Key Takeaways:
Every building has a story, but the story is often written in places where facilities teams cannot see. It is in the chiller that has been patched one too many times or in the roof that is quietly nearing the end of its service life.
For building owners and executives, the challenge is not just reading that story but understanding what comes next.
That is where a facility condition assessment (FCA) becomes essential. The systematic evaluation of a building’s physical condition and systems can give owners a data-driven picture of a building’s health.
Shay Rankhorn, partner at Facility Diagnostics, an independent commissioning firm, compares the process to getting an annual physical.
“When you go to the doctor for a check-up, you’re not going because something is already broken,” he says. “You go to understand your baseline. It’s a snapshot of where you are today so you can make better decisions about your health going forward.
“A building is no different. An FCA is that physical exam. It tells you what is healthy, what’s starting to decline and what needs attention before it becomes a failure. Without that visibility, you’re always reacting instead of planning.”
The first step in an FCA is to determine what exactly the organization is looking to address. The scope can be narrowly focused on mechanical, electrical or plumbing systems, elevators or roofing, or it can expand into a full evaluation of the entire building envelope and its systems. The right scope depends on the facility’s priorities and, perhaps most importantly, its budget, Rankhorn says.
Flexibility is one of the most important aspects of an assessment. In some cases, they can be phased over multiple years, allowing owners to focus on the most pressing needs first.
Once the scope is defined, the assessment provides facilities staff with a structured evaluation of the condition, age, maintenance history and other critical information. It can also incorporate building automation system data and input from the facility staff who work with the equipment every day.
“The problem is, you can’t manage what you don’t measure,” Rankhorn says. “Without measuring the health of your facility, you’re not managing it. You’re just responding to emergencies if they happen.
“And then when you go to ask for capital, you’re just banging on the table. ‘It’s broke. We’ve got to fix it’ as opposed to coming in as an executive saying, ‘Hey, here’s the health of my building. Here’s what I need to do it. Here’s why. And here’s what the measurable outcome is.’ This assessment gives you the data necessary to have meaningful conversations with the C suite.”
The value of an FCA does not stop once the report is delivered.
“The assessment itself is not the value,” Rankhorn says. “The value is what you do with it. If I give you a report and you just put it on a shelf, nothing has changed. But if you are able to communicate it and use it as a decision tool to help you develop a capital roadmap, it then becomes your leadership communication asset.”
Elaina Myers is the assistant editor of the facilities market. She has covered various topics from pest management to resilience to sustainability and writes about all the holidays and special days in the facilities field. She also manages the FacilitiesNet social media accounts.
