FACILITIES MAINTENANCE

PLANNING

WHY DOES FACILITIES MAINTENANCE MATTER?

• Challenges arise in both new and old facilities, although the types of concerns may differ.

• What causes facilities problems? • Certainly extreme environmental conditions and a

lack of maintenance funding contribute to building deterioration. But many facilities problems are not a function of geography or socioeconomic factors but are, instead, related to maintenance staffing levels, training, and management practices.

School facility maintenance planning can:

contribute to an organization’s instructional effectiveness and financial well-being

improve the cleanliness, orderliness, and safety of an education organization’s facilities

reduce the operational costs and life cycle cost of a building

help staff deal with limited resources by identifying facilities priorities proactively rather than reactively

extend the useful life of buildings increase energy efficiency and help the environment

Planning Guide does the following argues that school facility maintenance is a vital component

in the responsible management of an education organization focuses specifically on the needs of an education audience

(i.e., it is written specifically for education administrators and staff at the building, campus, district, and state levels)

stresses strategies and procedures for planning, implementing, and evaluating effective maintenance programs

describes a process, not a canned set of “one size fits all” solutions

includes “best practice” recommendations, not mandates

What is a facilities maintenance plan?

A facilities maintenance plan details an organization’s strategy for proactively maintaining its facilities. Effective maintenance plans reflect the vision and mission of the organization, include an accurate assessment of existing facilities, incorporate the perspectives of various stakeholder groups, and focus on preventive measures that ensure that capital investment is managed responsibly.

How will a maintenance plan make our schools better?

Learning does not occur in a vacuum. Students and staff thrive in an orderly, clean, and safe environment. Classrooms that are well ventilated, suitably lighted, and properly maintained actually facilitate learning. Poor air quality, on the other hand, negatively affects alertness and results in increased student and teacher absences, which can have a corresponding impact on student achievement.

Why should our school district rethink the facilities plan that we wrote five years ago?

• Facilities plans, like buildings, don’t age well unless they are maintained on an ongoing basis. For starters, maintenance strategies depend on the condition of facilities, which changes over time. If the condition of your buildings, grounds, and equipment have changed in the past five years (which they probably have), your facilities plan should be updated to clarify those steps that need to be taken to maintain these valuable assets.

Why do I need this Planning Guide to tell me how to keep our schools and grounds in good

condition?• spending a few hours reviewing the

recommendations in this Planning Guide is a small investment relative to the amount of energy you already put into your facilities maintenance efforts—especially if there’s a chance (and there is) that you may find something new and useful

MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS ISSUES

Access Controls Electrical SystemsEnergy ManagementFire AlarmsFloor CoveringsGym FloorsHeating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

(HVAC) Systems

Hot Water Heaters Kitchens Painting Plumbing Public Address Systems and Intercoms Roof Repairs Water Softeners

Maintenance and Operations Manuals

✓ mission statement ✓ personnel policies ✓ purchasing regulations ✓ accountability measures ✓ asbestos procedures ✓ repair standards ✓ vehicle use guidelines ✓ security standards ✓ work order procedures

Does the school environment really affect student learning?

• Yes. Any factor that affects student health is likely to influence student attendance and alertness as well. Moreover, when

• teaching staff are exposed to unhealthy environmental conditions, they are

• more likely to miss school more often as well, resulting in more substitute

• teachers and disrupted instructional programs.

How does a school district become better informed about the regulations

and laws with which they must comply?

• Districts might also contact peer organizations to exchange information and ideas about compliance strategies.

How does an organization know when it has met its obligation to provide

safe, healthy, and environmentally friendly facilities?

Why plan for school facilities maintenance?