Facility Condition Assessment Checklist

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Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) is a crucial process that helps business owners and facility managers evaluate the condition of their buildings. This assessment identifies potential issues before they become major problems, prioritizes repairs, and ensures regulatory compliance. In this checklist, we’ll cover the essential elements of an FCA, providing business owners and facility managers with valuable information that can help them prepare for the assessment.

A Facility Condition Assessment checklist includes:

Pre-Assessment
Site Visits
Analyzing FCA Data
FCA Report

Pre-Assessment:

The pre-assessment stage of Facility Condition Assessments (FCAs) is essential because it sets the foundation for a successful project. This stage involves collecting data and information about the facility to determine its current condition, including its age, maintenance history, and current state of repair. Without this critical stage, the FCA project may lack direction and may not achieve the desired outcomes.

Gathering Information:

Before starting the assessment, it’s essential to gather basic information about the facility. This information includes the age, size, type of construction, and current use of the building. Unique features or considerations that may affect the assessment should also be noted, such as hazardous materials, historic preservation requirements, or local zoning laws.

In addition to the basic information about the facility, there is some specific documentation and records that may be required by third-party professionals, such as AEI to perform the FCA. These documents include:

Building plans and drawings: These documents provide a detailed layout of the building and its components. They help FCA professionals identify potential issues and assess the condition of the building.
Maintenance records: Provide a history of all the maintenance and repair work done on the building helps identify any recurring issues and assess the effectiveness of previous repairs.
Regulatory compliance records: These records include all permits, inspections, and certifications required by local, state, and federal regulations. They assist with assessing the facility’s compliance with relevant codes and standards.
Environmental reports: Reports on environmental issues such as air quality, water quality, or hazardous materials help assess any potential environmental hazards and ensure compliance with relevant regulations.
Occupancy records: Records related to the occupancy of the building, such as the number of occupants, their activities, and their schedules help FCA professionals in determining the building’s wear and tear and the need for any repairs or upgrades.

It’s important to keep these records up to date and easily accessible to ensure a smooth and efficient FCA process. Providing these documents and records to third-party FCA experts, business owners and facility managers can ensure a comprehensive and accurate assessment of their facility’s condition.

Site Visits:

During site visits, third-party experts gather information about the facility’s current condition. The site visit typically involves a comprehensive visual evaluation of all the building systems, components, and equipment. FCAs are customizable depending on project type and size, but typical site visits include but are not limited to the following:

Site and Grounds Assessment: This involves an evaluation of the exterior of the building and the surrounding grounds, including parking lots, sidewalks, landscaping, and other outdoor features. The condition of the site’s paving, curbs, drainage, and any other outdoor infrastructure are also evaluated.
Building Envelope Assessment: This involves an evaluation of the building’s exterior, including the roof, walls, windows, and doors. The condition of the building envelope and identifying any areas of concern, such as leaks or damage are also examined.
Mechanical Systems Assessment: An evaluation of the facility’s mechanical systems, such as HVAC, boilers, and chillers. This includes evaluating the condition of these systems and identifying any areas of concern, such as malfunctioning equipment or outdated systems.
Electrical Systems Assessment: An evaluation of the facility’s electrical systems, including the main electrical service, distribution panels, and wiring. The assessment typically includes evaluating the condition of these systems and identifying any areas of concern, such as overloaded circuits or outdated wiring.
Plumbing Systems Assessment: An evaluation of the facility’s plumbing systems, including the water supply and drainage systems. The condition of these systems and identifying any areas of concern, such as leaks or outdated piping is also evaluated.
Interior Finishes and Condition Assessment: Evaluating the facility’s interior finishes and overall condition. Typically includes evaluating the condition of walls, ceilings, floors, and other interior finishes, as well as identifying any areas of concern, such as water damage or other signs of wear and tear.

Site visits are an essential part of the FCA process as they provide third-party professionals with the opportunity to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of a facility’s current condition, identify areas of concern, and make recommendations for corrective action. The information gathered during site visits can then be used to develop a strategic plan for maintenance, repairs, and capital improvements to ensure the long-term viability of the facility.

Analyzing FCA Data:

After collecting data during the on-site inspection, a third-party professional analyzes the data to assess the facility’s condition and identify any deficiencies or potential issues. Typically data is analyzed as follows:

Categorization: The collected data is categorized by system or component, such as the building envelope, mechanical systems, electrical systems, plumbing systems, and interior finishes. This categorization helps organize the data and identify patterns or trends within each system.
Quantification: The data is then quantified by assigning a condition rating to each system or component based on the collected data. This rating typically follows industry-standard rating systems, such as the Facility Condition Index (FCI).
Analysis: The third-party professional then analyzes the data to identify any deficiencies or potential issues. This analysis may include identifying the root cause of the problem, evaluating the severity of the issue, and recommending appropriate corrective action.

FCA Report:

The final report of a Facility Condition Assessment typically contains a comprehensive overview of the facility’s condition, including its strengths, weaknesses, and potential issues. The data collected during an FCA is used to provide recommendations for corrective action and a strategic plan for maintenance, repairs, and capital improvements. The report typically includes the following information:

Overview: An overview of the facility’s current condition, including any deficiencies or potential issues.
Results: A summary of the findings of the assessment, including a breakdown of the facility’s condition by system or component.
Recommendations: A list of recommended corrective actions, prioritized by urgency and estimated cost.
Strategic Plan: A strategic plan for maintenance, repairs, and capital improvements over the short-term and long-term.
Appendices: Supporting documents, such as photographs, notes, and technical data, which provide additional context for the assessment findings.

Best Practices for FCA Reports:

The FCA final report is a valuable tool for guiding decision-making and ensuring the long-term viability of a facility. By following the recommendations and strategic plan outlined in the report, stakeholders can prioritize repairs and improvements, allocate resources effectively, and ensure that the facility continues to meet its operational needs.

Here are some ways you can use your FCA:

Prioritize Repairs and Maintenance: The FCA report should include a list of recommended corrective actions, prioritized by urgency and estimated cost. Use this information to prioritize repairs and maintenance activities and allocate resources effectively.
Budget for Future Repairs and Improvements: The FCA report should also include a strategic plan for addressing the facility’s needs over the short-term and long-term. Use this plan to budget for future repairs and improvements and ensure that adequate resources are available to address the facility’s needs.
Plan for Capital Improvements: The FCA report may identify significant capital improvements that are required to maintain the facility’s functionality, safety, and compliance with applicable regulations and standards. Use this information to develop a plan for financing and implementing these improvements over time.
Ensure Compliance with Applicable Regulations and Standards: The FCA report may identify deficiencies or potential issues that could impact the facility’s compliance with applicable regulations and standards. Use this information to ensure that necessary corrective actions are taken to address these issues and maintain compliance.
Evaluate the Facility’s Condition Over Time: Use the FCA report as a benchmark to evaluate the facility’s condition over time. Regularly conduct follow-up assessments to track progress and identify any new issues or deficiencies.

Ultimately, the FCA report is a valuable tool for facility owners and managers to evaluate the current condition of their buildings, plan for ongoing maintenance and capital improvements, and ensure compliance with applicable regulations and standards. Use the information provided in the report to prioritize repairs and maintenance, budget for future repairs and improvements, plan for capital improvements, ensure compliance, and evaluate the facility’s condition over time.

Final Thoughts:

Preparing for a Facility Condition Assessment can be a daunting task for building owners and facility managers. However, by utilizing this FCA checklist you can ensure that your facilities are adequately prepared for the upcoming assessment. Choosing a reputable third-party consulting firm such as AEI can significantly improve the value and accuracy of your FCA report. With decades of experience in conducting FCAs for various facilities, AEI has a proven track record of providing detailed and comprehensive assessments that prioritize corrective actions and provide strategic plans for addressing identified deficiencies and issues. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help ensure that your facility remains safe, functional, and in compliance with applicable regulations and standards. Reach out to speak with one of our consultants today.

AEI Services That May Interest You:

Deferred Maintenance and Capital Planning Studies and Reports
Capital Reserve Analysis
Building and Component System Remaining Useful Life Studies
Facility Condition Assessments
Baseline Property Condition Assessments
Limited Facility Condition Assessments
Asset Bar Coding
Pre-Lease Assessments, Lease Renewals and Lease Exit Strategies
Dilapidation Assessments
Building Envelope Assessments
Roof Assessments (Thermography, Inductance Testing, Roof coring, and Assembly Installation Oversight)
Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) data collection and population
ADA Assessments
BOMA Area Measurements
Building Commissioning or Retro-commissioning Services
Energy Audits and Building Sustainability
Climate Risk & Resilience Consulting

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