Creating a high-performing facility is not only a matter of design and construction, but also of management and maintenance. A high-performing facility is one that meets or exceeds the expectations and needs of its occupants, owners, and operators, while minimizing the environmental and economic impacts. How can you achieve this goal as a facilities engineer? Here are some tips to help you.
Before you can measure and improve your facility's performance, you need to define what performance means for your specific context. Performance objectives are the criteria that you use to evaluate how well your facility is functioning and delivering value. They can be based on various factors, such as energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, safety, accessibility, productivity, resilience, or sustainability. You should align your performance objectives with your facility's mission, vision, and strategic goals, and communicate them clearly to all stakeholders.
Performance objectives are specific, measurable targets or goals that organizations set to assess and improve their performance. These objectives are defined using the SMART criteria, which stands for: - Specific: The objective should be clear and well-defined, leaving no room for ambiguity. It should answer the questions of who, what, when, where, and why. - Measurable: There should be a way to quantify or measure progress toward the objective. Achievable: The objective should be realistic and attainable, considering available resources and constraints. Relevant: The objective should be aligned with the broader goals and mission of the organization. Time-bound: A clear timeframe or deadline should be associated with the objective.
Once you have your performance objectives, you need to conduct a facility performance assessment (FPA) to determine how your facility is currently performing and identify any gaps or issues. An FPA is a systematic process of collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on your facility's physical condition, functional performance, and operational efficiency. You can use various methods and tools to conduct an FPA, such as audits, surveys, inspections, benchmarks, indicators, or dashboards. You should involve your facility staff, occupants, and users in the FPA process to get their feedback and input.
Based on the results of your FPA, you can prioritize and implement performance improvement actions to address the gaps or issues that you identified. Performance improvement actions are the interventions that you make to enhance your facility's performance and optimize its value. They can range from minor repairs and upgrades to major renovations and retrofits, depending on the scope and scale of your FPA. You should consider the costs, benefits, and risks of each action, and plan them according to your budget, schedule, and resources.
After you implement your performance improvement actions, you need to monitor and evaluate their outcomes to see if they achieved your performance objectives. Monitoring and evaluation are the processes of tracking and measuring the changes and impacts that your actions have on your facility's performance over time. You can use the same methods and tools that you used for your FPA, or adopt new ones that are more suitable for your specific actions. You should report and share your findings and lessons learned with your stakeholders, and celebrate your successes.
Finally, you need to review and update your performance objectives periodically to ensure that they are still relevant and realistic for your facility. Performance objectives are not static, but dynamic and adaptive, as they reflect the changing needs and expectations of your facility and its stakeholders. You should review your performance objectives at least once a year, or more frequently if there are significant changes in your facility's context, such as new regulations, technologies, or demands. You should also update your performance objectives based on the feedback and results that you obtained from your monitoring and evaluation.
Creating a high-performing facility is an ongoing and iterative process that requires your commitment and collaboration as a facilities engineer. By following these tips, you can improve your facility's performance and deliver more value to your stakeholders.