10 Tips for Effective Facility Management in Colleges

Colleges and universities are constantly shifting from semester to semester. Like the vibrant students they house, our higher education facilities are dynamic entities in a constant state of evolution. The physical infrastructure that supports these institutions is equally subject to change, necessitating vigilant facility management. Not every building change is obvious, so facility teams must be on-the-go, every day, using all five senses to assess maintenance requirements.

Here are 10 essential tips for maximizing facility management software for universities as part of your facility master plan.

Tip #1: How to quickly locate shut offs and other vital school building equipment.

Critical water, gas, and electrical shut-offs can be located anywhere on campuses, in between buildings or hidden from view by trees or bushes. Technicians might have to drive trucks or golf carts to find shut-offs, threatening emergency response. With sprawling campuses, these vital components may be concealed demanding proactive measures for efficient emergency response. Explore the intricacies of various shut-offs and the utilization of mobile devices for their precise identification in this blog post, One Good Turn Deserves Another.

Tip #2: How to prioritize equipment needing immediate attention

Effective decision-making in preventive maintenance and capital planning at colleges and universities hinges on accurate equipment condition assessments. The significance of conducting thorough Facility Condition Assessments (FCAs) and maintaining precise equipment inventories, shedding light on the process through an enlightening on-demand webinar. More about the FCAs and accurate equipment inventories can be found in an on-demand webinar.

Tip #3: Draw inspiration from best practices and innovative facility designs

Innovative learning centers are springing up across the country bringing new ideas for design, sustainability, energy efficiency, and helping the next generation learn more about taking care of people and the planet. Learn more about the interplay of facility management and building layout and design in Cool Schools: Most Innovative School & University Buildings, a blog post from ARC Facilities.

Tip #4: To optimize efficiency, consider regularly maintaining campus lighting systems by utilizing Asset Maintenance Software tailored for Universities

Keeping colleges well-lit adds an element of safety and security for students. Safety and security are paramount in college environments and well-lit environments contribute to achieving these goals. Explore cost-effective and sustainable lighting best practices in Illuminating Facts About Facility Lighting, a recent blog post.

Tip #5: Update your emergency response plan regularly to reflect changing weather patterns and share plans with team members

Emergency responsiveness is a major topic at colleges and universities which may encompass hundreds of buildings and house thousands of students. Lacking access to building plans can slow down your college emergency response program. Our Campus Safety on-demand webinar navigates through the challenges posed by storms and floods, ensuring that lacking access to building plans does not impede your institution’s emergency response program.

Tip #6: Tap into high schools, community college, unions and the military to recruit skilled trades people

As experienced team members retire, institutional knowledge gaps become a concern. Many are worried about who to contact about key equipment locations and other building details. Our exploration of The Next Big FM Challenge in Education outlines strategies to mitigate the impact of these losses, ensuring a seamless transition in facility management.

Tip #7: Ensuring stadium facility safety requires teamwork

With safety and security such a key component of modern sports, stadium teams who can share building plans with first responders using mobile devices in the event of an emergency, are using technology when and where it counts the most – to provide fans with positive and happy memories they’ll treasure for years.

Hosting sports events in expansive stadiums demands a sophisticated approach to life safety and wayfinding for thousands of fans.

Sports events and big stadiums bring thousands of people to college and universities, making life safety and wayfinding two vital considerations for fans. Read up on Stadium Facility Safety here.

Tip #8: How to Transform Your Organization Via Immediate Access to Building Plans

Discover innovation and inspiration by learning from the experiences of college facilities team leaders like Moorpark College, where facility management extends to a teaching zoo. Uncover the challenges faced by their team in a captivating 3-minute video that takes you behind the scenes. No monkeying around!

Tip #9: Complement Equipment Maintenance Efforts With O&M Documentation Software for Schools

Many colleges are anchored by buildings boasting a century or more of history, with a complex blend of modern and legacy systems. While beautiful to behold, these buildings are challenging to maintain because of the mix of systems which co-exist. Are current O&Ms available? Are parts available or back ordered? What are the best ways to differentiate and locate old and new equipment?

Understanding how two different eras of equipment co-exist is difficult, so access to O&Ms and building plans is important. Get schooled on the challenges of maintaining century-old university buildings in Looking at Historic Buildings from a Facility Management Lens.

Tip #10: Maintain HVAC For Better Air

Facility management teams play an important role in indoor air quality management by performing preventative maintenance on HVAC systems, cleaning air ducts, and upgrading filters.

Indoor air quality is another topic that is a critical component of effective facility management in colleges. Extreme climate conditions have added an immediacy to this problem, when temperatures soar into the triple digits with regularity, impacting student health and learning. For a deep dive into Indoor Air Quality, check out this blog post.

Effective facility management in colleges and universities is a multifaceted endeavor that requires a strategic and holistic approach. By incorporating these ten tips into your facility management master plan, you can master the challenges posed by evolving campuses and ensure a safe, secure, and positive experience for both students and staff.