{"id":3644,"date":"2019-11-25T14:35:47","date_gmt":"2019-11-25T14:35:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/?p=3644"},"modified":"2023-02-17T09:51:20","modified_gmt":"2023-02-17T15:51:20","slug":"robust-accessible-building-documents-reduce-risk-during-renovations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/robust-accessible-building-documents-reduce-risk-during-renovations\/","title":{"rendered":"Robust, accessible building documents reduce risk during renovations"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Kelly Altes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I once attended a seminar titled \u201cBridging the Gap between Construction Closeout and Facilities\u201d at an IFMA \u2013 World Workplace Conference. <\/span>One of the key risk mitigation take-aways was the management and accessibility of c<\/span>loseout and current documentation<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 information that is\u00a0<\/span>so critical to future projects at a facility.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a design firm, we are often asked to turn over closeout documentation to our clients. Some of\u00a0<\/span>the owners\u00a0<\/span>have a document management system in place, while others store the information we provide on a shared drive where only a few people in the organization will ever refer to it again.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Keeping up-to-date plans (not only architectural, but MEP, structural, and civil) can save many future headaches. Unforeseen conditions cause the most change orders during construction renovation projects \u2013 millions of dollars and precious time are wasted because of poor initial information.\u00a0<\/span>Documenting existing conditions helps\u00a0<\/span>avoid\u00a0<\/span>this<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

K<\/span>ey problems facilities leaders face<\/span>\u00a0in the management of facility documentation include<\/span>:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Individuals with years of institutional knowledge in facilities are retiring and the\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>documentation\u201d about\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>facilities is stuck in the brains of those retirees<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. During\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>n\u00a0<\/span>emergency situation<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0O&M manuals with equipment<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>information<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>paper plans that show where shut<\/span>–<\/span>off valves are located are useless because it takes too long to access them<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. When a life safety situation arises, the EMS personnel responding don\u2019t know your building or campus layout. Not having mobile access to camera surveillance or the ability to send a text message with a specific plan view location could cost lives because of the lost time and chaos<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Facilities may have a nice set of existing drawings from the initial facility build, but any renovations that may have happened over time are scattered puzzle pieces. MEP designers\u00a0<\/span>often\u00a0<\/span>spend an inordinate amount of time doing field take<\/span>–<\/span>off to document existing conditions. Civil engineers\u00a0<\/span>may\u00a0<\/span>have to request potholing during the design process to dig up what is below ground for verifications, and structural engineers may want materials testing,\u00a0<\/span>X-<\/span>ray, or invasive demo to determine material properties<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. The gap between technology for construction implementation and facilities management is large. Owners are not investing the same amount of money in facility management software and current documentation as design and construction firms. Sometimes owners are not sure what new technologies are available to help them manage their new facility. Sometimes they have no real day-to-day use for BIM models or other documentation from the construction process<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Documentation management software can resolve these issues. For the best outcome, be sure your software solutions enable you to:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Put your facility documentation in a central digital location in\u00a0<\/span>a secure<\/span>\u00a0cloud, where it can be accessed from an app on a phone so it can be an important component to changing a catastrophic emergency into a small, manageable issue. Make sure the software permissions are manageable for security purposes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. Properly document campus maps with building numbers identified. The same software should have the ability to note on floor plans, at each level of the building, the locations\u00a0<\/span>where<\/span>\u00a0specific renovations and improvements have occurred.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Tag<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>your equipment with QR codes that will connect via a<\/span>n a<\/span>pp to O&Ms, critical equipment maintenance information, and plan locations<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. L<\/span>ink\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>details and search\/filter data on plan sets, schedules, and O&Ms. Each equipment or safety asset needs tags for physical location and maintenance identification<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. Provid<\/span>e<\/span>\u00a0easy and simple ways for maintenance staff to document \u201cnew discoveries\u201d or changes they make in real time by taking a photo and connecting that photo to a plan set<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    6. Accommodate<\/span>\u00a03D photo documentation during construction. Use software that will sti<\/span>t<\/span>ch these photos together<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0creating a \u201cdollhouse\u201d view\u00a0<\/span>of<\/span>\u00a0what is behind the walls or in your slabs at specific points in time. Connect these scans with your building management software for easy maintenance access<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    7. Keep it simple! Any software that is overly complicated w<\/span>on’t<\/span>\u00a0be widely accepted or used.\u00a0<\/span>To encourage adoption,\u00a0<\/span>offer team members incentives or recognition for documenting changes<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      As a disclaimer, I am always skeptical about new software. Vendors show you the best examples that are seamless and without flaws \u2013 but when you begin to use the software you discover the inadequacies. However, if you are vigilant and do your homework, you can find software with significant value<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Finding the right product for your facility\u00a0<\/span>could prov<\/span>id<\/span>e real ROI to leadership\u00a0<\/span>through<\/span>\u00a0software implementation that better manages building documentation for both future improvements and managing emergency situations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Learn how one of the key risk mitigation take-aways is the management and accessibility of closeout and current documentation\u00a0\u2013 information that is\u00a0so critical to future projects at a facility.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":3645,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3,159,158],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRobust, accessible building documents reduce risk during renovations - IMEG<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/robust-accessible-building-documents-reduce-risk-during-renovations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Robust, accessible building documents reduce risk during renovations - IMEG\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how one of the key risk mitigation take-aways is the management and accessibility of closeout and current documentation\u00a0\u2013 information that is\u00a0so critical to future projects at a facility.\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/robust-accessible-building-documents-reduce-risk-during-renovations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"IMEG\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-11-25T14:35:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-02-17T15:51:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/building-doc.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"844\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Taryn\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/\",\"name\":\"IMEG\",\"description\":\"Design Consulting Firm\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/robust-accessible-building-documents-reduce-risk-during-renovations\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/building-doc.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/building-doc.jpg\",\"width\":1500,\"height\":844,\"caption\":\"Office buildings project emerging from a computer CAD software for architectural design, showing constuction plans, blueprint and structure. 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