Every facility management organization has horror stories of late-night repairs or equipment failures on the worst day of the year. Teams scramble to fix the problem and work overtime to get the building back up and running.

Nobody enjoys working reactively. But small teams, tight budgets, big workloads, daily issues and a growing backlog of deferred maintenance force most facility operations teams to prioritize emergencies over prevention. This resource-constrained world is the constant reality for facility management, and it’s unlikely anyone will start being asked to do less with more any time soon.

Organizations that efficiently use what they already have, value the time and expertise of their facility teams, and look around the corner can thrive in this world of scarcity. One common factor in their success? These best-in-class organizations rely on thoughtful capital plans to help them reduce the likelihood of unexpected failures – and they use facility condition assessment information to get them there.

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“If something could go wrong with this building—and at the worst possible time—it probably will.”

This sentiment is often shared by facility managers and others facing a long list of repairs and upgrades that are all competing for often limited capital funds.

While taking a proactive approach requires some upfront investment, it can save building owners in the long run. When major mechanical and electrical equipment fails unexpectedly the costs add up for not only the repair or replacement of the equipment, but also lost productivity and/or delays.

A facility condition assessment (FCA) can be the facility manager’s best friend. This in-depth audit and report on the current conditions of building structures, systems and equipment along with recommendations for repair and replacement priorities can be used to mitigate unexpected expenses.

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