining the Inventory With a Facilities Condition Audit. For some institutions, it may be cost-effective and advisable to combine the initial facilities inventory, and certainly any subsequent updates, with an audit of the condition of the facilities. The standard procedures for a facilities condition audit1 closely follow those suggested in this manual and are intended to collect related information. Many of the building condition codes and space suitability codes suggested in this manual relate closely to facilities condition audit information.