- Facility Condition Assessments & Capital Planning
- Roof Color/Energy Use
- On the Boards
|
|
FACILITY CONDITION ASSSESSMENTS
& CAPITAL PLANNING
It just may be time to take a serious look at stating the process of assessing your buildings and putting a Long Range Facility Plan in place. As infrastructure across the county continues to age and deteriorate, many organizations and agencies are face with an inventory of older buildings with deferred maintenance, ADA compliance issues and an assortment of other problems. Many of these organizations do not have a funding model in place to address all of their needs and stakeholders may disagree on priorities.
Whether you have one building, several buildings, or an entire campus of buildings and auxiliary structures, a formal FACILITY INSPECTION is the first step to solving infrastructure issues, effectively planning for program expansions, ensure efficient use of existing space and will also ensure that money is spent wisely.
ANALYSIS OF CURRENT BUILDING CONDITIONS
An inspection of your buildings will provide you with a thorough and cost-effective analysis of conditions, identify deferred maintenance issues, provide an ADA compliance survey, assist in prioritizing renovation and construction project and develop a successful capital expense plan. The approach usually includes:
- Pre-assessment meetings
- Field assessment of the structure(s)
- Estimates of probable costs to correct deficiencies
- Recommendations of renovations and/or new constructions
- Development of capital funding plan
- Development of a Facility Master Plan
- Presentation of findings & final report
A facility condition report will provide you with a "Baseline Condition" report for each building that will provide you with accurate information going forward and will also serve to set the standards for programming, maintenance, and design of future renovations and new construction as part of your capital construction plan.
FACILITY MASTER PLAN
A detailed facility master plan will provide you with an evolving, long-term planning document. It will establish the framework for future facility-related decisions that will support your organizations strategic plan and mission for your facilities. The master plan will be developed base upon the findings in the facility assessment report and will reflect a clear vision and be created in an open process involving your staff as well as solicit community input. It will set a logical course for capital improvements and facility management initiatives over the next 5, 10 and 20 years. A facility master plan is considered a "living document" that will be re-examined and updated on a 2 year review cycle. The master plan can also identify funding sources and strategies, establish a schedule; i.e., which elements should come first and decisions needed to move forward. Lastly, the master plan will establish guidelines for the consultants and designers needed to draw up specific plans for each phase of the proposed projects.
|
ROOF COLOR AND ENERGY USE
Because a roof is a long term investment, choosing the right color can help reduce energy costs and increase sustainability for decades. Careful consideration must be given to the geographic location of the building. In choosing a roof color, you need to consider whether you have more heat-degree days or cooling-degree days. In area where it is necessary to air condition buildings most of the year, like the southern climates, white EPDM and ballasted systems would be the best choice because they reflect sunlight and help keep buildings cool. In northern climates, a dark colored roof like black EPDM will be more energy efficient because it will absorb heat which allows insulation to work more efficiently to keep the building warm. However, central regions of the U.S. are considered "color neutral" and energy efficiency is not impacted by color quite as much.
In addition to the roof color, another factor to consider is the R-value and thermal resistance of the insulation. In hot climates (like southern Florida), an R-value of 30 or more typically negates energy efficiency gains from white or light colored roofing materials. For more information, you can visit the U.S. Department of Energy Roof Saving calculator at www.rsc.ornl.gov
|
ON THE BOARDS
- Town of Nederland: NEDPED - Multi-Modal Transportation Project
- Private Residence: Site Planning, Engineering and Construction Management
- Lyons Regional Library District: Programming, Site Planning, and Owner Representation
- Manitou Springs: Historic Bridges - Restoration and Construction Management
- Craig Fire & Rescue: New Apparatus Building
- Meeker Fire & Rescue: New Fire Station
|
|
F&D International is a woman-owned, small business that provides architecture, engineering and project management services under one roof. This unique combination of disciplines allows our clients to complete projects quickly, efficiently and ensures that quality is delivered at all levels. Our staff of highly trained professionals has been working across the Rocky Mountain Region since 2001.
Current certifications include:
Federal Government: WOSB
Women's Business Enterprise Council: WBENC
State of Colorado: DBE, WBE, SBE, EBE
NAICS Codes: 541330, 541310, 541350, 541620, 541690, 541410, 541990
F&D Is Happy to Accept New Assignments!
|
|
|
|
|
