If your city or town is planning to construct a new municipal facility, a recommended best practice is to include your facilities director, or similar team member, on your design team, according to Ken Wertz, executive director of the Massachusetts Facilities Administrators’ Association.

Why? Your facilities director has the most interest in the process, as he or she will be the one holding the keys and having access to sophisticated building systems after the ribbon is cut and the design team has moved onto another project.

One of the most popular sessions at the MFAA’s 2022 Annual Fall Conference, Wertz said, focused on the importance of having facilities directors as part of new construction teams.

In many instances, he said, municipal building projects continue to be underrepresented and unsupported by the owner’s facilities team. Communities often form a construction committee that manages new building projects and renovations, he said, but the makeup of these groups often does not include the voice of the person who has the most knowledge of the building being worked on — and who will be responsible for the new facility when it is turned over to the city or town.

 

What participation looks like

Wertz said real team participation includes giving someone on the facilities team a seat on the committee and the power to make decisions that align with project goals. Providing administrative support, as well as understanding the time commitment needed for active committee participation — such as attending design and construction meetings, visiting other buildings to see proposed design elements in a working municipal environment, and time to review design documents — can bring additional benefits.

Sometimes, a municipality or committee might suggest that an owner’s project manager can cover what the facilities manager would do. Wertz noted, however, that not all projects fund outside services to help manage the project on behalf of the owner.

Even if there is an owner’s project manager, he said, that person or firm is unlikely to come to the table with the same pride of ownership or passion that’s brought by someone from the city or town organization.

Relationships can also make things messy, as an owner’s project manager may have a prior working relationship and/or plans for future projects with the architects and builders, which can complicate negotiations related to errors, omissions and change orders. The facilities manager, meanwhile, isn’t beholden to anyone but the community, so its best interests will always be put forward.

 

Options exist

In reality, not all communities have a facilities director with the needed skill set or exposure to current design trends and systems, Wertz said. And budgets are a real concern for many communities. But cities and towns are still advised to put systems in place to ensure that they will have proper management of sophisticated building systems.

With new energy and building code requirements, and technological advances in building controls, Wertz said a community’s involvement early in the design process is a huge help, especially if that team member will be the one to manage the new asset.

Options for communities include an outsourced service contract for building systems management, or creating a new position, such as a building operator.

In the end, Wertz said, involving your facilities director in new building projects offers the benefit of their knowledge and expertise, and provides them with an opportunity for professional growth, an increased sense of pride of ownership, and a clear message that they are an important and respected part of the organization.

 

MIIA has partnered with the MFAA, a community of public facility directors dedicated to improving the performance and operation of public facilities, to enhance its members’ risk management efforts. MIIA members are eligible to receive a free first year of membership to the MFAA by attending 60% of scheduled MFAA trainings between January and June 30, 2023.

 

Winter Tips to Prevent Property Losses

Some things you should know about property losses:

• The largest and most costly property losses happen during the winter months, especially when buildings are closed.     
•  Property losses cost time and money.
• The more losses you experience, the greater likelihood your insurance premiums will increase.
• The good news: You can stop bad things from happening. Property losses are preventable.

 

What you should do

• Set heat setbacks to an appropriate level to prevent freezing – about 55-58 degrees. Identify cold spots that may need to be set higher or need supplemental (and safe) heat sources. Do not add additional trip or electrical hazards with supplemental heat.
• Properly close and secure all exterior doors and windows. Some interior doors may be left open if it helps circulate heat into unheated areas. Document these on a building closure plan.
• Perform regular walkthroughs of the whole building and look for signs of damage or cold areas.
• Check unit ventilators to make sure they are functioning properly. A thermographic camera can be useful to see how cold the area is around a unit ventilator.
• Keep a list/map of key shut offs and share with staff and vendors.
• Inspect water connections and shut them down if feasible.
• Test sump pumps to ensure they’ll work when needed.
• Ensure that remote sensor devices are fully charged, that alert numbers and emails are up-to-date, and that emergency contacts understand their duties.

For more information, visit www.emiia.org/risk-management-resources/best-practices-and-resources