So, here is the part where I would begin to clamor on about being a mechanical contractor for the last 30 years, but I will spare you that for another day.
What I will say is that now that I have a wider view of operating a facility, both from a contractor and as an end user, I can say without a doubt that organization of information about equipment in a facility makes the difference between a facility manager just getting by (average) and standing out (Rock Star).
When Benjamin Franklin said, that every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned, he could have been talking about facility management. Once information about a facility's equipment is gathered and organized, a whole new level of economical operations can be achieved. Don't just take my word for it, listen to what Dr. David Claridge, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University has to say about improving economical facility operations.
Dr. David E. Claridge, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Energy Systems Laboratory at Texas A&M University talks about improving energy by improving facility operations.
You can't manage what you don't measure. How do you start to measure? First organize the information about your facility. You can start small by gathering information about your HVAC equipment and loading it into a spreadsheet or you can use the free tools in applications like myZEFER to help do this. myZEFER is a tool created by Facility Operators to help collect, organize and manage information about your facility. (www.myZEFER.com). If you contract out your maintenance, have your contractor provide this for you as part of their contract. This should include Tag Name, Make, Model #, Serial #, Capacity and year installed.
Next, dust off the Operation and Maintenance manuals, maybe the Test and Balance information to learn more about what you are operating. Then begin to add information about the area that the equipment serves (i.e. First Floor Conference Room, Second Floor NE Offices, etc.). Next, communicate. Communicate with your tenants or the occupants of your facility. If the HVAC serves a process, track your downtime. Ask what happens if this equipment fails, what is the impact and what is your response.
By starting with this simple organization about your facility's equipment, you will have taken the first steps toward improving the operations of your facility.
Need help getting started? Drop us a line at info@InfraPros.net. We will send you some free resources to help get you started.