Facility Condition Assessments (FCA’s)
Why Bother?
Facilities Management relies on accurate data to make informed decisions. One important aspect of accurate data is the condition and performance of assets obtained through a Facility Condition Assessment (FCA). An FCA is performed primarily to facilitate the ranking of the components of all assets per the amount of repairs required due to age (life cycle) or planned or unplanned neglect (deferred maintenance) in order to make repair vs. replace decisions.
Multiple metrics begin to bridge the facility condition data into useful long range/master planning information as well allowing the Institution to make informed capital decisions. One metric, the Facility Condition Index (FCI), has long been a guide post for facilities professionals. The basic calculation of the FCI is that FCI = Deferred Maintenance and Life Cycle needs ($) divided by Current Replacement Value ($).
A FCA should include at a minimum:
- A list of all buildings with general building information
- Executive Summary
- Detailed assessment summaries to include an overview of deficiencies found
- A prioritized list of needs by building and system
- Dollar estimates of needs based on regional data from sources such as R.S. Means
- Detailed cost totals by building and systems prioritized over (normally) a 5-year period
- Needs categorization descriptions
- A FCI calculation for each building and system (Roofs, HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, etc.)
- Photographs and drawings
Without a FCA the capital planning process will be seriously handicapped by not having the complete picture. Considering that the campus physical plant and grounds are probably your second largest investment behind endowment it is imperative that scarce capital and maintenance resources are spent wisely making the FCA a critical tool.