The Importance of Maintenance Consultants to Architects (Part 2)

Let’s look more closely at how maintenance consultants can assist architects with essential input throughout the building design process.

Design stage: A maintenance consultant can provide important knowledge concerning:

· Material selection – While a fa?ade may look good, it is important to remember simple things such as its location when it comes to selecting the best materials. Weathering cycles can have an effect too, e.g. it’s not wise to build out of limestone in an area with frequent acid rain.

· Difficult to access designs or features – some designs may suggest that external features can only be accessed via specific access, which may mean the building has to be fully closed when it needs changing, updating, or there is a fault.

· Long-term performance - it’s important to remember that buildings should always be designed with longevity in mind, with many buildings going through 10+ year lifecycles. A maintenance consultant can create plans according to certain designs and building materials

to ensure that the final design is the same one that people get to enjoy 50 years in the future.

Early planning stages: A maintenance plan should be a core consideration. Considerations for maintenance should be discussed as early as possible and should incorporate core elements such as:

· Access solutions and methodology – ensuring you have solutions in place to deal with external building access before the building has been constructed shows you are seriously considering maintenance and management. Rope access systems are one of the most simple and sustainable choices due to the versatility they offer. However, an access plan may also include the use of fixed cradle systems or lifting devices.

· Plant selection – there has been a rise in biophilic design in recent years, but it is important to remember that some plants require specific care and attention and may even require additional maintenance when considered against their alternatives. Climate will influence the choice, as will the ability of the plant to attach to support structures, and whether this is appropriate for the building in question.

· Building systems – taking time to research and fully understand the needs of the specific building, architects and engineers can work together to make the best decisions regarding the internal mechanical and technological systems used and how to maintain them in the future.

· Flexibility – while a building may have a specific purpose when it is first built, it can often develop and change over time and may have multiple purposes in its lifetime. A good design and maintenance plan will be easy to adapt and spaces should be designed in a way that makes them easy to modify for future use. Planning with the future in mind ensures a building's longevity.

A maintenance plan, compiled by an independent maintenance consultant, should be a primary consideration from the beginning of a building’s lifecycle as it helps ensure it can easily be repaired and kept in top condition with ease. Their expertise provides:

1. Objective Advice and Insights

When you choose to work with an external maintenance consultant they will look at the project impartially and provide recommendations that include the building’s construction, after it has been built, and throughout its lifecycle. Maintenance consultants can comment on material choice and other elements of design with the upkeep and avoidance of later issues in mind. Similarly, maintenance specialists can create a fully bespoke and tailored maintenance plan, customised to the building in question, taking into account its specific build. This is much more effective than a standard plan which may not consider unique features and access considerations of the building.

2. A Sustainable Approach

Maintenance consultants should play a key role in ensuring the sustainability and eco-friendly nature of your building. Fully planned maintenance schedules help to ensure the building does not need excessive remedial work, which comes at a cost to the environment and the building’s long-term sustainability. The building envelope is a key element of a building's design and influences its energy performance, efficiency, and indoor environment quality. Unless an architect is particularly skilled in fa?ade engineering, working alongside building maintenance consultants helps to meet sustainable building requirements and commit to more eco-friendly designs.

The Combined Taskforce Guaranteeing Success

Every new building should be something to be proud of. The time spent on design and architectural planning is a testament to this, but it can quickly become undone if the building becomes an unmanageable expense for its owner or management.

Working alongside other professionals in building construction and maintenance allows for a design that satisfies a range of requirements. From regular or reactive maintenance being a manageable and considered cost, not something which becomes insurmountable, to meeting sustainability targets and energy efficiency goals.

By ensuring maintenance is a key consideration from a building’s inception, you can improve its chances of being a great success and something to be proud of and be happy to incorporate in future portfolios and as an example of the quality of your work. A multidisciplinary approach to building design and maintenance further increases the building’s chances of success and makes it more efficient and sustainable for the future.