Making the Case for Properly Funding Maintenance and Operations – but from a Different Perspective (

There are many reasons Higher Education Institutions and other organizations need to understand the importance of properly funding the maintenance of their facilities. From a financial and risk perspective it is a no – brainer. It preserves the value of what in all likelihood is your second largest investment next to your endowment – your facilities.; prevents costly equipment breakdowns and service interruptions; prevents more expensive repairs later; and ensures regulatory compliance, meaning no financial penalties. It also supports recruitment and retention.

Evidently these arguments have not hit home, judging by the number of facilities that struggle with massive deferred maintenance and life cycle issues. So here is yet another argument — maybe the strongest one yet — that funding maintenance and repairs is a smart move. 

Aging buildings (which is the norm in Higher Education) use more energy, and as a result, they generate more greenhouse gases, which lead to climate change. Given the growing number of organizations racing to meet ambitious climate mandates that require buildings to reduce their carbon emissions by a certain amount and by a set date, cutting emissions from facilities is essential.

Properly funding maintenance actually can solve two problems plaguing organizations. It can cost-effectively preserve aging facilities, and it can cut emissions to address climate change mandates and meet energy saving goals.

The challenge of decarbonizing the nation’s aging facilities is massive, and so is its potential impact. It might just be the argument managers have needed to finally convince leadership that investing in the maintenance and repair of facilities isn’t just the smart thing to do for the bottom line. It’s the right thing to do for the planet.