Assure Reliable Systems and Spaces

by the WBDG Productive Committee

Last updated: 04-30-2008

Overview

Reliability is a great concern for building occupants and organizations. Absence of reliability directly affects personal security and well-being, as well as mission critical work. As workplaces evolve in response to changes in organizational structure and work practices, reliability needs to take into consideration the multiplicity of spaces that support individual and group work. This applies to all facilities whether public or private, institutional or commercial, large or small, regardless of location, circumstance, and/or purpose. Organizations and their workers are entitled to work places that enable them to remain productive and in-touch at all times.

People increasingly expect work settings to fully support pursuit of individual, team, and organizational objectives without operational uncertainty. Building and information systems that disrupt workflow will not be tolerated. The workforce of the future will demand workspace and tools that amplify their abilities and help them compete effectively for the best work. This calls for systems that perform reliably with good maintenance support.

Building users must be able to rely on facility hardware and software for health, life, safety, power, data, and voice delivery systems (and related equipment and tools). These systems need to function consistently and be properly maintained. When the workplace is supported by high performance systems that require minimal maintenance or downtime and have back-up capabilities to ensure negligible loss of service, worker productivity can be improved or maintained.

Recommendations

HVAC

Lighting

Workers at the Philip Merrill Environmental Center in Annapolis, MD enjoy access to daylight and views from all areas of the building.

Workers at the Philip Merrill Environmental Center in Annapolis, Maryland, enjoy access to daylight and views from all areas of the building.

Power Supply

Telecommunication Systems/Equipment (voice/data)

Security/Safety

Emerging Issues

Photo of a fuel cell power plant installation at South County Hospital-Wakefield, RI

Fuel cell power plant installation at South County Hospital—Wakefield, RI
(Courtesy of UTC Fuel Cells)

Increasing demands for renewable, energy-efficient, and environmentally responsible back-up power sources have lead to advancements in fuel cell technology, solar, wind, hydro, and biomass power systems.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)—the integration of all departments and functions across an agency/company onto a single computer system that can serve all those different departments' particular needs.

Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM)—the concept of developing a maintenance scheme based on the reliability of the various components of the system or product in question. Implementing a preventative maintenance program using RCM can greatly reduce the cost of ownership of a product or system.

For most building owners and operators, reliability ranks almost as high as cost as a top "quality indicator" when selecting building systems and equipment. "Problem prone equipment," often selected due to lower first costs, reduces system reliability and is clearly a chief motivator for purchasing quality equipment.

Continuous Commissioning—an ongoing process to resolve operating problems, improve comfort, optimize energy use, and identify retrofits for existing buildings and central plant facilities. Continuous commissioning ensures that the building and systems operate optimally to meet the current requirements, which supports worker effectiveness.

Relevant Codes and Standards

ASTM Standard Classifications and Practices

Major Resources

WBDG

Building / Space Types

Applicable to all building types and space types, especially those regularly occupied or visited.

Project Management

Building Commissioning

Tools

Building Life-Cycle Cost (BLCC), LEED® Version 2.1 Credit / WBDG Resource Page Matrix, LEED®-DoD Antiterrorism Standards Tool, Life- Cycle Cost in Design (LCCID)

Publications

Others

WBDG Services Construction Criteria Base