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OCR for page 63
Appendix A
Functionality and Serviceability Standards:
Tools for Stating Functional Requirements and
for Evaluating Facilities
Françoise Szigeti and Gerald Davis, International Centre for Facilities
INTRODUCTION: THE FUNCTIONALITY AND prescribing how it is to be constructed” (Gibson, 1982).
SERVICEABILITY TOOLS HAVE STRONG In 1998, the CIB launched a proactive program for the
FOUNDATIONS1 period 1998-2001 focused on two themes: the
performance-based building approach, and its impact
The functionality and serviceability tools are
on standards, codes and regulations, and sustainable
founded in part on “the performance concept in build-
construction and development.2
ing,” which has roots before World War II in Canada,
By 1985, the importance of distinguishing between
the United States, and overseas. In the United States in
performance and serviceability had been recognized,
the 1950s and 1960s, the Public Buildings Service
and standard definitions for facility and facility service-
(PBS) of the General Services Administration (GSA)
ability were developed. Facility performance is defined
funded the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
by ASTM as the “behaviour in service of a facility for
nology (NIST, then the National Bureau of Standards)
a specified use,” while facility serviceability is the
to develop a performance approach for the procurement
“capability of a facility to perform the function(s) for
of government offices, resulting in the so-called Peach
which it is designed, used, or required to be used.” Both
Book publication (NBS, 1971). Starting in the early
definitions are from ASTM Standard E1480. Service-
1980s, the performance concept was applied to facili-
ability is more suited than performance to responding
ties for office work and other functions by the Ameri-
to the stated requirements for a facility, because the
can Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Sub-
focus of performance is only on a single specified use
committee E06.25 on Whole Buildings and Facilities.
or condition, at a given point in time, whereas service-
Worldwide, in 1970, the International Council for
ability deals with the capability of a facility to deliver a
Building Research Studies and Documentation (com-
range of performance over time. In the International
monly known as CIB) set up Working Commission
Organization for Standardization (ISO), related work
W060 on the Performance Concept in Building. In
has been carried out within ISO/Technical Committee
1982, the coordinator for that commission defined the
59/Sub-Committee 3 on Functional/User Requirements
concept in those terms: “The performance approach is,
and Performance in Building Construction.
first and foremost, the practice of thinking and work-
The term programme, meaning a statement of
ing in terms on ends rather than means. It is concerned
requirements for what should be built, was in common
with what a building is required to do, and not with
usage in the mid-nineteenth century by architectural
students at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris and, there-
after, in American universities as they adopted the
1For further information and details, see Szigeti and Davis,
French system. In North America, the architect’s basic
(1997) in Amiel, M. S., and Vischer, J. C., Space Design and Man-
agement for Place Making Proceedings of the 28th Annual Confer-
ence of the Environmental Design Resarch Association, The Envi-
2CIB Pro-Active Program, see CIB Web site for further details at
ronmental Design Research Association (EDRA), Edmond, Okla.,
1997. .
63
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64 LEARNING FROM OUR BUILDINGS
services included architectural programming (i.e., institutional memory of lessons learned. They are too
“confirming the requirements of the project to the often dependent on what best practices have been rec-
owner”), but excluded setting functional requirements, ognized and remembered by individual real estate and
which was the owner’s responsibility. In Britain and facility staff members and passed on informally to their
parts of Canada, the term “briefing” includes program- subordinates and successors. Most often, such accu-
ming. By the mid-twentieth century, some clients for mulated knowledge disappears with the individuals
large or complex projects paid extra to have their archi- responsible. Instead, as each facility project is acquired,
tects or management consultants prepare a functional whether it is new construction, remodel or refit, or
program for their projects.3 The functionality and leased or owned, both the facility and the processes
serviceability tools were created to make it easier, involved should be evaluated. Each phase of each
faster, and cheaper to create such functional programs project should be considered a potential source of
in a consistent and comprehensive manner, to link lessons, including planning, management, program-
requirements to results, and to evaluate performance ming, design, construction, commissioning, occupancy,
against requirements. operation, and maintenance, even decommissioning.
There is now a worldwide trend toward the use of a Figure A-1 shows such an ongoing cycle of feed-
“performance-based approach” to the procurement, forward from project to project.
delivery, and evaluation of facilities. This approach is To be effective, such evaluations, or programs of
useful because it focuses on the results, rather than on lessons learned, need a way to organize the informa-
the specification of the means of production and deliv- tion and to relate and compare it to what the client
ery. It reduces trade barriers and promotes innovation requires now and in the future. Since 1965 when
or at least removes many impediments to innovation. TEAG—The Environmental Analysis Group/GEMH –
For such an approach to be successful however, there Groupe Pour l’Etude du Milieu Humain—was
is a need for more attention to be paid to the definition launched, a programming assignment normally starts
and description of the purposes (demand-results), short with an evaluation of the current facilities used by the
term and long term, and for more robust ways of verify- client or similar surrogate facilities if need be. These
ing that the results have indeed been obtained. This is evaluations give invaluable information and serve as a
why there is a mounting interest in building perfor- context for the programming process. The work then
mance evaluations and other types of assessments. Cus- proceeds with interviews of senior managers about
tomer satisfaction surveys, post-occupancy evaluations current problems and future expectations, and group
(POEs), lease audits, and building condition reports are interviews with occupants at several levels of the orga-
becoming more common. nization. Questions are asked about what works, not
This appendix has four sections: (1) context, just what does not work. It is important to know what
(2) measuring the quality of performance of facilities should be carried over from the current situation.
using the ASTM standards, (3) examples, and (4) final Over the years, interview guides and recording docu-
comments. ments have been developed for such evaluations. This
work and experience provided the foundation for the
functionality and serviceability tools. Thus, evaluations
CONTEXT: PROGRAMMING AND EVALUATION
feed into functional programs, which become the basis
AS PART OF A CONTINUUM
for the next evaluations.
Feed-Forward—The Programming-Evaluation Loop
Defining Requirements
Not only do most large organizations lack a compre-
hensive facilities database, they also fail to develop an The functional program should focus on aspects of
the project requirements that are important for the
enterprise, in order to direct the best allocation of
3The first stand-alone, general practice in building programming,
resources within the given cost envelope. The objec-
not part of an architectural or management consulting practice, was tive is to get best value for the users and owners. A
TEAG—The Environmental Analysis Group, founded in 1965 by
knowledgeable client will prepare, in-house or with the
Gerald Davis. The International Centre for Facilities was founded
help of consultants, a statement of requirements (SOR),
in 1986 to focus on research and development activities related to
including indicators of capability of the solution that
facilities and on standard development activities.
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65
APPENDIX A
Portfolio and Asset Management
Property Operations and Maintenance
Best Practices Feed-Forward Best Practices Feed-Forward Next
iteration
Lessons
Lessons
Learned
Learned
User + Project User + Project
Requirements Requirements
Revitalize Revitalize
Design Design
Evaluate Evaluate
Project Project
Review Review
or Facility or Facility
Construct Construct
Commission Commission
A B
Evaluate Manage Evaluate
Manage
+ Use
+ Use
© 2000-2001 International Centre for Facilities, Inc.
Diagram by Francoise Szigeti and Gerald Davis
Based in part on a diagram by John Zeisel
FIGURE A-1 Feed-forward.
are easy to audit and are as unambiguous as practi- is particularly necessary for performance-based and
cable. This is an essential step of the planning phase for design-build procurement and for any project devel-
a project. oped using an integrated project team approach. In the
Portfolio management provides the link between more traditional approach, the contractual documents
business demands and real estate strategy. At the port- normally include very precise specifications (“specs”).
folio level, requirements are usually rolled up and re- In the experience of expert witnesses, the root of many
lated to the demands of the strategic real estate plan in court cases and misunderstandings can be traced back
support of the business plan for the enterprise squarely to badly worded, imprecise, incomplete state-
(Teicholz, 2001). ments of requirements that do not include any agreed
Requirements for facilities needed by an enterprise means of verifying whether the product or service de-
will normally be included in a portfolio management livered is in fact meeting the stated requirements.
strategy. An asset management plan for a facility would In a performance-based approach and for design-
include the specific requirements for that facility. A build and similar procurements, the focus is on the ex-
statement of requirements, in one form or another, more pected performance, or on a range of performances, of
or less adequate, is part of the contractual documenta- the end product. Therefore, the heart of these nontradi-
tion for each specific procurement. tional approaches is defining those expected results and
Statements of requirements serve as the starting the requirements of the customer or user in an objec-
point for providers of material, products, facilities, ser- tive, comprehensive, consistent, and verifiable manner.
vices, and so forth. As experienced readers of this re- In any dispute, it is necessary to be able to go back to
port likely know, if there is ever litigation or other li- the contract and have a clear definition of what was
ability issue, then the statement of requirements is the agreed between the parties. If the “legal” name of the
first document that the parties will turn to. It is the ref- game is a “warranty of fitness for purpose,” then the
erence point for any review process during tendering, purpose has to be clearly spelled out, as well as the
design, production, and delivery, as well as for later ways to verify that “fitness.” This point is developed
evaluation(s), no matter which methodology is used. It further later in this appendix.
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66 LEARNING FROM OUR BUILDINGS
Life Cycle of Facilities, Shared Data, and stored in incompatible formats and difficult to corre-
Relationship to the Real Estate Processes late and keep accurate. The use of computerized data-
of the Enterprise bases and the move to Web-based software applica-
tions and projects are steps toward the creation of a
For each facility, the information included in the
shared information base for the management of real
asset management plan, plus the more detailed pro-
estate assets. Once such shared databases exist, the
gramming data and the financial data, are the founda-
value of evaluations and benchmarking exercises will
tion for the cumulative knowledge base of shared data
increase because the information will be easier to re-
and support data about the facilities diagrammed at the
trieve when needed. The shared data and knowledge
center of Figure A-2. Throughout the life cycle of a
base will also make it easier to “ close the loop” and
facility, many people, such as portfolio and facility
relate the facilities delivered to the demands of the en-
managers, users, operations and maintenance staff, fi-
terprise.
nancial managers, and others, should be able to con-
In discussions at the Facilities Information Council
tribute to and access this pool of data, information, and
of the National Institute of Building Sciences, such re-
knowledge.
creation of data over and over again has been identified
Today, these kinds of data and information are still
as a major cause of wasted dollars and the source of
mostly contained in “silos,” with many disconnects
potential savings. More important will be the reduc-
between the different phases of the life cycle of a facil-
tions in misunderstandings, the increased ability to pin-
ity. Too often the data are captured again and again,
Portfolio Management
Gap Analysis Portfolio and Project
Demand of Portfolio Requirements
Renovate/
Project Delivery
Re-use
Plan
Decision: Keep/
Program
Dispose/Re-use Information Base
Design
of Shared Data
Evaluate Construct
and Support Data
Commission
Repair and
Alterations Evaluate
Operate and
Evaluate
Maintain
Asset and Property Management
Overall
Enterprise
Diagram by
Based in part on Francoise Szigeti and Gerald Davis
Dana K. Smith diagram for FIC of NIBS, 2000 © 2000 International Centre for Facilities
FIGURE A-2 Life cycle of facilities.
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67
APPENDIX A
point weak links in the information transfer chain, and from the perceptual to the performance-based to the
the improvements in the products and services because specific and technical. At the moment, there is not yet
the lessons learned will not be lost. any consensus as to what kinds of evaluations should
For evaluations to yield their full potential as part of be done and when or how they should be done. Even
the life-cycle loop, the information that is fed forward the terminology is in great flux. Many terms are used,
from such activities needs to be captured and presented such as analysis, assessment, audit, evaluation, investi-
in comparable formats. Accepted terminology, stan- gation, rating, review, scan, and so forth, usually to-
dard definitions, and normalized documentation will gether with some qualifier, such as building condition
make such comparisons much easier. The links be- report, building performance evaluation, facility as-
tween evaluations and stated requirements should be sessment, post-construction evaluation, post-occu-
explicit and easy to trace. pancy evaluation, serviceability rating, etc.
Figure A-2 diagrams the life cycle of a facility, in- The range of tools, methods, and approaches to
cluding the particular points in the cycle when most evaluations is quite wide as well as deep. In some situ-
evaluations occur. It shows in greater detail how one of ations, it is appropriate to take a broad strategic view
the feed-forward loops unfolds. During project deliv- and to use tools that can give answers quickly and with
ery, of course, there are or should be evaluation loops the minimum of effort. At the other extreme, there are
that cannot be shown in the overall diagram. situations that call for in-depth, specific, narrowly fo-
cused, very technical engineering audits that can take
weeks and require sophisticated instrumentation. Fig-
Evaluations: From Strategic to In-Depth
ure A-3 shows the relationship between these different
Evaluations can happen at any time and can be trig- levels of precision.
gered by many situations. They range in their approach
Strategic review of key indicators
Macro level scan , not in-depth investigation
Roll-up of focused in-depth data, such as
Building Condition Audit, LEED, etc.
Heating, Ventilating, and
Air Conditioning System
Electrical and electronic
POE - Post Occupancy
e.g: BEPAC, BREEAM
Financial analysis and
investigations . . .
O&M - Operation and
Energy conservation,
types of in-depth
Security: Threat and
Plumbing and piping
Real Estate market
Life cycle costs and
And many other
drainage, condition
investigations
value engineerintg
Lifecycle analysis
Indoor Air Quality
Water and waste
In-Depth
Electromagnetic
Roof suitability,
management
Maintenance
risk analysis
Evaluation
radiation
analysis
systems
systems
audit
FIGURE A-3 Strategic to in-depth evaluations. Source: Francoise Szigeti and Gerald Davis, © 1999, 2000 International
Centre for Facilities.
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68 LEARNING FROM OUR BUILDINGS
MEASURING AND MANAGING THE QUALITY OF on schedule. Some do assess how well each new or
PERFORMANCE OF FACILITIES USING THE remodeled facility meets the need of the business users
ASTM STANDARDS ON WHOLE BUILDING who occupy it. Essential knowledge can be captured as
FUNCTIONALITY AND SERVICEABILITY part of a formal institutional memory of what works
well, what works best, and what should not be repeated.
Assessing Customer Perception and There are an array of different methods and tools that
Quality of Performance can be used to capture this information. A number of
those tools have been catalogued by a group of researchers
Assessing customer perception and satisfaction, or
and practitioners based at the University of Victoria at
evaluating the quality of the performance delivered by
Wellington, New Zealand (Baird et al., 1996).
a facility in support of customer requirements are two
A quality management (or assurance) program needs
complementary, but not identical, types of assessments.
to measure and track performance against “stated
In a recent issue of Consumer Reports, there is a series
requirements.” Those who provide a product or service
of items dealing with the ratings of health maintenance
(e.g., a facility and its operations and management),
organizations. In one of the articles, the question of the
should ascertain the explicit and implicit requirements
quality of the ratings is posed and an important point is
of the customers (occupants), decide to what level those
made. “Satisfaction measures are important. But, don’t
needs should be met, meet that level consistently, and
confuse them with measures of medical quality…”
be able to show that they are in fact meeting those
(Consumer Reports, 2000). The key point is that
requirements within the cost envelope.
measuring customer satisfaction is important and nec-
Such programs, therefore, need to start with an
essary, but not sufficient.
appropriate process for preparing statements of require-
There is a need for measuring the actual quality and
ments. These should include the ability to determine
performance of the services and products delivered,
and assess features and characteristics of the product or
whether it be medical care or the facilities and services
service considered; to relate them directly to customers’
they provide in support of the occupants and the
needs, expectations, and requirements; and to docu-
enterprise.
ment it all in a systematic, comprehensive, and orderly
manner. Such documentation should include the means
Defining Quality to monitor compliance during all phases of the life cycle
of the facility. When dealing with facilities, informa-
Quality is described in ISO 9000 as the “totality of
tion should also be included about how the enterprise is
features and characteristics of a product or service that
organized and its business strategy, and about expecta-
bear on its ability to satisfy stated and implied needs”
tions related to quantity, constraints, environmental and
(ISO, 2000). Quality is also defined as “fitness for pur-
other impacts, time, costs, and so forth. All these
pose at a given cost.” The difference between Tiffany
elements have to be taken into consideration when con-
quality and Wal-Mart quality does not need to be
ducting an overall evaluation, in particular at the time
explained. Both provide quality and value for money.
of commissioning or shortly thereafter.
Both are appropriate, depending on what the customer
is looking for, for what purpose, and at what price.
Using the ASTM Standards on Whole Building
Quality therefore is not absolute. It is the most
Functionality and Serviceability to Measure Quality
appropriate result that can be obtained for the price one
is willing to pay. Again, in order to be able to evaluate
The information provided by most POEs and by cus-
and compare different results or offerings, and verify
tomer satisfaction surveys is primarily about occupant
whether the requirements have been satisfied, these
perception and satisfaction, which is often necessary
must be stated as clearly as possible.
but rarely sufficient. It is seldom specific enough to be
acted upon directly. Similarly, in-depth and specific
Measuring and Managing the Quality of Performance technical evaluations usually do not address topics
directly related to the functional requirements of the
Many enterprises, public and private, review the
users or cannot be matched to those requirements.
project file during commissioning, or later, and note
Based on some 30 years of experience with both pro-
whether the project was completed within budget and
gramming and evaluation, over the period 1987-1993,
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69
APPENDIX A
ASTM Standard Scales
the International Centre for Facilities (ICF) team cre-
ated a set of scales that have now become the ASTM
The ASTM standard scales provide a broad-brush,
standards on whole building functionality and service-
macro level method, appropriate for strategic, overall
ability, recognized as American National Standards
decision-making. The scales deal with both demand
(ANSI). More importantly, these standards are based
(occupant requirements) and supply (serviceability of
on a methodology for creating such scales that is cur-
buildings) (MacGregor and Then, 1999). They can be
rently being balloted at the international level under
used at any time, not just at the start of a project. In
the authority of ISO TC 59/SC3 on Functional/User
particular, they can be used as part of portfolio man-
Requirements and Performance in Building Construc-
agement to provide a unit of information for the asset
tion (ASTM, 2000).
management plan, on the one hand, and for the roll-up
These standards do provide information that can be
of requirements of the business unit, on the other.
acted upon. They measure the quality of services deliv-
The ASTM standard scales include two matched,
ered by the facility in support of the occupants as indi-
multiple-choice questionnaires and levels. One ques-
viduals and as groups. The results from serviceability
tionnaire is used for setting workplace requirements for
ratings complement POEs and can be cross-referenced
functionality and quality. It describes customer
to customer satisfaction surveys (see examples in
needs—demand—in everyday language, as the core of
“Final Comments”). These standards currently provide
front-end planning. The other, matching questionnaire
explicit, objective, consistent methods and tools and
is used for assessing the capability of a building to meet
include the means to monitor and verify compliance
those levels of need, which is its serviceability. It rates
with respect to office facilities. The usefulness of such
facilities—supply—in performance language as a first
structured information goes beyond a single project. It
step toward an outline performance specification.
can also be used for lessons-learned programs and for
Both cover more than 100 topics and 340 building
benchmarking. The methodology could be applied
features, each with levels of service calibrated from 0
equally well to create a set of tools for measuring the
to 9 (less to more). These standard scales are particu-
quality of performance of any capital asset, including
larly suitable as part of the front end for a design-build
all types of constructed assets, whether public infra-
project, to compare several facilities on offer to buy or
structure such as bridges, roads, and utilities, or
lease. The scales can also be used to compare the rela-
buildings.
tive requirements of different groups.
This new generation of tools gives real estate pro-
This set of tools was designed to bridge between
fessionals the means to evaluate the “fit” between
“functional programs” written in user language on the
facilities and the users they serve. These tools use indi-
one side and “outline specifications and evaluations”
cators of capability to assess how well a proposed
written in technical performance language on the other.
design, or an occupied facility, meets the functional
Although it is a standardized approach, it can easily be
requirements specified by the business units and
adapted and tailored to reflect the particular needs of a
facility occupants. Even a small business, with only a
specific organization.
few dozen staff, needs to capture and conveniently
For organizations with many facilities that house
access the key facts about its workplaces, how they are
similar types of functions, the functionality and service-
used, and lessons to apply “next time.”
ability scales capture a systematic and consistent record
of the institutional memory of the organization. Their
Functionality and Serviceability: use speeds up the functional programming process and
Matching User Requirements (Demand) provides comprehensive, systematic, objective ratings
and Their Facilities (Supply) in a short time.
Evaluations are most useful when they provide the
The Serviceability Tools and Methods
means to compare results to expectations. Figure A-4
(ST&M) Approach
shows the use of bar-chart profiles to match functional
requirements and serviceability ratings using the
The ST&M approach (Davis et al., 1993) includes
ASTM standard scales.
the use of the ASTM standards, and its results, but also
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70 LEARNING FROM OUR BUILDINGS
Functionality Serviceability
Required of Facility
Synthesize user Rate capabilities of
requirements facility to support
users
• Set required levels
of serviceability, by
9 9
Set rating levels of
using the standard
serviceability by
7 7
multiple-choice
using the standard
5 5
questionnaires.
multiple-choice
• Set relative
3 3
questionnaires
importance and set
1 1
minimum threshold, if
any.
Show Show rating
Compare strengths and shortfalls.
required levels as
Consider relative importances.
levels as a barcharts
Consider tradeoffs, then decide.
barchart
FIGURE A-4 Matching demand and supply—gap analysis. Source: Francoise Szigeti and Gerald Davis, © 1999, 2000
International Centre for Facilities.
provides formats for describing the organization, func- 2. Facility serviceability bar-chart profile and indi-
tion-based tools for estimating how much floor area an cators of capability
organization needs, and other tools necessary to pro- 3. A match between two profiles and comparisons
vide needed information for the statement of require- with up to three profiles
ments (SOR). 4. A gap analysis and selection of “strength and con-
At the heart of this approach is the process of work- cerns” for presentation to senior management
ing with the occupant groups during the programming 5. Text profiles for use in a statement of require-
phase of the project cycle, as well as during any evalu- ments and equivalent indicators of capability
ation phase. This process of communication between 6. Descriptive text about the organization, its mis-
the providers of services and products (in-house and sion, relevant strategic information, and other
external) and the other stakeholders (in particular the information about the project in a standard format
occupants), of valuing their input, and of being seen to 7. Quantity spreadsheet profiles
be responsive can be as important as the outcome itself 8. Building loss features (BLF) rating table
and will often determine the acceptability of the results. 9. Footprint and layout guide
This is where satisfaction and quality overlap.
ST&M includes several kinds of methods and tools, The ASTM standards and the ST&M approach are
along with documents and computer templates for project independent. Requirements profiles can be pre-
using them: pared at any time, and serviceability ratings can be done
and updated at a number of points over the life cycle of
1. Functional requirement bar-chart profile and a facility.
functional elements
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71
APPENDIX A
How Do These Tools Fit in the Overall Corporate Figure A-5 shows how the different processes in-
Real Estate Framework? volved relate to each other and to the enterprise.
In Figure A-6, the functionality and serviceability
Setting requirements and evaluating results are two
scales are shown as an overlay on this framework. In
parts of what should be an ongoing dialogue between
this manner, it is possible to see how they relate to the
users and providers. Evaluations are becoming an in-
underlying corporate real estate processes. The pro-
dispensable tool for decision-making by senior man-
cesses diagrammed here are each complex sets of
agement and for appropriate responsiveness by all
activities and secondary processes. A detailed map of
those involved, whether they are working in-house or
such activities is included in the next volume of scales
are external providers.
to be published by the ICF (Davis et al., in press).
Facilities are an important resource of the enterprise.
Figure A-6 also shows the relationship to a new set
There are three main processes to take into account:
of scales prepared to rate the condition and estimated
(1) demand; (2) management, planning, procurement,
residual service life of a facility, to compare them to
production, and delivery; and (3) operations, mainte-
the needs of the enterprise. These scales are also used
nance, and use.
External Culture and Strategic Environment
CRE Knowledge base
Enterprise
Financial
Strategy
Overall
Enterprise
Portfolio / Strategic
Strategy
Asset Management
Focus on management Focus on management
Work- of overall portfolio of individual assets
place Overall
Enterprise Budget Project
Real Asset
Demand Portfolio
Operations Estate Management Management cycle Require-
process ments
Strategy Plans
Plan
Enterprise
Information
Asset
Infrastructure CRE&FM
Acquisition -
Information Base
Project Delivery
USE
by Occupants
and Others
Operational Facility
Operations &
Asset
Management Maintenance
Overall
Enterprise Legend:
Decision flows:
Other Stakeholders CRE&FM
Enterprise
and Investors
Information flows
Issues of sustainability, health,
productivity improvements and other Diagram by Provide facilities
benefits of real estate for occupants,
Francoise Szigeti and Gerald Davis
customers and others Primary processes
© 1999, 2001 International Centre for Facilities for real estate
FIGURE A-5 Corporate real estate processes—linking to the enterprise. Source: Francoise Szigeti and Gerald Davis, © 1999,
2000 International Centre for Facilities.
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72 LEARNING FROM OUR BUILDINGS
Portfolio / Strategic Asset Management
Focus on management Focus on management
of overall portfolio of individual assets
Overall Budget cycle
Real Asset
Portfolio process
Estate Management Management Priorities among
Strategy Plans
Estimates of Plan requirements
Work-place
Demand
Time
Asset
Suitability
Functionality
Requirement
Workplace
Suitability
Use Serviceability
of facilities Rating
for Enterprise
Operations Condition &
Condition
Service Life
Requirements
Requirement & Service
Life
Condition &
Suitability
Service Life
Rating
Details of
Condition
Asset Acquisition
Project Delivery
Operational Facility
Operations &
Asset
Management Maintenance
Overall
Enterprise Diagram by Francoise Szigeti and Gerald Davis
© 1999, 2001 International Centre for Facilities
FIGURE A-6 Corporate real estate processes and use of the serviceability tools. Source: Francoise Szigeti and Gerald Davis,
© 1999, 2000 International Centre for Facilities.
for setting budget priorities for repair and alteration satisfaction survey developed by the International
projects. Facility Management Association. The satisfaction
levels of occupants of its landmark John C. Kluczynski
Building in downtown Chicago were compared to
EXAMPLES: USES OF THE ASTM STANDARDS
levels in a serviceability rating of the building and to
AND LINKS TO OTHER TOOLS
functionality requirement profiles for the main catego-
ries of occupant groups.
Link to GSA’s Customer Satisfaction Survey:
The results correlated closely. The serviceability
GSA, John C. Kluczynski Building, Chicago
levels both predicted and explained the satisfaction
GSA regularly assesses the satisfaction of occupants levels. However, the customer satisfaction survey had
of its major buildings, using a version of the customer more detail about how occupants felt about the speed
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73
APPENDIX A
Part of Tool Kit for Portfolio Management and
and thoroughness with which building operations staff
Setting Budget Priorities for Repair and Alteration
responded to problems and complaints. The service-
Projects: PG&E
ability scales gave more information about actual
strengths and concerns of the facility to meet occupant
Pacific Gas & Electric Corporation (PG&E) has
functional needs.
realigned the way it plans and manages its portfolio of
Together, these two complementary studies pro-
real estate and sets priorities in its annual budget for
vided needed supporting information to submissions
repairs and alterations. Integral to its new manage-
for the funding of several renovation projects. An
ment approach are the ASTM standard scales, the
example of a bonus from the functionality and service-
serviceability tools and methods including the new
ability project was the identification of ongoing
scales for building condition, and estimated remaining
security concerns of the staff. Occupants did not real-
service life. These ratings are compared to the required
ize that the situation had been remedied and that thefts
level set for that facility.
had been reduced by three-quarters since the assign-
ment of a policeman in uniform on-site, patrolling the
New Design: National Oceanic and Atmospheric
corridors. On the basis of this particular finding, a com-
Administration (NOAA)
munications and public relations effort was launched
to inform the staff of the beneficial impact of the pres-
The groups that operate the weather satellites of
ence of the uniformed policeman.
NOAA needed a new headquarters building. Their
functional requirements were specified using the
Link to Prior POEs: U.S. State Department ASTM standard scales. Their requirement profile was
then compared to that of private sector organizations
During the 1990s, the U.S. State Department con-
doing similar work, such as the headquarters of a gas
ducted POEs after many major projects. The findings
pipeline company or the headquarters of a mobile
from these projects were analyzed by in-house staff and
phone company. NOAA’s requirement profile was very
others of the Office of Foreign Buildings Operations
similar to what was needed by other organizations
(now Office of Overseas Buildings Operations). Then,
doing similar kinds of work; there were very few dif-
in the late 1990s, a functionality requirement profile
ferences. This provided a kind of benchmarking for
was developed for chanceries, using the ASTM stan-
NOAA’s senior management and showed that NOAA’s
dard scales. Data, as well as insights, from the POEs
requirements were appropriate and consistent with
were taken into account in setting requirement levels
private sector practice, even though they were much
and in preparing the main requirement profile for a base
more demanding than would typically be provided for
building as well as for the variant profiles for the dif-
a general administrative office in government.
ferent zones in a chancery. The ASTM standard scales
provided a structure for applying the information from
Choosing a Lease Property: U.S. State Department,
the POEs, which could then be directly related to
Passport Office
equivalent levels of serviceability.
The U.S. State Department and GSA reached agree-
Part of Asset Management Plans: Public Works and ment on the functionality requirement profile for its
Government Services Canada passport offices where citizens can come to have their
applications adjudicated and a passport issued quickly.
When the serviceability tools and methods were first
When new leased office space was needed for its pass-
developed, the government of Canada rated the service-
port office in New Orleans, the requirement profile was
ability of all its major office buildings across the
verified for its applicability to this particular office.
country. Recently, it has issued contracts to update the
Then about a quarter of the requirement scales were
asset management plans of all its major office build-
used to scan the properties on offer that GSA had iden-
ings. Each plan is required to contain a serviceability
tified as relevant. In two days, six properties were
rating using the standard serviceability scales.
scanned for serviceability levels. Only one out of six
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74 LEARNING FROM OUR BUILDINGS
was found to meet the essential functionality require- ties group and the bidders were able to do this on short
ments. However, once the real estate manager in GSA notice, without having received any special training or
understood the requirement profile of the occupant guidance in using the standards. Comparable proposals,
group, she was quickly able to identify two other valid based on these consistent requirements, were received
options. Within weeks, the “best fit” was identified, on schedule without difficulty. This company also
and a lease negotiated. asked TEAG to rate its main campus and to prepare a
profile of requirement for the largest occupant group
housed at that campus. This third-party assessment
Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Design Reviews:
served as a benchmark to compare the results from the
State Department Chanceries and
other assessments and proposals.
High-Tech Organizations
During 1999 and 2000, the U.S. State Department
FINAL COMMENTS
used its functionality requirement profile and service-
ability indicators to assess the functionality of design
Some Relevant Anecdotes
proposals for new embassies and consulates to be
developed in the sequential project development The value of a property and its long-term benefits
process, design-bid-build. The department’s require- are not just a matter of real estate dollars and cents and
ment profile was also used to assess and compare the technical performance; corporations also look at the
functionality of proposals using the integrated, design- effectiveness of the workplace for core business opera-
build procurement process. In some cases, proposals tions and at the strategic advantage that facilities can
had very similar levels of functionality, while some provide. Successful facilities and real estate groups
other proposals showed significant differences between understand this (FFC, 1998). It can cost or earn the
the functionality of the proposals and what had been company far more than the rise or fall of property
required. prices. For example, one vice president for facilities at
Thereafter, the same requirement profile was used an aircraft company explained to us that facilities costs
during design reviews as a benchmark to ensure that represent about 5 percent of the total cost of each air-
the designs were continuing to respond to the require- plane sold, but that 5 percent is critical to the ability of
ments stated in the RFP. Contractors were trained to do his company to deliver new planes on time and on
these assessments, to create comparisons bar-charts, budget. If a new hangar is not ready on time or the
and to analyze the gaps between the designs and the facilities get in the way, the whole production line can
requirement profile. be delayed or grind to a halt. The same holds true for
When a slow-growth, high-tech corporation needed smaller companies who rent office space. For them the
a new corporate headquarters, it developed a functional cost of rent, utilities, and other charges runs at about
requirement profile in the language and format of the the same percentage.
ASTM standards and included it, verbatim, in its RFP. For organizations, big or small, a 1 percent increase
Responses to the RFP were rated, using the service- (or decrease) in the productivity of core business opera-
ability scales. Although a number of the proposals were tions, brought about by an inadequate workplace, is
fairly tightly clustered on price, there was a significant probably at least 10 times greater than a 1 percent
difference in functionality among the proposals. increase (or decrease) in the value of the real property
considered as a real estate asset. Put another way, here
is the example of a laboratory where facilities were
Levels of Service for Outsourcing:
underused and inefficient: At zero facilities cost and
A Major Oil Company
with minimum rearrangements, an extra 15 scientists
When a major oil company was considering out- could be added. This would give the lab extra gross
sourcing its facility management operations, it asked revenue while lowering the cost of square feet per
all companies who proposed to base their cost proposals employee. On the other hand, more substantial changes
on using the same levels of serviceability, as specified in the facility layout would allow the lab to nearly
using the ASTM standard serviceability scales. Senior double its population. This retrofit would cost far less
management also asked the “in-house provider” to self- than the cost of a new facility. Other functional
rate using the same standards. Both the in-house facili- improvements would increase the effectiveness of the
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75
APPENDIX A
staff by about 15 percent and speed time to market by In another case, staff retention was the victim. A
about six months. All of these proposed changes were major industrial corporation was recruiting young
based on an assessment of functional capability. Over- engineers to replenish its aging population, but these
all, the asset value in use was expected to increase by were leaving the company in record numbers after three
more than $3,000,000, after taking into account retrofit months or less on the job. The human resources depart-
costs. The earning power of the lab would be multi- ment conducted exit interviews to find out what the
plied by almost 2.5. These numbers were calculated by problem was. The young recruits reported that the
one of the major accounting firms. Thus, typically, the space they were asked to work in was so unpleasant
greatest leverage for a facility comes from enhancing and antiquated that they felt the company had no regard
the performance of the core business. A factor of 10 or for them. The job market at that time was good, and
more is not unusual. they could get jobs at other companies offering compa-
The effect of a facility on the health of its occupants rable salaries and much more attractive and modern
can have a severe impact on productivity. Medical facilities. This caused the company to start a $300 mil-
records are seldom used to prove this point but prob- lion rehabilitation program of its offices and to gener-
ably could be used more often. On one occasion, ICF ally pay more attention to the physical setting of work.
was allowed to use records of sick days as part of a Facilities have an impact when attracting staff,
comprehensive facility evaluation after a major con- which can be the reverse of the last anecdote. Another
solidation of staff into a single facility. After plotting major industrial company reported that it was located
the sick leave information for each of 18 groups for the in an industrial area with other competitors. Its policy
year prior to the move, the year of the move, and the was to make its grounds attractively landscaped and to
first year after the move, it became apparent that for all provide each of its software engineers with a private,
but two groups, the curve shifted up. For two groups, well-furnished office with a window overlooking trees
the curve shifted down. For those two groups, the build- and flowers. The human resources department at that
ing they came from was worse than the new facility. It company could confirm that this “perk” was worth
was estimated that the number of days lost to the about 10 percent of payroll, that is, more than the annu-
increased sick leave and a few other facility-related alized cost of the buildings and grounds.
factors amounted to more than the annualized first cost
of the building.
Current Developments and Trends
Sometimes, the effect of the facility can be drastic
and immediate. In one case, due to some work being
Scales for Rating Condition and Estimated Remaining
done in one part of the facility, traffic was redirected
Service Life
along an internal corridor cutting through the “terri-
tory” of a work group. What had been a “private path” As stated earlier, new scales have been developed
was transformed overnight into a “major highway” by the ICF to enable a manager to set priorities for
(Davis and Altman, 1976). The partitions around that repair and alteration projects in the annual budget cycle.
group were glass above 1 meter, which allowed These scales are used for building condition, estimated
passers-by to see into the space. ICF had warned that service life, and asset management. They have been
such a situation should not be allowed to happen designed to assist managers to take into account the
because of the “fish-bowl” effect. The group in ques- actual and required physical condition and estimated
tion was working on a critical path product that was at remaining service life of a facility or of its main sys-
the heart of the future of the company and still highly tems and components. Typically, building condition
secret. The group simply stopped work and did not put reports give cost estimates to return a building to its
work on their desks. When the ICF team arrived on- original design but do not link directly to the level of
site that day, it was asked to come directly to the office functional support now required for occupant opera-
of the senior manager responsible for facilities. A work tions. These new scales can be matched directly, for
crew was commandeered to work overnight. Butcher gap analysis against the condition requirement profile
paper was pasted over the glass to create visual pri- in the asset management plan and overall portfolio
vacy. By the next morning the problem had been management plan. They complement the information
solved, and work resumed. about the functional suitability of the facility to support
the mission of the occupant group.
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76 LEARNING FROM OUR BUILDINGS
Scales for Other Building Types strategy, which adapts some of the ASTM standard
scales and methodology to its own circumstances.
A set of scales, similar to the ASTM standards, has
been drafted for low-income housing and is being
Warranty of Fitness for Purpose—Duty of Care Versus
tested in New Zealand (Gray, 2001).
Duty of Results
ICF has just completed additional scales for service
yards and maintenance shops. Scales are also being
In the wake of ISO 9000, with the advent of new
developed to better cover sustainable building, manu-
integrated team approaches to projects, and performance-
facturing, retail, laboratories, education, health care,
based procurement approaches, such as design-build,
courts, and so forth.
and construction manager at risk, there is an increased
awareness of the need to state requirements more pre-
Integrated Tools for Performance-Based Procurement cisely and comprehensively and to be able to confirm
that the resultant asset meets those requirements. Fur-
The Dutch government has mandated that all public
ther, when delivering a full package, the contractor has
procurement be performance based. With the ASTM
the legal responsibility to deliver a product that fits the
standards as a starting point, the Dutch Building
intended purpose. This is a major change for the tradi-
Agency has developed a systematic approach to define
tional legal concepts of professional liability and duty
client expectations for total building performance (Ang
of care, based on professional competence and accepted
et al., 2001). This approach also relates the translation
practice. This legal territory is being explored by
of “inputs” and “outputs” at different phase of the
groups such as the Design-Build Institute of America
project delivery process.
and the CIB (CIB, 1996).
Strategic Asset Management
In Conclusion
In some countries, portfolio management and strate-
Evaluations are here to stay and will likely be taken
gic planning come under the term “strategic asset man-
for granted in the not too distant future. At a prior Fed-
agement” (SAM). In these places, asset is the preferred
eral Facilities Council (FFC) Forum, the presentation
term, rather than facilities or buildings, of public sector
of the Amoco common process, developed by its
managers who deal with all kinds of constructed capital
Worldwide Engineering and Construction Division,
assets, many of which may not be buildings. One of the
included the following in Figure 2: “Operate—Evalu-
most pertinent publications on the subject is a news-
ate asset to ensure performance . . . ” (FFC, 1998).
letter dedicated to the international review of all areas
To be more effective and useful, evaluations will
of performance and strategic management of assets,
have to be better coordinated with the information con-
including economic considerations. Linking perfor-
tained in statements of requirements. At the same FFC
mance evaluations and costs is still a tricky business.
forum, several presenters included a project system in
Some of the concepts, such as profiles, levels of ser-
their presentation. The presentation by the director-
vice, benchmarking targets, etc., which are becoming
construction of The Business Roundtable included a
part of the performance evaluation, are explained in the
description of “Effective Project Systems” developed
newsletter in a practical and approachable way, with an
by the Independent Project Analysis Corporation of
emphasis on sharing of experience (Burns).
Reston, Virginia. He made the point that “the supply
chain begins when the customer need is identified and
Levels of Service, Performance Profiles, translated into a business opportunity” (FFC, 1996). In
Performance Benchmarks such project systems, which usually are conducted by
integrated project teams, the evaluation of alternative
The use of levels, or targets, is becoming prevalent
solutions is taken for granted. Thus, evaluations are part
for outsourced contracts, for performance-based pro-
of the planning of the projects, not an afterthought.
curements, and for strategic planning. The Department
The worldwide trend to deal with performance defi-
for Administrative and Information Services of the
nitions rather than prescriptive or deemed-to-satisfy
state of South Australia, is currently developing a build-
specifications will likely continue to spread. In the next
ing performance assessment and asset development
few years, a further increase in the use of evaluations
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77
APPENDIX A
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
will be driven by the acceptance of performance based
procurement by the World Trade Organization (WTO),
Gerald Davis helps decision makers and facility man-
the European Union, and the European member coun-
agers implement solutions that enhance worker effec-
tries. Performance-based codes are also being adopted
tiveness, improve the management of portfolios of
in a number of countries, including the United States.
corporate real estate, solve facility-related problems,
The European Union (EU) is following suit. Since
and ensure the optimum use of buildings and equip-
dealing with results rather than specifying solutions
ment. Since 1965, Mr. Davis has been considered a
means that these results need to be shown to be per-
pioneer and internationally recognized expert in strate-
forming as required, there is an assured future for
gic facility planning, facility pre-design, programming,
evaluations and for evaluations as part of the process at
performance-based evaluations, and ergonomics. As
many stages. Such developments, as they affect the
senior author, he led the team that developed the
building industry, will be the focus of a major thematic
Serviceability Tools & Methods® used to define work-
network being launched by the CIB, with EU funding
place and facility requirements and to rate existing and
(Bakens, 2001). This network will also include partici-
proposed facilities. Previously, he led the “ORBIT-2”
pants from the United States and other countries out-
project, a major North American multisponsor study
side the EU. A key task will be how to prepare state-
about offices, information technology and user organi-
ments of requirements and their verification.
zations and about the impact of each on the other. He
In the United States, a performance-based code has
coauthored the “1987 IFMA Benchmark Report”
been adopted as a component of the new Unified Inter-
which was the first of its kind. His work has been pub-
national Building Code that has brought the three major
lished in numerous trade and professional journals and
codes together. Work is continuing at ASTM, the
books. He is the recipient of the Environmental Design
American Institute of Architects (AIA), NIST, and the
Research Association Lifetime Career Award (1996),
GSA, to cite only a few of the key leaders. 4
the IFMA Chairman’s Citation, (1998), was named an
Benchmarking, lessons-learned programs, con-
IFMA fellow in 1999, and one of 50 most influential
tinuous improvements, and performance metrics are
people in the construction industry by the Ottawa Busi-
becoming part of business as usual. Indeed, to quote
ness Journal. He is an ASTM fellow, and Certified
again from the 1998 FFC report: “What are the charac-
Facility Manager, president and chief executive officer,
teristics of the best capital project systems? In addition
International Centre for Facilities (ICF), president,
to using fully integrated cross-functional teams, they
TEAG (The Environmental Analysis Group), chair,
actively foster a business understanding of the capital
ASTM Subcommittee E06.25 on Whole Buildings and
project process. . . . The engineering and project man-
Facilities; past chair, ASTM Committee E06 on Per-
agers are accountable to the business, not the plant
formance of Buildings; and past chair, IFMA Standards
management. There are continuous improvement
Committee (1993-99). He is also the U.S. (ANSI) voting
efforts that are subject to real and effective metrics”
delegate to the ISO Technical Committee 59 on Build-
(FFC, 1998). The evolution of POEs into building per-
ing Construction, to its Subcommittee 3 on Functional/
formance evaluations, and now into an ongoing evalu-
User Requirements and Performance in Building Con-
ative stance, is likely to become the accepted norm
struction, and the former delegate to its Subcommittee
because it is part of the best practices of companies that
2 on Terminology and Harmonization of Language.
have succeeded in using capital projects in support of
Mr. Davis was recently appointed the Convenor of
their primary business.
Work Group 14 on Functional Requirements/Service-
ability.
Francoise Szigeti is the vice-president of the Inter-
4ASTM national Centre for Facilities, Inc., a scientific and edu-
Committee E06 on Performance of Buildings has over-
sight over this whole subject matter. The AIA has a Center for cational public-service organization established to
Building Performance. NIST continues to provide leadership with inform and help individuals and organizations improve
respect to housing and other more technical applications of the con-
the functionality, performance, and serviceability of
cept. The GSA, under the leadership of its Office of Government-
facilities. She is also vice president and secretary-
wide Policy, Real Estate, has embarked on a major program of
treasurer of The Environmental Analysis Group
research and publications on the subject.
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78 LEARNING FROM OUR BUILDINGS
(TEAG) - Groupe pour l’Etude du Milieu Humain Burns, P. (Ed.) SAM—Strategic Asset Management Newsletter AMQ Inter-
national, Salisbury, South Australia.
(GEMH). She is president of Serviceability Tools & CIB Publication 192. (1996). A Model Post-Construction Liability and In-
Methods, Inc. Ms. Szigeti is one of the vice-chairs of surance System prepared under the supervision of CIB W087.
ASTM Subcommittee E06.25. She has served on the Rotterdam, Holland.
Consumer Reports (2000). Rating the Raters, August 31.
board of the Community Planning Association of
Davis, G., and Altman, I. (1976). Territories at the work-place: Theory into
Canada, the Environmental Design Research Associa- design guidelines. In: Man-Environment Systems, Vol. 6-1, pp. 46-53.
tion and the International Association for the Study of Also published, with minor changes, in: Korosec-Serfati, P. (Ed.)
(1977). Appropriation of Space, Proceedings of the Third International
People and Their Physical Surroundings. She is a co-
Architectural Psychology Conference Strasbourg, France: Louis Pasteur
author and member of the team that developed the University.
Serviceability Tools & Methods® used for defining Davis, G., et al. (1993). Serviceability Tools Manuals, Volume 1 & 2 Inter-
workplace and facility requirements and for rating national Centre for Facilities: Ottawa, Canada.
Davis, G. et al. (2001). Serviceability Tools, Volume 3—Portfolio and Asset
existing and proposed facilities. Previously, she Management: Scales for Setting Requirements and for Rating the Con-
launched and participated in the “ORBIT-2” project, a dition and Forecast of Service Life of a Facility—Repair and Alteration
major North American multisponsor study about (R&A) Projects. International Centre for Facilities: Ottawa, Canada.
Federal Facilities Council. (1998). Government/Industry Forum on Capital
offices, information technology, and the user organiza-
Facilities and Core Competencies. Washington, D.C.: National Acad-
tions, and about the impact of each on the other. She is emy Press, p. 19.
a coauthor of the “1987 IFMA Benchmark Report”, Gibson, E.J. (1982). Working with the Performance Approach in Building.
CIB Report, Publication 64. Rotterdam, Holland.
which was the first of its kind. Ms. Szigeti attended the
Gray, J. (in press). Innovative, Affordable, and Sustainable Housing.
Ecole Superieure d’Interpretes et de Traducteurs, Proceedings of the CIB 2001 Triennial Congress. Rotterdam, Holland.
Universite de Paris. She is the recipient of the EDRA ISO 9000, Guidelines 9001 and 9004. (in process of reedition).
Lifetime Career Award (1996). McGregor, W., and Then, D.S. (1999). Facilities Management and the Busi-
ness of Space. Arnold, a member of the Hodder Headline Group.
National Bureau of Standards. (1971). The PBS Performance Specification
for Office Buildings, prepared for the Office of Construction Manage-
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Szigeti, F., and Davis, G. (1997). Invited paper. In: Amiel, M.S., and
ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials). (2000). ASTM
Vischer, J.C., Space Design and Management for Place Making. Pro-
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Baird, G., Gray, J., Isaacs, N., Kernohan, D., and McIndoe, G. (1996). Build-
Teicholz, E. (Ed.) (2001). Facilities Management Handbook. MacGraw-
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