Physical Building Audit Physical Building Audit

By; Engr.Dr.Attaullah Shah By; Engr.Dr.Attaullah Shah PhD ( Civil) Engg , MSc Engg ( Strs), BSc Engg ( Gold Medalist),), PhD ( Civil) Engg , MSc Engg ( Strs), BSc Engg ( Gold Medalist),),

MBA, MA ( Eco) MSc Envir Design, PGD Computer Sc.MBA, MA ( Eco) MSc Envir Design, PGD Computer Sc.

Tel: 051-9250100Tel: 051-9250100

E-mail: pdaiou@yahoo.com.E-mail: pdaiou@yahoo.com.

Building Audit/ Building Condition Assessment/Building Audit/ Building Condition Assessment/Facility Condition Survey Facility Condition Survey

Systematic gathering and subsequent reporting of the physical Systematic gathering and subsequent reporting of the physical conditions of the building. conditions of the building.

A building audit is an in depth analysis of a building's capacity A building audit is an in depth analysis of a building's capacity to support current and future needs of a program.  Typical areas to support current and future needs of a program.  Typical areas examined include structure, mechanical and electrical systems, examined include structure, mechanical and electrical systems, hazardous materials (asbestos, lead, etc) and life safety.hazardous materials (asbestos, lead, etc) and life safety.

Building audits are a recommended to be part of renovation Building audits are a recommended to be part of renovation program plans.  For these projects, the building audit must be program plans.  For these projects, the building audit must be performed by a third party consultantperformed by a third party consultant

A building audit will use information from the Facilities A building audit will use information from the Facilities Condition Audit as a starting point, but its intention is to Condition Audit as a starting point, but its intention is to examine future conditions examine future conditions

Building Condition Assessments are technical Building Condition Assessments are technical inspections by competent assessors to evaluate the inspections by competent assessors to evaluate the physical state of building elements and services and physical state of building elements and services and to assess the maintenance needs of the facility. to assess the maintenance needs of the facility.

Reliable and objective knowledge of the physical Reliable and objective knowledge of the physical state of their buildings and the impacts on service state of their buildings and the impacts on service delivery will enable departments to develop delivery will enable departments to develop appropriate strategies and actions for maintenance, appropriate strategies and actions for maintenance, major replacements, refurbishments and investment.major replacements, refurbishments and investment.

Components of Building Assessment Components of Building Assessment physical inspection of a building: physical inspection of a building:

– To assess the actual condition of the building and its individual To assess the actual condition of the building and its individual elements and services (e.g. air conditioning, fire protection), in elements and services (e.g. air conditioning, fire protection), in comparison to the asset owner’s specified condition standard comparison to the asset owner’s specified condition standard

Identification of maintenance works Identification of maintenance works required to bring the required to bring the condition of the building and its services up to, or maintain it at, the condition of the building and its services up to, or maintain it at, the specified condition standardspecified condition standard

Ranking of maintenance works Ranking of maintenance works in order of priorityin order of priority

Determination by the assessor of actions Determination by the assessor of actions to mitigate any to mitigate any immediate risk until remedial works (or other actions) can be taken immediate risk until remedial works (or other actions) can be taken to address problems.to address problems.

Scope of Building Audit Scope of Building Audit Identify and articulate requirementsIdentify and articulate requirements Develop service specifications and standards to provide Develop service specifications and standards to provide

guidance to service providers on the department’s guidance to service providers on the department’s objectives, expectations and constraints. objectives, expectations and constraints.

The frequency of assessments is also determined by The frequency of assessments is also determined by building elements building elements

Dynamic elements such as electrical and mechanical Dynamic elements such as electrical and mechanical building services and fire services may require more building services and fire services may require more frequent assessments than more stable elements such as frequent assessments than more stable elements such as building fabric and structural elements. building fabric and structural elements.

The following risks are covered under the scope: The following risks are covered under the scope: – Likelihood of workplace health and safety risks to Likelihood of workplace health and safety risks to

occupants and residents occupants and residents – Nature of the building and its associated engineering Nature of the building and its associated engineering

services services – Criticality and volatility of the assessment Criticality and volatility of the assessment

information required information required – Age of the building and its essential components Age of the building and its essential components – Actual state and rate of deterioration of the building Actual state and rate of deterioration of the building

and the associated risks and the associated risks – Operating environment and its impact on the rate of Operating environment and its impact on the rate of

deterioration deterioration – Cost and value to the department of more frequent Cost and value to the department of more frequent

assessments. assessments.

The frequency of assessments should be The frequency of assessments should be determined, where appropriate, with the determined, where appropriate, with the assistance of suitably qualified or technical assistance of suitably qualified or technical persons. persons.

This way, the condition assessments can be This way, the condition assessments can be coordinated with other periodic inspections or coordinated with other periodic inspections or monitoring of buildings that may be required monitoring of buildings that may be required such as the inspection of hazardous materials such as the inspection of hazardous materials in the building (e.g. asbestos containing in the building (e.g. asbestos containing materials). materials).

Information Gathering Information Gathering

– Review of the existing published documents.Review of the existing published documents.– Physical Inspection of the building.Physical Inspection of the building.– Walk through the buildingsWalk through the buildings– Select the audit team.Select the audit team.

» Assume the role of team leader and select the team Assume the role of team leader and select the team members. members.

– Interview the facility managersInterview the facility managers– Prepare Time and Cost estimates.Prepare Time and Cost estimates.– Inform knowledgeable staff to be available.Inform knowledgeable staff to be available.

Supporting information systems Supporting information systems Effective implementation of condition assessments requires Effective implementation of condition assessments requires

access to: access to: – Information on the assets to be inspected, including site and building Information on the assets to be inspected, including site and building

plans, photographs, and engineering drawings of building services plans, photographs, and engineering drawings of building services

– Condition and asset performance standards and benchmarks Condition and asset performance standards and benchmarks

– Operations and maintenance manuals, maintenance log books and Operations and maintenance manuals, maintenance log books and other technical documentation other technical documentation

– Maintenance history and records from previous condition assessments Maintenance history and records from previous condition assessments

– Capital investment, refurbishment and asset disposal plans Capital investment, refurbishment and asset disposal plans

– Building management plans Building management plans

– Deferred maintenance data. Deferred maintenance data. » Condition assessments should be implemented based on an appropriate Condition assessments should be implemented based on an appropriate

computerized maintenance management systemcomputerized maintenance management system

Reporting:Reporting:– The desired condition standard rating for each building as The desired condition standard rating for each building as

specified specified – Standardized Numbering of building elements.Standardized Numbering of building elements.– A condition index determined by the assessor for each A condition index determined by the assessor for each

building, which communicates the general state of the building, which communicates the general state of the department’s buildings department’s buildings

– An itemized schedule of recommended maintenance work An itemized schedule of recommended maintenance work necessary to bring each building up to, or maintain it at, the necessary to bring each building up to, or maintain it at, the condition standard as nominated by the asset owner condition standard as nominated by the asset owner

– Cost estimates for the remedial work identified Cost estimates for the remedial work identified – Rating of building from Urgent to Excellent ( 1-9) Rating of building from Urgent to Excellent ( 1-9) – Further Investigation ( FI) label.Further Investigation ( FI) label.– Create Perpetual Inventory.Create Perpetual Inventory.

A condition assessment report should enable a A condition assessment report should enable a department to: department to: – Form an objective view of the relative condition of its Form an objective view of the relative condition of its

buildings compared to the desired condition necessary buildings compared to the desired condition necessary for service delivery, and to undertake any further for service delivery, and to undertake any further analysis to refine that knowledge analysis to refine that knowledge

– Understand the scope, cost and priority of maintenance Understand the scope, cost and priority of maintenance work required to rectify the defects identified or to work required to rectify the defects identified or to maintain the building to the required condition maintain the building to the required condition standard standard

– Plan for future funding requirements for major Plan for future funding requirements for major replacements, natural disaster mitigation, repairs and replacements, natural disaster mitigation, repairs and upgrades upgrades

– Develop a maintenance program for the Develop a maintenance program for the following financial year and beyond, and a following financial year and beyond, and a longer term strategic plan by facility and longer term strategic plan by facility and portfolio portfolio

– Seek and allocate funding for implementation Seek and allocate funding for implementation of the maintenance program of the maintenance program

– Initiate engineering and other investigations, as Initiate engineering and other investigations, as required, to further define the scope and required, to further define the scope and severity of defects. severity of defects.

Further Stages ( If required)Further Stages ( If required)– Resolve items marked as FI Resolve items marked as FI – Budget and Cost estimates Budget and Cost estimates – Assigning priorities to works required.Assigning priorities to works required.– Value of money and opportunity cost of Value of money and opportunity cost of

investment evaluated.investment evaluated.– Upgrade and improve the building Upgrade and improve the building

documentation.documentation.

Example of Building rating Example of Building rating

CASE STUDY: CASE STUDY: FACILITY AUDIT REPORTFACILITY AUDIT REPORT

SHEEP BARNSHEEP BARN